#well the happiness didn’t last long because my flatmate bothered me as soon as I turned my phone back on at the train station but whatever

[arsonist-chicken]

Knock knock, don't mind me, just asking how the festival went! Did you have fun? Did you end up watching that scary band after all? Did you make it home safely? The audience (me) wants to know everything!

Definitely not asking this because I miss you, shush, what are you even talking about?

It took a few weeks, but here's the Nova Rock report for you! ✨🦝🌈 it's only 4400 words, have fun.

Huh, I didn’t go 🥺🥺😭💖💗 over "I missed you" and the withdrawal symptoms you mentioned on discord, haha no, what?

The most important things first: I did have so much fun; I did watch the not-actually-scary band, and we did make it home safely and even without any delays (well except the one who had to travel to NRW with the DB but well) with only a weird little sunburn on my back from my shirt with cut-outs at the back.

We took the night train, so I went to the train station, thought "why are there always such weird people here at midnight", then remembered I was sitting there in my pyjamas with my hair still smelling of the fresh hair dye. I read your new chapter, had to stop myself from screaming, asked my sister + friend (NOT the random lady there) what they thought about the blind cat, we found a little ladybug in our compartment who then continued being in our tent, at the camp side, on the train home, and in my room back at home again. He’s actually flying around my lamp right now (well he was when I started writing this, he’s since left for the outsides).

We went with a whole bunch of people (like.. 20? My friend’s brother and his friends and friends of friends, you know), met two VERY annoying drunk Bregenzerwälder with their Hölzler shoes (who the FUCK wears those shoes to a festival??) and luckily lost them again, but everyone who was with us was really cool and chill to hang out with.

They had to cancel the first few bands because of the deep mud the rain had turned the stage areas into, but nothing I wanted to see luckily (although, go listen to Gloryhammer’s “Fly Away”, very fun), so I just sat there at the camping ground with my phone trying to listen to my zoom class (because of course the one lesson the whole semester I really wanted to be at was that week, but well, at least online); and after we went to a band I didn’t know before but someone said they were good, and they were (Coffeshop Company)! Which is something I really like about festivals, you can just go hang out by the stages for a bit to listen to new bands and see them on stage and if you don’t like them, you can just move along to another stage or sit with others by your tents. AND AND AND!! Oh yeah, we saw Evanescence for a bit, they’re okay. BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY. I had been trying to see Rise Against live since I was 14, so 10. Years. now, and now I finally did see them!! And they were everything I expected! They were so energetic and they joked around a bit and the singer pointed out a few signs, and their energy and everything was so good! And their songs are fucking amazing live, they’re SO GOOD. Everyone and their grandmother always insisted on telling me how bad their sound was live, and now I got to judge for myself finally, and they were so GOOD!

BRING ME THE HORIZON BRING ME THE HORIZON BRING ME THE HORIZON! Friday was BMTH day! It was still muddy as hell, like my sister went to the toilets and came back with her whole boots covered up above the ankle in mud, but the organisers really came through and covered the entire stage area with what I learned is called Holzschnitzel (wood chips), so no problems there anymore. We went to see Battle Beast, which – wow, the singer’s voice is unbelievable! She has such power in her voice! We also had some food, my sister dropped a perfectly fine mozzarella stick into the mud (highly relevant info), and my friend and me went to see Maneskin. I wasn’t that excited for them anymore because I don’t like their new music very much, but I thought I’d go see them for a bit, and well – they have amazing stage presence! They just come out and start off right off the bat with such power and energy, I can really see how they pull new audiences in at festivals! The ... guitarist? Bassist? I’m not sure which one the woman plays and I can’t tell the difference anyway, but she had some, uuuh, trouble with her outfit, in that she had a bit of tape on her chest and otherwise a net shirt that kept riding down to her stomach and some tech guy or the singer had to keep pulling back up for her. She also had HIGH heels which I don’t understand how she didn’t fall even once, running around in that, good for her. The singer once almost hit someone with a bottle or something and said, “Sorry if I hit you, my brother, my sister, whatever you are”, which 🌈🌈🌈 They’re, well... I could do with less sexual stuff but it’s their show. It was funny though how within 20 minutes, three of them were wearing almost nothing on top, except the guitarist (?) with his full long-sleeved cowboy outfit and cowboy hat.

We left a bit early and still watched the rest of Skillet 😊 had a snack on the floor while Korn was playing (they’re not bad actually), and then went into the first... like the areas in front of the stage are divided right? We went into the front section for Heilung. Because BMTH was playing right after them and we really wanted to be towards the front for them because well. Bring Me The Horizon 💖 which meant I had to stand there and suffer through 75 minutes of a god-awful boring weird band. They’re… you know, I already talked about them in the blind cat post, I’ll keep it short here: I thought they’d be creepy from seeing their music videos, especially with the red-blinking windmills in the background, but turns out, you can’t scare or creep me out if you just bore the hell out of me first. Their music is so slow it makes me want to scratch my skin off to feel something, they don’t interact with the audience at all, and you can’t understand their lyrics because they sing in I don’t know how many languages, half of them dead. On top of being boring as fuck, they’re also weird as hell, using instruments made of [redacted] and having very unpleasant to watch parts in their show that I don’t think they should be allowed to just act out like that at a festival that allows 8-year-olds in. Yes, the parents are responsible, but like I said – at a festival, you also just randomly walk around the stage area and see what happens even if you’re just passing by to a different area. Actually even forgetting about minors, I’m 24 and I didn’t like seeing that. Anyway, they’re boring, they’re weird and pretentious, don’t listen to them, @ Nova don’t book them again jesus christ.

ANYWAY. FRIDAY WAS BRING ME THE HORIZON DAY. Aka the absolute highlight. They came on stage, you could see how HAPPY they were to be there, they started out with “Can You Feel My Heart”, they’re happy, I’m happy, I feel nothing but joy FINALLY hearing them again after having been rescheduled three or so times. Remember how I said they’d cancelled bands because of the mud, and I said to a friend if I missed BMTH for any reason, I’d cry? Because I’d been waiting to see them since, well. Whenever in 2020 the concert would have been idk man. WELL. Turns out, the security at that festival is abysmal every year (we got checked twice in four days, but god forbid you take a plastic bottle or Tetrapak with you to the stages), and they didn’t close the front area when there were as many people there as allowed. I’m not gonna drag this out with details but long story short, it was okay during the first song but got too bad to stay when the second song + circle pits started (I have… opinions on them, should I elaborate?), we tried to leave but it was very cramped, we got separated, and next thing I know some guy (thank you <3) pulls me up from the floor and helps a security guy get me over the fence, who then drags me away to the paramedics, whom I tell I’m fine, just a bit dizzy, I just want to sit down on the side and watch from there, I can hear “Teardrops” fading into “Dear Diary” aka the song I’d been fucking annoying about being excited to hear, so naturally, they drag me away to the Red Cross tent. Where I just sit for a few minutes getting more and more upset over missing one of the few bands I really, really wanted to see. Anyway, we met two others from our group there too, a guy had twisted his ankle or something and his girlfriend, who – she is SO SWEET, she always asked how everyone was, she’s funny, she gave me Traubenzucker (seriously I still don’t know the English word) and hugged me and said we should just all go out and sit down on the side to watch the rest of BMTH, which we did, and actually suddenly a bunch of our group were there somehow? Anyway, I cried a little more watching them until I calmed down again, and the rest of the show was SO GOOD FUCK. They have such energyand excitement to be there and they go hard on stage, they really do, and the singer’s voice is so nice again now that he’s recovered, there is so much power behind and in his voice when he sings; anyone who says BMTH have become soft or worse or whatever since they have less screaming can fight me (the Florians?). I’m already looking forward to seeing them again in February (covid don’t even LOOK at February you fucking bitch) so much! They still played “Kingslayer” which is always great, “Drown” which is *chef’s kiss*, a few more songs (my concert memory is so bad, the most I can usually say is yeah it was great), and ended with “Throne”, which you know, *all the chef kisses in the world*. Seriously, if you like BMTH and ever get the chance to see them live – GO! They’re SO GOOD live, they’re so happy to be there, their energy takes over the audience immediately, you can scream along or just be there and vibe… They’re just such a great band, in general and to see live (ignoring my situation here, not the band’s fault but the security’s + drunk large guys who don’t look out for others), it’s so fun to be at their shows – oh, everyone who likes BMTH should get the chance to see them live! They’re so GOOD my god I’m excited for the new single tomorrow.

Have you listened to the 30 second thingy they put out already? I can’t get over the way he sings “forever”, someone who actually knows something about music explain to me what it is about that particular way he sings that makes it so 🥺✨💖🍀 Something about the way his voice… vibrates? So to say, and the slight rasp maybe? Not even mentioning the lyrics themselves! This week sure is a busy week for me with a new BMTH song tomorrow plus the BC album on Thursday and then everything else going on as well plus weaselling my way into the playlist with whatever BC song I’ll like the most by then at the drag party so I’ll see what you’ll come up with to bribe me.

Saturday was Electric Callboy day! It was finally warm and sunny and one guy convinced all of us to go to a band no one knew but said were fun to see live, and they were (Liedfett)! I wouldn’t listen to them otherwise but live there, they were fun, and somehow our group turned their band name into a Marco Polo thing. Also, since pretty much almost all of us were there, we asked a guy to take a picture of us and I’m 95% sure the guy was high of some sorts, but the photos turned out well. Also, another guy took a picture of all of us at the camping side once and I don’t know if he was a photographer or something, but he moved around, changed angles and took about 40 pictures, “so you’ll have a really good one!” My sister, friend, and me went to a Ferris wheel they had put up and from the top, you could see across the whole area, which was both huge but also looked smaller than I had expected. A few of us got some food and watched a bit of Jinjer, they’re okay but a bit boring maybe. But but but! After them, Electric Callboy played! Awww Ruby, I wish I had a picture of their faces pretty much anytime they showed them on the screens up-close, they looked so HAPPY, it was beautiful to see! They were so GOOD and so excited to be there and play their show and they always smiled and laughed so beautifully*, it was wonderful to see 🥺 And it was so fun too, they talked quite a bit, once before “Spaceman”, the smaller singer Nico, as Fine taught me, took Kevin to the front of the stage to teach the audience the lalala-ish sound, but the way he did that was to take Kevin by the hand and walk with him to the front of the stage hand in hand while saying something like “Komm mal mit mein Lieber, also der Typ, der kann Sachen machen mit seiner Zunge, ich schau ihm jeden Tag beim Üben zu, haltet eure Freundinnen und Freunde fest, da könnt ihr noch was lernen”.. oder so. Ngl for a second I was wondering if surely he wouldn’t just go ahead and kiss the guy, right? Oh, a few others of our group who didn’t or not really know them came too and they all loved them, some even said they were their highlight of the festival! Which is not at all surprising, I mean you’ve seen them too, right, you know how just… Their energy and fucking around and their easy-to-vibe-with music make it really easy I think for anyone to really, really enjoy their concerts, even if you don’t really know them. I know I already loved them in April when I forgot to listen to more of their songs than I knew at the time before their EC/BC Munich concert, and it was still so much fun. Their stage presence and happy-go-lucky attitude and how obviously happy they are to play their music just makes it really easy to have fun. *I asked Fine, Laura, and Lou if it would be very weird to send them a message or email or something telling them how nice it was to see how happy they were on stage and how beautiful their smiles and laughs were, and got an “you are so cute” in return, but I’m telling you – they were the cute ones with how utterly HAPPY they were 🥺 I feel like I haven’t said a lot besides “it was so nice to see how happy they were” in various shades and slightly to the left but it just cannot be said enough. It was beautiful to see. Maybe I’ll still write them a message or a letter or something. Oh I also saw parts of The Offspring, Bad Religion, Seiler und Speer, Dame, and Deichkind later that day but none really convinced me, so in the end I had an early night (like... midnight “early”).

Sunday was Billy Talent day! Also a few other bands before that, Kissin’ Dynamite are fun to watch and their singer seems like a little shit (I could see him and Joonas fucking around on stage together), a bit of Eluveitie (boring) and In Flames (better than I remembered). We went around a bit before Billy Talent for food and then one booth had just run out of all meats, mozzarella sticks, whatever else, idk they only had fries left so we went to get a pizza, had a discussion in line with some guys about what the pizza names mean, and found out some sinners put eggplant on pizza. My friend works at a zoo and told us they can only feed eggplants to one breed of their stags because not even the pigs eat those. Oooh, Billy Talent were also so fun to watch! I’m not sure why there were so many more people than the day before, maybe because they were the second-to-last band to play? Anyway, very fun! Almost all of our group were there again, I knew about half of the songs they played and it’s just so easy to sing along and see everyone else also sing and jump along and just enjoy being there! Except the couple right in front of us who just spent the whole show making out. Why. Move. The singer made fun of the shape of the stage, talked a bit about other stuff and joked around, they also just have a presence that makes you enjoy their concert regardless of how well you know them, they make it easy to have fun.

Ah, the last band was Five Finger Death Punch, which I didn’t really know before, maybe a song or two in passing, but they were really entertaining to watch. To me – apparently quite a few people thought the singer talked to much or sang weirdly or was drunk? I don’t know, I didn’t hear it, I just had fun with his jokes and I thought his voice was quite powerful too. I don’t really know them but I think they were a good final act to put on.

There’s not much to be said about the trip home, we got up at 5 or so to avoid the “everyone leaving” waves, had some more floor breakfast at the Vienna train station, chatted some more, and on the train everyone fell asleep one after the other, but not before witnessing me almost losing my jacket with no idea how it ended up there and despite looking at it several times before another traveller asked his friend whose jacket that was, and throwing my phone on the floor five seconds later. I had to get off earlier than the others at my uni town, which meant I got a hug goodbye from the only guy still motivated to stand up (feel you), almost forgot my chair, and then almost fell down the train stairs. I was tired okay. Also at like... 8pm or so, a few hours after I’d already showered and thrown everything into the dishwasher washing machine, we finally got the text from the one who had to take the DB to NRW that she’d arrived home, about two hours late, unsurprisingly. I know I complain about the ÖBB a lot and rightfully so I think, but how do you all just live like that regularly?

Remember how you said on discord you’d gotten withdrawal symptoms and I said it was five days and you said, "5 days in which anything could have happened you know"? Well. Nothing happened for me (where is my festival romance huh? BC concert first date idea? Huh, did someone say something?), however. I sit at the camping side with a bunch of others on Saturday noon, enjoying the sun finally being here, when I hear my sister + friend say my name, so I go over to see what they’re gossiping about me, only for my sister to tell me a guy from our group randomly (“randomly”, you should have been there, it was so fucking obvious there was something there, and that’s from me who never notices shit until it’s pointed out to me) asked her if she’s single the day before, she later asked him to do something after the festival and he said he would have asked her if she hadn’t asked first. They’ve had a few dates since then, I think it’s going well.

I haven’t talked about the sunsets yet! Oooh, so that festival is in the Pannonia fields, which basically means in the middle of nowhere on some farmers’ fields which are packed with windmills which at night blink red rhythmically and that looks so cool at night! Just a few dozen windmills in the background blinking red in sync. And the sunsets were beautiful! Just being by the stage, listening to or waiting for a great band to play, and left and right of the stage seeing the sunset over the fields 🥰 (don’t go there to see mountains, the area’s highest one is 302m)

Oooh!! Do you know how I hate phones at concerts a little? Like I get taking a few pictures or short videos, but I’m really annoyed by people recording whole songs or the whole concert wth is wrong with people because the people behind you can’t see goddamn it. I don’t want to be mean to or about teenage audiences, I don’t. It has to be said though, the difference in phone usage at concerts with a primarily teenage audience vs a primarily adult audience is staggering. This year, I’ve been to a Louis Tomlinson, 5SOS, and EC/BC concert and now the festival, and the difference in the audience is huge. At LT + 5SOS, there were so many people there who were constantly recording and watching so much of the concerts through their phones (you miss everything?!), whereas at EC/BC and the festival, people also took photos or recorded but like… very, very few people constantly did so, most took a picture or video of their favorite songs and then put their phones away again. And I have to say, the difference in the energy of the audience is very noticeable. People are just much more into it, just being there enjoying the show, singing and jumping along etc. etc., you know what I’m talking about. I once saw a video of a Halsey show where phones were banned, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about that since then every time I see people constantly on their phones at concerts.

It was also so goddamn nice to be – well technically you’re reachable, most people have their phones with them, but in reality, I can just turn on flight mode and only take it off that when I need to find my friends (well and that one class) and ignore everything else for four days. Ideal existence tbh. No uni, no work, no being contacted if you don’t want to, no other adult responsibilities, just hanging out with fun people, sharing snacks, and enjoying good music together, half of the days even in the sunshine. Speaking of sun, why did no one tell me my hat looked stupid, I wore that for the whole weekend 😤 oh, also, I got a BMTH shirt! It’s so pretty and it’s white but somehow still too warm for a 30-degree day. Then again everything is, probably. But I had a clean shirt to wear for the journey home with my dust-covered skirt, that was nice.

I met a woman with really pretty multi-coloured hair at the showers. Once there was suddenly a bridal party at the camping spot asking for a beer for their flunky ball bridal party game and invited us to join and offered glitter tattoos. Oh, the guy who hurt his ankle, some of our group borrowed a… those small things you can put boxes or other stuff on you need to transport and wheel it around? One of those to have the guy stand on and wheel him back to our camping area. We found a really nice spot a bit farther away from one of the stages for when we wanted to see a band but just relax and vibe, maybe have some food there and sit down a bit, that was a good spot, I swear we weren’t just on our feet 12h every day in front of the stages. Just peppering in all the random things here that I’m remembering that didn’t fit elsewhere. We built the ladybug a little home in one of the glass holder nets in my camping chair. You said you missed me. Oh, we camped in the Green Area which is just like, less trash and noise, and by day two, there was a hole in the fence which was quite practical because it made the way to the stage area shorter. By day four, a whole fence thingy had been moved. Also, that area was supposed to be quieter but they had a party area or something that played music with heavy bass until 4am or so, which apparently bothered quite a few people about sleeping, but I found quite soothing actually. Oh, the fiancé/husband of the bride with her bridal party was also somewhere with his friends, I kept seeing them in their pink safety vests vs. the women in the orange ones.

So yeah, the security, paramedics, and non-alcoholic drink situation where not it (they had… Red Bull and water stations, but 95% of the drinks sold were alcoholic – please remember the minimum age is 8, also some people (hi) don’t like to drink, especially not at festivals), but the people I was there with, the bands, how obviously happy they all were to be there, the eating food on the floor with each other, the shared snacks at the camping area, the just hanging out and chatting at the camping area talking about the bands and whatever else really, the “guess what I just saw on my way to the toilets” stories shared, the random people around us, the “travelling together and having food and listening to music together” human experience – yeah, that was very much it 🥰🥰🥰💖✨🌈🦝🍀 Writing all that down took about 2 pages of my happy memories book, 100/10 would recommend grabbing your favorite snacks and a few friends, putting your phones into flight mode, and wandering off to a festival for a few days 🥰🥰🥰

#id in alt text #well the happiness didn’t last long because my flatmate bothered me as soon as I turned my phone back on at the train station but whatever #and I’m angry at myself for missing BMTH because honestly I was probably just being dramatic but I still saw most of them and they are #SO GOOD RUBY SO GOOD I love BMTH with my whole soul I’m not ready for a new album I’m very much ready though to hear it #at the concert in February that I will see in its entirety so help me #oh this got long didn’t it hold on let me look at the word stats – ah 304minutes. #Well word also counts if it’s just open in the background so maybe let’s clock it in at 2h #or so to see if I really got everything plus a bit to 🦝🦝🦝 over you saying you missed me #also you could give recommendations for next years' artists so i nicely begged for BC + Alex Mattson #good for them for going to wacken but i will never in my life go there again #it's five hundred fucking hours away and it's huge which is great for the bands i think but as the audience you're just always so #far away from the stages you practically only see the screens. at least as far as i remember and i was there in 2014 so don't take my word #for it #in conclusion BC please come to a festival around here #there's even one in my area! billy talent have also been there before! #huh actually let me check if you can suggest bands to them too they could do with a bit more in that direction and a bit less #of party pop and techno music #i went there for russkaja and saltatio mortis and they were great! blind channel next? #i'm going to a harry styles concert on monday that i'd also forgotten i still have a ticket for and i'm excited #because his music is good enough and i'm going with friends and we're gonna have a little car roadtrip there again #(i say roadtrip it's 2h or so away but we're going together and we're gonna listen to music and have some snacks so <3) #but i am decidedly not excited about the screaming and screeching 15-21 year olds #very excited to find a spot in the back and just chill and hang out there and enjoy it from there in peace #nova rock report #the-very-rubiest #asks #have fun with that i know I'd hate to read that many long-ish paragraphs but i didn't know where to put the breaks and also tumblr #was acting up about actually letting me post it

[oddshelbyout]

Affection // John Shelby X Male!Reader

Requested by: @sparringtonbitch

Summary: You are John’s boyfriend and he panics when you don’t show up at work.

Warnings: Swearing

Word Count: 1419

Author’s Notes:

I was so nervous about writing a male reader because it’s my first and I hope I did it justice. I hope you enjoy it <3

I’m not really good at writing fluff and I feel like John might be a little out of character because of that but I tried to do my best.

Requests are open. You can request any Peaky Blinders related imagines or prompts for me to write. I’m a minor so I don’t take NSFW requests, please keep that in mind.

You can ask to be added to my taglist. You can be tagged to works on a specific character or just any of my works. Please dm me or send your wish to my ask box if you’d like to be added.

English is not my first language and I’m not always confident about my work so please let me know if I make any mistakes or anything I can fix in my writing.

———————

You have always been an early bird. You grew up in boarding schools so that was a must. It was just another day you woke up early. As everyday, you took your flatmate, Ada Thorne’s baby son Karl, calmed him down and fed him.

It was a routine. You were lucky to meet Ada and move in with him when you were really new in Birmingham. The city came with a lot of dangers and Ada has been a gift. Being a friend and the flatmate of a Shelby was the best thing that happened to you.

The catch was that everyone assumed you were dating Ada. Her husband was on the run and was assumed dead, even Tommy Shelby couldn’t get him back home. It was the last thing you wanted but it came with the perk of people looking over your attraction to men if they noticed.

Another perk was that you were known as a close friend of John Shelby, though the truth wasn’t that. John was supposed to get married to one of the Lee daughters, it was part of an arrangement but it didn’t work. Instead, John had you and you had him.

The thing about you was, everything in your life was basically a plot twist. As a child, you were perceived as posh but you were just a lucky kid who had a rich uncle take care of you after your parents died. After you moved to Birmingham, looking for a new life, your sexuality was the plot twist.

Ada, despite looking like your girlfriend was actually just your close friend. John, despite looking like you close friend, was your boyfriend. The family knew. They were all okay with it as long as Tommy was and as long as it didn’t put them all in a kill list. You trusted them with your secret and you trusted them so much that you knew they wouldn’t let you get punished for that.

Your life just went on like that. You woke up early, took care of Karl, you give Karl to his mum when she wakes up, you leave home and go to work. You worked for the Shelbys so it was all so easy and natural.

That day wasn’t much different than any other day, the plot twist of that exact day was that you didn’t go to work after you left home. Instead, you went to the train station to buy tickets to London, you were going to visit your uncle. This caused some confusion on a certain Shelby brother.

John ran to you and Ada’s flat as fast as he could. If someone else was absent at work, it probably wouldn’t bother anyone that much. You were always on time and always had motivation to work, it wasn’t like you to be absent at work without telling anyone. Even if he wouldn’t care normally, that day with still being a little drunk from last night’s drinks, he started overthinking.

John found himself on your doorstep. He relaxed and he thought Ada would know where you were. He knocked on the door and Ada opened the door with Karl on her arms.

“Where’s Y/N?” he asked, “He went out a little earlier, isn’t he at the office?” she replied with a question. John hated that. He always hated any vagueness.

“He isn’t there.” John said, Ada was as surprised as John was. “He mentioned visiting his uncle, maybe he left to get tickets?” Ada was thinking more rationally than John because his answer was, “I would’ve taken him, why would he need tickets?” Ada laughed.

“Calm the fuck down!” she stepped to the side, John understood immediately that she was inviting him in. “I’m calm.” John said, petted Karl’s hair as he stepped in.

“Would you like to take him?” Ada offered to give John her son. “No thanks.” Ada rolled her eyes, “Okay.” she just said to her brother’s response. John was uneasy and that was something Ada wasn’t used to.

“For Fuck’s sake John, I’m not used to seeing you like this.” Ada complained. John tried to relax, he knew she was right. At that moment, luck was on John’s side and you opened the door with your key.

“John, what are you doing here?” you asked, shocked to see him there. “Where were you?” John asked, he was a bit more relaxed but didn’t know how to exactly react to your sudden reappearance.

“I went to the station to get tickets.” you simply answered. You could see how scared John looked, it warmed your heart in a weird way. It was good to see him care like that.

“See, I told you so!” Ada said smiling and just made her way into the kitchen after seeing the annoyed look John gave her.

You started climbing the stairs to your room and he unconsciously followed you. You stepped into your room, left your ticket on your bedside table and sat on your bed.

John sat next to you and hugged you. “Didn’t think you were the affectionate type.” he usually was more interested in sexual affection. “Then you’ll never get another hug.” you chuckled, “Your choice.” you shrug your shoulders.

You let your body fall down to the bed, John did too. You slided closer to him and supported your head on his shoulder. “This is nice.” you said, you could feel John smiling.

“We would continue if both of us didn’t need to go to the office.” John said, even though he didn’t like to show it, he enjoyed that wholesome moment too.

“You’re the boss, nobody would care.” you mumbled, “You know really well that Tommy is the boss.” he answered. “To me, you are.” you just laughed, John joined you too.

He suddenly gave you a kiss. Your blood rushed through your whole body, you hoped John felt the same. The kiss heated up both of you, he pulled himself back slowly. “I think I like this.” he smiled, “I think I like the hugs and the kisses and the safe feeling.” he confessed.

You felt like you were in a dream. This was exactly what you dreamt of as a child. A partner who cared for you, who made you feel safe and you loved. It seemed impossible then and it seemed too good to be true now.

“Maybe we should share more of them.” you said and gave him another kiss. John decided to make a confession, “I don’t know why but I was so scared when I didn’t see you in the office but after seeing you, the scare was worth it.” he said softly.

You took a deep breath, that was the best thing you heard someone say to you. “I thought I’d never say this but I love you.” you say, “Why? You thought you’d never love me?” you laughed at John’s ironic question.

“I can take it back if you like.” you joked, “Don’t even dare to.” he replied in a more serious tone than yours. “Maybe I should.” you kept joking, John started tickling you.

“I love you Y/N Y/L/N” his fingers’ movement made you laugh but also his love declaration had an effect. “John stop!” you hit him, jokingly but you seemed to hit him hard because he stopped tickling.

“Ouch!” he said, “Uh, sorry, sorry.” you placed your hand on the cheek you hit. He smiled big and used it as an opportunity to kiss you once again. You liked it but you knew you had to leave the room soon.

