#she’s honestly the best dance partner I’ve ever had though

[littlebasementcreature]

I’m in that stage of my life, where I dress up sexy just to dance around my living room alone.

#dance like EVERYONE is looking #buzzed on like one beer #God I’m only 24 I swear #dancing alone #also dancing with my dog #she’s honestly the best dance partner I’ve ever had though #music #dancing

[quokkawritesarchive]

DANCE BETTER — MINHO.

pairing: minho x reader(afab) genre: dancer au!minho, enemies to lovers, smut, NSFW warnings: sub!minho, dom!reader, kinda touch starved minho, oral (f. receiving), handjob, praising, degrading, dirty talk, use of “slut”, “kitten”, “whore”; fingering, cumming untouched, mean minho in the beginning a/n: i decided to expand the scenario that i’ve written for this ask. enjoy!

dancing has always been a big part of your life. you danced since you could remember and it was the only part of your life that has “always been there” and brought you comfort.

after moving to soul and completing your biggest dream, the first thing that you did was sign up for a dance studio. it looked pretty fun, judging by the text on the brochure. unlike most dance studios in soul, this one had couples dancing. you have never tried this before, so you were very thrilled with the idea of new couples choreo you’d learn.

until you met minho. this guy has been a regular dancer in the studio for quite a long time. you didn’t get along from the beginning. it was honestly still a secret to you why exactly you didn’t get along. he seemed like a pretty chill guy, but with you he always seemed to turn into an asshole.

maybe it was your dancing skills, that finally put him into challenge. he was the best in the group, until you showed up. maybe it was his strategy - to bully you, until you give up and leave. but you were not one of the weak, you were not planning on giving up.

months went by and your dance teacher has acknowledged your skills. to everyone’s surprise, she paired you with minho. your partner at the time was the sweetest guy you’ve ever met. yes, he was a bit slow with learning new choreo and overall he lacked some skill, but honestly, you’d rather be paired with someone who lacks skill than with a man-child.

it quickly evolved into a fight for the title of the best, but now it was inside the pair. you gave your fullest in every practice. you didn’t want to slack off even for one moment. because you knew - the second you relaxed, minho’d leave a harsh comment about your poor dancing skills and that he needed to change his partner immediately.

his verbal bullying evolved as well and turned into putting pranks on you. at his very grown age, he still did some stupid shit, like tying your shoelaces on both sneakers between each other while you were not looking, making you fall afterwards. but you became used to it. you treated it as some sort of challenge that you need to overcome. dancing was no longer there to relieve stress and be your safe space - it became a battleground.

but it wasn’t just minho you were fighting with. your dance teacher didn’t help either. you were used to bullying and you could handle every prank that minho did on you. what you couldn’t handle though, was the sexy choreo that your dance teacher loved to put on. for some reason, she thought that getting random people who interact with each other only during dance practice, to learn the sexiest and most seductive choreography ever was a good idea. every time it became more naughty and awkward for you and minho.

it was your usual thursday after work hours, meaning you were gonna spend time in the company of minho and other people who treat you as an obstacle that needs to be overcome. to be honest with yourself, thoughts about quitting have been coming to you more often these days.

you wouldn’t lie that the new choreo played a big part in your thoughts about quitting. this time it was one particular movement that you refused to do at first. standing in front of your dance partner, you had to roll your hips in circle movement, almost touching your partner’s crotch, while he held you by the waist. awkward? yes. uncomfortable? obviously. too little words to describe your feelings.

you didn’t know, if minho felt the same way, but he never complained once, while you talked to the dance teacher several times about this move. the only response you got was that you need to grow up and it’s just dancing, not fucking. of course.

“one-two-three-four!” dance teacher was counting down, while whole group was repeating that particular part of the choreo once again. “one-two-three-four!”

you circled your hips, feeling minho’s hands on your waist. he didn’t look at you once, while you were repeating this part for the past few minutes - you could see him looking to the side in the mirror.

that’s how he usually behaved - ignored your existence, talked to you only when it was really needed. it was like you were not even there for him.

“good! a couple more times and we’ll move to the next part! let’s repeat that with previous moves and add this at the end! with music now!”

everyone nodded. it was a relief being able to finally go through choreo with music.

following the tempo, you began to do long-learned movements. minho gave you his hand at the right moment, spun you around in place, then turned you to face the mirror, preparing you for the next part of the choreo.

“one-two-three-four!” counting began again, echoing through the walls of the studio.

as always, you put all your passion into the movements. you were precise in the placement of your arms and legs, not wanting to be inferior to minho in anything.

“now the hip part! one-two-three-four!”

you rolled your hips at the count, maybe too passionately, carried on with the thought of beating minho in this unspoken dance battle, cause you forgot that the distance between your ass and minho’s crotch was too little to begin with. it was a soft sigh that reached your ears, causing you to stop your movements.

your eyes widened in surprise. you looked in the mirror, making eye contact with minho, but he broke it almost immediately, looking away, hands still on your waist.

did you really just hear that or was it your imagination?

“cmon, girls! i want you to be passionate about this dance! look at y/n and minho, they always give their best, even if choreography seems “too sexy”, as you all say.”

right. too sexy.

“okay, let’s go through this once again, but now i wanna see a good hip movement, girls!” teacher clapped her hands and put the music back on.

you were trembling, but you couldn’t figure out the source of it - fear or anticipation? because of the constant fighting between the two of you, you’ve never had a change to look at minho in this way. and objectively, he was an attractive guy - veiny hands, big muscular thighs and heart-shaped lips. you bet he had abs too, but you’ve never seen his stomach. for some reason, he hid it and wore only oversized t-shirts.

the thought of touching his crotch with your hips again sent chills down your spine. you had to feel him again.

following the countdown, you let your hips circle a little bit wider, making it seems like an accident again. as soon as you felt your ass slightly brush against minho’s crotch, you heard a quiet whimper. the fact that you could hear it over the blasting music made you aware that minho was not holding back. his grip on your waist tightened, as you saw him close his eyes through the mirror.

oh, he was having a boner for sure.

the realization made your pussy throb. you felt yourself getting wet, panties started to soak with your arousal.

this minho? the same minho who constantly bullied you ever since you took your first step into the studio. the same minho who pulled pranks on you and got on your nerves. the same minho who was currently having a boner, because you rubbed your hips against him.

you thought you were dreaming.

without any thinking, driven by pure lust, you scooted closed to minho and brushed your hips against his bulge, but now with more pressure. the sigh that he let out tightened the knot in your stomach. you had no idea where you were going with this, but the sounds this man was making were driving you crazy. thankfully, the teacher was giving harsh comments to the back line, so you had plenty of time to yourselves.

like a cat in heat, you leaned against minho again, leaving no room between your bodies and pressed your ass right into his boner. he responded so readily, whining out, quietly, brokenly. it sounded so pretty it sent tingles down your spine.

you took a look at his face in the mirror again and smirked. his eyes were shut, eyebrows slightly raised and he looked almost helpless as he breathed heavily. the scene was endearing. you would never have thought that you’d see your main rival in such a state.

his boner was obvious now. you could feel him behind you, throbbing in his sweatpants. but for some unknown reason, he was still not grinding against you. he was not doing nothing to prevent your moves against his boner, but he himself was not moving at all, as a matter of fact. his breathing was becoming heavier with every grind of your hips, little puffs of air hitting the back of your neck, his hands twitching on your waist.

it felt amazing. you’ve got yourself so worked up by just grinding against him. his breathing was tickling your neck and you were biting your lip to hide your own moans.

“alright! back to where we left off!” the voice of your teacher was so sudden it made you jump.

oh, how were you gonna be able to keep dancing like this? your panties were so soaked they were leaking through your sweatpants. minho’s face was slightly red. he probably felt even more uncomfortable than you with a throbbing dick between his legs. this problem needed to be sorted out now.

“sorry! i need a quick bathroom break!” you came up with the dumbest excuse and rushed out of the studio hoping that minho would have enough brain cells to understand and follow you along.

the cold air in the hallway helped you get back to your senses a little. there was a layer of sweat on your forehead and it wasn't because of the dance - minho made you feel this way. so now you were standing in the middle of the hallway with your thighs trembling out of nervousness. what will he do? flip you against the wall and say dirty things in your ear? be rough with you and leave read marks on your ass? you couldn’t keep calm while waiting for him.

seconds passed, but minho didn't show up. you decided to take it as a sign of refusal and were about to return to the studio and continue dancing as if nothing had ever happened. but as soon as you put your hand on the door handle, the door swung open and minho literally flew into you, almost knocking you down.

“oh shit! sorry!” he grabbed you by waist, keeping you in place. your eyes collided.

did he just apologize?

never in your life did you think that you’d be able to hear minho saying these words to you in all seriousness.

“it’s… fine. don’t worry. i thought you weren’t coming, so…” suddenly you felt awkward. you were talking to minho like this? in private?

“ah, she made me show some moves again, cause these idiots still can’t remember shit.” minho chuckled, looking at you searchingly under half-closed eyelids.

sexual tension disappeared, so now it was only two of you in the hallway, looking at each other with questioning looks in the eyes.

he was leaning against the door that went back to the studio, so pinning him right here was not an option - he could have been heard.

you decided to take action slowly, since he was looking at you dumbly, as if he had never touched a woman before. slowly you leaned closer to his lips, brushing yours slightly against his. this simple action made him vocal already.

“shh…” you pulled away, put your fingers on his lips. “if you gonna be so whiny, we have to find another place.”

his nod in response made you chuckle. what happened to the usual asshole that you feared? it seemed like a completely new person was in front of you.

it didn’t take long to find a more private place. locker rooms were free since whole group was currently dancing in the studio.

to your surprise, even now minho continued to act like a shy bitch. his eyes were looking anywhere, but at you. it was honestly adorable and made you horny again.

you took a step closer, pinning him against the wall again as your arms slithered their way to his waist. he gasped when your hips pushed him further against the wall and your knee went between his thighs, parting them apart. a muffled whimper escaped his heart-shaped lips. he couldn’t hold back his low whines, desperation evident through his hard-on that you felt twitch under his pants with each grind of your lower body. you decided not to kiss him yet, even though you craved to feel his soft lips on yours.

instead, you trailed kisses down his neck, while you hand began toying with his crotch. that made minho choke out your name in the most pretty and desperate voice. you hummed against his skin as your lips left slick spots on his neck. minho was already falling apart.

there was not much talking, but you desperately wanted to say something, to degrade him like he did you this whole time.

“so weak for me.” you finally spoke. “what happened to your pride? all gone just because you finally felt some pussy on your dick?”

grin appeared on your face as you heard him moan at your words. his dick was already pulsating in your hand. you could feel it through the fabric. he muttered, trying to get his mind back, which turned blank at your movements.

minho was flustered from head to toe. each rub of your palm was accompanied by a gentle thrust of your hips, and minho couldn't hide the little whimpers that came out of his mouth. you smirked, pressing soft kisses on the corner of his mouth, finally capturing your lips together.

hearing his whimpers against your mouth made you even wetter. his lips were soft as you imagined. he was so cute - falling apart under your touch, but still eager to kiss you, moving his lips along with yours. his legs were trembling in place, still trying to process what was happening.

he made a disgruntled sound, his expression jumped to frustrated when you moved away slightly. feeling the cold surface of the wall against his back was a big contrast to how hot you had made him feel in the blink of an eye.

you had never done anything like this. of course, you had a lot of sex experience, but it was mostly an average sex with some occasional dirty talk from your parter. now it was different. minho made you act like this - so dominating, making him feel like he was yours to touch, and yours only.

feeling the confidence, you slid your hand through his waistband, capturing his throbbing dick in your palm. your quick action made his hips buck up in your fist, eyes widened in surprise.

“looks like someone is about to cum untouched.” you teased, starting to stroke his dick, touching the tip of it with your thumb occasionally.

“please, please, don’t stop-“ he looked at you pleadingly, eyes watering. he needed more.

it struck you how easy it was to get him to beg.

“oh, you look so cute right now.” you cooed at him, freeing his throbbing dick out of his pants. it was swollen and painfully hard, the tip of it red, leaking with precum.

minho was seeing stars already. his body was so sensitive, reacting to your touch in this almost embarrassing way. he had never felt like this before.

“please, don’t tease- just- make me cum-“ his eyes were shut, lips parted, revealing his bunny teeth.

“what makes you think I will make you cum?” you asked him, slowing the pace, but still stroking his hard cock with your hand. 

“b-because I’ve been good-” he stammered hopelessly with his words as he tried not to sound so desperate.

you chuckled. “have you? i only remember you’ve been acting like as asshole to me since the day i saw you.”

“‘m sorry-“ he cried out, soft whimpers leaving his mouth. “‘m so sorry, i will be good now.”

“yeah? is that what you’re saying? that you’ll be a good boy?” 

“yes-s…”

“say it.” you squeezed his dick in your fist, making him choke.

“i’ll be a good boy! i promise! i’ll be good! just please-” oh he was a mess. a whiny, whimpering mess under your touch. your words and your attitude made his dick twitch, which didn’t go unnoticed by you.

“you like it when i say stuff like that? you like it rough?” the grip on his dick tightened with these words. “oh, you are such a slut, minho. who would’ve thought.”

minho groaned, both frustrated and unbelievably turned on. you looked up at his face. eyes shut, pretty flush covering his cheeks and ears. you wanted this face on your pussy.

“get on your knees.” you commanded, feeling more powerful than ever. this man made you act like this and you were enjoying using him however you liked.

minho froze for a second, but still obeyed, slowly sitting down with his face right next to your pussy.

your hands immediately found a place on his head, bringing him closer to your crotch. minho let out a whine, but allowed his face to be dragged, shivering when he realized how compliant he was.

“can you smell it, kitten? how good you making me feel?” you rubbed your hips on his face.

oh he looked so unbelievably hot sitting on his knees with his cock out of the pants, precum dripping on the floor, face buried in your clothed pussy.

“yes-s-“ minho hummed into you, sending vibrations with his voice.

“that’s a good boy.” you praised, pulling minho closer. “now lick.”

there wasn’t much friction with his actions, but the fact that minho was sitting on his knees with his soaking dick in plain sight, licking your pussy through the sweatpants, almost made you cum.

low groans were coming from his mouth and sending vibrations through your cunt, making you even wetter. you had to stop him now, or you were gonna cum without even feeling his lips on your clit.

“enough.” you pulled him away with your hand. “take this off and get to work.”

minho swallowed. the way your voice was saying these things like it was a natural occasion for you two.

he quickly brought his hands to your waistband, sliding everything down in one motion.

it amazed him how wet you were for him. honestly, he still thought that it’s some sort of prank and you were about to show the hidden camera and laugh at him. it couldn’t connect in his mind, that your pussy was clenching around his mouth, while you were desperately trying to mute your moans.

a whimper left your mouth when his tongue started circling around your clit. you honestly thought you’re about to pass out. damn, this man really knew how to eat pussy.

then, you felt the pad of his index and middle finger sliding right into your slit. you were too soaked to make him take his hands away and beg to touch you, so you just let him finger you.

his fingers kept going in and out, while lips were making out with your clit. small little whines were leaving him at your taste. you couldn’t help, but started whining as well, holding onto his head.

he quickly realized that you had nothing to hold onto besides his head and your thighs were starting to tremble.

“i think you should-“ he pulled away for a second to gently tapped you on your thigh, signaling that you should move closer to the wall.

now that you had more support, your self-confidence was back and dirty talked continued. minho didn’t even wait for your order, immediately attaching his lips back to your cunt.

"you are such a slut, aren't you-" you moaned.

his puffy lips wrapped around your swollen clit as he sucked, pushing his nose against your cunt. he desperately tried to take more than he could possibly handle.

for some reason, he knew exactly how to please you, exactly how to lick and suck on your clit to have you gasping out for air. slipping his tongue all along your folds and lapping at you eagerly, he couldn’t get enough of your taste. it was supposed to be a punishment for him so that he could fuck you later, but it turned out to be a reward. who knew that minho loved eating pussy. you've completely flooded his senses. the only thing he could smell, the only thing he could taste on his tongue was your pussy.

“such a good boy you are.” uncontrollable moans left your mouth as you kept riding his face. “or should i say kitten? slut? whor-“

suddenly a warm, white load spilled over your leg, cutting you off. minho’s lips left your clit as he kept cumming over the floor and your leg. and all of that because you used some dirty talk?

the flush on his face deepened. broad chest heaved with every pant.

“come on.” you gave him a minute to restore breathing, then bringing him back to your pussy by the hair again. “i’m not done with you.” 

he was a little shaky and boneless from coming, but still obeyed, latching his pretty lips back on your pussy.

the image of him cumming under you untouched and spilling his cum all over your leg replayed in your head, helping you reach you climax quickly. you held onto his hair harder, bringing him impossibly closer to your throbbing pussy, riding his face through your orgasm.

your legs trembled as you almost fell down on the floor, but minho’s strong hands held you in place, tongue never leaving you as you kept cumming.

“wow…” you breathed out after finally being done with your orgasm.

minho was still sitting between your thighs, looked like he liked it there.

flush was still all over his face. you didn’t know of what exactly he was ashamed of, but you guessed it was all together. you sat down in front of him and cupped his cheeks, leaving a quick peck on his lips.

“i don’t know how you really feel, but i am just gonna say, that i enjoyed it and we can talk about it later, if you are not ready now.” you looked into his eyes, making your words clear. “there is no need to be ashamed of anything.”

minho didn’t have time to reply. the approaching sounds of voices made it clear that the training was over and your group was heading here.

minho panicked. he was still in the women's locker room, on his knees with a dick hanging out of his pants. the puddle of cum was still underneath you.

in a matter of seconds, he shoved his dick back into his pants and ran to the door. but he was not fast enough, colliding with one of the girls in the doorway.

she didn’t say anything. just let him run out of the room and then shot you the dirty glare. well, apparently everyone has already found out.

-> reblog to support me, if you enjoyed reading this and please let me know your thoughts in the comments! ♡

masterlist | taglist

#stray kids #skz smut #lee know #skz minho #skz x reader #sub minho #sub lee know #dom reader #skz lee know #lee minho #lee know smut #minho smut

[thornpixie]

I am Team Jeremiah, but that doesn’t mean I hate Conrad. However, I find it very hard to feel any sympathy for him: an essay.

I truly hope Conrad finds happiness. I just don’t think he and Belly are right for each other. And no, I haven’t read the books (you can read my feelings on that argument in another post I’ve done lol), so I’m just going off the show.

I am Team Jeremiah, I make no secret of it. But that’s because he is just the better choice for Belly. Not because he is better than Conrad, full stop. They both have their flaws. Should Jeremiah have made out with his brothers ex girlfriend like that, without at least talking to him first? Hell no. But come on - the guy tried to resist. He tried so hard. Belly kept pushing. And let’s remember what Conrad said to Belly at the start of the season after they kissed - ‘Do you want to be with him?’ ‘Being with you is all I’ve ever wanted.’ ‘Okay so be with me then.’

Belly choosing Conrad over Jeremiah was all that mattered back then, not how it affected anyone else, even though she was quasi-dating his brother for most of the summer. He didn’t give a fuck about Jeremiah and if it wasn’t for Belly saying no, he would have flaunted her immediately, even knowing she had kissed Jere a few times. When he asked Jeremiah for his blessing, I don’t believe he did that for any other reason than Belly would continue to distance herself from him until she believed Jere was over it. Conrad did not go to Jeremiah to make sure he truly was okay. He was ticking a box for Belly. Jeremiah was quite obviously not okay with it but Conrad chose to ignore that because he wanted Belly. We saw that in what he told Belly about it afterwards. He took the parts of the conversation that suited his narrative and the outcome he wanted, and he ran with it. And it worked. Jeremiah got hurt, and Conrad didn’t care, because he had Belly.

Their relationship wasn’t this epic love story. I still don’t understand where it came from. I understand Belly’s crush. But when and how and why did Conrad start loving her? The writers of the show seemed to just say ‘he just does’ and we are supposed to say ‘okay yeah sound makes sense.’ I just don’t understand the timeline. Besides that though… Look, I understand and empathise with the fact that his mom was dying while they were dating, and that he was struggling with his mental health. It was a lot for an 18 year old to deal with. (Of course, Jeremiah was dealing with it, too, but Conrad stans conveniently forget that). But Belly suffered in that relationship because of it, and no one should have to do that. To me, it seemed like she was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Waiting for him to pull away. Scared. Maybe Conrad wasn’t going to break up with her at prom, and she jumped the gun, but it says a lot about how she was feeling that she immediately assumed that. A relationship shouldn’t be like that.

Jeremiah, though… from day one he was open and honest with her. He asked her straight up if she could ever love him like she did Conrad and she said YES. Belly said herself - Jeremiah is always there when she needs him. That’s what you need in a life partner. And fuck me, the passion they have. A perfect blend of supportive and passionate. Tie that man DOWN. He is supportive, he defends her, he speaks his mind, he is honest and reliable (the only time we saw him ‘let her down’ in any way was when he missed the dance at the Deb Ball and jeez, he had a damn good reason so no one can blame him). He makes her laugh. They can have fun together, but can also have the serious conversations. I married my best friend and I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s honestly amazing to know you have that person who truly sees you, loves and supports you. Who is your comfort. Jeremiah is that for Belly. Honestly, I could go on and on about how Jeremiah is the perfect match for her - and the chemistry between Gavin and Lola definitely adds to it, but it isn’t the only factor - but everyone has probably given up reading by now…

Both boys have been dealt a shit hand, losing their mother. Both boys have made mistakes and have flaws. But they both have incredibly good qualities, too. Personally, I just think that Jeremiah is more suited to Belly, and they will have a happy, healthy relationship.

Also, the way she kissed him back in that episode… I’m sorry but there’s no way she’s not jumping his bones when they start officially dating. It wouldn’t make sense to me. She was smiling against his mouth and knotting her fingers in his hair, and it was ‘Wattpad level hot’, as Taylor would say. Considering she’s already done the deed, I can’t see any logical way for the writers to incorporate a ‘no intimacy’ storyline for them. Especially after that scene in particular, but also their first kiss in the pool back in season one, and the booby fondling in the car - WHERE BELLY STRAIGHT UP SAID SHE WAS NOT NERVOUS BECAUSE IT WAS JEREMIAH. Sorry, but let’s be real - there’s not a chance in hell those two are not banging the brains out of each other. And good on them. So I hope that is a change made to the books. Furthermore, show-Jeremiah cheating? I cannot see it happening. I really really hope it doesn’t.

