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sunsetkerr · 2 months

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JESSIE'S BABY | j. fleming

summary: a brief introduction to 'baby' and her relationship with jessie

pairing: fem!reader x jessie fleming

notes: first piece for baby!!!!!!!! she's so much fun and I can't wait to write more for her and jessie, because she is just a joy. big sorority girl on campus, our queen, our leader, our baby.

jessie never thought that she would get entangled with a sorority girl

but... spoiler!!! then you came along

jessie majored in materials engineering and environmental science

right she considered herself a total nerd in that retrospect

but she just finds it all so interesting!!!

so one day she meets a girl in one of her classes who is a sister of one of the UCLA sororities

her name is nina

they hit it off, it's great

jessie has finally made a close friend at college

so after a few months of them being friends, jessie is finally invited to the sorority house for a party

and she is NOT having it

she doesn't like to party

she doesn't like to hold eye contact for more than five seconds

and she hates talking to strangers

but after lots of begging

jessie admits defeat and comes along

she spent hours getting ready and deciding on what she should wear in front of a bunch of sorority girls

something pink? or is that too cliche

she ended up going with the first outfit she tried on

a UCLA athletics t-shirt and some jeans

shes so insecure and not loving life

jessie has to hype herself up to even leave her dorm room and travel

and then when she gets there and sees people everywhere she calls Nina low-key freaking out

like please come get me im too scared to come inside alone vibes

nina comes out with a gaggle of other girls following her

jessie is still on edge but feeling more calm as she meets all of these girls she was with

they seemed nice enough and they instantly invited her inside to play beer pong with them

they head inside and jessie realises that it was 10x more crazy inside than it was on the front lawn

she is shoving her way through the crowd as politely as she can without losing the group of girls in front of her

but jessie eventually is cut off by a guy chasing his friend with a beer and loses the group

shes left alone in this big sorority house with no idea where she is

jessie gets out her phone to try and call Nina again, but before she can a voice interrupts

"I love your jeans!"

she looks up and came face to face with the closest thing she thinks she will ever see to a god

you were standing there, a pink dress on to match the decor and your hair and makeup done perfectly

jessie is at a stand still

she doesn't know what to do or what to say

completely taken back by you

"I was looking at buying a similar pair last week, where did you get yours from?"

you finally look up at meet her eyes, and jessie didn't think she could fall more in love with someone

but she did

she finally managed to stutter out 'th-they're from a store in Canada.. encircled, I think"

and then you respond with some long-winded sentence about how you've never been to canda but would have always loved to

and about your jeans

and about her jeans and how much you like them

and about the party and if she's enjoying it

jessie's glad that you take the reins on the conversation because she was still too busy trying to recollect herself after making eye contact with you

she doesn't know how it happens

and maybe it's because you're so outgoing you don't even notice how awkward she's being

but you spend the entire night together

jessie ends up telling you that she knows nina

you tell her that nina just happens to be your roommate

you talk about her degree, she asks about yours

she finally works up the courage to say that she likes your dress

the look on your face was so genuine people could have thought that you have never been complemented before

you really were so beautiful, the most radiant person she had ever seen

jessie watched in awe the entire night as you floated around the house, dragging her along in tow

you never failed to introduce her to anyone

"this is my new friend, jessie" "jessie's from Canada" "jessie is on the soccer team, she's really good too"

the way you complemented her even though you had never even seen her on the pitch made her heart flutter

you ended up inviting jessie to crash in your dorm at the end of the night

but she got too shy, saying she was happy to walk back to her dorm

so you walked back with her

you were the most fearless person that she had ever met

so ready to talk to anyone about anything

too friendly for your own good

too kind and too beautiful

it was almost unfair really

you both became fast friends after that night

you took jessie's phone one night and put your number in it

you texted every day since

the first soccer game that she played after meeting you, you were there in the stands cheering her on

possibly one of the loudest people there

you managed to get everyone chanting for jessie after she scored in the second half

you had this natural affinity for talking to people and making connections

she envied you in that retrospect

you were convinced that jessie had the same effect on people

she just didn't believe you really

you both would spend time studying talking in the library together

back and forth between each others dorm rooms

your sisters joked that jessie would need to pledge if she kept spending so much time at the sorority

jessie knew that she liked girls, had never ever told anyone about it

it was her biggest secret

but she knew that she loved you

you were so different to any other girl that she had laid eyes on

you made existing easier

jessie’s teammates started to notice the difference in her too

she had never been a loud or cocky teammate

but since you started coming to games she found that little bit of extra faith in herself

she scored more, played better and showed off a little more

they chalked it up to you bringing her out of her shell

people were confused by your friendship at first

future sorority president best friends with a engineering major???? unheard of really

but it soon became clear that you guys were a package deal

you were invited to a party? Jessie was coming

jessie had a bonfire with her teammates? it was assumed that you would be bringing marshmallows to toast come sunset

you both were rarely seen without the other

and that became your new normal

you had never spoken to jessie about any guys that you were interested in, but had never mentioned any girls either

so she wasn't sure for ages what your sexuality was

but when you organised a pride parade on campus and showed up with two little flags painted on your cheeks- she finally got that confirmation.

and it was as you painted two little flags of her own colours onto her face that she went for it

jessie fleming kissed you

little shy awkward nerdy jessie just came out and kissed you

I mean.. you weren't complaining

afterwards she was an apologetic mess

"oh my god, I'm so sorry" "that was so not okay of me" "I totally crossed a boundary there" "I am so so sorry" "I'll go"

but when you grabbed her face and told her to "shut up, fleming" and kissed her again it was like everything just kinda made sense?

jessie had never been more content in her life

no goal, or win, or trophy could ever top that first kiss with you

you were her baby, completely untouchable

#jessie's baby . * • .#headcanons . * • .#jessie fleming x reader #jessie fleming #jessie fleming imagine #woso one shot #woso imagine #woso x reader

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dancingbirdie · 7 months

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hi! can I request Astarion x Tav where Tav is crying (same innocent type Tav from your last fic) and Astarion has to comfort them? (like after his confession scene in act 2 but before his final quest please?) tysm for your time!

Ask and you shall receive, my dear anon! Although a word of warning: this fic has a lot of fluff and a whole lot of angst. Also damn I really explored some of my own shit in this fic and am feeling very vulnerable but also very good. PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE WARNINGS/TAGS BEFORE READING <3

If I could nominate a song that inspired this writing, it would be "When The Lights Go Out" by Gabrielle Aplin.

The Dark Sun

Word Count: 1.6K

Rating: Teen

Warnings/Tags: Mentions of death, grief/trauma response to death of loved ones, mentions of blood, emotional pain, hurt & comfort, FLUFF, ANGST, non-sexual comfort, Astarion x GN!Tav, Minor Act 2 spoilers.

None of the others had ever seen Tav like this. They weren’t about to let anyone see them in this state now. After all, Tav was the sunshine of their party. Sunshine had one job; it was in its very name.

It isn’t true. It isn’t! Get away from me. Go!

Sitting in their tent, as far away from the other party members as safely possible, Tav was powerless to stop the replaying of Arabella’s words over, and over, and over, in their mind. They saw in their mind’s eye the maelstrom of emotions that had played across the young tiefling’s face when Tav gently broke the news that her mother and father had been killed. Shock. Anguish. Disbelief. Rage. Despair. Resentment.

Tav knew those feelings well. They had felt them before. They still felt the echoes of them, even now, so many years after the death of their own parents. Tav had been so like Arabella in their youth. They had recognized a kinship with the tiefling as soon as they met her in the Emerald Grove. To be the one who ushered in those emotions for someone so young and so full of unbridled joy - it was a cruel irony. To be that bearer of such unspeakable news, to a mere child.

Though Tav knew that time would eventually take the immediate sting from this news, they also knew from their own experience that Arabella would forever be scarred. Even before she was aware, the world had been violently reforming beneath her feet. Life would never be as it once was. And the knowledge that they would forever be intertwined with Arabella’s memory of losing her parents, even if those deaths had not come at their hands, felt like opening the fissure in their heart all over again and injecting acid throughout its crevices.

The reality of it all had Tav doubled over, sobbing into their hands in a feeble attempt at hiding their pain from the rest of the camp. None of the others had ever seen Tav like this. They weren’t about to let anyone see them in this state now. After all, Tav was the sunshine of their party. Sunshine had one job; it was in its very name.

Most of the time, Tav didn’t mind being that cheery glue that held people together. It was a role that was helpful to others, and they had performed it very well throughout their life. It also had the added benefit of distracting Tav from hosts of problems that were better left in the far corners of their mind. Seeing them like this, in this state of despair? It would topple the whole façade. And given where they were, in a bleak forest of darkness, fumbling through perpetual night, Tav knew the party needed sunshine more than ever before if they had any prayer of making it through this area alive.

So, no, Tav resolved to work through this pain in solitude. They had done so before. They could do it again.

***

The Shadow-Cursed Lands were not exactly an Eden for animals that could quell Astarion’s thirst. Most of the beasts were either blighted or dead. Given this, Astarion had purchased an ox and some boar from the Harpers at the Last Light Inn for the express purpose of draining their blood and storing it in vials he could consume along the way. Gale had come up with a handy little spell to keep the containers cool and prevent the blood from spoiling. He estimated that those reserves, coupled with Tav’s generosity of allowing him to feed off them, would be enough to keep him stable for several more days.

He heard the sound as he was exiting his tent to retrieve a vial of ox blood from the camp supplies.

Muffled choking sounds. Someone was…crying? He piqued his ears, concentrating to locate the direction from which they came.

Tav’s tent. He was sure of it.

Pitched as far away from the others as possible, Astarion had thought it odd earlier in the evening that Tav had positioned themselves so far away from everyone, including himself. Normally, they rested at the dead center of the camp, where they could easily chatter and joke with the rest of the party. But, given his own proclivity for solitude, he hadn’t pondered it further, assuming Tav had just needed some quality time to themselves.

Hearing their quiet sobs now, in the middle of the night, Astarion could have kicked himself for not realizing sooner that something was wrong.

Though he had confessed his feelings several days ago and found them wholeheartedly reciprocated, his new… status… with Tav felt like learning a new language. A language with an alphabet wholly different than anything he had ever known. He certainly wasn’t fluent yet. He wasn’t even sure if his ability to… speak it, per se… was passable. But, if for nothing else, he was grateful to Tav for their patience and understanding as he navigated this entirely foreign situation. They never asked for anything more than he was willing to give, and that empathy continued to compel him to try. For himself. For Tav. For their future prospects.

Of course, knowing all of this made Astarion feel all the more worse for failing to intuit Tav’s emotional state. They were not exactly a closed book. Had he not have fallen back on old ways of thinking and processing people’s behavior, he likely could have recognized the signs of Tav’s distress. But 200 years of habits and mindset was hard to break. He could hear Tav’s voice in his head, gently reminding him to be patient with himself, to afford himself grace.

They were always giving him the space to be vulnerable. This time, he wanted to try providing them with the same assurance.

Astarion quietly padded over to Tav’s tent and cleared his throat in a somewhat awkward attempt at announcing his presence.

Immediately, the sobbing ceased. “Um, just a moment!” came Tav’s watery reply.

Astarion listened carefully to Tav’s quiet sniffles and movements about the tent. He assumed they were quickly trying to right themselves, slip that cheery mask they wore so well back on. The thought broke his heart.

“Tav, darling, can I come in?” he asked softly so that their fellow party members would not be able to hear.

“Oh sure, are you thirsty? I was just lying down… resting,” Tav added lamely before finally poking their head out from between the tent flaps. They gave him a tiny smile, a weak attempt at normalcy, before pulling back and making room for him to enter.

Astarion seated himself across from Tav, who began rearranging their pillows and preparing for what they assumed to be another feeding session. He took in their ruddy cheeks, their tearstained eyes, swollen from crying so much. Tentatively, the movement still so foreign but becoming more familiar, he reached out a hand to cup their cheek.

Tav stilled at his touch, sucking in a breath. He watched as tears began welling in their eyes.

“Darling, you don’t need to hide your pain from me,” he gently intoned.

Tav gave a breathless laugh, traitorous tears leaking down their face.

“I didn’t want any of you to see me like this. Especially you,” they warbled, sniffling.

“And why ever not?”

“I’m ‘Tav The Sunshine,’ remember?” they said with a self-deprecating grin. “The sun only ever shines on us. That’s its job.”

“But the sun isn’t always shining,” Astarion reminded them softly. “Times of darkness are allowed.”

Tav released a quiet sob. “I don’t… w-want you to see that darkness. It’s too much… I… I can’t-”

Seeing Tav fall apart before his eyes, so broken and disconsolate, the urge to take them in his arms felt like second nature. Not a foreign language at all, not a struggle to initiate a touch. Astarion couldn’t explain it; his subconscious had known how to respond and barreled through all those years of self-loathing, manipulation, and disgust to reach out for Tav. Quick as a flash but so very gently, he pulled them into an embrace, maneuvering them so they sat cradled in his lap, their arms wrapped around shoulders.

“My sweet, sweet Tav,” Astarion crooned as they cried into his shoulder, tears quickly dampening his nightshirt. He raised one hand to push back the locks obscuring their face and softly caressed their cheek.

“I want to tell you something,” he continued. “And I want you to truly listen... I’ve walked in darkness for over 200 years. Mostly alone. Committing depraved acts against others in the service of a master who sees me as nothing more than a means to an end… There is nothing - nothing - in your darkness that could scare me away. I swear it.”

Tav raised their head to look at him. Slowly - as one would approach a wild animal - they raised their hand and kept it hovering right beside Astarion’s face.