“Maybe we’re getting a little too comfortable.” you said squinting your eyes, “I thought you liked it.” John replied. You nodded and raised your eyebrows, “Yeah but remember we have to go to the office.” he sighed.

“Fuck, I don’t want to go.” he chuckled, “What if we don’t?” you liked that offer but there was no way you were going to accept. You jumped on your feet, leaving him alone on your bed.

“Get up John Shelby, time to go back to work.” John looked disappointed but he finally gave up. He stood up too, fixed his clothes and left the room. You followed him downstairs.

“We’re leaving Ada!” you shouted at the doorstep and left with John. You both felt refreshed and happy. You just moved on with your day. Though it wasn’t an unusual day, both of you felt different because you had finally said ‘I love you’.

#john shelby #peaky blinders #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders oneshot #peaky blinders imagine #peaky blinders x reader #peaky blinders x you #john shelby x reader #john shelby x you #john shelby x y/n #john shelby fanfic #john shelby imagine #john shelby oneshot #ada shelby #joe cole #male reader #requested

[upthenorthmountain]

The One That Got Away

Konmari-ing my Google Drive and found a few things that are a lot more written than I remembered - this one only actually needed a paragraph or two, which I managed to do, so here we go.

This is Flatmates nonsense, but it’s Flatmates that took a trip down a different leg of the Trousers of Time - after chapter 9 or so, say. So if you haven’t read that one then you should probably read that first, but if you have, you’re good to go.

Enjoy!

The One That Got Away

Two weeks before Sven and Jessica’s wedding

Sunday morning, 5am

“Kris? Kris.”

“Hmm?” 

Kristoff woke, blinking. Anna was sitting on the side of the bed, leaning over him. “What’s up?” he said, peering at his alarm clock.

“I have to go to Japan.”

“...right now?” She was fully dressed, and now he could see her wheeled suitcase in the doorway.

“Yes, Elsa’s not well - she’s in the hospital - her boss rang me, I have a flight at nine -”

“Right now, you’re going to Japan?”

“Yes. I’m sorry to wake you, but my cab will be here in a minute, and I thought I’d better say -”

“It’s fine.” He sat up and rubbed at his eyes. “The hospital? What happened?”

“I don’t know, I think - sometimes she thinks she’s fine and she stops taking her medication. She doesn’t like taking it, but she needs to….I have to go. I’ll call you, okay?”

“Okay…”

The doorbell rang. “That’ll be the minicab,” Anna said. She hopped up and went over to her case. 

“Take care,” he said. “If there’s anything I can do, just say.”

“I will. Goodbye,” and she left, shutting his bedroom door behind her.

-----

And just like that, it was over.

Anna stayed in Japan for nearly two weeks. When she came back she brought her sister with her, and they shared Anna’s room until Kristoff found somewhere else. They didn’t kick him out, exactly, but he’d been saving up for a deposit anyway, and when he found an end-of-terrace a couple of miles away in his budget that just needed some TLC there seemed no reason to wait. Anna made him a housewarming cake.

She was always with her sister, following her around anxiously. If he invited Anna over, Elsa would come too; or, more often, Elsa wouldn’t feel like it, so they would both stay at home. When they were all invited to Sven and Jessica’s for dinner, Anna and Elsa came, and Elsa sat in the corner for half an hour, and then she was tired and wanted to go to bed, so both sisters went home. 

And when Elsa got a new job, in New York, Anna went with her.

-----

Three years later

The rain started just as Kristoff was heading out of the town centre. Just a drizzle, but the clouds told him it would be a lot more soon, and he hadn’t brought an umbrella, or the car for that matter. He turned up his collar and increased his pace.

“Kris! Kristoff! KRISTOFF!” He turned, just in time to duck and avoid being stabbed in the eye by a bright yellow umbrella. And Anna - Anna was here, and she was flinging her arms around him, her umbrella in his face and her shopping bags swinging round to smack him on his back. “It’s you!”

“It’s you,” he replied, stepping back. “I didn’t know you were back in the country.”

“I am, well, obviously I am -” She peered up at the sky. “Ugh, the rain - do you have a minute? Come on,” and she was leading him through the door of a nearby cafe.

-----

Kristoff had a minute. He had all the minutes, with Anna sitting opposite him in the warm fug of the cafe, humming while she stirred marshmallows into her hot chocolate.

They talked. It was as easy to talk to her as always, and that seemed both amazing and obvious. She was clearly happy to be back; she kept saying things like ‘Now I’m home I need to see if I can find my library card,’ and ‘It’s so nice to be home and to be able to get all my favourite snacks.’

“How long have you been back in the UK?” he asked.

“A month or so. I only just moved back to Arundel, though. It took me a while to find somewhere, and it’s a tiny little bedsit but it’ll do to get me started. I start my new job on Monday. And I was thinking about how to get back in touch with everyone, and here you are!”

“Here I am - and I still have the same phone number, you know.”

“I don’t, I got a new contract when I came back home, let me ring you and you’ll have it - there you go. How’re Sven and Jessica?”

“Really good. Ben’s nearly eight months now.”

“I know, I can’t believe they have a BABY - I need to meet this baby, I love babies, you have to hook me up.”

“I expect I can manage that, they’d love to see you. How’s your sister?”

“She’s fine, she’s really great. Really settled. She likes America. Or at least, she likes where she works, she likes the people. I’d be surprised if she ever comes back home, if I’m honest.”

“But you didn’t? I mean, you didn’t like America?”

Anna shrugged. “I liked it well enough…well, Elsa had this job with her company sponsoring her and everything, I had problems with visas and stuff...and I missed the UK. And.” She fiddled with her spoon. “I realised that - I saw a therapist for a while and I realised that I needed to get back to my own life. It’s not my job to follow Elsa around and make sure she’s alright. It’s Elsa’s job to make sure she’s alright. She’s my sister and I love her but she’s a grown up.”

Kristoff hesitated for a moment, not sure what to say.

“I mean, I left my whole life behind, my job, my friends - with and without benefits,” Anna said, and grinned at him. 

He smiled back, trying not to blush. “That seems like a long time ago, somehow.”

“That was good, though, wasn’t it?” Anna said. “That summer. So much fun. I hope you realise you ruined me for other men.”

He laughed. 

“No, I’m serious. I slept with - not like a lot of people, but a couple - like I’d go out with someone a few times, they’d seem nice, then we’d do it and I’d be like - it was better with Kristoff, so why am I even bothering? I know it can be better than this, why settle? You ruined it.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You should be.”

“I’m sorry I’m so good in bed that I ruined your dating life forever.”

“You should be. This is the part where you return the compliment.”

“I haven’t really been out with anyone since you left. Not that we were going out. You know what I mean.”

“Really? Not anyone?”

He shrugged. “Maybe you did ruin me. It wouldn’t be as good as with Anna, so what’s the point.”

“Huh.”

Their drinks were finished. Anna scraped the last dregs of hot chocolate out of her mug and said “The rain’s stopped. I should get back, I have things to do, all my stuff is still in boxes...”

“Oh, sure. Well, it was lovely to -”

“Walk me back? It’s just around the corner.”

-----

It was actually about half a mile, but Kristoff didn’t mind. Anna kept turning and grinning up at him, and then he would smile back, and it felt like being bathed in sunshine. He’d missed her so much.

Anna’s bedsit was on the second floor above a newsagents, up a narrow flight of stairs stacked with bound newspapers. 

“Home sweet home,” she said brightly as she unlocked the door. “Well, it’ll do for now.” 

She smiled at him again. “I bet your house is looking pretty good after three years.”

“It’s alright, yeah. You’ll have to come over and see it some time.”

“Try and stop me.”

Kristoff wasn’t sure, afterwards, who kissed who. He just knew that her lips were on his, and he was pulling her into his arms, and it was so familiar that he didn’t even need to think about it, just revel in the warmth of her skin and the taste of her mouth, her little gasping moan as she pressed herself against him. She pulled away to say his name, and he kissed her neck, in just the spot that he knew she liked; and she sighed and said his name again, more firmly. “Kristoff.”

“Yeah?”

“Kris, I don’t want…”

Shit. He’d misread that. He pulled all the way back, letting her go, embarrassed.

“No, it’s okay,” she said. “I just don’t want - it to be like it was before. I don’t want - just that.” She tugged on his hand until he met her gaze. “I thought about it a lot, and - I think, if I hadn’t gone away, we would have been together, properly. That’s what I wanted, then, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know if you felt the same way.”

Kristoff couldn’t help it. He started laughing. “I’m sorry - I’m sorry. But. I didn’t say anything. Because I didn’t know if you felt the same way.”

“Really?” Anna started laughing, and buried her head in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. “Really.”

“What a pair of idiots,” she said.

Anna rested her cheek on his chest and he stroked her hair. She sighed, then murmured something to herself; and he couldn’t quite make it out, but he was pretty sure she said ‘...it’s good to be home.’

#flatmates #fanfic #fanfiction #kristanna #modern au

[heyyyharry]

Chapter 13: Last Dance

(from ‘The Winter and The Crown’)

…in which there’s a masquerade ball.

Word count: 3.5k

AU: queen!y/n, commander!harry

Description: Y/N and Harry set off on a new adventure to find ‘the cure’ for an ancient curse, meanwhile, the enemies are plotting to take her kingdom.

Wattpad link (Reyna as Y/N aka Peach)

A/N: 

GUYS, TRUST ME! LISTEN TO THIS WHILE READING

Also, if you've read my other stories, please let me know in my inbox:

which genre do you think I write better at? 

Contemporary romance (Flatmate, My Girl), or Fantasy romance/Historical romance (TCTM, In Another Life), or Fantasy/mystery with romance as a side plot (TCTM2)?

Thank you! :)

Love, Allie.

.

.

.

Harry had sat by the window from when the sun started setting. He watched the shadow at his feet dissolve into blackness, until the stars came out and pallid moonlight washed over the room.

A maid came to light a fire. She asked if he needed anything. He gave her no response, just a flick of his wrist to dismiss her. He could feel her eyes sweep over him as she left. He didn’t care. He knew what the servants in the castle had been whispering about him. People always had a lot to say when they only knew half the story. Which was why Harry hadn’t spoken to anyone since he’d come back. Not even Kenny and Stefan, whom he’d known his whole life. They could sympathise. However, they would never truly understand what he’d gone through.

Though the lake had obliterated all the scars on his skin, he could still feel the pressure of the blade buried deep in his side whenever he thought about the day of the ambush. He’d lost so much since then. Dying and coming back to life only to live like a ghost. Getting his memory back didn’t suddenly make it all better.

A knock on the door disturbed his thoughts. He whipped around just in time as the door creaked open, and Mary poked her head in. Witch, he thought, rising fast from his chair. He remembered being chained up in a cell, and the only thing he’d seen had been her one eye glowing in the dark as she cursed him with her evil spells. He regretted having felt sorry for her once. He should have killed her when he’d got a chance.

“Don’t be scared,” she said, lifting a hand as though she was approaching a prey animal. “I just want to talk.”

“I’m not scared of you,” he told her, his voice rough. “You should be scared because it takes everything in me not to put my hands round your neck right now.”

Mary kept a considerable distance between them as she stopped and swallowed hard. “I’m very sorry about everything you’ve gone through. You know I was forced to do that.”

“No, you chose to do that. You chose to serve Calanthe.”

“I did,” Mary sighed. “I’d lost my sisters. They were all I had. And I blamed Y/N for it. When I came to Calanthe, I was desperate and mourning. But I swear I’m a better person now. I didn’t mean to hurt so many people.”

Harry scoffed, waving towards the door. “You’re not making this any better. Just get out.”

Mary didn’t move. She looked even more determined to get her apology across. “I know I’ve caused a lot of pain for everyone here. That’s not my intention anymore. I just want this war to be over and for everyone to be safe.”

Harry flopped back into his chair, looking out of the window with his chin on his knuckles. If he didn’t acknowledge her presence, hopefully she’d leave him alone.

It didn’t work.

“Something’s bothering you,” she said.

“Yes, I’m still waiting for it to stop talking to me.”

Mary exhaled, ignoring the insult. “It’s the Queen, isn’t it? Because of her bond with the King.” Despite there being no answer or even a reaction, Mary still went on, “I think...it’s for the best, if you just...let her go.”

Harry stiffened. Slowly, he turned to her, appalled. “What?”

“I know you’ll hate me even more after I tell you this,” she said. “But it’s impossible to compete with someone she’s been looking for from lifetime to lifetime. Fate is cruel, but it always does its job. It always brings soulmates back together.”

“I don’t...understand.”

Mary studied Harry with her wide eye, as if she could not figure out why he seemed confused. Then, it occurred to both of them that Y/N hadn’t been completely honest with him.

“She hasn’t told you,” Mary mumbled, more to herself.

“Told me what?”

Harry thought of Y/N’s conversation with the deer before they’d followed it out of the woods. It must have told her more than she’d revealed to him.

Why did his love have to hide the truth from him? Was it because she didn’t trust him? Or because she didn’t think he could handle it? Or was it because she couldn’t believe it herself?

“Then I think you should hear it from her,” Mary said fast.

Harry got to his feet right as she was about to leave. “Tell me.”

Reluctantly, she looked back at him over her shoulder.

“Please,” he added, desperate.

She pondered for a moment before letting go of a heavy sigh. Both of them knew she’d regret this afterwards, and yet she didn’t have it in her to just stay silent.

“All I can say to you is that…” she wet her lip, “Y/N and Lance have a special kind of bond. Two people need years to build such a connection, but those two had already got it when they first met. You may think you understand her, but you’ll never know her as well as he does. And if she ends up choosing you, she’ll probably spend another lifetime missing him.”

Harry was trying to process all that when Mary spun on her heels and slipped out of the room as quietly as she’d entered. The door shut with a soft ‘thud’, and Harry stood there, staring at it with his heart and thoughts racing.

Although he could not make sense of what the witch had just told him, the ball of fear within him grew until his chest felt like it might combust. He fell back into his chair. The moon outside his window was round and high above the empty branches. Harry contemplated it as he recalled the dreams Y/N had told him.

The Moon Lady and the Man in Black.

The witch and the King.

The winter and the crown.

He twisted her gold ring around his finger, agitated. “Fate,” he mumbled to himself.

When the door was opened for the third time, it was Y/N who came in. Harry pressed his lips into a smile, hoping she wouldn’t notice something was wrong. She always noticed. That was the problem.

She put her hands on her hips and surveyed the room before taking him in with a look of concern. “The maid said you’d been here all day. Are you not feeling well?”

“I’m good,” he lied. “I’m just trying to get familiar with all these changes. How was the meeting?”

She stood by the fireplace, folding her arms across her chest and resting her forehead against the wall. “It was...interesting. Soon the news will arrive at Theros, so we’re bracing for the worst. Lance speculated that this was all Calanthe’s plan. She needed a reason to invade the North.”

“She had her most trusted advisor murdered?”

Y/N shrugged. “You don’t think she’s capable of it?”

“We’ve met her, Peach. She’s just a girl.”

“We don’t know her.”

Harry got up from his chair and walked over to stand in front of Y/N. He raked his fingers through his hair and released a sigh. “I can’t imagine her being so cruel and calculated. They’re using her.”

“What do you mean? Who?”

“The Monks. Taking me was their idea. I could vaguely remember them telling her what to do to me. Would you like to hear my theory?”

Y/N nodded, looking intrigued.

“They’ve got her believing that she’s special,” Harry said. “That she’s the chosen one, so she’d trust them and let them guide her. When the war’s over and she’s won, they’ll find a way to get rid of her. They wanted your father, your uncle, and your brother dead. How hard would it be to take down Calanthe?”

Y/N chewed her bottom lip as she averted her troublesome eyes. She seemed to ponder over his speculation for a long moment before letting go of a short breath. “Let’s not speak of it. I’ll discuss it with Lance in the morning.”

Harry knew he was doomed when even the King’s name made his stomach twist. “We can talk about it if you want to. I don’t mind,” he said.

She shook her head. “I do, Harry. I’m tired. I just want to not think about it for a second.” Seeing the bafflement on his face, she smiled and touched his cheek.

“I want to help,” he mumbled.

“I know,” she sighed. “And I’m grateful for your help. I just don’t want to feel like a queen when we’re alone. We can talk about anything, not war and death.”

Harry nodded as he placed with hands on her hips, pulling her in. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He traced the flame’s shadow on her cheek as she smiled, content. He hated that they could be holding each other, and there’d still be plenty of distance between them.

“I love you,” he said.

“I love you, too,” she said, squinting her eyes. She knew there was more to it.

He took a deep breath. “I need you to be completely honest with me.”

“All right.”

“Do you love him?”

Y/N froze for a second as she blinked blankly. “What? Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m serious, Peach.” He brushed her hair out of her face. “There’s no right or wrong answer. I just want to know how you feel. I’m not good at reading people, and lately I’ve been having a hard time trying to figure you out. I’m not saying this to make you feel bad, my love. I love you. And I want you to be happy so I must hear it from you. Do you love him?”

Harry’s heart thudded wildly in his chest as Y/N worked her jaw for a reply. “I’m afraid of losing him,” she said at last. “He’s become a part of me. Perhaps he’s always been. So I guess I do love him. Just not the way he wants me to. Not the way he deserves to be loved.”

Though that wasn’t the answer Harry had expected or the answer he wanted to hear. For him it could only be yes or no. He was surprised yet not saddened by it. He even felt quite hopeful that she still trusted him to say what she really felt. He might not have all of her now with everything they were going through. However, he could still get her back.

“He’s a good man,” Harry said.

Y/N’s doubtful eyes scrutinised him. “You’re not mad at me, are you?”

“No,” he chuckled and kissed her forehead. “I love you. And I want you to be happy.”

The corner of her lips raised nonchalantly. “I will be again, eventually. But you do make this living hell a lot better.”

Harry tossed his head back and laughed. Y/N laughed, too. He’d missed that heavenly sound. Why should he believe anything Mary had said? She’d nearly killed him and sabotaged what he had with Y/N twice. So she should be the last person he should listen to.

Right?

“Oh, there will be a ball tomorrow night,” Y/N said, fixing his hair with a big grin on her face.

“Really?”

“Yes. A masquerade ball.”

Harry never liked dancing. However, he knew she did, and so he was excited about this ball. “But,” he rubbed his chin, “is it insensitive to hold a ball after what happened?”

Y/N’s smile faded, making Harry feel terrible for ruining one rare moment of happiness for her.

“George Wallace’s death was a week ago,” she said, her brows knitted. “And the fact that people in court are still talking about it and assuming that they’re in danger is a great concern for me. I need to show my subjects that we’re not living in fear. Besides,” she gave a half shrug, “dancing makes me happy.”

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. “Well, whatever makes you happy, Your Majesty.”

Y/N giggled as she waved off his comment. “Stop teasing. You know you love me.”

“Unfortunately.”

“Mmmm.” She leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

Suddenly, the door burst open, and a breathless guard stuck his head in right as Y/N and Harry jumped away from each other.

“Your Majesty.”

“What?” Y/N breathed, sounding annoyed. Her cheeks were still red, and Harry couldn’t help but smile into his fist.

“His Majesty requested for your attendance,” the guard said.

Y/N immediately looked to Harry. The apologetic stare she was giving him had said it all.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Your Majesty,” he said, took her hand and kissed it once.

“The ball,” she mouthed at him. And then she was gone.

.

.

.

Music swelled as the orchestra was readying for the first number. Y/N watched the queue of stragglers seeking admittance at the entrance, amused by their excitement, which was evident even though their expressions were hidden behind their masks. Some even had painted faces, vying to outdo the splendour of the palace.

“May I have this dance?” A man dressed in dark blue stretched his hand out to Jo. With an uncomfortable smile, she was whisked onto the crowded dance floor. Y/N had noticed that Jo seemed distracted tonight. She’d keep seeking the room for someone. Y/N’s curiosity was piqued. Could it be possible that Jo was looking for Lance? Could something had happened between Jo and Lance while she’d been away?

She pushed the thought to the back of her mind, straining her eyes as she tried to locate Harry among the colourful masks. All of the ladies had found their dance partners. Their dresses fluttered as they twirled like snowflakes in the wind. Where was he? He’d said he’d be here, and he wouldn’t break his promise.

“Why is the prettiest girl in the room sitting this dance out?”

“Lance!” Y/N flinched, pressing a palm against her chest as Lance tapped the back of her chair and flopped down into the one beside her. He was dressed in a fine suit of blackest wool, impeccably tailored to his frame. A dark mask obscured his face from forehead to nose. Tiny jet beads sparkled at the edges.

He offered a quick smile. “How do you know? I’m wearing a mask.”

Y/N scoffed as she rolled her eyes. She was grateful he was being his snarky self and not the person who’d told her he’d loved her two nights ago. Still, those words were all she could hear whenever she looked at him.

“Even Jo’s dancing,” he pointed out.

“Speaking of Jo, I want to ask you something,” she said, fixing her gold mask. Even with a mask on, she still wasn’t able to handle the weigh of his stare. “Is there something between you and Jo? She’s been distracted.”

Lance smirked. “Why do you assume I have something to do with her being distracted?”

“I don’t know. You were probably flirting with all the maids while I was gone,” she joked.

Lance breathed out a casual laugh. “I was flirting with your entire library, actually. In fact, I have another theory–”

“Please. Not here,” she said, pouting. “I’d like to be a normal girl for just one night.”

Lance arched an eyebrow as he eyed her up and down. “Said the only lady here not dancing.”

“You’re obnoxious.” She rolled her eyes, unable to stop beaming.

Lance sucked in a breath. He stood up and straightened his back with a hand stretched toward her. She looked up, amused.

“Dance with me. You’re being embarrassing right now,” he said, glancing at their feet as if surprised to find them staying still.

Y/N gave a nod as she got up, her fingers sliding into his outstretched hand, which was cold and rough yet familiar. For a second, she caught a glimpse of them standing in that cave. The dream in which he’d visited her had felt so real. It’d felt like this. She glanced up to meet his questioning eyes. She reassured him with a tight smile and followed him to the centre of the room.

A new tune began. She snaked her free arm up his shoulder, holding her breath as his other hand came to rest at her waist. She once again swept her eyes across the room for Harry. Her heart sank when she couldn’t find him. He hated dancing. Perhaps he’d changed his mind at the last minute and decided not to join. She’d check on him after this dance.

“My eyes are here,” Lance said.

Y/N jolted, feeling glad that he couldn’t see her blushing. “Pardon me.”

“It’s all right.” He laced his fingers with hers. His hand at her waist was warm and sure. A ribbon of comfort unravelled inside her, and she allowed Harry to be absent from her mind for this tune.

Lance skillfully led her through the familiar steps, his smile bright. “Not bad,” he said, making her laugh.

“Is that how you compliment someone?”

“My apology, Your Majesty. I assumed Northerners didn’t have fun.”

“You’re right.” Y/N rolled her eyes. “I’m miserable right now. I cannot wait for this to be over.” As soon as she’d said it, she feared he’d take her joke the wrong way. Thankfully, he tossed his head back and laughed. She rarely got to hear Lance laugh, so her heart vibrated with excitement.

“Don’t worry,” he said, tilting his head. “This will be our first and last dance.”

She did not ask what he meant.

As the song came to an end, Lance drew her in, so close she could feel the heat of his chest. Behind the mask, his eyes burned down at her. The crowd broke into applause for the orchestra as they broke apart.

He reached out and pushed aside a loose curl behind her ear. His thumb traced lightly across her cheek. Before she could thank him for dancing with her, he spun on his heels and slipped into the crowd of courtiers.

.

.

.

“Argh!” Calanthe charged, swinging her sword in a furious arc. The soldier cooly stepped into his charge, catching the descending sword with his own. He twisted and wrenched upward with all his strength. The sword flew out of Calanthe’s hand. She grabbed for it frantically, but her opponent snatched it out of the air.

“Enough!” shouted a gruff powerful voice.

Calanthe whirled and dropped the sword to her feet, catching her breath. Vossler, the leader of The Monks, appeared like a phantom. His gaze trailed from Calanthe’s face to her weapon on the ground. He didn’t need to say a word to describe how disappointed he was. She knew that look. She’d received it her whole life from everyone she’d ever met. Ever since she’d taken the throne, no one had dared to look at her like that except for Vossler. He reminded her of her father. She’d give anything to impress him.

“Your Majesty,” he said, dragging the title with an agitated tone. “I told you that sword-fighting was very similar to dancing. You have to feel, not think.”

“I know, I know,” she muttered, bending down to pick up the sword. Vossler kicked it out of her reach before she could close her fingers around the hilt. Her guards drew their swords. She lifted a hand to tell them to stay where they were.

Vossler held her stare as if challenging her to punish him for disrespecting the Queen. She knew she couldn’t. People feared her because they feared The Monks. She hated that. Still, she was the chosen one. Vossler would have no choice but to kneel at her feet when she became the ruler of one hundred kingdoms.

“You can’t rule when even a child could take the sword from you,” he said as if he could read her thoughts.

She lifted her chin proudly despite the fact that her fingers were still trembling. “I’m tired. I’ll practice again tomorrow.”

Vossler regarded her with a raised eyebrow. His lips twitched in a despicable manner. “Very well. You should get some rest, Your Majesty. Get all the rest you need. Why should you worry about a nineteen-year-old, whose best friend is her sword, who murdered her own brother in a duel, brought someone back from the dead, and survived the North Mountain?”

Calanthe was frozen in place, too shocked to react. “She survived?”

“She found the lake.”

“Fuck!” Calanthe screamed into her hands. “The Mountain was supposed to kill her!”

“The witch didn’t tell us the whole truth,” Vossler said. To Calanthe’s surprise, he sounded as calm as ever. She was about to ask him what the witch had been hiding from them when he flicked his wrist, and a servant hurried to retrieve Calanthe’s sword.

“Your Majesty?” he said, his eyes piercing at Calanthe.

The wind whipped by, blowing strands of hair across her face. She bit the inside of her cheek, glared back at the servants who were observing her, making her feel like less than a queen she was.

She took a deep breath, then grabbed the weapon. “Again.”

#harry styles fanfic #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles imagine #harry styles imagines #harry styles writing #harry styles series #harry styles #harry styles x reader #harry styles x you #harry styles x y/n

[winryofresembool]

Things We Lost in the Fire, ch 27

aka Caleo uni au

Fic summary: Calypso starts studying at a new university, but to her annoyance her new flatmate is a loud mouthed mechanic who also likes to sneak his dog in whenever. But as she learns to know him better, she realizes they might have more in common than what she first thought. Eventually, even the darkest secrets come out…

Chapter summary: The exam season is underway (yet somehow I don’t mention the exams all too many times...)

A/N: Yay, I'm back with this fic!! I think I can promise a bit more regular updates at least in the near future, but I will be starting to work longer hours possibly starting from next week so I will have a bit less free time then. I am still determined to keep up with my 500ish words per day goal so it should cause too much delay!

That's that, I hope you guys are as happy to return to this universe as I am! As usual, please let me know what you think :) This fic is about to take my longest fic position from Love Can Melt the Ice, so knowing that there are people who care about it really means a lot to me!