IF Bonrad must be endgame, then please, Jenny Han, I beg of you to right your wrongs and not assassinate Jeremiah’s character to reach that ending. There are better ways to do it. But I maintain that the better choice for Belly is Jeremiah. And Conrad should meet someone new who is more emotionally mature and able to deal with his very obvious mental health problems. Someone he feels he can open up to about them. Because, as a sufferer myself, you need that support. Belly doesn’t provide that for Conrad and, as a result, Conrad doesn’t give Belly what she needs either.

One last parting thought - what the fuck happened to Jeremiah and Steven’s friendship? Jeremiah told Steven how much he cared for Belly in season one. Why did literally no one listen to him? And how did no one see it in the way his entire personality seemed to shift in season two. He’s lost his sparkle. YES most of that is because of his mom, but is everyone really that blind to him? No one notices that poor guy. He’s completely overshadowed by Conrad in every aspect. Everyone just expects Jeremiah to roll over and let everyone else have their happy ending while he gets trampled on because he’ll ‘just get over it’. Come on. WRITERS - DO BETTER. There is too much phenomenal acting talent in this show to let bad writing and tropes ruin it.

In conclusion, I haven’t written this much on one topic since I did my degree and I am obsessed with this show. Goodbye.

#belly conklin #jeremiah fisher #the summer i turned pretty #tsitp #belly x jeremiah #tsitp conrad #conrad fisher #team jeremiah #j

[devil-doll13]

ok, for Abby and Max:

favourite place in the world?

comfort food?

biggest fear?

favourite swear word?

ideal partner?

biggest pet peeve?

safe space?

guilty pleasure?

Hiii Cylas! Thankyou for all the questions I had fun thinking Abt these.

From this

Under the cut due to length:

Favourite Place In The World?

Oooh Abigail isn’t really attached to a specific place… Nowhere really takes to her except for places of the dead, who like her far better than the living ever have. So graveyards, where she’s slept and read and danced in before.

For Max I fully believe it is a concert venue! He loves music and will always enjoy the crazy energy when the band comes on to play. He’s very used to it since he used to play himself, and now that he doesn’t go to them as often he treasures it even more.

Comfort Food?

For Abigail it’s Halloween candy. The 31st of October was not only the day before her birthday (which she enjoyed even though there was no party) but a rare and precious time she got to actually enjoy herself as a kid. Also yes, she always went as a little witch.

For Max it’s pizza all day every day baby. He likes it best with pepperoni and bacon bc he’s a meat eater. It reminds him of his childhood and teenage years when he was relatively untroubled, and better things from back then. It’s a nice greasy comfort of his.

Biggest Fear?

Abigail I think has very little to fear now since… She’s already been through it, really. (And she is the one whom others should fear, she believes) But I would say she is honestly petrified of making herself too vulnerable to someone only for things to turn out badly like they did with Jude…

For Max it’s probably his fear that someday his secret would get out and that the people of Downings, who he’d grown so fond of, would condemn him for it. I mean, not only is he a werewolf, but also an actual murderer and lbr a lot of people couldn’t stomach that… Best to keep it hidden.

Favourite Swear Word?

Abigail’s favourite is probably ‘fuck’ and when she actually swears (because she doesn’t do it often) she really means it.

For Max it’s ‘shit,’ kind of one he just finds himself saying casually because ‘fuck’ is a little bit more severe to him.

Ideal Partner?

Abigail would be drawn to a kindred spirit, someone who makes her feel less of an ‘other’ maybe. I feel that she is drawn to the artsy types and outsiders, someone who she could talk poetry with and share with a sense of dark romanticism, or maybe just overall grim vibes. Also, she needs someone to accept the fact that she is legitimately inhuman in some aspects of herself and has murdered people… And will continue to do so and probably worse things lol. Might be best if they have some dark secrets too

Max has a thing for nerdy people! And also smart people 👀 but not necessarily in the conventional book smarts way if you know what I mean? He likes people with a passion and zest for life and things they enjoy, and of course someone who is kind and isn’t an asshole to others because that would turn him off for sure. Someone who reminds him of the better things about his ‘past life’ but to also cherish this new one. Also, loyal, because he values that highly. Someone who he can tell his secret to and be accepted despite it.

Biggest Pet Peeve?

Abigail hates when Christmas comes too fast and wipes out Halloween 😂 she loves the spooky vibes too much and probably hates all the songs that get played over and over. Since she doesn’t have any good Christmas memories she doesn’t care about it at all so she doesn’t understand the obsession.

I’ve been asked about Max’s before but another one of his that I haven’t talked about is he hates when vinyls have been compressed/bricked to hell. His sensitive hearing especially does not do well with it 😭 he has a hard time listening to Death Magnetic bc of this the poor man

Safe Space?

Hmm… Does Abigail feel safe anywhere? Like, really? She hasn’t had a fixed home for years so I’d really say just whenever she is surrounded by ways to kill someone who tries anything. Whenever she feels powerful and superior.

Max actually would probably consider the forest area around his home to be a ‘safe space,’ for everyone’s sake. It’s where he can be the wolf without having any worries of scaring or hurting others, and he truly free. Plus it’s very calming to be in nature, he appreciates in now more than he used to.

Guilty Pleasure?

Abigail’s is theatre, which I wouldn’t say she feels guilty about it but more that it was a very distant childhood dream of hers that never got fulfilled. She likes to watch plays sometimes, applying the means necessary to enter and leave unseen. Her favourite play is Hamlet, which she has used victims to act out before since her corpses couldn’t speak….

Max’s is pop music, especially Madonna he loves her lol, catch him vibing to Vogue or Material Girl on the down low. Since he has this whole ‘metalhead’ thing going on nobody expects him to have a thing for it. He also loves Prince and Lady Gaga. He probably just had to hide it as a kid bc of his brothers lol, like you just know he would’ve been made fun of for it.

#friend cy #Abigail Williams #Abigail #Maxwell Holt #Max #asks #ask game

[oknowkiss]

happy birthday iota & maddy!!

@sorrybutblog @thebooktopus !!!! it is your birthdays! wow. what an absolute pleasure it has been to get to know both of you this year. you are both so generous with your time, offering incredible betas and recs and gift-fics, and then somehow still finding the time to write amazing words yourselves. i am consistently in awe of you both! to that point, i do have wee giftie of my own for you, however due to how everything is so much all of the time, it isn’t quite ready yet. so for today, please enjoy a couple semi-lengthy excerpts (E-rated) — featuring professional quidditch player bicon harry, bartender draco who definitely does NOT have a crush and is not going to do anything at all with amortentia cocktails, and their very patient roommates/partners pansy and neville — the general plot is that everyone is going to fuck everyone (although, of course, drarry endgame) — i hope you both have the best day ever!!! 

And maybe it was more Pansy’s fault than Harry had initially thought, because it was after all Pansy who had talked loudly about walking into the loo to find two men in there with the door unlocked, one bent over the sink, the other rutting into him from behind. And it was Pansy who had asked Draco and Neville what it felt like to have your prostate fucked, but it was Harry who had spoken up–again without thinking, seemingly the theme of the night–and said around the mouthful of olives he was sucking off a toothpick,

“Bloody fucking amazing, that.”

“Sorry, what–” Draco demanded, at the same time that Neville choked on his own drink, sloshing beer down his chin, and Pansy buried herself in one of Draco’s four gin & tonics, her eyes bright and gleaming.

“What?” Harry said, looking up at them then, taking in their shocked looks. His eyes focused on Draco because he was the easiest to find in the dark light. “You don’t have a monopoly on getting buggered.”

“Obviously, but I didn’t–”

“Know that I’m bi?” Harry finished for him, pulling down another olive, chewing it as he spoke. “Soz, suppose it never came up.” And then, “You could’ve told them, Pans.”

“Wait,” and it was at this point that Draco had put his hands on the bar, his knuckles white, as though he needed to find purchase on something solid and reliable. “You’ve been buggered by a man?”

“Well, yeah,” Harry said, and then, at Pansy, “You say I’m the idiot?”

“I presumed—” Draco started, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Honestly Potter, I’ve seen what she keeps in the trunk under her bed. I just presumed she’d fucked you.”

“Not yet!” Pansy laughed, clapping, practically dancing.

Harry looked from Pansy to Draco and then shrugged, returned to his olives, dragging the last one down the toothpick with his teeth until it disappeared into his mouth with a tiny pop.

“We’ve been waiting for a special occasion.”  

“I need air,” Draco said. “A lot of air.”

+++

A few days later came the protein powders and the dusty bags full of loose grain, which Draco found shoved into the cupboard between his imported chocolates.

“Are you a horse?” Draco asked casually, bending over Potter as he lay on the floor stretching his right leg up and around in circles in a way that Draco hardly noticed and had not been watching, due to the fact that he was reading, and taking in every word.

“What?” Potter asked, pulling a headphone out of his ear. Draco could hear the tinny sound of a guitar streaming out.

“Only, I was wondering why your feed bags are in my cupboard,” Draco said, crossing his arms and focusing on Potter’s face, not at all noticing the way Potter’s cock shifted in his joggers when he stretched his leg out to the side.

“Grab that would you,” Potter said, gesturing to his foot. He had his leg in the air and one socked foot wiggling over top of his head. “My hip is so tight today. Need to loosen up before practice.”

Draco considered it. The bottom of Potter’s socks were surprisingly clean; Draco hadn’t counted on Potter being a slipper man, but he was, and his various pairs of house slippers had been cropping up in every room over the prior week, sometimes left in pairs by the couch or by the doorframe to Pansy’s room, sometimes just one shoved under a table or a chair or, mysteriously, under the kitchen sink.

“I’d rather die,” Draco said, coming to the only reasonable conclusion.

+++

It was all so presumptuously comfortable of him, to be lying on Draco’s sofa, relaxed and drunk enough that when Pansy started rubbing the dips of Potter’s skull behind his ears, her painted fingernails scratching over the short buzzed hairs of his undercut, that Potter gave a soft little moan—a moan that they could all see his mouth make—and then put his hand with all its veins on the thickening bulge in his joggers.

“Something you’d like to share with the class, Draco dear?” Pansy asked, and Draco realized she’d been staring at him for a while.

“I’m just wondering,” he said, “When we acquired a new piece of furniture?”

“You mean the telly,” Potter asked, at the same time as Pansy had said, “Do you mean my boyfriend?”

The word boyfriend hung in the air like the aftermath of a shot. Slightly beer delayed, it took Potter a moment to register it, but when he did he reached an arm over his head and pinched Pansy’s side and Draco would’ve commented on the utterly sopping look on Potter’s face if he hadn’t been distracted by the tuft of curly black hair under Potter’s arm.

Not that it was the first time Draco had seen Potter’s armpit—the man was apparently suffering from a severe allergy to sleeves-–but every time Draco walked past Potter and his bare armpits he expected to find himself encountering a stench, and every time he was forced to begrudgingly admit that Potter smelled good.

He smelled how being windswept felt, a rush to the head, earthy sometimes like dirt or very tall trees. He never smelled sour, not even after he left Pansy’s room, not even the time he had walked into the bathroom naked and sweating. Draco had been washing his face at the time and Potter was either truly blind or kept his brain in his glasses, because he was barefaced and naked when he opened the door and walked straight into Draco, who was only wearing a pair of pants at the time.

It lasted only a second, but in that second Draco could feel every inch of Potter’s skin pressed against his side. He was dark with flush, hot to the touch and sticky against Draco’s cool pallor. When Potter stepped away, or more accurately unpeeled himself from Draco’s side, there was a damp spot on Draco’s hip from where Potter’s dick, red and still half swollen and slick with wet, had pressed into him.

Draco could smell Pansy in Potter’s facial hair, which was more than he ever wanted to know, despite literally seeing Potter’s head between her legs the night previous. He had stepped around them in the hallway as he came home from work, had studiously not felt Potter’s eyes following him and had definitely not looked back as he pushed open the door to his room, had not been pierced by a flash of green in the half-light.

Draco had not leaned, jelly-legged, against the wall in his bedroom so he could better hear the obscene wet sounds Potter made as he lapped at her cunt. He had not spat in his palm and came with a recordbreaking swiftness not seen since his Hogwarts days as he thought about the way the corner of Potter’s mouth had tilted up into a grin when he saw Draco look back. Potter had pulled back briefly to breathe, allowing Draco the briefest glimpse of teeth and pink tongue as he licked his swollen lips, glistening wet.

But in the bathroom, Potter was laughing an apology and had put his hands on Draco’s shoulders to steady himself; his fingertips were pruny, which was really more information than Draco ever needed to know, and as Draco turned to push Potter out into the hall the scent of his body washed over Draco like a wave, and when his eyes fluttered closed he saw soup stock boiling on a stovetop, leaves in bright red and yellow blanketed beneath his feet, the golden warmth of sunlight the moment before it sets.

#if you’re wondering does harry get pegged #the answer is yes #if you’re wondering does harry get spitroasted whilst being pegged #the answer is also yes #happy birthdday lmao #much love to you both!!! #harry potter #draco malfoy #neville longbottom #pansy parkinson #drarry wip #drarry wip snip #hansy #dreville #drarry

[rottmnt-lily-pads-au]

Deleted Scene #3

The conversation April, Leo, and Jade (Raph) have when they first meet.

The first part is fully written, while the last bit acts more like a script. Enjoy!

To say that things were awkward would be a massive understatement. Accidentally calling someone the wrong name, grabbing the wrong food order, doing that dance people do when they find themselves face to face while going different directions with the same path? That was all awkward. This was just… tense.

“So… what do you two do for fun?” April didn’t quite know why that was the question asked, but she didn’t really think about it beforehand, so it worked as well as any other question would.

“I fight in the Battle Nexus,” Leo offered, and April raised an eyebrow. Before April could ask for a clarification, Leo continued. “It’s basically a very intense, multi-round fighting tournament where you go all out. Tends to be pretty bloody, but my first ever match was over and done in minutes. Wasn’t my best showmanship, really should have drawn it out more, but I’ve been doing better with it.” Leo had started bouncing halfway through his description, and April couldn’t help but smile as she pictured Donnie in his place, almost vibrating with excitement. 

“That sounds super fun to watch!” April responded, watching Green light up as well.

“It is fun to watch! Me and Dad go all the time, and it’s how I actually met Leo.” Green shouldered Leo from his spot next to him, and Leo laughed, shaking his head.

“That sounds like an interesting story. Care to explain?” April didn’t even try to hide her own excitement, leaning forward with her fingers laced together under her chin, elbows resting on her knees.

“Well, I mean, I was going around town running some errands, and I was waiting for my Dad to finish up working so that we could watch one of the tournaments, and this overly eager turtle came up to me bouncing and rambling about… something? Honestly I barely remember the entire evening besides the fact that he dragged me all around the arena, using my height to help him break into the arena.”

Leo had started laughing, shaking his head as Green started talking about his memory. “Of course you don’t remember. The entire reason I needed his help was because my Mom, who owns the Battle Nexus, had put in some new security, and of course I could get over the energy walls she added, but I couldn’t reach the panel to disable the lasers at the top of the walls, so I needed someone tall to give me a boost up there.”

April: “There are walls with laser’s on top for security in a fighting ring?”

Leo: “Oh yeah. It’s non-lethal, mainly just excessive motion detectors, but they got me the last time I broke in, so I couldn’t exactly let that happen again.”

April: “Okay I gotta ask, why were you trying to sneak in, in the first place? If your mom runs the arena, shouldn’t you be able to just compete?”

Leo: “I mean, theoretically but she doesn’t really think her thirteen year old should be a part of a fighting arena where people often get dismembered.”

April: “... They what?”

Leo: “Oh yeah! It can be super brutal, but that’s why it’s so much fun! What’s even better is the fact that I ended up with some really cool friends from competing, and ended up meeting my long lost brother.”

Jade: “I wasn’t the long lost one, you were. I stayed exactly where I was supposed to be.” 

Leo: “Okay yeah, whatever Jade. I wouldn’t trade my life for anything though. Mama is pretty amazing as a parent.”

April: “Hold up, Jade? I thought your name was Green?”

Jade: “Nickname, ignore it.” 

April: “Okay, so tell me more of how you met.”

Leo: “Right! Okay so I’m dragging Jade all around the arena moving silently and I make it to the competitors stand by area-”

Jade: “And I get to meet one of his friends very suddenly.”

April: “Who was the friend?”

Leo: “My tag-team partner Leatherhead. He wasn’t very happy that I had brought someone along because he thought I had replaced him with someone else, which I would never do because Leatherhead is amazing.”

Jade: “Also I don’t fight.”

Leo: “Also he doesn’t fight. Then there was the fact that the only reason I had broken into the arena that day was to do a tag team fight with Leatherhead.”

April: “Did you win the fight?”

Leo: “Of course I did! And when I left the arena Jade was still in the stand by room, with Draxum and Mama waiting. Mama wasn’t happy, but that’s because Draxum was there hunting for Jade.”

Jade: “Yeah Dad was pretty upset he had to do that.”

Leo: “I got grounded for that one. But as soon as I got out I went to hunt down Jade because I did actually feel bad that I got him into trouble.”

Jade: “But he really didn’t get me in trouble because Dad thought it was funny.”

Leo: “Either way we started talking, and that’s when Draxum come in and goes,” *clears throat and does an impression of Draxum* “I see I have both of my sons in the house today. Leo I am getting dinner started, do you have dietary restrictions?”

Jade: “Dad’s always super careful of those. You really don’t want to hear about when we learned I have a peanut allergy.”

Leo: *Leo laughs* “I was so confused and I had to convince Jade to explain what he meant.”

Jade: “I told him eventually, but the entire idea was new to me as well. We had both assumed that my siblings were all dead. Leo kind of proved otherwise.”

April: “Wait, I’m confused, you have siblings, and Leo is one of them?”

Jade: “Yeah, there were four of us, then there was an accident with his lab, and then three of us were stolen. I stayed behind, and Dad looked for a while for the others, but he couldn’t find them. It was pure luck we found out about Leo.”

Leo: “Yeah, but it’s cool because now I get to come and harass them because what else would I do? Not annoy my dad and brother?”

*April laughs and Jade smiles, bumping against Leo* 

Jade: “Okay, we’ve been talking a lot, but you’re a human, here, in the Hidden City, and more importantly, in my living room!”

April: “What’s so special about that?”

Jade: “Well, I’ve never been to the surface, and Leo rarely goes there, so neither of us really know what any of that is like.”

April: “You’ve never actually been to New York? Which you’re directly under? Man that’s just wack. You gotta let me take you up there at some point so I can show you around.”

Jade: *Jade shrugs* “Well, that would be up to Dad, but if he’s okay with it, then I’ll take you up on that offer.”

*April goes to talk again as Donnie and Draxum enter the room. She jumps up and runs to Donnie* 

April: “Donnie! Man, I was worried! You can't just go wandering off with some stranger!"

[servin-up-surveys]

survey #055

Have you ever been in a building that was on fire? Yikes, no. Would you change your partner's hair color if you could? His hair color is not at all my choice; he can do whatever he wants with it, I don't want control over that. Have you ever written a poem for someone? More than once. Do you eat samples at the grocery store? Sometimes. Have you been best friends with someone of a different race? I have indeed; a childhood best friend was African American, and in high school I had a bestie of Asian lineage, but I don't know exactly what.

