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phoenixrising0308 · 1 year

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Our Life Together: The Journey (Part 2): Magnolia

Books: The Royal Romance - Royal Heir

Rating: M (Mature content and implied sexual activities)

Pairing: Liam & Jessica Garcia (MC)

Triggers: Sexual innuendo

Disclaimer

Our Life together timeline: This is still within Agent Phoenix A/U and its stories about Jessica & Liam’s relationship as live-in partners and married life. Character traits don’t always remain the same. Stories using this timeline are meant for challenges or requests. catch up here

Chapter Summary: The future Queen of Cordonia has a heart-to-heart with her mother, the current Queen Consort. This is a companion piece to The Journey, another story written for this challenge.

Chapter Song inspiration: Cover me in sunshine - P!nk

Word Count: 4,000*As always, forgive my typos and grammatical errors.*

Average reading time: 10 minutes

Math Class

He was excited to be in her class this year; it was the advanced class. His mother was the Educational Liaison, and he knew that he had to focus. He couldn’t be distracted, but with her in his class, he was nervous.

He was fifteen and he was starting to have feelings for someone that he thought he shouldn’t. She was popular and everyone wanted to get close to her. Somedays in class, he would find himself staring at her through his thick bifocal glasses. He hoped that maybe she was into them because he hated contacts. He would daydream about her, wondering if she even noticed him in that way. Or noticed him at all other than just a classmate and friend.

He was going to study abroad. If he was selected for the young architect’s program, he would be spending the summer in Italy. The winners were going to be announced at the Spring Gala. He would be going anyway but maybe he could ask her to be his date.

His love of building things came from his father. But he just didn’t want to build things, he wanted to design them. He was worried that if he left, any chance he had would be gone. She would just forget him. So, he decided he would just start bumping into her.

He knew her schedule; his mother developed it. So he got on her laptop and printed it out. Her schedule was that every Wednesday, she had political science at 12 pm taught by Sir. Elton. French afterward taught by Ms. Dubois. There was something that happened monthly, it was called L&L. He wasn’t sure what that meant but he was waiting for it to happen. It occurred on the 8th. But he knew she would be pulled out of class for something on her schedule. It occurred every two weeks on Friday. It was labeled ’Magnolia Day’ the location was his mother’s office.

Her bodyguard came to escort her. She stood up and the class stood on their feet. If you were a male, you bowed your head. If you were a female, you curtsied. You didn’t move an inch until she exited the room. She turned to her class and said, “Thank you. Please excuse me.” She turned to her bodyguard and said, “Tatum, it doesn’t hurt to smile.”

“I’m sorry, your Royal Highness. I will try.” He gave her a soft smile.

Private office- Educational Liaison

“Feel better? Liam told me to keep an eye on you. But you do seem off.”

“I had too many donuts and champagne for my birthday.”

“That was five days ago.”

“Ehh I’m not 25 anymore. Bounce back ain’t wait it used to be. I have a bit of a headache and I’m tired but that’s all. Thanks for letting me use your office. You know how important it is to me. Especially since I lost my mom around this age. I’d never miss it.”

“Of course, Jessie.”

The Liaison walked out.

Lilyana curtsied as she said, “Mommy.” To the woman whose job she would one day take. She could only hope to be just like her.

Jessica smiled at her daughter fondly, “Alright, Mi Muñequita (my little doll) have a seat.”

They both sat down by a window that faced the schoolyard. A servant placed a silver tray before them. It was still in its original packaging. A white paper bag with the store logo “Magnolia Bakery.” Her mother preferred it that way. In the bag were One large Banana pudding, two plastic spoons, and one buttercream cupcake.

“Mom, I’m happy you feel better. I thought you would skip today. You haven’t been feeling well lately. ”

“Nope, never. Don’t worry about me. Besides Daddy is on my case enough about going to the Doctor’s so I will. But enough about me it’s Magnolia day.”

“Mom, did you ever just wonder if a guy liked you? You know like, liked liked you?”

Jessica took a spoonful of pudding and sighed as she swallowed. “His name is Liam Rys. You call him Daddy once known as Shinny man.”

Lilyana’s eyes got wide and said, “Daddy? Really, you didn’t think Daddy didn’t like you?”

“Lil, I felt like I had to yank it out of him. He was really just that shy.” Jessica reminisced of their first night on the boat and how bashful he was. She had to kiss him and frequently assured him all social season she wanted to be with him.

Lilyana looked at her spoonful of pudding in confusion as she thought of just how in-love her parents were. She knew she would always have high standards towards how a boy treats her after seeing how her Dad was with her Mom. But the idea of her mom EVER having to guess her Dad’s affections sounded insane.

She said, “But Daddy always looks at you like you’re the only person in the room!”

Jessica smiled, “And I’m so grateful for that… Lil, I mean, maybe this guy is just shy.”

“What do you mean?”

Jessica smiled at her daughter, “Come on now, future Queen. You’re gonna have an important job someday. You’re pretty, you’re bright, you’re a literal Princess. Boys are bound to get tongue-tied with you.”

“But I’m really just a regular girl.“

“To us, you are. I’m a mom to you and Leigh. I’m a wife to your Dad. I’m an Aunt to your cousins. I’m so many things about Lil. Sometimes, it surprises me when I have to remind myself that even though I’m just Jessica to my family and friends, to Cordonia, I’m their Queen.”

Lilyana sighed and played with her pudding, “Sometimes, the Royal treatment and title gets old…I was going to ask Uncle Leo on L and L day on some tips to not be so royal. Try to, like to, tone it down a notch. I mean Tatum is really on top of me but Uncle Leo escaped a lot.”

Jessica thought to herself, ‘Oh No! Him. Not him.’ Not wanting her loveable train wreck brother-in-law who abdicated giving her impressionable daughter tips of any kind. Liam would have a stroke and he already started freaking out at the touch of gray he spotted in the mirror when she had to kick him out of the bathroom when got sick in the morning.

She reached across the table to place a hand on her daughter’s hand, “Lil, you are who you are and you don’t have to change anything about yourself to be liked! Even being a Princess. It’s a big title until they get to know you for you and see just Lilyana. Then, it just becomes an extra thing. Look at your Dad, he is still Liam to me. I love your Dad very much, Lil. I love him for the things that make him who he is. He is loving, kind, generous, and is so hard-working. I would love him no matter his job. You are still Lilyana and you just happen to be a Princess and someday a Queen Regent. You will lead us; As the first woman to hold the job in a century, as a Latina, and as a woman of color. You think my mother left Puerto Rico to dumb it down for a man. No, she didn’t. She didn’t teach me that either. You are going to shatter a few glass ceilings and my job as your mother is to give you the hammer. Never change yourself for anyone just to be liked. If someone can’t accept you for who you and what you will become they don’t deserve you. Be you, always be you.”

Lilyana shook her head, “I get Mom. I don’t want him to think that I’m not interested because he isn’t nobility.”

Jessica put her spoon down with a raised brow, “Do you want to tell me? Or am I going to have to wait till our next Magnolia day?”

“Well… promise me you won’t laugh. You know him.” Lilyana bit her lip and a faint blush appeared on her cheeks.

“Lil, I would never laugh at you. I’m happy that you can come to me.” Jessica reassured with a warm smile.

“Okay, so I have these feelings about…A friend.”

Jessica smirked and tapped the table, “Shut up! Jack-Jack!”

Lilyana blushed and looked down at the table.

Jessica smiled and tried not to have an embarrassing mom moment about her daughter’s crush but it was too precious to her not to aw at.

“I’m speechless! Lil, he is SO cute. Love the glasses. His mom picked them.”

Lilyana groaned and slumped in her chair, "I just don’t want to embarrass myself by being too obvious and I know Tío Mateo would tell me to let him make the first move, Tío Adam would tell me to sit next to him at lunch, Aunt Hana would tell me to make him a card, and Aunt Olivia would tell me to beat him in gym class and if he can accept my victory in public AHHHH it’s pointless…He seems like he doesn’t even notice me. What should I do?”

Jessica smiled and said, “Just be yourself and I’m sure Jack-Jack will feel the same.“

“Really?”

“Absolutely. Now take half of the cupcake or the whole thing is mine.”

Liam and Jessica’s Bedroom

Liam laid on the bed with a book in his hand with his glasses on as he watched his wife get ready for bed.

“Hey Love, how was Magnolia day?”

Jessica slipped a nightgown on her and walked over to her husband, giving him a kiss as he snapped the book closed. She grinned at him, “Very empowering and she confessed.”

Liam took a deep breath and said, “Drake said he caved too. So, what do we do?”

Jessica finished getting ready for bed as she said, “I think we just let it play out. He is a sweet boy, we have known him forever. Jack-Jack is considerate, he can be a quiet kid, he has never gotten into trouble his whole life. I couldn’t pick a better boy for Lil.”

Liam did not feel the same, “Jessica. I was a quiet one too. I’m sending her away! I would die of a broken heart but it’s necessary. Until then she won’t be going to the hedge maze and NO way is she going to the Walker ranch again. EVER! Bianca is beside herself with the possibilities. Why aren’t you out there with a telescope and doing something about this!? You have my access code go to the armory and take what you need. STOP IT THIS!”

Jessica chuckled as she got into bed, "Liam, stop.” She teased before cuddling up to him, “She is a good girl and a smart girl and he’s a good kid…She’s got to grow up eventually.”

“Yeah, when she’s 21…Actually, 25. You know what just let me die.”

Jessica kissed him and he deflated. He said, “I know. I just don’t like the idea of her dating.”

“He’s Jack-Jack. Still the little boy you would carry over your shoulders, still the boy you would take to the museum and still the boy that runs over to watch the Michael Bublé Christmas special with you.”

“He’s a boy. A teenage boy! Who could sing! He is fully aware of his body and what he would like to do to her with it. He is probably in his room just thinking about her and I can’t even say it.” Liam punched his wife’s pillow shocked that she wasn’t upset 'Motherhood has made you soft. I want my cop wife to come out of retirement.’

“Liam…Did you do anything as a teen? The type of thing you’re thinking about?”

Liam hesitated, “It’s soooo different I wasn’t supposed to have this job besides Isabelle was horrible I regretted it. Then there were a few do-overs with her. It never got better then I tried my luck a couple of girls… and then there was you and that was the end of that.”

“Okay, when you first met me. You were a grown man and I had to kiss YOU.”

Liam smirked, “That’s changed.” As he planted kisses down Jessica’s neck. She smiled and hummed in her throat before saying, “Point being, you were a good kid and became a gentleman and Jack-Jack will do the same.”

Liam stopped kissing and rolled his eyes with a heavy sigh, “Fine, but they will NOT be left alone for too long at a time.”

“Of course but I don’t think we have to worry about that for a while.”

Jessica turned and bit her lip and said, “I love it when you wear glasses BUT.” she gently removed them from his face. And Liam turned off his reading light. And turned his attention to his wife.

School

A week went by and Jackson grew more and more nervous as time went by. The Spring Gala was next week away but he feared every day he waited, he risked another more popular boy to swooping in her accepting their offer. She seemed to always attract every boy’s attention without trying and she ignored them all. If she ignored them, then he feared he had no hope at all.

He tried to talk to her but the stupidest ideas came out of his mouth. Today, he wanted to ask her to the gala and somehow he ended up asking for a pencil when he had one in his hand already…He wanted to crawl in a hole as she simply just smiled at him and asked if he felt well.

Walker Palace Quarters

“Hey Kid, what’s wrong?” Drake greeted his son at the door of their home and the boy shriveled up with a frown.

“Dad, I can’t ask her. Every time I try, something stupid comes out of my mouth!”

Drake wasn’t the most emotional or expressive man but he couldn’t help a slight smile towards his boy.

“You’re young, it happens. But you’ll never know until you ask her. What is the worst thing that could happen?”

“She could laugh at me or tell me I’m gross or tell everyone I’m a weirdo or-”

Drake placed a hand on his shoulder, “Stop. You’re starting to sound like a teenage Liam. I would throw things at him to get him to stop. Is that what I got to do to you? Even though that did work and then I had to throw things at Garcia so he could have a reason to talk to her. Please don’t make me throw things at my niece.”

“Dad, be serious.” He whined as Drake shook his shoulder to snap him out of it. Drake replied, “I always am.” He sighed and continued, “Jack-Jack, you know her, you’ve known her entire life. It feels like when I just met her and held her in my arms. You guys were together all the time. I remember having to stop you, Lil, and Uncle Leo from drawing on the walls at the capitol with red crayons that he gave you both! Or watching you two peeling chicky nuggets in front of the TV. Now, would she really do that to you?”

Jackson Jr. thought about it. He thought of her kind blue eyes, her warm smile, her disposition.

“…no, I guess she wouldn’t do that.”

Drake let go of his shoulder and said, “Alright, the worst she could say is no.”

“But…What if she is creeped out and doesn’t want to talk to me again?”

Drake huffed, “You’re both 15, you’ll both chalk it up as a crush you used to have and move on and another girl will come along.”

“Do you think she would really say yes?”

Drake shrugged, “You look at me and I am pretty fucken good looking. I think she will.”

Drake grew silent a moment before saying, “Son…Have we had… The talk?”

Jackson jr. covered his face, “God, Dad!”

“Hey, I don’t feel like me and Liam getting into it because you two got too handsy or an accident happened because you’re a dumb horny teen. She is a good girl and you have to know-”

“STOP. Please, Dad. I haven’t even kissed anyone yet!! Besides, Mom already covered that in 9th grade. She made a few comments about Aunt Sav that I thought was pretty funny yet savage at the same time.”

Drake huffed in relief, “Thank God. I don’t want to have that talk any more than you do.”

“Then why bring it up?!”

“I had to know you two aren’t going to get busy at this age, that’s why. I will ground you forever if you do anything at all at this age especially with Garcia and Liam’s little girl. Her Uncle’s one is a Duke and let’s forget the other one with a whole armory at his disposal at Lythikos with whatever fuck he has going on with Olivia. You’re a hormonal teen boy and people can get caught up in the moment, the least you can do is know about con-”

Jackson covered his face as his glasses fogged from the heat of his face, “Urgh…Am I excused from this conversation? PLEASE?”

Drake nodded urgently with a groan and pinched his nose bridge, “Yeah, yeah get the hell out of here.”

Jackson went to go to his room but Drake stopped him, “Hey kid, why not surprise her with something? Think of something she is into and show her how much you noticed by surprising her with it before asking her.”

He thought and nodded, a small smile forming. “Thanks, Dad mind if I ask you a few questions?”

School

Lilyana constantly talked to Jackson and vice versa but it was always about such mundane things that it disappointed her. All of last week went by with him avoiding her, getting quiet, asking for things that didn’t make sense.

'Maybe he really doesn’t like you? Maybe he knows you like him and it’s weird now? The idea made her stomach sink. It was now Thursday, the day before her Magnolia Day with her Mom. Spring Gala was coming up and she had turned down so many boy’s offers’s hoping Jackson would ask her.

'Mommy would tell me. I don’t need a guy to take me. I can go by myself. Yes, I can go by myself. Pff I’m badass like my mom. You don’t like me OH WELL. She thought as she got her book bag ready next to Tatum.

She suddenly heard someone behind her that Tatum didn’t stop knowing it was a friend. She turned to see a flustered Jackson and her face lit up.

“L-Lilyana?”

“Hi, Jack.” She smiled and he smiled back.

“Um…” He wrung his hands. He had been acting so strange lately, she wondered if it was a bad thing.

“Yes?”

“Would you…I have something to show you. But my Mom or someone will have to take us there after school…If you want to, that is!”

“Oh, Sure. I’d love to. Let me just ask Mom and Dad-”

Tatum smiled and said, “No need, your Highness. Your parents told me this was okay to do as long as I go with you of course on the ride. In fact, I’ll drive.”

Lilyana looked surprised but nodded. Tatum drove her many places, it was a part of his duty. The strange part was her parents already agreeing.

“Oh…Okay then.” She awkwardly giggled and Jackson did the same as they got ready to go.

The ride was awkward. Lilyana saw him nervously shaking his leg as she tried to make small talk. She opted for glancing out the window, wondering if it was some special day she forgot about and Jack was just the messenger. Tatum escorted her out of the car and to the building with a round roof. She was pleasantly surprised to see them enter a building that she had never been before but always wanted to go to.

“An observatory?”

He nodded, “Yeah…I know you always liked the stars so I decided this would be a neat place…Is it?”

Lilyana beamed, “Are you kidding?! I love it!”

They went inside and Tatum merely stood to watch at the door, the area already cleared.

She instantly went to an astronomy chart to look at a few constellations. She gasped as they entered the room further with blackened windows at the top but a projector as well that projected the room in shimmering stars all around them.

Then, it hit her.

“Wait…Jack, was this your idea?”

He nodded shyly.

“But why? I was starting to think…Well, that you didn’t like me anymore or something.”

Jackson looked surprised, “What? No! I just…I was just really nervous. I’m sorry.”

Lilyana waited, hope rising in her as he looked at her. He mumbled, “I…I wanted to ask you to the Spring Gala. If you say no, then I get it! Just…Please don’t think we can’t be friends anymore.”

“What? Why would I ever think that?”

Jackson blushed deeply, “Well…Because I…I sort of…Like you.” He looked down and like he wanted to run and hide. Lilyana blushed herself as butterflies fluttered in her stomach. She shyly tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at the ground herself.

“O-oh…How long have you?-”

“Since we were 7.”

Lilyana smiled to herself as Jackson nervously waited. She said, “I…Like you too.”

“You do?” He looked shocked as she giggled and nodded.

“Yeah, I just thought you didn’t like me anymore because maybe you knew and thought it was weird because I’m a princess and you know like the future Queen.”

“No way! It’s really cool. Actually, we haven’t had one in a long time. I personally know the next Queen. We shared crayons, who gets to say that? A woman leading Cordonia I love the idea! I dare anyone say anything about it your dad would flip and so would your mom and my dad. I mean, you’re…You. I didn’t think you even liked me like that at all. I’m not…I’m not a Prince and-”

Lilyanna bit her lip as he rambled and felt so nervous and excited she might throw up but quickly decided to rush over and peck his cheek to silence any doubt. She drew back her lips just as quickly as it was planted, beyond shy but eager to let him know she had a crush on him too.