Words: 2393

Genre: romance & hurt/comfort

Warnings: none

previous chapter / AO3

Leo would have been lying if he had claimed that everything went back to completely normal after the talk with Calypso. Sure, they both really tried harder to act as neutral and friendly as possible around each other; whenever they were at home at the same time, they chatted casually about how things were going at work and at the university, their latest TV show or music discoveries, or some silly thing one of their friends had said or done recently. Sometimes they even watched something together or cleaned the common area together. However, the earlier confessions were never mentioned. On the surface things were ‘just fine’, but the unspoken words and lingering looks spoke for itself. Leo knew things were still heating up under the surface and sooner or later they would have to make some difficult decisions. But until then, he wasn’t going to risk anything by disrespecting the guidelines that they had set during their ‘big talk’, even if it was hard to resist sometimes.

One evening Leo found Calypso studying for her upcoming exams on the common area couch. She was wearing a pink, tunic length sweater that matched her lip color, and black leggings that hugged her legs tightly (not that he’d ever tell her that he had noticed such things). She had also pulled her now medium length hair into a messy ponytail so it wouldn’t bother her while she was reading, showing her nicely shaped facial features better. Despite noticing all that, Leo’s thoughts soon went to the facts that he had recently learned about his flatmate. Now he knew more about the hardships she had gone through; a dead sister, an abusive, controlling father, being alone all those years and the nightmares she had mentioned while drunk. Yet, somehow there she was, having escaped her father’s grip and looking perfectly content doing something as boring and normal as studying for exams. The girl was way stronger than he had earlier given her credit for, and Leo admired her capability to stay so calm; he wasn’t so sure the ghosts of his own past would leave him alone that easily.

“Hi,” he finally said before Calypso noticed that he’d been standing there just watching her far too long despite the rules they had set. “What are you reading?”

Calypso showed him the book. If she was surprised to see him, she hid it well. “A collage of Frenchmen’s experiences at the front lines during World War II. I know. A very cheerful way to finish the day.” She grimaced.

“Huh? I thought you were mostly focusing on older history? I didn’t know you study that stuff too,” Leo noted, shifting from one foot to another.

“Well, they do require us to have a good enough understanding of the newer events as well,” Calypso replied, now looking at him directly. For some reason that one look managed to make chills go down Leo’s spine. “It is true, though, that I am more interested in ancient history. There’s so much we still don’t know about those times and I want to be able to discover more.”

“I see,” Leo said. “I think I understand what you mean. I am constantly hoping to discover new ways to create things that will be useful for all of us. Flying dragons that use energy drinks as their energy source? How epic would that be?” Excitement surged through him when he simply thought about it.

“Isn’t that a bit out there?” Calypso asked, but Leo didn’t miss the amused glint in her eyes. “And what if everyone had flying dragons and that would cause horrible air accidents? I don’t know about you but to me they don’t sound very safe.”

“Sunshine, what’s life without some danger?” Leo questioned.

“Hmm, let me think: safe?” Calypso retorted.

“Ouch. Well, I don’t think I have time to invent flying dragons any time soon, so you don’t have to worry about that,” Leo reassured her, but now that the idea had been planted into his head, he decided to return to it some day in the future. Hopefully when he would be able to handle fire.

“That’s a relief,” Calypso replied. “Speaking of your inventions… have you decided what you’re going to do about your studies? The last time I asked you said you haven’t been in contact with your professor yet.”

That was a question Leo had been dreading for. He preferred to not talk about that topic unless he had to, but the truth was that he was still quite unsure about being able to continue. However, he hadn’t made any final decisions yet.

“I’ll… I’ll keep working to overcome my fear,” he responded vaguely. “I think I’ve made some small progress during our sessions. If I can keep that going, I may be able to retake the test next year. Small steps, you know.” In reality, so far he had managed to stay close to a small, burning candle for a short period of time without freaking out, but he still didn’t want to try the matches whenever Calypso suggested it. There was still a long way to go before he’d be able to use all the machines he needed during lab classes and at work.

“Okay,” Calypso said, but to Leo she sounded a bit unconvinced. Her voice got more reassuring, though, when she added: “You know that you can ask for my help any time you need it.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Leo nodded. “And same right back at you. I mean, you can ask me. If you need anything.” For some annoying reason he managed to only get stuttering out of his mouth at that moment. “Even if you simply want me to make you a miniature dragon in the middle of the night. It’s fine. I’d totally make it.”

“And why would I want you to make me a miniature dragon in the middle of the night?” Calypso looked at him questioningly. Before Leo managed to answer, her face softened into a smile and she added: “I really appreciate the thought, though. It feels so different… in a good way… to have people in my life who genuinely support me. I haven’t had that, well, since I got separated from my mom.”

She sat a bit straighter on the couch, her gaze going back and front between Leo and her book, and Leo wondered if she was debating if she should reach for him and touch his shoulder or something. Maybe even hug. One side of him wished she would just go for it. But that would have violated their newly made rules and neither wanted to make things even more complicated than they already were. They simply kept staring at each other for a while, as if trying to read each other’s thoughts, but finally Calypso sighed and turned her focus back on her book, closing it.

“I didn’t realize it’s already this late…” She said, adjusting her hair a bit with the hand that wasn’t holding the book. “I still need to finish an assignment for tomorrow.”

She stood up and started walking towards her room, but when she got past Leo, her arm briefly touched his. Leo’s arm was still tingling after Calypso closed the door behind her.

…

A few days later, Leo was still thinking of that incident when he almost fell over a big rock that was standing on his road. He and Jason were currently having a well deserved evening off after finishing their last exams of the semester earlier that day (Leo felt like he had at least succeeded with the calculations but his essay writing was a bit sloppy) and in honor of that they had decided to go for a long jog and after that have a big, unhealthy meal in one of their favorite pizza places. While they were on their way there, Jason had been explaining something about his holiday plans when Leo had zoned out, and Jason had to grab his arm so he didn’t fall.

“Hey, man, you OK?” Jason asked, frowning. “What just happened there?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m OK.” Leo brushed some dust off the sleeves of his coat. “I was just… thinking. And didn’t notice the rock on the road.”

“Hmmm, what got you that thoughtful?” Jason inquired. “I bet you didn’t even hear what I just said.”

“You know I have a pretty nasty case of ADHD, sometimes I just zone out randomly,” Leo said defensively, not wanting to admit aloud that recently he had been even more distracted than usual because of a certain flatmate of his. “And no, I didn’t hear you.”

“Alright,” Jason shrugged. “I was telling you that Piper’s dad has invited us to visit him over the break. I’m not sure yet if we are going, though. Piper didn’t seem very enthusiastic about it. Sure, she wants to see him, but she suspects he’s still working most of the time so it would be the same to just call instead of traveling all the way to LA.”

“Mmmh,” Leo mumbled, trying hard to stay in the present moment. “I’m going to be at Waystation during the break so if you guys decide to stay, we can still hang out.”

“Okay, I’ll let you know what we decide to do. That wasn’t all, though…” Jason continued, his face becoming concerned. “I think Piper has seemed quite distant lately, and not just when we’ve been talking about that trip. Sometimes I worry that she’s gotten bored of me, or something.”

“No way, man!” Leo exclaimed. “I’ve seen you guys together often enough to know that she loves you. Maybe she’s just going through a rough phase or something.”

Jason didn’t seem quite convinced. “I guess so. It’s just that usually she tells me directly what’s bothering her. This… keeping things inside her isn’t like her.”

“Maybe you just need to give her some time,” Leo suggested. “It’s like me with Cal; I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut more often and in exchange she has slowly started opening up to me more recently.”

“She has? That’s great!” Jason cheered up. “How is it going with you two anyway? I heard some things about the Halloween party aftermath…”

“Nothing happened after the party!” Leo yelped, raising his hands. “Whatever Piper has told you, all lies.”

“Really? So you two wouldn’t have kissed if Piper hadn’t interrupted you guys?” Jason raised his eyebrow.

If Leo’s cheeks hadn’t already been red from the jogging, he certainly would have blushed. “Um… well… the point is that we didn’t. Besides, we’ve set some rules that we’re supposed to follow because we don’t wanna make our co living too complicated.”

“So there is something going on between you two and you are acknowledging it,” Jason teased. “You wouldn’t need to set any rules otherwise.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Leo muttered. “If you must know, we did admit that we like each other after the party.”

“But that’s great!” Jason exclaimed.

“It feels pretty crazy,” Leo replied. “Sometimes I wonder why she likes me, but maybe the Bad Boy Supreme’s magic is stronger than I thought.”

Jason snorted at his comment. “I don’t know Calypso as well as you do but I doubt it’s the so-called Bad Boy Supreme side that she cares about. You pretend to be all cool and try to seem like you don’t care about what’s happening around you but I think you do that only because you care too much. Maybe Calypso has noticed that as well.”

“Dude, you’ve been hanging out with Piper too much.” Leo shook his head. “That’s something she would say. ” “Well, she’s not wrong. Anyway, what happened after the big confession?”Jason asked curiously.

“We’re not together if that’s what you’re asking, ” Leo denied immediately. “I just mentioned the rules, remember? We wouldn’t need them if we had decided to go down that road.” “Ouch… but why? Why didn’t you just decide to do it?” Jason wanted to know.

“For some stupid, noble reasons,” Leo grunted. “I’m not gonna go into the details because it’s up to her to talk about it, but long story short, she thinks it’s safer that way. I think she’s afraid of hurting one of us.”

“And do you think she’s right?” Jason inquired.

“I… No! I’ve told her I can handle it. But I’m not gonna push it - believe me, Jo and Emmie have given me long lectures about respecting women’s boundaries. If Cal and I wanna keep living together, I have to let it be.”

“Yeah, I can see your point.” Jason nodded.

“Besides…” Leo added after a moment, his face falling as he thought about his past. “Bad things tend to follow me. Who is to say that I wouldn’t be the one getting her into trouble?”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because when have I ever been successful with anything I’ve done?” Leo asked in return.

Jason seemed to finally understand what event Leo was really referring to. “You’re still beating yourself for things that happened years ago?”

“Why do you think I’m not capable of going to some of the lab classes? Because I simply think that skipping is fun and I don’t care whether I pass it or not?” There had been a time when Leo hadn’t cared about his school success, but back in those days he hadn’t cared about much else either. Now that he had dreams and things to live for, he hated the idea that anyone would think he’d throw it all away just because he could. His new family deserved better than that for what they had done for him.

“No, no, I was not thinking that! You just never talk about it so I assumed… whatever.” Jason didn’t want to make Leo even angrier so he decided it was better to change the topic. “Maybe we should talk about something else. I still hope that you and Cal will work it out eventually.”

“Yeah. I hope so too. Same for you and Piper.” The friends had gotten close to their destination, so Leo exclaimed quickly: “Hey, I’m smelling the pizza now! Whoever is last at the door pays!”

“That’s a bad deal because you know I’m faster than you. I train every day!” Jason pointed out but soon sprinted after him.

#caleo #leo valdez #calypso #heroes of olympus #percy jackson and the olympians #trials of apollo #my fics #caleo uni au

[lauwrite1225]

Candide Crush || Modern!Finan x reader

For @geekandbooknerd birthday!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN QUEEN !! I hope you'll like it !

Prompt : You said I am a good man," he said. "But I am not that good a man. And I am--I am catastrophically in love with you.

Warnings : Fluff, a little bit of angst and SMUT

You dropped your bag on one of the amphitheatre's tables before falling yourself on the chair. It was 8am and definitely too early to start a long day of classes. As you took your notebook and pencil from your bag, your two friends joined you.

"Wow, Y/N, you look like you haven't slept." Gisela commented, sitting at your left. 

"That's because she hasn't." Aethelflead chuckled. 

You frowned, not understanding what she meant. "I've slept." 

Aethelflead sat down and started to search her things in her bag. "My brother told me Finan didn't sleep at the collocation, again." She looked up to you, with a mischievous smirk. 

A million insults popped in your head, all destined to Osferth, as you felt your face turned red. Your reaction made Aethelflead smile even more. 

"For how long have you been sleeping with him?" Gisela asked, shocked by the news, but you could see she was excited about it. 

Since you met Finan at the library a year ago, a terrible story of him spilling coffee on your shirt, you haven't stopped going from surprise to surprise with him. Before that day you've never seen him, and now he seemed to be anywhere you go. From an absolute stranger, he went to Osferth's flatmate and Gisela's boyfriend's best friend. Not to mention that he had some classes in common with you. 

You couldn't tell what the universe had planned for you two, but he was determined to make it happen. And you were thanking him for that. 

The minute you laid eyes on him, your heart stopped and you hadn't even heard him excusing himself as a coffee stain was spreading on your t-shirt. That day, he had given you the red plaid shirt he was wearing above his t-shirt to replace your top.

"Y/N?" Gisela insisted.

"Two weeks." You mumbled.

"Two weeks!" She exclaimed, students turning their heads towards your small group. 

"Jeez Gisela!" You whisper - shouted. "Tell it to the whole earth as long as you're at it." Aethelflead was chuckling again.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Gisela continued her interrogatory, much to your dismay. 

"Because… There's nothing official. We are just... having good times together." You tried to explain but you knew Gisela wouldn't agree. 

"Nothing official? You're in love with him, Y/N." 

"That I know." You sighed. 

While you were speaking, the amphitheatre got full of students and the teacher took place at his desk to start the lesson. 

"You should clarify this situation, and soon." Gisela whispered. "Or it'll hurt you even more if it doesn't work." 

You hated when Gisela was lecturing you, but she was right. 

…

"Osferth!" Aethelflead shouted through the cafeteria. 

Her half brother turned away and smiled at both of you. He joined you, his lunch in a small bag, with him Finan and Sihtric. 

"Where's Gisela?" Sihtric asked, visibly not used to see you without her at the university.

"She's lunching with Uhtred." You answered. Uhtred and Gisela were together for what seemed forever and loved never faded between them. 

You started to talk about each of your classes this morning. Regularly, you could feel Finan's eyes on you, and each time you couldn't help but have images of your last night. He was smirking, as if he was knowing what was happening in your mind. So you decided it was a better idea to avoid his gaze. 

"What if we go out tonight?" Aethelflead proposed. 

"I can't, I promised my mother I'd spend the weekend with her." Osferth answered, disappointed. 

"Great, I've the flat on my own." Finan grinned before biting in his sandwich. 

"Do not dare to make any party." The blonde warned him, narrowing his eyes in a threatening way.

"Ya're not funny, Baby Monk." He complained, but Osferth was right to forbid him, last time, the flat wasn't looking as one anymore. 

"Anyway, Sihtric? Y/N? Finan? You're coming?" Aethelflead asked again, staring at each one of you. 

"Why not?" You shrugged, closing the box where used to be your food. "I don't know if I'll stay long though, I'm hella tired." 

"Are you?" She pretended to be surprised. "God, Y/N, you should stop working so late." She gently patted your shoulder, fakely emphatic, but you turned red and you're pretty sure you heard Finan choking while drinking water. 

There was a big silence during which Sihtric seemed to be the only one to not understand what was happening. "Hum, I can come tonight." He said to ease the awkwardness. "I might propose Ealswith to join." 

"Excellent idea!" Aethelflead exclaimed. 

…

The pub was already full when you arrived with Aethelflead. Fortunately, Sihtric, Ealswith, Gisela and Uhtred were already at a table with enough space for the missings. You were late thanks to Aethelflead who asked you hundreds of questions about Finan and you. You had to tell her about that night they spent in a club with your usual group of friends and how Finan proposed to walk you back to your flat and finished to literally sleep in your bed.

"Sorry to be late." You said taking the empty place at Gisela's left. 

"Don't worry, Finan is still missing." Uhtred waved his hand, smiling at you. 

"That wouldn't be Finan if he was in time." You joked. "You all have already ordered something?" You noticed, pointing the cocktails and beers already on the table.

"We did. It's the happy hours for the mojito." Gisela winked, knowing it was your favourite. 

You stood up and walked to the bar after Aethelflead asked you to take one for her. You waited patiently at the countertop for your order, until you felt someone behind you. 

"Ya're beautiful tonight." You didn't even need to turn around to recognize Finan's heavy irish accent. 

You looked down to your dress, a light pink with little flowers printed on it, and smiled at him above your shoulder, hoping the redness of your cheeks wasn't too noticeable. 

"Thank you." 

He came to lean against the bar, his fingers lightly grazing your waist as he did so. He ordered a beer and you let your eyes detail every inch of his face. His hair was brushed, at least he visibly tried, and a thin beard was covering his cheeks and jaw. His deep brown eyes seemed to spark under the pub's light and his usual smile was curving his lips. You bit your lower lips, to restrain your want to kiss him. 

"So… Aethelflead knows?" He raised an eyebrow and turned his head to you.

"Well, Osferth noticed you weren't sleeping at the flat and Aethelflead noticed how sleep deprived I looked this morning." You explained and Finan seemed to be amused. 

"It was inevitable, they are too smart for their own good." He shrugged.

You frowned for a second. He didn't seem to bother him that your friends knew you were fucking together. You didn't really know how to interpret it. You thought back about what Gisela told you this morning, and somehow, it gave you a little hope.

The barman gave you your orders and you walked with Finan back to the table. Once back at your place, you tried to participate to the conversation. You spent a goodnight, laughing and talking coming to your mind.

Around midnight, all of you left the bar. Aethelflead was clung to your arm, giggling at anything she found funny in the street, even if it wasn't. She was too drunk to go back alone to her flat. You decided to accompany her and Finan proposed to join. Once in Aethelflead's flat, you put her to bed, letting a bottle of water on her nightstand, knowing she'll need it in the morning. 

Finan was waiting for you in the doorway. "We can go." You smiled, closing the door. "Do you accompany me to my flat?" You asked him as you walked back in the street.

"Well, I thought we could go to my flat instead." He said, innocently smiling. 

"I thought Osferth asked you to not organize a party." You raised an eyebrow and he started to laugh. 

"I appreciate that you think havin' sex with me equate a party, but I think it should be fine if you don't tell him." He elbowed you slightly making you giggled. 

In a short matter of time you were in his flat. The moment his door was closed, he kissed roughly, his hand brushing the soft skin of your thigh. His hand was cold and you hummed against his mouth, a shiver running along your spine. His fingers played with the string of your knickers and you quickly worked on the buttons of his shirt. He removed his hands a moment to let his cloth drop on the floor and you took this time to get rid of your underwear. 

"Are ya in a hurry." He growled against your neck.

"Are you?" You teased him, following the invisible line between his belly button and the button of his trousers. 

"I thought about it the whole day." He admitted and it made your heart beat faster. 

He firmly grabbed your thighs and lifted you as you were a feather. Your legs around his hips, your mouth on his, he walked to the couch to sit on it, you on his laps. He groaned, pressing yourself on his hips, desperate for his touch. And he waited no time to please you, his fingers finding their way between your legs. It had been just two weeks since you started laying together, and yet it felt like he already knew your body by heart. His thumb brushed your sensitive spot and two of his fingers were inside you, curling in an enchanting way, your hips following the rhythm.

"Fuck!" You moaned, your breath short. Your lips searched his, but he preferred pressing them along the line of your jaw. "Finan, please…" You begged him and you felt him chuckle.

"Ya're the one in a hurry it seems." He smirked, removing his hands from between your thighs. 

A frustrated sigh escaped your lips while he took his wallet out of his pocket and took a condom in it. You left his laps for him to remove his trouser and rolled the condom on his cock. He then took your hand and guided you back on his laps. His palms on your hips, you slid on him slowly, provoking a low groan from Finan. You established the rhythm, holding the back of his neck, your thigh tightened against his hips. He touched your breasts through the fabric of your dress and you regretted not removing it before. But the thought quickly faded as you felt the warmth of pleasure taking control of your body. You moaned, quickening your pace as you felt his breath getting heavier against your neck. 

You lost yourself when he started to thrust back, his hands falling down on your ass, his name falling from your lips. He came not long after, groaning and his fingers tensing and digging your skin. Your forehead fell on his shoulder while you tried to steady your breath. His fingertips gently caressed your thigh and when you lifted your head, he pressed a tender kiss on your lips, creating butterflies in your stomach. 

"Are ya stayin' for the night?" He asked you as you left his laps.

"Do you want me to?" 

"I wouldn't complain if you stay." He said, removing the condom and putting back his boxer and trouser. "Just to know if I have to walk ya back." 

"Oh! What a good man." You teased him while he walked to the trash. 

He rolled his eyes and leaned against the kitchen's counter. "So are ya stayin'?" He asked again. 

"Well, if you insist." You smiled but honestly, you could have said yes right away  

…

You ended up spending the whole week-end at Finan's flat. It was the first time you spent so much time alone with him and you couldn't deny that you wanted it to happen again. You two had laughed, watched movies and studied together, in between some unholy distractions. Any person could think you were just a simple couple, but you weren't and it made your heart squeeze to realise it when you finally left the flat. 

"Why do you look so sad after you have spent the week-end fucking with the man of your dream?" Aethelflead asked as she sat in front of you in the grass. It was midday and Gisela had proposed that the three of you spent the two hours break in the park next to your university. 

"Did something happen?" Gisela put a hand on your knee and squeezed it lightly.

"No, nothing particular. I mean… You are right Gisela…" You sighed, your fingers playing nervously with a bracelet around your wrist. "I can't continue like this with him." 

"Then you must talk to him." 

And it's what you tried to do for the whole week, finding the right moment. But there was no moment when you were just the two of you. You've been ignoring his message as well, but Finan was no fool and the following Monday, he sat next to you during one of your common classes. 

"I started to think you died during the weekend." He said, taking his laptop out of his bag.

"Ahum… Sorry I was busy." He narrowed his eyes but he didn't insist.

"Are you coming to Uhtred's party this weekend?" He asked you. 

"Oh yes, Gisela told me about it. Are you going?" He nodded and you smiled, maybe you'd finally have the moment you waited for the whole last week. 

…

"What if he doesn't feel the same?" You asked probably for the hundred times, making Gisela roll her eyes as she closed the zipper of your dress. 

"Then he is stupid." She said, looking you in the eyes in the mirror. 

"I'd feel more like the stupid one." You sighed and Gisela pinched your side. "Ouch! What was that for?!" You yelped.

"Do not pity yourself, Y/N. Uhtred talked to him this weekend, he was worried that you were avoiding him." She explained to you while walking to take her jacket on your bed. 

"Did he?" You couldn't help the smile to curve your lips and the flush on your cheeks. 

"He cares for you." 

With Gisela's words in mind, you made your way to Uhtred's flat. Tonight would be the night and you were determined about it. Gisela's boyfriend greeted you with a huge hug after kissing your friend. 

"Finan is late as usual, but he shouldn't be long." He winked at you. 

You smiled at him and walked in. Barely a minute passed before Aethelflead almost jumped on you to welcome you. At the smell of her breath when she kissed your cheek, she had already drunk some alcohol. 

"Come Y/N! You need to taste this rum! It's fucking good." Aethelflead dragged you by the hand to the table with the drinks and foods. 

As much as you were determined to keep your mind clear until Finan arrived, Aethelflead was certainly even more to make you join her in her drunkenness. You were anxious about the discussion and you were glad to feel alcohol effects on you. You were joyful, dancing and singing with Aethelflead and you forgot the main purpose of this party.

Until you perceived him at the other side of the room. Maybe it was the alcohol, but you found him more handsome than ever. He was smiling and laughing with someone you had briefly perceived at university, a girl with light red hair. 

"Y/N!" Your friend called you and looked back to Aethelflead. "What are you looking at?" 

"There's Finan." You said, under your breath. 

"Oh my god!" She gasped. "Go! Go get your man!" She pushed you in his direction making you laugh. 

You walked through the crowd, seeing only him as your heart was threatening to explode. You opened your mouth to call him but you got suddenly aware of the closeness of the girl talking to him. Her hand ran from his chest to neck, pulling him to her. You stepped back the moment her lips touched his. 

You felt the first tears blurring your vision as you stood in the center of a dancing and shouting crowd, feeling as your whole word was falling apart. 

Finan pulled his mouth away from the girl and he met your gaze. You couldn't describe the emotion behind his eyes, maybe surprise, but you were sure your deception was clear behind yours. 

You started to run away to Uhtred's flat's door, not even stopping when you heard Finan calling after you. You rushed down stairs and you walked in the streets, wiping the tears with the back of your hand. When you finally made it to your house, you were angry at yourself, for having imagined that there could be something more between the two of you. But you were just a fuck to him and you'd been stupidly in love with him. 

You only fell asleep when your body couldn't handle your sobs anymore. When morning came, you didn't even have the courage to get out of your bed. You reached for your phone on your nightstand and sighed at all the messages and missed calls you had. You briefly took a look at them and you got surprised when you saw that Finan had tried to call you and sent you texts. 

Finan 23.45

Y/N, please, answer me

Finan 23.56

I'm in front of your building. Please let me in.

His last message was sent at 1 am, telling you he was going back home. A part of you melted to see he cared about you enough to come and wait for you in the street for an hour, the other part was still angry and didn't want to hear any of what he had to say. You just locked your phone and put it aside, wrapping yourself in your covers again. 

You finally put a foot out of your bed when you heard your phone ring. You sighed, seeing Gisela's name appear on your scream

"What?" You said as you picked your phone. 

"It's about time! The hell have you been doing!" Gisela shouted, making your head hurt. 

"Don't yell at me, please." You mumbled and you heard her exhale through the phone. 

"I'm in front of your building, can you open?" She asked you more kindly. 

"Let me dress up." 

You ended the call and dressed up with a jogging and a sweatshirt before going downstairs. You opened the door, expecting to meet Gisela's angry face but instead, she took you in her arms, hugging you tightly. It felt good after spending your night alone with your heartbreak. 

"I've been so stupid." You whispered as she pushed away from you.

Gisela rolled her eyes. "Yes, you've been stupid to run away without letting him talk to you." 

"You know?" You frowned. 

"Of course I know, Finan didn't stop blaming himself." She explained you and your heart tightened hard in your chest. 

"But that girl kissed him." You replied, crossing your arms against your chest. 

"Damn Y/N, you're probably not the only girl in love with him." She sighed and you felt your face turn red of shame. 

"I'm even more stupid then." You mumbled, your gaze locked on the floor

"Well, you'll have an occasion to catch up." You looked up to her, raising an eyebrow. "Finan told me he would come in two hours to talk to you. So you should hurry and prepare yourself because you look like you just stepped out of your grave."

You followed Gisela's advice, rushing in the shower and trying to look decent, but your eyes were still a little swollen and red. You dressed yourself and dropped on your couch. Now you had to wait, and it felt like hours before your phone finally rang. You walked down your building again and took a deep breath before opening the door. 

Finan was standing just in front of you, a shy smile on his face. He seemed embarrassed, which looked strange on him. 

"Hi!" He said.

"Hi, come in." You replied, making space for him to enter. 

You walked back to your flat. Once you closed your door, a heavy silence settled in the room. You didn't know if you should be the one starting the conversation, you didn't even know what to say.

"Do you wan-" You started but he cut you.

"I'm sorry." He declared stepping toward you. "I've fucked up."

"Don't say that…" You looked down to the floor, avoiding his eyes. 