Have you ever been in a submarine? No. What's your homepage? Google. Is there anyone whose grave you visit? No; I want to visit my ex's mother's grave, but... I'm not about to reach out to his family and ask where she's buried and exactly where at the cemetery and I just have this insanely intense fear that I'd go and like by some miracle in timing, Jason was there too. I worry he'd think I was still stuck in the past and obsessed with him when in reality his mom just meant A FUCKING LOT to me and I want to feel like I've ACTUALLY told her goodbye and that our late night, hour-long phone call wasn't for nothing. I know I would have an ABSOLUTE breakdown in that graveyard, but I'd feel better afterwards. If you have kids, do you pack lunches or send lunch money? I don't, but if I did/by some miracle ever do, I'd pack them some lunch if they didn't like what was on the menu that day. That's what my mom always did, and it meant a lot to me, so I'd do the same. Do you think you have a “black sheep” in your family and who? Oh, that is EASILY me. Which family member are you closest to? My ma. Who are some of your favorite bands? I always mention Ozzy and Rammstein, so here's some other high rankers: Metallica, Marilyn Manson, Otep, Korn, Motionless In White, Powerwolf, In This Moment, Mother Mother, A Day to Remember, Cradle of Filth... there's a lot, man. Do you or have you ever written fan fiction? Nah, not my thing. Which of your friends is the most likely to get pregnant right now? Uh, idk. I don't know of any friends planning to have (more) kids. Do you like sushi? I've never tried it and don't want to, like I can nearly GUARANTEE I'd hate it. Have you ever made out with someone you weren’t dating? Nah. What is the name of the last band you discovered? Emigrate; it's Rammstein's lead guitarist's personal band. Would you rather go to a Katy Perry or Taylor Swift concert? Out of the two, Katy, but I'm not really into the idea of going to either. Do you call any of your friends by their last name? I call someone by a portion of their last name. Do you bite your toe nails? No, that is absolutely disgusting. Did you ever think you were going to wait until marriage to have sex? Yeah, that's literally the only reason I'm still a virgin lmao. I let go of that mindset years ago, though. Did you enjoy your high school prom/formal? I will ALWAYS cherish the memories Jason and I share regarding both proms, but the event itself is SO overrated. They just played shitty music and you couldn't talk to anyone without screaming at them. We just sat around and did our best to talk to friends. Only danced to the Cha-Cha Slide, but who the fuck doesn't dance to that lmao. OH WAIT NO we did the Cupid Shuffle too lmao. What are you most looking forward to? I am honestly pretty excited for Halloween this year. Playing RE2 with Girt will be a blast and maybe we can bake some cookies or something! What are you listening to? "The Man Who Made a Monster" by Dance With the Dead. Do you want a serious relationship? I'm in one of 'em, so yeah. When was the last time you were told you were cute? Yesterday by Girt. Whose picture did you last comment? Uhhhh one of my high school friends, I wanna say. Not sure. What does your mom call you? Usually Britt, sometimes my childhood nickname Twinkie lmao. Do you have a brother? What’s his name? Yeah; it's Robert but we call him Bobby. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike? Who taught you? I don't remember how old I was exactly, I just know I was probably your average age and that it was my dad that taught me. If my dad did one thing right growing up, it's that he really seemed to like playing with us kids outside. T-ball/softball, bikes, swimming, basketball... we liked doing that kinda stuff with him. What’s one of the most painful lessons you’ve had to learn? People can ALWAYS change, and that it's not always a good thing. People can ALWAYS break promises, ditch you, forget about you, the whole nine yards. Favorite Play-Doh color? Ohhhh, the bright pink. :') What’s more fun to step on; pine cones, or leaves? BITCH stepping on a nice big thicc cronchy pinecone is a BALLER feeling. Animal crackers; yay or nay? Aw, yay. They weren't delicious or anything, but what a childhood vibe. They're nice every once in a while. Do you like spending time with your parents? I do. They're not gonna be here forever and I don't want them to die and I feel like I wasn't with them enough... even though I know that's exactly the case now, primarily with my dad. What’s the best “book-turned-movie” that you’ve seen? Hmmm... I don't know if this is THE best, but I personally thought The Hunger Games movie was a great representation of the novel. Book was still better, though. What’s the weirdest shaped cloud you’ve ever seen? Hm, not sure. Have you ever gone out of state for a concert? No. Who is the last person you slow-danced with? Jason. Would you ever put lawn gnomes in your front yard? No, those actually don't appeal to me at all. What I WOULD get is a few of those adorable meerkat figures I've seen where it's poking its head out of the ground, like please that is precious. Was your last kiss standing up, sitting down, or lying down? Standing. Are you excited for winter? I have NO words for my excitement over this nearing fall and then winter!!! Can you honestly say that you love yourself? Sigh, no. Has the person you have feelings for ever told you that you’re attractive? He does all the time, though I do NOT see what he sees whatsoever. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you? No, but one of my childhood best friends Kimberly was born literally a day before me. Pretty sure same year. I miss her, actually... Do you like to have long hair or short hair? I think I will eternally stand by the claim that chopping most of my hair off was one of the best decisions of my life, ha ha. I love having short hair. Do you think you’d have what it takes to shoot someone if you had to protect yourself? I know I do, frankly. Do you like musicals? Honestly musicals make me cringe SO hard, but I wish they didn't. It's just this automatic reaction to stuff like that that I've never been able to alter, even when I catch myself feeling it. Is your hair damaged? Nah, on god I think two hairdressers have said I have the healthiest hair they've ever seen lmao. Who was the last person you threw out of your life? My romantic ex and also ex-best friend Sara. There are times I miss her, but I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's just never going to work. We don't mix and some things just aren't worth repeatedly fighting for. Do you think you’ll marry your current significant other? In complete, total, deeply thought-out honesty, I do. I won't bet my life on it, but I genuinely am confident we'll get married. We just fit so, so well. What tattoos and/or piercings do you want in the future? Eh, I mention these a lot, so I'll give ya a tattoo idea that's not in the immediate future, but WILL happen: the Halo of the Sun symbol from the Silent Hill franchise, specifically the SH3 model. I'm probably gonna get it in the usual red and have it looked carved or burned into my skin, idk yet, but I MIGHT go blue instead because red is ALWAYS how I see these tattoos and drawing the symbol in blue is meant to be a curse on the game's god, and with how anti-religion I am, I think it'd be kinda cool. Idk where I wanna get it, though. The piercing I want the most is a pair of collarbone dermals, but I've been waiting for fucking years now to try and lose enough weight to where mine are pronounced again, because just my personal opinion, they look sorta weird without that definition. Do you want any cosmetic surgery sometime down the line, if you had money for it? I do: when I lose enough weight, I fucking have to get lose skin removal on AT LEAST my stomach or I will go fucking berserk and will absofuckinglutely never be okay with my body. I'm quite sure I'd end up wanting a breast lift, too, because of what massive weight loss does to like... everything, including your breasts. I don't know if this one is considered "surgery," but I am also very serious about getting lazer hair removal on my sasquatch-lookin man legs. The first time you dumped someone, was it hard? YES. I was a wuss and did it through a letter. LITERALLY RIGHT AFTER LYING ABOUT IF I WAS GONNA BREAK UP WITH HIM, TO HIS FACE. Middle school Brittany was a whole other breed, y'all. What’s one of you and your best friend’s weirdest but funniest inside jokes? oh god it's not appropriate but GODDAMN is it funny lmao Where was the very first kiss you had with the last person you kissed? In the living room of my old house. Has anyone seen you kiss the last person you kissed? Yeah, we're not secretive about it. Have you hugged someone within the last week? Girt, numerous times. When is the next time you will kiss someone? Most likely Thursday. That's mine and Girt's anniversary and he's coming over. Has anyone ever been more important to you than a family member? Yes. I basically fucking worshiped Jason when we were together. I put him above absolutely, positively everyone. Who’s the last person you talked to about sex? A doctor, but it was just to ask if I could be pregnant. My period is like, over two months late, but I'm absolutely positive I'm not pregnant since it's physically impossible. It's just got to be my body not reacting well to all the medicine changes I've been going through. Plus even before that, I got behind on my BC so that just fucked it up more. Have you ever sat in the back of a police car? I've actually sat in the back and passenger seats. The front time was how me and some other person were transported to the mental hospital that I'd been selected for that time, which was like an hour away. Even going to the one I usually was doomed to stay at that is literally in the same complex, you have to be handcuffed and taken by a police. It always felt so fucking weird and uncomfortable, like I was a bad person and being treated like a volatile, dangerous creature just for being so sick I wanted to kill myself. Who was the last person to be on a bed with you? Girt. Who is the last person that pissed you off? Truly pissed me off, Sara. Where is the biggest scar on your body? I actually don't know, but probably at the base of my spine where I had a cyst surgically removed. I can't see it so don't ACTUALLY know. Who was the last person to play with your hair? Girt. Do you know anyone who drinks a lot? At least two people. What’s your biggest turn on? Gotta be honest I'm not willing to share that. Have you ever seen a magic show? I know I did at least once as a kid at a bday party. What is your mother’s middle name? Also Marie. When was the last time you had your photo taken professionally? This past Mother's Day. How far from your house is the nearest supermarket? Literally like two minutes. Name all the people you know that you saw today. Just my mom, who I live with. What was your most physically painful injury? I'm sure in technicality it would be when I fainted and busted my chin open + broke some molars, but I have no memory of when I hit the floor. I honestly don't really even remember how much pain I was in when I awoke, so my more realistic answer is when I skinned the everliving fuck out of my knees tripping onto the road when chasing after my friend. They were cut so deep that the wounds had pus and my mom had to clean each knee like daily. Are you one of those people who gets jealous of boys/girls your current bf/gf dated? No; I've never understood this. Like, they broke up for a reason. I mean I GUESS I can see why if it wasn't your partner that did the breaking up with the ex, but still. Any drama in your life right now? Not really, no. Who have you hurt the most so far in your life? What did you do to them? Probably Mom, realistically... I've not always been the ideal daughter, I know that with certainty. I've said mean things to her in the past, once ran away and blamed it on her... stuff like that. I know I don't deserve her; she loves me so unconditionally and just refuses to give up on me. God I love my mom. Have you ever experimented with drugs? Which type and what happened? No, not into that stuff. Do you think the world would be a better place without the human race? ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY. Would you kiss the last person you kissed, again? I wanna kiss him for the entire rest of my life ok What was the last movie you watched with your mum? Uh, good question. You’re in a race & in 1st place, but your friend just fell. What do you do? I don't even have to think about this, I am absolutely checking on/helping my friend up. That shit's way, way more important than a stupid ranking in a race. What was the highlight of your week? Ha ha this is gonna sound stupid to call a "highlight," but I just thought this was pretty cool: Girt and I went down a rabbit hole of watching Pawn Stars highlights on YouTube, primarily focusing on the biggest "holy grail"/historical items. I actually used to watch that show plenty with my mom and was really into it because I just LOVE that stuff, old random shit with incredible stories and all, and Girt and I were both kinda geeking out about how cool so many things were. It's unsurprising, but I never knew he was really into that stuff too, so it was nice to bond over something little but truly incredible like that. What states have you lived in? I've never lived outside of North Carolina, USA.

#survey #surveys #random surveys #random questions

[vampiresofabbeyroad]

Okay okay okay. Best weekend ever or WHAT! I’m writing this as I sip on this melon beer that my colleague gave me when we went fishing last week. Anyway, been having such a crappy, emotional week with all the changes happening that I just found myself breaking down at random times of the day. I accepted the offer on Friday with two calls from the other company and then had therapy at night. I was supposed to go to the museum with my sister but figured that we’d just order ourselves milkshakes and chill at home because it’s been such a hectic week for the both of us.

Saturday was spent hiking in the morning and doing a bit of work, then dinner at Angel’s house. We watched the movie ‘the haunting,’ which was intriguing. I got home before 2am and then just KO-ed.

I woke up at around 9am today (Sunday) and then hiked with nicole, a uni friend I havent met in 3 years. God, the last time we saw each other was when we were at that drag show on Halloween and we got chased out by the popo a few minutes after getting to the dance floor. It was hilarious. Anyway, we hiked and updated each other on our lives. We still keep in touch regularly online, but it was so nice to converse with her face to face for the first time actually. Since we’ve never really had a proper hang before that didn’t involve dancing and alcohol LOL. We then had brunch at my neighbourhood cafe we spoke for more than 4 hours and that moment just made me realise how blessed I am with such wonderful people around me. We spoke about our past relationships and how we’re the type to ‘never forgive, but also never forget.’ We laughed about our mistakes and she particularly pointed out how it was as though I was in the movie ‘get out’ during the relationship. We also talked about our jobs, which we both enjoy but somehow burn us out. At some point, we blurted out ‘oh yeah, he’s the type to prefer presence rather than company,’ when talking about people who can’t seem to be alone. We talked about everything under the fucking sun, from our mental health, parents, work, to our sexualities. And as much as we’re not all about toxic positivity, sometimes you really just gotta look at the brighter side of things. she reassured me that it’s normal to feel what I’m feeling ,still, and that I should only look forward to greater things because what happened was just being on training wheels. Call me pretentious or wuteva, but I’ve been really inspired by the people around me lately. We all have very different personalities, of course. I chuckled when she said, “I’m fuelled by vengeance” and “TJ, don’t take this the wrong way but I don’t think you can do a villain era because you’re way too nice, you’re this person who is always sunny and happy that I don’t think you can do that.” AND HONESTLY, AS MUCH AS I WANNA HAVE A VILLAIN ERA, I DONT THINK I CAN. I STILL LOOK FORWARD TO THE BEST IN LIFE DESPITE WHAT HAPPENS TO ME - grew up without a dad and had to work 3 jobs in uni to provide for myself??? idc! Imma do what I had to do.

I would say that my social life is thriving right now. I’m around people I can be entirely myself with. As a teenager, I was really self-conscious of what other thought of me, but I’m glad that I grew up out of that as an adult because man, THE POSSIBILITIES AND GENUINE CONNECTIONS ARE ENDLESS WHEN YOU’RE JUST... BEING YOURSELF. I admit that I’m still hurting from time to time, it comes and goes. But in between that hurt are days when I’m dancing and making with my family, having my alone time in the fucking forest, drinking and spilling my heart out to my colleagues, or just having an honest one-on-one with a close friend. Life is good right now. And while it would be nice to have a romantic partner, I feel like I would not trade the peace that I have right now for the breadcrumbs I got last year. i know I deserve better, and the only way to receive better is to be better myself.

After I got home, I watched ‘antebellum’ and ‘old’ with my mom, which was a good break to be honest. Then i practised ‘kiss me’ on drums and danced along to abba with my sis. GREAT WEEKEND INDEED. I’m ready to conquer this coming week!

#well

[ladyanput]

Ok so this is the third time that I'm sending you an ask tonight. (or is it night time in your country?) I'm being annoying right now but whatever. So I've been cackling about those salt fics you wrote because they are just amazing. I have a request, though it is up to you to write it or not. So, can you write a salt fic where someone got an interview with Ladybug (probably Aurore) and then they ask her why they replaced the old heroes like Rena Rouge, Carapace and etc. and LB is just like I don't work with dumb shits or somethin'. Then there is also a new Black Cat (Probably Luka, Felix, or Damian) because Adrien here is an asshole and this fic is saltier than salt water. Then LB also insults Alya's blog and their school. Those foolish mortals get some lawsuits and the rest is up to you. (This request is probably messed up since it's already midnight here and I can't sleep.)

You're never annoying, I just apologize that it took me so long to get to you. I do hope you don't hold it against me, darling.

A one on one interview with Ladybug was basically unheard of if you weren't the Ladyblog or Nadja Chadwick. Ladybug had made it firm that she wasn't a celebrity, she was a hero. She wasn't there for clout, for attention, for fame or fortune. She just wanted to keep Paris safe.

That's was Aurore admired about her. And why she felt queasy as she sat across from the heroine, who had given her of all people an interview. But she got ahold of herself, taking deep breaths as the cameraman began counting down. And when he hit 'one', she put on her best smile and straightened in her seat.

"Hello Paris! Welcome back to 'Latest Buzz'! I am your lovable host, Aurore Beauréal. Today I am here with a very, very special guest, our very own heroine of Paris; Ladybug!"

Ladybug beamed right at the camera, but gave a shy little wave, giving away the nerves she obviously had.

"Now, Ladybug, I'm so glad you requested to be on the show. You know, I initially thought I had misheard when Estelle told me. Usually you're not big on personal interviews." Aurore gave her full attention to Ladybug, but keeping the bright, friendly smile and perfect posture.

"Well, I tried a few times actually. But when I did, none of them were really great experiences." Ladybug admitted and both girls immediately thought of that disastrous Face-to-Face interview. It left a bitter taste in their mouths. "My issue is that misinformation has been spread around a lot recently. It's made me realize that I need to find more trustworthy sources."

"Ladybug. I vow on my integrity as a host and Estelle's reputation as a journalist that we are people who research facts. We don't ambush our guests, we respect them." She said, placing a hand on her heart. Ladybug saw an honesty in her eyes that she hadn't seen in such a long time. It honestly made her feel.. Respected. "Now, Ladybug.. We both know you have a lot of fans. A lot of admirers. False information can be spread so easily these days, which sources specifically are you telling people to avoid?"

"Well.. With Face-to-Face, I found that I was entirely ambushed in that interview. I wanted to speak about my hero work, but instead Nadja kept trying to needle her way into my personal life. That picture she had shown in largely out of context; when Dark Cupid attacked and Chat Noir was under his spell, it was the only way to get him free."

"Yes, I remember watching that. I'll be honest Ladybug, I felt bad for you." Aurore bit her lip, but smiled a bit when Ladybug nodded. "I mean, Chat Noir wasn't helping either. He seemed to be trying to push this narrative forward that you two are a couple."

"And we're not!" Ladybug burst out before she could stop herself. Everyone in that studio could hear the utter stress and frustration in her voice. "I've begged and begged Chat Noir to stop with the flirting, the 'telling people we're dating', everything! I just wanted him to focus and he couldn't seem to do that!"

"Is that why you replaced him? Because of his slacking off and refusing to take anything seriously?" Aurora sat up an bit straighter, her eyes going wide.

".. Not exactly, no. It was a bunch of issues that eventually piled up and boiled over." Ladybug made some gestures with her hands, trying her hardest to find the words but just letting out a long and pained sigh in the end. "I do enjoy my new partner now. He is more serious, more stable. I know he won't go off and pout if I deny something he wanted. I needed an entirely new team, as a matter of fact."

"Well I am going to say, on behalf of everyone here, that we're glad. We swear on our integrity as journalists that if such rumours were to ever surface again, we will do our proper research." Aurore beamed and many of the staff and crew behind the cameras nodded and gave Ladybug their thumbs up. Honestly, it warmed Ladybug's heart to see such support.

When had been the last time someone had supported her like this? Sure, her parents supported her, but her friends..? Her peers? No, none of them had supported her in a long time.

"Speaking of research, I'd say to stay away from the Ladyblog." It burned to say it but it had to be said. Alya had crossed so many lines it wasn't even forgivable at this point. She had gone too far, had betrayed too many.

"Wait, what?" Aurore nearly jumped out of her seat but quickly composed herself, taking a deep breath. "Pardon me Ladybug, but the Ladyblog has been a vital source of information since the very beginning."

"And I'm not denying that!" Ladybug quickly held up her hands, her eyes desperate now. "But please let me explain. The Ladyblog was amazing in the beginning, but like all things, it started to go astray. It was things like trying so hard to find out my identity. Trying to push that narrative of that whole superhero couple thing.. Ladyblogger Alya Césaire has proven time and time again that she is not trustworthy. I mean, I thought she was my biggest fan. Why does she keep pushing my words aside?"

Many people who watched the interview would agree. If you idolized someone, respected someone, truly looked up to them.. Why would you push aside their words, their wishes to try and push the narrative you're so convinced is true, but isn't there?

"And don't get me started on the whole Lila Rossi craze she seemed to be on now." At Ladybug's mention of Lila Rossi, both Estelle and Aurore had to keep from rolling their eyes. They knew all about the girl.

"You speak as if you are quite frustrated, Ladybug. What an odd reaction to your best friend." Aurore leaned forward a bit in her seat. Everyone else got to the edge of theirs. Ladybug only shook her head, looking utterly defeated.

"That's the thing, she isn't my best friend." It took everything to keep from satin that she hated her, that she had taken away her friends and her life. "The only times she's met Ladybug is when she's been akumatized, which has been around six or seven times at this point. And the other things she's claiming are so outlandish! Saving Jagged Stone's kitten from a airport runway? Clara Nightengale stealing her dance moves? And the Ladyblog just posts it out there, claiming every single story is true. I'm just scared that people are taking this one hundred percent seriously. That's why I had to drop Rena Rouge and Carapace from the team as they believed Lila Rossi over me. They didn't even try to confirm these rumours! And it hurts to think that one day, someone will take Lila's words seriously and get hurt. What if she says it's safe to dip strawberries in bleach? Or tells someone that she found a way to tame some kind of wild animal? Someone would get hurt because they believe her story and try it out for themselves!"

"My goodness, I can definitely see how that is a problem. Misinformation is very easy to spread thanks to the internet, so you being worried is a very relatable thing." Aurore nodded, then tilted her head ever so slightly. "Ladybug, do you know anyone who has taken her word seriously? This is besides the Ladyblog of course."

Ladybug closed her eyes briefly, mentally debating with herself before finally giving in. These things needed to be said.

"Collège François DuPont. Now I wasn't there personally, but I heard about this situation and looked into it. The entire situation was appalling. Apparently a student was found to have cheated, assaulted another student, and commited thievery. But the thing that stuck out is only one person saw her do all of these things; Lila Rossi. No investigation was done, no questioning other students. This student was then expelled immediately. Her teacher and her principal didn't even give her a chance. And from what people have been saying, Miss Rossi's behaviour is actively encouraged in that school. She misses countless days, no, months of school, claiming she's traveling. But when she was supposedly in Achu, doing whatever it was she was claiming with Prince Ali, I was fighting her akuma here in Paris on Heroes Day!"

"I was at school the day that happened. I knew the student that happened to. They're the nicest person in that school! Never a bad thing to say about anyone, always willing to help! I agree with you on how things were handled, it's a level of incompetence that is baffling." Aurore's hands slowly curled into fists as she remembered it all. She slowly shook her head. "The principal, their teacher, their class who backed up Rossi. It must have hurt them so much, made them feel so alone."

"That's why I want people to be more careful with what information they take as fact. It's so important, because stuff like that can lead people to a desperate place. They feel alone, like the entire world is against them. I wouldn't have let the principal and the teacher get away with that gross negligence in their jobs." Ladybug leveled her gaze directly to the camera. "People of Paris, please listen to what I am saying. I am here to be a hero, to protect you from the terror of Hawkmoth and to defeat him. But please, do not be like Principal Damocles, do not be like that teacher and her class at DuPont. Do your research, look up your facts. Do not let a liar lead you to do something dangerous and hurt yourself as well as others. Respect each other, talk and be honest. I swear on my life that I shall do the same. You are the people I swore to protect and I love. I am saying this all to protect you. And I'll hope you'll all forgive me for not protecting you sooner."

...

The interview rocked Paris. Ladybug speaking so openly about her frustrations, about the discrepancies in the Ladyblog and Lila Rossi had many people double checking the sources of everything they learned from that blog.

Alya could barely show her face as she made her way though the school hallways. Her reputation as a journalist had gone down the drain. People had basically started boycotting her blog, harrassing her, or trash talking her on other forums and sites. Even a lot of news outlets picked this up.

What hurt the most from that interview last night was Ladybug's words towards her, both as Rena Rouge and as Alya. Surely the heroine had to be mistaken, she had never beytrayed Ladybug! And that Oblivio incident, it was just to show Chat Noir and Ladybug that they were meant to be together!

Her family was upset with her. No, upset was too tame of a word. They were pissed.

"I can't believe she lied to us.."

"Well what do you expect from someone who keeps harrassing Ladybug?"

Alya flinched when she heard the whispers and rushed into Miss Buster's class. The entire class was there, all seated, all looking utterly miserable. Many of them looked as if they had been crying all night. A lot like she had.

"W-where's Miss Bustier?" Alya asked when she eyed the empty desk. Many of her classmates shot her glares, but didn't say anything about the interview last night. After all, they had no room to talk.

"She and Principal Damocles are with the school board now. We're getting a new teacher." Adrien was the one that spoke up. He looked utterly miserable. So unlike his usual self.

"Lila isn't coming back. She was pulled from school when her mother found out what happened." Alix muttered from her seat, arms crossed and shoulders hunched.

The class went quiet as they all internally contemplated how things had gotten like this. Their eyes focused on the door when it abruptly opened and Marinette came strolling in, carrying a box.

"Good morning everyone!" She said brightly, pretending not to notice the downcast expressions on their faces. She set the box on the teacher's desk before she turned towards them. "Oh? What's wrong everyone?"

".. Did you not watch the interview with Ladybug on 'Latest Buzz'?" Alya stared at Marinette, a bit dumbfounded by her friend's lack of awareness of the situation. She had been expecting Marinette to rush in with support and a fiery vengeance against those who had humiliated her best friend, maybe even a fresh pastry. But instead she was greeted with empty hands and a cheerful hello?

"Oh, well I haven't really had the time to watch much television. I mean, with my transfer papers, needing to plan out my new schedule with all of those new classes. Busy as a bee, that's me!" Marinette just beamed, giving Adrien a playful wink that had his stomach churning.

"Wait, transfering?" It was Rose that spoke up, her large eyes seeming impossibly large now. "Transfer what?"

"To my new school, of course." Marinette giggled and clasped her hands together. "I start on Monday."

"New school?!" Alya was on her feet and rushing towards Marinette. The others quickly followed, crowding around her. "What do you mean new school?! When did you ever say you were going to a new school?"