“Jack…I’m Lil. I’m not a Princess when I’m with you. That’s what I like about you is that you treated me like a normal girl. I mean…You knew I love the stars just like my parents and it was my favorite thing growing up. No other boy knows that. And you went out of your way to show me…Thanks.”

Jackson’s eyes were wide behind his glasses as he touched the cheek she kissed. He grinned widely, “So is that a yes?”

Lilyana laughed and nodded before stepping back towards him. “Yes, I’d love to be your date to the spring gala. I’ve…Kind of been waiting for you to ask for awhile.”

The teens gazed at each other before Jackson took a leap of faith and gently kissed her. Lilyanna tilted her head as they both gave a quick, awkward, sweet kiss.

“See now you get to say you were the future Queen’s first kiss.”

—-

“YES! That’s my fucken kid!” Drake beamed with pride behind the glass in the room as Jessica and Drake’s wife awed at them. She turned to Jessica and said, “Stargazing is a classic.” Jessica said, “It’s so good.” Liam didn’t know how to feel. He accepted it but he was watching them like a hawk. He thought to himself 'Lil that was your first and last kiss. You are your mother’s daughter. Once we started we didn’t stop. We are still going at it. So NO!’

The teens pulled away blushing and smiling as they busied themselves looking at the stars.

“Oh My God look! Awww, they’re so cute together. Oh god, they are holding hands!!” Jessica awed at them as she laid her head on Liam’s shoulder.

Liam sighed with an ache in his chest, “It’s so hard seeing her grow up.” ‘Drake and the damn stars. I know just how many times that worked. Now, this can do it anytime with fake stars! Pffff. It’s time to call in reinforcements.’

Jessica saw the wheels on her husband’s head-turning. Jessica rubbed his arm and held him close.

—

Magnolia Day

Jessica acted like she didn’t know anything but Lilyana was on cloud nine.

“Wow, you’re in a good mood for pudding.”

Lilyana beamed at her mom, “He asked me to be his date to the gala.”

Jessica grinned and acted surprised, “He did? Did you say yes?”

“Yes.”

Jessica smiled, “Oh Lil, that’s wonderful! Aw, you two are going to be so cute! We are getting as many pictures as possible.”

“He…We kissed…Don’t tell Daddy, he’ll be so mad.”

Jessica gasped with a grin, “Lil, you did? How was it?”

Lilyanna shrugged, “It was…Nice. His glasses bumped me in the nose. They fogged up a bit too.”

Jessica laughed and took a spoonful of pudding, “ Yea I’ve been there with Daddy. It takes time. I remember one time he was so excited to kiss me he cut my mouth but to be fair it was a while since the last time we kissed. And even after all these years when he wears his and we kiss they still fog up. Both you’re both new at it.” Jessica had tears in her eyes.

Lilyana smiled, “Mommy, don’t cry.”

“I know, I know. You’re just growing up faster than I ever imagined.”

“I love you.”

Jessica gave a tender smile and held her daughter’s in her hands just as her mother used to. “I love you too, Mi Muñequita.” Jessica took a deep breath and said, “So it’s my turn to tell you something. I’m worried about it.”

Lilyana’s eyes got wide, “Mom, did results come back?”

—

Maze Garden

“Congrats! So Italy, how do you feel?”

“Lil, I’m gonna miss you.”

“Jack, I’m not going anywhere. I will be here when you get back.”

Jackson took a deep breath and was trying to find the words when all of a sudden a spotlight blinded him.

“Take it easy there Casanova. I want to see your hands.” Leo walked over to the couple with an oversized flashlight

Mateo held a shiny object that reflected in the light “I heard you like to sing. I think I can get you to sing higher notes if I just flicked my wrist with this dragger.”

Adam walked over with a baseball bat from his hiding spot.

Jackson bowed his head “Duke Asterford.”

Adam said, “Yea I don’t give a shit about titles. It seems like you were gonna ask our niece to be your girlfriend. I don’t know how I feel about that Mateo, how do you feel about it?”

“I don’t know. I mean did you ask one of us? ” Mateo pointed to himself, his brother, and Leo.

Then Mateo let out a whistle and said “ Pana (buddy) did this kid ask your permission?”

Liam walked from behind the well holding a polo mallet “No. No. He did not.”

Mateo admired the design on the blade looking at it as he spoke, “You see Drakey Jr. you got to ask her Papi (Daddy). Always the daddy first. I mean I can always talk to YOUR dad I never settled the score over the cake he threw in my face.”

Lilyana shouted “Daddy! You’re spying on me!? Wait Tío is the Zenobia’s -”

Mateo looked at the dagger in his hand and said, “Yes, Rubí (Ruby) let me borrow it.”

Liam swung his polo mallet and pointed it at Jackson. “YOU!”

“You have a polo mallet!” Lilyana shouted

“Lil, I’m prepared. ANYTHING can happen in the maze garden. ANYTHING. Could be a terrorist or a teenager.”

Leo pointed to Jackson and said, “Who do you think taught your father? Then he pointed to Lilyana and then said “father to stargaze!? But you’re fucken smarter than all of us with a fucken projector. Why the fuck didn’t I think of that shit? Man, all the -.”

Mateo interrupted “El otero (the other one) We don’t give a shit right now about the -”

Adam clapped his hands “Hey. Focus!”

Jackson collected his thoughts and remembered the script he practiced with his Aunt the Queen. When he asked her if she wouldn’t mind them dating.“Te pido perdón, nunca fue mi intención ofenderte.” (I ask you for your forgiveness. It was never my intention to offend you.) Jackson paused and then he added his own words “Lil, is her own person it’s the reason I like her so much she is witty, funny, and she keeps me guessing. I’m not intimidated by her at all. It’s kind of like how you feel about Aunt Jessie. She wasn’t like all the girls you met; she was a thinker. I would like the future Queen of Cordonia to be my girlfriend.

Lilyana smiled “I would like that Jack. I would like that a lot.”

Mateo looked at Liam and said, “Fuck man, you are sleeping on the couch you know that right?”

Leo picked up his phone “Sorry my wife is calling me gotta go.”

Liam rolled his eyes and said, “Leo your phone didn’t even ring.”

“We just have they type of relationship. You know soulmates. I’m not digging my grave for you. Goodnight and good luck.” Leo quickly exited the maze.

“Damn Liam. I’m sorry but it’s every man for himself right now.” Adam sighed. “Listen, I can have Hana try to calm her down. Maybe you’re only on the couch for a night or two but I can’t make any promises man.”

Liam threw his polo mallet on the ground and looked at Jackson. “I’m watching you! Nothing below the neck. NOTHING! I’m no pendejo (idiot) Jack-Jack! I will know. ” He turned to his brothers-in-law and said, “God, she knows me.” Then stormed off like a child.

—

Liam and Jessica’s Bedroom.

Jessica sat in bed as Liam collected a pillow and a blanket. Flustered by Jackson’s wingman.

“Jess, you know where to find me.”

“Liam.”

“You want to come to bed, or so you want to sulk?”

“Jack-Jack is shoving his tongue down our daughter’s throat now. I will sulk until I die. Grrr. The face Jackson gave me like yeah I’m gonna score with your daughter. You just wait Uncle Liam.”

Jessica laughed “No. He didn’t you are so dramatic Liam. Jessica tapped the bed

Liam looked at himself in the mirror and combed his hair with his fingers. “Jess, I have gray hair. My daughter is dating a boy. Our son’s voice is starting to crack so then I’m gonna have to talk to him before Leo does.” Liam threw himself on the bed “Love everything is happening so fast.” He covered his face with his hands.

“So it sounds like you’re overwhelmed so I will table it and tell you another time.”

Liam turned to his wife and said, “Tell me what?”

Jessica smiled “What are you doing on November 28th?”

“Jess, I don’t even know what I’m doing tomorrow other than super cereal Sunday with the kids and you.” Liam did a quick calculation and said, “November is like nine moments from now”

Jessica smiled at her husband “Yea it’s nine months from now.”

Liam’s eyes got wide “WAIT! Jess. Oh my God, Love.”

6 notes · View notes

vulpes-incendium · 3 years

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I made this long time ago, but I thought it's a good time to share it here for @aphasiaweek!

I chose 《Hoi Sam☆Nice Guy》over 《Maji Kandou☆Hong Kong Night》because there are more stuff about HK in it. So let's see if the lyrics are accurate in a native's point of view!

Spoiler alert: it's very accurate

youtube

Hoi Sam = Happy (in Cantonese)

Guy = sounds like street in Cantonese (gaai1)

“Yooooo, so since there’s a song… while I’m at it I kinda put some effort into my costume… I think I’ve got like, serious swag Pardon? You can’t see me…for real? Woah!!!!”

FASHION: yes, HKers love to be trendy, always want to be on top trends! Trends come and go very very quickly, it's seriously really hard to follow trends in HK.

MIXING ENGLISH WITH CANTONESE: yup, we do that a lot, we almost couldn't finish a sentence without English, some words just sound "uncool" in Chinese lol (it’s always about being cool in HK lol), but we don't really say “pardon” unless we are speaking English

Sup-sup-sup-sup-sup-super mobile (snap snap) It’s my hobby to take pics and collect them (I guess) Not gonna lie, everyone’s got a mobile phone, penetration rate (highest in the world) Yeah! If you’re going sightseeing then Nathan Road! (Fuu~!)

TAKING PICS WITH SMARTPHONE: Aph HK loves taking (embarrassing) photos (of China lol), but in real life HKers do love taking pictures, or videos too (it's dangerous if you misbehave, people would film you and post on Youtube or Facebook)

MOBILE PHONE PENETRATION RATE: I couldn't find data for HK, but I think I heard on average, each HKer carries at least 2 cellphones! So this could be true!

NATHAN ROAD: It's the longest street in HK and there's so many things, good food, good shopping places and yup sightseeing! (A lot of our streets are named after the Governors during the colonial time, this street is named after Sir Matthew Nathan for example)

Welcome this makes me kinda happy (Check it out!) Learned this from England - tea in the afternoon (high tea) Welcome, this is kinda fun (Shake it up!) Yum cha, Hong Kong milk tea, cha-cha Nice culture (frivolous)!

AFTERNOON TEA: Yes, it's still a tradition for us to have tea time, we call it 3:15, workplaces would have tea breaks, restaurants do tea time menu during 2-5pm, it's really cool and cheap! We usually drink HK milk tea (evolved from British milk tea) during tea time and there are so many delicious snacks like French toast, pineapple bun and of course egg tart!

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YUM CHA: It literally means “drink tea”, but Chinese tea this time. It's a tradition for us to go Yum Cha every Sunday with our family! Dim sum is part of Yum Cha! We just eat and catch up with each others for HOURS!

Oh. My. God. “LOHAS LOHAS” Oh. My. Mind. “Gonna take a pic~” Take away “Is this delivery service for real?” Like, seriously, even if it’s way out of the way, no problem man

LOHAS: I didn't know what this refers to for a long time, I finally found the answer. This refers to LOHAS park, an eco-friendly residential area newly built few years ago. But what's so special about it? Is it famous in Japan?!

DELIVERY SERVICE: Well delivery service in Asia are generally good anyway, but I guess we are good and fast?! (but I think Korea too!)

Super Feeling unlucky? If it’s getting to you, go villain hitting at Ngo Keng Kiu A medium will perform an exorcism, and hit a paper doll with a shoe For fortune telling, go draw fortune sticks, or get a divine answer by throwing moon blocks at the temples… at Wong Tai Sin, light the fire of your incense! If you’re feeling tired, maybe you can give Feng Shui a try or something? A spiritual site in Lantau Island The Wisdom Path…is super Awesome for meditation, but there aren’t any toilets, so watch out Gold fish, bring me luck! (In money!)

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NGO KENG KIU: Generally HKers are not THAT superstitious, but the culture still lives within us. I have never known anyone who did the villain hitting, but it's still quite a thing (and a great tourist spot). It's mainly for people who backstab you (we call them "small people" siu yan), but I guess evil spirit too.

WONG TAI SIN: Again, it's more for older generation who are still a bit superstitious. People like to go to Wong Tai Sin Temple during Lunar New Year to wish for luck in the new year. It's still quite popular!

See I told you we have natural landscape (source)

WISDOM PATH: I've never been there lol. Apparently it's a "path lined with 38 wooden monuments inscribed with the Heart Sutra prayer". In general, HK has a lot of nice hiking trail, our landscape is actually amazing, it's just we focus too much on making money...

P-Pe-Pe-Pearl of the Orient is me! (I guess?) Got completely wasted? Ended up in a dress (totes sick) Not gonna lie, population density is highest in the world in Ap Lei Chau Yeah! If you’re going sightseeing then Hong Kong Island! (Yeah~!!)

PEARL OF THE ORIENT: It's the nickname of HK, the Philippines is Pearl of the Orient SEAS

(Ending up in a dress refers to this comic, thanks parallel France!)

POPULATION DENSITY: Yea, that's what we are famous for really, small place lots of people (HK is a very hilly city, surprise, surprise), we have the most expensive estate price in the world 🤦‍♀️, not sure if Ap Lei Chau is particularly population-densed, but the whole HK is like that!

Good luck in everything this makes me kinda happy (Check it out!) Learned this from England - how to be a gentleman (ladies first) I wish you good health, this is kinda fun (Shake it up!) Typhoon, Kung Fu, WA-TAHH Supplements, Chinese herbal medicine (healthy~!)

LUCK: The newer generations are less superstitious now, but luck is still kind of important for us? It's more like a tradition than a belief, we do them just in case (like Feng Shui).

TYPHOON: As a coastal city, we get typhoons a lot in summer, but they are not as strong in comparison to the Philippines or Indonesia.

KUNG FU: We are known for our Kung Fu films, as the actors are all trained martial artists! Bruce Lee (WA-TAH was his catchphrase), Jackie Chan and Donnie Yen are great examples! Because of the wars and Cultural Revolution, many people fled China to HK, resulting the influx of high quality martial artists (eg. Ip Man).

HERBAL MEDICINE: As western as we are, we still believe in Chinese Medicine, but more in a preventative way.

Oh. My. God. “Air conditioning in full blast!” Oh. My. Mind. “That’s not eco-friendly…” Oh well “The air will become cleaner, I think?” Seriously a Mistake, but, no problem man

STRONG AIR-CONDITIONING: This line had me laugh die (Imao in Cantonese)! It's so accurate! You can catch a cold from the airconditioning in HK! And that's why we always carry a jacket even in summer! It's not very eco-friendly and our government is trying resolve that.

AIR POLLUTION: Yes we have smog (smoke + fog), it is becoming quite the problem really. The root of the problem is that Shenzhen, the city next to HK, is developing rapidly and a lot of factories moved there, so the smoke is blown towards HK (we don't really have many factories left, it's too expensive here).

Awesome Riding on a roofless bus, cruising through the neon streets If you want to, like, go shopping… at Ladies Market There are stalls with cute stuff, souvenirs (lots and lots of them) Talk the price down! Haggling is what really counts For some more miscellaneous and deep junk, more for the adult and thrilling The street where mystery thickens… Temple Street Would you like to try some cheap eats at the street stalls? Absolutely delicious! Asian food is the best!

NEON LIGHTS: You've all seen the stereotypical HK streets full of neon lights, but it's actually decreasing, because there's no newcomers to the industry (the lights are handmade).

LADIES MARKET: You can find so many stuff there indeed, for a cheap price! Branded stuff, fake stuff (we don't make them but yea you can find a lot of them), food and goldfish. Yes, there's a goldfish street. Why? I dunno, for luck I guess?!

TEMPLE STREET: Similar to ladies market, it's also great for shopping. This street is also known for (illegal) prostitution and triad, but it's still safe to visit, never in my life have I encountered any of them.

“Yoooooo, Mister, so I kinda sang this song, but seriously, rapping is surprisingly, like, tough?” “It’s also a shame that no one can see what I’m wearing, I’ve got serious swag, y'know.” “Phew… I kinda want to go home already… I mean, the peach buns are gonna be sold out.” “…can we go now?” “…can’t we go yet?” “Haah…” “Okay fine, like, whatever.”

One, two, three!*

PEACH BUN: They are actually eaten on birthdays, for longevity (that's what peach represents in Chinese culture).

*this line was spoken in Mandarin in the song, which would be the only critism I'd give. Yes a lot of people may understand Mandarin, but Cantonese and English are preferred and they are our official languages. One, two, three in Cantonese would be "yaat, yi, sam".

Oh. My. God. “The rent is really expensive…” Oh. My. Mind. “It’s not easy…” Why oh why? “It’s like, the highest in the world” We have serious inflation, but, whatever

EXPENSIVE RENT: We are the most expensive in the world, thanks to the high population density (and foreign buyers 😶), it's really not easy to afford a flat in HK, that’s why most HKers live with their parents until they get married (it’s also a cultural thing).

INFLATION: Stuff are still relatively cheap, but they are getting more expensive really quickly, mainly because of the rent of the shops.

Super they’re so adorable it hurts, the perfect balance of black and white pandas that bring you happiness… we sell them, sort of So fluffy and cute, such big round eyes The kinda? Make you Happy! Uh-huh

PANDAS: We actually only have 2 pandas here like everyone else, in Ocean Park (it's like an amusement park and zoo). They finally successfully mated recently, probably because of Corona shutdown lol!

There are over 100 of them, Tin Hau Temple, so super Before I head there, I seriously wanna eat… mango pudding! So many gods, like, one in every street Pay homage at the temple, light the fire of your incense!

TEMPLES: We still have the temples built before the colonial time! Hopefully, we are able to keep them too...

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MANGO PUDDING: It's so good yes! Our dessert culture is just the best seriously! We have so many restaurants just for desserts! They are great places to hang out with friends after work or school!