That Tav would still be thinking of his comfort, even in their abject sadness, unleashed a powerful wave of… some strong emotion in him.

Is that love? Is that what it feels like? He thought.

He couldn’t be sure. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

Acknowledging their silent request for consent, Astarion pushed his cheek into their hand. He turned his face for a moment to kiss their palm. He felt Tav shudder in his arms.

“You’ve already borne so much sorrow in your long life, Astarion,” they whispered. “You deserve lightness and levity from your partner.”

“And you have given me that every day since we met, darling,” he returned, carding his fingers through Tav’s hair. “But we also agreed to share something real between us. That isn’t possible if you hide a part of yourself away. You deserve space for light and darkness inside yourself, Tav.”

They sat in silence for some time, Astarion allowing Tav to empty their tears onto his chest, until they were finally calmed.

“You’re right. I’m sorry,” Tav finally sniffled.

“Shh, shh. There’s no space for apologies here, love. But, there is space to share your pain. And I’ll carry it with you, as you do for me,” Astarion promised.

And in that quiet night, in the heart of the Shadow-Cursed Lands, Tav opened their darkness to Astarion.

And he was not afraid.

#dancingbirdiewrites #astarion bg3 #bg3 astarion #baldur’s gate astarion #astarion ancunin #astarion #astarion x mc #astarion x tav #bg3 astarion fic #astarion x reader #astarion x you #baldur's gate fanfiction

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lyzsaphrodite · 2 months

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༊*·˚ Home is Where the Heart is ׂׂૢ་༘࿐

Dior Goodjohn x fem!reader

synopsis: You and Dior are long distanced and she decides to surprise you by coming to visit you for your birthday.

warnings: fluff, fluff, and fluff

a/n: this is not my best writing ever i just wanted to get this out while i work on the Summer fic

You and Dior have been in a long-distance relationship for about a year and a half now. You met on the set of Percy Jackson and instantly clicked; she ended up asking you out two months into filming. After season one wrapped, she went back home to LA, and you returned to your hometown. You haven't seen each other in person since filming wrapped six months ago, because you're still in school. You guys text multiple times a day and FaceTime at least once a day, but it's still hard for both of you. Especially for you since your love language is physical touch, and you just like to have physical connections with people. Your birthday was coming up, so Dior thought it would be an amazing idea if she came and surprised you. She planned it all out with your family; she would fly in on your actual birthday and stay for a month.

Today was finally your birthday. You woke up to look at your phone and found a bunch of birthday wishes from friends, family, and even fans. But none from the person that mattered most to you. You didn't think she would ever forget your birthday. Maybe she just wasn't awake yet, even though it was currently noon, which means it was 9 in LA, and she's always up before 9. But you just decided not to worry about it. You still had the whole day. You were really bummed that she wouldn't be able to come for your birthday, but you understand that she's busy with her music and everything. You got out of bed, took a shower, and got ready for the day. You and your best friend decided to go shopping for your birthday. You visited all your favorite stores, getting all of your birthday freebies. By the time you and your best friend headed home, it was around 4 o’clock, and you've yet to get a message from Dior, which made you visibly disappointed. Your best friend kept seeing you checking your messages every few minutes and finally decided to say something.

“I’m sure she didn't forget; you know her, she's always busy with something.”

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure everyone but her has wished me a happy birthday though. Like even at the mall, those fans who came up to us to say happy birthday, I didn't even know them. And I thought she would be one of the first to say it.”

You finally arrived home and went straight upstairs to put your bags down and take off your shoes. You were home for around 30 minutes when you finally heard the doorbell ring.

“Y/N, someone's here for you,” your mom yelled. You had no clue who it could be; you weren't expecting anyone.

“Coming!” you yelled back to your mom. You hurried down the stairs to the front door, and standing there was Dior with her bags and a gift. She looks just as beautiful as she always does.

“Hey, baby,” she said, smiling.

You had absolutely no idea how to react; you were definitely not expecting this at all. You ran to her and jumped to hug her. As she held and hugged you, you started to tear up.

“I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too.”

“What are you doing here? I thought you weren't able to come.”

“I wanted to surprise you, sweet girl.”

“How long are you staying?”

“For a month.”

“Oh my gosh, no way!”

“Way!”

“OMG, and Mom, you knew about this?”

Your mom just smiled and nodded.

“Yep, and so did your best friend.”

“OMG!! I cannot believe this; I thought you forgot my birthday!”

“I could never forget your birthday, mamas.”

You and Dior share a passionate kiss, the weight of her surprise visit lifting a heavy burden off your shoulders. In that moment, all the worries and doubts melted away, replaced by the warmth of her presence. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The month that followed was a whirlwind of joy and reconnection. Every day felt like a treasure, filled with laughter, adventures, and stolen moments of affection. Whether it was exploring your hometown together, cooking meals side by side, or simply cuddling on the couch watching movies, every second was cherished. On the day of her departure, you stood at the airport, hand in hand, hearts heavy with the weight of impending separation.

"I wish we lived closer," you managed to say, your voice breaking slightly as you fought back tears, the airport's din muffling your words.

Dior's eyes softened, mirroring the sorrow in your own as she squeezed your hand gently. "I know, darling. It's hard saying goodbye every time," she murmured, her voice tinged with empathy.

You leaned into her embrace, seeking solace in the warmth of her presence amidst the impersonal hustle of the airport. "I hate it when you leave," you stated simply, your voice carrying a mix of longing and frustration, the airport's commotion providing a stark backdrop to your heartfelt confession.

Dior's arms wrapped around you, holding you close as if trying to shield you from the pain of separation. "I feel it too, love. It never gets any easier," she whispered, her breath warm against your ear.

Tears welled up in your eyes as you buried your face in her shoulder, the weight of longing settling heavily in your chest. "I just wish we could be together more often," you confessed, your voice barely audible above the noise of the crowd.

Dior's fingers brushed through your hair soothingly, her touch a silent reassurance. "Me too, sweetheart. But no matter the distance, you'll always have my heart," she vowed, her words a promise of enduring love.

And as you stood together in the midst of the bustling airport terminal, surrounded by the chaos of departure, you found solace in the simple act of being together, knowing that no matter where life may take you, your love would always be a constant, guiding light in the darkness.

this is unusually short because I didn't know how to end it

taglist: @asvterias

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chronicbeans · 1 year

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Human Illustrator Wally x Reader (part 2)

Fun fact: I like to listen to music that fits the vibes of what I'm writing and I wanted something more cheery an whimsical for this... but my dumb brain likes sad/creepy music and I couldn't find anything I liked that was truly happy, so I ended up listening to Bo en's My Time while writing this.

TW: None

🐻 When you arrive at the daycare, you quickly show everybody the book. Opening it to the back page, where he signed it, you see his name scribbled down. It is slightly messy, with all the letters being capitals and the "L"'s being slightly sideways. From what you can tell, it fits his silly little personality.

🐻 However, right as you begin showing everyone the book, you remember that some of the kids won't be able to see it that well, if at all... Oh no, now you feel like garbage...

🐻 One of those exact kids, a little girl related to Howdy, the local store owner, asks "Can I hold the book? I wanna see if something I heard works!" You grow quiet, before saying "Sure." To your surprise, all of the kids are watching and whispering "Right... Let's see if it works..." What in the world are they talking about?

🐻 She holds the book in her hands, which you made sure to keep opened to the signature. She runs her hands across it, before she makes it to the signature. She flinches, before gently pushing down on it. Her little face beams with the joy of a thousand summers as she chirps "He cares! I can feel it! I can feel his name! Johnny! Johnny, get over here!" "You're right, Henny!"

🐻 You are shocked, as well as a bit confused. You don't understand and want to investigate, but you want to wait for the children to calm down and let them have their fun. Even a few of the children with no visual impairments are pressing their hands on the book, chirping that they can feel it, too. You have an idea as to what it could be, but you want to check, first.

🐻Henny calls you over "Ms./Mr./Mx. (Y/N)! Come on! Feel it! I know that you probably didn't think to do so because you can see it, which is alright, but it's so cool!" You gently take the book, staring at the signature, before placing your fingers on his name. Your suspicions are confirmed as you grin.

🐻 While writing his name, he must've pressed the pen down hard enough to leave an indent to let all the kids be able to experience his signature. "Wow... Henny, how were you able to tell he would do this?" Henny, as well as the other kids, all start speaking over one another. You can hear Henny's voice over the rest, though, as she practically shouts with pride "My dad is friends with him! He constantly talks about how Wally does things like that for kids! My dad was the one who gave Wally that idea!"

🐻 You look down at her, expecting the other kids to tell her that she is lying, however, they go along with her claims. "I saw Mr. Wally at his store a few months ago with my mama! He tries to do that thing where people dress up as someone else, but his blue hair is very recognizable!" "Yeah! He helped me reach that apple toy on the top shelf! He then got another one and bought it for himself!" "Howdy is so cool for knowing celebrities!" "Doesn't Wally also know Ms. Poppy, that baker? I saw a show where she baked a cake in the shape of one of the bears he drew!" "I heard Mr. Wally gets his clothes from Julie's Joyous Clothes Company and is friends with Julie Joyful, herself!" Slowly, but surely, the talks about Mr. Darling and Howdy knowing each other turns into children's gossip about which famous people Mr. Darling does and does not know.

🐻 You think about the number in your pocket, subconsciously placing your hand over it. You don't know enough to know if any of their gossip is true... But you have the means to find out more about the mysterious, cheerful man. You can also make these kids so happy by having him visit! They can ask him questions about what they want to know, too!

🐻 Mr. Abbott walks into the recreation room, smiling as he asks you "Looks like these kids have Darling Fever, eh, (Y/N)? Do you want to go outside to relax? It is, technically, your day off today. Andy can take it from here." You giggle at the words "Darling Fever", before nodding. "Yeah. I actually want to talk to you about something, if you don't mind."

🐻 The two of you walk outside, sitting on the bench at the front of the daycare. You take out the paper from your pocket, saying "Mr. Darling gave me his number to call if you ever want him to visit the daycare." He gasps, looking at you "He... gave you his number? That's amazing! Wait, why are you trying to hand it to me?" You tilt your head and you hold it out to him "Well... you own the daycare? So it would make sense for you to call?"

🐻 He shakes his head quickly "No, no... he gave YOU his number! He very rarely gives out his number to people. I don't know why, but I think it might be that he doesn't trust many people with it. So, I can only assume he gave it to you because he trusts YOU. If I called, he might be uncomfortable." You look down at the paper, asking "Really...? There is so much I don't know about him. Should I call to see if he can visit? He must be a busy man... I don't want to bother him while he is doing something."

🐻"It's now or never. I know you. You'll be too nervous to call if you don't do it now." You smile, taking out your phone and calling the number on the paper. It beeps a few times, before somebody picks up and says "Hello?"

🐻 You take a deep breath. You can hear the voices of the crowd at his book signing in the background. You must've called during it... You hesitate, before saying "Hello! Umm... Is Mr. Darling there? I am from the Apple Castle Learning Center. He gave me his number and told me to call to see if he can visit?" The man on the other end of the line hums in thought, then says "Let me go get him. He has been waiting for you to call. It might take a moment, so be patient."

🐻 You tense up, feeling your heart race. He has been waiting for you? You look to Mr. Abbot, who places a hand on your shoulder to try to comfort you. He whispers "You're doing great! You got this!"

🐻 The man on the other end of the line suddenly shouts "COMING THROUGH! MR. DARLING'S GOTTA VERY IMPORTANT CALL! OUTTA THE WAY! HE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT!" You flinch from how loud it is, but you are shocked when you hear Wally's voice in the crowd, asking "Did they call? Please tell me it's them!"

🐻 It takes a bit, but you hear the crowd's voice die out, before Mr. Darling says a quiet "Thank you, Barnaby." Then, your heart races when he says "Hello? Is this (Y/N)?" You grin, saying "Yes, it is! Umm, I was wondering if you would like to set up a date and time to visit the Apple Castle Learning Center?"

🐻"That would be just lovely. We can talk about it tomorrow. Do you want to meet up at Howdy's Place? I'm friends with the owner. We can sit and talk at the little cafe area near the back. They serve some lovely milk tea. We can talk it all over then. I know you have some phone anxiety from your tone." "Of course! How about we meet there at 12 PM?" "That would be lovely. I'll see you then. Goodbye, (Y/N)." "Goodbye."

🐻 You end the call, looking over to Mr. Abbott and telling him the plan. He pats you on the back, telling you how well you did on the phone. You write down some things you need to ask Mr. Darling about, such as what date and time would be best for him to visit, as well what activities would be best. Then, you suddenly realize something... You never told Mr. Darling your name and there is no name tag on your uniform. The daycare doesn't have enough funds to make them... So how did he know it...?

🐻 You write down at the bottom of the list to ask him about it at Howdy's.

#welcome home #welcome home arg #welcome home au #wally darling #wally darling x reader

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foolishlovers · 29 days

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COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY AUs: Below you can find a list of Good Omens fics in which Aziraphale and Crowley are either students or professors at college/university.

[Requested by anon. You can request more fic recs here.]

Catch Me When I Fall by Ghostinthehouse (G, 666) Later, at home, they laugh openly about it, and lay bets on how long it will be before this year's undergraduates catch on that they are married. "Your turn to drop a clue next, angel," Crowley drawls from where he sprawls with his feet on Aziraphale's lap.

A New Adventure by Arielavader (T, 1k) Crowley did not expect the new guy in their D&D group to be so… gorgeous.