Marinette blinked, as if stunned, then tilted her head ever so slightly.

"I told you all last week, don't you remember?" Marinette tapped her lower lip, seeming to be wracking her brain before she abruptly snapped her fingers. "Oh! I forgot, you all were deep in conversation with Lila about her upcoming event with Jagged Stone and Clara Nightengale. You know, the one she said she'd be attending with Ladybug, since they're such good friends. Did she ever say how it went?"

All of the students shifted uneasily, suddenly seeming to refuse to meet her face.

Alix murmured something so barely audible, Marinette held a hand to her ear and leaned closer.

"I'm sorry, what was that?"

"Lila was lying to us!" Alix snapped as her cheeks went a flaming red.

"About everything! She never knew Jagged Stone!" Juleka spat out in fury.

"Or Prince Ali!" Rose sniffled.

"And she wasn't friends with Ladybug? They were barely acquaintances!" Alya wailed out as tears welled up in her eyes.

But Marinette hardly reacted the way they were expecting. She just gave them a small smile and nodded.

"Oh, yeah. I know."

Alya sucked in a breath sharply.

"You knew..? But why did you never..?"

"Oh Alya, you silly forgetful thing. I told you the day she returned from her long 'trip', remember? I told you she was lying." Marinette gave Alya a smile that said 'oh you silly thing'. "But you told me that I should really check my sources. And I got tired of trying to bring up any lies, since that was always your response. So I decided to just stop. I mean, since you're such an inspiring, honest journalist you must double and triple check every source you come across and found every story to be true!"

Alya flinched and looked away, feeling the churning feeling in her gut again. No, the Ladyblog had been the only source for the stories. The. Only. One.

"And I'm sure all of you knew what you were doing! I mean, it makes sense; trusting the words of a complete stranger over someone you've known for a while now. Some of you since we were in diapers!" She focused her gaze on Nino and Kim, who had the grace to at least look ashamed.

"Marinette, you really should-" Adrien began, reaching out for the girl, but was cut off by her clapping her hands together.

"But it's alright! I decided that fighting with you all wasn't worth it, so I took Adrien's advice and took the high road! Don't bother exposing Lila, she isn't hurting anyone!" Marinette announced brightly, giving her hands a little wave.

The temperature in the classroom dropped by several degrees.

".. Adrien, she's kidding, right?" Nino glanced over at his friend, his eyes pleading for him to deny it all. But the sight of the blood draining from the model's face and the sweat starting to bead at his forehead told him everything he needed to know. "Dude.."

"How could you?! You knew this entire time and didn't even try to tell me?!" Alya rounded on Adrien, fury in her eyes.

"Now, now, don't get mad at Adrien. I'm sure he knew you all were going to do you research. Besides, it's not like this did anything bad for anyone." Marinette pressed a hand to her cheek, still grinning. "I mean, it's not like you all took her advice without doing any research. You didn't try the things she suggested without actually checking them out to be true, right? No one lost any scholarships or job opportunities. No one's relationships were ruined. No one was hurt."

The nauseous feeling spread to all of the class as the reality of everything caught up with them.

"I'm sure everything will go back to normal, right? I mean, I'm sure that that woman from the education bureau isn't here to fire Damocles and Bustier for their severe neglect in their duties. Expelling me with the most mediocre and shaky proof. Surely that's a school I should feel safe in! That I should be proud to be a part of. But alas, my preparations for my new school are already done, so oh well."

Marinette shrugged and adjusted her purse strap.

"Anyhow, I wish you all luck with the amazing things Lila has helped you to do! I know it must have been worth ignoring me and convincing me I was crazy. With all of the free time I've had, with you guys practically replacing me with Lila in the group, I've had tons of time to spend with my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?!" Alya's eyes went owlishly wide as she gaped at Marinette. "But what about Adrien?!"

"Oh Alya, I fell out of love with Adrien forever ago." Marinette shook her head in an almost patronizing way that had Alya's cheeks burning with embarrassment. They didn't even pay attention to Adrien's noises of surprise. "I mean, you claimed I was jealous of Lila getting close to Adrien, that I should let the jealousy go. And you know what? You were right! So I decided Adrien wasn't worth the stress, the embarrassment.. I mean, I couldn't even talk to him straight. I thought he was the most perfect guy in the world! Goodness, did I learn my lesson!"

She giggled as if she found the entire thing amusing. She then beamed at the class.

"Well, ta-ta! I need to get back home and make sure everything is ready to go. I wish you all the best, I really do!"

They all watched, shellshocked as Marinette breezed out of the classroom like it was nothing. Like she wasn't leaving her friends, her school, her life behind. And they all would wonder exactly how badly they screwed up, if she could walk away do easily, without a care.

Permanent Taglist: @vixen-uchiha @ravennightingaleandavatempus @2sunchild2 @crazylittlemunchkin @bee-wrecker @souleateralicestein @loysydark @kceedraws @realrandomposts @alienjoyful

Salt Taglist: @virgil-is-a-cutie @sidessunnybumblebee @persephonebutkore @18-fandoms-unite-08 @suzen23smith @luciferge @theelventhgod @noirdots @space--butterflies @ghostglaceon @magicalfirebird @goggles-mcgee @chocolate1721 @minightrose @bookcrazybby @cupcakeandkisses @mewwitch @adrestar

#ml salt #miraculous salt #alya salt #lila salt #marinette deserves better

[witch-hazels-musings]

Could you do some headcanons about Kaeya and Diluc with an s/o who really wants to dance with them (whether it be at a festival, party, at home, etc.) Also? I seriously respect the hell out of you for writing while working an 8-5 as someone who has to work a 9-5 and feels like i doesn’t even have time to shower at night. ｡ﾟ(ﾟ´ω`ﾟ)ﾟ｡ I hope you’re doing well! Please continue to grace us with your lovely presence!

I finished it!! Thank you for waiting for me! I hope you like it :D 

^ expanded the request a bit --- I also don’t know how Kaeya’s got to be so long - so an extra special gift from me to you 

warnings -> sfw, reader is pestered by some ppl, jealous characters :) 

Character X GN Reader | Anthology

Includes: Kaeya, Diluc, Childe, Albedo

Kaeya

When Kaeya asked you to be his partner to one of the largest events in all of Mondstadt, you were beyond excited - this was an opportunity you had been waiting for - you’d always wanted to dance with him, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so 

You did your best to get ready, not knowing if this or that outfit would be better to wear, and the anxiety of having to meet him at the event hall was weighing on you 

“Y/N!” You turned your head for the thousandth time, so many voices had called out to you the moment you descended the stairs, their eyes as powerfully overwhelming as their voices. Luckily, this voice was someone you were relieved to see. Amber gripped onto your hands and pushed herself between you and the many bodies standing just a bit too close. “You look incredible! I’ve only ever seen you in your adventure clothes.” 

“Haha, I couldn’t come to a ball dressed like that, could I?” You glanced down at your attire, it had taken you a long time to decide what to wear and even though you settled on this, and were getting compliment after complement, you only cared about one person's opinion. Where was he? 

“Well, you look incredible!” She gripped your wrist and pulled you along, shouting at people who refused to get out of the way, her peppy voice breaking through all the many others calling for your attention. It was strange to be the center of attention. You’d seen so many of these faces around town and they didn’t seem to notice you then, so why all the affection now? It made you feel self-conscious. 

When you were finally away from the sea of eager eyes, you took a deep breath. The new, less crowded space letting in relief to ease your nerves. 

You looked at Amber and smiled at her, she always seemed to know how to bring you just what you needed, her kindness knew no bounds and you were we happy to have a friend like her. “Have you been here long?” You asked her.

“Pretty much, I’ve been helping plan this event for a while. I’m happy for it to be over honestly, who knew planning something like this was so exhausting.” 

“Ha, maybe that’s why Diluc always has a sour expression on his face. Too many events.” 

“You’re probably right! Ah, can you imagine stern Diluc planning a party? I’d die.” She laughed and the cheery vibrations seeped into your weary skin, your nerves made it easier for you to have an emotional reaction and with her disposition you found yourself laughing with her. 

“So,” you looked out over the dance floor, noticing the tables full of food and drink, people standing in small circles chatting and laughing away. “Who else made it tonight?” 

“Oh, are you looking for someone in particular?” She tilted her head and smiled at your flustered state. 

“N-no … what … shut-up.” You frowned and looked away from her. 

“I think you’ll see him soon, he had something to do but it won’t take him all night.” She must have noticed your disappointment because in an instant she made the decision to get you something to eat and stuck to your side until you had a more natural smile on your face. 

Any excuse to be close to you he is all for, it doesn’t matter what the occasion is, he will find a way to hold you, touch you - he just cannot get enough of you 

When he invited you to the Favonious ball, he knew you’d quickly take up his offer and join him, there wasn’t a question in his mind that you would deny it 

He had several things to prepare for and was frustrated that he couldn’t bring you to the event himself, but he knew you’d show up and once you did he’d have all night to spend with you - that was if he could make his way through the barrage of people who were flocking to you as soon as you stepped through the door 

He stepped through the hallway, his footsteps echoing off the walls as he made his way toward the ballroom. Lisa had given him a few ‘last minute’ wardrobe adjustments, and while she cooed over how handsome he looked, he hated how tight the suit was around his neck. He pushed his finger between the collar of his dress shirt and pulled at it. 

As he turned the corner, he could already hear the sounds of the party drifting up toward him. He hoped it wasn’t too late, his work had kept him longer than he wished and it was well past the time that you said you’d be there. He was frustrated and eager to see your face. 

The light from the ballroom washed over him as he stepped onto the balcony. There were still plenty of people enjoying themselves below but he only cared about one. His eyes scanned the crowd, heart filling with dread as he failed again and again at finding you among them. Then he saw you, your back leaning against one of the pillars, your arms crossed around your chest, eyes looking at the outrider who seemed to be holding you in a lively conversation. 

He smiled and quickly made his way down the steps, his hands slipping into his pockets as he did so. 

People were engaged in discussions, which normally he would be interested in as these were great opportunities to gather information, but his focus was on something much more important. 

“I’m going to ask them…” A voice caught his attention so he slowed his pace. 

“Don’t even bother, they haven’t danced with anyone the whole night. They’ve just been talking with that brunette for hours.” 

“I’m pretty persistent; I know how to win someone over.” Kaeya looked at them, his gaze lingering for a moment before catching you in the same place you had been. He watched as they made their way toward you and the stab in his chest pulled at the back of his mind. Quickly, he unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, the freedom of it spurring him on as he pushed his way toward you. 

-- 

“Hey, I couldn’t help but notice you haven’t danced with anyone here. I know, you’ve just been waiting for me to ask you all night.” The man smiled at you, but there was something unsettling about the way he did it. 

“No thank you, I’m not interested.” 

“Come on, it’ll be fun. You won’t regret it.” You were getting irritated at this point, not only had he interrupted your conversation with Amber, but he wasn’t the only person to ignore your first no. 

“Again, I’m not interested.” You turned away from him hoping that if you didn’t look he’d just walk away. 

He placed his hand against the pillar and leaned in closer to you and you were about to show him how strong your disinterest was when you heard a familiar voice.

“How rude of me to keep you waiting for so long, I came as soon as I could.” You looked behind the man and saw Kaeya standing there in formal attire, his beauty seemed to know no limits - frustrating. 

“Kaeya!” You stood, disregarding everything and flashing him the brightest smile you could. 

“Am I too late for a dance?” He held out his hand to you and without hesitation you took it. He led you to the dance floor leaving behind a confused, dejected suitor and excited Amber in your wake. 

He spun you around as soon as you reached the dance floor, a hand resting on your hip and the other holding your hand. “You look stunning, did you get dressed up all for my sake?” He looked down at you and his smile made your legs weak. 

“Maybe … don’t let it go to your head.” 

“Too late.” He laughed and you forgot how much you missed him. It didn’t matter how long you waited, for him, you would wait an eternity. 

“I heard a rumor about you.” 

“What rumor?” You looked up at him and caught the mischief in his eyes. 

“That you haven’t danced with a single person here, is that true?” 

“... It is … I only …” You looked down at his chest before continuing. “I only wanted to dance with you.” 

His hands squeezed around your hip and you felt him pull you closer, “How lucky am I. Sorry I made you wait.” 

“No! You don’t have to apologize.” Your head shoots up to meet him, your voice a bit louder than you planned, but he doesn’t seem to mind. 

“Well let’s give them all a show, shall we? I mean, I have to make sure they know they’ll never stand a chance.” The two of you spend the rest of the night together, the jealousy of all those who wished they were Kaeya apparent as they started to fade away the longer the two of you held one another. Kaeya couldn’t be happier, he was completely fine with them dropping all hope of being yours - that space was for him and him alone. 

Diluc

You were having a great time enjoying the festivities. Practically everyone had been invited to the winery to celebrate the coming of the new season, it was one of the most popular events that could happen 

The two of you had been catching each other here and there, but with how busy he was taking care of everything, and how popular you were becoming as a dance partner or at least an interested dance partner, the two of you continued to drift past the other

Diluc was getting more and more irritated as the evening went on. There were so many things distracting him from where he desperately wanted to be. Instead of being at your side, he was busy hosting conversation after conversation with potential business partners, dealing with the drunkards who couldn’t seem to keep a responsible handle on their booze, and drifting between staff to make sure they had what they needed. 

Reasons like these were why he typically avoided hosting events, but it was always fruitful and he needed to keep old connections and build new ones. Still, when he had a second and his eyes drifted through the crowd to find you, he felt the heat rise in his chest as he watched you dancing in the arms of someone other than him. He wasn’t mad at you of course, he was frustrated with himself that he allowed others to touch you, you were just too kind - a trait he loved, but one that also pulled at his heart. 

“They are incredible.” He heard someone share with their friend. Glancing up from his work he saw just who they were in discussion about. 

“I wonder if they are seeing anyone?”

“I haven’t heard anything …Hey, If you don’t go for it, I will!” They laughed and while he couldn’t tell if their intentions held any weight, he hated that the idea was even present in their minds. Again, it was on him that people didn’t know you were seeing one another. The two of you looked like good friends with the way you respected his boundaries, and his reservation at being expressive with his affections for you. He clenched his jaw before walking away. 

--- 

Your legs were starting to ache from the amount of activity you were requesting of them. So many people had asked you to dance, and you didn’t want to be rude, as a guest of Diluc’s you wanted to make sure to be as kind and thoughtful as you could. However, with the amount of energy you were expending on everyone else you were starting to feel the effects of it all. So when several more, slightly persistent, patrons came to ask you to dance, you found yourself leaning to decline. 

“Excuse me,” they began, “If you would be so kind, I’d love to have the next dance with you.” You looked up at them and saw their nervous smile. It hurt to reject them, but you desperately wanted a break. 

“Thank you, but I’m going to have to respectfully decline.” You nodded your head and noticed there were other eager dance partners standing behind them. “I need to rest a bit, everyone has been so lively, and I’m running out of stamina.” You laugh in an attempt to make your rejection more lighthearted. 

“If you don’t want to dance, we can do something else!” They sat down next to you, their arms perched on the table, body leaning in way to close. They began to ask you questions, which was fine until they started to get more and more personal. You did your best to answer them, but when they asked the next question it was a challenge to get them to accept your response. 

“Everyone is dying to know,” another asked, you turned your head to them and waited, “are you seeing anyone?” 

You averted your gaze before responding, “Yes. I am.” 

“What!?” | “There is no way?” Their voices hit you at once and the loudness of their shouting drew eyes from other party-goers. They badgered you for a bit, all asking different questions at the same time, making it hard to hear them all. One stuck out and when they spoke the group got quiet. 

“I’ve never seen you with anyone.” You looked at them, their arms crossed and lips turned into a frown. “You’re pulling our legs.” 

“No, I really am seeing someone.” 

“I don’t believe it, you're just using that as an excuse.” Their words made you angry. You didn’t own them anything and you were being plenty kind, and, that kindness, was starting to grow thin. “Tell us who it is and then we will believe you.” They placed their hand on the table and looked directly into your eyes. You were about to answer them when you were interrupted by the person himself. 

“Y/N.” He spoke and the voices around the table died down, you looked at him and felt unbelievable relief. 

“Diluc.” You stood and walked toward him, his hand open for you, a gesture you were surprised by. Carefully, you placed your hand in his and scratched the side of your head. 

He looked at you, his eyes heavy on your skin. “Sorry I’ve been so busy.” 

“It’s okay, I don’t mind waiting.” His thumb rubbed the back of your hand, there was no way people couldn’t notice how much that affected you. 

“Hey! What’s going on … are the two of you …?” The person stood up and placed their hands on their hips. Their shouting drew the eyes of others again and everyone at the table stilled as they waited for a response. 

“Yes, and I ask that you don’t cause them any trouble; I won’t tolerate it.” His tone had a hint of a threat and it made your chest tight. There was a shockwave of disbelief that ran through the crowd, and the whispering made your ears burn. Diluc looked at you and you looked back, “Shall we?” 

“Mhm.” 

You followed after him, his broad shoulders a sight you never got tired of seeing and when the two of you held each other in movement to the music, you knew there would be no secret to your relationship now. Diluc made that clear from his words to his actions, and as the music began to fade and the sun dipped below the cliffs, he bravely showed his feelings for you as his lips touched your cheek. 

Childe 

He’d be all about showing you off to others - he wants to make it clear that you and he are an item no matter where you were

You went with him back to his home-town. It was a long trip, but so worth it to be with him, to see where he grew up. It took a while to get used to the chilly weather, and in fact you had to layer up extra carefully in order to bear the cold

His family had prepared for him a welcome party and had practically invited everyone they could to celebrate his return. Even if they knew it was only temporary, as his membership with the Fatui often kept him on the move, still, it was nice to feel so loved and welcomed with such a joyous event. 

They also knew he would be bringing someone special back with him. It was a demand which plastered every letter he received from his siblings. He knew if he didn’t bring you along there would be a reception colder than the snow that never melted. 

Of course, the two of you arrived hours before the start of the celebration. This gave his siblings and other family plenty of time to introduce themselves to you. They asked you question after question and when it was finally time to get ready for the party, you noticed how rough your voice had become. You definitely knew that Childe was a member of this family, he too knew how to wear out your voice. 

Childe changed clothes quickly, it had been so long since he wore those clothes from this region. As he looked in the mirror, the way the outfit rested snuggly against him, it made him even more nostalgic than he already was. He was waiting out in the large living room, his mind playing out memories of his childhood in this house when a sound caught his attention. 

His younger siblings giggled and shouted in excitement and as he turned to see what was all the fuss he felt the air in his lungs leave him. You were dressed in a traditional style outfit, your hair styled to fit your attire, hands fussing with the clothes you weren’t used to wearing. When you looked up at him and smiled shyly he felt an incredible urge to lock you behind closed doors and not let anyone lay their eyes on you. 

You walked toward him, ignoring the loudness of his siblings, “They said this would be okay … Do I … look alright?” 

“You look incredible.” 

“Thank you.” You drop your head, looking at your hands and he desperately wants to pull your face back to him, but is interrupted before he gets the chance. 

“Let’s go already, big brother!” Teucer shouts, already standing at the door. 

“Shall we?” Childe extends his elbow to you and you take it. 

---

He had been watching you dance with the members of his family for a while, and while it moved his heart to see you laughing and doing your best to learn the moves, he wanted to hold you in his arms himself. He wanted you, to have you experience his traditions first hand through him. So, when he couldn’t handle it any longer, he finally asked you to dance. 

“You all have been keeping them so busy … I’m going to steal them back now.” He exclaimed, barging into the game you had been playing with his younger siblings. 

“That’s not fair! You’ve been able to keep them to yourself for so long. We want to play more.” 

“You can after I’ve had my fun, let’s go.” He pulled you away and their cries sounded as you drifted further from them. 

“I was winning!” You exclaimed, laughing as he pulled you behind him.

“It’s my turn to have your attention.” He turned and pulled you close to him. You could feel his energy through his fingertips, it was familiar, like the time he saw you talking to that stranger in one of the bars of Liyue. 

“Childe, you can’t seriously be jealous of your family.” 

“You don’t know me at all, do you.” He spun you around and when you realized you were out on the dance floor you knew you were in trouble. 

“I’m not very good at this yet.” You try to explain to him but it falls on deaf ears. 

“I’ll teach you, just follow my lead.” He nodded to the musicians and they began to warm up, their music drowning out the chatter. Quickly, he leaned down and kissed your forehead before offering some last minute encouragement, “Let me show them all how spectacular you are.” 

He loved every second of this. The way your feet stumbled over his as he moved with you across the dance floor, the way your face flashed through different expressions: joy, concern, embarrassment, confidence. He couldn’t get enough of you, there was never enough of you. How was he ever going to be satiated with you around, especially when you were embracing his home, his family with such unbound acceptance. 

He wanted to swallow you up, he wanted to lock you to him for the rest of time, and the more you let him take, the stronger his desire became. 

As the music drifted into its final crescendo he lifted you in his arms and spun you around. There were countless couples surrounding you, all shouting and cheering on the excitement that rippled from the center of the dance floor. When he stopped and you slid a bit down his chest, your shoulders at the height of his chin, hands gripping tightly on his shoulders and face dipping down to him with a smile that told him everything he ever needed to know about you, he let the words fall from his mouth, finally being as honest as he ever had been. 

“I love you.” 

Albedo

Albedo wasn’t too fond of parties and get-togethers, it was a lot of energy to expend on the discussions or interactions which he’d much prefer to stay clear of, at least if he can get away with it. Still, he had promised to make an appearance, and when he saw you he was much more inclined to stay

He loved to watch you have a great time, you were so independent, doing things whenever you felt like it and experiencing life as it happened. Unless it was explicitly told to others, most wouldn’t have any idea that the two of you were seeing each other. Most of the time that wasn’t a problem, as your busy schedules kept you distracted, but as he watched you mingle with the citizens and partake in the festivities, and how you drew the attention of interested eyes, he was starting to get jealous

These sorts of festivals drew in travelers from all over Teyvat. Most of them only blew in with the wind while others stayed longer after the final banner was removed. It was something that almost everyone in Mondstadt took part in, even those who often didn’t get out much -- and he was one of them. 

Albedo made his way through the streets greeting citizens as he passed by, a quick nod or hello here and there. It was Sucrose who had encouraged him to take a break, reminding him that he was likely to see you down in the festivities. So, he put away his work for the day and headed out of the research labs toward the cheering below. 