"It's the truth Y/N." 

"You didn't mean to kiss that girl." You briefly raised your gaze to see his surprised gaze. "Gisela told me this morning." You explained to him, your hands rubbing the back of your neck. "I've acted stupidly."

"It wouldn't have happened if I hadn't been a coward all this time." You frowned, about to ask him why he was saying such things, but he spoke before. "You said I am a good man," he said. "But I am not that good a man. And I am… I am catastrophically in love with you."

Your lips parted and your heart missed a beat as you tried to take in what he just told you. "Are you serious?" 

"Of course I'm serious! I should have told ya a month ago, before we started this." He raised his hands in the air before letting them fall back on his sides. "I'm so sorry, I've hurt you." 

You stepped forward put your hands at each side of his face. You met his brown eyes and everything that happened last night seemed to wash away from your mind. One of your hands slid on his hair, pulling down to you, until your nose touched his and your breaths mixed themselves. 

"Kiss me." You whispered and he slowly pressed his lips against yours. 

It was a breathtaking kiss, like none you had shared before with him, nor anyone, and yet, you felt more than alive at this moment. It was as if all your senses were sending warnings in your head, all of them remembering you that he was kissing you. 

His hands on your hips, he pulled you closer and you wrapped your arms around his neck. You left his mouth a brief mouth, breathless. 

"I love you too. Since you spilled your fucking coffee on me." You smiled and he heartily laughed, his chest rumbling against yours. 

"Sorry about that again." He smirked before kissing your cheek lightly. "But I'd do it again, if it's the only way to have ya in my life." He said between the kisses he pressed until he met the collar of your t-shirt. 

"But was it worth it?" You hummed, teasing him, his hand sliding under your shirt to curve on your waist. 

"Oh, it was." He growled in your ear. "The best thing I've ever done." You could easily imagine his smile as he was still kissing your neck, his fingers teasing your side. 

"Show me then." He lifted his head, meeting your eyes, not making another move for a few seconds.

He took your mouth in a deep kiss, his lips dancing with yours as he grabbed your thighs to pick you up. He walked to your bedroom, gently dropping you down on the bed. He knelt in front of you, removing his shirt as you did the same. He leaned down to kiss you, your lips parting to let his tongue meet yours, deepening the kiss. 

His palms were all over your skin, goosebumps appearing after the shiver his touch provoked you. His right hand curved your breast while he kissed the other. You sighed in appreciation, his mouth hot on your nipple. Your owned fingers tangled in his hair as he was kissing down on your stomach. He briefly looked up to you, waiting for your approval to unbutton your pants and pull it down your legs, your underwear following. He did the same with his own and then rolled a condom before touching you again. 

He was slow, his hand sliding between your legs, taking the time to feel every inch of you. And you would be lying if you'd say you didn't like it. It has alway been some sort of rushed sex between the two of you, and you never really had the time to let your hands touch him. But now you could, discovering the way his muscles tensed under your fingertips.

"Oh fuck." You gasped as he pushed a finger inside you. 

You grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him in an urgent kiss as he worked on growing the warmth in your belly. Your lips parted when his thumb brushed your most sensitive spot and he bit playfully your lower lips. 

"Stop teasing me." You almost begged under your breath but he didn't stop, kissing your neck instead. "Finan, please… I want you." He looked up to you and his eyes seemed to spark in response to your words. 

He removed his hands, making you hummed in frustration. "Say that again." He grinned. 

"Oh god Finan." You sighed. "I want you. I need you." You whispered and he smiled even more. 

In a short matter of time, he was in you, his thrusts deep and slow as his fingers dug the flesh of your hip. It was hard to keep your mind in order when this felt so right. Everything seemed to fit perfectly, his palm on your hip, his lips on yours, his fingers tangled with yours and him in you. Everything was perfect, even the sound of your name escaping his mouth as he came, your own body tensing by the hot wave exploding in it. 

Finan fell on his back next to you, breathless but a huge smile spread on his lips. And you couldn't help but chuckle lightly at how good you felt right now.

He turned his head to you, raising an eyebrow. "You were right, it was definitely worth it." You said, looking at him. And he joined you in your laughter. 

And strangely, everything in your life, even the simplest thing, felt right as long he was with you.

Tags : @obipoelover @cocchamscrew @geekandbooknerd @othermoony @limenal @poguesmaybank

#the last kingdom #finan the agile #finan #hayley'sbirthday #finan x reader #fanfiction #tlk #modern!finan

[punkscowardschampions]

Ronnie & Joe

Ronnie: [a phone number]

Ronnie: found you your own special plug

Joe: Can’t wait to get gang-raped by whoever this is

Joe: or maybe it’s a phishing scam, what route have you gone down 🤔

Ronnie: route of she can be your number 8 cos youre such a bike

Joe: it’s that kind of hook-up

Ronnie: pay for the gear if you cant get it up soft lad she looks fuck all like your ma

Ronnie: couldnt track down no more of her bastards for you soz

Joe: taking your role that seriously?

Joe: alright

Ronnie: getting out of it

Ronnie: she can babysit you

Joe: she probably lost custody of her own so

Joe: nice of you on all fronts

Ronnie: yeah

Joe: what, your dealer don’t like me or something

Ronnie: how the fuck would i know like

Ronnie: and how would he you legged it out of there soon as he showed

Joe: no shit I did

Ronnie: ordeals over now baby go cry to your new mammy about it

Joe: unlikely

Joe: but it ain’t my ordeal so

Ronnie: they ll swab & treat him he ll be sound

Joe: give a shit about him

Ronnie: if youve got something to say

Joe: I just said it

Joe: I don’t care about him

Ronnie: you dont care about me fuck off with your heroics

Joe: you didn’t want swooping up and saving, don’t mean I don’t give a fuck

Ronnie: your student loan aint gonna cover both our habits youd have me dopesick cause youre fucking jealous that means you dont

Joe: you’re jealous

Joe: and I said, didn’t stop you, didn’t say you had to

Joe: what’s fun about something oozing and itching in your pants, that’s all

Ronnie: of what

Joe: of every boring ex I have or will ever have

Ronnie: you wish

Ronnie: get em in a room together and they aint even jealous of each other

Joe: I know

Joe: x2

Ronnie: you dont know shit mckenna

Joe: so today I’m green

Joe: not the know-it-all smug college kid

Joe: nice to know how to play it

Ronnie: smug is right whenever i aint gonna suck your dick cause you can read music

Joe: that’s all that’s stopping you?

Ronnie: nah remember its the death wish attention whoring & mommy issues

Ronnie: cant both be functioning junkies youd have fuck all else to get a boner about

Joe: how long have you been doing heroin

Ronnie: youve got loads of catching up to do

Joe: yeah, so I don’t know why you’re acting like I’m being high and mighty

Joe: it’s literally been days

Ronnie: cause you are

Joe: no I’m not, just ‘cos I’d rather not suck dick when I have the funds

Joe: would you do it if you had the cash, that’s just stupid

Ronnie: youve been comparing me to any & every cunt since we met

Joe: like you don’t shit on me any and every chance you get

Joe: you were acting like them, the whole none of my shit is real because yours is SO real, that’s her whole bit

Ronnie: you cant stop fucking doing it even now fucks sake

Ronnie: i shit on you for you its not like i have any cunt to compare you to

Joe: alright, if you’re that sensitive about it

Joe: I’ll really stop

Joe: there 🤐

Ronnie: fuck you

Joe: nah, that was a dick move, alright

Joe: let me make it up to you

Ronnie: youre crying shes a patronising cunt guess what youre right there too

Joe: alright, I deserve that

Ronnie: drop dead

Ronnie: yeah its been days days of me giving you whatever the fuck you ask for

Joe: I know

Joe: so what do you want, seriously

Joe: I’ll do it, make it happen, whatever

Ronnie: like fuck can you make anything happen

Ronnie: youre like every other doss cunt i know theres your comparison

Joe: Probably am

Joe: but you’re the only person I’ve met who feels close to whatever the fuck I am

Joe: there’s the truth

Ronnie: whichever of your exes that worked on is more west than either of us

Joe: Oh I can easily be that dickhead and tell you how crazy they all were

Ronnie: go ed

Joe: the second to last one was the worst

Joe: full-on stalked and harassed the last one like, for no reason

Joe: she also messed with all my shit in a way she thought would send me into an OCD spiral because she didn’t get it

Joe: and when she started hooking up with some other kid she’d send me pics like I’d be 💔

Joe: that’s just after, that was all kind of amusing in a boring way, she was less amusing to be with but more mental

Ronnie: shouldve had some tips off her for the stalking bullshit its probably not too late to send her a dm

Ronnie: ones ive got from this is i dont have to bother learning the alphabet cos id be better off fucking with your record collection by smashing it up & child porn does fuck all for you

Joe: that is my thing, turning up uninvited to fuck everything up

Joe: she might go for it

Joe: exactly, both good to know, yeah 😏

Joe: all pretty basic and vanilla but still, annoying as shit

Ronnie: unless you can get me to do it for you yeah

Ronnie: dinners at what like 7

Joe: you’re gonna ruin my happy uni home?

Joe: oh no

Joe: be there be 7, eating at 8, apparently

Joe: time to ‘mingle’ as she put it which sounds suspicious af

Ronnie: fucking hell

Ronnie: thank christ i already hate you

Joe: saves times, energy less so

Joe: your mate is up for it, unless he’s a convincing liar, which I could see

Ronnie: what energy do you want name it theres gear thatll give us it

Ronnie: he is but i cant see the con shes got fuck all any cunt wants other than pasta shapes & mariahs likely on a diet

Joe: 🤤 and not over her appetizers, like

Joe: there’ll only be the 6 of us so we’ll need entertainment

Ronnie: lad flatmates bringing a bitch

Ronnie: shes gonna need something to get her through it or something she can use to end it

Joe: yeah he has a missus

Joe: even though him and Sophie belong together as the most average whitebread couple ever

Ronnie: make it happen then

Joe: where’s my bow and arrow

Joe: their 💘 ain’t my problem

Ronnie: you said you could do whatever and we needed entertainment

Ronnie: put all that money where your mouth is

Joe: you’re well sweet

Joe: you want her to be living her best life

Joe: dunno if I can hack being his shoulder to cry on in the interim

Ronnie: your teeth wont have time to rot before you choke on em talking to me like that

Joe: go on then

Ronnie: you owe me i dont owe you

Joe: I thought you’d ask for something better

Joe: but your loss

Ronnie: yours youre thinking about it

Joe: I get it, you want it to be hell living here

Ronnie: i dont wanna have to ask

Joe: for what

Ronnie: anything

Joe: why not

Ronnie: you think you can read my mind or some shit

Joe: I’d like to

Joe: and I think you get me, and yeah, I think I get you more than the bullshit mommy issues attention whore comment that was to get a reaction

Joe: I don’t think we’re twin flames just because we share some DNA, I’m not that kind of delusional, believe it or not

Ronnie: cause weve shared a needle though yeah

Joe: I get it, another kid with a habit, you’ve met hundreds

Joe: it is different though

Joe: tell me it isn’t

Ronnie: different cos its a habit you didnt have days ago

Joe: it’s not your fault

Joe: for good or bad

Joe: you didn’t spike me without asking

Ronnie: i didnt say that

Ronnie: i said thats why its different

Joe: yeah

Ronnie: nobody did any of this shit for me i dont know why im doing it for you

Joe: do you want to, or do you think you need to

Ronnie: what the fuck does it matter

Joe: you either fuck with me, you like fucking with me or you think you’ve got to protect me or some bollocks

Ronnie: protect you from the needle i stuck in your arm yeah that makes loads of sense

Joe: from getting a bad dose, being beat up by one of your dealers

Ronnie: i just wanted a front row seat

Ronnie: im not gonna get one when your family finds out

Joe: that’s fine by me

Joe: you reckon they’ll fly me home for an intervention then?

Joe: shouldn’t be surprising how oblivious they are

Ronnie: i dont care what they do to try & fix it youll be at rock bottom by then

Joe: they won’t try, they don’t

Joe: just because I weren’t shooting up doesn’t mean I haven’t been doing plenty other fucked shit for ages without it ever being a conversation

Joe: one of the kids that they took in, is a walking skeleton

Joe: can’t get her to eat, some reason don’t do anything but try to reason with her like she’s reasonable, never mind the rest

Ronnie: no shit they dont i was proof of it before you or her

Ronnie: in the same town with the same name she fucking gave me and still out of sight out of mind

Joe: precisely

Joe: so if you’re hoping fucking me up will get her to come about then you shouldn’t bother, honestly

Joe: save yourself that disappointment

Ronnie: it aint about her paying attention

Joe: good

Ronnie: you wanna know me i only want you to know what it feels like

Joe: then let’s do it

Ronnie: nah i was rem to reckon it was worth shit

Ronnie: it aint

Ronnie: you aint

Ronnie: youre never gonna have your head wrecked how mine is and i cant be arsed to put the time in fucking you up in the selfish special way i need when you keep pure loving it like

Joe: is that not indicative of how I’m already quite fucked enough

Joe: just because it’s not abandonment based

Joe: what normal cunt would love any of this, even contact you again after the first

Ronnie: fuck no

Ronnie: youre living your best life and it makes me wanna hang myself

Joe: Christ, you’re up yourself, aren’t you

Ronnie: &

Joe: you want me to roll my sleeves up again and show you the recent damage?

Ronnie: yeah

Joe: [pics]

Ronnie: [obvs gotta send him some back]

Joe: [a straight up new one like just did it]

Ronnie: [ofc she has to also like this is a competition]

Joe: [hope you started small so you have somewhere to go ‘cos the vibe]

Ronnie: [knowing y’all you didn’t but it won’t stop you and I will be forever on edge]

Joe: [so grim, don’t pass out]

Ronnie: [or end up needing stitches]

Joe: [probably do them yourselves, ick]

Joe: do you fucking get it yet

Ronnie: why do you care

Joe: why do you think

Ronnie: i keep telling you i dont

Joe: braindead sounds ideal

Ronnie: horse girl not about to suffocate you

Joe: she would if I let her, like

Joe: 🍈🍈

Ronnie: wait til theres a chance ill choke on my vomit next time christ

Joe: so lay back and I’ll tell you some more

Ronnie: ok go

Joe: [go on about Sophie in a way I shall not even bother but let us assume it is crude and rude af]

Ronnie: [we’re not into poor Soph but they clearly are]

Joe: [just fuck and get it out the way lads, so rude to everyone else rn]

Ronnie: [honestly, but hopefully at this dinner party because Jamie jealousy will be off the charts]

Joe: [Charlie gon have to keep quiet ‘til you home lmao]

Joe: Any luck?

Ronnie: got no pasta shapes in my system have i

Ronnie: but why the fuck are you not lurking to save me

Joe: you want me to swallow the bile for you then, okay

Joe: the last one looked deep

Ronnie: deep enough if you wanna pussy out and spit instead

Joe: I don’t

Joe: where are you

Ronnie: dorothys

Joe: he in?

Joe: if I have to show him it’s brotherly concern you’ll only die quicker

Ronnie: nosey cunt wouldve stopped me

Joe: Yeah

Joe: I can say sorry if you want or I can just come patch you up and not lie first

Ronnie: i dont need your help

Joe: I know

Joe: purely wanna save you for my own complex and to be loving life even harder

Ronnie: wank off about the sos from the other day thats it i cant top you carrying me out til the bleeding stops

Joe: I’m coming over

Joe: you’ve got time to lock the door if you really don’t want me to come in

Joe: can get my own shattered glass without breaking his windows

Ronnie: he must like you to have given you his address

Ronnie: but not enough to overshare the door dont lock cos i broke it 💔

Joe: or am I better stalker than you give credit

Joe: thanks for the tip, baby

Ronnie: youd have been waiting for me to get here not the other way round

Joe: You do want me to read your mind

Joe: maybe a lobotomy will help

Ronnie: hot

Ronnie: reading your mind you want me to pass out before you fuck me but its not that deep

Joe: the wound or the vIbEzzZ

Ronnie: this your coming out cos you sound like charlie

Joe: just trying to turn you off, don’t want blood to gush out

Ronnie: liar youd be made up to see that

Joe: not hiding in the bushes yet

Joe: slow down

Ronnie: youre used to being the big brother i get it

Joe: Something like that

Ronnie: i know how to ride a bike without stabilisers or whatever the fuck

Joe: and tie your shoes

Joe: it’s alright, we’ve established I’m not a paedo

Joe: what can’t you do then

Ronnie: err what a nonce would say

Ronnie: read music we also fucking established

Joe: you teach me how to shoot myself up, I’ll teach you how to

Ronnie: not a fair swap i dont need to learn how

Joe: You don’t wanna be a babysitter either, so you’ve said

Ronnie: you dont like me any more or what

Joe: Of course I do

Joe: You got me my own dealer first

Ronnie: you asked me to 1st

Joe: How did I?

Ronnie: what else is ? for a plug without giving a fuck if ive rattled myself into a ditch

Joe: If I talked to you as much as I felt like

Joe: You’d tell me to fuck off more than you already do

Joe: I’ve got no clue where the line is, how much you want me to care

Ronnie: what line

Ronnie: i dont want you to care

Joe: Tough shit

Joe: I didn’t ask you to get me a dealer

Ronnie: you fucking did

Joe: I just didn’t wanna see you suck dick on my behalf, alright, that’s all

Joe: what you do for yourself is your business

Ronnie: calm down nothing i do is for you

Joe: 👌

Ronnie: dont call her then

Joe: you on commission?

Ronnie: 🖕

Joe: If I do, you’ll still have to see me

Ronnie: youll see me bleed out on the kitchen floor 1st

Joe: You’re a pro, I know you’re being overly-dramatic

Ronnie: at opening as many veins as itll take to not have to see you again yeah

Joe: to make me hurry*

Joe: I’m on the tube

Joe: you have to live in the middle of nowhere

Ronnie: no fixed address i told you

Joe: ❗️

Joe: if there’s a break-up or a thruple, you can have the extra room

Joe: makes sense now

Ronnie: it dont make sense you reckon we can afford any extras however far out

Joe: like you said, she’ll get homesick and chuck it in even if Marc won’t dump his girlfriend

Ronnie: if she does youll be homeless too like unless his missus is gonna cover the costs of the en suite for you

Joe: you can have my room, it’s the smallest

Joe: they can have the en-suite palace and I’ll take theirs, which is not next to the others 👌

Ronnie: not that youve thought loads about it

Joe: if you heard her disney playlist everyday, you’d think about it as well

Ronnie: id think about killing her or myself not a cosy little bed swap

Ronnie: shed never hack living with me nor would you

Joe: well that thought is never far from the front of my mind

Joe: if you need the bed, you know it’s yours

Ronnie: get it through your head i need fuck all from you

Joe: yeah, yeah

Ronnie: theres this way of living when youre not inside your ma in every possible sense course you aint heard about it

Joe: you need to prove you’re self-sufficient ‘cos no one’s ever given a shit about you but Charlie and the other one

Joe: I’m aware you’ve made it to your old age without me, you’re alright

Ronnie: i need to be it the only proofs im not dead yet baby

Ronnie: you need me to be old cos im not in a fucking coma & you cant get it up else

Joe: I’d rather be in the coma myself but you can be too

Joe: not calling dibs

Ronnie: oldest gets 1st dibs

Joe: *until the youngest cries about it so much you get told to give in to shut ‘em up

Ronnie: try me

Joe: you know you can’t hack my crying

Joe: does your head in SO much

Ronnie: save it for when you need lube or horse girl is gonna be coming after you with the leftover glue so you can never fucking leave her

Joe: come at you with the needle and sew us together, babe

Joe: unlucky

Ronnie: more than unlucky if i cant bust a stitch open to be the dead girl you want

Joe: you’re the dead girl I want already come on

Ronnie: til i teach you how to 💉 yourself

Joe: nah

Ronnie: 💘

Joe: looking well deformed these days, my one

Ronnie: could cut it out know youd be made up for the matching needlework

Joe: you play mad professor I’ll play corpse

Ronnie: long as i dont have to play nice

Joe: know what you take me for, actually, but no

Joe: obviously not

Ronnie: cant take you anywhere even if i did wanna

Joe: god imagine the dent in your street cred, sis

Ronnie: if i could cry i obviously would

Joe: repression or fucked tear ducts from all the 😭 you been doing

Ronnie: what im that baby faced youre taking me for a newborn now

Joe: nah, mr i don’t fuck kids here, remember

Joe: plus kids are always calling 999 by mistake and they’d get there before me

Joe: maybe, depends how many people have stabbed other people today

Ronnie: id have got the numbers up but ive been busy like

Joe: gotta make time for you, babes

Joe: it’s called self-care

Ronnie: ask me what with

Ronnie: shittest stalker ever you are

Joe: go on

Joe: school us

Ronnie: cant cry cos when i was linking you with a plug you dont want i was getting myself linked with your meds

Ronnie: best guess as a better stalker than you & less basic white girl than your crazy ex

Joe: 💡 fairplay

Joe: won’t tell you any other side-affects, see if you can guess ‘em right

Ronnie: i wasnt gonna take em but you want me to get you so bad

Joe: yeah misunderstood white boy is selling less these days

Joe: help a brother out

Ronnie: fuck all has happened so i probably cant

Joe: 💔 oh well

Joe: they’re nothing exciting, even though I managed to get the highest dosage they’ll do

Ronnie: maybe mines off for not giving you the benefit of the doubt when i could continue reckoning youre such a pussy

Joe: you’ll forget by tomorrow, no problem

Ronnie: neither brother is gonna let me if they walk in on me microdosing theyll reckon its a getting well party and get the deccies out

Joe: only so many times you can just kidding that ‘fore it gets old

Joe: we’ll go out, when I get there

Ronnie: where you kidnapping me to baby

Joe: I know enough to know it’s all wrong turns and blindfolds, not giving you a map

Ronnie: if its a&e no cunts finding your body even with a map

Joe: piss off

Ronnie: give us a clue

Joe: I’ll mark it with an X if you do me

Ronnie: if you ever fucking get here

Joe: if we were sewn together this wouldn’t be a problem

Ronnie: wanting to look like twins so nobodyll give a shit that you wanna fuck me would be something youd think about on the tube mckenna

Joe: they run in my old man’s DNA so have to look for those bastards instead

Joe: all I know about hers is addiction

Ronnie: course he does fuck alls your own idea

Ronnie: if hes got a sister even a meff nancy drew like youll be able to find bastards they had together

Joe: loads, Catholic, remember

Joe: twins kid is black though so process of elimination

Ronnie: cute how that runs in your family too like

Joe: guess so

Joe: not like it’s that crazy a concept

Ronnie: not like youve ever met an irish catholic who werent a saint yeah

Joe: it’s a fucked place to live

Joe: really third world in that respect

Ronnie: your real da is who you wanna look for if hes got no bastards going about its cos he cant knock anyone up

Joe: that your all men are pigs stance

Joe: alright courtney calm down

Joe: I’m out now anyway, don’t need a real mum or dad to come rescue us from the priests and that

Ronnie: nah its a fact unless his twin kept going up the backstreet or he was only sticking it in her other 2 holes

Joe: they didn’t really grow up together

Joe: he left when he was 15

Joe: maybe she was a late bloomer, happy days

Ronnie: 💔 your ma wasn’t then i wouldnt be here

Joe: no dig about how you’re dying now anyway ‘cos I’m taking so long?

Joe: you must be fading fast and not just being a dramatic bitch

Joe: good thing I’m in [wherever we ended up locating y’all] now

Ronnie: shut up i said its not that deep

Ronnie: youre the dramatic bitch legging it here for a fucking scratch

Joe: you wanted me to

Ronnie: you want to i dont give a shit

Joe: right, that’s what I meant

Ronnie: you can stop with the gay shit i told you hes not here

Joe: gays don’t own sarcasm

Ronnie: they own getting attached to cunts fast who dont care

Joe: awh, you being replaced rn?

Ronnie: horse girl wishes

Joe: Can’t catch a break or a man that one

Ronnie: after a pity fuck with you who knows what shed catch

Joe: you wanna infect her by-proxy, you’re so blatant

Ronnie: i shouldve got you to bring her my bloods everywhere

Joe: adding her puke to the mix would make it interesting, sure

Joe: bet she knows first aid

Ronnie: if youre too pussy to break my ribs yourself get back on the tube

Joe: threaten me with a good time

Ronnie: i just did

Joe: without meaning it, yeah

Ronnie: try and hurt me i mean it

Joe: [why do y’all always set the tension so high lads lmao, we know but]

Ronnie: [me and my boo here like calm down you can’t hook up yet but they are both like !!!!]

Joe: [shouldn’t have let you get on that train sir but you would so]

Ronnie: [I shouldn’t let her open her mouth ever but here we are]

Joe: [forreal lmao]

Ronnie: [gotta draw an x on him in her blood when he shows up before we can do a more permanent one however we are either as a scar or tattoo so soz for increasing the tension even more lol]

Joe: [just got to stare at her for ages and then shove her away very dramatically ‘cos you can’t, head through to whichever room she was bleeding in to assess/gawp at]

Ronnie: [she’s gotta lol like well if that’s the best you can do at trying to hurt me I’m not worried]

Joe: [‘whaddya use?’ and just going through this flat as if you’ve been here before/were invited by anyone but Ronnie vaguely because manners can’t matter when we’ve gone this far already]

Ronnie: ['what, you didn't

touch yourself enough on the tube?' but we are obvs showing him whatever we did use because it's just another way to flirt and we can use it to make that x happen so]

Joe: [shakes head ‘spill too much and they emergency stop’ and a look like do I look like I wanna be on a psychward but in a 😏 don’t answer that way, doing our own tallies with it, of course]

Ronnie: ['we're walking then' like where are you taking me don't get comfy bitch]

Joe: [little disbelieving lol like excuse me princess ‘your carriage was unavailable’

Ronnie: ['no shit the horse is dead busy']

Joe: [‘I ain’t taking you to a stable’]

Ronnie: ['that's where we ain't going, now tell me where the fuck we are' because we're like an excited kid about this]

Joe: [it’s cute and we clearly think so even if we’re distracting ourselves with this self-harm so we don’t go too far, unrelated but I haven’t thought where yous are going lmao but I’m vibing something London but something she wouldn’t have done, something music related, also if it has like, kid vibes, bonus, I’ll have to look so just keeping tight-lipped to be annoying and surveying the bloody carnage he’s now added to ‘you want to clean up?’]