Emporium by wingeddeanmon (Not Rated, 1k) Aziraphale's friends ditch him at the local goth store. The employee working is friendly, and he soon develops a crush.

Ineffable Professors by spoondrifts (G, 2k) After noticing all the blatant pining, the classes of Mr. Fell and Dr. Crowley join forces to set up their respective teachers.

The Best College Parties are the Ones that You Leave Early by MariMoon812 (T, 3k) For a moment they just started at each other as Crowley’s spinning head tried to comprehend what, exactly, was happening. Was this one of the professors? No, he clearly wasn’t that old, but then why was he dressed like that? Was it a hipster thing? Did the guy also have an antique typewritter that he used to write history papers? What? Why was he just staring at him? Just as Crowley was beginning to short circuit, the boy squinted at him and leaned forward slightly. “Erm…” “Why are you wearing sunglasses?” “Huh?”

But Together We Have it All by HolyCatsAndRabbits, Dannye Chase (T, 3k) College student Aziraphale discovers that it might not be so bad having terrible roommates if he’s got a handsome fellow student offering the use of his couch for the night. Especially if it seems he’s got a crush on Aziraphale. Really especially if it seems he needs rescuing from his own awful roommates. A Good Omens human AU written for the Good Omens Holiday Exchange on Dreamwidth.

Poor Men by smol_bird (G, 3k) What To Do When Two of Your Professors Are Hopelessly in Love With Each Other: an instruction manual by Adam Young (featuring Pepper Moonchild because someone has to be the voice of reason here).

Snakes and Stones (Never Broke My Bones) by DeerstalkerDeathFrisbee (G, 4k) “How many people don’t believe I exist?” Crowley asks in the doorway. “I’m sure no – ” Aziraphale begins, only to be cut off by Gabriel and a reluctant Newton. “Everyone.” No one wants to say it, but the residents of Dorm A, floor 3, are collectively convinced Aziraphale Fell’s boyfriend does not exist. This is their story.

Seven Minutes In Hell by AppleSeeds (T, 4k) Being trapped in a cupboard with the guy he has such an intense crush on he can hardly speak to him is bad enough, but things get even worse for Crowley when he starts having a panic attack and Aziraphale sweetly comforts and cares for him.

Hanging By a Moment by NaroMoreau (E, 5k) Sometimes the best thing is to leave. Fresh slate and all that. For Crowley, it seems like the only option, having fallen hopelessly in love with his best friend. Who, absolutely, definitely doesn't feel the same. Does he?

Miracles (Or How to Fall in Love) by hope_in_the_dark (T, 6k) “Group project,” the blond guy chirped. “We’re partners.” “Fuck,” Crowley said.

Borrowed Time by NaroMoreau (E, 6k) Meeting a stranger by chance will make Aziraphale face things he hadn't expected.

Comfort and Joy by musegnome (M, 9k) “Extra-large peppermint mocha, triple espresso, double whip!” called the barista. Crowley stepped forward and claimed his giant sugar-drenched monstrosity. The whipped cream ballooned over the rim of the paper cup, and the whole thing shed crumbles of crushed peppermint candy. Aziraphale’s eyes widened at the sight of it. In awe? Horror? Crowley couldn’t tell. He didn’t want to leave, not yet, but as he looked around he didn’t see an open table. Not even so much as a bar stool. “Er – were you planning on staying?” Aziraphale asked, a little shyly. “I’ve got an extra seat.” Written for the Good Omens OTP Prompts Event.

Raspberry Ripple by FeralTuxedo (T, 9k) Every afternoon, a man in a velvet waistcoat sits on the bench by the stone fountain and eats ice cream. Every afternoon, Crowley watches him from his office window. One day, he’ll pluck up the courage to talk to him.

Secrets by AppleSeeds (M, 10k) When their housemates invite friends around, Crowley and Aziraphale get roped into a game called 'Secrets'. Having played the game before and therefore knowing what might happen, Crowley tries to manipulate the outcome to protect Aziraphale, who is feeling pretty uncomfortable about the whole thing. By the end of the night, however, some secrets will inevitably end up being revealed, but not all of them in the way that Crowley expected.

Just Around the Corner by accidentaldemon (M, 11k) "I don't live far, if you, ya know, don't mind sharing a bed." He swallowed thickly. This was definitely not how he had planned his evening to pan out. “I’m Crowley, by the way. Well, Anthony Crowley technically, but I prefer Crowley.” “Aziraphale." - All Crowley wants to do is leave the party and go home to study. But then he meets a cute boy with absolutely angelic curls who's in desperate need of a bed for the night.

The Summoning by AppleSeeds (M, 15k) Aziraphale's horrible university housemates convince him to accompany them to an old, supposedly haunted, abbey on Halloween. He's not worried about ghosts, Aziraphale is pretty sure they don't really exist, but when his housemates send him into the toilets alone to perform a ritual that's intended to summon a demon, Aziraphale can't help but be afraid. Surely it's not that easy though. Surely a demon won't just appear because he asked it to? Will it?

i was in love (with the place in my mind) by weatheredlaw (E, 17k) There are so many things neither of them can change — how they met, the things they did, the words they said. It’s happened, it was probably always going to happen. And what it is, he can’t say, what he feels is almost too great for any one language. Inutterable, unspeakable — Ineffable.

New Approaches by FeralTuxedo (M, 19k) Aziraphale Fell, Professor of Creative Writing at Tadfield University, welcomes the attendees of the First Conference on New Approaches to Genre Fiction. Among them is keynote speaker and best-selling thriller author Anthony J. Crowley. Aziraphale has not seen him for twenty-five years. Sometimes, he can still feel the ghost of their parting kiss on his lips. Or: Exes reunite at academic conference. A Human University Professor/Author AU.

Convergent Evolution by AppleSeeds (T, 22k) Genetics PhD student Crowley meets Aziraphale at a workshop in the second year of his PhD, and they quickly become incredibly close friends. Crowley longs for there to be something more between them, but as the years go by, they seem destined to spend their careers living at opposite ends of the country. That is, until Aziraphale shows up again in Tadfield, back where their friendship began seventeen years ago, with some very exciting news.

Free Trial Boyfriend by MrsCaulfield, angelsnuffbox (T, 37k) Overall, Anthony Crowley considered himself a lucky fellow, with his good looks, good grades and a full ride swimming scholarship. There really wasn't much he can complain about. But his real struggle was that he's completely, maddeningly in love with his best friend - a strong, passionate and oblivious angel who, even after a full year of pining, still can't seem to get the hint, no matter how many times Crowley has tried to flirt with him. - Crowley would never forget the day that the angel first talked to him, for he was certain that was the day that all the clocks around the world began suddenly moving.

search terms by Vagabond (M, 43k) Aziraphale expects it to be a quiet night working in the university library when a flashy red haired, foul mouthed, panicking student needs to find credible sources for his paper and can't figure out how to use the search. Little does Aziraphale know that meeting Crowley will lead him on a path to self-discovery, and give him the family he didn't realize he needed. From a prompt on tumblr: College AU - You’re REALLY GOOD at using the right search terms for the academic databases and I’m on a deadline.

Joint Honours by FeralTuxedo (E, 43k) PhD student Aziraphale is busy enough with his studies at Tadfield University. But at the start of a new semester, his measured routine gets shaken up by the sudden responsibility of teaching, the arrival of an irresistible new house mate, and a mysteriously flirtatious sausage roll.

Angel in the Window by themaybedoctor (E, 66k) Aziraphale has the best job a young bookworm could ever hope for—he works the evening shift at an independent bookshop, just a stone's throw away from Tadfield College, where he's only a few months away from getting his degree. He likes the location in Tadfield's cosy downtown, the friendly regulars, and his coworker, Newt. But most of all, he likes having the key to the biggest treasure trove of books he's ever seen. Aziraphale knows that he's not going to make friends sitting in the dark shop at night, alone with a book and some chocolate, but that's all right. He's not lonely while he has a book, which means he's hardly lonely at all. Really. Crowley works at a record shop, and he's got the biggest crush on the cutie working at the bookshop next door. Whose name he doesn't even know, because he's too awkward to ask. At least nobody's noticed. If his co-worker Anathema found out, he'd never hear the end of it. A story about bravery, misunderstandings, acceptance, and love.

Golden Handcuffs by seekwill (E, 70k) Far from any city, near the Scottish coast, Tadfield College has a celebrated history, an unrivaled academic reputation, and two departments at war. When the Biology and English departments are forced to share a building, Senior Lecturer and botanist Anthony Crowley finds himself drawn into the orbit of the polite but strange English professor, Dr. Aziraphale Fell. As the new term begins, two academics navigate the politics of both their offices and academia, and try to solve the puzzle of one another.

[You can find more fic rec masterposts here.]

#reblogs so appreciated 💜 so other ppl can find these lovely works too!!#tbh this is basically just a huge appreciation post for appleseeds and feraltuxedo ngl #living for ALL of their human aus!! and they fed us so well with all of these amazing uni/colleage aus tbh #good omens #good omens fic #good omens fanfic #good omens fanfiction #good omens fic rec #aziracrow #aziracrow fic #crowley x aziraphale #good omens human au #college au #uni au #ineffable husbands #go fic masterpost #foolish recs #foolishlovers

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luna-writes-stuff · 5 months

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Bliss, Robin Buckley

Song link

Fanfic, fem! reader

Mutual pining, fluff

Word count: 1720

Tw: SAPPHICS. Steve is a wingman. One (1) mention of being drugged (Robin S3). Literally, that’s it. Maybe slight homophobia because it’s the 80s, yay!

Summary: You are a regular customer at the movie rental store where Steve and Robin work, but you’ve shown an increasing interest in Robin. Both of you are too oblivious to make a move. Thankfully, Steve is there to fix it.

Buy me a coffee/force me to write more

“Everything about you is how I'd wanna be.

Your freedom comes naturally.”

You were infuriating.

Every little thing about you seemed so perfect. Even those things that could be considered inconvenient or annoying - you were fucking perfect. You were so frustrating. How could she ever focus during work when you were right there? Did you really have to keep visiting the store every two days? Did you really have to keep making conversations with her about literally anything? God, it was starting to get her worked up for no reason.

She would ramble, and it would usually cause people to start losing interest. But you embraced it. You laughed at her and indulged her in whatever she was talking about. You’d nod and add your own quips that weren’t your usual polite ‘oh yeah’ and ‘mhm’. No - you were actually listening to what she was saying. It was terrible.

Whenever you’d walk in, her heart would skip a beat and she’d head to the back, doing a stupid jump and trying to contain her gigantic smile. She’d have to ignore Steve’s stupid teasing looks. She’d have to try to not lean over the counter and just force you into her embrace. She’d have to pretend as if your gentle touch on her shoulders wasn’t the most invigorating thing ever.

“Everything about you resonates happiness.

Now I won't settle for less.

Give me all the peace and joy in your mind.”

And there you stood again. That same stupid smile on your face as you placed the used tape on the counter. She had to force her breathing down to seem like a normal person as she tried to do her job professionally.

“Was it a good movie?” She asked as she took the tape, running it through the system before checking it out under your name. “I loved it.” You answered, watching her work, her eyes shooting from the screen to your figure continuously. A nervous chuckle came from Robin as she looked at the title: “I saw this one in the theatres. When it just came out.” “Really?” You gasped. “Yup,” she laughed. “Can’t remember much of it because I was so drugged.”

Her smile immediately dropped as she spoke the words without thinking about them. Her hands stopped working as she turned to face you, an apologetic look on her face. “I’m so sorry.” “It’s okay.” You dismissed, offering her that comforting smile. It didn’t make you uncomfortable. Something about the way she spoke made it impossible to grow uncomfortable with her.

“Like,” she tried to continue. “I was drugged on glee, you know? Because the movie was so good. And Jennifer Parker was like so hot-“ Again, she stopped her sentence, recovering much quicker than she even realised: “I mean, she was so good! A great character, and she wasn’t even in the movie so much, but I would have loved to know more about her. About her character.”

A second nervous chuckle left her as she turned back to the screen stiffly. From where you were standing, you could see her head shake lightly, and you couldn’t suppress the keen grin growing on your face at the adorable sight of it.

“Everything about you, pains my envying.

Your soul can't hate anything.”

“She was cool.” You agreed absentmindedly. “Yeah,” Robin mumbled. “But Marty was attractive too.”

You frowned at her words, a gesture that went unnoticed by her, but not by Steve. Nor were the subtle words following your look.

“Not exactly my type.”

“No?” Robin mused, placing the tape in an empty basket before turning back to you. Her face seemed to light up slightly, and that familiar giddy feeling made it’s way back into the pit of your stomach. “I mean, I get it. He isn’t really mine either.” She rambled, scrambling for the receipt before handing it to you. “Uhm, here you go.”

You couldn’t stand the silence that followed. You liked hearing her talk. And you had no places to be just yet. “Any movies you can recommend?” “Uhm,” The girl hesitated, scanning the store with a quick view. Steve noticed his friend freezing. She wasn’t looking at anything - she was trying to come up with a good answer. But he wasn’t going to let this whole debacle go as quickly as Robin might have.

“Everything about you is so easy to love.

They're watching you from above.”

“Looking for a movie with people who are good on the eye? I know a bunch of handsome fellows.” He began to hint, wiggling his eyebrows in a manner that made you internally cringe at the secondhand embarrassment. You pushed the feeling down, offering him a polite smile.

You knew Steve. You actually came for Robin every so often, but she’d be busy at times and Steve tried to take over. He was really sweet and kind, but would sometimes make some comments that made you hesitant to reply. It was difficult to judge his character.