When he saw it was like the sun shined on his face for the first time in days. He felt so warm and was eager to reach you. As he got closer, he couldn’t help but notice the many faces that were turned to you. It was strange but he tried not to let that oddity hender him in any way. That’s when he started to hear the conversation you were having with someone, the closeness of them to you, and the way they didn’t seem to leave you alone.

It wasn’t like him, either, to let his emotions get the better of him, but having to listen and watch others take notice of you, something inside of him grew and he wanted to make sure they knew their hands would never reach yours.

--

“Hey.” A man walked up to you and injected himself in the conversation you were having. You stopped what you were doing and glanced at him, curious. “Would you be interested in dancing with me?” 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m not much of a dancer.” You smiled at him and tried to let him down easy. In fact you’d love to dance, but only if it was with a particular person, and he didn’t seem to be around at the moment.

“It’s okay if you aren’t, I’m happy to teach you some moves.” He took a step closer and his first impression of friendliness was slipping into pushiness. 

You started to tap your fingers against your leg, the motion becoming more intense the closer he got. “Really, I’m not a good dancer, you’ll find more luck with someone else.” 

“Come on, it’ll be fun.” He reached for your hand but was blocked by another. When you looked at the owner and saw it was Albedo, your stomach flipped. 

“Albedo?” You turned to him, a smile on your face and relief in your voice. 

“Excuse me, but I believe they said they weren’t interested?” 

“... ha, what are you their boyfriend?” They laughed and continued talking, “Listen, why don’t you let …” 

“Yes, I am.” Albedo interjected, cutting the person off. 

“What?” 

“We are together.” They looked confused, their eyes moving back between yours and Albedo’s. Albedo looked down at you and noticed the expression on your face, “Is that not the right way to describe our relationship?”

“No! I mean, yes, that’s right.” You looked at the person and gestured to Albedo, “This is my boyfriend, I’m his … we’re together, yes.” You nodded your head way too many times, but the point seemed to get across to them anyway. They left in a huff and you watched them leave before standing and turning to Albedo. 

It was the first time the two of you had ever really said those words out loud - of course you knew in your minds that you were a couple … but to say the term which let the outside world know of your relationship, well it was so exciting 

You felt your face get hot as you remembered how factually he had spoken, how quickly he answered their question. You couldn’t help but pat your face and pinch your cheeks 

After that, the two of you wandered through the festival, eating delicious food, participating in the activities, laughing and having interesting discussions, as you always did 

When night started to drift over the event and only a few people remind in the city center, you found yourself back in the place where your time together started, music drifting through the air 

You had such an incredible day. There were times the two of you were so busy that you would go days without seeing one another, so to spend an entire afternoon together was like a gift. 

“Today was incredible.” You express, the excitement and joy from the day making you click your tongue against the roof of your mouth. 

“I can tell you had a good day.” Albedo replies, smiling at you. 

“Oh, really?” 

“Yeah, you click your tongue like that when you’re happy … sometimes when you’re focused.” 

“Ah, really! I’ve never noticed.” 

“I think it’s cute.” He stepped closer and grabbed your hand, his grip soft and gentle. “So I know you don’t like to … I was wondering … would you like to dance with me?” 

“Yes!” You answered much quicker than he expected, your voice startling him a little. You covered your mouth and laughed, your eyes squinting. 

“Let’s go.” You took his hand and walked until the space felt right. Albedo let go of you before turning to look at you. With an elegant bow he requested your hand once again, you returned the gesture, not wanting to be rude and also trying your best to not scream with excitement. The music swelled and your bodies moved closer, his hands wrapping around your back while yours draped over his shoulders. You rested your head against his chest and let the wonderful day drift into a wonderful night, you and Albedo sharing in a moment with one another. No worries, no interruptions, just one another swaying to the sweet mixture of music and distant conversations. 

“I’m glad you could make it today.” 

“Me too.”

#genshin impact #genshin impact X reader #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact musings #genshin impact fiction #genshin imagines #kaeya #kaeya x reader #kaeya alberich #genshin kaeya #genshin impact kaeya #diluc #diluc X reader #genshin diluc #diluc ragnvindr #genshin impact diluc #childe X reader #childe #genshin childe #albedo x reader #albedo #genshin albedo #genshin impact albedo #genshin impat childe

[feralrunaway]

Unbound

Summary: As a debutante during the Napoleonic Wars, you fear what you will face as the London season begins.  You can only hope that love finds you before you end up bound to a marriage that will make you miserable.

Pairing: Captain Syverson x reader

Word Count: 9k

Warnings: Mild historical inaccuracies, Mentions of war and battle, Fluff, Slight Angst, Smut (Intercourse, Loss of virginity)

A/n: This story is based on this prompt from the lovely @brandycranby. She is an angel and a gem for waiting the length of time she has for this! I had honestly never read or seen much fiction from the Regency period so I had to learn a lot in order to give this one some substance. Such an interesting challenge to write romance with so many rules and restrictions in place. I hope I did it justice.  (Patiently beta’d by @hauntedelation​)

“Please, not so tight!” you complained at Sarah, the ladies’ maid who tended to yourself and your sisters.  

“Your mother will ‘ave my head on a platter if you don’t look proper when the guests arrive this evenin’, Mistress.  Let’s do as she pleases, for my sake, and I’ll sneak you some of the extra dessert after she’s abed, promise.”

You smiled at that.  “You know bribery is frowned upon, Sarah.  Although I will likely need it after simpering for our dear cousin...what is his name again?”

She cast you a disapproving look in the mirror. “Jacob, as you well know.  Mind you watch the sass, Mistress.  That man holds your future in ‘is hands.”

You sighed.  Yes, he certainly did.  After your father’s passing, without having any sons, his fortune was given under the management of a distant cousin from the city until one of his daughters was able to find a husband.  Being the only lady of the house of marrying age, that responsibility fell to you. 

Well, at least partially.  You merely had to appear appealing to the eye and the sensibilities of society.  The rest fell to your cousin to approve of whatever suitor found you desirable. 

“It won’ be all tough company, anyway.  The Captain is to pay your family a visit tonight as well,” she said with a small sigh and a dreamy cast to her face.  “It’s a cryin’ shame if you ask me, to send all those ‘andsome officers off to war knowin’ half of them may not be comin’ back.”

The two of you shared a melancholy smile in the mirror.  “Well then, Sarah, I shall endeavor to enjoy the company of a tolerable man while I have the privilege.  At least the Captain won’t expect me to speak of such mundanities as table manners and dance rotations.”

Captain Syverson was one of your father’s company men, and had the unfortunate duty of delivering the news of his passing to your family.  The two had been comrades in arms, and with a heavy heart, the Captain had made an effort to ensure your family was adjusting after such a loss as best he could, visiting regularly in your country home. You found you looked forward to his visits very much.  He always had interesting stories and would even listen to your own.  He never seemed to mind that you wanted to speak your mind, or dress without the restrictions of current fashion, much to your mother’s chagrin. He gave you the respect of always looking you in the eyes when you spoke, as though he were truly listening. The Captain was a landowner, though from the sound of it he spent very little time there, especially when not conscripted by the military for duty. A fair few walks in the countryside  revealed to you through conversation that the world was far more vast than your existence had yet proven.  Hearing his tales of war and merchantry, politics and foreign trade alighted in you a hunger for more.

Yes, you would make the most of what time you had left in the quiet country.  At least some of the company would be nice.

“Dear, please.  Do not take such large bites.  A lady does not need so much, and I would hate to see your dress ruined if you were to drop any,” your mother chided.

“I can hardly tolerate all these silks and fripperies. How burdensome to be expected to enjoy a decent meal without ever spilling a drop on such fine attire,” you groused.

“Well perhaps my dear, if you were not to inhale your food like the hounds at feeding time, it would not be such a concern. Now, if you’ll please, Jacob and the Captain here are gracing us with their good company and I would appreciate if you weren’t to make their stay unpleasant with child-like complaints.”

Your cousin nodded along as she spoke, his stern expression turned toward his plate.

The Captain chuckled and aimed a warm smile in your direction. “It’s no unpleasantness at all. The lady has a point. I am a firm believer that a good meal isn’t to be wasted to proper manners, but to be heartily consumed with appreciation for its taste.”

Your mother pursed her lips at that.  She wouldn’t allow herself to admonish a guest in her own household, but she was clearly having difficulty with the Captain’s support of your ill manners.

“Remember dear, when the season begins and you attend an event, that you represent our household, and your actions reflect upon our family.”

“Yes, Mama,” you replied, catching a wink from the Captain as he sipped from his drink.  You looked down at your plate to hide the proper blush that colored your cheeks.

Your thoughts quickly turned dour after that.  The London season.  Where you would be introduced as a debutante, to be a ware on display to all the peacocking men who wished to find a wife.  It’s not that you  had no desire to find a good husband; you truly did.  But to have barely a choice in your suitors? That was the rub.  You knew it best to allow things to be done as they were arranged, but you couldn’t help but feel that whatever suitor was chosen would likely be some miserable stiff of a man, as obsessed with manners and society as your mother.  You had no desire to rush away your freedoms.  If it were up to you, you’d remain in the countryside, unmarried and menacing your mother’s sensibilities, at least for a few more years. 

You sighed.  But as it was, you had surpassed the usual age to do such things, and the time had come for you to participate in the events. Spared only a year of mourning for your father’s passing, this summer would mark a new journey for you.  One filled with fine dresses and hairstyles, dances and gossip, and very little freedom.

“Your mother is correct, cousin,” Jacob stated. “Having taken on the role of managing your father’s assets, I do not wish to see them fall to the hands of a lowly man. I will be vigilant in my examination of any potential suitors, but that requires you doing your best to appear presentable.”

“Speaking of marriage arrangements, dear cousin, where is your own wife? A pity she could not join us on this visit. Will we meet her soon?” you asked with only the barest hint of animosity. The tone thankfully seemed to be missed by your mother and Jacob, but you caught the smirk of the Captain across the table in your peripheral vision.

“My dear wife does not have the stomach for travel, but she eagerly awaits my return to the city. You will meet her thusly.”

“What about you, Captain? Why do you not have a wife?” your youngest sister, merely eight years old, asked innocently.

He smiled at her fondly. “Unfortunately, I fear, with war on our hands, it would not be kind for me to take a wife. Life with a military man is not the easiest. Perhaps if this conflict with the French should ever end, then I may consider it.”

“Perhaps then you might also consider removing that ghastly beard from your face as well,” Jacob murmured. 

He seemingly took no notice of the murderous glares from both yourself and the Captain at his comment, but it was to be noted that your cousin did not remain at the table for dessert.

Days before the grand departure that would lead your family to the city, you found yourself in the music room with your mother and sisters, fumbling through the steps of some fashionable, multi-partner dance that had you stepping on your own toes.

“Again, dear.  You must hold yourself with poise.  Chin up.  If you keep on with this nonsense you won’t end up with a single man interested in writing his name on your dance card.”

You tried not to let your frustration show.  You knew how important this was for your family.  As much as you hated it, this was your part in securing your family’s fortune and future.  If you were to do well, it could also mean helping your sisters when the time came for them to find their own match. As you watched your sisters flouncing arm in arm, curls adorned with delicate bows that bounced with each enthusiastic step, you resolved to do right by them, no matter how it pained you.

A scuffing boot on the wooden floor drew the collective attention of the ladies in the room. Your mother quickly smiled as Captain Syverson appeared in the doorway, dressed in his company uniform.

“Oh Captain! Come. Would you be so kind as to lead us in some of the dances? We are trying to practice, but it would be much easier to have a man who knows the steps to assist us!”

The Captain had the grace to look only fleetingly distressed, before entering the room with a small, warm smile directed at your mother.

“Of course, although I will warn you it has been some time since I’ve had the...pleasure.  I will do my best. My lady?” he asked, extending a hand toward her.

“Oh no no, not me, my dear Captain.  Please, lead my poor clumsy daughter first, she has much to learn.”

She then directed your second youngest sister, a mere 12 years of age, over to the piano, placing the proper music in front of her.  Captain Syverson took your hand, the callouses on his brushing against your much softer skin. He then directed your other wrist until your hand rested upon his shoulder, looking down at you with kind eyes.  His hand slid down to gently rest upon your side.

The first tinkling notes of the song began, and that hand placed gentle pressure against your ribs, directing you to step along with him as he moved to the cadence of the music. 

You found it easy enough to follow along, and soon were enjoying the rhythm of the movement, smiling as you were whisked around the room.

“I don’t notice any clumsiness,” he remarked, “You move quite gracefully, though I imagine you haven’t had much need to practice out here in the countryside.”

“Yes, well,” you blushed at the compliment. “I certainly find it easier to follow the steps with a proper partner.”

Your mother’s pointed cough at your words drew a smile from beneath his bushy beard, causing you to giggle.  

He studied your face fondly.  “Don’t be nervous about the city.  Beyond all the pomp and peacocking they are simply men, as anxious to be desired as any of the ladies are.  I have seen what a fine lady you are, and I assure you, any man would be lucky to call you his wife.”

You let out an exhale, your fingers idly tangling in the tassels of his epaulette. “Thank you Captain.  I’m less concerned about being desired than I am about being desired by the wrong man.  I know I must find someone, but I would rather not end up a mantel decoration for some man with a fortune.  If only I could marry a man with a taste for adventure, for learning.  Someone with whom I could enjoy a lively discussion without the subject of my manners coming up,” you huffed out a small bitter laugh. “But as it is, I will do my best to marry properly for my family.  To ensure my sisters may enjoy the privilege to do the same.” 

He looked down at you with a melancholy expression in his eyes. “Duty does not always favor our desires, but we must make the best of it.”

The music drew to an end and he allowed you out of his embrace, bowing rather gracefully for a man of his size and stature, to which you replied with a small curtsy.  

“Thank you for the dance, my lady.  But now, I’m afraid, I must take my leave.  I came to say goodbye, and to thank you ladies as always for your hospitality.  I spoke of duty, and now it is time for me to fulfill mine. War is calling, and I am needed to lead my men against Napoleon’s forces.  I wish you all the best with your time in the city.  I will write.”

The unfortunate news of where the Captain would be leaving to left a heavy silence upon the room.  Indeed over the last year the lot of you had grown fond of his company.  Fear of what had happened to your father happening to the beloved Captain left you nervous for what was to come.

Bidding farewell to both your friend and your country home had you miring in melancholy the morning of your departure. You watched as footmen strapped your family’s belongings to the carriages that would carry you to the city. 

You turned at the sound of Sarah calling your name. 

“Mistress, I worried I would miss you before you left. I ‘ave somethin’ for you.”

“My dear Sarah, are you not to come with us to the city?”

“Oh I’ll be comin’, don’t you worry. Your mother would ‘ave a right fit if I weren’t there to squeeze you into your gowns all proper,” she said with a laugh. “Some of us servants will be a few days behind is all, we’ve the rest of the household to pack up, and your mother ‘as asked me to attend to the seamstress when I arrive to gather your dresses for the season. But never you mind about that. The Captain left a parcel for you, and I wanted to see that you ‘ad received it before you went.”

Thanking her, you took the wrapped package and pulled her in for a hug, not caring if it was proper to do so.

“Don’t be too far behind us. I will be begging for some decent conversation in the days to come, I fear,” you told her. She squeezed your hand as you turned and entered the covered carriage to wait for your mother and sisters.

Once seated, you unwrapped the parcel, unable to wait until reaching your destination. Inside was a book, the title imprinted across the cover reading Captain Singleton: The Life, Adventures, and Pyracies by Daniel Defoe.

Opening the cover, you found a folded note. 

My lady,

I wish you happiness and safety in your endeavors in the city. I know you have apprehensions regarding your future role and the lessened freedoms that may come with it. I have no desire to speak against the wishes of your dear mother, and I know that you must do what is necessary for the security of your family, but in thinking of the fears you expressed about never knowing adventure in your life, I wanted to present you with this book. It may never compare to the actual experience of travel, but know that in reading the exploits of others, you may find a small satisfaction. And there are other forms of adventure in life than those involved in travel.  Think of your activities in the city as that of a roving adventurer, seeking a great treasure that holds the promise of a satisfied life.  Sometimes, as with duty, we must moderate our mindset in order to find happiness in our lives.  If ever I wished I could do more, that time is now. I will write to you of my travels with the Army, of battles and politics, if you would be so interested. 

Cpt. Syverson 

Life in the city wasn’t so bad as you had pictured, but you quickly found that you were not wrong about the expectations laid upon you. Dinner parties, gatherings, and rather unnecessary celebrations of mundane things soon filled your schedule, and you found yourself longing for the peace of the countryside.

Your ribs creaked beneath your tightly bound corset as you moved through the motions of another complicated dance. Your current partner, James Arnold, was becoming a regular suitor, somehow appearing at each party and asking for a dance before the end of each night.

He was admittedly a poor conversationalist and thought rather highly of himself, but was easy on the eyes and came from a good family. A friend of your cousin’s, you knew from the tidbits shared that he was considered a proper landed dandy. Many of the other ladies in attendance stood in hopes that he might request a dance with them as well. 

Especially a one Miss Patience Banfield. A debutante of fine breeding, Patience had been a thorn in your side for most of the season. Her commentary on your dresses and jewels was always just shy of snide. She clearly held an interest for James, despite her father attempting to steer her toward other suitors. 

You sighed. If only he held an interest back toward her you might be spared the endless dances and bland niceties that he considered to be courting. 

“Dear cousin,” Jacob spoke to you as the dance ended and you took your leave of your partner, “might I have a word?”

“Of course Jacob,” you replied, dreading whatever correction he intended to give. He drew you a small way away from the crowd, to an alcove where it seemed your mother was waiting. 

“I have discussed at length with Mr. Arnold his intentions and it would seem that things are getting on rather well with you two. Given his social standing and family assets, I have given him my approval to court you. I rather expect, if things continue as they are, that he will propose and that you two shall marry by the end of the season.”

“Oh my dear! Isn’t this wonderful news?” your mother exclaimed. “To have you a proper husband by season’s end. Oh what good fortune!”

You smiled weakly at them both, your gut sinking. You hardly knew what to say or even think. You had known this was to come, but that did not lessen your anxiety over it. Mere months in the city and already your fate seemed to be sealed. 

Through sheer effort of will, you lifted your chin and politely thanked your cousin for sharing the news. You were too numb to speak beyond that. The only thing on your mind was a fearful hope that your suitor was not so bland as he appeared on the surface.

To your great displeasure, it seemed your hopes were answered, but not in the way you would have liked.��

James Arnold may have presented a bland, dandy appearance on the surface, but you soon learned that he had a streak for gambling and was something of a lush. Most attempts at conversation were met with derision on his part, and it became quite clear that he spent a great amount of his time, when he wasn’t publicly courting you, in the less savory districts of the city. 

It was as if once your cousin had approved his intentions, he felt no need to reign in his playboy tendencies for appearances. You were nothing but a decoration for him to wear on his arm.

As you were this afternoon, it seemed. Your cousin and mother had planned a small tea to entertain some of the other families nearby. Not once during the conversations had anyone mentioned worldly events or anything other than social gossip. You sat stiff-backed in your chair throughout dessert, minimizing any movement to prevent further chafing of your skin by the restrictive undergarments you wore under your day dress. 

You found your mind wandering, daydreaming of the sea depicted in the painting above the mantle. You had nearly forgotten where you were physically when a commotion broke out in the street below the window. Shouting could be heard from several voices, and the gathered party departed the table to see what was going on. 

Reaching the front steps with the others, the shouts became more clear to your ears, and you could see many people standing in the street, waving copies of the London Gazette:

“Napoleon’s forces have been defeated at Waterloo! His remaining army has fled”

Immediately your blood pulsed in your temples, fear seizing your throat and causing your breaths to come in short bursts. The news was to be celebrated, but you had merely one thing in mind as your mind absorbed the announcement.

Pushing past those gathered, you approached the closest man rapidly and snatched the papers from his hand. Ignoring your mother’s harsh calls, you gazed upon its pages to see the Duke of Wellington’s dispatch detailing a great battle. 

‘...The attack succeeded in every point: the enemy was forced from his positions on the heights, and fled in the utmost confusion, leaving behind him, as far as I could judge, 150 pieces of cannon, with their ammunition, which fell into our hands…’

‘...Your Lordship will observe that such a desperate action could not be fought, and such advantages could not be gained, without great loss; and I am sorry to add that ours has been immense…’

You read again, heart thumping in your chest, trepidation seeping into your bones as you could not find the answer you sought.

‘...without great loss...ours has been immense…’

You felt as though you could not breathe for fear. Making a weak attempt to claw at your corseted ribs, the papers fell from your fingers to the ground. Your vision blurred as your mind focused momentarily on the memory of the Captain’s kind face and smiling eyes, before a wave of blackness took you under.

“Mistress!”

A cold cloth pressed to your brow, dragging your hazy mind back to consciousness.

“Give space, maid. It’s a mere case of the vapors,” came an annoyed admonition. “My lady if you please. This is rather unseemly. Sit up, sit up!”

You felt light taps at your cheek, and your eyes focused on the face of your suitor, who quickly stepped back from you as you began to push yourself to a sit. He looked around at the gathered crowd. 

“Well? What are you all doing? Get the lady inside to the shade,” he said, fanning his hands at the nearest men, who had the decency to glare at him, including your cousin. Jacob shook his head slightly before bending down toward you. 

Annoyed, you made to stand, accepting only a shoulder for support. 

“Cousin…”

“I can walk. Please, I just want to go inside. I would like to be abed now.”

Upon entering, you went straight to your room, where your mother tutted over you enough to make you want to scream, finally leaving you when Sarah promised to force you to rest.

“Sarah please, get me out of these damned trappings before I faint again.”

“You an’ I both know it wasn’t the bodice that ‘ad you swoonin’ Mistress,” she chided, fixing you with a look.

Once she had worked you free of the blasted stays and into a loose shift, she steadied you by your upper arms and eyed you with a stern expression.

“Nothin’ is confirmed yet. For all you know ‘e could ‘ave survived. It would be best not to ‘ave your cousin get a whiff of these notions, but I can ‘old them off until tomorrow. You’ll be expected to play pretty again soon, so shed your tears today and give your heart a rest.”

You gave her a hug and nodded. “Thank you, Sarah.”

She bid you goodbye, closing the door firmly behind herself. 

And so you did as she advised, weeping for the likelihood that you may never see the Captain again.

Two weeks had passed since the news of the end of the war, and many more celebrations were planned on short notice. The gentry threw their extravagance on display and spirits were high. You were tied into every manner of gown you owned and your mother assured you every time that she knew Mr. Arnold would be proposing marriage soon. 