The air conditioning at its max, the fire burning strong A steaming hot pot made with a carefully chosen soup base If you want to detox, have a Chinese herbal hot pot Absolutely delicious! Asian food is the best! Riding on a roofless bus, cruising through the neon streets If you want to, like, go shopping… at Ladies Market There are stalls with cute stuff, souvenirs, lots and lots of them Talk the price down! Haggling is what really counts Absolutely delicious! Asian food is the best! Every minute Happy☆Nice Town (Guy)

HOT POT: We love it! We basically love when a lot of people sit together, talking, sharing food (like Yum Cha), it's the harmony and atmosphere that we like so much! And yes, there are a lot of different soup base you can choose from!

BARGAINING: Yes do it, especially if you're in places like Ladies' Market and you're a foreigner, they do price things up if you don't look like a local.

***

Shout out to Takagi Motoki, the voice actor of HK, his voice fits the character perfectly! (and please get a new va for the new season please funimation) And how can he speak so fast?!

#aphasiaweek #APH Hong Kong #hws hong kong #hetalia #not biased at all but hk has one of the best character songs pls give him new songs in the new season himapapa #sorry im not following the prompts that well i dont have much time to make stuff #science poetry coming up i promise #Hong Kong culture

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tommyparkerr · 5 years

Text

Appendicitis Pt. 2 | Peter Parker & Tony Stark (Irondad)

I TOLD YOU GUYS I WOULD HAVE THIS UP LATER TONIGHT ON PETER’S BIRTHDAY AND TIME KINDA GOT AWAY FROM ME (i was watching hallmark whoopsy daisy) AND NOW IT’S CRUNCH TIME BABY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETER, I LOVE YOU HONEY <3

Words: 5.3k

Warnings: Brief mentioning of a panic attack, other than that none (I think)?

Read Part One here

-Masterlist-

A P P E N D I C I T I S P T. 2 — T H E T A L K :

When Peter woke up a second time, he felt much more awake than before. He still had a cannula breathing extra oxygen into him, yes, but his limbs no longer felt like a hundred pounds and his brain wasn’t muddled by fog. This time he was able to take in his surroundings, taking note of how homey the hospital room felt. He was sure this was only because he was at the Tower’s med bay and not an actual hospital, but he appreciated it all the same.

One thing he didn’t appreciate as much, though, was being alone. Peter fuzzily remembered his mentor getting him water which meant he had to have been here at some point, proven by the half-empty cup still sitting by his bedside.

Peter grunted as he sat up, protectively putting an arm over his stomach. He was exhausted despite having slept for probably a long while if the glaring sun outside the window meant anything. He blinked lethargically, letting a yawn escape before taking the leftover water and gulping it down. His mouth was incredibly dry—so much so, in fact, that his lips were cracking.

“Hey, FRIDAY?” Peter asked, his voice weak but steady. “How long have I been asleep?”

“You’ve been asleep for approximately twenty-nine hours, Peter,” the AI answered, and Peter’s eyes immediately widened.

“Twenty-nine hours?!” he exclaimed as he leaned forward, wincing when his movement disturbed the stitches he remembered Tony telling him he had. He wanted to look at them, but he also didn’t want to pull up his entire gown to do it.

“Yes, Peter.” She paused for a moment as if debating whether or not to give him extra information. Eventually her coding must have convinced her to do so, as she followed up with, “It seems your healing factor induced you into a deep sleep while it worked.”

“Huh,” Peter muttered, shaking his head. He’d known his healing factor hadn’t left, per se, but the whole situation still confused him. He didn’t let himself worry about that long, however, as FRIDAY’s next line had him worrying (panicking) over something completely different.

“Shall I alert your father that you’re awake?”

“My...my what?” Peter choked out, his breaths growing shorter as he suddenly remembered being curled up on the bench in the lab, vomit underneath and on him as he told the AI he wanted his dad. His dad, who was luckily out of the room but probably gladly so as he wondered how exactly to tell Peter he didn’t want him in his life anymore.

Shit.

Tears sprung to his eyes as he quickly said, “No—no, FRI, just-just give me a sec.”

“Of course, Peter.”

Peter was suddenly thankful for the oxygen cannula, even though it was starting to get uncomfortable against his skin. He forced himself to breathe, closing his eyes and thinking of only calm, safe things.

Aunt May’s arms around him after he came back from Spider-Manning, Ned’s constant fanboying, and Uncle Ben’s laugh as Peter sat on his shoulders. Accidentally calling the Tower ‘home’ in front of Aunt May and the woman being so happy her nephew had a second family that she cried. The sound of AC/DC as it blasted throughout the lab, Dum-E’s whirring, and the consistent sound of metal hitting metal. The way his mentor’s face lit up every time Peter walked through the door, making him feel wanted in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.

This was his new normal. This was his new safe. And as much as Peter wanted to deny it, his mentor was more than just a mentor to him. He was, in every shape and form, his dad, and though he was terrified Tony would kick him out of his life after this, he couldn’t find it in himself to regret what he’d said.

If luck was on Peter’s side, maybe Tony didn’t remember it. Maybe he even chalked it down to Peter being delirious from the pain and rolled with it only not to freak him out even more.

There was only one way to find out.

“Okay, FRI,” Peter said quietly as he opened his eyes, breathing deep. “You can alert him now. Just...just don’t tell him I told you to. Let him think you did it on your own.”

Because while he knew it probably wouldn’t make a difference in how Tony thought of him, Peter didn’t want to seem too needy. He was sixteen now, almost an adult, so he could take care of himself. He didn’t need his mentor to do that for him. The only reason he’d told FRIDAY to in the first place was because he knew she’d have to sooner or later, and doing it soon after he woke up made it more believable that Peter hadn’t given the okay—that, and because he didn’t want to be alone.

He hated being alone.

While he waited for Tony to appear, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, hating the way his legs almost collapsed from underneath him. Luckily he was holding onto the side of the bed, but his arms were pretty weak as well so it limited his time.

Finding a way to maneuver the IV so it didn’t pull out as he walked away was difficult but not impossible. The oxygen, however, had to come out. It surprised him how much more difficult it was to breathe without it but didn’t linger too long on the thought, grabbing the empty cup and shakily walking over to the sink. Peter couldn’t help but get frustrated at how much he was wobbling. He figured the lack of food probably didn’t help, but he was hoping an increase in fluids would (mostly because that was all he had access to at the moment, and even that was a struggle).

Peter had just started on his second cup of water when the door to the room opened, startling the boy and causing him to hurriedly grab onto the edge of the counter before he fell.

“What are you—Peter, I swear to God if you don’t get back on that bed in five seconds-” his mentor said, obvious frustration seeking into his tone as he quickly supported the boy upright. “Exactly what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Peter smiled sheepishly at him. “Getting some water?”

“And you couldn’t have, I dunno, waited for me?”

“In my defense,” Peter said trying to hold back an amused grin at his mentor’s distress, “I didn’t know how long you’d be, and I was parched.”

Tony huffed, running a hand over his face and shaking his head. “You’re actually going to give me a heart attack one day, kid. Mark my words.”

Seeing his mentor authentically frustrated with him made the humor of the situation lower considerably for Peter, and he winced before quietly murmuring, “Sorry, Mr. Stark.”

Something like a frown crossed Tony’s face before he shook himself out of it, taking the cup of water from his hands and setting it aside.

“Hey!”

“Nope,” Tony interrupted. “You don’t get any more of this until your butt is back in bed.”

Peter grumbled and rolled his eyes but complied, turning and (with the help of his mentor) walking back to the bed. He tried hard not to sigh too loud in relief when Tony fitted the cannula back under his nose. From the looks of it, he didn’t do a very good job of holding it in.

“You’re still weak, Underoos; you’ve had no food for over 24 hours plus had nothing in your stomach beforehand, and they had to give you round the clock drugs to keep you knocked out during and right after surgery. Having a ruptured appendix along with one of the speediest metabolisms in all of mankind does that to you,” he explained, finally handing over the water. Peter frowned and took it, gulping it down.

“FRIDAY said my healing factor put me in some sort of induced sleep.”

“After the majority of the drugs were out of your system, yes.” Tony plopped back into the chair by his bedside. “That’s what we could figure, anyway. Are you hungry?”

Yes, his mind instantly replied. His mouth, however, stayed shut. He shrugged, looking down and picking at his sheets. “I mean, it can wait. You just sat down and I know you’ve been busy taking care of me for awhile, so you can totally take a break if you need one. I can take care of myself.”

A hand rested on top of his. Peter looked up to see his mentor’s raised eyebrows and ‘are you kidding me’ look. “Kid, I’m taking care of you because I want to, and you’re most certainly not capable of taking care of yourself right now,” he added, nodding toward the cannula. Peter pursed his lips. “I know you hate being in this position, and, trust me, I hate it just as much as you do, but let me take care of you without any complaints just this once, okay?”

Peter stayed quiet, sighing softly to himself. His mentor paused as if just now realizing how uncharacteristic his words were for Tony Stark and opened his mouth to cover it up with, “I mean, I’m pretty sure it’s the least you could do for giving me nearly eight heart attacks in the span of three days.”

This got a smile out of Peter. “Fine,” he relented. “I guess I’m hungry, then.”

Tony grinned. “That’s good to hear. Unfortunately, you won’t be receiving anything other than toast, crackers, and pudding for the next 24 hours, but at least it’s food.”

Peter made a face. “That’s not real food.”

“I hate to break it to you, kid, but if you decide you want to eat anything other than that your stomach isn’t going to be digesting ‘real’ anything.”

“Welp,” Peter said, his nose scrunching up and his appetite considerably lowered, “that was totally not an image I needed to see right now.”

Tony shook his head at him with a chuckle. “How about we see how the water settles and in about an hour we reassess?” Peter nodded and sunk back into his pillows, relieved at the silence that filled the room afterward. However, the relief didn’t last long. “Sooo…” Tony drawled, looking directly at Peter.

Peter gulped, and his heart skipped a beat before picking back up full speed ahead. “Sooo...what?”

“We need to have a talk, kiddo.”

A weight settled in Peter’s stomach, making him shift uncomfortably and look down at his lap away from his mentor’s accusing eyes. “What-what about?”

“I think let’s start with your self-preservation skills and how utterly stupid it was to hide your symptoms from me,” Tony said with a sharp edge to his tone, though Peter could tell he wasn’t really angry. Just worried and maybe a teensy bit frustrated Peter let it get this far. But this topic was much better than the one he’d been anticipating, so he gladly responded.

“Okay, so I know it looks bad—“

“Bad? Oh no, kid, it doesn’t just look bad—it looks completely idiotic and is seriously making me wonder what else you’ve kept hidden from me,” Tony snapped, and Peter shrunk in his seat, trying not to let the guilt in his eyes show for fear his mentor would grill him about the secrets he’d kept and the lies he’d told.

“Tony—”

“Hell, kid,” Tony exhaled with an exhausted laugh that Peter knew wasn’t in response to humor. “The fever, the fatigue, the stomach ‘ache’, the lack of appetite, the inability to keep anything down—it all pointed to the flu, so we wrote it off as such. If we had known that when you said your stomach ‘hurt’ you meant debilitating and excruciating pain, I think we could’ve caught this a little sooner.”

“But it wasn’t excruciating!” Peter finally was able to get in, seizing his opportunity to defend himself. “It just...hurt, you know? Like when you hit your hip on the edge of the counter and you swear you’ve been stabbed or something because it hurts so bad? But then it fades away and you don’t pay any attention to it because you know that everyone has felt it and at that point it’s just embarrassing?”

Tony studied the boy for a few moments, his soft yet skeptical eyes meeting Peter’s frantic ones. Peter wanted—no, needed—him to understand that he wasn’t back on his ‘self-sacrificial bullshit’ as his mentor called it, taking excruciating pain as it came without telling anybody because he was too stubborn and hard-headed to admit weakness.

There was once a time where Peter would’ve done it. In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that he’d hidden from Tony the full extent of what exactly the fight with Vulture had entailed; but one night, after one too many nightmares and post panic attacks, he’d swung to the tower where he’d broken down on the roof—the only place he could breathe. He’d sat there by himself, body racking with broken sobs, until his mentor had joined him in a panicked flurry, making FRIDAY scan him for any injuries. What Tony hadn’t known until FRIDAY told him that his mentee wasn’t currently injured was that the condition Peter was in was caused by nothing other than his own head. Something Tony couldn’t just...fix.

All it took for Peter to finally open up to the man about the gun in the car and the building collapsing on top of him was the understanding gleam in his mentor’s eyes that followed FRIDAY’s report. Somehow Tony had known without actually knowing, and that was the most comforting part of it all—that Peter wasn’t the only one who’d ever faced those feelings. That he wasn’t alone. That he’d be okay.

However, if Peter had known one of his organs was on the verge of rupturing and causing him unbearable pain, he liked to think he would’ve told Tony (or at least had done some research on his own and self-diagnosed).

“Kid,” Tony eventually sighed, running a tired hand down his face and giving a small snort of a chuckle. “I don’t know what’s more insane: the fact that you thought it was normal to have that kind of pain with the common flu or the fact that you‘re comparing that kind of pain to hitting your hip on the counter.”

Peter flushed but still attempted to defend himself. “But haven’t you ever done it, Mr. Stark?! It hurts like hell!”

“Language,” was Tony’s automatic response. As Peter was rolling his eyes and about to make a comment on how that wasn’t his line to cross, Tony went on. “Pete, I work in a lab almost every day with tables and countertops galore—of course I’ve hit my hip on the edge of one. I do it at least once a week. But there’s also only a few seconds where you’re convinced it’s hell-“

“Language,” Peter mocked under his breath. Choosing to ignore it, Tony continued.

“-until it fades away and you’re good to go again. You’re telling me having a ruptured organ is just as serious?”

He stayed quiet, shrinking a little under his mentor’s gaze. His only response was a mumbled, “It was just a comparison,” and a slight pout as he crossed his arms and avoided eye contact. Tony chuckled, absentmindedly reaching over to tuck a stubborn curl back into place on Peter’s head. Peter softened just enough at the action to lighten up on the pout and look at his mentor for just one moment before flicking his eyes back down to his scratchy hospital gown. One would think that since it was the Avengers medical wing, the quality of the clothing would be better. Turns out that while everything else was of much, much higher quality than a normal hospital—the food, the bed, the room, the channels on the TV, the actual TV—the gowns had to stay ‘for medical purposes’.

Peter couldn’t wait to change into sweatpants and one of Tony’s hoodies he’d been collecting.

“Hey, Mr. Stark?”

“Yeah, kid?”

“When do I get out of here?”

“Helen wants you under observation for at least 48 hours before she sends you off.” Before Peter could groan and complain some more, Tony raised an eyebrow and added, “She also said normally it’d be about a week for a case as serious as yours, but since you have your healing factor she was being generous enough to cut that time down by more than half.” Peter snapped his jaw shut. “That’s what I thought,” Tony said with an amused quirk of his lips.

“Actually, I have a question about that,” Peter asked some time later after uncrossing his arms and relaxing back into his bed.

“About what?”

“My healing factor,” Peter said, then realizing how vague that was, quickly added, “You know—why it didn’t take care of the internal damage.”

“Your healing factor was actually the reason why everything happened as sudden as it did,” Tony explained, looking quite comfortable in the chair accompanying his bedside (even though Peter was sure it couldn’t be). “Once it knew your appendix was inflamed, it immediately tried to heal it—as it should have.”

“Then why...why didn’t it heal?” Peter asked weakly, feeling stupid for even having to ask. He knew how his healing factor worked, and he couldn’t wrap his mind around why it hadn’t worked this time around.

“Put simply, once an appendix is inflamed and appendicitis hits, it’s donezo. Kapeesh. Nada. It’s not an organ meant to be healed or replaced; it’s why doctors chop it out rather than try to repair it.” Peter made a face at his mentor’s choice of words, but it didn’t seem to affect Tony. “So when your healing factor started healing it brought the pain level down just enough for you to not be overly alarmed about it, but because of your lack of hydration and nutrition, it didn’t have enough energy to do it consistently; it’s why your pain levels differed so much from hour to hour.”

Peter frowned, trying to digest this information with his brain functioning at half capacity. “I get why it couldn’t heal the appendix specifically, I guess? But...but how did it make it worse?”

“That’s the thing; it didn’t make it worse. Just simply camouflaged the pain until it became too big of an issue for it to handle.” At Peter’s continued frown as he tried to work it out in his head, his mentor went on with a tired exhale. “Pete, when your appendix finally burst, your healing factor could no longer contain it and you felt the pain you should’ve been experiencing steadily and progressively all at once.”

It was quiet for a minute or two. Eventually, a weak, “Oh,” slipped out of Peter’s lips.

“Yeah, kid. ‘Oh’,” he chuckled.

Another beat of silence.

“Does...does that mean I can’t get the flu, then?”

Tony gave an exasperated snort at that. “That’s what you’re worried about? You had an internal rupture that could have potentially killed you had your healing factor continued acting as a heavy painkiller, and you’re worried about the goddamn flu?”

Peter grew a sheepish smile; he realized now how silly it sounded, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t still curious. But maybe that was something best to find out with time. Somehow, he didn’t think pushing the topic would squeeze out very many answers at this point.

Tony slumped in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Nevermind, kid. Just...let’s just forget that piece of the conversation ever happened, yeah?”

“Okay,” Peter said, dragging out the last syllable. “But, in all seriousness, do you really think I could get the flu or is my DNA like Mr. Captain America’s and I’ll never catch the bug that goes around school every winter? Because I always did before I got bit, but I didn’t last year so do you think that was just a coincidence, like a stroke of luck, or do you think it was because of my new DNA?”

“You’re literally hopeless, Parker,” was all Tony said, laughing with his head shaking back and forth.

“Okay, but hear me out, Mr. Stark!” Peter exclaimed, his hands waving wildly around and missing the hurt look on his mentor’s face that had briefly shown up earlier as well. “There’s no way I didn’t get sick due to luck, because I think we both know Parker luck is literally the worst, so that just leaves coincidence, and I don’t think-”

“Pete, you know I love your senseless rambles, kid, but shut up for a second, okay?” Tony interrupted, and Peter immediately stopped talking, his hands falling back down to his sides.

“Um...o-okay?” Peter said, frowning as he turned his gaze to his lap. He wasn’t going to lie: being told to shut up by someone he’d come to think of as a dad hurt a lot.