“No, thank you,” you dismissed. “Not really my thing.” “Not?” Steve returned with a smile. “What about Phoebe Cates?” Then, he pointed towards a display at the beginning of the store, decorated with Christmas bells. “Got Gremlins right there.” He then leaned over the counter, nodding as if to emphasise his point: “She’s very good on the eye.”

“Ignore him, please.” Robin interrupted, shoving her co-worker to the side. “Return To Oz?” She offered, spotting the little ad on one of the televisions in the far corner of the room. Your face lit up at her suggestion. “Oh, good choice!” “You know, if you like this one, I’ve heard a lot of good things about this new movie in town. Labyrinth, I think it was called.” She ranted. “It has David Bowie.” “Oh, I love Bowie!” “Me too!” She shared enthusiastically. “That’s so funny. I was talking with Steve about it, but he doesn’t want to see it. I think he’s threatened by Bowie.”

“Give me all the peace and joy in your mind.

I want the peace and joy in your mind.

Give me the peace and joy in your mind.”

This was your chance for a first move. Steve was difficult to place, but Robin wasn’t. Be that as it may, you were still cautious. There were plenty of people out there who’d have a lot of colourful words to exchange with you. You really liked Robin, but the last thing you wanted to do was scare her off.

But friends went to the movies all the time, right? You could always justify it in one way or the other.

“We could go together.” You spoke, no longer giving yourself more time to doubt. “Yeah,” Robin laughed, not having really understood you. When you didn’t laugh with her, her eyes widened: “Wait, really?” “Why not?” You shrugged, feigning confidence. “You’ve given me so many great recommendations. And I like our talks.”

“Yes,” she answered quickly. “I mean yes. If you want to, I’d go.” “She could go now.” Steve smirked. “Her shift’s ending.” “Really?” “No,” Robin denied, but then she saw Steve’s face. He rolled his eyes to the back, giving her a subtle nod. “Yes,” she changed. “Yes, my shift is ending soon. Will you give me five minutes?” “Sure, yes, of course!” You nodded eagerly. “I’ll wait right here.” “Great!” She called. “I’ll be right back.”

And with that, she had disappeared to the back of the store.

“Everything about you resonates happiness.

Now I won't settle for less.”

An awkward silence came as Steve stared at you, something unknown glinting in his eyes. “Phoebe Cates, huh?” He voiced. You nodded once: “You’re a big Cates fan?” “Well, she’s really hot.” He deadpanned. Without even thinking, you mumbled a brief ‘that’s true’ under your breath. You didn’t think he’d caught it. But he did.

“So, like, what’s your type?” He continued. “I’m sorry,” you chuckled uncomfortably. “I’m sure you’re really nice-“ “No, not like that,” he interrupted, wildly shaking his head before pointing to himself. “I’m seeing someone right now.” Then, he waltzed back up to the counter. “I’m not asking for me.”

You had no reason to properly answer him. You didn’t even know him that well. You just knew his name and the fact he worked with Robin. But if you were to make a move, now was the perfect moment: “Someone funny.” “Robin’s funny.” He added almost immediately.

“Yes,” you sighed, not oblivious to his innuendos. If he was making them, surely he wouldn’t mind. And something in this moment seemed to spark confidence and trust in you. Thus, you resumed: “But I don’t think a lot of people would be happy with that.”

Steve’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, his smile only widening: “So, you’re saying there’s a chance.”

“Give me all the peace and joy in your mind.

I want the peace and joy in your mind.”

That’s it. You shouldn’t have told him. This was an awful idea. How could you have been so stupid?

“Listen, just between the two of us, you’d be cute together. Don’t tell Robin I said that.” And just like that, your train of thoughts ended. He didn’t just say what you thought he said. “She likes banana shakes. If you’re going to the cinema, get her one. She would kill for them.”

Flabbergasted, you blinked rapidly, looking at his relieved figure. “I thought you two were a thing.” You muttered. “Oh, no. No, don’t get me wrong, Robin’s cute but no,” he laughed. “No, I think you’re more her type.” You were at total loss for words when you heard his words, your mouth hanging half open as you tried to process everything. “Get her that shake and talk about something other than movies for once.” Then, he turned around, announcing Robin’s figure leaving from the back: “There she is! You two have fun!”

You awkwardly made your way out of the store, waiting for Robin to follow you. She looked at you with an unreadable expression. Somewhere between worry and sorrow. “What did he tell you?” You decided to not tell her just yet. Well, not the whole truth. “Something about you and banana shakes.” “Oh,” she sighed.

“I love banana shakes.”

“Give me the peace and joy in your mind.”

#November writings 2023 #stranger things #Robin Buckley #maya hawke #robin x reader #robin buckley x reader

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melverie · 24 days

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Aaahhh, thank you so much for the tag @king-a-queen!! 💚💚

15 Questions Tag Game

01 - Are you named after anyone?

First name: nope Second name: yep, after my grandma

02 - When was the last time you cried?

About a week ago bc I was laughing too hard Also techinically this morning. My eyes just started tearing up a bit while I was still in bed & staring against the wall. I guess that white wall was just tugging at my heartstrings

03 - Do you have kids?

The only children I have are my OCs <3 My current beloved OCs are Aym, Marchosias (💖💖💖💖💖), and Baal; all for Obey Me

04 - What sports do you play/have you played?

So as a kid, I took MSE (self-defense) classes, I did ballet for a short while, and I played badminton. But now I'm not really doing much sports anymore. I'm occasionally working out in a sad attempt to stay healthy but that's...not working out all that well because I keep forgetting about it lol. That being said, I walk anywhere as long as it's a walkable distance away (to me, that's around 90min max), idc it's the European mindset. Der Fußbus hält überall :)

05 - Do you use sarcasm?

As if I would ever smh what are these accusations

06 - What is the first thing you notice about people?

When I pass strangers on the street, I try to look for little moments that bring them joy. That being said, 90% of the time I'm just lost in my own thoughts & have completely tunnel vision, so imagine noticing anything 😭 When I first meet people tho, it's usually the way they look at you, which tbh is a little ironic because I sometimes just cannot look people in the eyes NFDHSKGJHKSDLGS

07 - What's your eye color?

They used to be blue, but now they're more of a greyish green with a few brown spots in them

08 - Scary movies or happy endings?

Okay endings, actually! Where characters don't get the happy ending they were hoping for, and some things are still a little messy, but all in all things are okay and they finally get to breath again. Though I guess that's kind of a happy ending? lol

09 - Any talents?

My newest talent is being able to imitate the cry of an owl. My sister explained it to me earlier & once I got it to work I've been doing it non-stop until I got lightheaded 😭 Worth it tho Other than that, being able to teach myself the basics of a lot of things within a day (one of the upsides of ADHD), as well as abandoning a lot of my projects after a while because I suddenly decided to start a completely different one (one of the downsides of ADHD) I also have a real talent for writing angst. Ask any of my closer mutuals, I keep terrorizing them with my ideas (love you guys 💖) And finally: telling myself that I'll go to sleep early & then it's 5am

10 - Where were you born?

in Germanyyy fun fact: I was born more or less close to a town that has a store called 'Mephisto' lol

11 - What are your hobbies?

being insane, obviously 💚 some of my mutuals can surely attest to that lol No, but in general I enjoy writing & drawing, as well as, uhm. Randomly deciding to take up multiple really time-consuming projects, such as the OM card rec thing I did that I still need to update ahhhh, my Obey Me OC & MC ask game that originally had 200+ questions before I cut it in half out of fear of it being too long, half of my side blogs, and SOOOO many other things. <- or in short, being insane 💚 I also really love cooking & baking! Side note, if anyone wants an easy chocolate lava cake recipe, you just need to ask... 👀 Also lately it's just been romancing Thanatos in Hades because I randomly remembered that I hadn't done that yet

12 - Do you have any pets?

I used to have clownfish and a starfish, but other than that I've never had any myself. I love the dogs I dogsit with all my heart tho, and there is this cat that I sometimes meet on my way to work. She always runs up to me when she sees me and won't stop meowing until I start petting her, and last time she climbed onto my lap (I sat down in the middle of the sidewalk, I did not care lmao), she's literally the sweetest 😭😭 I also ring the doorbell for her whenever it rains so she doesn't have to stay outside lol

13 - How tall are you?

1,68m or 5'6 if I got the conversion correct lol

14 - Favourite subject in school?

Heavily depended on the teacher, but generally art class because we usually got to work on whatever we wanted with and listen to music. Also English in 9th grade, math in 10th and German in 11th because the teachers were great

15 - Dream job?

I've been thinking of translations in general/software localizition for a while now. I just love dissecting all the small differences between languages (D.D.D.s being called 'D3' my beloved), + there are so many invisble choices made when translating. You'll always lose something because every language has its little quirks and a different mindset that can't be translated directly, but you'll also gain something that the original version didn't have. It's an art form in itself, and I really love that <3 The other job that keeps popping into my mind is event mangement. I already get to organize a ton of things for my uni since I'm part of the student council for one of my two majors. It's exhausting, but also really rewarding when you have people come up to you afterwards to tell you how much fun they had!

No pressure tags for a bunch of people, hehe >:) @alpine-forget-me-nots @healersadjust @misc-magic @sweetbrier2908 @reblogs-are-the-love @shootingstarrfish @mjoria @too-much-gacha @layphie @katboykirby @ghostlyyraccoon @lost-in-lamentation @bagofwetmice @glamphantasm @wizardthesai @mellonyheart @arlatthan as well as anyone else that wants to join!

#tag game #15 questions tag games #if anyone tagged would rather answer with a different blog of theirs then go ahead! i have main/side blogs figured out for most of you lol #also if some would rather not get tagged again in the future lmk!!

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cherubispunk · 4 months

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Damn, what a year right? As I’m sitting here stuffing my face with Christmas chocolate, I’m thinking about some of the bad stuff, but also all the good things. I joined the fandom at the the beginning of this year and in the middle of that I lost my account and hand to repost everything 😱😭

I know. SHITTY. But!!!! I’m taking some time to thank you all for making this one of the best fandom experiences I’ve had. Thank you for your interactions with cherub. Your love, support, re blogs, comments, all of it. It means the utter world to me and I cannot stress that enough. You are all such wonderful people.

There are loads of you out there who I want to thank but I’m going to stick to a few that have been my rock through the shitstorm of 2023.

First, @ramblers-lets-get-ramblin. Ange. You are one of the kindest most genuine people I know. Being your mutual is an honour. You’re so generous and always there for me to rant and rave or obsess with. For that I cannot be more grateful to you. Your fics are beautiful and so is your mind. The love you show me and cherub is more than I could ever ask for. So thank you. Xx

@chaotic-mystery and @tightjeansjavi I know we don’t talk as much as we used to when I first joined the fandom. But just know I think of you two often. I love love love!!! your work and if I’m having a bad day I always pop back to it to make myself smile. I hope you two are doing better and that the new year shines in your favour.

@planet-marz1 mari!! Where do I even start? Your mari mail makes me giggle every time I see hbo Joel and pixel daddy Joel in a tutu or a tiara, or even as a snail. I’d love them as a worm, and I’d love you as a worm. I’m so excited to see what more you have in store for us with your writing because from what I’ve seen so far you are insanely talented!

@joelslegalwhre Em, you’re so sweet. You really are! And I’m so happy that we’re mutuals. I can’t wait to obsess over more Joel with you and get to know you more too. I love seeing you pop up in my inbox every now and then.

@jenna-ortega OH MY GOD I don’t THINK YOU UNDERSTAND THE VERTIGO BRAINROT I STILL HAVE!!!!! I often re-read it as a bedtime story because the premise of that fic is just chef’s kiss! Can’t wait to read more in the new year of you choose to continue bby

@chloeangelic thank you so much for your kind words on cherub part one and two. It really means the work that you loved it so much. Your reblog made my Christmas. I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time and read it over and over trying to let it sink in that such a great writer ENJOYED MY WORK!! So thank you again l, sending much love your way, chloe. Mwah!

A few more honourable mentions go out to @swiftispunk @netherfeildren @janaispunk @saradika @morning-star-joy @psychedelic-ink @persephone-girl @walkintotheriveranddisappear @worhols @pedrit0-pascalit0 @morallyinept @cupofjoel @cavillscurls @joelsgreys @joelsflannel @joelscruff @joelsversion @wannab-urs @notjustjavierpena @millerscoffee @beskarandblasters @dilfspitdrinker @bbyanarchist @angelofsmalldeath-codeine @reddedmiller @toxicanonymity @thetriumphantpanda @cool-iguana and so many more for their work and the interactions we’ve shared over the year.

I hope with all my fanfic writer heart that the new year inspires you and shows you love, warmth and happiness. Keep smiling cherubs! Xxxxxx

#love from lu #2023 recap

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fictionadventurer · 6 months

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Little House in the Big Woods is a masterful depiction of the simple joys and mindset of very early childhood. Which, oddly enough, makes the book work better for me as an adult than as a child. As a kid, I saw this as one of the lesser books--there are some fun moments and interesting stories, but nothing really happens. As an adult, that's one of the main draws--nothing happens! Laura gets to see the frost on the windows and play with her cousins and get Christmas presents and look at the pictures in the animal book and play house and nothing goes wrong. It brings back those innocent, simple joys of very early childhood in a way that's much more welcome now that I'm much further away from it.

With an adult's perspective, it's also easier to catch more details about the wider world surrounding that little cabin in the Big Woods. The family ties binding together the adults. The historical context of the 1860s. You catch the fact that they're choosing to live like this--the rest of the world is pretty advanced, but they're living on the very edges of civilization where you have to do things for yourself in a way few other people do.