Ronnie: [it'd be cute if there was something like thinktank but for music instead of science but idk if that exists anyways in answer to that question she's just gonna remove her top or whatever like yeah it do have blood on even though we know that's not what he means because we're still in a flirty mood despite how annoying his non reply is]

Joe: [that’s what I’m vibing but likewise have no idea, I’m sure there is shit though and you could find it Joseph, anyway, truly the this is fine meme about that ‘cos you can’t turn away 😳 but also boy don’t, moving like you’re gonna come close to her though]

Ronnie: [soz Charlie cos she shamelessly threw her top on the floor and isn't gonna clean up any of this blood even on herself like I literally should say she goes to the sink and then to get clean clothes but instead we all know she's just gonna take Joe's jacket or whatever and put that on, thank god he's all about the layers]

Joe: [god bless the grunge

aesthetic, ‘do you do it in front of him?’ and touching the cuts that are still showing ‘cos you know there’s some still, and it is like when and where do you do this when you do not have a room lmao]

Ronnie: ['yeah' leaving it up to him whether he wants to think it's in an attention whore way cos we're still annoyed at that call out lol but realistically it's just because of how long they've known each other and how they be living, she's not actively trying to upset Charlie that much most of the time]

Joe: [‘does he do it?’ ‘cos we can’t imagine it from the little we know but also can’t imagine him just chilling if he isn’t as fucked as them]

Ronnie: [the facial expression equivalent of his amused lol earlier because no]

Joe: [dropping it even though you find this odd like don’t worry boy, the tea is he is getting over it and wanting her to stop, pulling the jacket sleeve to take her out the door like come on]

Ronnie: ['he knows what'll happen if he tries to stop me' cos you can't tell me that when they were younger he didn't do exactly that and she went ballistic but more importantly HOW DARE YOU BOO because that is 1000% a Fraze move and I'm dead]

Joe: [yes I thought it was legit for a parallel, enjoy the long trip back to central guys]

Ronnie: [idk how we are gonna stop you hooking up to fill the time other than the other people in close proximity lol]

Joe: [maybe a uni/work obligation can come in and he has to go like legit ‘cos that’d kill this off]

Ronnie: [personally devastated that means an iou for this cute date but I love how fuming she would be at never finding out where they were going]

Ronnie: [not to mention the not at all casual and public domestic they’d have would be such a fat mood and show she cares when she’s literally like umm what the fuck do you mean you’re leaving]

Joe: [love how blatant we both are individually]

Ronnie: [hard same]

Joe: They sprung that rehearsal on us last minute

Joe: I already said, I’d give you the funds and you could go do whatever

Ronnie: and i told you to go fuck yourself

Ronnie: or your cello

Joe: I wouldn’t have wasted my time let alone yours if I knew that was gonna happen

Joe: how would you go about fucking a cello, exactly

Ronnie: waste more of your own time figuring it out its your raging hard on for it

Joe: I can’t not go

Joe: they make you sign a bloodoath when you get in basically

Joe: no excuses

Ronnie: youd have found an excuse fast enough if id stuck a needle in your arm

Joe: no, I wouldn’t, ‘cos it wasn’t an option

Joe: there was already enough damage to hide

Ronnie: i dont give a shit what options youve got

Joe: right, tell it to the crowd that amassed, they might believe you a tiny bit more than I do

Joe: I’ll make it up to you, okay

Ronnie: thats what soft cunts wanna hear when you cant hide no more & since you reckon you wont be getting forced into treatment you get to keep your gob shut for all that being sorry bullshit

Joe: make it into something it ain’t ‘cos you can’t hack hearing it

Ronnie: i dont wanna hear from you end of

Joe: alright

Joe: see you around then

Ronnie: 🖕

[leighbot]

Hi, hello. I'm looking at these prompts and I really like the sound of 4. if you'd want to give it a try?

this got far too long, i’m sorry, so i wrapped it up quickly! it felt never ending lol. thank you babe!

04.  I’m tired of my friends/family setting me up on horrible blind dates so I made up a relationship and now they want to meet this mystery person

What does Zayn need an alarm for when he has someone banging on his door so loudly they must be using the palm of their hands to recreate some otherworldly drum beat?

“Fucking stop it,” he calls out as he rolls off the sofa, landing on his hands and knees and praying for his head to stop spinning. The fourth shot last night had been a miscalculation and the sixth had been a huge mistake. “I will pay you to stop,” he says as the knocking continues.

Rhino is losing his mind, pacing in front of the door with a stuffed toy in his mouth and his tail whacking a thudthudthud against the hardwood floors.

He finally gets to his feet and opens the door to his flat, not bothering to check if it’s a murderer because only one person in the whole entire world would ever act so obnoxiously the day after Zayn’s birthday. Only Harry Styles knows he can pout his way back into Zayn’s good graces after this stunt.

Harry breezes into his flat, tossing his hipster hat and scarf on Zayn’s kitchen table with a pat to Rhino’s head. Why he bothered to put on a scarf when he lives four doors down is a mystery. “Finally,” he says, his voice low and quick with exasperation and far, far too loud for the way Zayn feels.

“I think I’m still drunk from last night,” Zayn says, dragging his feet across the room and pulling a water bottle from the fridge. He tosses Rhino a treat from the bowl on the worktop. Harry’s making himself at home in the main sitting area, flipping through Zayn’s records like he’s on a mission. “Did I steal one of yours, or something?” Zayn asks, shuffling back to the sofa. He gets shocked twice when he sits and he chugs half of the bottle in his hand in one go.

“What?” Harry asks, voice still entirely too loud. He looks to the four records he’s already got in his hand. “Oh, no, just looking. Anyway, I came here to ask you a favour.”

“Hell of an entrance if you want to be on my good side,” Zayn comments. Harry smiles at him with just the right amount of dimple in it and he starts crawling across the floor. “Oh, leave me alone,” Zayn bitches though he’s already smiling by the time Harry is climbing onto his lap like an oversized dog. He’s worse than Rhino, who has passed out again in his dog bed.

“Did I hurt your head?” Harry asks, nuzzling into his neck. “I’m sorry, maybe I’d know how you felt if you’d invited me out.”

Zayn snorts and pushes Harry away, letting him fall onto the sofa next to him. For all that Harry’s made himself at home in Zayn’s flat this morning, they’ve only met a few weeks ago when Harry had moved into the building. It’s quite astonishing, actually, that Zayn’s grown so comfortable with him this quickly but he reckons Harry is just like that.

“What kind of favour do you want?”

Harry frowns and fiddles with the hem of his shirt. “Ineedyoutobemyboyfriend.”

Even sober, Zayn doesn’t think he could understand that. “Once again,” he prompts.

“I need you to be my boyfriend,” Harry says in his usual slow drawl. Zayn can feel his eyebrows shoot straight into his hairline and Harry must see the look on his face because he flushes. “I… well…”

“Shouldn’t you, like, ask me out first?” Zayn says, trying to find reason in this conversation.

Harry’s eyebrows furrow close to touching in confusion, like he isn’t the one responsible for their current predicament.

Zayn tries to clarify. “Boyfriend is kind of… a third date conversation.”

Understanding floods Harry’s eyes like a sunrise. “Oh, shit. Oh, sorry, no. Nononono, I mean. Okay, so my mum’s always on my case about dating and she’s roped my friends into setting me up so I, well, I told her I’m seeing someone and you’re… someone.”

“I am someone,” Zayn says, agreeing on instinct. “Why me?”

“You don’t know how involved in my life my mum is; she knows everything about me. She knows every one of my friends, most of my coworkers. Half of my graduating class sent her thank you notes for gifts she gave them. You’re new, she didn’t know you yet.”

Zayn rolls his eyes and finishes his water bottle. “So, how did this happen?”

“Well, I don’t love lying to my mum,” Harry admits, getting off the sofa and going to mess with Rhino. “I had been telling her I was seeing someone and she didn’t need too many details at first but she started calling my old flatmate and asking him so I just… I gave her your name.”

“When?” Zayn asks, suddenly amused. He didn’t think Harry was a cure for a hangover but he’s barely feeling the pressure in his head anymore. He smashes the bottle and gives it to Rhino when the dog leaves Harry behind to chase the crinkle sound he’d made.

Harry makes a face and Zayn’s amusement grows.

“When did you tell your mum I’m your boyfriend, Haz?”

“The day after I moved in,” Harry admits sulkily.

Zayn doesn’t hold his laughter in. “Why are you telling me this all of a sudden?”

“Well, mum’s coming in for my birthday and she wants to have dinner with my boyfriend.”

Zayn laughs too hard to continue talking and Harry’s pouting face keeps him from catching his breath fully for a long, long time.

~*~

~*~

“I’m not saying this is a dumb idea,” Zayn says and Harry cuts him off.

“Then don’t say it.”

Zayn nudges him, hitting right in the spot that he knows is Harry’s most ticklish point, and Harry smacks him back. They push back-and-forth like children wrestling and it’s then, of course, that Anne walks up and finds them.

“Should I be concerned that you’re abusing your boyfriend, love?”

Zayn’s spoken on the phone and through FaceTime a few times so he pulls her into the first hug and gives her a kiss on the cheek. “Haz couldn’t hurt a fly,” he says.

“Hiya, dear, you alright?” she asks, kissing him back and squeezing him tight. She’s such a mum it makes him instantly homesick and he lets her hold on for an extra few seconds before allowing Harry to push his way through.

“Mine,” Harry says possessively, wrapping Anne in both his arms and lifting her from the floor. “Hiya, mummy.”

“Hi, babe,” she says, linking their arms together once he releases her. “You hungry? I’m starved.”

“We’ve got lunch setup back at my place,” Zayn says. “Did you want to go somewhere, though?”

“No, darling, that sounds great. You driving?”

Harry laughs, snorting into her shoulder. “Zayn doesn’t drive.”

“I hated it myself until I had two little ones to lug around,” Anne says, patting Zayn’s arm gently. “You two will figure that out at your own pace, though.”

“We’ve not even been here two minutes and you’re already talking about babies.”

Zayn rolls his eyes. Harry talks about babies almost daily. Zayn knows every name he’s ever considered for a daughter and could narrow Harry’s top three for a son without even trying. He’s braided Harry’s curls while listening to him talk about his five year plan and year four, day thirty-seven, hour nine involves beginning the process for adoption because Harry’s heart is too large to not take in children who need homes and support.

Zayn climbs into the backseat, insisting Anne take the front. “I’m safer back here, anyway,” he jokes, sprawling across the back.

“I’m getting better,” Harry insists. “No accidents so far this year.”

“Well, it’s only February so that isn’t saying much.”

~*~

~*~

Rhino loves Anne, of course, flirting with her with his still-puppy growls and bringing her several toys to choose from before waiting patiently for her to toss them. 

“It’s so nice that you found a place so close to your beau,” Anne says, halfway through her salad. “Was it too soon for you two to just live together?”

“A bit, mum,” Harry says. “We’ve only been dating a bit.”

“I know, I know. You’ve always fallen fast, though, and I can see how well you two get on.”

“Zayn likes me still because he doesn’t have to clean up after me,” Harry teases and Anne and Zayn both laugh.

“How does your family like my boy?”

“Oh,” Zayn says, unable to contain his exhale. He’s prepped for this fake-boyfriend role a bit but he hasn’t really thought about answering this one. “They haven’t met, yet.”

“I get to be the first,” she says with excitement. “I’d love to get to know your parents, Zayn. Have your mum give me a call sometime.”

Zayn nods, his cheeks heated. “Of course.”

Harry frowns at him from across the table and Zayn pulls a face to help lift the tension.

“I’m sorry,” Anne says, not fooled for a moment. “I didn’t mean to make this weird. I’m just excited you two are happy exactly as you are. Not saying anything else about it.”

Zayn leans to his left and presses a kiss to Anne’s cheek. “All is good, love. Do you want more water? We’ve got some wine too.”

“Oh, I’d love some wine. You drinking?”

“Zayn’s still hungover from his birthday a couple weeks ago,” Harry says, his eyes wide once he’s finished talking. He mouths I’m sorry as Zayn stands up and Zayn pauses, confused.

“I missed your birthday?” Anne asks, her tone sharp with shock.

“Mum, it isn’t missing a birthday if you didn’t know him yet.”

“And who’s fault is that? You and your secrets, Harry. Oh, Zayn, let’s skip the lunch wine and let’s go do something for your birthday.”

Zayn smiles, overwhelmed with fondness. “We don’t need to,” he says. “I want this to be about Harry. He’s the birthday boy this weekend.”

He scuttles into his kitchen, five whole heartbeats away from the dining room table. “I love your mum,” he tells Harry in what he hopes is a whisper when Harry follows him. 

“You sure? You look spooked.” Harry pulls him into a hug, pressing his lips to Zayn’s hair.

Zayn shrugs and smiles. “Just homesick. Gonna make you return the favour for my parents now.”

“I’ll do it,” Harry offers easily. “I’d love to meet your parents.”

#itsallaboutzarry #my fic #zarry fic #drabble

[toutallyahoe]

Addicted

Requested By: --

Pairing/s: Sherlock Holmes x [Name] [Last name]

A/N: This week was an absolute hell and I bloody want to die right now.

─────────────────

He was addicted. Bloody addicted to that man. The man who was like a well-made drug just for him to have. It was exhilarating.

Sherlock Holmes was no doubt a genius. People can never deny that despite they wanted too, but can't. Deep in their mind, there was that one tiny voice that says the consulting detective to be, in fact, a genius. Sherlock can solve a case by a snap of his finger, no failures, no cases getting stamped "cold". It was something the man took pride and joy over.

Now, Sherlock may be a genius but he lacks the humanity. The understanding of what people have... emotions. The curly haired man was not empathetic, he was cold, cruel and absolutely and arsehole. He doesn't get the situation right (most of the time) when it is connected to emotions. Where he shows actually interest (by by being elevated) to have a bloody murder hapoen while the other surrounding him look at him in absolute disgust or horror. He, Sherlock, was a man of many things but he wasn't a emotional or even a empathetic person.

So, it was no wonder when he had found someone to his odd and calculative mind to be so... interesting... he loved that feeling of excitement like he gets in his cases when he was near to that person. How his mind tries to calculate ways to solve this person's life by so little or even none he can find on that day. It was so bizarre to find someone he couldn't deduced. It was interesting. It was intoxicating. It was addicting.

Sherlock relished the time he spent with that person in the park. He make use to gather information and play that guessing game that they had suggested for him to help figure them out. It was annoying at first as he was frustrated on why-- how can this person not be deduced by him? Evrywhere he looked he can deduced everything but the moment he layed his eyes back to them, it's like he couldn't do such things.

Sherlock wanted to know more, he was curious and really was interested on how can that be? The guessing game was... alright.

The consulting detective may not want to admit it but it was entertaining. It was so entertaining that he always makes time to go to the park, on exactly two in the afternoon where the sun was not that hot, sit on that very same bench he and they always sat and start a small talk, well, they start a small talk for about five minutes then Sherlock would try to guess something about them.

It was... what was that term he had described it again?

Time wasting, stupid and... fun.

It was fun and the detective enjoyed it immensely. It was addicting to that small game, that person-- that man...

It was addicted. He was addicting. And he was addicted.

The door creaked as the blond had opened it to carry the plastic bags inside the flat, letting out a huff from the pain of carrying heavy bags from the stairs. Did he call for help from his flatmate that he knew all to well was there inside their flat, laying in the living room couch? Absolutely. Did his flatmate answered his calls and came to help? Absolutely... not.

John was tired, really tired as he had a small fight with the self-checked machines... again. The doctor really do have suck bad luck with those machines, it was still a wonder why he goes to check and pay for his groceries there though. Right, it was because most of the employees can either miss scanning an item or scan twice, third if you are unlucky, which had happened to the blond... three times. And let's not forget that they take too long to baggage the ite--

"Sherlock, why are you putting on a coat?" Confused, John had said as he raised a brow at his flatmate who was in the middle of putting on his coat, looking rather... happy? No, it must be the tiredness seeing but the curly haired man seemed to be humming a small and up beat tune underneath his breathe. The blond was confused. Did Sherlock had gotten a case from Lestrade? Probably. And if that was the case, he better hurry to put the plastic bags on the kitchen counter before heading out with the detective. With a groan, John had gone to the kitchen and put the bags on the table, pushing his flatmate's jars of... whatever that thin-- was that an eye? "Stop leaving your experiments on the kitchen table!" The blond had exasperatedly shouted to the curly haired who merely ignored his shout and was too busy looking at his phone (for once not John's) while the blond had pushed away the jars filled with questionable things inside to make space for the plastic bags he was carrying.

As the doctor finished putting the bags and rubbing his sore arms from carrying such heavy bags, he immediately went to the livingroom to momentarily shake his head and rubbed his eyes. The blond blinked for a couple of times as he look back to his flatmate. He swore he saw Sherlock had a smile on his face. Did... was it not real? Jove, maybe he was too tired and needed rest as soon as possible.

Finally getting out of his mini frozen state as he saw the curly haired male slid his phone on his pockets and immediately went to the door to take his blue scarf off the coat hanger and began tying them, giving no mind to his blond flatmate coming closer to him. "So, what is the case Greg had assigned?" John asked as he stopped beside the detective who paused at his question and briefly looking him in the eye with a blank look.

"You mean Geoff?" Sherlock had said, getting the D.I.'s name wrong which made the doctor internally sigh (and the said D.I. sneezing in his office, "Wonder who is talking about me."), he continued, "he didn't," the cutly haired bluntly said as he finished tying his scarf. "I'll be going. If George--" "-- he's name is Greg," John cut off and corrected him. Rolling his eyes, Sherlock continued. "-- that's what I had said," he said which was John's turn to roll his eyes. Honestly, his flatemate and friend is such a stubborn prick sometimes... most times.

But then it came to the doctor, if Sherlock hadn't gotten a case from Greg, why was he so giddy about? The doctor always saw how the detective only express annoyance, boredom, interest, and excitement, the two latter's being getting and solving a case. So, what?

"Whe--" John was about to ask but was cut off by Sherlock abruptly turning to look at him with that blank face of his and then nodded. Raising his hand to look at the time on his wrist watch, the detective's lips twitced upward for a bit. "I'll be off now," came the curly haired man's reply as he turn to the door, opened it and then went out. Not bothering to say good bye to his flatmate who stood there of surprise as he closed the door.

As Sherlock descends the stairs, he shouted his farewell to the old landlord of his and then went out to hail a cab. John stood in frozen for a minute or two after Sherlock left. The doctor blinked a couple of times until his brain realized what his flatmate had done. "Did that bloody git just closed the door to my face?"

Tap

Tap

Tap

Tapping his index to his ring finger on his lap, the curly haired male sat on the back seat of the cab he had hailed as he patiently wait.

Tap

Tap

Tap

He continued to tap his fingers on his lap. It was a mannerism he seemed to develope to pass the time other than just going to his "mind palace" to organize his thoughts. It was quite odd, the curly haired fully knew he never did this mannerism before but his early memory of doing so when he had met that man again for the second time. He seemed to tapping rhythmically on his lap with his fingers as he waited for him to come and tell the things he had done on his day. Boring, but the detective was interested.

No matter what the mundane things the man had done, it always seemed to spark some interest in him which was something he honestly quite enjoyed. Tapping his fingers was something he had done to pass the time as he waited to met that man again.

Tap

Tap

Tap

The cab had stopped to the all familiar park he regularly visited, not even waiting for the driver's announcement that they had reached their destination, Sherlock had already opened his door to get out and closing it. The old cab driver leaned over to the other seat beside him where he brought down the window as Sherlock took out the correct amount of pound and handed it to the out stretched hand of the driver as he then turn to walk to the entrance if the park.

Sherlock continued to walk as he saw the bench he always sat, facing the lake and not to far from the field of green grass where some children and pets of people run and play. The curly haired man had just passed by a sweaty jogging male which he honestly rolled his eyes on. It was two in the bloody afternoon, it was stupid. 'Just like Mycroft.' He had thought as he remembered his older sibling use to exercise and jog to get his fatass skinny.

It was absolutely hell for the younger Holmes when the older exercise because of the smell of sweat lingers in the air and it was just an abomination. Sherlock still felt pity for his older brother though, he remembered how Mycroft was so desperate to be more skinnier because of the sneers and taunts of the others around the older Holmes. It was absolutely revolting how other humans works, so stupid and ignorant. 'But not him thought,' Sherlock's mind had abruptly thought which surprised the man but shake his head as he sat at the bench and looked at the lake where he saw a small family of ducks swimming by with some of the pigeons swooped down and peck the gravel ground to get the bird seeds that old lady was throwing. A pair of two females, a couple is what he deduced when the detective saw how close and sweet the two are. Not to mention from the holding hands and how the other one stopped and placed a peck on the other's foregead while the other giggled on the bridge that was connecting the side he was on to the other. Letting out a breathe, the curly haired man had raised his hand to how look at the watch on his wrist. 2:04, it read.

'He's late.' Came's Sherlock thought as he placed his hand back beside him. It was always kinda like this, he was punctual while that man is late. It was irritating but the man, whenever he gets here was just so... so stupid on apologising that he always forgives him, begrudgingly.

A minute or two had passed until Sherlock looked at the brudge again to see the two girls still there, pointing and giggling to each other on the ducklings playing in the lake when he swe the familar turf of [Hair color] hair passing the two females. The curly haired man's lips twitched upward as he saw the man jogged hurriedly, pausing on the brudge as he he placed his hands on his knees and was panting heavily. He was obviously tired from the running but after a few more breathes he straightened back up and turned to where Sherlock sat.

It took everything in the detective's energy to not smile and instead have a stern look plastered in his face when he saw the [Hair color] haired man had jogged towards him and collapsed beside where he sat as he panted heavily. Trying to gasp for air as he then turned to the detective and gave a tired smile.

"Sorry about that, Sherlock. I am a bit late for our meeting, yes?" The [Hair color] haired man had awkwardly said as the man beside him rolled his eyes. Still, amusement gleam on the other's eyes as he answered, "Obviously," with a sarcastic tone that made the [Hair color] haired man chuckle a bit. "Sorry again, there was a bit of a slight mess in the kitchen and I had to finish some last minute a batch of cupcakes--" the man continued on and on about his day which Sherlock had listened. It was boring, that can be said but Sherlock didn't mind. It was not a murder case, it was not a human experiment, it was not anything bloody interesting other than a man talking about his job and baking. But the detective still listened, he enjoyed hearing the other's voice talk comically about his day, painting a picture on what had happened which in some other cases, the curly haired didn't give a single damn but with him... he cares.

He was addicted to his voice.

"--and then Jeffrey decided to add too much mix off batter in the damn thing and when it was put in the oven-- poof!--" the other had said as he had made an explosion by his hand to showcase what had happened to the curly haired, "-- the bloody thing exploded!" He finished with a grin as Sherlock had his lips twitch upward but this time, he did smile.

"Jeffords seems to be an idiot," Sherlock commented which he had gotten the name wrong but the [Hair color] haired merely hummed in agreement. "Absolutely, but he is a nice young man," the other had said as he let out a sigh and turn to look at the lake with a content smile on his lips. Sherlock look at him for a few seconds until he turn to look at the lake like the other did aswell.

Silence had wrapped around the two as it was not awkward nor comforting. It was in the middle that it was calming yet also uncomfortable as the two had things to say but decided not too.

Tap

Tap

Tap

He began to tap his fingers on his lap again as the curly haired momentarily looked at his watch to see the time, 2:13, it says. Narrowing his eyes, Sherlock let out a false cough which made the other turn to him. "Since you are finished," the curly haired started as he turn to look at the [Hair color] haired. "I would like for the... game to start, [Name]," the said man lips formed into a smile as he nodded, his eyes gleam in amusement. "Absolutely, Sherlock."

At that being said, Sherlock looked at the other in concentration. Looking from the hair to the shoes. Looking at every single detail but only small thing only pop up onto the curly haired man's mind. Grunting as he focused, [Name] merely smiled at the other's irritation on not getting something out of him. It was actually quite amusing. Sherlock Holmes, Wiliam Sherlock Scott Holmes was left stumped by him and had the latter wanting to met him to play this guessing game of his. Curiosity was something he quite enjoy to pit down on people. He liked to watch others be confused at times but he still was a sweet man. He just enjoys other's puzzlement, especially the self-proclaimed sociopath genuis sitting beside him right now trying to deduce him.

It was fun to play guessing what woth the curly haired man where the latter finally stopped thinking and was looking at him with a triumphant smirk which made him rose a brow. "Did you find something a out me?" [Name] had asked as the other male merely continue to smirk at him. "[Name], love," Sherlock had started as he saw the amusement in the other's eyes. Ah, he loved looking at those [Eye color] eyes but right now, he won this round of the game today. "I found something interesting, I may have won the game today," he said.

"And what's that?" [Name] had hummed as his calm and collected front immediately broken when the curly haired man had scooted closer towards him. "Um... Sherlock?" The [Hair color] haired color softly said, embarrassed he was. Sherlock was a bit close to his liking but the detective merely stayed beside him. "Your voice cracked a bit, recahed a higher octave which showed you ate embarrassed right now," the curly haired had deduced as his smirk grown larger. "Are you embarrassed that I am close to you, [Name]?" He asked.

"I-I... erm... uhh," [Name] awkwardly stuttered as the curly haired had scooted closer which made him back a bit. "I... um..." Honestly, he was like a fish out of the water with him opening then closing his mouth with no works other than incoherent things spout out his mouth. It was amusing for the curly haired who leaned more.

"Your pupils dilated, your pulse--" taling the other's hand and placed a finger on where the [Hair color] haired man's pulse can be felt, the smirk on the detective's lips turned into a smile. "-- elevated," Sherlock finished. [Name] immediately took his hand away from the other as he looked away.

"I may not be well with emotions but, love..." Sherlock let out a breathe as he looked at the other, he continued. "That I can assure, [Name], I understand," he said.

"I... and..." [Name] had found hus voice but he refused to look at the man besude him. Bloody hell this was bad but he wants to know why would Sherlock assume him to be in... to be in love? "And how can you assure that I'm... in love?" He asked which Sherlock merely rolled his eyes and looked at the lake. "Simple, really," the curly haired had said. "Even a toddler can deduced it," he had said which made [Name] snort. This man...

"The dilation of your pupils and the quickened of your heartbeat if a common signs," Sherlock stated. "But the most obvious signs of all is when you thought I wasn't looking," this made [Name] confused. "What?" He softly asked as he looked at Sherlock for an answer which made the curly haired turn to look at him.

"You look... in love... that bloody smile on your face as yours eyes soften, gleaming with that same softness and adoration. It was practically screaming, "I'm in love" very loudly," he had said. [Name] looked away in embarrassment again. Well, fuck.

Silence came the two which this time, it was awkward. Well, for the [Hair color] haired man that is. Will this end their odd friendship? Absolut-- his thought was cut off by Sherlock asking, "Have I gotten it right?" The detective asked. "Well, obviously I am correct but are you going to say it?" He said which amde [Name] let out a tired sigh.

"Yes," he softly said. That's it, it's over. His small odd friendship with this curly haired man is finished. It was fun while it laste--

"Why do you look so glum?" Sherlock had asked as he rolled his eyes at the other's dramatic behavior. Big whoop, he found out [Name] like him, why was this idiot being so dramatic about it? "Oi, are you listening to me?" No answer.

Sighing, the detective had one hand grabbed the other on the shoulder and the other on the face as he made the [Hair color] haired turn to him. "You are overreacting just because I found out you fancy me," Sherlock had said which made [Name] frown. Softly taking the other's hand on his cheek, he shake his head. "You don't understand it do you, Sherlock?" He had said.

"It made things awk--" before he can say anything more, soft lips pressed on his own as his eyes widen. His mind went blank.