Obviously sensing his hurt, Tony took one of his hands, being careful not to disturb the IV. “I’m sorry, kid. Look, as soon as I get done having this conversation you can go right back to speculating whether or not you can get the flu, but can I just talk to you about something for a minute?”

Peter couldn’t remember ever seeing his mentor so serious before which made him more nervous than he’d like to admit. Tony was all sarcasm with a side of snark, not...not this. Whatever this was. “I-yeah, um...yeah, sure, Mr. Stark.”

His face tightened, and Peter’s frown deepened. “I know I don’t say this very often, but I love you, Pete. More than I thought I could love the fourteen-year-old kid running around New York in red and blue pajamas every night, but it’s all the same.”

Peter blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. He swallowed, wondering if he should point out that that was actually the first time Tony had ever told him he loved him or if he should leave it be for fear his mentor already knew that fact but was ignoring it. He decided on the latter. “I...I love you too, Mr. Stark. But what’s this about?”

Tony sighed, dropping his head and squeezing his hand. “That. That’s exactly what this is about. The ‘Mr. Stark’ shi-crap.”

“What about it? I don’t think I-” Peter cut himself off, his eyes widening as he realized what exactly Mr. Stark had been referring to. His heart skipped a beat. “I’ve always called you Mr. Stark, Mr. Stark. I mean, yeah, it started out as good manners, but it just kinda stuck, ya know? I’m sorry if it offended you or something--I can totally call you Tony if you want. Actually, can we start with a transition? Like Mr. Tony? Just until I get used to the whole first name basis thing and can drop the ‘Mr.’?”

Tony had picked his head up somewhere in the middle of Peter’s ranting, had eyed the nervous aversion of Peter’s eyes from his, the attempt to ignore what both of them knew what Tony had been talking about, and was now wearing a half-smirk half-smile. “Cut the crap, Pete,” he said. “I’m not mad at you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

Peter stumbled, scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. “I-I don’t know exactly what you’re referring to, Mr. Sta-”

“The ‘Dad’ thing, Pete,” Tony interrupted, raising an eyebrow. Peter blushed, nervously chewing at his lip.

“Right,” Peter said much more quietly than he’d been talking before. “The...the ‘Dad’ thing.”

Tony didn’t speak, simply waiting—waiting for him. Waiting for Peter to explain himself because he wasn’t fooling anybody with the clueless act. The silence dragged on for a few minutes’ time until it successfully made Peter’s nerves spill over the edge in the form of, as Tony had put it, ‘senseless rambling’.

“Okay, so, in my defense, you were never supposed to hear that. I was only saying it in my head because I slipped in my thoughts once and so I thought that it’d be okay as long as I just kept it in my head. But-but then I just—it hurt so much, Mr. Stark, and I didn’t know what was happening and, yeah, I was scared, and I couldn’t control what I was saying, but that doesn’t mean anything, right? People say a lot of stupid stuff when they’re drunk or drugged up or in a lot of pain and that’s completely normal, right? And FRIDAY is just really smart because she knew who I was actually asking for when I said I wanted my dad, but then I said it to your face and I’m so, so sorry, Mr. Stark. I understand if you don’t want me around or if you want me to apologize or something, and I really am sorry.”

There was a pause, Peter’s heavy breathing being the only noise in the room other than the consistent beeping of his heart monitor.

“What the hell do you have to apologize for?”

His mentor’s bluntness took him by surprise. Peter blinked, only once this time. “Um...you know, for-for calling you ‘Dad’?”

Tony simply stared for a good minute and a half. Peter started to freak out all over again at that point, because maybe Tony had thought Peter hadn’t meant it when he’d called him ‘Dad’ and now that Peter apologized he was realizing he actually had meant it—because who sincerely apologized for something they didn’t mean?—and why exactly had Peter chosen to speak at all?

Just as he was about to open his mouth and apologize again—for what, he wasn’t sure—Tony beat him to it. “And you’re sorry about that?” he asked softly, his eyes gentle.

“Yes, I am! Because...because…” Peter was truly at a loss for words now. The truth was he wasn’t sorry that he’d admitted to himself what his mentor was to him. The problem he had with it was that he’d admitted it out loud to the one person he didn’t want finding out. He was afraid he’d lose Tony if he told him or that he would get Hulk-level angry and turn into some beast Peter didn’t recognize but fully knew he deserved to face.

So, the only slightly valid reason he could come up with in that short amount of time came tumbling out of his mouth.

“Because you’d get mad and leave,” Peter mumbled, pulling his hand out of his mentor’s grip and twisting his fingers together in his lap.

Another short pause. A sigh. “Peter, bud...you really thought I’d leave?” Tony said, his voice low and close to breaking. At Peter’s hesitant nod, he closed his eyes as if he were in pain and asked, “Why?”

Peter’s heart ached at his mentor’s rather emotional response and bit his lip to hold back the tears rapidly forming in his eyes. “Mr. Stark, I swear it’s not anything you did that made me think that, it’s just...it’s just…” Peter finally looked up to make eye contact with Tony, a surge of love and longing and sadness and mourning passed through him, and suddenly he knew how his sentence ended. “Everyone leaves, Dad. Everyone. My mom, my-my actual dad, my uncle Ben--everyone I love just leaves, and I was afraid—I am afraid—that as soon as I admit that to you I’ll lose you, too. It’s like I’m a walking death curse but only casting it on the ones I love, and it hurts so bad to watch all of them go away. “ Peter cried, finally admitting what he’d kept to himself for years. He hiccupped on a sob but kept going, because he wasn’t quite finished. “So I was hoping that-that maybe if I never told you, you wouldn’t go away. That-that you’d stay, for once. Because no one else has, and I-I need my dad.”

He hadn’t noticed he wasn’t the only one crying in the room until Tony gently brushed off Peter’s tears and he could see tear-filled eyes staring right back at him. The lump in his throat only grew bigger at the sight, and a new set of tears formed.

“Scoot over, kid,” Tony said, his voice sounding wrecked even at a whisper. Peter was confused but scooched over anyway, all of it becoming clear as his mentor—his dad—crawled in next to him. Peter fumbled as he was dragged into the space between his mentor’s legs but immediately took comfort in the position when his dad’s arms wrapped around him and held him tighter than he’d been held in a long, long time.

Peter buried his head in Tony’s old AC/DC T-shirt and continued to cry, some tears out of relief that he’d finally admitted everything he’d been carrying on his shoulders. He felt his dad kiss his head then proceed to rest his chin on it, fully encompassing Peter in his hold.

“I’m not leaving you, kid. Not now, not ever, and I swear that on my mother’s grave.” Tony’s voice was shaky but stable; it was at least strong enough that Peter was able to cling onto it with some semblance of faith. “I’m so sorry life gave you shitty circumstances, but, Peter, you’re always going to have someone who loves you. If it’s not me—and, just for the record, I’m never going to stop loving you, kid—then it’ll be May. If it’s not May it’ll be Ned, and if it’s not Ned it’ll be MJ, and if it’s not MJ it’ll be Pepper, and if it’s not Pepper it’ll be Rhodey—and you see how this continues down the line, right?”

Peter gave a teary laugh and sniffled, nuzzling further into his shoulder. “Yeah. Yeah, I see.”

Tony pulled back, cupping Peter’s face and gently wiping his tears away with the pad of his thumb. He smiled, blinking away some of his own tears, and made sure Peter was looking directly into his eyes before saying, “I love you, Pete. I love you like my own son, and I’m not sure when that started or if it’s just always been there, but you are the best thing to have ever happened to me, you understand?” He briefly closed his eyes and shook his head as if in disbelief. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, kid, but you’re evidence that I must be doing something right. And...and I’d really love it if you let yourself call me ‘Dad’ whenever it slips out instead of beating yourself up about it.”

Peter frowned, his lip wobbling. “You...you’re really sure? Like, really sure? You’re not, like, weirded out or anything by it?”

Tony laughed and tapped his forehead against Peter’s. “I’m really, really sure, Underoos. And maybe I should be weirded out by that since I’ve never been sure of anything in my life, but I think if there were ever to be a situation in my life where I didn’t second guess myself, it only makes sense that it would be you.”

Peter let out a cry of relief and threw his arms around his neck, squeezing as tight as he could without hurting him. “I love you, Dad.”

Tony squeezed back, finding just as much comfort in the ratty brown curls brushing against his cheek as his kid found in the scratch of his beard against his own. He breathed in once, twice, three times, trying to commit this exact moment to memory, before replying. “I love you too, kid. Even though we’re really only in this position now because you were too damned stubborn to say anything.”

He felt Peter’s grin against his shoulder. “It’s my self-sacrificial bullshit, remember?”

“Ah-ah-ah,” Tony tutted, one of his hands coming up to hold the back of Peter’s head. “Only I’m allowed to curse, young man. Dad privileges and all that.”

The sound of Peter’s laugh stuck with Tony for quite some time, and it was then that he vowed to himself he would never go a single day again without it again. It etched a permanent home in his memory, just as a small, innocent, bright-eyed, broken boy had recently etched a permanent home in his heart.

---

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idolish7rabbitchats · 5 years

Text

Yotsuba Tamaki: Wonderful Octave Rabbit Chat Part 2

Tsumugi: Everyone, thank you for gathering even though you’re busy! I will gather requests for Tamaki-san’s “RADIO STATION “Twelve Hits!”” in this group chat.

T: To manage the chat and check the contents, us managers will also participate. Please take care of it!

10000: From me too, please take care of Tamaki-kun’s requests.

4: Please!!!

4: [Bowing Kinako Stamp]

100: Tamaki’s lucky~!! Ban-san really felt like MEZZO’’s manager just now!!! (_ノД<)/・゜

4: Well yeah. Cuz he’s our manager.

4: [Sunglasses Pudding Stamp]

5: Ta-Tamaki-kun! You already talking to them too casually... Even though we practiced earlier....

100: Jealouuuuuuuuuuuuus. ・゜・。(x ω x)・゜・。

1000: Momo, Okarin’s crying.

Okazaki: Maybe I should grow out my hair too...

Anesagi: You’d go that far?!

100: Waaah! Okarin I love you! Okarin’s the best manager! ( *´艸｀)

1000: Lol. If Okarin’s grows it out too we’ll become the 3 long-haired brothers huh. ^ ^

10000: What is that uncool name

4: Then I’ll grow it out too!

1: Yotsuba-san, why are you competing with them…?

8: Shall the three of us try growing it out too?

9: Please don’t compete too Gaku. Also stop involving us.

10: Long hair huh… Would it suit me?

9: Ryuu, we’re not doing it.

7: Tamaki, it seems it would suit you! Nagi too, I want to try seeing you with long hair!

6: Even if I grow my hair, I couldn’t hide my beauty.

3: Long hair Nagi would flip his hair every time, I don’t want that...

2: Like a golden retriever.

Anesagi: Probably wouldn’t be bad.

10000: I don’t have any characteristic other than long hair…?

Okazaki: S-Sorry! Because Oogami-san’s hair is smooth, so.

T: Um, I’m curious about everyone’s hairstyle too but, would it be alright for me to ask for Tamaki-san’s requests?

T: It will start from youngest, so we’ll start from Tamaki-san! Please take care of it!

4: Ye! I hesitated a lot tho, but I’ll choose this!

4: “Talk about the most interesting thing to happen recently”

4: is what it is!

7: Heeh! It might be a little unexpected?!

2: You didn’t go with eating as much pudding as you want huh.

4: That, I thought about it soooooo hard till the last minute but, if I’m eating pudding, you can’t see right?

4: So I went with something that would be fun to hear.

3: Great, Tamaki!! You thought about the audience huh!

4: You can praise me more.

5: You are wonderful, Tamaki-kun. I’m deeply impressed...

5: Specially for your birthday, you can eat a lot of Osama Pudding.

4: [Confetti Pudding Stamp]

4: Seriously?! Stingy So-chan being generous huh

4: I’ll talk about something that everyone on the radio will love. Like, about green algae.

1: Green algae…?

6: I wonder what is the subject about green algae that everyone will love... I’m curious. ;-P

T: Tamaki-san, thank you for the wonderful request the listeners can enjoy!

T: So then, Next is Iori-san please!

1: From me, “I want you to introduce the inside of your bag.”

1: Seems like not only our fans, but lots of people are curious about idol’s stuff. For the time my request gets chosen, please refrain from adding in something weird.

4: What’s something weird?

1: You had once kept expired bread in your bag!

4: Eeh. If I organized my bag for radio, it would sound fake.

1: Why would idols have to introduce expired bread?!

4: Lol

1: It’s not funny. (Mad) (Mad)

4: But, Iorin thought about a lot of things huh. Thx.

1: Not really… It’s for all the listeners.

3: Iori, you’re not honest at all!

4: What? Tsundere?

7: I knew that he was writing a bunch of ideas in his notebook!

1: Wait, Nanase-san?!

8: That’s nice. Aren’t high school boys youthful huh?

4: [Smiling Kinako Stamp]

1: We’re members in the same group so naturally! Please be careful to not find snack crumbs huh. (Mad)

4: Leave it to me.

T: That was a heartwarming episode! Next is Nanase-san please.

7: Yes! From me is “Osama Pudding Russian Roulette”!

4: Osama Pudding?!

4: [Confetti Pudding Stamp]

7: is what I was thinking but you said earlier that people can’t see you eating huh.

4: It’s fine. Because I’ll explain that it’s super delicious with words.

1000: You can tell us your reaction with voices. Seems fun.

10: Right! If I imagine Tamaki-kun eating pudding happily, I can be happy here too! But you might pick the bad one too.

4: So that I deeeefinitely don’t pick the wrong one, Rikkun and Ryuu-aniki pray for me.

7: Okay! Hope you don’t pick the bad one!

10: Don’t pick the bad one!

9: You’re praying now?

7: Eheheh! I really like Tamaki’s variety reactions. Being surprised, being happy -- your reactions are honest and fun!

4: I also like Rikkun’s reactions.

7: [Sparkling Kinako Stamp]

T: Riku-san, thank you for this fun request!

T: So then, how about Kujou-san next?

9: My request is “Please say the line that makes fans’ hearts pound”.

9: Yotsuba Tamaki is chosen as a desirable man. Maybe the fans will be happy.

100: Kyaaah! I would feel naughty if I heard that…! ( *´艸｀)

4: Heart pounding huuh

4: What should it be? Something like, “I’ll give you pudding so c’mere”?

5: Tamaki-kun, that’s just a dangerous person.

8: “Let’s eat some good soba. Follow me.” Isn’t that how he should say it?

2: You, is that serious...?

4: Using food is not good? Someone please show me an example

9: I made the request so somebody else.

100: Then, Yuki! Please make everyone’s heart pound~!

1000: Me? Okay.

Anesagi: Can respond to a hard request, as expected of Re:vale...

1000: I’ll give you pudding so, come here.

4: So it is that!!!!

5: I-If Yuki-san says it, I start to feel like that’s the best answer...

10000: Please wake up, Sougo-kun.

Okazaki: Please, Sougo-kun.

4: Is there anyone whose heart doesn’t pound with that?

3: Hmmm… Saying “C’mere” sounds manly so it might be nice! It’s a little different from the usual Tamaki.

6: There was a character similar to that in the game I was playing earlier.

2: Tama being manly huh. Please be pure forever...

4: Yama-san, you sound old.

T: The staff and I will also think about what line would make them happy! Kujou-san, thank you for the request!

T: Next is Nagi-san please!

6: OK! From me, “What is inside the box?!” :-)

3: A reaction-type like Riku’s huh!

6: Even for the radio, it’ll surely become a fun corner. I feel like I can here Tamaki’s voice going “Waaah!” and “Gyaaaah!” already.

4: S-Something painful is a no...

6: Fufu. Please look forward to finding out what’s inside on that day. Tsumugi, let’s have a meeting later.

T: Got it!

3: Nagi, don’t put in anything weird?

6: OH! Weird as in what?

4: Scary and painful are totally bad! Prohibited from the agency!

5: If you take away scary and painful things, choosing is hard huh… How about surprising things?

4: No of No!!!

T: Nagi-san, thank you for the request. To make sure it’s nothing Tamaki-san would dislike, we would choose it carefully!

T: Next is Sougo-san please!

5: Okay. From me it’s, “Tamaki-kun introducing his recommended activity.”

5: Tamaki-kun is good at using his free time well and coming up with new activities. I think it would be interesting for the listeners to be able to know that too.

100: Eeeh! That’s super good! I would hear MEZZO”s inside story too huh☆

4: I was praised by So-chan!

10000: Aaah, I think I get it. Recently, he doesn’t take naps much.

8: Heeh. He was sleeping when I saw him before, but it seems like he’s started to change huh.

10: I want to know the activity too! Something that seems like us three as TRIGGER could do.

4: Okay! I’ll think of something that would be interesting if TRIGGER did it.

1000: And something two people can do.

4: A waiting list was made!

9: Wait, Ryuu. What is something that we could seemingly play?

10: Because we are living together as three, it would be fun if there are activities we can enjoy even if we don’t have video games!

8: I won’t lose, Tenn, Ryuu!

9: Why are you assuming it has to be win or lose?

100: Momo-chan is already knocked out by Yuki’s handsomeness...!

T: I’m curious about playing too!

*T: Please let me hear what you until now play as a reference!

4: An easy one is gesture shiritori! It’s quite hyped up

4: There’s a lot so I’ll teach everyone next time!

T: Sougo-san, thank you for the wonderful request! I’m looking forward to being able to hear what kind of play it will be! Next, how about a request from Mitsuki-san?

3: Got it!

3: Is what I thought but, let me request a break! I want to dry the laundry!

1: I’ll help, Nii-san.

6: Me too!

3: THANK YOU, Iori, Nagi!

Okazaki: The log became long too so let’s have a break.

T: Right, let’s take a break for 30 minutes! I’ll contact everyone later!

V2:

T: I’m curious about playing too!

T: Is there a game where Tamaki-san and Sougo-san compete?

4: Battle-kind huh. I’ll say this just between us but, So-chan is really strong at thumb wrestling...

4: There’s a lot so I’ll teach everyone next time!

V3:

T: I’m curious about playing too!

T: Please have something that 7 people could play!