As a kid, I just saw the historical moment as "pioneer times where they live like this because they haven't invented technology." As an adult, I know that there's a ton of technology already being invented at a faster rate than ever before, and even here on the fringes of society, it's got a huge effect on how they settle the area. They buy machine-made traps to catch animals for a huge fur industry (at least, I don't see a local blacksmith making these). They use a complicated threshing machine. They buy machine-made cloth and cane sugar and have little store-made knickknacks. Their way of life is pretty heavily dependent on a world where railroads and steamships can rapidly transport goods around the world, which is a huge reason that life changed so quickly during Laura's lifetime--the world was already pretty modern, and just had to get out to where she was. It's a perspective that added a lot of depth to my view of the setting.

The book's also better from an adult viewpoint because it's not just the story of early childhood, but it's a woman in her 60s looking back at her early childhood--nostalgic for it in the way a lot of adults are nostalgic for a time when the world seemed simpler and safer--which makes the perspective oddly relatable.

I can still see why it's less exciting than the other books--even apart from the lack of deadly perils, Laura's extremely young age means she's not an active protagonist. She's just watching life while other people go off and do things. Most of the events are things we hear about--Pa telling stories of his childhood or of what he's done during the day. Laura doesn't, for instance, go out to the bee tree--she sees Pa get the wagon and then come back and tell her about it. Even this simple event is something that Laura's not actively watching, which makes her perspective feel a bit disconnected from the world.

But for all the story's flaws and virtues, the very best part of the book is how much love goes into it. Laura is writing this out of love for the family that gave her such a childhood. She'll pause to note Pa's laugh, or talk about how pretty Ma was while making hominy. She loves the landscape, delighting in the details of every season. She loves the daily tasks of farm life. She's not just detailing things like cheese-making or churning because these skills are dying out, but because she's lived her life on a farm and takes genuine joy in the details that go into completing all these tasks. She loved farming so much that she spent years writing a column about farming life, and that absolutely comes out here.

Then, at the very end, we have a line that's my contender for one of the best last lines in all of literature. Laura's watching her family and the firelight as Pa plays his fiddle in the cozy little house, singing about remembering the days of long ago. And this sixty-some-year-old woman, looking back at her childhood, bringing back a vanished world for the children of today, ends with a paragraph that perfectly sums up the bittersweet truths of the story--that childhood thinks it will last forever, that time will pass in the blink of an eye, and that memory and storytelling can, in their imperfect way, make the past immortal.

She was glad that the cosy house, and Pa and Ma and the firelight and the music were now. They could not be forgotten, she thought, because now is now. It can never be a long time ago.

#little house in the big woods #little house #laura ingalls wilder #maybe this should have been a bullet point list but it turns out i got a lot of paragraphs in me

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nervoushottee · 5 months

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Flaws and All CH. 1 | Joel Miller x Fem!Reader Series

Warnings: Violence, guns, blood, cuts, regular ole the last of us shit.

Note: Had so much fun writing this. I’ve been working nonstop and haven’t had anytime to write but I am so happy I was able to get this out.

(Not edited at all so sorry not sorry just wanted to get this out of my head)

Series Masterlist

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Chapter 1

Winter was a deadly beast.

Depending on what side of the planet you’re on, it could be your saving grace or the demon within. The cold weather could bring frost bitten limbs, harsh winds and even death. Or it could be a glimpse of pure joy, excitement and tranquility.

And for you? You were honestly hoping it'd be your escape. The both of you were.

But all in all, right now you couldn’t feel your fucking fingers. And you were sure as hell that Joel couldn’t either. No matter how many grunts and grumbles that came from indicating that he was okay. It was just two words that he was saying to himself to help warm his chest.

You could hardly tell what time it was. With clouds filled with snow covering the sun leaving a tint of grey and white. You just hoped that you had a few more hours before nightfall.

Joel was in front of you, his dark green coat covering his back. His head hunched over a bit as he walked. Map in hand as he continues his stride.

“How long now?” You ask the man in front of you. He slows his pace for you to catch up with him. Your boots trudging in the cold snow. “Not far out.” He says to you simply. You sigh at his short response.

This is how it was with you two since leaving. Short and sweet conversations. Quiet nights, and even quiet walks.

You couldn’t tell if it was because you were still strangers to one another or that it was because he simply didn’t like you.

You were hoping it wasn’t the latter.

From what you noticed, Joel was a quiet man.

The two of you met on a whim. A fast chaotic and last minute decision. A quick change that maybe somehow was fate.

The settlement the two of you were in turned sour fast. What you thought was a decent place with decent rules of living turned into hell on earth in just two weeks. You and Joel were neighbors. Living in the same apartment and from time to time you would bump into each other during the day.

A simple “good morning” or “good night”. Or a “morning” or “night” on Joel’s end. Nothing but simple pleasantries between two people.

But one night, you woke up to the sound of glass breaking. Which probably wouldn’t be such a nervous thing with how the world was now. But this sounded a bit too close for comfort.

You had accidentally slept on the couch the night before and your living room window gave you a full view of what was happening within the streets.

There were people in the streets, screaming and killing each other. Matzel tovs were being thrown into apartment buildings. Nail bombs at the front doors of the makeshift stores people created for the community. You could hear the sound of women screaming. Men, bandits, laughing.

You couldn’t believe what you were seeing. Slowly in fear of not making any sudden movements for someone to see you through the window you quickly throw your jacket back on that you had dropped on the floor.

Thankful that you fell asleep still in the clothes your worn that day.

You were always an overthinker. Since birth it was something that was engraved in you whether you liked it or not. Even worse with how shitty life was. But despite its negative causes it had on your life, there were certain times where you were thankful for it.

The bag you brought into the settlement on your first day here was still packed with things. You didn’t pack out everything into the dusty closets or old dressers slowly starting to mildew. You would simply take out each thing you needed for the day and put it back at night.

You would rinse and repeat this method until you had lived here for a month. That was your plan. That was your routine. But life doesn’t always go to plan. You hurriedly put your boots back on. One already snug on your left foot.

The urge to keep your bag close came over you and you quickly limped through your bedroom door to retrieve it. But the minute you opened the door to your room. You were greeted with the reason you heard the broken glass in the first place.

A masked man broke into your bedroom.

He had a knife in one hand and your bag in the other. The pack was open and you could see the contents you had in there were swished around. Probably from him rummaging through it for anything of value for him to take.

That bag was like a pot of gold to anyone desperate enough.

But at the sight of you, his need to steal your bag was washed. A new need in mind as he dropped your bag to the floor. He storms over to you with his knife raised. You gasp at how quickly everything happens.

You’re slamming the bedroom door to his face but it doesn’t stagger him. You run to your kitchen area in a panic. A shriek leaving your throat as you run and go beside your table. You push it with all of your might into the stranger who simply laughs at your attempt to stop him.

He laughs like this is a joke to him. Like he’s play a game of cat and mouse. You knew if he catched you, that death would be more favorable than whatever ideas he had in mind. You could see his hunger in his eyes.

He continues forward walking toward you slowly until he has you cornered. And if you had any mind to do so you could hit him with something. Grabbed a knife from the kitchen. Hit him with your other shoe. Anything.

But it was too late to think about that. All you could think about now is trying not to die. Trying to stop whatever he would do to you before that if you could. And in this moment you thought that dying would be more of a blessing than a curse.

He charged at you which causes you to scream. Using all your might to push him off of you. Grabbing the knife quickly before he plunged it into your shoulder. You shriek at the intense pain of the knife slicing through your gripped palm.

You were trying so hard. Kicking and pushing using all the strength you could. But you didn’t think it would be enough. You knew it wouldn’t. In the end, he sadly had the upperhand. He was bigger than you and caught you by suprise.

And you were going to fucking die. With a final scream you almost accepted your fate. But the immediate force of your front door getting kicked down gave you a glimpse of hope.

Joel had seen what was happening outside his apartment window. Started grabbing his own things same as you did. And was a few feet out of his door before he had heard you scream and didn’t waste a second to come help you.

Both you and the masked man froze from the sudden intrusion. Which gave Joel enough time to shoot the man dead. The shot rang out, the man falling to the floor. His blood splattering against your face. The heavy sets of breathing leaving your mouth.

Joel walked over to you and bent down to your level. You didn’t realize til then that the man had you basically on the floor fighting for your life was dead.

“Are you okay?” He asked, his eyes trailing your face. “Are you hurt?”

You swallowed, still in shock for all that had happened so quickly. “My hand.” You croaked out. Your throat is sore from how loud you were screaming.

Joel nodded his head looking at your bloody palm. “Can you stand?” You nodded as you grasp the hand Joel extends to you. Your injured one curled against your chest, throbbing from pain.

“Get your stuff, we’re leaving.” He said to you.

We’re leaving.

After a few seconds of letting what he said register you limped over back to your room to grab your bag. Some of the items spilled out on the floor and you hurriedly pushed it back inside. You finally put on your second shoe and see Joel staring out your window. “What’s going on?” You say to him hoarsely.

Joel shakes his head without turning to you. His eyes still looking at the streets of the settlement. “Not sure. More or less Raiders, a big group of them. Wanting something like this. It was easy pickings with a settlement so small. With the mask on that guy I think I’m right.” Joel turns to you. Giving you a once over look. “You ready?”

You hadn’t even realize his attire. His green jacket in over his body. A bag of his own around both of his arms. And a rifle strapped on his shoulder.

You nod your head at the question.

With your confirmation, Joel starts to walk out of your apartment. Muttering for you to follow him. And you did exactly that.

That was four days ago.

Now here you both were. Walking in the snow to get to wherever the hell Joel was looking at the map for.

“There.” He spoke up. He points to the gas station in the far distance. You squint your eyes to see it better. It wasn’t far but it wasn’t close either. Still you couldn’t wait to get out of the cold. You doubt the gas station would even have electricity, so it would more than likely still be cold. But being cold in a shelter is better than nothing.

“Let’s go then.” You pushed ahead of Joel, walking toward the faint view of the building in front of you. Joel eventually catching up to you with a fiew long strides.

“So what’s the reason why we’re going here?”

You finally speak up. Turning your head to the man who saved you nearly days before.And granted you probably should’ve asked him that three days ago. But the trek to get up here was too dangerous as is.

The settlement was smackdown in the middle of a small city. So it took about two days to get out of there on foot. Hiding from raiders, killing any infected you saw along the way. Joel was very smart and skilled in both departments. There wasn’t much talk for what happens next. The priority was getting out of there.

When those days passed, you both were finally out of the city and there was nothing but greenery for miles. You were too exhausted to speak from all the walking you did. Your palm throbbing with pain every step of the way.

On the third night, the temperature dropped. By morning of the fourth day, it was snowing.

So as you both walked the snow dusted trail you felt like it was a good as time as any to ask him questions. “A guy that I knew before I stayed at the settlement has a radio. Marked my map with a few spots of where another might be just in case I would ever need to contact him.” He explains.

You contemplate what he says as the two of you reach the gas station. Joel turns to you, looking briefly at your empty hands. A silent statement for you to be armed and on your guard.

You grab the pistol that he had given to you to use and a flash light from your pack in the other hand. You twist your hands and wrists on top of each other. Both gun and flashlight in hand, aimed and ready to use.

You were hardly a good shot. It takes a few times to actually shoot a target from afar on a good day. But fear and survival have a good way of showing us what exactly we are capable of in certain moments.

Your wrapped palm hated the harsh tug you had on your gun, but it was the least of your worries. You nod your head towards Joel as he starts to pry the door open. The cold air causing it to need more force than it probably would have.

You check your surroundings as Joel struggles with the door. No one was out here for miles. The only thing you could see were trees and stranded cars. The snow that came in that morning was already starting to cover the surface of anything and everything it could. You hoped that the two of you could stay here for the night instead of out in the wilderness again.

The sudden jolt of the door pushing open made your turn your head back over to Joel. He had gotten the door open and quickly pulled his own gun and flashlight out. “Wait here.” He tells you before going into the gas station. Giving it a good look around, before calling your name to follow inside.

You look back for a second to look around in case anyone for some reason followed you for four days. You hear Joel call your name again. A lot closer now than he was before. You shake your anxious thoughts and enter the gas station with a heavy breath.

The gas station was ransacked. Shelves were bare and broken. And any supplies that were left were nearly finished. Joel had been a few steps out the door and nearly knocked into you before you came inside. His face almost filled with worry, a question almost leaving his mouth before he sighs. Going behind you to push the door closed and sliding a piece of wood through the door handles.

“The place seems secure. Ransacked for sure but no one’s here so we should be good for now.” Joel tells you as he walks back ahead of you. “Great.” You respond idly. Placing your gun away (your injured hand thank you for it) and flashing your flashlight through the abandoned station.

The building was small. Not a big gas station which was obvious. Probably just being a small gas station for travelers to full up on gas and stale snacks before hitting the road again. That’s what it was like only a few years ago. A simple store to get lottery tickets and making sure to press the right gas button instead of the diesel.

Now it was a free for all, ransacked for survival. Oh how time flies when it’s the end of the world.

You walk further into the station, behind what were once clean isles now filled with dirty and trash. The fridges that were once cold filed with refreshing drinks were now barren with only a few stranglers of bottles left. You could hear Joel doing the same as you. Looking through isles, rummaging for anything that was useful in the dim light of his flashlight.

This is what life was now. Breaking and entering, and stealing to survive. Hiding in plain sight from the dead that risen. Infected with sick disease that wouldn’t stop from killing you and a sudden sound. Raiders doing as they pleased. Like a god or devil granted them their wish of the world turning to shit so they can do as they please without a care in the world. Or people to stop them.