As for Sherlock, the other tasted sweet. The taste of vanilla a d small hint of caramel from probably the bake goods he had test tasted earlier was the cause. Even though it was sweet, it was addicted. His lips were addicting.

Parting himself to the other, he let out a huff of breathe as he look at the [Hair color] haired male who was frozen.

"W... what?" Came [Name]'s soft and confused words. Rolling his eyes, Sherlock leaned once more and place a quick peck on the other's lips. "If you haven't noticed, I fancy you too," he bluntly said.

"I... I-I," [Name] finally processed what had happened and his brain went back to blank again. Sherlock had kissed him. Sherlock fancied him too. Sherlock Holmes kissed him. Touching his lips, he was flushed. My Jove, Sherlock's lips were soft and he tasted like chamomile tea...

As the [Hair color] haired lost in his thoughts of how the other tasted or the fact that the other felt the same way too, Sherlock had leaned closer to him. "You need to lessen the sugar on that batch of cupcakes of yours, too sweet."

"W-what?" Confused, [Name] asked.

Sherlock merely rolled his eyes as he stated again. "Your cupcake was too sweet, lessen the sugar on it before you get diabetes on having to taste test everything of those sweet inducement cavities," his words made [Name] nodded. "R-right," came [Name]'s awkward reply as they then kept quiet. The air was still awkward but Sherlock didn't mind.

Were they a couple now? Absolutely. That's what the curly haired had thought as they have stated their feelings are mutual and that they fancied each other.

Is [Name] an awkward man he fell? Absolutely. He was addicted to the man who's hand hesitantly reached out for his and intertwined them together. Softly squeezing his hand in a comforting manner as the detective let a content hum.

[Name] was always like a drug. Sweet inducent drug that always .ade him want more. He was absolutely addicted. Addicted to him.

"Does this mean we are a couple now?" Sherlock asked as the [Hair color] haired male turn to look at him then back at the lake. "I-I mean... if you want too," he softly said as he squeezed Sherlock's hand again.

"I want too," he smiled as he heard those words.

"Then, we are a couple," he confirmed as he brought Sherlock's hand towards his lips and place asoft peck of them making the detective turn to look at him. Lips twitching upward until a small smile formed on the other's lips.

[Name] was drug. A was drug that Sherlock Holmes was addicted too.

And he loved it.

#sherlock #sherlock holmes x male reader #sherlock x male reader #bbc john watson #bbc sherlock holmes #bbc sherlock #holmes #william sherlock scott holmes #bbc mycroft holmes #male reader #top male reader #dom male reader #x male reader #male reader insert #awkward name is life #so tired #im stressed so fuck #bbc sherlock x male reader #fluff

[dxmedstudent]

Love in the time of Coronavirus.

Dr Jenny Harries, the deputy chief medical officer, clarified what the lockdown would mean for people in relationships who don’t live together. She said: "The principle is that we want people to stay in their household units primarily...If you've two individuals, two halves of a couple, currently in separate households, ideally they should stay in those households”

"The alternative might be that, for quite a significant period going forward, they should test the strength of their relationship and decide if one wants to be a permanent resident of another household.

"The issue here is what we do not want is people switching in and out of households. It defeats the purpose in the reduction of social interaction. Otherwise we will not all be working towards achieving the outcome."

Now, this depends on a lot of factors. What is a household? It’s understandable to say that visiting a partner and sharing those germs with flatmates is unacceptable. But what if people live alone? A friend of mine was frustrated by the guidance because she and her boyfriend both live alone, and she can’t see how driving to his would be any more germy than just living with him. And it seems unfair to say that some people get to live with a partner and 3 kids whilst others aren’t allowed to see anyone cos they don’t share a house. Ultimately we have to accept that there has to be a cutoff point somewhere and that we all need to do what we can to reduce contact between people.  The government tolerate people in ‘households’ because you can’t really get everyone to live alone, so you have to try and get people to cut down where they can. And that’s unfair - some people get to be with a loving partner, or family, or friends, and some of us get to be alone, separated from all of the above. I also think it’s risky advice to tell people to ‘test’ their relationship and move in. Being cooped up together isn’t a normal test of a relationship- it’s a very artificual situation that even healthy relationships can struggle with.  I wouldn’t be surprised if there are more divorces after lockdowns - people being unable to have their own space or own lives isn’t a recipe for happiness. Think about what a healthy relationship entails - we always tell people they need to make time to be apart, see their friends, do things that don’t involve their partner. Why? because being together 24/7 is a recipe for stress and bickering. If you’re in a longterm relationship and have weathered things before, you’ll probably be able to separate how your partner is acting in this situation from their usual self, and work together to find common ground. But newer relationships?  It’s risky to spend too much time together too soon; people need time to learn about each other’s strengths and weaknesses gradually - I imagine it’ll be a rude awakening for some! If it doesn’t work out and you decide to split, you’ll be rather more stuck than usual. I’m also worried about the people who might feel pressured to move in with an abusive partner, who then wouldnt be able to leave. Moving in when people are ready, with time to make space for all your stuff might be one thing, but last minute shacking up with whatever you can carry, can have very different effects. Most people struggle a bit to adjust when they first move in - suddenly they have less free time by themselves, have to deal with more of their partner’s habits, and they have to think more about how they spend their time together.

It’s also testing on relationships to effectively go ‘long distance’ by forcing people not to meet at all for months on end. There’s a reason why long distance relationships are really hard and not for everyone, and I’m sure lots of people are going to struggle as the weeks drag on. This lockdown has had a huge effect on myself and friends. One of my friends was quite upset that her new boyfriend didn’t want her to move in, at first. Though on reflection, she agreed with much of the above -  risking your nascent relationship of a few months by asking someone to pack a suitcase and move in to be trapped with you 24/7 is... risky. It’s a lot of pressure to put a new relationship under, when you are still learning about each other and learning to deal with each other’s issues. By the time you live together, I think it helps to know someone pretty well, to the point that their bad habits won’t be an unpleasant surprise.

I’ll put the personal stuff under a cut, since it’s already quite a long post:

A friend of the Guy’s moved across the country, last minute, to be with her boyfriend. I respect that decisiveness, and I wish them all the best. It’s not the kind of stunt I could pull - I overthink things and worry about every possible eventuality. I don’t like the idea of being cooped up at all, and I’d be worried about feeling sick of each other. But I do slightly envy that they’ll be with the person they love.  I let off steam by discussing it with colleagues in a similar position to myself, since it’s not that uncommon in medical circles. Lots of us are in long distance relationships due to rotations and moving between places, not able to live with our SOs for swathes of our training. All of us are trying to manage as best as we can. I really feel for medical couples right now. Medic couples will be worrying about their partner being on the front line, so that probably makes it even harder. The Guy and I had a chat about what this lockdown would mean for us, after laughing at the ridiculousness of the medical officer trying to give relationship advice. I didn’t ask him to move in, nor seriously entertained it because it wouldn’t be best for us. He’d need his computer etc for work, and my flat is not big enough for two people, especially if one has to live out of a suitcase. I wouldn’t want him to feel trapped 24/7 somewhere that isn’t his home - given that he’d spend a lot more time there than I would.  It’d never be an option for me to stay at his - it’s too far from my work, and living out of a suitcase at his and commuting would be too stressful. And I’m afraid of exposing him to the bug, given that I’ll be much more likely to catch it given that I already work with coronavirus patients. So even though I’m gutted not to see him for a while, part of me is happy that he is safer away from me.  Staying apart is the right decison, but that doesn’t make it easy,  - the intensity and physical aspect to romantic relationships makes physically isolating much harder.

He’s a lot less of a worrier than I am, and I admire how he’s learned to put things aside if he can’t change them. He hopes it’ll be over sooner than I expect, and he tries to focus on what we can do remotely  -  Whatsapp, video calls, playing games together online, and we’ll keep checking in on each other. Frankly, since he works from home, we may even be able to spend more time doing stuff. He’s good at listening, and it can’t be easy to watch me stress from afar whilst knowing you can’t do much. I know it bothers him that he can’t do anything to make it better.   I’m an old hand at talking to friends and family remotely, but having to isolate from him too is a major pain. I miss my friends and family, massively - the fact that I can’t see them makes it worse than just not happening to do so.  I imagine it’s a pain if you’re a normal person, but when you’re on the frontline, it’s worse. Because apart from the support of your people, what else do you have? We aren’t sitting at home trying to find ways to fill the time. We’re working harder to get everyone out of hospital ASAP and to keep normal services running whilst COVID-19 gradually spreads. I have to admit that I resent coming up against likely the toughest few months we’ll ever face in our careers, but having to come up against it isolated makes it harder. It’s not that I’m alone - I’m inundated with messages from people who care. I’m surrounded by fun things to do. I speak to all my people (him included) more regularly than I did before. But I know this is going to be a long battle, and that’s why it’s going to be hard. It’s weird, wihout exams and portfolios to worry about, I have a lot more free time to spend on my hobbies. But with this cloud hanging over work, and not being able to see my people, I’ve never looked forward to days off less than I do now. But I’m going to try to. I’m going to do my best to fill up my time with fun things, and try to mitigate the effects of the crisis. This is a marathon, and we’re all going to have to get through it as best as we can, and look after each other.

#covid-19 journal #dx dates #dxdates

[saltforthesea]

The Baking Incident

Summary: Lucas wakes up alone only to find Eliott standing in the kitchen, trying to bake a cake for their neighbors birthday. What happens next might be a complete mess but at least he tried.

Pairing: Lucas Lallemant x Eliott Demaury

Word Count: 1,9k

A/N: This is my birthday present for @jebentnietalleen <3 Happy Birthday Tara! Thank you for everything you’ve done for me in the past few weeks. I hope you had an incredible day! I wanted to write some sweet Elu fluff and I hope y’all like it <3 :) 

Lucas woke up alone. He was used to that by now, used to the fact that on some days Eliott would get up extremely early while on others he wouldn’t move until it was very late in the afternoon. But getting up early was usually a good sign or at least it had been for the past few days and Lucas tried to ignore the stinging feeling in his chest, that always made an appearance when he woke up alone. He missed the warmth of his boyfriend next to him. He missed lazily kissing Eliott's neck until the older boy woke up. He missed their entangled legs under the sheets. He missed everything about Eliott.

With a groan, Lucas pushed his legs out of the bed. He finally had his room back and it was the best feeling in the entire world to be able to sleep in a proper bed again. Of course, he still missed Manon a lot. They had become such good friends in such a short amount of time, and he appreciated everything she had done for him. Including giving him her old bedroom not once but twice.

The floor was cold under his bare feet and he shuffled around, trying to find his pair of boxers Eliott had thrown out of bed the last night. Luckily it wasn’t too far away and with two quick steps, Lucas had reached it and quickly put it back on. He was close to the door now and could hear someone rummaging around in the kitchen, so he quickly put on some socks (the floor was really, really cold) and left his room and stepped into the hallway, where he was immediately greeted with the smell of something burnt.

Quickly Lucas made his way into the kitchen where to his surprise, Eliott (also only dressed in his boxers and a way too tiny robe that must have been one of Lucas’) was standing in front of the counter. He was holding an egg in his left hand and was currently looking at it like he’d never seen one in his life before.

“Don’t tell me you are trying to make another PONI”, Lucas said instead of greeting his boyfriend but immediately made his way over to where Eliott was standing to plant a soft kiss against his back. He had missed him, and he needed to express that. It was a strong need like the need to breathe. Like the need to fill your lungs with fresh air after you’ve been running for too long. Eliott chuckled when he felt the pressure of Lucas’ lips against his back and turned around to reply to his boyfriends kiss with a kiss on Lucas’ forehead

“No, not a PONI. I’m baking”, Eliott explained and Lucas, who had by now finally taken in the complete mess that was his kitchen, snorted at that. Eliott pouted at him which looked so adorable that Lucas couldn’t help himself and pressed a quick kiss to his boyfriends' pouty lips.

“Sorry, babe. But this really looks like a nuclear bomb was let loose in the kitchen. I bet you’re doing great though. What are you baking anyway?” Lucas took the egg from Eliott's hand and started throwing it back and forth from one hand to the other like he was trying to practice the first easy steps of juggling.

“A birthday cake for the neighbor. I don’t know her name though”, Eliott replied and took the egg from Lucas' hands. “Please don’t play with the ingredients of my cake.”

“Fine”, Lucas stuck out his tongue at his boyfriend. “Let me help you at least. I’ll quickly go and wash my hands in the bathroom and then I’ll join you.” Lucas pressed yet another kiss on Eliotts lips (he truly couldn’t leave the room without properly saying goodbye to Eliott and/or make sure that his boyfriend remembered he loved him) before making his way to the bathroom. The shared apartment was surprisingly quiet but then Lucas remembered that it was Friday morning and the others were either working (what was Mika even doing?) or at school. He and Eliott had decided to skip school together because Eliott was going somewhere with his parents on the weekend and therefore couldn’t spend some alone time with Lucas. So they simply turned the Friday into their weekend.

Manon had given him a very strict glance when he had mentioned his plans to skip school the other day when they were having lunch together. ‘Worried but disappointed Mom’ had been written all over Manons face while the rest of the girls and even Yann had loved the idea.

Lucas switched on the light above the bathroom mirror and the first thing that greeted him was the hickey on his neck. Ah yes, so that had been the thing Eliott had been aiming for when he had told Lucas that he was trying something new while sucking on his boyfriend's neck. Lucas groaned and started splashing water in his face before he turned to the toilet and let out a high pitched “PUTAIN!”

In a matter of seconds, Eliott was by his side. Worry was written all over his face. “What happened? Are you okay?”

“What the hell is that thing in our toilet”, Lucas managed to get out while pointing at a black and very burned looking something that was indeed lying in the toilet.

“Oh that”, Eliott shrugged. “That was my first attempt at the birthday cake. Manon gave me the recipe and I totally messed up.”

“And you threw it in the toilet?” Lucas raised one of his eyebrows and gave his boyfriend his best ‘are you shitting me right now’ expression. It was an expression he had truly mastered in the past few months.  At least that’s what he’s been told.

“Well yes. I didn’t want Manon to see it and she probably would have if I had thrown it into the trash. So, therefore, I threw it into the toilet. I forgot to flush it though. Sorry, Babe.”  

Lucas didn’t bother reminding Eliott that Manon wasn’t living with them anymore and probably wouldn’t notice that Eliott had thrown away his first attempt at the cake in the trash. But then again, Mika was still documenting every single of Lucas and Eliott's steps to their former flatmate. One half of Lucas thought he did that because Mika was deeply missing Manon and wanted to have an excuse to tell her everything that was going on in their shared apartment, the other half believed he was just trying to annoy the shit out of Lucas. Maybe it was a bit of both.

“So you are baking a birthday cake for someone whose name you don’t even know?” Lucas asked when he joined Eliott back in the kitchen. His boyfriend had moved on from the eggs to the flour now, carefully measuring the right amount he needed for the cake. Lucas spotted the recipe Eliott had taped to one of the cabinet doors. It was three pages long and extremely detailed and Lucas immediately started asking himself if Manon had considered that Eliott was quite the beginner when it came to baking. Lucas could still vividly remember the last few times he had almost died after Eliott had tried to cook for him.  

“Yes. But you are not allowed to judge me because technically, it’s your neighbor.”

“Wait, what?” Now Lucas was confused. Eliott was baking a birthday cake for someone he a) didn’t know the name of and b) didn’t even was neighbors with? “So you are literally baking this for a complete stranger? How did you even know it’s her birthday?”

“Because I saw her decorating the door to her apartment with balloons and a birthday garland with a giant 30 attached to it when I got here yesterday. And she smiled at me and said to me that she is surprised I haven’t moved in by now, because she always sees me in the hallway. She was nice and I like baking, so I convinced Manon to send me this”, he pointed at the recipe and almost knocked over the package of flour with his arm. “Also, I got Lisa to do some research on your neighbor for me. To make sure it really is her birthday today.”

Lucas couldn’t help but smile at how smug Eliott looked. He truly went all out just so he could make a stranger happy. Lucas really didn’t deserve him. The world didn’t deserve him.

“And what did she find out?”

“Basically, everything except her name”, Eliott laughed, a sound Lucas could never stop loving. Eliott's laugh was like a drug to him. He couldn’t get enough of it and the beaming energy Eliott was giving off whenever he started laughing. “We now know that it’s, in fact, her thirtieth birthday today and we also know that she only moved in a few weeks ago. She is living here with her boyfriend and oh – she is Dutch!”  

“How could you possibly find out all of these things and don’t stumble upon a name?” Lucas was seriously confused when he was suddenly hit by a big white cloud of flour which left him covered in white from head to toe. Did – did Eliott just throw flour at him?

Lucas must have made the most hilarious dumbfound face in the history of expressions because Eliott, his hands were still covered in the rests of the flour he had thrown right into Lucas’ face, was having a hard time keeping his giggles under control.

“Stop asking that many questions and help me already”, he demanded but Lucas had other plans. Plans that Eliott had brought upon himself when he had attacked Lucas with the flour. Immediately Lucas grabbed the thing that was standing closest to him (which happened to be a package of cocoa) and started emptying it by shaking it in Elliott's direction. The older boy started laughing before responding to the cocoa attack by throwing even more flour into Lucas’ direction. Soon they were both covered in half of the ingredients that had been supposed to be part of the cake.

“You are such an idiot”, Lucas panted but grinned widely at his boyfriend. “But you are my idiot.”

Eliott started beaming at this again and closed the space between the two of them to plant a soft kiss against Lucas’ lips. “So what do we do now?”

“I think the cake is ruined now anyway so what if we grab a shower together and then go and buy my nameless neighbor a cake at the bakery.” Lucas kissed him back before resting his head against the crook of Eliott's neck. That was definitely his favorite spot in the entire world.

“A wise decision”, Eliott chuckled. “Eliott 6398 and Lucas 2907 probably would’ve come up with that plan right away. They would be disappointed in us for making this big mess in the kitchen.”

“That might be true but Eliott 6398 and Lucas 2907 aren’t going to take a shower together. Who is the real winner here, huh?” Lucas bit down on his lip and Eliott started laughing. God. Lucas really did love hearing Eliott laugh. “Are you following me now or what?”

“I’d follow you everywhere.”

And that was really all Lucas needed to hear.

#this is way later than I originally wanted to post this! But happy birthday Tara <3 #elu fic #lucas x eliott #elu fanfic #lucas x eliott fanfic #skam france fic #skam france fanfic #skamfr fic #skam france #elu #fenja writes #fic tag

[find-the-eyes]

I’ll Try Anything Once: Chapter 36

Written by: Sol, Allegra Edited by: Beth, Allegra, Sol

“Nick, calm down.”

Nick felt a hand on his leg once again and opened his eyes to see that he was furiously kicking and thrashing. The only difference from last time was that this kicking and thrashing wasn’t purposeful, and it didn’t feel good at all. And it wouldn’t stop. Nick did everything in his power to calm his flailing legs, but he couldn’t. He had never felt so helpless. His arms thrashed out at his sides. Where was Alex? He arched off the bed, gagging as his breathing tube shifted. His blanket came undone and dropped to the floor. He felt himself sliding towards the edge of the bed to join it.

“Nick!” He felt hands on both of his legs now, and a hand on either arm. Through his half-lidded eyes he saw three nurses, doing their best to restrain him as his legs kicked out and convulsed wildly. His arms thrashed violently now, the IVs in his forearms nearly ripping out of his skin. After a few minutes, Nick felt his body slowing down, suddenly crashing from his wild attack. His head lolled to the side as he felt hands adjusting his breathing tube, gently bringing him back to reality. His head was spinning and he couldn’t stop tears escaping from his eyes.

Two of the nurses talked in hushed voices at the doorway, glancing back at Nick occasionally. Finally, after a few moments, they returned to Nick’s side.

“You’re going to have a brain scan later,” the blonde nurse said. “We need you awake for it, so we’re going to take you off the sedatives for now.”

Nick couldn't even find the strength to nod, so he simply looked at her, hoping she understood.

She put the communication board on Nick’s lap. “Would you like to do anything while we’re waiting to do the brain scan? Your friends are art students, right? Would you like to draw?”

Yes.

“Alright, I’ll be right back.”

Don’t leave. Don’t leave.

“Ah…” She glanced around the room and spotted the notebook that was still sitting on the counter from when Alex was writing in it a few days before. “Is this ok?”

Yes. Thank you.

Nick held the notebook close, and as soon as the nurse left he opened it to a blank page. He grabbed the pen next to him and just started writing. He didn’t know where the words were coming from, but they needed to get out. His arms jerked and twitched as he wrote, but he tried to fight it. This was important.

When he finished, he folded the letter with shaky hands and laid it on the bedside table, not even bothering to read it over. He had barely placed the pen on the table before his head fell back and he drifted off to sleep, all of his energy gone. All he could hope was that Alex would understand.

A couple of hours later, Nick awoke to a hand on his arm and a gentle voice calling his name. He opened his eyes slowly to the information that they were taking him back for the brain scan. His leg kicked out again.

“It won’t hurt, and it won’t take long,” the nurse reassured him. Nick closed his eyes again, trying to believe her.

—

Alex found the neurology office fairly easily. It was a small room in a distant hallway, far from anything Alex had seen in the hospital before. So many people are suffering here. Is Nick one of the worst? Alex shook the thought and entered the small office when he was called.

“Hi, Alex,” the doctor said when he went in. Her calming energy immediately made Alex feel more at ease.

Alex greeted her and sat down at the desk, not knowing what to say. “Is Nick alright?” he finally managed, fiddling with one of the pens on the desk.

“Well, it doesn’t appear that the kicking and thrashing were anything more than a bad reaction to the sedatives. His reaction increased when they gave him more, and so on.”

“Why did he react like that?”

“Here.” The doctor showed Alex the scan of Nick’s brain. “He has a bit of damage to the language processing and speech areas of his brain, as well as some executive functions like decision making and general cognition. Has he ever mentioned that to you?”

“Yeah, actually,” Alex realized, “he had a different lung injury before all of this and said he had some brain damage from a lack of oxygen.”

“That explains it, then. Does he act normal, usually?”

Alex thought for a moment. “He does have some unusual behaviors, but… he doesn’t need to be normal. He’s perfect to me.”

“Unusual behaviors?” The doctor leaned closer to Alex. “Can you tell me what you mean?”

“Uhh…” Alex felt uncomfortable talking about Nick’s issues with a complete stranger, when he wasn’t there to speak up for himself. “Well, he has bad dreams a lot...he’s stolen some things before...he has trouble reading and speaking, and he doesn’t always make eye contact when he’s talking to someone new.” Alex paused, then continued with a sigh. “Nick told me that it all started with the initial brain damage that he got from being shot. He doesn’t really have any physical issues, though.”

The doctor nodded. “All of that definitely could be connected to how he reacted. We think the thrashing was caused by a reaction with the part of his brain that controls movement. Rather than turning off, like it usually does with sedatives, it tried to reject them. Because of that, his body didn’t want to accept the sedatives.”

“Oh…” Alex nodded along thoughtfully and pretended to understand what the neurologist was telling him.

“The good news is that he’s been off the sedatives for a few hours now and he’s doing perfectly fine! You’re allowed to go see him now, if you’d like.”

Alex beamed and thanked the neurologist as he left the small office.

—

Alex walked into Nick’s room to find him fast asleep. He smiled when he saw that the IV giving him sedatives had been removed. He walked over to Nick and brushed the hair off his forehead. Nick stirred at the touch and his eyes lit up when he realized that it was Alex. He lifted his right arm and stretched it out as far as he could, smacking his palm against the bedside table. Alex blinked in confusion for a moment before he noticed the folded paper atop the table. “Is this for me?” he asked. Nick gave him a weak thumbs up of approval.

At that moment, a nurse rushed in, saying something about needing to check on Nick. She rushed Alex out of the room before he could even ask Nick about the piece of paper.

Once he was alone in the hallway, Alex unfolded the piece of paper. He held it gently, trying to decipher Nick’s messy handwriting.

--

A lex

Thank you so much for putting up with me Im sory you have to see me like this It hurts a lot so bad and Im scared but pleas dont worry I cant wait to go home and pet Steckrübe again and Play music again but not do anyt hin g dumb this time Because I Ive learned now maybe I shouldnt stage dive until they tell me its okay

But right now it hurts I want to go home but they wont let me I want t o get up but they won’t let me I Miss being able to speak I dont feel like I have a body anmore it just hurts so much But  when youre here I forget You make me happy  Please bring Steck next time I miss him

I’m sorry I didn't listen to you I feel like a bad Flatmate Im sory I cant do anthing to help you out

Im scared I wont get better it Hurts it hurts and I dont know why it hurts so much I still cant breathe Im Scared I wont be able to

My body is kicking thrashing I cant stop it wont stop Im so   tired but I cant sleep it wont Help Im terrified

You saved me

I want to be with you Im sorry I couldnt tell you that niht  it hurt too bad I want to be yours

I love you so much Alex Ive loved you from the first night you Visited me at the prisonn You accept me ffor who I am and you ne ver get mad at me Evn when I deserve it I deseve it 

Thank you Than k you Thank you for saving me I love you I love you I love you Alex I love you

--

Alex braced himself against the wall, trembling as he clutched the paper. Nick loves me. He meant it the other day. And I didn’t listen.

Alex folded the piece of paper again and ran back into the room as soon as the nurse left. The heart monitor started beeping faster than Alex had ever seen it beep before as he approached Nick’s bed. He laughed softly and believed for a moment that Nick was giving a small smile as well. Was he? Maybe it was just the lighting. Alex ignored the beeping and held Nick’s hand. “I love you too,” he said softly. “So much. And you're going to get better.” Alex ran a hand through Nick’s hair. “And I’m sorry for trying to talk about our relationship when you were in so much pain. I should have known better.” Nick started furiously tapping the I love you box on his board, blinking back tears as he looked up at Alex.

Suddenly, a nurse rushed into the room. “Is everything alright in here?” she asked, obviously concerned by the sudden, rapid beeping. Alex dropped Nick’s hand, instantly brought back to the reality of the situation as he remembered the condition Nick was in. He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t form the words.

“Just…don't get him overexcited, yeah?” the nurse sighed as Nick’s heart rate slowed back to normal. “He’s still in critical condition and we want him to make it out alive, after all.”

“Alright,” Alex said sheepishly. The nurse gave him a stern look and walked out.

Nick’s eyes were bright, but he wasn’t smiling. He couldn’t. There was no way he could do anything more than move his eyes and his hands. He still had to make it out of the hospital alive before Alex could even think about the future. Was it better to be hopeful or to prepare himself for the worst?

Alex looked back down at Nick and realized that his eyes were still so full of love, searching for an answer from Alex, an answer neither of them could find.

“I love you, Nick,” Alex ran his hand through Nick’s hair, “I really do.”