4: When there are many people, we could do more things! Manager should join too.

4: There’s a lot so I’ll teach everyone next time!

#Idolish7 #idolish seven #Takanashi Tsumugi #tsumugi takanashi #yotsuba tamaki #tamaki yotsuba #idol #game #gaming #rabbit chat #12 hits #Wonderful Octave #translation #japanese #english #game app #idol game #Rhythm game

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all-the-love-harold · 5 years

Text

Chapter 2 - Let It Snow

It’s a very christmassy Chapter 2 for you all to enjoy! As always I have @lovesmelikebrandnewstarlight to thank for helping this chapter happen. Let me know how you’re liking the re-write so far!

Master Post

December 2013,

London in December was everything that Poppy dreamed it would be. There was a sense of magic in the air everywhere she went and for the first time since she was about eleven she actually felt festive. She spent her evenings curled up by the fireplace watching Christmas films with Harry, when he was around, and her days running around the city between classes and christmas shopping. There was a sense of bittersweetness to it all though, she missed home and all the talk about christmas only made her miss her family. Her plans had always been to go home for christmas, but things with her apartment fell through after two months of living with Harry and all the money that she would have spent on a plane ticket now had to go towards a deposit on a new apartment, which would be ready before her birthday in February. Living with Harry had been a whirlwind for Poppy, she’d made a friend for life, someone she could call at 2pm for a chat or crawl into bed with at 2am for a snuggle because she was missing home. They told each other everything, from the crazy stories that Harry shared about life on the road to Poppy’s miserable attempts at dating, they knew everything about each other and that’s why Harry knew something was up when Poppy hadn’t arranged her flights home by mid December. He gave her a few extra days to bring it up herself, but by the time the 19th rolled around and she didn’t look like she had even started packing anything he decided to bring it up.

“You know how much I love having you around, don’t you Pop?” he said to her as he sat next to her watching ‘Love Actually’ for the third time this week

“Mmm” she nodded to focused on the film

“But you also know how much you love your family?”

“I do love them, yeah, where are you going with this H?” she muted the TV and looked at him

“Are you heading home for christmas?”

“Oh” Poppy sighed “I can’t afford it since I put that deposit on the new flat”

“Do you want to go home, because you know all you have to do is ask and I’ll get you a ticket?”

Poppy thought for a moment, as festive as she felt, she knew when christmas day rolled around she’d feel pretty miserable because everything over here was so different and cold and she’d probably end up spending it alone, but she’d already taken enough from Harry, she couldn’t let him buy her a plane ticket too.

“No” she shook her head “I can’t ask you to do that”

“Well I’m offering, but if you don’t want to go, you can come to cheshire with me”

“I’m already invading your house, I’m not going to invade your family christmas too”

“There’s no way I’m letting my best friend spend christmas alone” Harry said, matter of factly, “so if you’re staying in England either you’re coming to cheshire or I’m going to stay here”

Poppy leant her head on Harry’s shoulder and nodded “Guess I’m going to Cheshire then”

“Great!” Harry said, excitement evident in his voice “We leave early Tuesday morning”

***

December 24th,

The days in London at this time of the year were short and the afternoons were dark and cozy. Made for snuggles by the fireplace with a warm cup of tea with some homemade shortbread. And with the promise of just that waiting for them when they arrived in Cheshire, Harry and Poppy set off early on Tuesday morning. For Poppy the three hour trip was nothing that she hadn’t done before, it was only half of the trip that she’d take back home to visit her grandparents once a month. Harry on the other hand, had to stop every hour because despite all the travelling he’d done this year, three hours was just too much. The last hour of the trip went by the quickest as they sang along to christmas songs with wide smiles glued to their faces. By the time arrived the guilty feeling that sat in Poppy’s stomach since she called her mum to say she wasn’t coming home, had disappeared and she was filled with christmas cheer.

This wasn’t the first time that Poppy would be meeting Anne, that happened only two days after she’d landed in London, when One Direction just so happened to have a show at the O2 arena that Harry had forced her to go to, and since then Anne had welcomed Poppy with open arms. When Harry pulled up in Anne’s driveway, she was already out the front waiting for them and Harry let out a slight chuckle at the sight of her in her christmas jumper.

“Hope you have one of those for all of us” he said as he stepped out of the car

“I have better one’s for you two” she winked at Poppy.

“How are you Anne?” Poppy said, stretching her arms out and embracing Anne in a warm hug

“Oh I’m good beautiful girl, how are you, first Christmas away from home?” Anne pulled away from the hug but kept hold of Poppy’s shoulders, holding her at arms length so that she could make eye contact.

“I’m ok, it’s already Christmas Day back home, so I’ll give my family a call soon” Poppy smiled.

Anne nodded “You make yourself at home while you’re here dear, what’s ours is yours” she turned towards Harry and greeted him as any mother would greet her son that she hadn’t seen in months, with a hug that lasted what felt like five minutes and dozens of kisses on the cheek.

“Alright Mum” Harry giggled, “That’s enough, poor Poppy’s freezing, she’s not used to this cold.”

“Oh right of course” Anne said shaking her head “I forgot, the fire’s on inside, let’s go in an get you both warm”

Living in London was completely different from living in Sydney. For starters, if Poppy was in Sydney right now, she’d probably be in shorts and a t-shirt on her way to the beach on a hot summer's afternoon. But instead it was 4:30 in the afternoon and the sun had already gone down and Poppy was curled up on the couch under a fluffy blanket, snuggled up to Harry with a hot chocolate cupped in her hands, watching as snow fell outside.

“Is the first time you’ve seen snow Poppy?” Harry’s sister Gemma asked

Poppy shook her head “It snowed once back home, I think I would have been about four, my brother and I walked outside in our pyjamas and no shoes, Mum has a photo of us laughing at how cold our feet were.” Talking about her family usually made Poppy feel homesick, but right now, she felt more at home than she had all year, and part of her knew that that had everything to do with being wrapped in Harry’s arms.

****

Anne went all out for christmas lunch, there was a turkey and a roast beef and enough peas to feed a small village, although Poppy quickly learned that that small village was in fact just Harry. The table was decorated with festive foliage and ornaments galore, and Poppy was sat next to Gemma who couldn’t stop asking her about Australian christmas.

“So you don’t have a cooked meal like this?” she asked, curious about how the holiday is celebrated on the other side of the equator

“No” Poppy said simply “It’s usually a barbeque, with a honey glazed ham and a ton of salad followed by a pavlova and in my family, a mango cheesecake”

“Mango Cheesecake?” Harry chimed in “That sounds delicious”

“It’s pretty much the best thing ever” Poppy laughed “I’ll make you one when mangoes are in season here”

The food was everything that Poppy had always imagined a traditional christmas meal would be and at this point she was a little annoyed that Harry hadn’t introduced her to yorkshire pudding sooner.

When everyone had finished eating, Anne and Robin cleared the plates from the table and put their santa hats on.

“Right, everyone over near the tree, it’s present time” Robin said in a low bellow that could very well have been the voice of father christmas.

They all sluggishly moved over to the tree and sat down on the couch with their drinks still in their hands. Poppy wasn’t expecting any gifts for herself given that she was there on such short notice but she was pleasantly surprised when Robin called her name and handed her a bag full of gifts from everyone. Gemma gave her a candle that she’d found in a quirky london store that smelt like “Australian Summer” and Anne and Robin got her some Marc Jacobs perfume that Harry must of told them she wears regularly but it was Harry’s gift that surprised her the most, it was simply a card with a picture of a “P” drawn on somebody’s skin resting inside with “My next Tattoo” written on the back. Underneath the picture there was a message that read:

My Dearest Poopy,

Thank you for everything you do for me and everything that you are. I know you’re moving out soon and my house won’t be the same without you but this friendship will last a lifetime, I’m sure of it.

I’ll always hold you close to my heart.

Merry Christmas

All my Love Always, Hairy xx

With their bellies full of the mouth watering meal that Anne had made for them, they retired to the living room where Harry immediately put on Michael Buble’s esteemed christmas album and started singing along.

“Oh the weather outside is frightful” he sang, holding his hand out to Poppy and pulling her into dance

“But the fire is so delightful” Poppy sang back, pointing to the open fire next to them

“And since we’ve got no place to go” Gemma joined from the couch

“Let it snow, Let it snow let it snow!” they all sang together.

With a glass of mulled wine in her hand, Poppy sang and danced the night away, and not once did she even think about what she was missing out back home because she knew that she had all she needed right here; A best Friend who would do anything for her, and his family who had taken her in as their own.

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littlecrookedheart · 5 years

Text

Merry & Bright : The Twelve Days of Choices FicMas

Prompt 10, Fireside S'mores

Pairing : Tom x Clove ft. The It Lives Beneath Squad & Andy Kang

Rating : A tiny suggestive bit, the rest is all fluff!

Word Count : 2,841

Disclaimer : I do not own any characters mentioned that are found in the choices universe.

"Are you sure? I feel like it's kind of...a lot."

Tom scrunched his nose in the mirror, gazing over the loud print on his scarf.

"You don't have to wear that if you're not feeling it, baby." Clove looked up from her phone, tossing it aside when she saw the look of uncertainty on Tom's face. She stood up and made her way to wrap her arms around his waist, peeking behind his shoulder to see in the mirror. "Andy is your best friend. I can promise you, he will never care what you're wearing."

"He bought me this for my birthday. I should wear it, don't you think?"

"Um," she sighed, turning him around to face her, "I don't think he'd mind if you didn't."

It was a knit scarf, winter appropriate but hideous, Clove thought. Bright canary yellow lemons against a maroon base, ends frayed with vibrant yarn.

“I think it's safe to go with something else.”

"Why is getting dressed so complicated?"

"Because you care so much." She unwrapped the scarf from around his neck and playfully looped it around his back, gently pulling at each end to move him closer to her. Her cheek pressed against his as she held him close.

"I thought you were just trying to help, but now I see what you really wanted."

"What's loving you without a little fun?" Clove teased, dropping one end of the scarf and moving it to the base of his head, toying gently at his hair. She could feel his face heating up and moved both hands through his hair, gently kissing from his neckline to just beneath his earlobe.

"Clove, you know how much I love having...fun..with you, but we really have to get going."

"I know," she sighed, resting her forehead on his jaw. The hint of rasp in her voice scraped his ears like bee wings on a rose petal. "Kiss me once?"

"I'll kiss you a lot more than that," Tom peppered his lips in bursts across her face, "any time," more small pecks across her cheeks, "any place." Finally meeting her lips, his arms enclosed her and lifted her off of the ground, passion behind his kiss.

"Tommy..." The heightening of her breath enthralled him, a deep blush building outward from his chest.

"Remember that later," he whispered, leaving one last kiss lingering on the side of her face.

He pulled on a jacket and helped Clove into hers, lacing his fingers into her empty spaces.

"Fashionably late?" Parker perked up, hand clutched around a glass bottle of hard cider.

"You couldn't wait for us?" Tom joked, the flicker of the already blazing fire shining in his lenses.

"Tom!"

Andy Kang jumped to his feet as if propelled by springs, limbs flying in the air as he leaped over the flames, nearly tackling him into a hug.

"Whoa! Are you a fire bender or something?!"

"Can't a guy just be really happy to see his best friend?" Andy ruffled Tom's hair, loose strands strewn across his face. "I swear man, every time I see you, you've grown three inches and gotten three times stronger."

Tom regathered his hair into a bun, using a black band slinked over his wrist to tie it up.

"Andy! It's so nice to see you!" Clove walked over with open arms, shrieking as Andy lifted her into a hug after taking a running start.

"Hey! Be careful or one of you will fall in. And if you're not aware, I'm a cop, not a fireman. I can't save you."

"That was dark, P."

"I want one night. One. Where I'm not the dad friend!" Parker laughed, replacing his empty bottle with a new one. "Also guys, please put your trash in this bin. Wildlife."

Andy kicked back into a camping chair, leaning backward to level with Tom's eyes across the fire. "Does he know Lucas? He should know Lucas."

"I don't know what Lucas you're talking about," Parker smiled, "But I once arrested my bully from elementary school. His name was Lucas."

"Talk about karma! What I wouldn't give to see that look on the faces of my old bullies." Andy gestured to Parker for a cider, catching it perfectly in his grip.

"Where's Imogen?" Tom asked, pulling Clove close to him as his arm draped across her shoulder.

"On her way. She thought she had marshmallows at home but she didn't, so she's stopping first."

Clove leaned forward to wave at Danni as she approached their circle, camera held in front of her to capture the floating embers against the night sky.

Andy and Parker carried on in conversation about bullies which turned to basketball and a debate over the NFL, light hearted laughing filling the air almost as much as the crisp wind.

"It's freezing!" Danni shivered, burrowing further into her coat.

"Sit down by the fire and you'll be toasty."

"You're only saying that because of that human furnace you're clinging to," her teeth chattered with each gust, "some of us aren't so lucky."

"Tom and I will cuddle you. Come sit between us!"

"Not in a million years."

"Come on, Danni. Let us warm that cold little heart!"

"I am not cold hearted!" She yelled as she quickly pushed her way between them, stifling a grin as all four arms enveloped her in an embrace. "I'm cold blooded. Get it right."

Later in the evening, Tom had ventured closer to Andy and Parker, all standing in a circle, playing snippets from songs over the speakers of their phones.

"Why did they move over there?" Danni asked, Parker's coat around her like a blanket.

Clove shrugged, giggling softly. "They're weird."

"They're drunk. Weird is an understatement."

"They aren't drunk, just Parker."

A rustling came from the top of the hill, the splitting of the wood at the base of the fire seeming to mime the sound.

Imogen stumbled down, missing the small clearings of the pathway. Her arms were piled high with paper grocery bags, eyes peeking over the rim of them as she tried to steady herself. Clove rushed over to help, quickly met by Andy and Tom.

"Traffic," Imogen huffed as she leaned to greet everyone with hugs. "So much traffic."

"Why?" Danni asked, already tearing open a bag of marshmallows.

"We have a weather advisory! How did you guys not know that?"

"I knew," Parker said, "I just didn't want to miss this tradition."

"It isn't tradition when it's our first time doing this, dork." Imogen straightened her posture, sticking an arm out to Andy. "Hi! Imogen Wescott."

"Andy Kang! If I didn't already know you were you, I'd know you were you by your voice."

"What's that mean?"

"Energetic, happy sounding. You've got a lively voice," Andy smiled, his eyes crinkling in enthusiasm.

"Oh! Well, thank you. If I didn't know you were you, I'd know by your stature. You look like an athlete!"

"I'm glad all of that work is paying off. Speaking of, you brought snacks?"

"I sure did!"

Imogen sat on the floor in front of Tom and Clove, opening packages and passing around goodies. She handed Parker a tin with an embossed sleigh on the top, beaming.

"I made those myself!"

Parker warily opened the tin, his face lighting up as he uncovered chocolate chip cookies in various shapes.

"Christmas cookies?!"

"Yes! Yes, of course! I spent the entire day baking yesterday for my parents' fundraiser and I had some left over so I thought I'd bring them."

Tom twirled a metal skewer between his hands, gazing into space.

"You okay?" Clove's hand trailed from his shoulder down his arm, looping through the crook of his elbow.

"Just thinkin'."

"I know that face." She narrowed her eyes and turned his head to face her, relaxing the look on her face and lowering her voice, "What's wrong, baby?"

Tom shook his head, sighing. "I love the holidays, I just can't help but miss some things. I used to bake with my cousins every year. When I was like, eight, me, Andy, and a few of our old friends made a Christmas cake for when my aunt and her baby came to visit. God, it was so bad. It was just a chocolate cake made from boxed mix, but it was covered in so much icing."

"I like icing!"

"Not this icing. This icing had kid fingers all over it and at least three bottles of sprinkles just dumped on top."

"Are you talking about the snow angel party cake?" Andy jumped over a camping chair, crashing into Tom.

"Why are you so jumpy? Calm down, man."

"Um, are you talking about the snow angel party cake?"

"The...snow...angel..party cake?" Clove said as she raised an eyebrow, covering her mouth to hide her laughter.

"The one and only."

Imogen reached over, handing them a new bag of marshmallows. Tom absentmindedly slid them in a tight line down the skewer, passing it to Parker to roast.

"We had this old friend named Jane. You remember Noah?"

The group collectively nodded, waiting for the rest of the story.

"Jane was Noah's twin sister. So we're making this cake, pretty frantically and with no adult help, ya know?"

"And Jane dumps a whole bag of m&ms into the batter."

"Then proceeded to eat a spoonful."

"Of raw batter?!" Danni laughed, "I've done the same thing! I was like ten!"

"Well, she definitely liked it way too much."

"We didn't even bake the cake all the way. It was squishy with batter in the center. But Jane ate it like pudding. It was so gross."

"I remember my aunt brought in my little cousin Jiro, who was just an infant at the time. And Jane was just covered in cake, still eating it. She ran up to the baby and tickled his feet, got cake all over him!”

“She didn't get sick or anything. She just sat there, sassy attitude as always, eating that gross raw cake.” Andy snorted before cracking open the cap of his water bottle.

“I remember she said, ‘Tom, why is your cousin way cuter than you?’”

“Dude, she said Jiro was cuter than all of us. And she was right!”

“She sounds like she was a lot of fun,” Clove smiled to them, seeing Andy’s eyes glaze over as if a mirror image of Tom’s.

“She was. We all were.”

“Hey,” she whispered, kissing Tom’s shoulder. “You still are.”

He looked to her, his lips trembling faintly. After a moment, he mouthed,’I love you,’ and handed Parker another skewer of marshmallows.

“Okay guys, this is where we take plain boring s'mores and turn them into Christmas s'mores!”

Imogen did a little dance, sandwiching a peanut butter cup and a perfectly browned marshmallow between two Christmas cookies.

“Bite?” She suggested, holding it to Parker’s mouth.

He took a massive mouthful, eyes wide with excitement. Covering his mouth, he mimicked Imogen’s dance and said, “Christmas s'mores!”

“Aw yeah! More for everyone!” Imogen’s happy dance was contagious, coaxing Danni into running to Parker’s car for a Bluetooth speaker and playing DJ.