“Got some pain killers. Not much but a few packets to help with that hand.” Joel says to you out loud. You don’t turn to look at him or respond. To his statement. You flashlight shining over the drink you had not seen in a long time.“I got a can of Yahoo if you want to trade.” You say jokingly.

You turn your head back to see Joel staring at you with a confused face. You move your body slightly, hand still shining on the dead fridge with the red and yellow can sitting in one of the holders. Joel huffs a laugh before standing up from his need position. Shaking his head as he walks over to the cash register.

You look back over to the can of Yahoo for a few seconds before you hear Joel call your name. You quickly open the fridge door, the smell of dried water and mildew wafted your nose as you nonetheless pick up the can and sliding it inside your jacket pocket before heading over to Joel’s direction.

There was an door behind the register that was now open. Walking inside to see Joel behind an office desk. It was slightly warmer in this room. You really had no clue why but it would be a decent place to sleep for the rest of night if you played your cars right.

“Help me with this.” He asks you. You walk behind the desk to see Joel hovering over a old radio that had been hidden away in a old vent. You kneel beside him, shoulders touching as you both slide the rest of the radio and its equipment out of the slim vent. Placing it on the office desk with a grunt.

“That shit is heavy.” You mutter with a groan after releasing it.

“Abe preferred the outdated stuff than the modern day. With how its going now, its a good thing he did. Because this thing still works.” He nods his head towards it. “Abe’s your radio guy?” You question him.

Joel nods without saying a world. Starting to move his hands against the radio. Twisting and turning things you had no clue what for. You assumed in attempt to turn it on.

You let Joel focus on the radio as you get a further look around the office. The office was pretty small. Only the office desk and a wooden chair for furniture. There was a tall window that was covered in dirt and grime on the outside. It still created enough light for you both not to need you flashlights. There were a few potted plants on the windowsill. Small, dead plants that probably bought some joy once before.

A broken picture frame face down on the floor. You kneel down to pick it up, dusting the small shards of glass to take the slim picture out.

It was a picture of a family. A mother and father, with an older daughter and younger son. All smiling wide with fishes in their hands. A lake in the background.

This picture makes you think that this gas station was once family owned. Once a place where a family dedicated their time and money to make it useful for customers.

Now it is a graveyard.

It still baffles you how quick life changed. How so sudden the world went to shit. Just two years ago you were in your apartment, in your favorite pair of socks. With a warm cup of tea at your side. Now you’re taking whatever clothing you can find and tea is a useless thing to you now.

At least you had Joel.

You didn’t know how long you two would be together. But you were thankful all the same for his company. He was a quiet man, but a helpful one. He knew his way around. How to survive and protect like it was instilled in him before all of this happened. Despite only truly being in his presence nonstop for four days straight. You want to get to know him more. Hoping that whatever Robert says on this radio (Hopefully it works). That Joel will want to take you with him.

If you were honest. You were tired of doing this alone. And some company wouldn’t hurt. Even if it was company from a man who hadn’t talked much.

Ever so delicately, you place the flimsy picture against the window sill. Like placing a flower on top of a closed casket. You bid a farewell to the old life that feels like a lifetime away.

You put your hands in your pocket. Wincing at the cold aluminum can of chocolate milk against your injured hand. You walk over to the desk where Joel tinkers with the radio.

The loud noise of static makes the both of you jump from the sudden sound. Joel springs into action pulling out his map and and a small notebook from his bag. Turning the radio at whatever frequency has written throughout one of the pages.

He turns the knob back and forth and grabs the the microphone and takes a breath before speaking. “Abe. It’s Joel.” He says into the mic. Releasing his thumb from the mic button.

There’s nothing but static. You heart races with each long moment the two of you wait. Please listen, please respond. Please let this work.

“Abe. Hello? Are you there?” Joel says more sternly. His anticipation and fear crawling into to him. You know it is. He isn’t looking at you, ever so focused on the radio. Turning back to the notebook to make sure he was at the right channel.

All of the cards, all of your marbles. Whatever other fucking saying you could think of relies on this radio working and the person Joel needed to contact responding.

You didn’t come up with another plan besides this one. Hell you hadn’t even known this is where you were going to be five days ago. What would the two of you do now if Abe didn’t answer? Would Joel still stick with you without him? Will he still if he does?

“Joel-”,you start to say to him. Not wanting to tell him that the both of you might need to come up with a plan since the only sound coming from that radio was static. But he didn’t let you finish.

Quickly shaking his head he brings the comm up to his lips again. “Abe, This is Joel. Are you there?” He says again. This time, his voice is almost a bit weary. Trying to grasp onto some sort of hope.

He releases his thumb from the button and static comes on once again.

You start to turn around, feeling overwhelmed with stress and walk out the office to give yourself some space so Joel won’t see you cry over something like this. It was stupid of you for being so hopeful. It was a blessing you even got out of there alive all those few days ago. Nowadays, hope is a very small term and it is more than likely never as frequent as was before.

“Joel. It’s Abe. Turn to the second channel I written on your map.” You hear a man say on the radio. More static than actual noise. But you let out a breath you were holding. Walking toward the office desk, eager to hear more from the stranger.

Joel instantly grabs the make and brings his finger down to the old paper. Looking at the small handwriting to find whatever Abe had told him to turn to. You reach for you flashlight and shine the light over the map to try to help Joel see better.

He turns to the nobs on the radio before grabbing the mic again. “Abe. It’s Joel.”

“Been’s a long time since I heard from you Miller.” Abe says from the radio.

The both of you let out a relieved sigh when you hear the man’s voice. Eager to hear more, you lean both your hands over the office desk to listen in on what he has to say.

“Was hoping I wouldn’t need to for a while longer at least. But you know how things go.” Joel says.

“Unfortunately I do. Give me second and let me see if there’s any news for communities welcoming strays.” Abe tells him.

The line goes silent for a bit, the two of you not saying anything. Both eyeing the radio, hearts racing in anticipation for whatever Abe was going to say. You had yet to make your presence known. Neither has Joel. And if you were honest, you don’t know if you wanted to or not.

“So there is a place that’s available from what I heard over the radio a week ago. Small group, not too friendly but could work for a temporary solution to gather your bearings and try to find something else in the wind.” Abe suggest.

Joel asks for where the group is settled, telling Abe that he was radioing from the old gas station. “It’s South from that station. Not awful but not good either. Works better if you have a car but I really wouldn’t advise because the group may not let you in.”

You flash the flashlight again to give Joel more light as Abe tells him the city name and area. He draws lines down the map to find the way for the two of you to take.

“I’ve known you for a while Joel and I’m sure you can handle it. But this group aren’t the best to hang around. It’s mostly men and not the good kind. So I would advise you to go alone if you are with a group or anything. Especially any women.” Abe finishes

Hearing Abe’s last sentence, causes Joel to stop drawing on the map. His wooden pencil frozen. You hold in a breath as Joel locks eyes with you from across the table.

Here it is. What you’ve been worried about. The decision of whether Joel will leave you here. That one night four days ago was simply you getting lucky. And now you’ll have to be on your own again.

Joel stands straight from his hovered position over the map and his eyes doesn’t leave yours. You don’t know what he’s thinking. You don’t know what is on his mind and what decision he’s going to make. Something in you feels like you know that Joel isn’t the kind of man to leave you stranded. But you’ve been wrong about men too many times than you could count.

He puts his head down and stares at the floor. Almost if he’s contemplating something. In seconds that feel like days, he makes a small nod of his head as if he’s made up his mind. He raises the microphone to his lips and speaks.

“That’s not going to work. I have someone with me.”

With that, he extends his hand out with the microphone for you to take. You look at the microphone and look at him. It’s almost as if you could cry from relief. But you don’t . You simply take the microphone in your hand.

“Hello Abe.” You say the stranger’s name awkwardly.

“Hello.” Abe says intrigued.

“Well. There is one place. You can stay in temporarily. Another hideout I have with another radio hidden in there. It’s not much but it will give me some time to listen in on any other groups that are open for strangers. You aren’t the only person I help from time to time Joel.” He says.

Joel nods his head as if the man can see him but doesn’t say anything else. “It’s a lot farther than the one I just told you. It’s North. Not on the map when I marked for you because its really a hideout for me if where I’m at goes to shit. But, I’ve known you along time and let’s call this a referral or friendly discount of some sort.”

He tells the both of you the proper directions and Joel erases the old lines he made on the map just minutes before. “It’s not much. I know you were probably hoping for something more permanent .” Abe apologizes

“It’s great. Thank you.” You say on the microphone.

“It would be best if you take a car. Which hopefully won’t be too hard given the area you’re in currently. Until then, Joel and his lady friend. Hopefully I can have something better soon for ya.”

Joel says his thank yous and you do as well. Before turning to put the radio back in its originally hiding place. He stands up with a sigh and turns to you. “We should sleep here for the night. Find a car that works in the morning.” You nod your head in agreement.

A few hours pass and day becomes night. The both of you made the office your place of rest. Your sleeping bag against the wall and Joel’s near the office door. You had found an old lanter in the supply closet. It sits in the middle of the room. You and Joel’s laying on your own sleeping bags across from each other.

You were finishing the cold can of soup from your food supply. Joel looking through the map for the tenth time that night. The room silent.

With a couple more spoonfuls you place the empty can on the ground with a sigh. “I’m happy we aren’t outside. But I miss my soup being warm.” You joke.

Joel huffs a laugh and shakes his head. “Well you’ll get your wish soon enough. From what I’m seeing its going to be a long drive. Might be a day or two before we get to the place. I’ll try to siphon enough gas from a couple of the cars down the road. To have with us.” He tells you.

You nod at the plan. Still very thankful that Joel still wants you to tag along with him. From how Abe had spoke, it seemed that he wasn’t one to have company with him at all. So you wanted to thank him for it soon.

Lifting your injured hand. You slowly unwrap the dirty gauze, seething when it pulls on the sore scar. “Shit.” You mutter.

“Slow down.” Joel says.

“I am.” You respond back. You weren’t. It hurt too much to pull it slow. Not having much ointment to cover the cut caused it to stick tightly against the dry gauze. You wince again when you tug more off. “Jesus woman.” You hear Joel mutter.

He walks the short distance across to sit next to you. Taking your injured hand in his with caution. “You keep pulling at it like that and you’re going to tear the scab and have to let it heal all over again.” He scolds.

You sigh in annoyance and let Joel do what he’s done more than once since you’ve been traveling together. Tend to your wound.

You were right handed. So trying to wrap your bleeding hand the first night with the flashlight in your mouth. Your non dominant hand struggling to wrap the gauze tightly to stop the bleeding. Hearing your winces and groans from having to start over multiple times. Joel got up from his sleeping bag and wrapped your hand for you.

Ever since then he’ll ask about it. If it still hurts, does it need new gauze, to make sure you weren’t putting too much pressure on it.

You watch Joel slowly pull the gauze. Ever so soft feather-like touches against your scar. He removes the gauze. His calloused hands being so delicately soft against yours.

Flicking your eyes from his hands to his face. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration on your hand. You can’t help but feel thankful.

“Thank you.” You whisper to him.

“Be more careful next time, don’t want to have it bleedin’ again.” He says to you, still focused on your injured hand. The old gauze gone now as he reaches for the new gauze that you had pulled out moments before.

“No- not about this.” You gesture lightly with your other hand. “For the other night.”

Joel knows what you’re referring to. The night he saved you. The night he killed the man that was going to bad things to you and probably kill you afterwards. The night he took you with him to where you both are now.

He pauses from rewrapping your injured hand. Sits quietly. “I heard you screamin’. Wouldn’t have been right to just leave you after hearing that.”and with that he continues to wrap the gauze. “It pretty much looks healed. But you should keep it wrapped for maybe a day or two longer.”

You thank him as he stands up from his seated position. “You should get some sleep. We got a long trek ahead of us.”

“What about you?” You ask him. He softly jerks his head toward the map. “I’m going to mark a few alternative routes just in case the main one we’ll be taken is a dead end or blocked or something.”

You nod at his response before slipping inside your sleeping bag. You turn away from Joel and face the wall. You blink to see the picture you had once placed on the window sill, had been on the floor. Your eyes drift close as you think of simpler times, and the life you once had before this.

—————————————-

HEYYYY… How y’all doing??

I’m here with a new series that’s been flooding my brain nonstop for the past month. I am not setting any expectations on it but this is chapter one. I will post a more official series post later on. I just wanted to get this out thereeee

Glad to be writing again!!!

#joel miller #joel miller x reader #joel miller fanfiction #joel miller fanfic #joel miller fic #joel fic #joel miller/reader #joel miller smut #joel x reader #joel miller series #tlou fanfiction #tlou series #joel fanfic #joel miller imagine #joel miller fluff #joel the last of us

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darlingillustrations · 2 months

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I feel like I should be panicking more. My rent is due in one week, my landlord isn't friendly, and I have no one to ask for help. And yet? I have an eerie sense of calm about it.

I know the calm that happens when you are not actually calm but panicking and your body is helping you survive. This isn't that kind of fake calm. I am sleeping at night. I'm not snaping at my kids. I am *at peace.*

(Read more for musings about the economy, my spiritual mindset in the midst of it all, and some Mary Oliver poetry.)

Five years ago? I would be panicking and staying up late working long hours and burning myself out. But now? These days I'm working full days, then stepping back and cooking meals or working on projects for my kids. It feels more stable this time. I feel like I've matured.