#franz ferdinand #illtryanythingonce #allfanfic

[dear--charlie]

Dear Charlie,

Tomorrow I am going to fly home. There was nobody here today. A was busy. I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t do anything. I had wanted to go buy presents but there is no space left in my suitcase. I mean…space yes…but the weight is already on limit. I finished packing my suitcase. I called my mom. We didn’t get along. She said we’d probably be annoyed when we lived together again because she and dad had had their own life for the time I was gone and so did I. She made some hurtful comments. I don’t want to go back. I’m looking forward to seeing A on New Years but until I see her, I have to be at home for 7 days. Also..I won’t have a room in the student allocations because they don’t want to pay for it if I only stay 3 months and have a 4 week interruption for my interneship, where I’ll live at home. This means I will live with them until September 2019. Have a 2 hour car drive every morning, which makes 4 hours of car every day. There are no buses. The parking is expensive. So is the gas. But anyway. I understand their point. A room is expensive. I just don’t know if all the gaz and parking I’m gonna pay won’t be the equivalent of the rent costs. My parents and I, especially my mom and I…we don’t work out anymore (my dad and me never really did). I love them. But I need my distance. My mom judging what I eat, what I do, when I’m on the phone, when I read or watch TV or who I talk to, is simply something I can’t take anymore. It was good here. I was alone. My mental health was the same degree of fucked up than it is at home. But at least I was out of the closet. At home, not even my close(s)t friends know (ha ha ha got the pun?). Charlie..I don’t want this life anymore. I don’t want to be different. All I even wanted was to fit in but somehow I never did. Oh well, and me meeting James was…weird. I was mad because my flatmates had promised me to clean their mess before leaving. But..surprise..they didn’t. So I was a little late. 3 minutes. But still. He had been waiting. We went upstairs of this café and had our tea. It was awkward. I tried to keep the conversation going and whenever I didn’t, he started looking at me with THAT look. I told him about A. I mentioned her 4 times. But that didn’t seem to bother him much. Maybe because I said “ma copine” and not “ma blonde” like they call girlfriends here. He might have thought of her as “a friend” not “the girlfriend”. After an hour I said I had to go home and clean. So I did. We said bye. It was weird. He wanted to hug me but didn’t dare so I just turned around and went away. I got home. And he texted me saying that if I was too annoyed by the cleaning, he could come and help. I didn’t open the message and after I was done cleaning, I told him that I was done now, “but thanks”. Then I went to sleep. At 1 in the morning he texted me this long ass message where he basically said that if I need help or “something” on Sunday (tomorrow), I could tell him. And if I wanted “one last dance” he could also come. And you know what? I was sad that nobody cared about me staying here alone or bothered to really say by… So..I said yes. Now tomorrow, you see, he’ll come help me with the luggage in the staircase and maybe offer one last dance. I’m greatful. He could have become a good friend if I’d met him earlier. Sad actually. I’m so numb. I feel like crying but I don’t know why. I’m not sad or happy. I’m just nothing. Numb and very very VERY cynical. I just don’t want to…exist anymore, you know? So on 24th we usually see my grandma (it’s her birthday) and the rest of my mom’s family. Now..the family is weird. My obese aunt doesn’t work because of “health issues” (which basically means because she’s overweight and always says she’s ill even though she isn’t.) My cousin: one year younger than me. Quit school. Never worked. Doesn’t find(want) an apprenticeship. Weird girlfriend. My other cousin: 24 (I think): quit school. Works approximately once a year for 2 weeks and either leaves the job or is fired. Weird girlfriend. They broke up. Now: girlfriend. Who has a kid AND is pregnant again (not from my cousin). And then my other cousin 27 (I think?). She’s okay. She and her husband never stay long on Christmas dinner (because they have to see her husband’s family too, aka, because they enjoy those meetings as much as I do, which is zero). All of them.. are envious about my “success” and the fact that we have more money than them (because my parents actually work and don’t live on the government’s expenses) (they are so envious that we open our presents at home and never take them to open them with the rest of the family. And then we say that we didn’t get each other presents this year. Since we started doing that, things are much easier). Last Christmas (🎵 I gave you my heart but the very next day, you gave it away 🎵 , sorry, I tried to cheer myself up with Christmas music today, didn’t work. Anyway. Last Christmas,) my 24 year old cousin said I “had it easy”. That I “didn’t do shit but still had good grades”. I said I’d “worked my ass off” to get a diploma, to make it through the tough test to enter university and that, so far, I hadn’t had any time off since the beginning of the year and that whereas he would go home the day after that day and do nothing, I’d go home to my books and study for my exams. He said, “anyway, uni is easy. You don’t need to brag about it” (which I did not. I’d just listed a fact because he’d pissed me off. But then I did brag). I said, “well, you know what? At least I worked hard, and at least, I GO to uni.” Pretty needless to say that you could cut through the tension in the room and that we left as soon as dinner was over. Okay..so then there is my grandma. I love her. She halfway raised me. But she changed so much that I don’t recognise her anymore. She is under the influence of my aunt (who basically spends every day there and uses my grandma) and it doesn’t do her any good. My aunt met this guy and had my cousin. Then she had my other cousin. With the same guy. They split. She was pregnant. She met another guy. She claimed my third cousin was from him. The only person in the family to actually NOT know who his dad is, is my cousin himself. Anyway. They split. Now this year, my aunt met a really weird guy my mom knows from childhood. They are “so in love”, and……..are gonna marry. In summer. After knowing each other for like 9 months? Yea..sorry for degrading them. I’m just listing facts. I wished you could hear the way this letter sounds in my head. Emotionless, quick paced, sarcastic, cynical and with a lot of emphasis on some words. Words that I’d write in cursive but I don’t know how to do thaz, so I write some of them in capitals. On 24th I’ll land at midday. My mom told my grandma I’d be tired and we wouldn’t come. So Christmas-tradition adios. Am I sad? Not really? It’s just weird to not spend it with them. But I don’t really care. So whatever. 25th? We never really do anything. Usually on 26th we see my dad’s grandparents (why not on 25th aka on ACTUAL Christmas? Well because my grandma wants to give us “a day to digest the food from 24th”). Now..one of my dad’s brothers died from an overdose. The other one, a junkie, lives on the street. I don’t know either of them. They have kids. The dead one probably has kids all over the country. Apparently he was a real rabbit when it came to women. And like a rabbit, he didn’t protect himself the way he should have. The difference between my “uncle” and a rabbit is that a rabbit doesn’t do drugs and doesn’t know protection exists (well actually there are no rabbit condoms, so he can’t know about the existence of something that doesn’t actually exist. His owners will castrate the rabbit if they don’t want any more rabbits. I don’t think my uncle would have let anybody castrate him. So that’s that.) The other “uncle” has a kid who has a kid and no boyfriend. She never talked to my grandparents. Not once. Except for last year, when this kid (actually woman) appeared out of nothing and asked my granny for money, who didn’t give it to her. Now..my granny, you see, always says dad is her only child and I am their only grandchild. Which sad but I get her reasoning. My family is fucked up. I don’t know how my parents turned out so well. They are educated. They graduated. My mom went to uni and my dad went through many exams so that he basically also has a degree. They work. They have me. I’m not a bad child. I always studied. My grades were good. I never got into trouble (if you don’t count that one time where I wanted to buy juice and I put into my pocket until we went to paye but unfortunately forgot to take it out of my pocket and actually pay it, found out at home and made my mom drive all the way back to the store because I couldn’t live witht the thought of having stolen something, even if it was by accident. I was 4). I go to university. I speak 5 languages. I’ve got my shit together…if it weren’t for the mental illness that nobody knows about. It’s funny though. My dad’s mom and my dad have depression. Last time on the phone, I was tired of always hiding how I feel so I just didn’t hide it and was openly lethargic. And… my mom said “now stop it. You sound like your grandmother”. Great. She doesn’t get the link. Anyway…it’s not as if it mattered. As if this time of the year wasn’t already bad enough, this afternoon I wanted to order sushi but they didn’t accept my card. Then I wanted to order chinese but they didn’t deliver. So I went for take out. But the shop was closed. Then walked though snow to have lunch which wasn’t exactly the definition of delicious (all of that because my flatmates didn’t leave me any food when they left and I didn’t want to buy a whol package of something because it would be a waste). The… I realised that I’d give the driver of the bus who’s coming to pick me up, my old phone number (I don’t know why). So I was waiting for a confirmation of the schedule for when he’d come to pick me up when I realised he didn’t have any means to reach me because I’d accidentally given him the wrong number. So I contacted the headquarters and tried to fix the problem. It worked. I now know my driver will be there at 12:30. Great. I’m just really realy really cynical today. I’m sorry.. I’m also sorry that this letter was a mess and that now you know far too much about my family. But well…why not? Right? Anway. Have a nice Christmas Love always, Lena. 22.12.2018, 19:59 P.S. have you ever seen the movie “it’s kind of a funny story”? If yes, you can imagine the tone of this letter being similar to the narration of the movie in the first half.

#dear charlie #lena

[janeofcakes]

Chapter 95

**Bonus chapter!!**

(All on eyes are on Sherlock.)

SD: What the hell?

SP: Be careful, Mr. Holmes. Be very careful.

(Her face is a mask of fury and danger. The look in her eyes would melt a normal human being, but Sherlock has never been normal. John steps closer to her and very slightly in between the woman and the detective. Sherlock stands before the accused.)

S: Your offices, Gorgio’s, and this building are each thirty minutes apart by cab, but only ten walking.

SP: (with a sharp laugh) Ten minutes! For who? A sprinter?

S: Hardly. If you know the right routes, the right paths, and you looked into that very carefully. The walk from your offices to this building and from here to Gorgio’s each had to be ten minutes. You called your meeting off around 6:20 just to make sure you would have twenty to kill your husband. You knew his secretary would have certainly left by 6:30. She told us that Piper always made sure she stayed no later than six and, with nearly everyone else gone home, it was easy for you to walk in and get in the private elevator unobserved.

(Sylvia Piper curls her lip and looks ready to pounce on Sherlock, but she lets him continue without interruption. John’s senses are tingling.)

S: You either found Piper in the freezer or made him go in and shot him. No mess and plenty of time to get to Gorgio’s. Just close the door and leave. The freezer obscures the time of death and makes it look like he could have died nearly anytime last night instead of as soon as you left your offices.

(Feeling the tension rise, Sally shifts closer to Piper and casts warning eyes at the two men.)

SD: Sherlock.

(Piper is smiling now. She looks at Sherlock with confidence, like she owns the world.)

SP: (loudly and with relish) Mr. Holmes. Why. In the hell. Would I kill my husband?

(He fixes her with his intense silver eyes.)

S: Simple, Mrs. Piper. Your children. (John’s heart skips a beat when Piper’s eyes flash red.) You vividly demonstrated your protective nature when I accused your son and clearly intend to participate in your daughter’s wedding. When is it again? Later this month? You were going to disappear with your husband in mere days and yet, you went to a dress fitting this morning before the police informed you that your husband was dead. You knew your husband was going to die before the wedding so, despite your departure having been planned for weeks, you never bothered to cancel the fitting. Or any other fitting.

(Sylvia Piper has stopped smiling and Sally is beginning to agree with the detective.)

S: And then there’s the burn on your wrist. The burn that our good doctor noticed.

(John’s eyes widen as what he noticed right off, and more or less ignored, suddenly clicks into place. His gaze goes to Piper’s wrist and then up to her face.)

J: It’s a freezer burn.

(The large room fills with an uneasy silence.)

S: A freezer burn. You bumped into something in the freezer. I’m guessing a shelf, based upon its shape and size. In any case, it seals your fate.

(Piper stares at Sherlock with furious daggers. She looks as though she wants to lash out and wrap her fingers around his neck, but also seems to know there is no point in doing so.)

SP: I have never been involved in Alan’s illegal business. For years, I ignored it and continued to as he built his mafia empire when we came to London. I finally chose to rail against it as the risks became undoubtedly more dangerous. He ignored me. And then he tells me that WE have to leave forever. He didn’t care about Julia’s wedding. She is the child of my first marriage. Alan was just happy to have Joel take over his legacy and didn’t care if he never saw his own son again. But my children are everything to me and they were to disappear from my life because communicating with us would give away Alan’s location. (She shakes her head.) No. I won’t give them up. Not for anything. Yes, I killed my husband, Mr. Holmes, and I’m not sorry.

(After a moment, Sally lightly touches the woman’s arm.)

SD: If you’ll come with me, Mrs. Piper. I’m placing you under arrest for the murder of Alan Piper.

SP: Of course.

(Sally cuffs Piper and reads her rights as she leads her away. Sherlock and John watch until the two women are out the door. John lets out a long breath and scrubs his hands through his hair.)

J: God, that was refreshing. Seems like forever since we could just work a case. No danger, no risks, no hospital. Just an honest case.

S: Donovan shouldn’t need us for the report. She was right here the whole time.

J: (brows raised) I wouldn’t say that, but I’m sure she won’t really expect us at the Yard until tomorrow. Do you have something in mind?

S: I have some things to do this afternoon, but I thought dinner at Angelo’s around seven?

J: (a corner of his mouth quirking upward) Sounds wonderful.

*                        *                        *                         *

(Among other things, Sherlock pays a visit to Mycroft before going to dinner with John. He strides into his brother’s office and sits. Mycroft looks up from a file he is reading and raises a sarcastic eyebrow.)

S: New carpet.

M: Well, after getting so much blood on the last one…

S: Indeed. Unfortunate business.

M: (with an impatient smile) To what do I owe the pleasure of your company, brother mine?

A: How is Molly? (Mycroft looks at him blankly.) I haven’t been to Bart’s in some time.

M: Ah. (a long puase while he lays the file on the desk) She’s good. Perfect, in fact.

S: Good, good. (He shifts in his chair, clearly uncomfortable with the line of conversation. Mycroft sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose.)

M: Sherlock, what do you want?

S: Are you happy? The two of you?

(Mycroft’s eyes widen as he hears his younger brother’s questions. He knows the curiosity is not so much about his and Molly’s happiness as it is how he feels about what Sherlock has identified as diminished mental capacity.)

M: I am the same as I ever was, Sherlock. My sharpness has not changed. (He pauses as his brother frowns.) I make different decisions now and someday when Molly and I are parents, (Sherlock’s jaw drops) my decisions will change again. I don’t regret loving Molly and I never will. Do you honestly believe you will ever regret your feelings for John?

S: (without hesitation) No.

(A moment of silence follows. Mycroft straightens his spine and leans forward to meet Sherlock’s eyes with an almost dangerous sincerity.)

M: If you repeat this, I will deny it and make your life a living hell.

S: And that is different from now in what way?

M: (sighing) I was…wrong about sentiment. (Sherlock blinks very slowly and briefly wonders if he hit his head on something.) It certainly cannot rule over logic, but…there is a place for it. It will make you stronger, Sherlock. John has made you stronger. (He sighs again.) He always will.

(The two men study one another. A sense of ease passes between them and a truce is struck without words. Sherlock’s mouth quirks into a small smile. He rises from his chair and turns to leave.)

S: I know.

*                 *                    *                        *

(Sherlock and John share a spectacular meal at Angelo’s. John tucks into his favorite of prawn linguine and Sherlock actually eats all of his veal parmigiana. Angelo insists on a candle for added romance, as usual, and brings them a bottle of John’s favorite wine.

The two men laugh and talk and remember past cases. Neither one wants the evening to end, so John concedes quickly when Sherlock suggests they share dessert. However, the atmosphere changes as they eat a tiramisu. John grows thoughtful and quiet, not laughing as easily when Sherlock makes jokes or tells amusing stories. When only a portion of John’s half of the dessert remains, Sherlock places his fork next to the dessert plate and leans forward with his elbows on the table.)

S: What’s troubling you, John?

J: Hm? Oh, I was just thinking about the case. Sylvia Piper and her children. They really were the center of her world.

S: Indeed. Worth killing for.

J: Right. (putting down his own fork and looking at his flatmate with a hesitant expression) Do you think you’ll ever feel that way? I mean, not… I mean, do you have any interest in being a father? (Sherlock opens his mouth, but John quickly cuts him off.) Not right now, obviously. There’s so much…but one day.

(Sherlock covers John’s hand where it lays on the table and gives it an affectionate squeeze.)

S: Of course. I would love to raise a child with you. (John’s eyes widen.) One day.

J: Me? (He jerks his hand away and straightens his spine, jaw clenching.)

S: (hesitantly) I thought such a plan would be to your liking. Am I wrong?

J: (angrily) It’s just an odd statement coming from a man who doesn’t want his relationship to evolve.

(Sherlock presses his lips together in a straight line. His mind quickly processes in search of the best way to express himself. This dinner is so much more than his proposal. He must undo the damage he has done with his foolishness before he can get to that. He knew he had hurt John terribly. His perpetual sadness attests to that, but Sherlock hadn’t a taste of John’s anger until now.)

S: I’m sorry I have hurt you.

J: (quickly) I know that, Sherlock. I just…I can’t…

(His eyes clamp shut as if in physical pain. He curls his lips inward.)

S: John…

(Sherlock begins, but is silenced when John’s hands are suddenly on the table, his eyes open. John begins to stand. Sherlock doesn’t know what he should say, but he knows what he wants to say and he must say it now before John turns and walks out of the restaurant.

He leaps to his feet and wraps his fingers around the smaller man’s arms. Both speak at the same time.)

J: I have to leave.

S: Don’t go.

(John’s furious and hurt eyes raise up to Sherlock’s face and see that he is pleading like never before.)

S: Please, John, just let me explain.

(Fuming and heartbroken, but unable to deny this man anything, John gets his arms free and sits again. He stares down at the table, his forearms folded on it in front of his body. Sherlock licks his lips and seats himself. He is leaning forward, elbows on the table so he can gesture with his hands. He takes in a deep breath and swallows. Sherlock cannot lose this man. This beautiful, kind, perfect man must be his forever. His eyes widen as that concept suddenly becomes a very real possibility. White, hot panic spreads through his mind. Oh, god. I can’t lose John. He exhales slowly to calm himself.)

S: I thought you were a weakness. That you would make me less objective, dull my senses. And I accepted that. Then Magnussen nearly killed you. (His eyes have a far away look.) I was so angry and scared. I lashed out at the easiest target and convinced myself that Mycroft was to blame, and that his love for Molly weakened him. (Focusing on John again, whose eyes are still on the table. His left hand clenching and flexing.) I was wrong. God, John, I was such a fool.

(John’s head snaps up. When their eyes meet, Sherlock uses his to give John all the love in his heart. Wishing, wanting to sweep his doctor up into his arms. Sherlock wets his own lips and continues.)

S: You have never been my weakness. You make me stronger, better. A better man, a better detective, a better… You make my mind clear and sharp. Just having you at a crime scene helps to center me and your expertise is invaluable.

J: (jaw still tight) And what about my sentiment? (his eyes bore into Sherlock) What about yours?

(An unexpected tear trickles from Sherlock’s eye. He had not realized his eyes were even filling, and now that he knows, he is not embarrassed.)

S: (without missing a beat) Priceless. (He swallows. His expression is completely open. He has nothing to hide.) I used to think being human made me weak. I tried to be as much like a machine as possible. As much like Mycroft as I could because he was efficient and intelligent, and he convinced me the lack of sentiment was the best sentiment.

(John keeps his eyes locked on Sherlock’s, waiting for the moment when the detective back-pedals and takes his place behind a curtain of apathy. John’s fury boils over as he just waits for the expected and yet, a part of him understands. How many times did he have to guard his emotions and keep his distance in the army? He would’ve been destroyed otherwise.

But he let some people in. And that’s what infuriates John. Sherlock resisted for years. They both did. But then he let John in, only to push him away after the ordeal with Magnussen. When Sherlock made it clear that he didn’t want to marry John now or ever, John had quickly made the decision to accept it. He knew he could never give up Sherlock, but found that living it was something else entirely. The pain, the sadness, the anger was almost unbearable. If Sherlock starts this, he has to finish it. Or John will have to. He will have to leave Baker Street and Sherlock. His life.

Suddenly John can’t listen anymore. He can’t hear those words. He can’t make that decision. Not now.)

J: Sherlock. Sherlock, I can’t. I can’t do this. I can’t… (With tears in his eyes, John makes to stand, but his desperate flatmate grasps his wrists and crushes them on the table between them. John opens his mouth to protest.) Let go of me.

S: (intensely quiet, his eyes like silver flames) I love you. I am yours forever. With you, I am happy. I am complete. You make me human, John, and my humanity is the key I have always been missing. The one I have always searched for. Emotion, sentiment, caring. They are not defects found on the losing side. They are not disadvantages. They are… You are everything. You have given me everything.

(John is speechless. He stares at the man, wide-eyed as Sherlock gently releases his wrists. His hands glide to his suit coat and he pulls the ring box from his breast pocket. He delicately opens it and places it on the table before John.

John’s eyes are wider than they have ever been, his jaw slack with shock. Sherlock cups John’s hands in his own and looks deeply into his glorious, shining blue eyes.)

S: John, will you marry me?

(Air catches in John’s throat in a breathless gasp and tears fall down his cheeks. His voice is barely a whisper.)

J: Yes. Oh god, yes.

(Sherlock’s heart skips a beat. He quickly pulls the ring from the box and gets to his feet beside the table. John follows suit and stands up in front of him. They gaze at one another with wide eyes, unable to believe they are here and this is really happening. Eye contact is only broken when the tall man looks down at John’s hands and takes his left in his own, palm down. Sherlock slowly, gently slides the ring on John’s ring finger. It looks perfect on the tanned finger, glistening in the dim light of the restaurant.)

(John’s eyes move away from the ring and slowly climb Sherlock’s torso until he meets his lover’s eyes once more. No, not lover. Fiance. Sherlock’s silver eyes sparkle down at John and he smiles brightly. Unable to contain it, John grins like an idiot. He touches Sherlock’s button-down, feeling the firm body beneath his fingertips. As if of their own volition, John’s hands slide up Sherlock’s body until the detective’s face is cupped in them. Sherlock’s arms are around John, his long fingers resting on the small of his back. Their lips come together quietly and move in a way that tells the two men they were always meant to touch and caress one another. John opens his just a little and nibbles Sherlock’s luscious lower lip. Sherlock smiles against the doctor’s mouth as the tip of a tongue deftly glides over said lip.)

S: (his eyes still closed, his deep voice a delicate whisper) I love you, John.

(Before John can answer, they hear a throat clearing that is unmistakably Angelo. They separate enough to put an inch or two between their bodies. John drops his hands and Sherlock releases the smaller man’s waist in favor of holding a hand. The two men turn toward Angelo.

With an apology for their display already forming on his lips, Sherlock begins to speak only to stop when he sees Angelo’s face. It is not one of irritation or embarrassment, but one of excited anticipation. Glancing at John and then back to the proprietor, Sherlock smiles genuinely.)

S: My dear friend, you are the first to know that John and I are engaged.

Angelo: (throwing his hands up) Oh! Oh, Sherlock, I am so happy! (He throws his arms around the slender man and squeezes tightly.) You, who have been my friend all these years. (Releasing him and putting a hand on John’s shoulder.) And you… (enveloping him in a bear hug, John lets out a little gasp) You make him so happy. I have always wanted that for Sherlock. Ever since he cleared me of going to prison.

(Angelo mercifully releases John, who can finally breath normally, and takes a step back to look at them. Sherlock looks mater-of-fact, but friendly.)

S: You still went to prison.

Angelo: Eh. (shrugging, his smile broadening) But not for as long.

(Angelo insists they share a toast and they talk at length. The jolly man manages to tell some embarrassing stories about the world’s only consulting detective that John hasn’t heard before. When the duo finally leaves the restaurant and gets into a cab for home, it is after midnight.

John’s eyes fall to where he holds hands with his fiance and he lets out a contented sigh. Two of Sherlock’s fingers stroke John’s gently. John raises his gaze to see the detective smiling at him. When their eyes meet, the smile slowly fades. Sherlock’s eyes grow increasingly intense and heated. His expression is quickly that of a man who has stripped John bare, hungry and inflamed. John swallows and suddenly the cab can’t get to Baker Street fast enough.)      

#Sherlock Holmes #Sherlock #sherlockholmes #sherlock loves john #johnwatson #johnlock #John loves Sherlock #sherlock fanfic #proposal

[heyyyharry]

can you make a blurb when the flatmates aren't together yet then y/n didn't come home without any texts and harry is super worrie thank youuuu!! LOOOOVE UR STORIES AND THE IG POSTS TOO!! ❤❤

THANK YOU FOR LOVING THESE STORIES!

Another anon: Can you do A pre- relationship angst flatmate blurb and ending it with fluff pls? 🥺🥺

Yes, yes I can.

.

“Jesus Christ!” Y/N screamed as she turned away from the naked couple on the couch, who hurriedly covered themselves up with the first things they could reach. “Oh God! Please just—God! Have sex in your room next time please!“

“What are you doing here?!” 

“I live here, asshole!” Y/N cried out. With her eyes closed, she slowly turned back to them and only dared to peek through the gap between her fingers when Harry told her it was safe to look.

Her flatmate and the girl she’d never met before were now sitting on two ends of the couch, as if they hadn’t been fucking like rabbits just a minute ago.

“I thought you were babysitting,” Harry mumbled, his face, neck and chest were flushed. And Y/N was trying her best not to pay too much attention to the pillow he was using to cover up his—God, she couldn’t even think of the word without blushing!

“Jamie’s mum got home early,” she said, eyes on the girl who didn’t seem to give a damn that she’d just been caught having sex. The gorgeous brunette casually leaned back, sitting with her long legs crossed while wearing Harry’s oversized t-shirt. Just like all the girls Harry had brought back to their place, this one was beautiful. Y/N assumed she knew she was beautiful, so she started sizing Y/N up and cracked a condescending smirk as if ‘ugly and insecure’ was carved on Y/N’s forehead. She made Y/N feel guilty. But why? Y/N wondered. She shouldn't be feeling guilty for walking into the place she paid to live in!

Taking a deep breath, she calmly told Harry, “you know what? Just...continue. I'll be in my room with my headphones on.”

And then, without waiting for a response, knowing she wouldn’t get one anyway, Y/N rushed into the kitchen to grab some snacks so she could just hide on her room and skip dinner to avoid awkward conversations.

The girl thought Y/N had gone into her room and couldn't hear her so she ‘whispered’ to Harry, “can we just lock her out next time?”

“Just...ignore her,” was his replied.

Y/N didn’t expect Harry Styles of all people to say something nice about her, but...”ignore her”?! Really?!

Ignore me?! In my flat?! While you’re fucking someone on my couch?!

Infuriated, Y/N stormed out of the kitchen, straight to her room and slammed the door to make sure those two knew she'd overheard them. Jokes on them, she thought, I’ll be the one to ignore them!

Though Y/N kept telling herself that, she ended up crying anyway.

.

.

.

Harry felt guilty.

Very guilty.

He wasn’t sure if Y/N had heard what he’d said, but he assumed she had because she had skipped dinner and been giving him the silent treatment. He thought he kind of deserved it, but that didn’t mean he could live with it.

What was worse was that, she didn’t even want to sit near him in class and continued to not acknowledge his existence for the rest of the day on campus. At first he’d told himself that it was no big deal and she would talk to him again that night. He had deliberately forgotten to take out the trash and she would definitely yell at him when she saw the trash bag lying by the kitchen door. It was stupid. But he’d rather have her yell at him and call him names than have her ignore him this way.