“Imogen! How did you discover these? This is like..s'mores to a whole new level.” Andy shoved an entire s'more into his mouth, trying his best not to smile.

“Sometimes PMS pays off.”

Tom grabbed a bottle from the cooler, gathering trash from the ground into the bag Parker had designated.

“Hey Tom, you cold?” Andy asked, wiping strings of marshmallow fluff from his lips.

“Uh…yeah, man. It’s below freezing.”

Andy stood up and dusted crumbs from his clothes, standing on his toes and reaching up, slinking an arm around Tom’s shoulder. “You know what would help you warm up?”

“A space heater?”

“That scarf I got you for your birthday!”

Tom looked at Clove in panic, stuttering.

“I…I almost..I’m so-”

“Dude, really? I’m teasing. I regifted that to you from my grandma.”

“What?”

Andy doubled over, trying to contain his laughter.

“It was a Joke, Tomoichi. Don’t worry!”

Tom shoved him into a large bush, the both of them loudly laughing and shouting silly phrases to one another.

“Men.” Danni rolled her eyes, nudging Parker with her elbow. “You’re not one for wrestling?”

Parker’s eyes darted to Andy trying to lift Tom, his lips pursing to fight the urge to smile.

“Nah, not my thing. These cookies though? These are my thing.”

“I SURRENDER!” Andy yelped, giggling profusely as he rolled the rest of the way down a small hill.

Tom folded his arms and rejoined the circle, popping the top off of a bottle of beer.

“It’s going to be a long holiday season with these two.” Clove sighed, wiggling her eyebrows at Imogen.

“You’ll learn to love our antics.” Andy sat across the fire, between Danni and Parker, and took a long swig of his drink. “It’ll be loads of fun.”

“When do you go back to Westchester?” Imogen asked.

“Before the start of semester, so early January.”

Parker nearly choked on his drink, leaning forward as he coughed.

“You alright?” Tom reached over to pat him on the back.

“Uh, yeah,” Parker said, catching his breath. “So wait, Andy, you’re in Pine Springs for the next month?”

“Yeah! Make room for one more in this little posse.”

“Cool,” Parker said, leaning back into his chair.

“You’re already welcome, Andy.” Danni said, setting her phone down and heading over to the cooler for a drink.

Clove discreetly swiped it, scrolling through her song library and choosing a new song. Michael Bublé’s gentle rendition of, ‘I’ll be Home for Christmas,’ started up, and she stood to her feet, taking Tom’s hand.

“Hey! What gives?”

“Just one?” She looked to Danni with big eyes, batting them slowly. Danni smirked and turned away, shrugging.

“Dance with me?”

“Right here?”

“Right now.”

“Alright,” Tom gulped, placing his hands at the small of her back. The sweet apple scent of her hair seemed to swirl around them, the soft glow of her face in the fire’s reflection giving her an ethereal aura.

“You look handsome.”

“You’re as beautiful as ever.”

Clove rested her face on his chest, holding him close to her as they danced further away from the fire. She felt him softly humming against her and joined him, swaying side to side.

“I have something for us,” he whispered, the bass in his voice moving through her chest.

“A gift?”

“Something like that.” He reached in his pocket, opening his hand to show her a small, borderline disheveled mistletoe. He held his arm above them, chuckling as she looked up at it.

“Where did you even find that?”

“I made it.”

Clove’s mouth dropped open as she jumped up to grab it from him.

“You’re joking! This is so thoughtful, Tommy.”

“Nothing a few scrolls through Pinterest can’t help me figure out. But…I did make it for a reason.”

He held it above them again and moved in closer to her, watching the flames dance in the glaze of her eyes.

Clove’s smile was loving, like she wanted to write the world for him. “What are you waiting for?”

He cupped her cheek, angling it upward to move his lips in time with hers. His heart fluttered at the toasty taste of her kiss, running his hand through her hair.

She could feel a shiver pass through his chest, breaking the kiss as she pulled him forward.

“No, come back,” he whispered, longing welling in his chest.

“You’re freezing, baby. I’ll make it up to you later.”

–

Around the fire, Andy and Tom sat roasting marshmallows and proceeding to make several s'mores, passing them to the others. Parker tossed small branches and sticks into the fire, watching them curl up and split to cinders.

“What’s on your mind?” Clove asked, handing him a bottle of water.

“I’m glad we made it.” Parker smiled shyly at first, turning to a grin. “We deserve so many nights like this.”

“We do, don’t we?”

“I just want to say, Clove, even if in a few years down the road, none of us talk anymore, I’m really thankful for your friendship. And before you ask, no, it’s not the cider talking.”

She smiled and put her hand on his shoulder. “I know it isn’t. Nothing, not even really good cider or anything else, could overshadow a heart like yours. I’m happy we’re friends, Parker. Thanks for being there.”

“Are we getting sentimental?” Imogen tossed a rock into the flames. “Because I love you guys.”

“I hardly know most of you and I love you guys!” Andy yelled, jumping to his feet and kissing everyone on the head.

He ruffled Parker’s hair, catching his eye and winking. Parker’s cheeks turned a deep blush as he turned back to his water, downing the rest.

Clove raised an eyebrow and smirked, turning to Tom.

“Did you see that?”

“Yep.”

“Do you ship that?”

A chuckle reverberated through his chest as he nodded, “Yep.”

#tom sato #tom x clove #merry and bright #choices12days #it lives beneath #sorry for posting at 1am #write things

59 notes · View notes

smolfangirl · 5 years

Text

Drawing the line

For a fic I had no plot idea for, this turned out quite long :D It’s an artist au with some inspiration from @over-the-pink-moon lovely moodboards *-* Also thanks to @miris-xo for helping me to find anything related to a plot. I hope you enjoy this, especially since I might not have a lot of internet to post new things over the next two months at the end of the world ^^

Word count: 2.9k

///

She always leaves a trace when she walks out of his place. A pencil or a brush on the kitchen table, a quick sketch or color study left to dry on his desk. Once he finds a cup with paint water forgotten by the sink. Her thoughts remind Matteo of the TV screens in a tech store – five different movies playing and without the sound, nothing makes sense. As soon as she begins to pack up, new ideas flicker through her mind, so she simply forgets what remains out of her immediate sight.

But he doesn’t mind cleaning up after her.

Instead, he puts on the playlist inspired by her and wanders through every room, searching for her clues. If he’s lucky she forgot something important and asks him to meet up between classes. Some days (mostly Tuesdays) she even asks him if he wants to tag along to the cafeteria. He never says no.

Today, she forgot her notebook on the couch. Luna has been doodling in it while he discussed the grocery list with Gastón, and the moment he walked up to the couch again, she tossed it away like it was on fire. Before he could ask, she pretended to be deeply lost in filling the canvas with colors.

In moments like these he’d trade his first guitar for a glance into her mind.

The notebook feels heavy in his hands as he picks it up. It’s not the small sketchbook she uses for first drafts and carries around everywhere. And, from experience, forgets everywhere too. He’s only seen the fancy sketchbook two times before, and both times she threatened him to not even blink at it or she’ll ruin his mom’s gift the night before her birthday.

Nothing tempts him more than to sneak a glimpse at whatever Luna is trying to hide from him.

///

To Luna: How much is your nice sketchbook worth to you?

///

The moment she holds it in her hands again, she sighs so loud that the people around them turn around and stare. “And you didn’t look inside? Not even once?”

“Is that how little faith you have in me? After all the times I brought you your other sketchbook, or your brushes, or those funny little sponges and…”

“Okay, okay,” Luna mutters, one hand playing with her hair, “I get it. I shouldn’t come over to work on that painting for your mom anymore, given how much stuff I forget every time.”

She wants to walk right past him, into the cafeteria, but Matteo follows her with ease. A smirk rests on his mouth. “That’s not what we agreed on, and you know that.”

With an eyeroll, she takes a step back to let three guys leave the aisle with their heavy trays. When she’s by Matteo’s side again, a corner of her mouth twitches slightly upward. “Just for the record, none of the people I made commissions for so far asked to watch me while I’m working. Only you did.”

“Because I’m curious to see how the magic happens. And didn’t you say you usually don’t do commissions? That this was an exception for being the hero who gave you your sketchbook back?” Five times, to be exact. How anyone could forget the same thing, in the same classroom, five weeks in a row, remains a miracle to Matteo. But no matter the reasons why, he’s happy to have found her along with the book.

They reach the dessert bar. Luna begins to heap chocolate pudding into a bowl, one arm awkwardly clenching her sketchbook. Matteo watches her for a moment, then snickers. “Do you want me to hold this for…”

“No!” She doesn’t even let him get to the end of the question. “I’m good, you don’t have to.” Realizing she had just shouted at him, she flinches. “Thanks, but no. Just pick a dessert, okay? I’ll pay.”

He chooses a strawberry cheesecake.

///

“So, did you cook this or did your mom make that for you?” he asks after they sit down at the only free table for two, nodding towards her lunchbox.

“My mom. If I tried this, everything would look like a giant mess of green pasta.”

Matteo shakes his head in amusement and chews on his homemade sandwich. “Damn, the poor spinach.”

“How’s your sandwich?” She drowns the latest bite with a sip from her water bottle, and her eyes linger on his cheesecake long enough for him to consider teasing her about it.

Instead, he puts on a smirk. “Good, of course. I just prepared it before my first class.”

They eat in silence. It’s a nice contrast, Matteo thinks, because so far, they have always been interrupted by one of her friends. And they were nice, they chatted and laughed with him, but he’d rather sit in silence with Luna alone than to engage in meaningless small talk with her friends.

“So, you haven’t answered my question yet.”

The first spoon with chocolate pudding just went into her mouth, and she looks at him out of wide, beautiful eyes. “Huh?”

“I asked you if you lied to me when you said you didn’t do commissions.”

“Oh.” Another spoon of pudding. She’s still staring at him, half lost in thought again. He wonders if she’d let him get away with stealing a taste of her dessert. (Or of her lips.) “Well, I didn’t lie. I used to make a few back in high school. But I’ve only drawn for fun since I started uni.”

“Then I’m glad you made that exception for me.”

“You mean for your mom?”

“Yeah.”

///

She’s biting her lip again. She always does when she’s thinking about which part to paint next, and in those moments, Matteo has to remind himself that he should appear interested in what she’s doing, and not in her. Perhaps she believes he actually wants to learn about the right paper, or proper colors, but mostly he wants to learn about her. About the dimples in her cheek when she laughs, and the sensation of her fingertips on his skin. One time she forgot her hair tie, so some strands of her opened curls kept falling into her face, like a frame to a masterpiece, and in that moment, he wished he knew how to pin her beauty down on paper.

“Do you draw people too?”

“Is that your way of asking if I would draw you?” She doesn’t even look up from her canvas, just frowns at it as she dips her brush into her mixed shade of light blue again.

Matteo huffs, robbing an inch closer to her with his chair while he scans her face for a reaction. “Is that your way of telling me you thought about drawing me? Because I was just curious, to be honest.” And if, in fact, she did want to stare at him for hours to get the most delicate lines of his smile right, he’d be the last person to object.

No reply. The movements of her brush are the only sound in the living room. By now Matteo finds a rhythm in those movements, a melody he misses when she’s gone, sometimes.

Luna sighs. The brush pauses in its dance over the canvas. “Your curls would be a nightmare to sketch.”

“Wow, thanks. What have I done for you to be in such a good mood today?” (So far, she barely smiled at him, and he longs for a fraction of her focus.)

For the first time this afternoon, she turns away from her painting and gives him her full attention. “I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. I like your hair.”

“You do?”

Her eyes pin down the paper on the table. “Yeah. I mean, the curls suit you, and they look super soft somehow. But I couldn’t do them justice on paper.”

Luckily, she already focuses on her painting again before he can’t contain the smile on his lips.

///

He thinks of her constantly. Not as much when he has a task to focus on, or when he’s with his friends or classmates. His imagination waits for him to be alone, when he stands in the middle of the supermarket aisle and can’t decide on what kind of pasta to buy, when his thoughts stray away from the lecture he’s supposed to follow. As soon as he’s alone with his mind, she’s everywhere.

Right now, Matteo walks home from the bus stop down the street and plays through a conversation where she admits she likes him just as much. Then, he makes up a scene where he catches her drawing him. As he opens the door to the apartment building and fumbles with the key for his mailbox, the Luna from his imagination is blushing wildly while he tells her how wonderful exactly he thinks she is.

There’s a yellow envelope in his mailbox. Bright yellow, the color of sunflowers in August, and no post stamp. It surprises him enough to shush every thought of Luna, at least for a moment. As he takes the stairs, he reads his name written in neat, cursive letters again and again, as if they’d reveal their secret like that. Finally, he glances at the back of the envelope, to discover Luna’s signature.

His feet freeze on the spot.

She sent him something, and it’s definitely not his mom’s birthday gift. They had lunch together yesterday, and she didn’t mention anything that could explain why she left an envelope in his mailbox. He has no idea what it hides, and now his heart is beating against his chest as he takes two steps at a time.

///

It’s a sketch. Of him.

There’s no note attached, not even a date. Just his face on an otherwise blank sheet. The smile she drew radiates the same feeling he gets in his stomach every time she laughs, and she added a sparkle to his eyes he never found in them himself. He wonders how she managed to make his curls look like they’re about to bounce out of the paper, and how long she studied him without him noticing. The mere idea heats his chest up.

If this is how Luna sees him, he might be the luckiest guy in this world.

///

Matteo thanks her for this drawing five times, and one more time as she walks through his door two days later. A smile graces her lips, and her hug surrounds him with her scent that never quite seems like perfume.

“How are you?” she asks, spreading brushes on the living room table.

“Fine. And you?” Do you randomly draw your friends all the time? Or is there the tiniest chance I’m more than just a weird guy who pays you for drawing a picture in front of him?

Those questions don’t leave his mouth. Instead, Matteo sits down next to her and listens to her explanations on drawing open water. Meanwhile, he imagines taking her to his parents’ beach house in Italy.

“So, I think I could be finished with this next week. When was your mom’s birthday again?”

In the last moment, he holds back the sigh that tries to slip over his lips. “In two weeks.” In two weeks, this will be over. Luna will draw at her desk at her home, and exams will be inching too close to waste a full hour with him in the cafeteria. The semester is coming to an end, merciless in its rush of time, and he still has no idea how he’s going to see her again.

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Yellow,” Luna replies. “And yours?”

Matteo twirls his spoon in the coffee cup. (She almost dipped her brush into it three times today.) “Blue. Mixed with yellow, it’d be green, right?”

She rewards him with a smile along with her nod. “Yeah.” While she goes on about green and turquoise and color names he never heard of before, his gaze gets lost on her, dragging his thoughts along to the moon. The delicate skin around her eyes wrinkles because she’s smiling so much. Between teal and seaweed green, he stumbles upon the realization of how bright and clear her iris is. Like a gem stone carved out of the earth, polished just so the light could bring his miniature reflection in them alive.

“Like your eyes”, he mumbles, not fully aware his mouth turned his thoughts into words for her to hear.

Luna pauses. “What?”

Matteo clears his throat. “They’re super green.” Quieter, he adds, “And they’re beautiful.”

“Thanks.” Nothing more than a whisper, but her blushing cheeks say enough.

///

The week passes too quickly. He can’t afford to daydream during classes yet curses himself for letting time run out of his hands. Friday night brings him dreams of her, and he shrieks up an hour before his alarm clock. His mind is a Ferris wheel, high and low, Luna and his finals take turns riding it up to the moment she finally rings his door.

For the first time since they met, she’s wearing a dress. Mentally, he congratulates himself for changing into jeans and a decent shirt a few minutes ago, while he also has to fight the urge to stare at her for too long. He’s almost afraid of embracing her during their hug.

“That dress looks amazing,” he says. She hugs him tighter.

///

“I’m gonna miss you sitting here.”

Luna is almost finished, the last strokes of the brush, the last corrections and soon, she’ll scribble her signature into the corner. He doesn’t want her to leave, he doesn’t want to say goodbye to her after handing her the money he still owes her, and he doesn’t want to admit to himself that he screwed this up. It’s a desperate statement he lets slip out in resignation, and it’s of little comfort that his voice doesn’t tremble.

A hesitant smile sits on her lips as she glances at him. “I’m gonna miss you too.” Her honesty catches him off guard, allows him to hope, to search for right way to ask her out, but before he gathers a single word, she clears her throat. “It’s gonna be weird not having you watch me anymore. I mean, not that I’ll have time to draw during finals.”

Matteo silently nods. Inside, everything screams at him to take a chance before the paint dries and the ending can’t be changed anymore. “What’s the weirdest thing for you about drawing?”

A few seconds pass before she answers. Their knees bump into each other under the table, and he apologizes without meaning it one bit.

“Sometimes, when I look at people, I don’t really see them because I start to think about how I’d draw them. It’s like… picking them apart into single shades. Circles and squares and all that.”

His eyes dart towards the window, to buildings hiding the clear blue sky. He holds the air in his lungs, thinks twice, then jumps into the cold water. “Is that what you did too when you drew me?”

“Kinda.”

Silence. He catches her gaze. His breath hitches. “Drawing you was… different.”

“How so?” He knows they’re tip-toeing around each other, round and round, closer to a moment that’ll inevitably change something. Maybe even them. Hopefully.

“I’m not sure I can explain it.”

He doesn’t ask a second time.

///

The last brush is clean, the sketchbook back in her bag. He watches her as she puts on her shoes, heart racing in his chest. The clock next to the wardrobe ticks mercilessly, he can count along when Luna faces him, and they stare at each other out of words. Out of time.

“Thank you.”

She smiles. “Thank you too. I hope your mom will like it.”

“I’m sure she will.”

Her arms around his neck, one last time. Her scent in his nose, her curls falling into her face as they break apart. She hasn’t even left, and he already misses her.

“So, I guess I’m gonna go home now.” Her hand lingers on the doorknob.

“Good luck for studying,” he replies. The door opens. Ask her, say it, keep her here, if only for a second. With one step, she’s in the hallway. Turns around, grimaces. “Bye, then.”

His voice sounds hoarse. “Bye.”