Not that the formality mattered. Your cousin seemed to have his plans for you all in order, informing you of the pin allowance he would demand on your behalf and drawing up plans for the dowry he would offer to his friend.

You were surprised at his efforts, and managed to thank him for them, despite your melancholy mood. You could barely force yourself to simper and smile, moving through the motions that were expected of you while inside you were a churned-up mess of emotion. You kept your ears perked for any news of the troops.

Your mother took pains to chide you whenever your poise faltered, but you knew the uncertainty affected your family too. No one spoke of the events of the end of the war within your home, though the rest of the city was abuzz with news of Napoleon’s abdication.

You sat with your mother and sisters in the family drawing room, practicing your needlework, when Sarah burst through the door, hair wind-blown and a smile on her face. Her smile quickly faltered when she noted your mother’s expression at her outburst. 

“Please excuse me Mistresses. A letter ‘as arrived,” her cheeks colored in excitement as she finished, “A letter for the young Mistress...from Brussels.”

You immediately stood, your eyes seeking the letter in her hands, your needlework falling to the cushions as you reached for it. She immediately handed it over, unable to completely disguise her own happiness on your behalf. 

“Mama, what is Brussels?” your youngest sister asked. 

You didn’t listen for your mother’s reply as, with letter in hand, you rushed up to your room, locking the door behind yourself so as to not be disturbed. Throwing yourself to the bed, you ripped open the sealed wax and unfolded the paper to observe the thick, uneven scrawl that you would recognize anywhere.

To my dearest adventurer,

I pray this letter finds you well, and that you are safe and happy within the city with your family. I write to you after a most arduous battle, the likes of which I have not seen during the entirety of my career. 

His writing further elaborated on the detail of the day at Waterloo, the bravery of his men and their opposition, the losses and victories his company experienced, and the aftermath on the field. Your heart clenched and relaxed in measure with his recount. 

I must thank you, though you were unaware, for were it not for memory of your friendship and kind heart, I fear my fatigue might have overtaken me in those critical moments of battle. Knowing that the outcome of this war could affect your life and comfort one day gave me the courage to ride hard with the charge where I might otherwise have quailed. 

You would have laughed, knowing the Captain would never actually sacrifice his bravery and duty, but you were occupied with the compliment and his confession that you were on his mind that day.

I will endeavor to visit you in the city soon, when our work here is done, and I have paid visit to those families to whom I must bring news of men’s passing in valor. 

With care always,

Cpt. Syverson, Esq., 2nd Regiment of Life Guards

The relief coursing through you in knowing the Captain had survived the battle was sufficient to buoy your mood for the next week. You weren’t aware until your third reading of the letter how desperately you had been seeking that reassurance that he was safe and whole. The way your heart filled with light to experience the jagged scrawl of his writing and the open retelling of what must have been such a difficult day had you aware of feelings you previously weren’t sure you were capable of. 

You had always known that you felt a certain affection for the Captain.  But this? This...longing for the presence of another?  For his presence in particular.  This felt deep and beautiful....and dangerous.

For despite your newly realized feelings for the Captain, you were arranged to be paired with another.  

August dawned in sweltering heat, and yet another party was underway, and this time you were to attend knowing your fate was promised to a man you dreaded being in the company of. The only consolation you found this day was that the event you were attending was to welcome home the officers of war who took part in the last days of the battles against Napoleon’s troops. You hoped one of the officers might have news of the Captain.

After refreshing with a drink and taking a turn about the room to cool yourself, you happened upon James entertaining a lively conversation with his fellows about the epic battle in which the fate of Napoleon’s reign was decided. 

“I heard their troops were absolute ninnies, fighting like frightened women. It took none but a look and they were turning tail,” he laughed. 

“But that’s simply not true,” you said. “I was told they led a fearsome charge and were more in number, but the decisive factor was that our troops had more length of tenure on the battlefields. That is how they were able to coordinate to best them despite the smaller number of men,” you continued, remembering the words in the letter from the Captain detailing that historic day. You found the recount compelling, and recalled the respect he had shown for the opposing force’s skill.

James eyed you dismissively, glancing between yourself and his fellows almost as if embarrassed. His lips then pulled into what was likely supposed to be a smile but turned out very much more like a sneer.

“My lady. While your beauty astounds, I fear your wits do not.  There is no need to trouble yourself over a political discussion between men.”

Your cheeks flushed crimson, and you lifted your chin at the insult. “How would you even know such, Mr. Arnold?  It is not as though you’ve ever made the effort to find out.”

You could hear him sigh as you quickly departed, attempting to quell the threatening tears. “Fragile creatures, these fine ladies.  One would rather seek out a discussion in the Covent Garden than have to concern oneself with their sensibilities some days.”

You could hear the chuckles of his mates at your back as you fled the room.  

Your mother called after you, but you hadn’t the sense to listen at that point. You knew you were being unseemly with your emotions. You couldn’t help it. Your heart was simply too sensitive to continue the charade of accepting a man who could be so dismissive and unkind. 

As you turned the corner into the gardens, not looking at your path, you ran face first into a solid chest of muscle adorned with medals and a leather bandolier. Firm hands steadied you by your shoulders to keep you from faltering. Looking up, you instantly forgot your troubles as your eyes met the kind blue ones that you had so often found yourself thinking of over the past months. It took all of your mannerly training to restrain yourself from hugging him right there in front of his fellow officers.

“C...Captain?” 

“My lady? What has you so distressed?” he asked, brow crinkling in concern.

You quickly wiped your eyes, sniffling a bit and straightening your posture.

“Oh it’s nothing of note. My apologies for appearing so unseemly. What a pleasure to see you! I read all of your letters. Please, you must tell me more of the battle at Quatre Bras.”

He eyed your features and you knew he could see right through your light conversation to the very inside of your aching heart. As you could not beg aloud, you pleaded with your eyes for him to play along. 

“Of course, my lady,” he said, extending an elbow toward you. “Allow me to take you on a turn about the gardens, that I may regale you with a tale of battle.” 

You took his proffered arm and allowed him to lead you through the hedgerows, in sight of others at the gathering but far enough away from any ears to be heard. It was several minutes of silence before either of you spoke again. 

“It has been some time, my lady. How are you faring in the city?”

“The city is lovely,” you began. “My mother and sisters quite enjoy it.”

He placed his hand over yours. “That is not what I asked.” His eyes searched yours. You felt overwhelmed by how easily he saw through you, and cast your eyes downward. 

“My dear Captain,” you began, fighting to keep your voice steady. “My cousin has chosen a match for me.”

His eyes moved to train on the gardens before you. No emotion crossed his face, but a muscle in his jaw twitched. 

“He wishes us to be married by end of season.”

He was silent still for long moments after your announcement. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded stripped of emotion, but he attempted a small smile for your benefit.

“Then it would appear congratulations are in order.”

Why did it hurt so much to hear those words from his mouth?

You began to feel emboldened by bitter emotion. After all, you were standing with the closest friend you had ever had. The only man you knew that would understand the sadness in your heart at the thought of being so miserably caged. “They hardly are, Captain. This is not my choice. It is not a thing to be celebrated, but to be tolerated. You and I both know I may be playing dress-up as a proper lady, but I do not have the heart of one. I will follow his wishes because duty demands it, but for no other reason. You yourself spoke to me of duty. I know it is important to abide it—“

“Is he kind to you?” he interrupted.

“I—. What?”

“Is he kind to you? Does he listen? Does he make you happy?” Color appeared on his cheeks as he spoke, belying his anger.

“I…”

“Is he good to you? I need to hear you say it.”

“He is not a brute, if that is what you mean, Captain. But I cannot answer honestly if I were to say he was kind,” you stated, tears again threatening.

He looked to your eyes again, his own fierce. “Then forget anything I told you about duty, my lady.”

He squeezed your hand once more before giving a small bow. “I must take my leave momentarily. I will find you again by sunset, and I will ask of you a dance.”

And with that, he turned and strode back toward the manor.

After walking the gardens at length to allow time to contain your writhing emotions, you returned to the manor house to find your mother. 

“Oh my dear! I wondered where you had gone. Come, walk with me. Have you seen? Our dear friend the Captain is here with his company men.”

You smiled weakly at her. “Yes, Mama. We have spoken. And I am to meet him for a dance shortly.”

“How fitting that you might have a dance in the company of the man with whom you practiced before the season started.  A good teacher, that man, despite how he bucks tradition so.”

“That he is…” you murmured.  

The two of you rounded the corner into the gallery, paintings interspersed amongst the curtained alcoves.

“Mama…” you began. 

“What is it my dear?”

“When you and my dear father were courting, did you ever worry that you would be unhappy as a wife?”

“Never my dear. Your father was a wonderful man, as you well know. Kind and thoughtful, sensible with his money. Why do you ask?”

“It’s just that...this all feels so unwelcome. Like I must be saddled upon some man instead of allowing love to make the match for us. Mama...what if…” you could hardly force the words out for fear of your admission.

“Mama...what if I am to marry this man of my cousin’s choosing, when I may well love another? How am I ever to be a good wife, when the love in my heart lies elsewhere?”

Your mother looked in your face for a long moment before speaking. “My dear daughter, who is it you speak of, and why did you not say something before?”

“It does not matter now, mother. I simply—“

Your words were cut off by a giggle nearby. The illusion of privacy shattered, you looked about the room to see who may be present to witness your trepidation, but no one was to be seen.  

“Mama, did you hear that?”

“I heard nothing, my dear.  Are you feeling alr-”

Another, sharper giggle cut through the air.  The curtain to the left of you shuddered with movement. 

“Mama?” you asked, moving closer to the curtain, realizing as you thought further about the invitees to this particular affair that this was certainly not just some errant child playing where they should not be.  Just as you reached the curtain covering the alcove, the Captain rounded the corner into the gallery.

“My lady,” he addressed your mother with a beaming smile. Surely his countenance had not changed so swiftly? “So lovely to see that you are well.  I had come to find your daughter, that I may request the dance I was promised.”

“My dear, do come see that the kind Captain receives his dance, yes?”

“Of course, Mama, Captain,” you answered, about to turn toward them when the sound of a harsh whisper filtered out from the curtain. Unable to contain your curiosity, you reached out, swiftly drawing the curtain to the side.  What met your eyes not only shocked you, but drew an offended gasp from your mother as well.

For there, in the hidden alcove, was none other than Miss Patience Banfield, entangled in the arms of your betrothed, his face buried in her exposed chest and with a hand nearly entirely up her skirts. You gasped sharply, the sound echoed by the sound of the Captain’s decorative sabre being drawn.

“My lady,” he said tightly, stepping up next to you and drawing you behind him as he pointed the tip of his weapon at Mr. Arnold. “Have your mother go fetch your cousin.  I think there may be something he needs to see.”  The venom in his voice apparent, the two offenders made attempt to draw away from one another.  The tip of his blade at James’s throat stopped any further movement from the man, though he allowed Miss Patience the modesty of covering herself. Your mother’s footsteps could be heard hurriedly exiting the gallery, returning quickly with your cousin in tow.

“My God. Mr. Arnold, have you no shame? No honor? To think I nearly promised a woman of my family to you!” 

With your back now turned to the lovers in an attempt to preserve some modicum of modesty, you silently scoffed at your cousin’s attempt to berate his friend. As though the man had no idea what a scoundrel he was. Only then did his words register in your mind.

“Nearly, cousin? Does that mean…”

“It means there will be no engagement! No contract with this man. I would never bring shame upon you like that. Besides, there have been...other...discussions today. You needn’t worry yourself over it.”

“Other discussions?” you began, feeling indignation that there had been more decisions about your life without your knowledge. “I dare say I do need to worry myself over it! If this is the type of result, cousin, then I happen to be very worried indeed! I think I have every reason to question your judgment this day.”

By the time you had finished admonishing your cousin’s judgement, other attendees had begun to filter into the gallery to witness the scene laid out before them. Gasps and whispers could be heard trickling through the room as the Captain finally sheathed his blade. Patience was sobbing in the alcove, and, while you detested the girl, you felt deep pity for her in her shame. To have her honor so publicly and blatantly ruined, and by such a reprobate. How nearly you had been missed by that runaway carriage.

The Captain turned to you. “My lady, do not fear more consequences of another’s judgement. For this day, it is only mine you must respond to. And you will have free will over the decision.”

Your eyes searched his. What could he mean?

“I have already discussed with your cousin some concerns over the prior arrangement, which it would appear were well-founded indeed. I have asked for him to consider an alternative...and for his permission to propose to you my desire for marriage. I ask of you to be my wife, if you will have me.”

His wife? The Captain? Your heart soared. You found not a hint of hesitation when he looked to your eyes for your answer.

“Yes. Yes! I will marry you. I love you, of course I will have you,” you nearly spluttered your answer in your haste to make it known.

His eyes softened, a smile growing on his face as your statement sank in. Conversation buzzed around you as the ladies and gentlemen in the room began to gossip, but you paid them no heed, your eyes trained on his. You had nearly forgotten about your own family’s presence until your cousin cleared his throat.

“Yes, well. A contract will need to be drawn up. And there is  the matter of her dowry. We will need to settle upon an agreeable number.”

The Captain looked his way, clearly annoyed at being interrupted in this moment.

“I don’t need a damn dowry,” he growled. “I’d marry her if she was penniless. We can discuss the particulars of the transfer of her father’s assets, that I may provide care for her mother and sisters, but I don’t need any incentive to want to marry this woman. Her kind heart and inquisitive mind are more than enough reason, and her beauty an addition that makes her a dream to behold.”

The following weeks were a whirlwind of commotion you had not expected to ever enjoy. Despite the desire you knew your mother had for a grand affair of a wedding, she managed to simplify the celebrations to meet you in your desire for a more quiet and relaxed gathering.

You said your vows to the Captain in a sunlit garden with none but your sisters, mother, cousin, and Sarah in attendance before (surprisingly) enjoying the small but still beautiful party held in celebration. Several of the Captain’s men were present to congratulate you and it brought you joy to see what high esteem they held him in. 

In the end, a decorated carriage arrived to take you to his estate in the country, where you would honeymoon before learning your new role as lady of the house. His home was elegant yet simple, with open land surrounding it for miles. It was perfect. 

But not nearly as perfect as the man who carried you across the threshold and immediately to his rooms. 

Setting you down, he kept his hand at your hip, eyes meeting yours, bright with happiness. 

“My lady. My wife. Never did I think I would be one to say such a thing. With the war, I had resigned myself to not even think of it as a possibility. The end of the conflict came so suddenly, and to find you yet unwed when I returned to London...I cannot describe my relief.”

“Nor I, Captain. I thought my life to be over. Nearly wed off to that wretch of a man. But now see where we are. You and I, together. I could not be happier,” you said sincerely.

“I dare say I will accept that as a challenge, my love,” he said with a rakish smile under his beard, leaning in for a searing kiss, before murmuring words against your lips, “Starting right this very moment.”

You had heard whispers of what went on the night after a wedding, but now here you were, faced with the moment of discovery. You nearly shook with the nerves of it, but were more than grateful to be sharing this moment with a man you trusted.

Noting the slight tremble of your hands, he placed one in his own before speaking. “You once let me lead you in a dance when you did not know all the steps. Will you give me the honor of leading you once again?”

You nodded, squeezing his hand. 

“Yes, Captain.”

Your permission was all he needed, taking his hand from yours and drawing it back to your waist to pull you close. His lips met yours again, warm and hungry. His other hand slid to your nape, tilting your head to further his access to your mouth. He slid his tongue along the seam of your lips, and you opened for him, allowing his tongue to dance with your own. 

Once he had kissed you thoroughly breathless, his lips changed course, running softly along your jaw and neck, his beard leaving a delightful burn on your skin as he explored your collarbones and ran his tongue along the dip between them.

Your legs grew weak with his ministrations and you gripped his shoulders for support, feeling a growing wetness between your legs. You could hardly think for the passion he was igniting inside you. Sensing the effect of his actions on your body, he pressed a thick thigh between your knees to steady you, while his hands began an exploration of their own. The feeling of his palm caressing your clothed breast forced a gasp from your lips, followed by a mewl as his other squeezed the back of your thigh. You felt as though you might combust from the mix of sensations. You’d had no idea the simple act of his touch could create such fire in you.

“Please,” you managed to whimper out, to which he responded with a pleased hum. He reached for your dress, loosening the fastenings and allowing it to drape to the floor. He stood back to admire you, his eyes adoring and making you keenly aware that you had never been so bare in the presence of anyone but your ladies’ maid. Before your arms could rise to cover your underclothes, he pulled you closer to him by your wrist, his other hand reaching behind you. His fingers began to pull at the strings, loosening your stays. Every breath panting from your lips became easier as they slipped free.

Until they stopped.

“Damn these ties,” he muttered as his fingers struggled to unlace your undergarment. After a moment of frustration, he finally growled out a command, “Turn around.”

You complied, and over your shoulder could be heard the metallic unsheathing of a blade. You gasped sharply as his knife cut through the remaining ties, finally freeing you from the blasted thing as it fell to the floor. Returning his blade to its sheath, his hand came to rest on your arm, turning you to face him.

His hand trailed from your collarbone down the valley of your breasts before sliding to circle your nipple. A feeling like a jolt of electricity traveled through your body at the touch, and you moaned quietly. Your eyes left his trailing hand and took in his own very clothed form.

Timidly, you reached up and began to unbutton the fastenings of this jacket, pushing it open and over his shoulders. Drawing his hands away from you, he hastily removed his undershirt, exposing his firm chest littered with dark hair and scars of varying sizes. You couldn’t help but touch, feeling a magnetism to mimic the way he had been exploring your own body minutes prior. As your fingers moved downward, nearly to the line of his belt, your vision snagged on the prominent bulge pressing against the white fabric of his trousers.

Curiosity drove you to continue your journey downward, the tips of your fingers brushing softly over the mound, feeling an ardent pulse below the fabric. His breath caught on a moan, and he grabbed your wrist once again.

“Not yet, darling. Allow me.”

And with that, he quickly divested you of your remaining skirts and undergarments, picking your bare form up and placing you gently onto his bed. He then stood back, removing his boots, belt, and trousers in quick succession, until his own nudity stood on display before your eyes. 

Every thick, virile inch of him.

But he did not allow you a moment to feel anxiety over what was to come, as he climbed into the bed to hover his form over you, kissing you deeply and thoroughly enough to have you once again panting and dazed. 

“Look at me,” he said, his thighs pressing your own wide, lining himself up with your entrance. “This may hurt, but only for a few moments. Are you ready for me?”

You nodded, barely breathing out the word “yes” before he began to press in. His eyes remained trained on your face as his girth stretched your opening, pressing forward slowly, watching for your reactions. He leaned in to kiss you just as a sharp pain split through the pressure, causing you to gasp against his lips. He pressed forward further, until he was seated fully inside you, then stilled.

Moments later, the pain had ebbed, replaced by a throbbing want as the feeling of fullness settled into your being. Your hands found purchase around his broad back, and you pressed up toward him. It was the signal he’d been waiting for, and he drew back his hips, before thrusting forward once more, the action drawing a moan from both of you. 

He moved to kiss at your neck and chest as he slowly increased his rhythm, drawing from you sounds of pleasure and surprise. He took a nipple in his mouth and he thrust harder, the change in sensation rocking a shudder through your body. On instinct, you wrapped your legs behind his and began to lift your pelvis to meet his with each thrust, causing him to groan against your skin.

Fervent with lust now, his pace increased even more so, his vocalizations rising in volume. His movements pulling gasps from your throat, you felt warmth gathering inside you, tightening to a focal point as his groin pressed against your apex with each thrust. It felt as if every fiber of your being focused on that point, as though you were being driven by his push and pull to fall from a precipice.

And fall you did. As he rocked against you once more, you felt your body tighten, your focus shatter, and your vision turn white. You cried out, clenching around him, gripping onto him as your world melted away in waves of ecstasy. The feeling of you clutching him close, of your walls squeezing his girth, was his undoing. With a few final, deep thrusts, he growled out his orgasm, filling you with his warm seed as his breath shuddered out of his lungs. His arms holding him above you relaxed as his pleasure slowly ebbed, and he lowered himself to the side, drawing you with him, still seated inside of you.

He pulled you close so that you could rest your head against his firm chest as his breathing slowed. 

“Are you alright?” he questioned.

You lifted yourself on an elbow that you might see his eyes. 

“I am more than alright. I had no idea…”

He smiled at your loss of words, raising an eyebrow.

You laughed. “I suppose it’s no wonder the fashion is to keep us ladies tied up so tightly and pristine. If that is what I am to expect, I fear I shall never wear my undergarments again.” You immediately blushed at your own silly proclamation, but he only smiled adoringly once more.

“My love, you will never find me telling you how to dress. You need not ever fear my embarrassment over your chosen attire, or lack thereof. Only joy at your freedom. Now that you are my wife, you may live your life as you please, unbound, and free to experience any adventure or pleasure that you wish.”

You watched his face, wondering if you had misheard him. But you knew in your heart that you hadn’t. This man, the man you loved, would never constrain you to a life bound by expectations and manners. 

With the surety that you had ended up exactly where you belonged, where you wanted to be, you lay your head down on him again. You finally felt happy, free, unrestricted. Content to finally experience the life you dreamed of with the man at your side, you closed your eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep in the safety of his arms. 

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@beck07990​ @magdelen69​ @rn7rocks @tinylittlebluebird @inthenameofcavill​ @gearhead66​ @oddsnendsfanfics​ @cavillhavoc​ @pterodactylterrace​ @killjoy-assbutt-1112​ @mary-ann84​ @fuckoffbard​ @its--fandom--darling​ @kmuir1​ @thelastsock​ @henryobsessed​ @eldarwen333​ @definitelydenisse​ @inlovewithhisblueeyes​ @shy-violet-soul​ @seriouslygoodlookinggents​ @coffeebreathy​ @hope-to-hell​ @summersong69​ @faithiee​ @madbaddic7ed​ @artandotherdelights​ @emyearns​ @cavillryarchive​ @bellening​ @agniavateira​ @maizyistrash​ @wiccanmetallicrose​ @the-soot-sprite​ @geralt-of-baevia​ @harrysthiccthighss​ @luclittlepond​ @critfailroll @brandycranby​ @october505​ @buns-of-steel​ @worshipping-skarsgard​ @biblioworm @littlefreya​ @zealoushound​ @luna-aestas​ @amberangel1112

#captain syverson #unbound #captain syverson x reader #regency sy

[aspidities]

It’s good to be back. 👋

So I did the whole ‘where I’ve been and how I’m doing’ post on Patreon a week or so back, and now it’s finally time for the Tumblr Version, in bullet points for your benefit!