And so he sat on the couch, switching his eyes between the clock on the wall and the front door. Soon two hours had gone by. His flatmate should’ve returned already for she’d never been out this late without telling him.

Harry told himself to stay calm, but he was gripping his knees and tapping his foot uncontrollably. The last time he’d been like this was during the exam season and he’d consumed too much caffeine to stay energized, which kind of backfired. Now his stomach was on fire, and the next thing he knew, he was pacing back and forth in the living room, staring at his phone. Should he text her? Would that give away how worried he was? Maybe he should wait five minutes more. But what if something bad had happened to his Y/N? Oh God, a lot of things could happen in the next five minutes. He would regret for the rest of his life if something bad happened to his Y/N.

What was more concerning than the fact that his inner voice was referring to her as ‘his’, was these negative thoughts making him feel like dying. He gripped the phone with both hands, his breath was shaky. Okay, maybe just one text. With trembling fingers, he started typing.

Hey, where are you?

Sent.

Now, he waited.

And waited...

And—

Y/N, this isn’t funny. Where are you?

Sent.

When are you coming back?

Sent.

Hey, text me back.

Sent.

I’m sorry.

Sent.

I’ve learned my lesson. Please come back...

Deleting...

I’ve learned my lesson.

Sent.

After about...ten more messages without a single reply, he collapsed on the couch, breathing heavily as if he’d just come back from a long run. He kneaded his forehead and reread all the texts he’d sent and his heart was pounding as he waited for the word read to pop up.

But he got nothing.

Frustrated, tired, angry. He called her phone, only to get more frustrated, more tired and angrier as he found out she’d put it on airplane mode again. “To save battery,” she had said.

Well, goddamn it, Y/N! How am I supposed to rescue you now?!

Just as he felt like he would scream, the doorbell shot him up on his feet. In a flash, he got to the door and pulled it open, face lit up with joy.

But then his smile fell.

It wasn’t her.

It was the girl he’d hooked up with yesterday.

“Hey, I was visiting a friend near here and thought I should come over,” she said and instantly noticed his frown. “Um...you’re not happy to see me?”

“This is not a good time, actually.”

“Is your annoying flatmate bothering you again?”

“You’re bothering me.”

The girl chuckled as she thought she’d misheard him, or at least he’d said it by accident. However, the stern look on his face let her know he was serious. She crossed her arms, her jaw dropped. “Excuse me?”

Harry didn’t even bother to come up with an excuse to not let her in. At the moment, he was so mad he could punch a hole through this door. He just wanted Y/N here and make him feel better.

“Sorry. You shouldn’t be here when Y/N comes back. And do not call her annoying.”

“Wait, what?”

“Goodbye,” was all he said before slamming the door. He stood with his back against the door, panting, and waiting for the sound of footsteps to fade away.

“Okay, calm the fuck down, asshole,” he told himself with a harsh breath, shaking his head. “If you were Y/N, where would you g—“

A strong force pushed the door open, nearly knocking him to the ground, but a hand pulled him back just in time.

“Jesus Christ! Are you okay?” Y/N asked as she held his arms and steadied him on his feet. “Why were you standing at the door I—“

Not letting her finish, he grabbed her face and squeezed it so her lips puckered up like a fish. She tried to push him away, but he didn’t budge. His brows were snapped together as he turned her head to the left and then to the right, up and down. “Are you hurt? Who took you home? Where were you?!”

“What’s wrong with you?!” She smacked him on the arm and he released her instantly. “God, I just ran into Jamie’s mum on the way home and she took me shopping!”

“So you’re okay?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?” Chuckling, she raised an eyebrow at him. “Wait...Did you think something bad happen to me?”

“No! I was just—“

“Let me check my phone.”

“No—“ Harry tried to snatch the device from Y/N’s hand but she was quick to push his face away and dashed toward the couch. Not giving up, he chased after her, seized her elbow and they fell down onto the couch, fighting for the phone.

“Fifteen messages from The Most Obnoxious Human Being.”

“Hey, stop it! Do not read those!”

“Oh my god, you’re obsessed with me!” Y/N burst out laughing and flopped down on her back,squinting her eyes to read the texts but he was making it so difficult by holding both of her wrists, pinning her down. When the phone slipped through her fingers and dropped onto the floor, neither of them reached for it. They both stilled, eyes locked, lips just inches apart. Harry was lying right on top of her and time was frozen for that one moment until...

“Ouch! Fuck!”

...she pushed him off the couch.

“What is wrong with you?!” He groaned, rubbing the sore spot on his back and pushing himself up on the floor.

“What is wrong with you?” Y/N snapped. “What do you want? You want me gone or not? Make up your mind!”

“Why would I want you gone?!”

“So you could fuck whoever you want on this—“ She cringed at the couch and stood up quickly. So did he. Once again, they were face to face, both gasping for air.

Y/N held his gaze for a while and then lowered her voice, “am I annoying you?”

“No, of course not...” he said, frowning. “I was...Look, I’m not very smart—“

“You are though.”

“No, I’m not.” He chuckled, thinking it was cute how in the middle of their fight she still felt the need to reassure him. “I’m not talking about school...I just...um I say stupid things all the time. I didn’t...didn’t mean what I said yesterday. I’m sorry.”

She batted her lashes at him but didn’t say a word. So he went on, “I was very worried. I almost went out to look for you.”

“Sorry...” Y/N sighed as she looked at her feet. “I should’ve told you.”

“It’s okay...just...don’t do that to me again. It was scary.”

“What was?” she asked innocently.

“I thought I lost you or something.”

Harry only realized he’d said that aloud when he saw her reaction. She was startled and speechless and she was...blushing. He thought he would feel embarrassed for letting those words slip, but she looked so cute right now that he could only smile.

And so he took a step back, if he hadn’t, he might have done something even stupider, like grab her face and...kiss her.

“I’m just gonna—“ he blurted, pointing his thumb over his shoulder. “I’m gonna take out the trash.”

“Wait, you haven’t taken out the trash?”

Oh shit, here we go again.

“I’ve reminded you to take out the trash since Monday and now it’s Friday and you still—“

Would it be better if he just shut her up with a kiss?

Smirking at the thought, Harry shook his head as if to answer his own question.

“—you’re lucky you’re living with me! If you were living alone then you’d be swimming in trash right now! Will you ever be a responsible adult?!”

“Okay, okay, I get it. I’m doing it now.” He snorted, rolled his eyes and walked away, leaving the girl, once again, flustered and annoyed.

#flatmate!harry #flatmate talk #flatmate blurbs #harry styles drabbles #harry styles fluff #harry styles one shot #harry styles one shots #harry styles #harry styles blurb #harry styles angst

[winryofresembool]

Things We Lost in the Fire, ch 24

aka Caleo uni au

Fic summary: Calypso starts studying at a new university, but to her annoyance her new flatmate is a loud mouthed mechanic who also likes to sneak his dog in whenever. But as she learns to know him better, she realizes they might have more in common than what she first thought. Eventually, even the darkest secrets come out…

Chapter summary: Halloween chapter, part 2.

A/N: Yay, an update! I think some of you are gonna be happy about the characters that are being introduced in this chapter... Also lots of Caleo dorkiness (and canon references) in it! And you'll get to see if you were right with your costume guesses :D

Also like I already mentioned last week, this is the last chapter that I have written so far (when I started posting this fic I tried to make sure I'd have at least 7 chapters ready so I wouldn't have to stress about deadlines... and here we are now) so it is possible that updates may slow down a bit, at least if the chapter wants to become long. But I am still /trying/ to keep up with the regular updates the best I can :) So worry not!

Now, enjoy and let me know what you think!! Ps. somehow we’ve managed to pass 50k words already :O

Words: 4040

Genre: romance & hurt/comfort

Warnings: none

previous chapter / AO3

…

“Hi, you guys!” Piper, who was dressed as Wonder Woman, greeted Leo and Calypso first when they arrived, gesturing for them to come in.

“Hello! I was afraid Argo II had decided to stop working because you guys are late,” Jason the Superman noted as he offered to take Calypso’s coat and put it in a hanger by the door.

“I’m not going to lie to you, Jason, that possibility did cross my mind as well,” Calypso said, casting Leo a meaningful look. “But no, not this time.”

“We’re only 10 minutes late!” Leo protested, checking the time from his phone. “I was busy finishing something… and Calypso took her time preparing herself as well. She probably did her wig for like two hours.” He gave her a not so serious side-eye.

“I did not!” Calypso said defensively. “Yeah, I straightened and combed and braided it but that took me maybe 15-20 minutes so he is highly exaggerating.”

“Don’t worry, Calypso, we know he does that a lot.” Piper smiled at her reassuringly. “Speaking of your wig, though, you look very cute! That hair reminds me of the style you had before my makeover. You’re dressed as the mythology Calypso, right?”

“Yes, I am,” Calypso said, pleased that Piper had figured that out so fast. “I thought it would be fun to be a bit self ironic for once. I haven’t really had a good reason to sew recently so this was a nice excuse to do that as well.” She made a small twirl to show the dress better.

“That dress really looks great!” Piper told her. “I would gladly commission you to sew me clothes; it’s so hard to find anything nice from the clothes stores these days. But Leo.” She turned back to him. “I see someone hasn’t bothered to get a costume. I wasn’t expecting that from you because you’re always so excited about them.”

“No, you got it all wrong.” Leo wagged his finger at her. “I do have it here, but as I told Cal, it would have been too difficult to wear in the car.” He dropped his bag on the floor, causing a loud thud as it hit the ground.

“Alright. Care to give us any hint what it is?” Piper asked curiously. “Seems heavy.” Calypso wondered if this was something they did every year.

“I’m just saying that it’s inspired by some movies that united us three,” Leo noted mysteriously. “But that’s all, you’ll see soon!”

“My mind is blank now,” Piper said. “Jason, what movies have we watched with him?”

“The first one that comes to my mind is Star Wars,” Jason reminded her. Suddenly both Jason and Piper’s eyes widened in realization. “Could it be?”

“Oh no, Leo you didn’t!” Piper doubled over in laughter when it occurred to her what Leo’s costume most likely was. “I can’t wait to see this!”

“I hope you took pictures with Festus!” Jason couldn’t keep his poker face either, and Calypso watched their reactions with confusion.

“Don’t worry, I will show them later.” Leo grinned, unperplexed by Jason and Piper’s laughter. “Now, where can I change?”

Piper showed him an empty room where he could get into his costume in peace, while Calypso started looking around the house on her own. Even though the place seemed rather fancy, Jason and Piper had managed to make it cozier with their personal objects. A lot of them had seen life and were worn but somehow they still fit in with the newer decorations.

As Calypso reached the living room, her focus went to the guests who had already arrived at the party. She waved at Annabeth and nodded awkwardly to Percy. Even though she and Annabeth were friends again, she wasn’t quite sure how she should act near Percy so ‘reserved’ felt the most natural reaction. She couldn’t help but smile a bit, though, when she registered their costumes: Annabeth had a Chiton just like her, although grey instead of white, with some silvery accessories and a beautiful owl shaped brooch over her chest. Perhaps the most impressive part of her costume was the Greek styled helmet that was used in battles and that hid most of Annabeth’s curly ponytail. Calypso was quite certain she was dressed as Athena, the Greek goddess that according to her was the one she identified herself the most with. Percy on the other hand was wearing sandals, shorts, a tropical shirt, and a belt with fishing equipment and he was holding a fishing rod in his hand. Calypso couldn’t quite figure out who he was supposed to be, other than some sort of fisherman.

“Hi,” Calypso greeted them as she got to hearing distance with them. “You guys look nice. You’re Athena, right?” She asked Annabeth. “Matches my theme, don’t you think?”

“Sure does,” Annabeth nodded, eyeing Calypso’s costume. “You look pretty much exactly like how I imagine the mythology Calypso.”

“Thank you. Coming from you it’s a big compliment.” She turned Percy. “I can’t figure out who you are, though. You don’t seem like a Greek god?”

“I am, though,” Percy replied. “I’m Poseidon.”

“Ooh, so that’s why the fishing gear!” Calypso realized. “But I don’t think the Greeks had tropical shirts quite yet.”

“No, you’re right in that.” Percy shook his head, smiling a bit. “But I’m basing this on the version in the Peter Johnson series. That’s how he was described in it.”

“I didn’t know you have read that too,” Calypso said, “But makes sense. Um, the Poseidon and Athena of the mythology hated each other, though. Not that it’s really my business, but I hope you two are doing fine…?” She asked a bit nervously, not wanting to be the reason for their issues.

“Oh yeah, we are,” Percy confirmed immediately. “It’s just an old joke – back when Annabeth and I were reading the Peter Johnson books I used to say Poseidon is my godly parent and Athena Annabeth’s, and that just kind of stuck with us.”

“Alright.” Calypso accepted Percy’s answer, turning her attention back to Annabeth. “By the way, where did you get that helmet? It definitely looks fancier than most of the plastic ones you see at costume shops.”

“My father collects these things,” Annabeth answered, lifting the helmet from her head for a moment. “I’ve told you he’s also a historian, right? Well, one of his friends wanted to make a replica of the ancient Greek helmets with some modern machines and dad bought this from him. I’m not saying this is 100 per cent accurate but it looks pretty cool, in my opinion.”

“It does,” Calypso confirmed.

“You came with Leo, right?” Percy asked then, to which Calypso nodded. “Where is he? I can’t wait to see his costume; he usually goes for something that is way over the top. Last year he was Hiccup from How to Train your Dragon and he had made a Toothless costume for his dog. I’ve also seen pics of him as Iron Man. Yes, with a full iron costume.”

“I can believe that of him,” Calypso chuckled, imagining Leo in the said costume. “He just went to change into his costume because apparently he couldn’t drive in it. He didn’t reveal what he was going to be, but it does sound like something extravagant.”

“I missed his costume last year but I’ll be sure to have a camera ready when he shows up this time,” Annabeth said happily. Calypso was relieved that the conversation was going this well; she hadn’t known what to expect beforehand because this was the first time she was in the same room with Percy since the ‘incident’. Talking with him now, though, made her realize that holding a grudge wouldn’t be smart and he seemed to think the same way.

“I just realized,” Calypso decided to change the topic, “that I’ve never heard the story of how you guys know Jason and Piper. So how did that happen?”

“It’s a funny story,” Percy started, smiling at the memory. “Jason and I used to be the captains of rivaling soccer teams when we were around 16. Well, one time Jason’s team was visiting us but we were playing in an arena that had just been renovated so I hadn’t been there before. I may have been a bit late from our team meeting and I was a bit lost so I decided to ask one staff lady where I was supposed to go. Somehow she got our teams mixed up and I ended up in the locker room of Jason’s team. Some of Jason’s teammates said that my expression was worth seeing when I realized the mistake but I dunno about that. The funny thing was that somehow the same thing had happened to Jason; he had also been late for the meeting because of traffic or something and he had gotten into my team’s locker room. Well, after the game we had a good laugh about it together and ended up talking about other stuff as well and noticed we have a lot in common. That’s how we became friends. When we moved into the same town, we started training together at least a few times a week.”

“Piper and I didn’t learn to know each other until Jason and she started dating a couple of years ago and they invited Percy to some party where I went with him. To be honest, I was a bit suspicious about her at first because we seemed very different but eventually we learned to respect each other’s qualities. And here we are,” Annabeth added.

“Those are some cool stories,” Calypso said. “It seems like a funny coincidence that somehow we all ended up in this city even though most of us are from somewhere else. Like Leo is from Texas, I am from Greece…” “Speaking of him,” Annabeth had to muffle his laughter with her hand, “I believe we are finally getting some answers about his costume.”

“Oh… my gods” was all Calypso could say when she turned to the direction Annabeth was looking at. “You’re really something else.”

Leo was completely hidden inside his costume, but Calypso could practically hear him grinning at their reactions. The costume looked very much like in the movies; golden (just painted, not real gold, because there was no way Leo could afford something like that) plating forming a droid with big round eyes and an ability to speak lots and lots of different languages: C-3PO from Star Wars.

“Holy shit, dude, that looks so real.” Percy gaped at Leo. “I’m starting to understand why you spent so much time in your room the past few weeks.”

“Why C-3PO, though?” Calypso asked once she managed to put her poker face back on. “Does that have some story behind it?”

“Because, duh, it looks cool!” Leo exclaimed with a mechanical voice from inside his costume. “I dunno, ever since I first saw C-3PO as a kid I thought it would be cool to be able to build something like that. And hey, his ability to translate like all the possible languages is pretty neat. Me? I just know 3.”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable in there, though?” Calypso asked. “That thing must be heavy.”

“Sunshine, I’m always uncomfortable. But this was a childhood dream of mine so I sure as heck am not backing off now,” Leo said with determination.

“A stubborn one, aren’t you?” Calypso stated. “Even I have to admit, though, that you have certainly done some thorough job with it. Hey, I should take photos before I forget! You don’t get to see this every day.”

The others dug their phones up as well and for a while Leo just made silly poses while they took pictures, clearly enjoying the attention his costume got. Eventually he started demanding that Calypso should join him for the photos but she was a bit hesitant at first.

Leo argued: “Come on. Greek mythology meets Star Wars? You don’t see a crossover like that every day.”

“Can’t argue with that, I suppose,” Calypso said and went next to him. “Well, do we have some kind of story for Calypso and C-3PO’s meeting?” she asked as Percy and Annabeth waved at them to look at the camera.

Leo considered her question for a moment. “Oh, how about this? C-3PO somehow ends up on Calypso’s island - because duh, Calypso is cursed so she can’t leave the island…”

“You seem to know surprisingly much about Greek mythology, just saying…” Calypso noted while trying to smile for the photos, resting her hand on the metallic shoulder.

“I told ya, Sunshine, you can blame tía Callida for that…” Leo reminded her. “Anyway, I imagine those two don’t really like each other at first because they’re so different but eventually they learn to respect each other’s skills; C-3PO can translate basically any language and Calypso is good at all kinds of handiworks, which is hard for a droid.”

“And? What happens after that?” Calypso asked curiously.

Leo considered it for a moment. “C-3PO doesn’t really wanna leave Calypso’s island but he has galaxies to save with his friend R2-D2 so he has to go but he promises to come get her afterwards.”

“Aw, Leo, that is kind of sweet,” Calypso commented, suddenly aware of the metal arm that had snuck around her waist. “Does he… does he ever return, though? Shouldn’t that be impossible?”

“For a human, maybe, but he’s a droid,” Leo noted. “Unfortunately during a big battle he blows up badly but the ever so faithful R2-D2 collects the pieces and finds someone who can rebuild him again. And boom, he makes it back and lives happily ever after with his goddess.”

“What’s the term you use when you enjoy a fictional relationship a lot?” Calypso asked. “Shipping?” Annabeth nodded at her. “I don’t know, Leo, to me it sounds like you ship those two. Isn’t that a bit weird?” “What, why would that be weird? I’ve seen people ship…”

“I see these two have gotten into a full on nerd mode again,” Annabeth said quietly to Percy while they were waiting for the flatmates to stop their bickering so they’d be able to take the photos. “Not projecting themselves into their characters, right?”

“No, definitely not,” Percy agreed.

Eventually Leo and Calypso stopped bickering and Annabeth was able to take the pictures. Even if Leo was mostly hidden by his costume, Calypso felt a bit self conscious about the fact that these were the first photos of them together. They did a few goofy poses because Annabeth and Percy told them to, but Calypso thought she probably looked more embarrassed than funny in them.

Once they were done, Leo went to Annabeth who was going through the photos and bowed his head a bit to see them better. “Hey, these do look pretty cool! It’s probably just the lighting but here you look like you’re blushing to some funny comment C-3PO made.”

“Show me!” Calypso yelped nervously and took the phone from Annabeth. When she saw it, she could immediately tell Leo was not wrong; she really was blushing. “Yeah, it’s definitely those candles in the background that do it… And I think it’s pretty warm in here, maybe all the people here heat this room…”

“OK, if you say so,” Leo said but Calypso imagined that he was looking at her suspiciously through his costume.

Trying to get the others’ attention to something else, she said: “So, who else has arrived so far?”

“Nico and Will. I think they went to get some snacks from the dining room,” Piper, who had just entered the room, answered.

“Leo told me that Nico is Jason’s relative, but what about Will?” Calypso asked her.

“Will is Nico’s boyfriend. This is the first time we’re meeting him but they seem very good together. At least he seems to have a grounding effect on Nico, and he actually listens to him, unlike most of us. Um, sorry, it’s a long story, one that I should probably save for another time. Nico may be a bit hard to approach sometimes but he is a very nice guy when you learn to know him. Just… been through a lot. I guess like many of us here. But he seems way happier now,” Piper said, and as if on cue, they could hear some distant laughter coming from the dining room.

“We should start a traumatized college kids’ club,” Leo attempted to joke, and the others hummed in agreement. Maybe she did belong to this group after all, Calypso thought. If only they knew, though…

“This just got cheerful,” Percy said, interrupting Calypso’s thought process. “Who’s up for blue candies? Get them before Will and Nico eat them all.”

“I heard that, Jackson!” Nico entered the room without a warning. “No offense to you or your mom but blue candies aren’t exactly my thing.”

“Hi, Nico,” Percy greeted him, seeming a bit flustered after Nico’s comment. “You haven’t met Calypso, right?” He pointed at her.

“No, I haven’t,” Nico took a quick look at her and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Alright, in that case, this is Calypso Astal. And Calypso, this is Nico di Angelo,” Percy introduced them to each other.

“Nice to meet you,” Calypso approached him, but he seemed to evaluate her for a moment before he took her hand.

“Likewise,” Nico said finally. “I think Jason has mentioned you a few times.”

“Oh. That’s nice,” Calypso said a bit unsurely, like every time she met a new person. The lonely years still had a toll on her, and even though she liked spending time with her friends, meeting new people was always a bit nerve wracking to her. “You’re his relative, right?”

“A distant cousin,” Nico answered. “Yeah, our fathers are related, but I have my mother’s last name and Jason has his.”

“I take it your mother has roots elsewhere, based on the last name?” Calypso asked.

“She was Italian,” Nico shrugged. “I lived there my first years too. But now I can barely remember those times.”

Calypso noticed the use of past tense, but she thought it was probably better to not ask about that in the middle of a party. “Oh. I’ve been to Italy a few times. I’m originally from Greece.”

“What brought you here, then?” Nico asked.

“Dad’s work,” Calypso responded in a tone that told everyone she wouldn’t elaborate on that topic more. It seemed to have become a habit to her.

“Anyway,” Leo, who had managed to stay quiet for a surprisingly long amount of time in Calypso’s opinion, stepped forward and cleared his throat. “Nico, a little bird told me,” he looked at Jason, “that your boyfriend is a Star Wars geek. Is that true?”

Nico took one look at Leo’s costume and his mouth twitched when he realized why Leo was asking. “He is, but don’t let him get started on it, or else he will never stop. Besides, he’s not my boyfriend, I prefer calling him…”

“A significant nuisance?” Will showed up from the dining room, carrying a plate full of food. “Don’t mind him, he just warms up a bit slow.”

“Yes, this is Will,” Nico sighed, addressing those who hadn’t met them before. “Sometimes he’s a nuisance, sometimes he can be quite OK. When he’s having a good day.”

“Same back at you, dear,” Will laughed. “Did I hear someone mention Star Wars, though?”

“You did,” Leo said, stepping forward so Will could see his costume better. Needless to say, Will looked beyond thrilled.

“Oh boy, here we go again,” Nico said quietly before Will even had time to comment on the costume.

“Woah, that must be the best C-3PO costume I’ve seen. And yeah, I’ve seen a few so I don’t compliment you for nothing,” Will assured.

“Thanks, man, I did spend quite a while with it,” Leo said, high fiving Will. “Glad someone here appreciates good things.”

“I still hope you’re not one of those fans who have only seen the most recent movies and not the originals,” Will noted.

“Heck, no!” Leo exclaimed immediately. “The original three for the win! Mom and I used to watch them a lot… um, when I was little. She was a big fan. But the newer ones just don’t feel the same.” Calypso had a feeling Leo had almost said something else, but he had changed his phrasing at the last moment.

“You have a pretty good taste,” Will said approvingly. Then he finally realized he hadn’t even asked Leo and Calypso’s names before getting into the geek mode.

“So, who are you two? I already met Percy and Annabeth earlier but I don’t think I know you guys yet.”

“I’m Leo Valdez, and this is my, um, flatmate, Calypso Astal,” Leo introduced. Calypso hoped there was a better word to describe their relationship than a ‘flatmate’ but at the moment it was probably the best and the safest option there was.

“Flatmates, huh?” Will repeated. “How did that happen?”

“I was in a hurry to find a roof over my head so I put in the application that I also accept mixed flats,” Calypso replied. “I didn’t meet Leo beforehand because, um, that would have been a bit difficult to arrange in this case, but it worked out OK.” Calypso noticed Leo was looking at her from the corner of his eye, and she realized she had never even talked about that option before. The truth was that she had had to plan her leaving very thoroughly so her father wouldn’t notice and she had driven to Indianapolis as fast as possible, with no time for second guessing.

“And my flat happened to have a room free because our boy Jason decided to move in with Beauty Queen,” Leo added to that story. “It’s really no stranger than that.”

“Oh, right, someone must have mentioned that you and Jason used to be flatmates,” Will recalled. “I just didn’t connect the dots.”

Jason had apparently finished welcoming the rest of the guests because he joined the group in the living room. “That reminds me, I don’t think I’ve asked you, Calypso, if Leo still leaves his dishes undone and if he has empty milk cartons in the fridge.”

“He used to do that?” Calypso asked with amusement. “After seeing his room that’s not so hard to picture, but no, he’s been pretty tidy in the common area. Although one time he bribed me to do his dishes for him in exchange for some of his food.”

“It was a good deal!” Leo protested. “You didn’t have to cook and you also got to taste some Valdez’ sizzling hot quesadillas so I’d say it was a win-win. Besides, you didn’t seem to have anything against that.”

“Alright, I will admit the quesadillas were pretty good,” Calypso conceded. “But a true gentleman offers them without even asking. Well, other than that he’s been OK,” she told Jason with a playful twinkle in her eye.

“I guess he really is able to change his habits, then,” he replied. “At least when the flatmate is someone he...”

Before Jason had time to finish his sentence, Leo intervened: “Folks, do we really have to be talking about my cleaning habits in front of people I don’t know? The first impressions are important, especially when it comes to Supersized McShizzle!”

“We’re just being honest, Repair Boy.” Calypso couldn’t resist booping his metal covered nose. Apparently she just didn’t know how to not cross the line with this boy, she sighed in her mind.

“Is that all? Where’s the feisty Sunshine I know?,” Leo said in a low tone, so the others could barely hear his comment, coming out almost flirty.

“Shut up,” Calypso answered equally quietly but held her gaze at him.

“Ahem,” they suddenly heard Piper’s voice behind them. “In case you’ve stopped with the flirting, I’d like you to meet a couple of people.”

Calypso turned to see the newcomers and as she recognized the Hunter badges both of them had attached to their shirts, something in her mind just suddenly turned off.

#caleo #leo valdez #calypso #heroes of olympus #percy jackson and the olympians #trials of apollo #my fics #caleo uni au