The door closes. He let her go, he didn’t do any of the things he’s been dreaming, hoping for, and he’s the only one to blame. Matteo sighs, closes his eyes, curses.

The doorbell rings. With a frown on his forehead, he opens.

“Luna?”

“I forgot my bag.”

He steps away, and she hushes inside. “I’m sorry, sometimes I don’t know where my head is,” she says. Rambles. Her cheeks have turned into a soft pink. “Anyway, I’m gonna leave you alone now. Greet Gastón from me, okay?”

“Wait.” A plea, crossing his lips at the speed of light. Suddenly, Matteo feels afraid and brave at once, hesitant and determined. If this is his last chance, he won’t waste it. “Can I see you again?”

///

He still searches for her traces when she leaves. They’re not scattered around his apartment anymore, though, they’re all over his skin. A soft kiss, a delicate touch. Sometimes, a hint of paint when he got a little too impatient. Once, between his bedsheets, she whispers that he could be her new canvas. Matteo presses his lips on her temple and prays that she’ll never be done with him.

#soy luna #lutteo #my sl fanfiction #mandy gives no ducks #It took embarrassingly long to finish this but also I am not surprised with all the things I had to do lately #also thinking of a stupid title was way too hard

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osakaso5 · 6 years

Photo

Yuki King Pudding Rabbit Chat Part 3: About December

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 4 | Part 5

Tsumugi: Yuki-san, good work.

Tsumugi: Much like last time, I've gotten a promotional Ichiban Kuji questionnaire for you to answer. Would you mind answering it via rabbit chat..?

Yuki: Yeah, I heard from Okarin.

Yuki: I'll answer whatever. Will you finally ask for my body measurements?

Tsumugi: Ichiban Kuji won't need to know those! ><

Tsumugi: Could you tell me how you reacted to collaborating with King Pudding, again?

Yuki: Tamaki-kun's face popped into my mind right away. That boy loves King Pudding, after all

Tsumugi: I'm glad you remembered! He loves his pudding more than anything, lol

Yuki: If they release a pumpkin pudding, I'd like to try it

Yuki: I like the unique texture that pumpkin pudding has

Tsumugi: There's a sort of viscosity to it!

Yuki: Exactly. That feeling of having it twist around your tongue is addicting

Yuki: Do you like pumpkin pudding?

Tsumugi: I do! It's so thick and delicious.

Yuki: I'll make some and have it sent over to your office sometime.

Tsumugi: C-can you do that!?

Yuki: Yeah. I just hope Ban will enjoy it, too.

Tsumugi: I'm sure he will..! I wish I was able to just whisk some up like you can...

Yuki: Girls are cuter when they're a little clumsy.

Tsumugi: My heart isn't going to last if you say something like that to me... P-please just answer a few more questions!

Choices/outcomes:

1. Does December remind you of anything other than your birthday?

Yuki: Christmas, I guess. And New Year's Eve. We haven't been able to relax on New Year's in a long time, but I'd like to.

2. Is there something you absolutely have to do in December?

Yuki: Winter cleaning. Because it seems most young people don't do it nowadays. ...Am I starting to sound like an old man?

3. Please write a message for the fans!

Yuki: I hate how cold the winter is, but as long as Momo and you all are celebrating with me, I'll do my best. Thank you.

Yuki: It's fun to have a young girl ask me questions.

Yuki: How did you spend last Christmas?

Tsumugi: Um

Tsumugi: I got involved in a bit of an incident...

Yuki: What? Tell me

Tsumugi: I ran into Gaku-san on a TV station's elevator, and it got stuck for a whole hour...

Yuki: Whoa, really?

Yuki: Give me all the details.

Tsumugi: But that's it!? Nothing else happened ><

Yuki: Oh? I didn't think Gaku-kun was such a cherry boy.

Tsumugi: Huh!?!?

Yuki: Sorry, it's just that as a guy, I'm a little disappointed nothing happened

Yuki: If you'd been with me or Momo, that might not have been the case ^^

Tsumugi: You're joking around again, I see!

Yuki: After all, it's Christmas. A wonderous day that makes people a little greedy.

Tsumugi: I'm starting to understand why you cause so many whiteouts in girls... ><

Yuki: Huh ;~;

Tsumugi: I'm kidding! lol

#idolish7 #yuki #king pudding #translation #re:vale #rabbit chat

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7r0773r · 5 years

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Frost in May by Antonia White

Once [Clare] even borrowed Nanda’s rosary. Seeing Nanda looking a little doubtful, Clare tweaked her pigtail and asked:

“What is it, baby? Will it hurt your rosary to be used by a pagan?”

“I’ll have to get it blessed again, that’s all,” Nanda explained.

Clare’s eyes danced. They were odd eyes, green and, like her skin, freckled with brown.

“I say, am I as wicked as all that? Do I actually put a curse on everything I touch?”

“Of course not,” said Nanda. “I’d have to get it blessed again if I lent it to anyone . . . even the Pope himself. You see, a rosary’s only blessed for the person it belongs to, and so if anyone else uses it they don’t get the indulgences and you don’t either until it’s been blessed again. Mine’s blessed for a happy death, so I mustn’t forget to have it done.”

Clare threw up her hands and crowed with laughter. “What a fantastic idea, darling. Does it cost anything, having your beads blessed?”

“Of course not,” said Nanda, profoundly shocked.

“Don’t look so hurt, baby. I’m only a poor, inquiring heathen. But I always thought there was something called a sale of indulgences.”

“Lots of Protestants think so,” said Nanda kindly. “But it’s quite untrue. They think that three hundred days’ indulgence means that you get three hundred days off purgatory. But of course, that’s quite impossible, because there isn’t any time in purgatory.”

“Well, what does it mean then?”

“It’s rather a long explanation,” Nanda told her.

“Go on. I’m fascinated.”

“Well, it’s like this. To begin with, every mortal sin has two sorts of punishment, temporal and eternal. If you die in mortal sin, you go straight to hell. But you’re let off the eternal punishment if you confess your sin and get absolution.”

“Then I should just go on sinning and being forgiven as often as I liked.”

“Oh, no,” said Nanda hastily, “because part of the condition of getting absolution at all is that you have to have a sincere intention not to commit the sin again.”

“I see,” mused Clare. “By the way, how do I know when it is a mortal sin?”

“That’s awfully easy. There’s got to be grave matter, full knowledge and full consent. So if you kill someone by accident, it isn’t a mortal sin. Unless you meant to hurt them badly, when of course it would be. Then take stealing. It’s rather difficult to know just how much would constitute grave matter. But it’s generally supposed to be about half a crown.”

“So if I stole two and fivepence, it would only be a venial sin?”

“Ye-es,” said Nanda a little doubtfully. “But, of course, if two and fivepence was all the person had, or if they were a widow or an orphan, or if you stole it from a church box, it would be mortal.”

“And suppose it was a very dark night and I meant to steal a half-crown and it turned out to be two shillings, it would only be a venial sin?”

“Good gracious, no,” said Nanda positively. “It would be a mortal sin because you had the intention of stealing half a crown.”

“You Catholics are wonderfully definite about everything, aren’t you? It must be a great comfort to know just where one is. But go on about indulgences.”

“Sure I’m not boring you?”

“Not a bit, infant,” smiled Clare, showing very white teeth that had crinkled edges like a small child’s.

“Well, you’re quite clear about eternal punishment and temporal punishment, aren’t you? After the eternal and temporal punishment, aren’t you? After the eternal punishment of a mortal sin has been remitted in confession, there’s still the temporal punishment to be worked off in this life or in purgatory. Venial sins carry some temporal punishment, too, but not so much.”

“I supposed there are heaps of venial sins?”

“Hundreds,” said Nanda gloomily. “Almost everything’s a venial sin, in fact. If I don’t eat my cabbage, or if I have an extra helping of pudding when I’m not really hungry, or if I think my hair looks rather nice when it’s just been washed . . . they’re all venial sins. And then, as if one’s own sins weren’t enough, there are nine ways in which you can share in another person’s.”

“Good Lord,” crowed Clare. “I bet you a holy picture you don’t know ’em all.”

Nanda shut her eyes and gabbled.

“By counsel, by command, by consent, by provocation, by praise or flattery, by being a partner in the sin, by silence, by defending the ill-done.”

“It’s amazing. How can all you babes reel them off like that?”

“Well, I’ve done catechism and Christian Doctrine for two hours a day for three years.”

“Then tell me something. I was reading Rosario’s catechism on Sunday, and I came across something very peculiar. It was one of the commandments . . . ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery,’ and it said it forbade fornication and all wilful pleasure in the irregular motions of the flesh. What does it mean?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea,” said Nanda coldly. “We don’t do the sixth and ninth commandments. Mother Percival says they’re not necessary for children. They’re about some very disgusting sins, I believe, that only grown-up people commit.”

She could not understand why Clare laughed so wildly that her green eyes brimmed over with tears.

Rather offended, Nanda said:

“I think we’d better be getting back to the others. I promised Léo to play tennis. And, besides, we’re not really supposed to be about in twos.”

“Nonsense, baby. Mother Percival has got us well in the tail of her stony eye. And besides, you may be converting me, who knows?”

“I shouldn’t dream of trying, Clare,” asserted Nanda, still hurt. “Catholics don’t try and convert people like that. They just answer your questions and . . . and . . . pray for you.”

Clare leaned over and touched Nanda’s arm with a hot quivering hand that burned through her holland sleeve.

“Do you pray for me, baby?”

“Of course,” said Nanda in a very matter-of-fact voice, but she blushed all the same. Clare’s touch embarrassed and delighted her; it gave her the queerest shivering sensation in the roof of her mouth. Why was it that when everyone else seemed just face and hands, Clare always reminded one that there was a warm body under her uniform? For a minute her freckled eyes searched Nanda’s, and then she laughed softly and shook her man of wiry bronze-bright hair. (pp. 109-113)

***

With a very stiff curtsey, Nanda turned to the door. But instead of dropping her eyes, she looked very straight at Mother Radcliffe. The nun threw back her head and gave the merest ghost of a smile.

“You are very fond of your own way, aren’t you, Nanda?”

“Yes, I suppose so, Mother.”

“And do you know that no character is any good in this world unless that will has been broken completely? Broken and re-set in God’s own way. I don’t think your will has been quite broken, my dear child, do you?” (p. 145)

***

Don’t you believe in miracles, Léo?”

“Not entirely, my child. But I’m willing to enter into the spirit of them. Like all the old men who bellow that they believe in fairies when Tinkerbell is at her last gasp.”

“But you wrote such a lovely and convincing one for your Christmas story,” protested Nanda.

“I like the Catholic way of looking at things,” said Léo. “Any way of looking at life is a fairy story, and I prefer mine with lots of improbable embellishments. I think angels and devils are much more amusing than microbes and Mr. Wells’s noble scientists.”

“But you’re a pagan,” asserted Clare in a shocked voice.

“So are hundreds of practising Catholics. I could tell you things about the Renaissance Popes that would make your hair stand on end.”

“I’m beginning to think that there’s something to be said for being a Protestant after all,” said Clare. (pp. 148-49)

***

In time, from utter exhaustion, Nanda’s breathless sobbing became quieter. She even looked up and dimly noticed the albums on the table, and a kid-gloved hand still fidgeting with the clasp of a bag. Then her eye caught the sight of a brown paper parcel only half-hidden by her mother’s muff. She guessed at once that it contained her birthday present. Another wave of misery poured over her. A little while before, one sentence of her father’s had torn right through every protective covering and shamed her to the very marrow. If he had stripped her naked and beaten her, she would not have felt more utterly humiliated. Never, never, could things be the same. Never again would he believe in her. Never again could she love him in the old way. But now, the sight of the absurd birthday parcel suddenly showed her all the small human losses included in that one great loss. She wept wildly for all the dear, silly things that were gone for ever; the happy tea times of the Christmas holidays, the talks in the study, the Haec Olim file to which she could never add her green ribbon. (p. 217)

***

Presently the nun said, still in the same gentle measured voice:

“Those are good tears, Nanda. I have waited for them and prayed for them. You understand very little yet, my dear child, but one day you will understand the significance of all this.”

Nanda did not reply, and Mother Radcliffe went on:

“You are feeling that you have been unjustly treated—that no offence could deserve so great a punishment. Nanda, you must try and believe that all this is for your own good.”

But Nanda could only mutter with dry and swollen lips:

“Daddy—Daddy.”

The nun put her hand on her forehead.

“God asks very hard things from us,” she said, “the sacrifice of what we love best and the sacrifice of our own wills. That is what it means to be a Christian. For years, I have been watching you, Nanda. I have seen you growing up, intelligent, warm-hearted, apparently everything a child should be. But I have watched something else growing in you, too—a hard little core of self-will and self-love. I told you once before that every will must be broken completely and re-set before it can be at one with God’s will. And there is no other way. That is what true education, as we understand it here at Lippington, means. Real love is a hard taskmaster, and the love of God the hardest taskmaster of all. I am only acting as God’s instrument in this. I had to break your will before your whole nature was deformed.”

Nanda glanced at the nun’s face. It was pale and controlled as usual, yet lighted with an extraordinary, quiet exaltation.

“Many things must have happened to you here at Lippington which have seemed unkind, unjust even. Very few of those things happened by accident. I am speaking to you now as if you were a grown-up person. Yours is a nature with a great capacity for good and evil; you are gifted but wayward; obstinate, yet easily led. You have one quality which I think will help you through life. I believe you are fundamentally honest. But there was a quality you needed more. We tried to teach you by easy ways, but to-day you have had to learn it by hard ones—the quality of humility.” (pp. 218-20)

#antonia white #book quotes

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daisydoctor13 · 6 years

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Thank you for the tag @professorflimflam, i missed the notification yesterday so this is a bit late sorry!

Rules: answer 30 questions then tag 20 blogs you’d like to know better

Nickname: I don’t have any except my housemate calls me wench. In a loving way

Gender: Female

Star sign: Cancer

Height: 5’ 9″ (175cm)

Time: 20:05 GMT

Birthday: 2nd July

Favourite band(s): Florence + the Machine, 2Cellos, Pentatonix, Scouting for Girls, Kodaline

Favourite Solo Artist(s): Emeli Sande, James Bay, P!nk,

Song Stuck In My Head: I don’t actually have one at the moment, but it’s usually something from a musical

Last Movie Watched: The Greatest Showman

Last Show Watched: One Day At A Time

When Did I Create My Blog: This one I created in April last year

What Do I Post: anything my gay little heart takes a fancy to, essentially middle aged actresses, Holby City and Doctor Who

Last Thing I Googled: "PDF merge files”

Do You Have Other Blogs: Yes, my main blog is a studyblr/medblr (@help-im-a-medstudent)

Do You Get Asks: occasionally, mainly when I ask for them (but always open to more hehe)

Why Did You Choose Your URL: I’d already made a fanfiction.net user name with this, so it’s easier to find. My dog (well she’s my parents’) is called Daisy, I’m eventually going to be a doctor and i liked the alliteration. 13 was a number just because.

Following: 549

Followers: 327 somehow!?

Favourite Colour: bright orange or green

Average Hours Of Sleep: about 6

Lucky Number: i don’t really have one

Instrument: Clarinet, piano, ukulele, soprano and alto recorder, sort of alto saxophone and voice.

What Am I Wearing: This is a weird combination but: Navy slim tailored trousers and a kind of orange blouse from Primark, with (fake) Converse and a grey hoodie. It’s “smart clothes” for being in teaching sessions, but I actually wear scrubs when I’m on the wards and you need comfy shoes. And the hoodie because my house is super cold.

How Many Blankets I Sleep With: A duvet and a blanket

Dream Job: My dream is to be a messy haired blonde consultant that makes all of the women in the hospital question their sexuality. At the moment I’m torn between anaesthetics and emergency medicine,

Dream Trip: ohhh everywhere. I want to see the Northern lights, also there’s loads of places in Europe I haven’t been to

Favourite Food: Pasta, chocolate, yorkshire puddings

Nationality: British.

Favourite Song Now: I can’t pick one. I’m hyperfixating on Les Miserables at the moment.

I don’t know who’s done this already, but if you want to then I tag you!

#tag meme #about me

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meltaren · 7 years

Text

Leo Valdez imagine|Fireworks

Yo waddup! Imagine number 2. Again, don’t be hard on me, I’m new with this stuff.. enjoyyyy!

Summary: The reader and her crush Leo Valdez happen to see some colorful fireworks in the night sky.

-any godly parent -no warnings, perhaps some swearing?

—————

The 4th of July. Happy Birthday America yeah. Even though everyone around you was keen on celebrating this wonderful day, you were frustrated.

Why? Well the reason started with ‘L’ and was latino. Yeah! Right guess! Leo Valdez! (Hehehehe)

The adorably funny fire boy never left your thoughts. You couldn’t shut them off, you couldn’t think of something different. You even tried to band Leo from the fucking server. No luck.

Lost in thoughts, you didn’t notice Piper approaching your bench.

“Watcha thinking ‘bout (Y/N)?” You looked up to see her smirking. Did she know? Was it that obvious?

“U-uhm nothing, why?”

“Oh don’t 'nothing’ me! You know damn well what I’m talking about. Wait let me help you remember: does your huge crush on a certain member of the seven ring a bell?” She asked raising an eyebrow.

“Wh-what.. h-how did yo-.. no.. I-i don’t have a c-crush on Leo!” You tried to save yourself, oblivious to your mistake.

“Ha! I knew it! You have a crush on Leo!” And suddenly she started singing. “(Y/N) has a crush on Leo, (Y/N) has a crush on Leo!” A small amount of charm speak, that Piper didn’t mean to release, washed over you and you started to lightly hum to the rhythm. Until you noticed what you were doing and stopped yourself.

“Piper! Stop! Please.. I don’t want anyone to know. It’s already embarrassing enough.” You whined.

“Oh come on (Y/N)! Leo’s a good guy. And i think he likes you back.”

Your heart skipped a beat. I didn’t matter if piper was right or not. Somewhere your hope lit up and, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t avoid smiling. As you pictured the both of you together you felt your cheeks lit up and looked away, embarrassed to be seen like this. Changing the topic, you asked something you had wanted to ask her all day.