I got a report in my email yesterday which showed that retail sales in January plunged 0.8% from December, far worse than the consensus forecast for a decline of just 0.2%, and the largest monthly loss since March 2023. On the one hand, it made me feel better that it's not just me. On the other hand, it sucks that lots of other people are struggling, as well.

Still, I make the time to meditate every morning. Still, I pull out my poetry books and take my life advice from Mary Oliver. In the poem One or Two Things she wrote:

One or two things are all you need to travel over the blue pond, over the deep roughage of trees and through the stiff flowers of lightning--some deep memory of pleasure, some cutting knowledge of pain.

You don't need to have all the answers. You just need to put one step in front of the other.

Last year when I launched my wholesale business, I drummed up over 1000 leads. I'd pick a city and use google maps or yelp to search for gift shops, stationary stores, coffee shops... anywhere that I thought might want my work... and I took the time to write a personal note to each and every one of these businesses. This month I decided to check back in with them again, and so many of the businesses are now closed or their email addresses no longer work.

Having exhausted these leads, I sat at my computer yesterday with the knowledge that I needed to wait on people to get back to me, that the wholesale leads were out of my hands. And that I still did not have money to pay my landlord. Not once did I fear I would join the list of closed businesses. I did not despair.

Instead, I turned to my first joy. I went back to the sales history on my website and found my very first customers from back in 2016 when I launched my web shop. I emailed them, each of those first customers, sending personal emails. I did not ask them to buy anything. That wasn't what I needed. I asked how they were, what they have been up to, where their lives have taken them.

I was searching for that deep memory of pleasure, that cutting knowledge of pain. One or two things is all we need, after all.

And I got one email back.

This woman was the first person to ever buy an art print in my online shop--a honeybee boy painting--and it is still hanging in her stepson's room, nearly 8 years later. She shared pictures of her new baby, and I shared the pictures with my kids. This woman had sent me many emails over the years, asking for life advice or encouraging me on a hard day. She shared that she didn't realize her emails had made such an impact on me.

Funny how none of us truly sees how impactful we are to those around us. Funny how life keeps going on, whether we worry about it or not.

In One or Two Things, Mary Oliver also wrote:

For years and years I struggled just to love my life. And then the butterfly rose, weightless, in the wind. "Don't love your life too much," it said, and vanished into the world.

I want my character to be defined not by what I do when things are easy but by how I carry myself when things are hard. And I do believe things happen for a reason. Maybe the line between delusion and faith is very thin, but the universe has shown me time and again that it's had my back. I've been in worse scrapes and still came out ok.

If you've read this far and you want to help me get through the next week, you can buy something from my shop or support me on Patreon.

And if you've read this far but you are in a similar boat, don't fret. We will find our way through the fires. one. step. at. a. time.

#mary oliver #capitalism #queer artist #support queer artists #patreon artist #darling illustrations #erin speaks

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xxcherrydevilxx · 4 months

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Fated Eve

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Fandom: BSD; Ranpo x fem!reader

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Warnings: N/A, really just fluff

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Summary: drinking a beer in the parking lot of a convenience store is not how many will be spending New Year's Eve, but it is for you. When a pretty boy drops some glasses and hurries off without realizing it, you spend the last hours of the new year trying to hunt him down.

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A/N Thoughts: Kept thinking about this idea while at work and just really liked the image of it. I knew I wouldn't be able to write it the day of new years eve so i'm trying to get it done quickly so errors might be apparent.

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Word Count: 2811

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A/N Afterthoughts: so cheesy, so found family, wish this was my New Year’s, need more Ranpo fanfiction. Finished this up at 9 pm, have work at 9 am, hope you all don't die of sweetness overload, and have a happy new year! Perhaps you’ll find some cute guy’s glasses and have a Tumblr love story.

The beer wasn’t as refreshing as you had hoped, and the concrete parking lot bumper wasn’t as comfy as your sofa would have been, either. But you couldn’t go back to your apartment because your roommate was throwing a New Year's Eve party, and you knew absolutely no one who was attending. You stepped out to get some fresh air after some random couple came tumbling into your bedroom hoping to get some “privacy,” you called it quits there. Maybe there was somewhere more comfortable to sit and drink alone. But as you leaned your head back and took in the countless stars in the night sky, you didn’t want to get up; this view was worth it. The air was practically fizzing with the anticipation of all the people waiting with bated breath for the final hours to tick down and for it to be an amazing new year, a year filled with new aspirations, goals, and anything you could possibly imagine.

You are hoping for a few of your goals and dreams to get crossed off. Land a new job? Figure out a better living situation, and finish your bachelor's. The new year always held such innocent hope, despite nothing different from the ones past.

You took another sip of your beer and stretched out your legs on the cool concrete, thinking back on your year with bittersweet memories. A car pulled into the parking lot next to you. You gave the driver a quick lookover; a man who seemed frantic as he patted down his jeans and rushed into the convenience store. Party stragglers, you had seen a few come and go as you relaxed in the biting cold December air. Teenagers trying not to get carded, college kids like you, stumbling and laughing out into the cold air as their breath billowed and faded into the night sky. Friends, lovers, family… and then there was you alone in your own bubble. You faintly felt the tug of loneliness as you watched all the different faces march on, their arms linked or holding hands, while you sat on cement and drank a cheap beer.

A man jumped over the parking bump as he rushed toward the street, arms ladened with bags. You could see the faint outline of snacks: gummy bears, chocolate, all sweets. His step seemed to have a skip in it, and his outline against the pitch-black sky made you breathe in for no other reason but the beauty of it. The image of someone so alone like yourself, but still finding joy and rushing back to where he had come from. You knew he was probably racing back to a place filled with joyful laughter, goofy 20XX hats, and the murmur of the countdown playing in the background. You perched your chin on the top of your bottle, eyes squinting slightly in thought as the figure continued to get smaller and smaller. Your eyes were transfixed on the man you almost didn't feel the tap on your shoulder.

“E-excuse me miss? Are these yours?” the man from before asked. The hasty one had now come back out of the convenience store with an armful of beer, the same brand as yours. You turned your head slightly, your hair swishing down your shoulder as you took in his face, then the faint object in his hands. Glasses.

“Oh, no those aren't-” the man let out a groan of annoyance. Before you could finish, you hastily changed your answer as if his displeasure was enough for such a white lie.

“Those aren't mine, but they are friend’s of mine.” you conceded, smiling up politely at the man who held a pensive look on his face.

“Great. Here,” he said, tossing the glasses before turning and getting into his car. He spun out of the parking lot as you fumbled to catch the glasses, staring blankly at them and then back up at the red car lights of his; which was speeding down the desolate road.

Whose even were these?

You turned the glasses over in your hands, taking in the rims and the dark black color that made it fade into the darkness if you didn’t squint hard enough. No initials, typical, but you had a hard time making out if these were even prescriptions. They couldn’t be? Could they? Would someone be able to lose such glasses? Surely they would have been wearing them.

You deduced quickly; they weren't prescriptions, no way… so then, whose were they? You gently sat the glasses down beside you, pulling your hands close to your mouth as you blew warm air over your knuckles, the chilly December breeze finally getting to you. You don’t know why you were so intrigued about who these glasses belonged to; it didn’t matter, did it? You could simply give them to the cashier and let them deal with it. But another part of you, perhaps that innocent hope that had been blossoming since you sat out in the cold air and gazed up at the stars, found excitement in such a small task. A chase against time to find the owner! Or, as your roommate would call it, a goose chase to find who you think could be the owner. You eyed the glasses as the lenses looked out towards the road.

“Just whose owners are you, huh?” you mumbled out loud. Your chin resting on your knees that you had pulled up, and your hand tracing the rims. You were bored; that much was apparent, you were talking to someone's glasses for Christ's sake. You were also as curious as a cat, and the idea of chasing someone down on New Year's… finding them just as the time changed… maybe it would be a handsome man? Woman? Someone to make this new year start with a flourish.

Well, that did it. You jumped to your feet, clapping your hands together to gain some warmth, pocketing the glasses and taking one last sip of your beer for fools' courage; you got to work.

You stood in the parking lot for a second, hands on your hips, as you looked at the double doors and the flickering lights inside. If the glasses belonged to someone who came in before or after the hasty man with the bad driving skills; giving them around a ten-minute window because if they had already been there for too long someone else would have either grabbed them or the cashier would have put them behind the register. You ran through the customers you had seen come in before the man; a woman and boy, perhaps her son, who had a silly News Year hat on and who clutched his mother’s hand tightly and stared wide-eyed at everything around at him, even waving at you when they emerged out of the store. If it was their glasses the curious boy would have probably picked them up, so you mentally crossed them off on your list.

Next up was a group of teens trying to illegally buy beer. You could tell because they looked so young there was no way they could get away with it… and because they asked you to buy for them which garnered a laugh. They never even entered the store, knowing their chances were slim, so the glasses must not be theirs as you would have heard the clatter if they did fall out of a pocket.

All that was left was… Ah! The sweets boy! He came in shortly after the hasty man, and his hands were so full he couldn’t possibly have noticed the glasses slipping, his fast steps probably even blocking out the noise. You couldn’t have noticed either, being too busy watching the peppy man bounce off with glee, and the hasty man must have come out shortly after because he pulled you out of your lull and handed you the lost item.

Yes! That must be it! You quickly pulled out the glasses to look at their now smudged frames.

“I think I figured out your owner,” you said valiantly to the inanimate object. You rubbed the lenses clean and, for the hell of it, put them on. You had no trouble looking through the lenses, confirming to you that they were, in fact, not prescription. Now you just had to track down a joyful man who loved sweets on New Year's Eve. To some, the task might have felt daunting, how could someone find one ordinary person in a sea of party-goers? Great question!

You did not have an answer!

Maybe just- go down the road they went? Yeah, that sounded wise, maybe it was the glasses making you so smart.

Throwing your beer bottle into recycling, you went on. Passing by apartments, homes, and businesses, all of which had their lights on, the faint hum of their TVs tuned to the same channel, and the murmur of laughter inside. You stopped occasionally, standing and looking in at the happy-go-lucky people, trying to pick out the boy you were looking for. None of them fit the description you had of the man, so you tossed your head and went on. Okay, think back… what was he wearing again? You hummed and closed your eyes, calling up the image of the black-haired man with some brown type of jacket over a button-up. You had originally pegged him as a college student, but now that you had to think, no college student ever dressed like that, or at least not the ones you ran with on campus.

“Come on new years luck! Give me a sign!” you pleaded to the sky. Pressing your hands together in mock prayer and bowing your head as if the spirit of luck would answer you. You must have looked so strange to people who drove past or anyone who might take a look out their window. A girl with knee-high boots overtop their bare skin, a loose fitted shirt that was thrown hastily on over a tank top with glasses on and their head bowed.

“Dazai-san you don’t understand,” a voice whined across the street, making you open one eye to look over at the two figures, one being pulled by the wrist, the whiner, and a brunette who looked annoyed out of their wits. A car raced passed and shone a quick light on them.

“Just retrace your steps,” the brunette told them, their eyes stuck on the ground as they seemed to be searching for something. Another car passed by and their lights flashed across their faces once again. The outfit of the man trudging behind made a spark light in your brain. “Sweets boy!” you breathed out, unclasping your hands and looking both ways across the street. They had yet to notice you, both talking to one another quickly and fast. They were quickly moving away from you, and a car was zipping down, meaning you couldn’t run across until it passed.

“Hey! Hey wait! I found your uhm- your glasses!” you called across the road. But obviously, they still weren't paying attention as they briskly continued down the opposite way from you. The car you were waiting on finally passed and you bounded across the road, your eyes caught on the now-distant figures. How could they walk so fast so quickly? Were they that worried about these little prop glasses that you wore? You took a deep breath, gosh you did not want to have to run in the cold, but alas… a good samaritan would under such circumstances.

You were off, one foot in front of the other as you took a racing- okay, jogging -start down the street. Your steps must have alerted the brunette, who turned his head fast, cocking it and seeming to grow tense. He seemed to relax once you waved at them and he turned back around; he must have thought you weren’t waving to them, but instead to a friend in front of them he must not have seen. The sweets boy, the one you were ever so kindly helping, didn't turn or even care to look who was behind them. His head was down, and he seemed to still be whining.

You made quick work to get to them, reaching out to tug on the boy’s cape-like jacket. You bent your knees and took a deep breath.

“Hey! Sweets boy- Jesus, why are you both so fast,” you wheezed, coughing out the cold air from your lungs. The man you held onto turned fast, the brunette more lazily until he noticed the glasses perched atop your nose.

“Where did you get those?” he asked, striding forward to snatch them off your face. You held up a hand and took a breath.

“You dropped them at the convenience store, I was trying to find them to return em to ya!” you breathed out. a small laugh taking catch in your throat as you looked up at the man you had chased down all night. The cold air that was once your laugh traveled up and past his face into the night sky, and as soon as you could get a clear look at his face, you breathed back in.

Lady luck is truly on my side.

The man was beautiful, a smile seemed always imprinted on his lips, his green eyes looking down at you with an amusement glint. His arms were on his hips as if admiring your work to find them. You could tell his arms were lean and strong. You felt that one bottle of beer finally gave you one last push of courage; one sip got you to stay and sit at that parking stop, the next to play detective and find the missing owner of the glasses, and the last sip still working its way through your veins gave you the words you confidently spoke to your news year fated stranger, “I played a pretty good detective to find ya, if I had known you were so pretty I would have worked harder!” your cheeks flushed a faint pink, maybe from the run or the beer, or you know, the boldness that just overtook you.

The brunette behind him let out a low whistle as he folded the glasses up and placed them in a pocket of his trenchcoat, and the green-eyed man let out a joyful laugh that just fit him, his entire being encapsulated into one sound.