1. Where have I been:

Well, like, still here. But just….I don’t know, not motivated. I moved in October (big yay!) and we got ourselves the puppy, both of which are great and also big life things. Do you know what no one tells you about raising a puppy? It’s like raising a baby. But WORSE. Babies can’t bite you or your furniture or destroy an entire $20 toy the second your back is turned—at least so I’m told.

And yes, I knew this going in and I still had much to learn, lol. Non stop sleep deprivation from nightly poop runs and lack of energy due to constant puppy supervision is a real drag on the old’ creative engine.

Is it worth it though?

Yes. Oh yes.

So 2. How is the puppy?

Great! Cloud took a long time to learn to sleep through the night but honestly he was otherwise an angel to deal with. Never had many accidents indoors, loves every dog and person he meets and is my girlfriend’s dog’s best friend. He’s now fully housebroken, sleeps through the night, knows about ten tricks, and mostly leaves the cats alone. He’s 6mos and a massive hunk at 54lbs and is the absolute best boy ever. Just the dumbest, sweetest, most obedient kid on the block. I love him and he’s my son, and I am his Dad.

So yeah, he’s doing great. You can even follow his Instagram @forecast_of_cloud where I am a huge Best in Show Dog Dad and post nearly every day.

3. Why haven’t I been posting here?

Well, aside from the puppy madness as described above, I have been going through several different creative and emotional journeys, and, as usual, have been totally unable to articulate any of them. Despite writing words being…y’know, the thing that I do.

First, Supergirl ended and that was kind of a wake up call in a way. I didn’t know what else to write once it had finished. I had existing ideas and I wanted to finish them but then….what next?

I’ve been writing fanfic for almost five years now, after a long hiatus from my teenage years, and it’s been wonderfully cathartic but ultimately I saw it originally as a means to an end: to get myself writing more original work. But that’s scary. Honestly, it is. Fanfic is so safe—you can rely on that framework of someone else’s plot, even a barely sketched out one, to hang your own design on. Writing your own work? Hard. Much harder. And no one cares as much as they do about your fanfic—with good reason! It’s harder to break into something you don’t know about.

But lately I have this feeling like I need to try. I’m not done writing fanfic (I still have to give Arcane and Yellowjackets a shot!), and i’m not done writing Supergirl—I just think my priorities have shifted in a big way. And it took me a long time to come to terms with that.

In addition, I found myself feeling more comfortable on the masc side of the non binary world than I ever expected, and the growth and change from that has been huge.

Luckily I have a lot of support and love in my life to help me along that way. ;)

Which brings me to 4. How are things in my relationship?

Awesome. 🥰

J is a wonderful partner and she’s been the main cheerleader for my original work. She is fierce wit, morbid humor, a devilishly good dress sense and a warm little weight on my chest all wrapped in a lacy package that smells of lavender and Yves St Laurent Black Opium. She cares so much about my well-being, both as a person and an artist, and she’s also supporting me in my masc journey by gleefully dressing me up every chance she gets. In return I make her breakfast almost every morning and rub her back every night. We make a beautiful pair of symbiotic creatures. I am a shrimp and she is my goby and we danced to Frank Sinatra while putting up our little Jewish Christmas tree and squeezed each other’s hands while singing along to Hedwig and the Angry Inch on our theatre Valentines date. It’s love, baby. What more is there to say?

So that’s the news from Asptown, where the women are beautiful and the men aren’t cis! I hope you all haven’t missed me too much. I’ll be posting more regularly and i’m STILL going through my messages so just hang in there with me if I haven’t got to you yet. It’s a good thing to be so well regarded, even if it can be overwhelming. I appreciate the heck out of you all. ❤️

#personal #about me #me and my gal #puppy update #cloud the puppy #where I’ve been

[krysphycookiez]

Hi it‘s me again. I have another request. What about izty‘s reaction. Reader is their gf and is really quiet and intriverted so they do cute stuff to get reader to talk or smile and maybe a kiss at the end.🤩

Thank you☺️

itzy | smile for me

synopsis: you’re quiet and a bit of an introvert, so your girlfriend makes an effort to bring out the sunshine in you

genre: fluff, headcanons

pairing: itzy x fem!reader

tw: none, just get ready for chaotic fluff

a/n: hi again! thanks for the request i appreciate it! i how this one isn’t too whack, i really tried qwq, anyways i hope you enjoy!

❥

poor baby is already a bit shy on her own

but hey, that’s what made you guys click together anyways so it was all coolio for a bit

once you and yeji start dating for about a month or two, she’s gonna try to be a bit more “bold” around you

pda is not something that occurs quite often between the two of you, as she just prefers to hug you or hold your hands

so when she starts showing affection by showering you with kisses and cuddles you were in shock

but not complaining though, who would deny a cuddle fest from the queen herself

once you two start getting comfortable with affection, you’d start talking more!

since you’re a shy bean and she’s also a bit like you, you two would do small little dates on the past

but now yeji is confident enough to bring you to nicer places like an amusement park or a restaurant

eventually you’d start opening up even more! and you’d laugh a lot more too and polar bear girl melts every-time she hears you laugh

she loves you and you love her

both of you are a wholesome couple, and even though things were a bit stale at first things got better

although you still have tendencies to be awkward, you’ve managed to open up even more to those around you

and it’s enough to make your girlfriend smile

“hey baby?” your sweet partner pipes up, causing you to turn your head to lock your eyes with her beautiful polar bear shaped ones. “yes? so you need anything?” you asked, giving her a small smile, making her chuckle

“nothing, i just wanted to see you smile,” yeji admits truthfully, to which you blush at. she makes her way towards you and pulls you into a tight hug, and a hug you return quickly. she gently kisses your forehead and locks her loving gaze with you.

“you know i love you right? i’m glad you’re opening up more,” she states, and you smile just grows from her sweet words. you lean your head onto her chest, her soothing heartbeat calming you down. “yeah... i love you so much, sweetheart,”

omg she thinks your so adorable when you first meet like

how can someone be so kawaii and innocent-looking?????

getting back on track she loves you so much, but ngl she was a bit dense at first about your crush towards her

this is lia we are talking about, how can no one love this amazing woman

ANYWAYS

when you two started dating she would shower you with love and affection because of how cute you were towards her

“hon how do you manage to make everything you do look so adorable i swear this is why i love you so much,”

she loves karaoke nights with you too

and you also got an amazing voice so she definitely gets all hype about it

but since you’re so shy you don’t sing that much so she catches you singing a lot in the shower then you think you’re alone

she also debates if she should join you in the shower or not

MOVING ON

she flirts with you a lot too just to see your cute lil flustered face and fawn over it

“awwww you’re so cute when you’re blushing~”

“babbyyyyy i missed you!” lia exclaimed as she jumped into your arms, making you topple a bit. since you’re a bit taller than her she likes to jumó to you for hugs

she peppered small kisses all over your face, making you giggle a bit. “what’s happened, lia? you’re suddenly so happy??” you asked while you chuckled. she pecked your lips and gave you a bright smile

“nothing happened, i’m just happy to see the most beautiful girl in the world,”

another shy girl, she’s actually the most shy out of all of itzy

ryujin would definitely try to flirt with you and then fail miserably before you got into your relationship

the other members would tease her for making her crush so obvious

that would result in a punch or two

MOVING ON!

when you guys would start dating she’d be such a complete sweetheart around you

she’d start to open up more but then over your adorable personality

she still tries to flirt but most of it is just cheesy pick-up lines

“omg that was so weird please forget i said that okay—“

the one time you said something remotely confident to her is when you complimented her on her dancing and rapping

she thought you were genuinely flirting with her so she got very embarrassed and stuttered a lot

yuna would never let her live that moment down lemme tell ya

she’d also give you tulips and roses cause she’s just so sweet to you, also she prefers giving you affection in private cause she’s still kinda shy

overall 10/10 wholesome gf, you should also kiss her on the forehead

“ryujin?? what are you looking at?” you asked her with that little innocent look on your face. you saw your girlfriend shift her way towards you on the couch and put a hand on your cheek. “just admiring the most amazing and wonderful woman i’ve ever met,” she said with a sly grin.

you blinked your eyes innocently, trying to process what she just said, which resulted in her gigging and patting your head. “you’re so adorable, y/n,” she commented while you puffed your cheeks in embarrassment and frustration.

“no i’m not.”

“awww but your areee~”

“ryujin!”

omg we are moving onto one of the best girls

she’s such an energetic and amazing pup you’d be so close with her before you guys dated

almost like sisters even, she just loves to hang out with you

so naturally, it’s very easy for her to get you on your fun and cheery side

boba dates, park dates, she’d take you to any fun and outgoing place to get you in a very bright mood

and then BOOM! just like that she manages to make you all energetic and playful

then you go back to being a shy bean and that just makes her heart explode with cuteness

your wholesomeness overload is too much for her and she’ll constantly remind you on how cute and adorable you are

constantly hugging you from behind and peppering kisses all over your face when she gets the chance

that is until she kisses your lips is what makes her heart go boom boom

you’re such a flustered and stuttering mess she’s overjoyed

also uh- chaotic ness with the other members of itzy is multiples ten times more when you’re around

overall, amazing gf, you won’t regret it

you had just gotten home from a tired day at work, wanting nothing more than to snuggle up into the warm and fluffy sheets next to your amazing girlfriend.

when you entered the room, you quickly set down your belongings and got properly changed before slipping under the sheets next to your partner. it wasn’t long before you felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around you, making you smile in content. “hi baby... i missed you...” chaeryeong muffled sleepily while nuzzling her face into the crook of your neck, making you giggle at her.

“yeah... i missed you too...” you said to her before cuddling up next to her, letting your sleepiness drift you away into a blissful rest.

ohhhhh now moving onto the savage maknae of the bundle

she’s such a little shit around you lemme tell ya

constantly teasing you as a way to show her affection or playing with your hair, she’s all over the place

however when she’s more calm, she likes to take you out to coffee dates

something about the taste of the energetic bitterness, plus having it with you makes her feel at peace

you’re the mediator in the pair

when she’s all worked up and hyper you manage to calm her down after a few weeks/months of being together with her

and it’s honestly adorable and funny to see you two interact

“y/nnnn~ can we get these cookies please???”

“…. you just had frosted sugar cookies no.”

you’re like the mom and she’s the little baby it’s so cute, the other members love your guy’s dynamic

give her tons of love she will give you the cutest reactions

whether it’s returning the gesture or just giggling adorably it’s so wholesome

yuna is an amazing girlfriend, she’s so hyper like a baby puppy and you’re just the chill partner

“baaaaabeeeee i wanna go ouuuuuuuut~~”

“ahhh yuna, you’re being clingy as always,”

“i can’t help it! you’re so cute..” your lovable partner said as she wrapped her slender arms around your shoulders, throwing herself into your embrace for a warm hug, to which you gladly returned.

“ahhh, i love you so much,” you said as you pressed a kiss on her forehead, making yuna giggle. “i love you too, y/n,”

#itzy x reader #itzy #fanfic #kpop fangirl #kpop #kpop scenarios #author #x reader #itzy ryujin #itzy lia #itzy yeji #itzy yuna #itzy chaeryeong #itzy fanfiction #itzy scenarios

[issaxcharlie]

We say we're friends, we play pretend (2/2 )You're more to me, we're everything

PART 1 HERE

Pairing: Charlie Gillespie x Fem reader

Summary: Charlie and Y/N were best friends and a couple as teens, after their breakup they meet again 4 years later on JATP and have to work together. Will they be able to recover more than their friendship?

If Charlie knew anything in life, it was that he had to take things carefully. Especially with such strong feelings involved. In general, when you like someone, the least you want is for that person to see you as a friend, but particularly for them, recovering their friendship bond was the most important step.

“You were so cute!” Tori and Owen are looking at photos of the guitarist's childhood on his phone. A photo of little Charlie in a suit grinning from ear to ear while holding a girl as if he is spinning her around shows up.

That memory is one of his favorites. He was always a very loved boy with many friends, but in the case of girls he was not the most popular. His best friend on the other hand was, at least for him, the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and boys were always around her. He knew he needed to find a partner for the dance so that she wouldn't feel guilty or he wouldn't feel humiliated by not having someone to go with.

However, he was rejected, quite a few times. He didn’t want to say anything about the dance to his best friend that week because he knew that she would stay home with him without hesitation. But that day half an hour before, he arrived in a suit and flowers for her, so at least he could have a picture of such an important moment with the person he loves the most, and he was the one surprised.

“It was about time Char, we have to take about 30 pictures before we go. Mom bought you a tie so we can match." She is up and down looking for one of her shoes, not even turning to see her friend who doesn’t know if he understood correctly.

At that moment she finally turns to see him and runs for a hug, Charlie barely had time to raise his arm with the flowers.

“You look so handsome, and the flowers are perfect. Best partner ever, I love you so much C! I’ll be ready in a second.”

She had planned to go with him from the beginning, and thought it was an implicit pact. That realization made Charlie's heart beat a lot faster that day. No matter how many people invited her, she wanted to go with him. He spent the night with his favorite person dancing and singing, feeling grateful for her, this light who always chooses him of all people.

“I looked pretty good in those clothes.” Y/N says as she and Madison sit at the table.

“You always look amazing, but yeah that night was special.” It's also the night that he realized that he was feeling more than friendship for his best friend, but this is not the time to talk about it.

He decides to continue preparing his waffles, than even though it already has like 5 ingredients, it seems something is missing.

Y/N blushes a little and smiles. “Here, handsome.” She hands him a can of pringles that she grabbed from the cafeteria when she saw him making eggo’s.

“Perfect, Y/N Y/L teaching everyone why she's my soulmate.” Everyone at the table begins to complain about what they qualify as the most disgusting thing they have ever seen, while the former couple smiles happily as they secretly link their legs under the table and continue their breakfast.

Little details like that one, or as removing all the products that she would take with milk from her hands because she seems to forget every morning that she is allergic can make a difference.

“You are 22 years old and you are still as careless as when we were children, I do not understand how you have survived these 4 years."

“You were always the one who cared about it and kept me safe, I guess unconsciously having you close my brain says, ‘no worries, Char will take care of it.’ So I’m sorry, I'll be more careful.”

A seriously ill 10-year Y/N on the way to the hospital invaded Charlie's mind, whom quickly shook off the bad memory.

“It’s all good, bright star.”

“What did you say?” Madison asks.

“Bright star. I know Kenny calls her ‘golden star’, but he’s the copycat. I've been calling her like that all my life.”

Y/N just smiles, enjoying the moment. She had not heard those words from his lips for years, and honestly Kenny also calling her a star even If it was sweet, made her remember Charles practically every day, and that didn’t help at all to get over the guitarist.

“You are my brightest burning star.” Madison replies, looking at Charlie with amusement in her eyes.

At that moment the actor understands what is going through his co-star's head and panics.

“So this queen is the one who has you so inspired, I should have realized it before.”

“She’s always my inspiration, period.” Y/N starts to laugh while blushing, and Madison’s attention falls completely on her.

“And I guess ‘Bright’ is a coincidence? And rise through the night, you and I, We will fight to shine together...Bright forever.” The songwriter wants to disappear at that precise moment while everyone turns to see her as if she had a third eye on her forehead.

“But you wrote bright long before you even knew Charlie was part of the proyect.” Owen adds, smirking.

“If you are asking me if I draw inspiration from the people I love, to write... the answer is yes. And yes, of course I love him.” How is it possible for the guitarist to slow things down when she says things like that in front of everyone? All he wants right now is to kiss her. This discovery means that despite the time she still had him in mind, the song cannot have been written for long. Hope is flooding his body.

“Ok but they inspiring each other is the sweetest thing in the world, goals right there.” Tori adds excited, her friends blushing.

All those teasing moments helped them to be more transparent with their feelings, hugging, touching, and basically staying close each time they finished their work obligations, almost as if they were afraid that the other would disappear or as if they were trying to make up for lost time.

“We need a lot more energy, especially from Charlie. Luke lives for music, nothing can give him more joy than being on stage."

"They have been working for 17 hours straight and at least 15 attempts with this musical." Paul tries to reason with Kenny mid-recording of Now or Never, which still does not come out as the director was expecting.

“What was in the recording studio that is not here now? I thought they would show an even greater energy than there after they stepped on stage."

They both turn to each other, as if the light had been turned on at the same time, and Paul takes his phone.

A few minutes later Y/N walks on set, Sunset Curve smiles upon seeing her.

“I wanted to make sure that we are fulfilling the vision of our beloved songwriter. Let's not disappoint her, okay? Let's try it one more time." Kenny shouts before starting to record again.

Instantly the energy is seen a thousand times higher, Charlie more radiant than ever, while Y/N replicates his energy behind the cameras, flooding him with sass and attitude. The young singer also motivates her now friends and unknowingly gave Sunset Curve that extra thing they needed to finally achieve the perfect performance. Kenny and Paul doing a fist bump behind the screens.

Soon their chemistry and energy turned into open conversation. The way they made everyone on set cry the first time they practiced Unsaid Emily or how connected and dreamy they were while dancing to Perfect Harmony when Madison wasn't on set.

But they still weren’t together, at least officialy.

If Charlie was honest, the fear of throwing himself all over and losing her again terrified him. The industry they love so much and decided to work in doesn't let having a relationship be easy, and if things go wrong again, they don't know if it might be possible to fix it again. It was basically a leap of faith.

Nonetheless, he knows he's willing, but what about her?

That morning he enters the set overwhelmed with his situation when he sees an even more overwhelmed Y/N walk by without even turning around, almost running to the recording studio.

“I advise you to give her some space for a few hours. Let's say she’s going to have a pretty difficult day."

"Why? What happened?" Jeremy asks as he and Owen stand next to the director.

“She got a call from the people at Netflix, they have already approved almost all the music except ‘Stand Tall’, the closing song, and her favorite. They will come in an hour to hear her presentation and convince them that it is good enough."

At that moment Charlie has an idea. There is no way that he will leave her alone, if he has the opportunity to help her he will do it and he’ll drag along all the people he needs to achieve it.

"Kenny, do you happen to have the music sheets for the song?"

“Don’t tell me-” Owen tries to ask but Charlie interrumpts him.

“Yes, let’s get to work boys.”

An hour later Y/N is freaking out, and she can't help but wish Charlie was around. Of all the days he could choose to disappear, he chose today.

She walks towards the auditorium, where to her surprise way more people than she expected are present, including most of the cast. But there is no sign of her lover boy anywhere.

Now or never. She takes a deep breath and start playing the keyboard. Her voice is the only thing that accompanies the keys. Everything is going as planned, but she can't help but feel distracted, nervous, and overwhelmed.

She is about to give up this fight internally when a drum before the second verse gives her the strength to continue singing, Owen smiles and winks at her to give her some peace of mind, and just a few seconds later Jeremy begins to accompany them with the bass. She knows whose idea it is and she just waits for him to come out from wherever he is hidden.

"I’m going out of my mind, Whatever happens, even if I'm the last standing I’ma stand tall, I’ma stand tall." His voice finishes waking her up and she accompanies him in the chorus, their chemistry electrifying everyone until every single person is standing, the cast supporting, dancing and clapping while the couple continues to focus on each other, separating out of obligation every so often but taking the opportunity to sing along with Jeremy and Owen who were doing an amazing job too, impacting with their solos.

The song ends and the boys disappear while Y/N talks to the people who came to evaluate her work, who finally approve the last song on the soundtrack that she has been working on for so long and to which she put all her soul.

The very second people outside the cast leave, Y/N looks for who has always been the boy of her life, the one who has proven that even though the years go by, they only need a few seconds to be themselves again, to be everything again. And as soon as she finds him hanging around only with the other 3 members of JATP she runs and jumps on him, entwining her legs at his hips and hugging him from the neck with all her strength, he immediately secures her by putting his arms around her waist.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

The band starts screaming “Kiss, kiss, kiss, kiss!” hoping that one of the two will already dare to take the next step, and Y/N stamps her lips against Charlie's, who reacts almost automatically and kisses her back hard, deciding quickly this is the happiest moment of his life. He finally got the girl, or with what just happened, her fierce girl got him.

Hours later both are in Y/N's apartment curled up on a sofa, enjoying being together again.

“Yes, that sexy, beautiful, adorable and talented man is my boyfriend, Charlie Gillespie.”

Charlie chuckles at her random declaration. “What was that?”

“I’m practicing, and I wanted to say it aloud. I’m just so happy right now.”

His heart melts, she’s the most beautiful thing in the world. His brightest burning star.

His girlfriend doesn't give him time to reply, devouring his lips again. After all, she has four years to recover, and as always, he is more than willing to help her.

Thank you so much for reading!

NEXT PART HERE

Tag list:

@siennanoelle01

@reblogserpent

@kiss-themoongoodbye

@writerinlearning

@rachelle3musicals

#jatp luke #luke patterson fanfiction #luke x reader #luke patterson fic #luke patterson oneshot #luke patterson x y/n #luke patterson imagine #luke patterson imagines #luke patterson x reader #charlie gillespie one shot #charlie gillespie x reader #charlie gillespie x y/n #charlie gillespie imagine #charlie gillespie imagines #jatp fanfiction #jatp fanfic #jatp imagine #charlie gillespie

[adam-banks2024]

Deja Vu

Part 1

Word Count: 2.3k

Summary: Kind of angst for now, backstory, arguments, and extremely slow burn. Also future poly

He’s insufferable

He’s arrogant. He’s rude. He’s annoying.

He is insufferable.

And I have to deal with him.

Of all the people Mrs. Moore could have partnered me with, she just had to choose him. It’s not like we even put a show on in public, and it’s sad but, everybody knows about the feud between us that started four years ago. 

I had just moved to town from three states over, and I didn’t know anyone my age. After a few weeks of summer went by of not knowing anyone, my dad convinced me to join the district’s hockey team. He told me that it was because he wanted me to make some friends, but I knew that he really just couldn’t afford to pay a babysitter. And my mother, well, she wasn’t in the picture. So I ended up having to go through the lost and found at six different ice rinks in Minnesota in order to get all of my equipment. At first, I was wary of the idea, but my dad said that it was kind of like shopping, so I agreed to go with him. Originally, we would have only had to search five rinks, but I couldn’t find any skates that were my size. After almost twelve hours of rummaging through sweaty pads and broken sticks, I had myself a full set of hockey gear.