“So what’s the plan for tonight?”

Your best friend seemed fed up about the change in subject, but quickly forgot that, as she started talking about the plans.

“So at first we wanted to do something in couples. Just the seven… and then we noticed that Leo is the only single… so now we will all just go see the fireworks and enjoy each others company. Why? What are you gonna do?”

You thought about your plans. “I’m gonna do the best thing on this planet. Make myself a huge bowl of popcorn and watch game of thrones. And when I’m done with that, imma grab a bag of chips and begin the walking dead and then imma finish reading harr-” you were interrupted by an unimpressed piper.

“Ok stop” she put her hand on her hip and smiled “you’re gonna come with us. No but’s! It’s decided!”

“But..-”

“I said no but’s! Meet me at 8 in my cabin. And take some clothes with you. And by “nice” i mean NICE, alright?“

You sat there, thinking about your answer. Sure, it was cool having friends and going out with them. But you wanted to finish reading your favorite book.

Then you thought about your crush. Usually you never wanted to be seen by him. It made you think you looked suspicious. But at that moment you didn’t care. So you decided to give it a try.

"8 it is then.” You simply answered. A huge smile grew on pipers face. It made you happy to see your friend like that. You had seen her sad so many times. She was a wonderful person. All of the seven deserved the world. Not to save it. To enjoy it and live a happy life.

But you couldn’t just magically wish them a happy life. Maybe you could just be with them and make them laugh. Even if it meant to skip a perfect Netflix night.

'Le time skip’

All afternoon you were nervous. Regretting your decision, but then catching yourself making inhuman sounds as you were filled with excitement. A ton of emotions washed over you again and again. Some positive and some negative, but they were there.

You decided to try to nit be hopeful. Every time your heart pictured you and Leo together, your mind screamed for the image to go away. It was a fight no one could really win.

Caught up in the show of the battle in your brain, you didn’t notice it was getting late. So you quickly moved to the closet in the cabin of (G/P), trying to find something to wear. Soon you realized though that you were not going to find something in there. So you made the decision to ask Piper for advice.

As quick as possible you walked to the Aphrodite cabin. There were already some fireworks, symbolizing that the fun evening with the group was getting closer and closer. That made your heart skip a beat and your feet walk faster.

Soon you reached the cabin and knocked on the door. Piper opened and didn’t seem surprised by your appearance.

“Didn’t find anything, huh? Well I have ton of stuff. Just come in!”

And so you did. You entered the Aphrodite cabin and were overwhelmed by the smell of oil and sweat, which you found odd. So you asked Piper about it.

“Uhm Piper… why does it smell like in some kind of fabric in here? Isn’t it supposed to smell like perfume and roses?”

Your best friend just turned around and looked at you with the biggest grin you had ever seen.

“Hm.. so that’s how it smells for you!” You were confused and Piper could tell by your face.

“Girl. Aphrodite is the goddess of love, right?” You nodded your head. “Well it should smell like love in here. But there isn’t just one smell of love. Everyone smells something different, because everyone has a different definition of love. Understood? Good. So me for example, I smell the rain after a hot day. Or sometimes the wind in winter. So it smells like Jason basically. Annabeth, she smells the sea, duh… everyone smells something/someone different.” And with that she gave you a second grin. “Which means….”

You stood there in shock. You hadn’t meant to embarrass you. Luckily none of her siblings were there to laugh at you.

“Wh-whatever. Let’s just- let’s just… you know-”

“Calm down!” She laughed, “I have the perfect dress for you!”

“Dress?!” You hated dresses. So you hated what was about to happen.

“Yeah! Look here.” She held out a dress. It was white and had two hearts on it. Both on the chest. You cringed. “Really Piper?”

She looked confused, the took a look at the dress herself and laughed. “Oops! Wrong dress! I apologize!!”

Then her head was lost in the closet again.

The next dress she pulled out, was much better. It was reddish, but a little tighter on the top. From the waist down, it fell beautifully. It convinced you from The moment you saw it.

“Yes.” You said and Piper had a victory smile all over her face.

“Ok now… make up and hair.” She said and both of you moved to the cabins bathroom. You were there for like 30 minutes and when you left it, both of you were ready for the party.

Piper had a white dress and her hair pulled in a ponytail. You had your dress on and your hair was straightened. With only a little bit of make up, both of you looked like natural beauties.

“So… you ready?” Piper asked, clearly seeing how nervous you were.

“Yeah… let’s do this” you tried to get yourself to believe, that everything would be ok. But it was difficult with all the nervous thoughts filling your brain.

“It’ll be ok” Piper said and hooked her arm with yours.

“It’ll be ok.” You repeated and the both of you walked out of the cabin, towards the beach.

'Le time skip 2.0’

It was difficult walking on the beach with a dress. There was a light wind, but the weather was ok. As you approached the others, you could see that you were the last ones to arrive.

To your surprise you could see two more people. They were holding hands.

“Omg it’s Will and Nico! I might not be able to contain my screams.” You said to Piper. You had shipped them since they first talked. It was your OTP, and seeing everyday that it had become canon made your life worth living basically.

“Same girl!” Piper simply said as you reached the other ones.

“Hey guys!” Your best friend said, catching the others attention “I brought (Y/N) too! I hope that’s alright.” You looked at her, with your eyes saying everything. She hadn’t asked them?! What if they didn’t want you there?! What if they wanted some privacy?! What if-

“That’s perfectly fine! The more, the better! Hey (Y/N)! How are you?” A voice spoke and you instantly recognized it as Percy’s.

“Oh.. H-hey guys. Thanks Percy. I’m good! How are you?” Percy smiled at you.

“I’m perfect! Well I’m feeling perfect too of course!” At that Annabeth gave him a quick slap on the arm.

“Oh come on Seaweed Brain. We don’t want (Y/N) to leave because she thinks we are so weird.” She said and looked at you with a sorry face.

You laughed and wanted to say something, but then he spoke.

“Hey (Y/N)!”

“H-Hey Leo! How are you?”

He smiled, and for a moment you think you were gonna fall to your knees. Thank gods your arm was still linked with Piper’s.

“I’m really good, thank you! How about you? Oh wait you answered that to Percy already right? Ugh I’m sorry.” He smiled and looked down. Your knees were definitely pudding now.

“I’m great Leo, thank you so much for asking.” You said and smiled at him.

“Wanna take a walk till the fireworks really start?” He asked and you were wondering how you were still standing.

“Yeah sure. Be right back.” You said the last part to Piper, who was talking to Jason.

Leo and you took of and walked along the water. Your feet were inside, while Leo’s were on the sand only. At first there was silence with some random small talk. Leo had asked you about your day and you repeated his question.

It wasn’t awkward though. You loved to be around him. Sure, you got all nervous, but it was comfortable and you could be yourself.

After some time of talking, Leo turned towards you and stopped walking.

“(Y/N)?” You hummed in response staring at him, waiting for his next question.

“Do you like someone?” He asked and you weren’t prepared for that question, so you blinked and started stuttering.

“Uhm.. I-I.. do you?” You were taken aback by his smile. It was weirdly confident.

“In fact, I do.” He said. You didn’t know If to be happy or sad.

Happy because there was a chance that he liked you back. Sad because there’s a chance that he loved someone else.

You stared at him, frightened of your next question. “W-who?”

“Well she is beautiful.” He started. Your first thought was 'Oh wow.. definitely not me’

“She has (H/C) hair. And beautiful (E/C) eyes. I love when she smiles. It makes my days better. She enters a room and you could think the sun started shining even brighter. I love her so much, I wish she’d know.”

You wanted to scream Don’t tell her! Tell me!’ But obviously that would look suspicious. So you tried for the helping best friend kinda advice. You ignored the pain in your chest and said. “T-Then tell her. I-I think she’d want to know if such an amazing person as you loved her.” It was only the truth. Right as you said that, the fireworks, that you had completely ignored, became louder.

“Alright then” he looked you into your eyes “(Y/N)…. I love you.”

Your brain was on fire.. well it felt like it was. Your cheeks were to 100% as red as your dress.

“Oh my gods.” Is all you could say for the moment. He smiled and took your hand into his.

“Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

“Fuck yes” and he kissed you. It was a tenderly sweet kiss that had you on cloud 16389. After pulling apart, you hugged him. The smell of a machinery filled your nose and everything was perfect.

#leo valdez x reader #imagines #percy jackson #heroes of olympus #leo valdez #leo #fireworks #romance

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gxldentrio · 7 years

Text

Hearts Don’t Break Around Here

Prompt: you’re trying to toilet train your 20 pound cat and you sent me this photo and now I can’t stop crying out of laughter in public.

A/N: Happy birthday to my favourite human @fetchalgernon - I love you. Thank you for making it impossible for me to write modern!jily and not include algernon. So here you go, 100% of fluff and shenanigans, with next to 0 plot. I hope you enjoy <3

Thank you @yourbcky for the stellar beta job x

Read on FFN or AO3.

It’s three in the afternoon on a Saturday when Lily drops a bag of frozen peas all over the floor of her local supermarket.

It really isn’t her fault, to be perfectly honest. Yes, she’s making a fool of herself, crying with laughter as she struggles to gather the peas that have spilled all over the floor. and the others down the aisle - from the old woman looking at the yorkshire puddings, all the way to the middle aged man studying a ratty shopping list - probably think she’s mental now, but it really isn’t her fault.

Picture this: you’re running errands, casually making your way through every different sodding aisle of the nearest Tesco Express because Sirius and co. are coming over for dinner, and the only things you have in your fridge are mustard and cheese crackers – and even though you know full well they wouldn’t mind, you actually feel like trying for a change.

Your phone buzzes with a message notification, and when you slide your finger over the screen, you’re met with a picture of Algernon, your boyfriend’s insane and alarmingly orange cat, sitting next to an empty litter box. Yes, empty, because all of the litter is strewn across the midnight blue carpet, and you can practically feel James’ despair simply by looking at his face.

If this was the case, you’d probably be cracking up like an idiot as well.

[15:02] james: toilet training algernon is not… going as expected

[15:03] lily: I dropped my peas.

[15:03] james: ???

[15:04] james: tht was a typo right

[15:05] lily: I was getting food for tonight and the picture you sent me made me drop my bag of peas.

[15:06] lily: They rolled everywhere, James. I hope you’re peased with yourself.

[15:06] james: :(

[15:06] james: btw i cant believe YOU made a pun

[15:06] lily: I know, you’re a terrible influence

[15:06] lily: Also, you’re cleaning that up.

[15:07]: james: just like u cleaned up the peas right

After that, he adds an emoji, the one with the cool pair of sunglasses, and if it wasn’t so damn endearing, it would probably make Lily want to set her hair on fire. Or maybe she’d set his on fire, he likes it so much, the prat.

Then, Lily does the worst thing she could probably do in this moment – she takes another glance at that damn photograph, and cracks a smile, one that quickly turns into loud and uncontrollable laughter. Especially when she notices Algernon’s satisfied face, almost smirking at her, except not really because he’s a cat.

“Ma’am, are you alright?” one of the store clerks asks her, tentatively placing one hand on her bicep and the other one on the nape of his neck.

“Y-yes!” she answers, struggling – and failing miserably – to contain her amusement. She can already picture tomorrow’s gossip magazine headlines: “SUPERMODEL LILY EVANS LOSES IT AT LOCAL TESCO.”

The thought of it only makes her laugh even more, even harder, and she can feel it tugging at her core. At this point, Lily is pretty sure there are tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Are you quite certain?” the employee asks, looking a tad frightened. He looks about seventeen, a whole six years younger than Lily. She guesses no one warned him about redheaded madwomen when he signed up for the job. Still, Lily mentally praises him for the courage it must have taken to even approach her in the first place. She doesn’t really look threatening, at least she doesn’t think so, but Lily can only imagine what passers-by must be thinking.

[15:18] james: I can’t believe u left me on read

[15:18] james: what kind of betrayal is that

Lily glances at the screen, grinning at her boyfriend’s absolute lunacy. but nonetheless places her phone back in her pocket, choosing instead to pick up some peppers. It’s a tedious task, analysing vegetables, and Lily soon grows bored of it. She hears the tell-tale ping of her phone, and rolls her eyes.

[15:19] james: answer me woman

[15:20] lily: Jesus Christ, James. What is it?

[15:20] james: can u pick up some toiler paper

Quirking up one of her eyebrows, she replies.

[15:21] lily: We have 20 rolls already?

[15:21] james: see the thing is luv

[15:21] james: algernon really likes 2 play

[15:22] james: [Photo Attachment]

“Oh my god,” she whispers, staring at her screen in disbelief. “I leave them alone for ten minutes,” she says, running one hand through her hair, effectively ruining the pretty ponytail situation she had going on.

Quickly, she one-handedly scrolls through the contacts on her phone and presses ‘call’, all while still holding the damn peppers.

“Remus?” she sighs. “Are you busy right now?”

“Not really, why?”

“Would you mind popping over to our place for a bit? Just to keep an eye on James?”

“Is he still trying to toilet train the cat?” but it comes out more like a statement instead of a question.

“Yep.”

She hears him swallow through the call.

“I’ll be there in ten.”

“Thank you, you’re a star.”

It takes Lily around thirty minutes to finish up her shopping and for her to reach her house. It takes her around twenty-nine minutes and twenty-seven seconds for her to get over whatever internal fit she was having.

Sure, James may act like an idiot seventy percent of the time, but he’s her James and she loves him. More than she can count on all her fingers, more than she can stretch her arms around her back.

Carefully hoisting up her way-too-many shopping bags, she rings the doorbell with her elbow, the usual smile on her face, because really, how could she not smile when this is what she’s coming home to? Her boyfriend, his ridiculous cat – and, in this case, Remus.

It’s James who answers the door, immediately asking, “are you mad at me?”. Lily is pleased to notice that there’s not a piece of kitty litter in sight.

“Nah, I think I’ll keep you around for a little longer,” she replies, successfully pressing her lips into a line as thin as the horizon. She’s not mad, she just likes watching him sweat a little. Then, because the poor sod looks like he’s about to choke, she adds “so as long as you keep providing me with entertainment, that is.”

“Sounds like a plan,” he says, and a smile stretches across both their lips, as James leans in to quickly peck Lily on the cheek. “Let me help,” James adds, taking some of the plastic bags from her hands.

“Where’s Remus?” Lily asks, removing her pair of aviator sunglasses from her incredibly tangled hair.

“On the couch,” replies James, and she can practically hear the smirk on his voice when he adds, “apparently BBC One is playing Bake-Off reruns.”

That makes Lily stop dead in her tracks. She turns around, back to him, and asks “are you shitting me?”

“Nope,” James answers, popping the ‘p’ and swinging back and forth. “Season five, too.”

Lily gives her boyfriend a toothy grin, and her eyes light up like a kid’s at a toy shop. After shouting a quick hello to Remus, she bolts straight to the kitchen. In the heat of the moment, she pulls out a chair, and mentally curses James for always storing things in the highest possible cupboard.

Unfortunately, her excitement for the bake-off is suddenly cut off when she slips on the recently-wiped countertop and falls on the floor. After letting out a string of colourful ‘fuck’s, she sees James enter through the door and the picture of her covered in cornflakes and sprinkles sends him over the edge, laughing like a complete madman.

“Couldn’t you just have asked for help?” he asks, grinning as he reaches for a Winnie-the-Pooh ceramic bowl. He hears Lily huff from the ground, and it makes him throw his head back as he laughs even more.

To be perfectly honest, she actually likes that he’s a giant compared to her. Even if it means he teases her every time she can’t reach the higher cupboards, because when they hug she can hear his heartbeat closer than she knew was possible. Still, it’s not like Lily could ever admit that.

Instead, she shoots him down with a playful, “do tell, how is the weather up there?”

Surprisingly enough, James decides to stop being a cocky arsehole and stretches out one hand to help her up. As soon as they’re done preparing all the snacks, she heads to the living room, obviously leaving James to carry the tea and cereal by himself.

Lily plops down on the sofa and snuggles closer to Remus. However, instead of her semi-healthy snack options, what she gets is the sound of the doorbell.

“I’ll get it!” James says, the sound of one sharp knock echoing all throughout the house – Sirius.

“I brought wine,” is the first thing he says, and upon hearing Peter’s clumsy footsteps, Algernon comes running from the kitchen and jumps into his lap.

There’s a shriek, followed by Sirius Black’s murderous voice, “get. that thing. away from me.”

Lily gets up to grab some glasses, and the five of them – plus Algernon, of course – curl up on the sofa, with cheese crackers and whatever alcohol Sirius decided to bring this time.

“This tastes like bleach, Padfoot,” complains James, and at the same time Sirius counters with a “it’s an ’83 Chateau Margaux, mate”, Lily says “oh shut up, you love it.”

James pulls her closer to him and murmurs “I love you” into her hair, while Remus makes a point to tell them how disgustingly nauseating’ the pair of them are, but they don’t care.

As long as they have this, they’re happy.

It doesn’t matter that the newspapers make up new rumours every five days, or that Peter is about thirty-seven percent in love with Mary Berry – or Sirius with Paul, for that matter.

Later that night, when their friends have left and it’s about two in the morning, the two of them lay in bed, James’ fingers threading through Lily’s damp hair, their noses touching, whispers of love floating back and forward.

James guesses it must hurt, to have your heart so full that it feels like it could burst at any moment. It’s been so long, and they’re so young, and so, so in love. It’s not like it makes any sense, but then again, things hardly ever do whenever he’s involved.

It’s intoxicating, how in love he is. Every single thing about her feels overwhelming, in the best way possible. From her blood red hair, to the vivid green of her eyes, or the freckles trailing down her shoulders, he’s in love, love, love.

His mind races back to the velvety box hidden somewhere between his socks, all black and from the same brand he’s been using since he was fifteen.

Soon.

#jily #jily fic #fetchalgernon #hp #fyeahjamesandlily #everytime i procrastinated on tmd my efforts went into this silly fic #marauders #mine #my writing #txt #alrightevans #yourbcky #snapslikethis #cupcakeblake #prongsno #ravnclaws #hiddenpolkadots #bantasticbeasts

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