“My my, if you are a detective like me and Dazai here then you should join us at our party!” His grin grew even wider at his words. You could see his white canines in his smile and you felt your stomach flip. You shook the flirtatious thoughts out of your head, had he invited you to an office party? Not just any office party, a detective office party? “Wait I was just kidding-” the man took your arm and linked it with his. And you could hear the brunette- Dazai -snicker at the action.

“Nonsense! This was the sharpest detective work I have seen!” He exclaimed. His joyful step infested you, and soon you were walking arm and arm with newfound vigor as the man behind you watched and seemed to hold back his laughter.

You walked together in the cold air, sharing pleasantries and getting to know one another. His arm never untangling itself from yours. Dazai chimed in here and there to explain how the party was going and where it was. As you turned the corner, you saw the festive lights of a cafe beaming, the sign on it flipped closed, but the people inside were obviously granted special access. You tripped slightly as you took in the sight, people all smiling and sharing drinks, arms wrapped around one another as they laughed in the new year. Ranpo made sure you didn’t fall, his green eyes turning to you.

“You’ll fit right in! And you can share with us your story!” you could already tell you would have a new crush for the New Year. Dazai walked ahead, his shoulders pushed back and his hands in his pockets, while Ranpo pulled you along, smiling and chatting with joy as he listed off the names and appearances of all his co-workers as if you would remember it once you got inside.

Despite the December cold, you felt so warm, as if you were bundled in the softest and warmest sweater. The stars in the sky twinkled as if enjoying the puppy love romance beginning to blossom, but you were unaware of them because your north star was right in front of you, leading you to new friends and new stories. All your New Year's wishes seem to come true in an instant.

#bsd x you #bsd #bungostraydogs #bungou stray dogs #bungo stray dogs fanfic #ranpo x reader #ranpo edogawa #ranpo x y/n #bsd ranpo #ranpo x you #bungou stray dogs ranpo

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foolforharrry · 1 year

Text

Nails And Croissants

Word Count: 2.5k words

Summary: Harry and Willow go to get their nails done

This is just a short little thing to get the feel of how I wanna write the characters in a book that I'm planning. I an really excited about this and I hope that when I get to posting the actual chapters, you guys are going to like them and love them too.

This blurb is obviously way down the line from where the story is going to start but I wanted to give you guys a small taste of them.

This is also not that carefully written and is probably messy af, but I hope you still enjoy reading it.

if you wanna read more of my work, I have it all linked on my masterlist.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated and if you have any requests please feel free to give them to me and I will do my absolute best to do it.

Harry Styles Butterflies erupt in my stomach when I catch her eyes across the room.

The sunlight beaming in through the windows of the small nail salon makes the lighter strands of her brown hair look golden.

"What are you getting?", I ask her once she's sat down at the table right next to mine.

Her cheeks tint an adorable shade of pink when Willow's nail tech for today, Aspen, sets the bottles of nail polish Willow's chosen for today. "I swear it wasn't on purpose," she hurries out, her eyes flicking between the colours next to my own hands.

"Damn. And here I was getting excited thinking you wanted to match with me," I say with a playful roll of my eyes.

The laugh she lets slip is like music to my ears, and all I want to do is lay a kiss on her pretty, pink lips. But Mona coating my nails with a clear layer of base polish prevents me from doing so.

Instead, I settle on storing the image of Willow's face scrunched up with joy and laughter to memory. Her freckled, sun-kissed skin and the smile that doesn't just light up the room but my whole entire life.

"You're an idiot," Willow giggles, letting Aspen arrange her hands the way she needs them.

"I'm your idiot, though.", I remind her. To my delight, my words have another heartbreakingly beautiful break out on her face as she mouths 'I love you'.

Out of my peripheral vision, I can see Mona and Aspen exchange a look as I mouth 'I love you' back.

And God do I love her.

I never thought that I would ever be the kind of man who happily takes his girlfriend to get a manicure on my day off feeling like my heart is about to fucking burst from the love that's flooding it. The part of my heart I had tried so hard to keep under lock and key to protect it from being burnt again. But instead, Willow came along and took it in her soft hands. The calm of the sea in her eyes is all I needed to see before I let her.

"You ok, baby?" Willow asks, a crease of concern between her eyebrows.

Clearing my throat, I offer her a genuine smile, "Yeah, Blue. I'm ok." I can tell that she isn't entirely convinced, so I add; "Was just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."

The blush returns to her cheeks as Mona asks me to remove my hands from the UV-light machine. Which means that she's ready to give my nails some colour.

For the rest of the appointment, we make small talk with Aspen and Mona with the comfortable hum of the radio in the background. When a song by Taylor Swift I still haven't learnt the name of, Willow was out of her chair to turn up the volume with the permission of Aspen with a childish glee that she rarely lets show with anyone other than her closest people.

I swear I fell more in love with Willow when I watched her dance her way back to her chair.

Hand in hand, Willow and I walk out of the nail salon, freshly painted nails and bright smiles on our faces as we wave goodbye to Mona and Aspen. Our names are already on their calendar for next time.

I can't help myself from glancing down at our cojoined hands every couple of seconds, my heart fluttering at the way hers match mine.

Baby blue and pastel pink.

"H?" I don't even have to look at her face to know that Willow has her bottom lip tucked under her teeth and round eyes that'll have me giving into whatever comes out of her pouty lips.

"Blue?" I mimic her tone, tugging her closer to me so she doesn't bump into the man walking past us.

Willow lets go of my hand and before I can reach for it again, a pout on my lips, she snakes her arm around my back, my own going around her shoulders. "Are you hungry?"

I'm not. But knowing that she is and doesn't want to just ask directly, I don't say that. "What do you want, baby?"

It's like her shoulder deflates in relief the second the words leave my mouth and it has me turning my head and planting a kiss in her hair as I let her take her time settling on what she wants. Almost like she'd read my mind, she perks up, pointing across the street to what looks to be a small bakery.

"How about some croissants?", Willow suggests as I meet her eye.

"Croissants sound lovely," I agree, pouting my lips for a kiss.

Willow drops her gaze to my mouth at the action. Standing on her tiptoes, her hands gently cup my face as mine drop to her hips and peck. Her lips are soft as she presses them against mine in a way that has my heart doing somersaults in my chest. I can smell the coconut from her favourite lip gloss when she pulls away with a dopey smile, swiping away the product she left just below my bottom lip.

Blush heats my cheeks as I kiss the pad of her thumb, "Thank you, baby."

Thankfully the crosswalk is just down the street, the lights turning green for us after only a few seconds so we can make our way across the road safely and efficiently with my arm back around Willow's shoulders and her hand on my hip.

The bakery Willow picked out for us has a homey vibe to it. Flowers stationed on every single table with warm pinks and soft yellows everywhere you look. The smell of baked goods strong even from outside the shop. For a Thursday afternoon, it's rather busy.

Willow and I stood in silence as we waited for it to be our turn to order, content just watching the different people come in and out of the bakery every time the bell above the door rang.

The display of all the different options of baked goods is god damn mouth-watering and I make a mental note to bring Evelyn and Willow back sometime during the weekend. Knowing Evelyn, she would be over the moon over a cupcake that looks like a rainbow.

When it becomes our turn, I order us two croissants, thanking the lady behind the counter with a smile as she hands us the paper bag. And then we're on our way again.

"I was thinking that we should take Evie there," I speak as I take her hand in mine, resuming our walk back to the car with my eyes switching from the path in front of us to her face.

Meeting my eye, Willow nods with a hum, "When were you thinking?" "Maybe Sunday?"

Before she can ask, I add, "They're open."

"She's gonna have a hard time picking, poor thing," Willow laughs light-heartedly.

"Mhm," I hum in agreement, the smile that rarely ever seems to fade whenever I'm around her. If we're being completely honest, Willow and I both know that I would buy Evelyn every single one she wanted just to keep a smile on her face.

"I miss her," I say with a pout as we round the last building, my eyes landing on my car.

Willow rolls her bottom lip into her mouth before she opens it and says something I never in a million years thought I'd hear from her; "I don't know how you're gonna survive when she's off to college, babe."

Dropping her hand, I clutch the material of my t-shirt over my heart as if I was in pain. "Don't hurt an old man like that, Blue. I'm fragile."

"Oh shut up, H. You're not that old," Willow giggles with a hand on her stomach. Her nails match her pretty sundress and it has another swarm of butterflies flapping around in my tummy.

"It was still mean," I grumble with a pout, the thought of my little girl leaving one day isn't exactly one I enjoy.

Willow shakes her head at my attitude. "I'm sorry, love," she says with a pinch of my hip.

"You're lucky I love you," I say as I take her hand again, loving the warmth of her soft skin against mine. She grins at me, "The luckiest."

The soft curls of her hair dance in the light breeze blowing past us. Her golden skin glows so prettily in the sunshine she doesn't even look real. The light reflects in her baby blue eyes makes them twinkle as if the sun was hung in the sky at this very moment just for her.

I'm convinced that Willow is an angel sent down to this plane from the heavens above. Her calm, beauty and grace is simply too delicate to be meant for the harsh, painful world that we live in. But somehow, with all that she's been through, she still leaves a trail of light in her wake. She has lit up my life the way the sun lights up the sky after a dark night with only specks of light so far away you almost don't believe that they're real.

"No Blue. I'm the lucky one."

I'm sure she can hear the emotion that has started to clog up my throat, but she doesn't comment on it. Instead, she guides my hand to press a gentle kiss to my knuckle just as we reach the car.

I reach into my pocket for my keys, pressing the button to unlock the black range rover as I walk around to the passenger side with Willow in tow to open the door for her, quickly pecking her temple as she slips past me and gets settled in her seat with the bag of croissants in her lap.

By the time I'm sat in my own seat, she's opened the bag and is munching happily on her croissant. Eyes closed, head tilted back against the headrest and humming in the way she something is particularly delicious. She's got her hand underneath the pastry to catch any crumbs that may fall when she takes a bite out of it.

Just as I get out on the road, Willow's phone connects to the Bluetooth system in the car, the song switches to 'Right where you left me' by Taylor Swift.

It's almost comical how fast Willow's jaw drops along with her hand just as she was about to take another bite of her croissant. Her eyes go from the screen where the title is written in clear letters to my face. Accusing frown on her face as Taylor's voice and the gentle guitar fill the silence.

There isn't even a point in trying to contain my smile at the way it takes her around 5 seconds before she is turning up the volume and singing along to the song. Dramatic hand gestures and facial expressions that I catch out of my peripheral vision.

When she twists her upper body so she is fully facing me and sings; "I could feel the mascara run. You told me that you met someone," I can't help but take her hand and join her.

Who would have thought singing a heart-wrenching song about being left and unable to move on with the love of your life while driving down the streets of Los Angeles would have images of her in a white dress flash through my mind and a certainty settle in my stomach like I have only felt once before in my life?

When the song ends, Willow turns the volume back down, her face flushed from her intense performance and a shy smile curling on her lips.

If there wasn't a chance that doing so would potentially end in both of our deaths, I would've kissed her until we were both dizzy.

"You want your croissant?" Willow pulls the untouched one out of the bag, holding it out to me with her eyebrows raised in question.

Instead of saying anything, I open my mouth expectantly, waiting for her to get the hint. And when she does, she rolls her eyes playfully, still obliges and holds the pastry right in front of my face. She waits for me to take a bite out of the soft, crunchy slice of buttery heaven.

"Fuck me, that's good," I practically moan through a mouthful of croissant. This is possibly the best croissant I have ever had in my life.

Chewing it slowly, savouring the heavenly taste, I catch Willow with her phone out, pointed in my direction and a sly smile on her face. "What are doing, Blue?"

"You look really hot, is all," she shrugs, stuffing her phone underneath her thigh.

Willing the blush I feel heating up my face at the compliment go away, I point out the obvious; "That doesn't answer my question." Only Willow can have me blushing like a schoolboy and biting the inside of my cheek at a simple compliment.

"I got myself a new wallpaper for my phone," she tells me matter-of-factly as she squeezes my hand.

I rub the skin of her knuckle as the corners of my mouth tug up into a smirk, "If that's the case, then you can take as many pictures as you want."

When she stays quiet, taking bites of her croissant before letting me do the same, her left leg bouncing under beneath our cojoined hands, I can't help but laugh as the realisation dawns on me. "How many pictures do you actually have of me?"

She says something, but it's so quiet I can't make out the words. "I can't hear you, baby."

"I said that I've lost count," she repeats herself with a sheepish look on her face. "You don't exactly make it hard, baby."

"You ever gonna let me see these photos?" Knowing her, it's probably half pictures where I look decent and half pictures that could be turned into memes.

Willow takes a minute before she answers, seeming to mull over the answer in her head. "No."

"Then I'm not letting you see the wonderful collection I've gathered of you, Blue." It may be childish, but it does exactly what I wanted it to. Willow's grip on my hand tightens ever so lightly and I can feel her practically burning a hole into the side of my face with the intensity of her stare.

But she is stubborn, so she keeps her lips pressed tightly together. She keeps her view directed out the window at the cars, buildings and people we pass by.

"Am I sleeping in any of them?" she eventually breaks the silence. Her fingers drum along with the rhythm of 'Sweater Weather' against the back of my hand, something that I've noticed that she always does when she listens to music.

"A couple," I confess, holding in the urge to laugh at the way her cheeks turn crimson.

Clearing her throat, Willow tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. "If they ever see the light of day, you're losing your dick."

Slightly taken aback by how casually such crude words flew out of her mouth, I swallow hard with wide eyes, "I will remember that."

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