Now I was on to the next challenge: How To Skate. I had been ice skating a couple of times before for birthday parties, but I’ve never been able to skate at the level that I had to in order to survive during an entire hockey game. I thought maybe it would just come to me naturally after attending a few practices. Until I did some research at the school library. Apparently, it takes a person at least two months to learn how to ice skate. But ignoring the negative, I decided to focus on the positive. ‘I could at least balance myself...and besides, I probably would be on the bench for every game...and just remember, you’re doing this for friends.’ These were the only three things that ran through my mind on the way to the ice rink. I was honestly terrified. I was scared that the other kids would make fun of me, or worse, ignore me. Well, maybe being made fun of is worse, but at least then they’d acknowledge me. I had to stop myself from thinking about that kinda stuff. I haven’t even attended a single hockey practice yet, and now I’ve added at least four more stressors into my life.

When my dad pulled up to the building, my stomach was tingling. My hands were clammy, and my eyebags had definitely seen better days. I wanted to run so fast away from this place, and not move at all at the same time.

“Nerves,” my dad said. He must’ve noticed from my frozen state in the backseat of his minivan. “You’ll do great! Just don’t break any bones.” He chuckled at the end in hopes that it would come off as a joke, but that is definitely not how it sounded.

To my surprise, I was the first kid that had arrived. I didn’t know much about the team, but I did know that most of the other kids had been on it since they were five or six years old. I was almost the exact opposite, thirteen and just starting. I wasn’t really sure why I was the first person to arrive, and it only added to my nervousness. 

I tried to brush it off as I saw someone outside in the parking lot leave a car holding a bag like you had. I could hear his muffled voice. “I’ll see you at six.” Whoever he was talking to must have responded because the boy spoke again, “yup, love you too.” A parent maybe. A mom? I could faintly make out a silhouette in the driver’s seat, but the glare from the sun blocked most of the car window.

Thank god someone else was here because at least now I knew that I was in the right place. But another problem arose. Now, different things were rushing through my head about what to say to the other boy. Should I make a joke, ask a question? Simply say ‘hello’? I didn’t know. So, I decided to settle on the most stupid thing anyone could ever say. 

“Are you on the hockey team?” What kind of question is that? He has a bag, this time is cut out specifically for hickey practice, and he has a hockey stick with him. Why else would he be here?

He looked up from where he was walking and stared at me awkwardly. It was likely that he wouldn’t have even noticed me if I hadn’t said anything to him. But I did. Which I regretted.

“Oh, um, yeah.” He went to keep on walking but he stopped himself quickly. “Are you?”

I had to keep a laugh in because the boy looked genuinely confused. Or maybe I misjudged that for concern. Still, though, it sounded a bit hopeful. This kid was really hard to read. Either way, I was pretty sure that he thought I couldn’t play hockey.

“Yeah. My dad made me join to make some friends.” 

Suddenly the boy’s demeanor changed. He seemed almost excited that there was a new kid on the team. “Well, I’ll be your first friend. My name’s Adam. Adam Banks. Walk and talk.” And then he started towards two big double doors.

My eyebrows rose at the sudden confidence, taken off guard, but at least he was being friendly. I adjusted your bags and followed right behind him. “So what’s it like here.”

He answered after struggling to open one of the doors, “Well it’s not so bad. It’s super cutthroat during the regular season but in the offseason, it���s pretty relaxed.” As I made myself around the outside of the rink, he kept rambling. “Especially during summer league. The kids who only play during that league have it nice. You’ll definitely survive.”

“Um, so what happens during the regular season?” The thought of angry yelling coaches wasn’t appealing to me, but I could make it work

Adam shrugged his bag up so it wouldn’t fall from his shoulder, “Well. Usually, coach yells at us, tells us that if we don’t win we’re failures, and everyone is constantly fighting to be a starter.” There was silence. “So that’s fun.” I just nodded my head, trying to take this all in. Adam didn’t say anything until he reached the locker room doors. Then he turned to me. “Yeah, but coach is a lot less lenient during summer because it doesn’t really matter for playoffs.”

I scoffed, “yeah, but I’ll eventually have to deal with him. Right?”

Adam’s expression flattened, “Wait, you’re doing winter league too?” He looked genuinely concerned, and now I was second-guessing joining hockey. If this boy didn’t think I could survive, then how could I? Even if I was just gonna sit on the bench, the way this kid was making it out to be was not sounding like the greatest way to make friends.

“Well, yeah. Is that bad?” I needed to hear him say it. Say that I should quit, or join dance, or something. Just so I could have an excuse to tell my dad in case the first day of practice goes awry.

He spoke fast, “Oh no, no. It’s just that--” 

“That I’m not good enough…”

He didn’t say anything. Harsh. I was just trying to make a joke but, I guess that’s what he was really thinking. We stood in silence for a few more seconds, and then he finally thought of something to respond with.

“No. I just feel like you’ll get hurt… and, um.”

I started to laugh. I applaud Adam for trying to make it seem like he didn’t think I was bad, but he just couldn’t do it. “Don’t sweat it, I know I’m gonna be bad.” He started to laugh with me. “Hey, at least I’ll get abs out of it.” 

He and I were actually pretty good friends for the most part. He was my first friend here in Minnesota. He taught me how to skate, and in turn, I offered him some sub-par jokes. He always used to laugh at my jokes even if they were awful. He was what I considered my best friend. He definitely wasn’t a best friend, I couldn’t confide in all of my secrets, and he couldn’t do the same to me, but Adam was the only kid I was friends with. We laughed hard, we fell on the ice together. He even told his mom that practices started to end later just so he could wait with me until my dad got off work and picked me up. 

Not long after we bonded, I hato the ducks. At the time, I didn’t know exactly what happened. All my dad said to me was something about how the coach wasn’t that nice, and that he didn’t want me on his team. I didn’t really care since hockey wasn’t something that I cared about too much. So I said goodbye to Adam and explained that I had to go. I didn’t say anything about the coach-not-liking-me part because then I thought he’d feel bad for me.

“Yeah, I’m supposed to switch teams too, but I think my dads’ gonna see if I can stay on the team.” He spoke almost as if he was trying to convince himself. I thought it was a great idea to tell him why he had to go to the ducks.

“They don’t want you, Adam. Maybe if you go to the ducks, you’ll get a coach who appreciates you.” I didn’t know what was wrong with what I said to him until about a year later, but by the time I finished my sentence, he was fuming.

The situation afterward was a blur, and I can’t remember what all was said. I just remember Adam touching on the fact how I’m an awful hockey player, and that he only talked to me because he felt sorry for me. Now, if my old coach had told me that I was awful at hockey, I’d be completely fine. I already knew that, and coach is just...coach. But hearing it come from Adam? It wasn’t like he was just telling me how it is, he wanted to hurt me.

It took me two weeks to stop thinking about the situation constantly, and then it started to fade away. I never even told him the real reason why I told him what I did, but now I have to work on a history project with him. How am I gonna do that if I can’t even tell him the reason for our quarrel that we had three years ago? Let alone complete a whole project?

“The syllabus will be given tomorrow, and the deadline for this project will be written under the ‘AP History’ bulletin. You may get to work.”

I slumped out of my desk and started putting away my things that were on the table attachment. During this, I tried to think of what I was going to say when I went over to him. I almost decided on either trying to make a truce or just acting like he didn’t exist.

He was slouched in his desk, pencil in hand, avoiding eye contact with me. As I sat down my stuff on an empty desk near him, his words startled me. “So, 50/50?”

I just stared at him. For some reason, my brain could not process what Adam had just said. It took a solid four seconds for me to respond. “I don’t understand.”

Adam’s eyebrows rose while his eyes rolled, “Of course you don’t.”

I scoffed, “What, you’re just gonna say some numbers and you think I’m gonna understand what you’re trying to say?”

He was leaning forward in his desk now, “Well you seemed to be doing well in calculus, so, yes.” A small, mocking smile was now gracing his face. 

I took in a deep breath to try and refrain from spewing whatever profanities came to mind. “Look, can we just set aside whatever this is so we can do this project?” He crossed his arms in response. “C’mon, I can’t afford to get a bad grade.” Still no response. If his goal was to ruin my life, he sure was on the right path. 

“What do I get out of it?”

The audacity.

“I’m just saying. I’ll be fine with one bad grade, so what exactly is the payoff for tolerating...you?”

So there was a shiny glimmer of hope, but it would definitely come at a cost. “Anything. Anything you want. Just please, tolerate me.”

He brought a hand to his chin, acting like he was pondering his choice, “but will it really be anything?”

“Oh my god, you are so annoying.”

“Watch it.” His voice was stern.

“Okay, okay. Sorry. But yes, anything. You name it.”

Did he even know what he wanted? Or was he just trying to play this out? Either way, I’m about to have a conniption if we don’t start working on this project soon.

We sat in silence for what felt like forever. Of course, Adam had to change his thinking position almost every second, until he decided on what he wanted. “Okay, here’s the deal. I help you get your precious little A, and you have to get me a date with Charlie.”

#the mighty ducks #the mighty ducks imagine #the mighty ducks x reader #mighty ducks #mighty ducks imagine #mighty ducks x reader #adam banks #adam banks imagine #adam banks x reader

[wonderlustlucas]

home - hwang hyunjin

⇢ prompt “I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t sure.” ⇢ pairing hyunjin x female reader ⇢ word count 2.7k ⇢ genre fluff, kind of angsty? ⇢ warnings insinuated that this takes place during covid & that reader has some case of depression/anxiety i literally wrote her as me so like ⇢ summary In which Hyunjin shows you just how special you are.—college!au ⇢ a/n happy birthday to my love, my comfort, my home

What am I doing here?

Unfortunately, there is no one else to blame but herself for being left without plans on this Friday night. Regretfully so, she instead finds herself alone on the upper level of the business building. Scratch that, the whole building, probably – she’s been here since four, and the few students that were once alongside her left hours ago. Initially here to work on an essay, she now occupies her time bouncing between YouTube, Twitch, and Crunchyroll, watching whatever she is feeling at the moment despite Monday’s deadline looming over her.

Sighing, she looks away from a boring page of YouTube recommendations, stretches her neck, and reaches for her hot chocolate. Well, not hot anymore, she realizes with a wince after taking a sip, struggling to swallow the now cold drink. Gaze flicking to the time on the corner of her laptop, she frowns. 9:43. She considers walking home once it hits ten, the unstirred silence of the building starting to prick up her spine like needles. Home, she thinks with an amused exhale from her nose. A too small, overheated double dorm room that technically is a single now that her roommate has gone online for the rest of the semester. Home.

She wonders, briefly, if anyone were to miss her if she were to go home home. If anyone would even notice, anyway.

She wouldn’t expect them to, honestly. It’s not as if she goes out of her way to hang out with anyone, usually opting to cozy up in her room and pretend she does not see the groupchat blowing up with plans to meet at the dining hall, a study session at the library, a trip to the mall. She loves her friends, really, but can rarely find it in herself to actually participate in said friend activities. Sure, there are some nights she actually leaves the confines of her room to join them, but to be quite frank, she’s glad they have learned to simply stop inviting her. Makes the whole looking for an excuse problem a lot easier.

Besides, who would want to go out on a night like this, anyway?

Just as she has flipped to page fifty-three of The Old Man and the Sea, she looks away in boredom, instead opting to gaze out the window. Focusing past her reflection on the tall glass pane, a warm feeling she can only describe as peace seems to settle over her, watching the snow fall like moonlit glitter across campus. The snowstorm had started light when she first arrived, soft enough she could manage with her hood down, dotting her with only miniature droplets of water. Now, though, the flakes are so large she can focus on one at a time as they fly past, covering the ground with a solid two or three inches at this point. In the distance, she can spot snowplows making their rounds to clear the pathways, the route to the business building already turned slushy blue as salt melts the continuous snow.

She sighs, eyes wide like a child as she represses the urge to go outside and grab a handful of it, maybe fall onto one of the lawns and make a snow angel, stick her tongue out and try to catch one of the large flakes. Tomorrow, maybe, she thinks, looking at her grey sweatpants and deciding walking back with soaked pants in this weather would not be the best idea.

So late into March, she cannot help but chuckle at the number of students complaining about the snow and cold temperature on SnapChat, even her friends having to change their plans. She, on the other hand, finds such last chance snowstorm beautiful; sure, she was ready for spring and eventually a break from school, but watching the snow dancing under the streetlights, choreographed by the gentle wind, she thinks it’s something to hold on to, keep her grounded to reality that albeit the stress and monotony of college, such moments like these still exist.

She jumps at the sound of the front entrance slamming closed.

Who the hell? She frowns, annoyed at whoever decided now was a good time to come inside, subsequently ruining her little moment of serenity. Turning red at the thought of some raunchy couple thinking to spice things up in the presumably empty building, she considers packing her bag and heading out. But no matter which exit, they would still see her, and that would be painstakingly awkward. Maybe she could escape into one of the smaller reservation rooms, or at least make some exaggerated noise so they at least know they’re not alone.

Could just be a janitor, or maybe someone else deciding to shelter somewhere other than their dorm to buckle down and do some work, she thinks. No matter who it is and what their intentions are, her leg is already bouncing a mile a minute having gotten used to having the space to herself.

So caught up on how or when she should take her leave, she does not hear the footsteps coming up the stairs until they’re right behind her. Tensing up, she watches in the window’s reflection as the business building’s second occupant steps up onto the platform and… heads towards her. Panic setting in, she tries to decipher who it is through the blurry reflection but to no avail, heart racing at the thought of a stranger approaching her, one of her friends finding her here on a Friday night, a janitor going to ask her to leave.

She turns her head as soon as they stop beside her.

“Hyunjin?” She blurts, taken aback. This was the last person she expected to be here. Somewhat relieved but heart still beating in her throat, she blinks up at the tall boy to make sure it’s really him, brows furrowed in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

“I should be asking you the same thing,” he returns, pulling his mask down below his chin and smiling cheekily at her. “I went to go pick up my food and saw you in the window,” Hyunjin explains, tugging the beanie off his head and shaking his hair out, showering her in the tiny droplets. Wrinkling her nose, she takes notice of the Chipotle bag in his hand and how soaked his coat is.

“Here,” she offers, reaching for the bag. Passing it to her with a grateful smile, Hyunjin unzips his coat and sets it over a chair beside her alongside his beanie, wipes the melted snow and sweat from his eyes, and tries to fix his now mused bangs. “So, what are you doing here?” He asks while doing this, regarding her with an amused glint in his eyes.

“Work,” she sighs. Then, glancing to the screen of her laptop and realizing it’s still the home page of YouTube, she grimaces. “Trying to do work. Not really. Just watching the snow.”

“It’s a lot prettier when you’re inside,” Hyunjin comments, following her gaze to watch the frenzy of snow before taking the bag from her and offering a quiet thanks. “But I meant more why are you here?”

She isn’t quite sure what her relationship with Hyunjin is. Having been one of the many acquaintances she barely made at freshman orientation, he did not seem like the kind of person she expected to still be in her life. She wouldn’t exactly say they were close, but she considers Hyunjin a friend, she thinks. After a good month or two forgetting he existed, she randomly bumped into him at the dining hall, recognizing that unfairly attractive face of his in line for chicken nuggets and immediately falling into conversation. Turns out, he was mutual friends with her lab partner, Kim Seungmin.

She does not see Hyunjin as much as she wishes she did. She had not shared any classes with him in the past three years, and even if her friend group and his overlapped in the slightest, it was not always a given that they both would be able to hang out as much as their closer friends do. Still, there always seems to be a random occasion, such as now, where they bump into one another. Each time is a pleasant surprise, of course, and not just because of his pretty face and wide shoulders, but because he has always seemed to care for her in a way no one else does, and that in itself is enough to have her heart racing every time he comes close.

Not that she has a crush on him or anything, but it definitely is hard trying not to fall in love every time he even so much as smiles at her.

Face heating up in embarrassment at his question, she avoids looking him in the eyes and randomly minimizes the Chrome tab on her laptop. “You know,” she drones on, “just taking it easy for the night.”

Hyunjin hums in agreement, opening the lid of his burrito bowl and stabbing a fork into the layers. Even her mouth waters. “I feel like I never see you,” he contemplates, finally taking a bite. His words surprise her. “Uh, yeah,” she coughs, forcing herself to look away before she gets too enraptured over how beautiful he looks even after trekking through a snowstorm, long hair messy but falling over his face in a way that has her fingers twitching to tuck away. “I usually don’t go out with everyone. Not my scene.”

“Aw,” he coos, “I get that. Sometimes I’m the same way, I just want to relax on the weekends after working so much all week.”

Thank you!, she almost shouts, but bites her tongue. She agrees, but even she does not know why she can’t find it in herself to go out and party with everyone else. She’s just lazy, to put it simply. Nevertheless, his words put her at ease, no longer worried that he might think she’s a loser for staying in every weekend.

“Exactly,” she agrees, “parties are fun, sometimes. But I just prefer laying low. I don’t think my friends like that, though.”

Gaze finding his, her heart does somersaults at the smile he offers. “Nah,” Hyunjin says, confident, “no one thinks that. Everyone has their way of having fun. Honestly, all I’ve ever heard is your friends complaining how they miss you and that you would make going out more fun since you’re so funny.”

“Which is true, by the way,” he adds.

She feels as if she is going to combust. “Oh,” she croaks, throat dry, “um, thank you. That’s sweet of them. And you. I guess I didn’t consider that they miss me when they go out.”

Hyunjin scoffs, raising a brow but finishes chewing before speaking again. “Are you nuts? You’re so fun to be around, of course they’re going to miss you.”

“Okay, stop that,” she laughs, burning from the inside out at his compliments. “Just being honest,” he laughs, opening the bag of his tortilla chips. “Want any?”

She looks at him with wide eyes. “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t sure.”

“Okay,” she huffs out an airy laugh, rolling her chair closer to his. Miscalculating that he was going to move, too, she quite literally feels her blood pressure skyrocket as her knees bump into his. And he doesn’t move. “Here,” moving the bag closer to the edge of the table, Hyunjin glances at her for only a split second before focusing on his bowl again.

Reaching into the bag, she feels emboldened not only by his previous flattery, but his proximity as well, and scrambles to continue the conversation. “Why are you eating Chipotle so late?”

“Pre-birthday celebration. Also, DoorDash took forever,” Hyunjin laughs.

“When’s your birthday?” She asks, munching on a chip.

“In,” he pauses, tapping his phone, “two hours.”

Oh. “What?” She gasps, blinking at him. “What? Why aren’t you out? It’s your birthday weekend and you’re here eating Chipotle?”

“Woah, okay Miss I-Prefer-Laying-Low. Maybe I wanted to chill tonight, since tomorrow I’m going out? Hm?” Hyunjin chuckles at her scowl, pursing his lips. “Okay, yeah, I guess but—”

“No but’s,” he interrupts, the amused glint in his eyes disappearing, “I’m here now, and that’s what matters, right? I’m lucky I saw you in the window.”

“I guess,” she mutters, realizing her heart has not stopped its staccato frenzy since moving closer, “you scared me, by the way. I’ve been here alone for hours and suddenly someone is walking up to me, I think I shit my pants.”

Hyunjin bellows out a laugh, and such an airy sound momentarily leaves her awestruck. Oh, god, she’s in deep. It’s over.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” he giggles, battling her hand to reach for a chip. Even the touch of his long fingers against hers has the entire butterfly population roaring to life in her gut. “Look, I made up for it by gifting you chips.”

“True,” she hums, licking residue salt off her fingers before leaning back in her chair to catch a breather. Too much physical contact and emotion for one night.

“What are you doing next weekend?” Hyunjin asks, taking her by surprise. Again. She thinks she is going to faint if she isn’t able to wrap herself around him within the next fifteen seconds.

“Um,” she starts, then remembers her previous idea of going home after this week was over. “I was probably going to go home next Friday.”

“Oh,” is all Hyunjin says, seemingly disappointed. “Why?”

She grits her teeth. Why? Really? “I don’t know,” she shrugs, not even convinced herself, “I’m bored and lonely here. I love everyone here but I miss my friends at home. I might as well be slightly less bored at home.” Hyunjin frowns.

“Okay, what about this,” he starts, leaning close enough she can count his individual eyelashes and nearly smell the flavor of his lip balm, “you go out with us tomorrow night and if you have fun, you hang out with us next weekend, too. Oh, and whenever you want some company, you text me and we’ll come here or somewhere else and do homework together or just chill. How does that sound?”

All she can do is blink at him. Her initial thought is how dare he try negotiating whether I go home or not? But, there it is, again, she realizes. That extra step he takes, the genuine care he shows her, acting like her well-being is his responsibility. “You don’t have to do that, Hyunjin. I don’t want to bother you every time I feel lonely. I’ll be fine.”

“Christ, you’re dense,” rolling his eyes, Hyunjin sets his fork down, wipes his hands on his thighs, and suddenly leans in to hold her face with both hands, “I wouldn’t offer to sit around and do homework with you when you’re in need of a friend if I didn’t want to.”

Her heart is racing so fast she fears he may be able to hear the thud of it against her chest. What he’s saying is starting to sound a lot more than some friend-to-friend comfort, and it’s making her head hurt, especially with his thumbs ever so slightly swiping against her cheeks. At her silence, he starts again.

“Y/N,” he says, voice dropping an octave, “don’t go home. This is your home, too, you just don’t want it to be.”

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she thinks she is going to say something, but nothing comes out. There is nothing to say. Hyunjin is right, he has read her like an open book, and he’s here to offer his shoulder to lean on. “Okay,” she whispers, “I’ll go out with everyone tomorrow. And I’ll try and stay here for the rest of the semester.”

“That’s my girl,” Hyunjin smiles, leaning closer and pressing a featherlight kiss to her lips. At first, it takes her by surprise. But then it all starts to make sense. The snow makes sense. Her essay makes sense. Being here makes sense. Hyunjin makes sense. His birthday makes sense. She makes sense.

Outside the glass windows, the wind starts to howl, blowing the composed ballet of snow to its final act, covering the pathways and the streetlights and the roof of the business building in perfect white glitter. Inside these windows, she realizes they would notice if she were to go home.

Why would she ever do that when her second home is right here in front of her?

#kwritersworldnet #kpopficsnetwork #hwang hyunjin #hyunjin #stray kids #hwang hyunjin fluff #hyunjin fluff #stray kids fluff #hwang hyunjin smut #hyunjin smut #stray kids smut #hwang hyunjin angst #hyunjin angst #stray kids angst #hwang hyunjin imagines #hyunjin imagines #stray kids imagines #hwang hyunjin scenarios #hyunjin scenarios #stray kids scenarios #hwang hyena #hyunjin x reader #stray kids x reader