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st-eve-barnes · 8 months

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You know that I'm no good (chapter 6)

(Modern Aegon x fem Reader, Modern Sihtric x fem Reader)

Summary: You want Sihtric. Aegon wants Skade. There's only one small problem: Sihtric and Skade are dating each other.

This chapter: things get messy with Aegon and Sihtric, alcohol isn't always a good idea, sometimes Helaena is a bad adviser and drunken confessions don't really count, do they?

Warning for the entire series: 18+ for explicit language and smut. Angst/comfort/fluff. Fake dating and so much mutual pining. Mentions of depression/drinking/self harm.

This is an Aegon x Reader fic with a bit of Sihtric x Reader on the side. I've wanted to write a modern AU that combines The Last Kingdom and House of the dragon for a while now so here it is!

Word count: +2900

Masterlist

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All my fics are also on AO3

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You didn’t find Aegon again that night. You weren’t sure whether he was avoiding you or just letting you enjoy your time with Sihtric but both options bothered you. And the fact that it bothered you so much bothered you even more.

You shouldn’t even care, Aegon wasn’t your boyfriend and it wasn’t like you were in love with him so why should you care?

You weren’t in love with him. Absolutely not. You couldn’t be, it was Aegon for god’s sake. It was just a stupid crush, nothing more. It would pass, soon. Hopefully.

It was Friday night and for the fifth time in ten minutes you stared at your phone. No messages and no missed calls.

You had the entire night to watch Netflix in peace, Stranger Things was staring back at you from the screen, all you had to do was click Next Episode.

But you couldn’t care less. All you wanted was for Aegon to call or text you and mess up your plans.

You sighed and let yourself fall down onto the couch, annoyed with everything but mostly yourself.

“Fuck it,” you grabbed your phone and decided to text Helaena.

“What are you doing tonight?”

She answered in less than a minute,“Chilling at home, why? Wanna do something?”

“Yes, please, anything, I just need to get out of the house.”

“Wanna grab a drink at Alfies?” she suggested.

“Yes!”

“I’ll meet you there in an hour!”

Alfies was a small, quiet bar near the town’s square where you and Helaena spent a lot of nights out during your years at university. It had been a while since you were last here but walking into the place was like stepping back in time, it still looked exactly the same and you felt at ease right away.

Helaena already found you a spot at a table near the bar and you quickly made your way over to her. Before you sat down you gave her a quick hug.

“Thank you,” you whispered,”I really needed this tonight, Hel, you have no idea.”

“No worries,” she smiled up at you,”You know I’m here for you if you need anything. And every excuse to go out is fine by me.”

You both ordered more drinks, the combination of the alcohol, the Friday night atmosphere in the bar and Helaena’s funny work stories had you feeling better in no time and soon you were laughing with her and forgetting all about her stupid brother.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” Helaena said after a while, noticing you seemed a lot more relaxed than when you’d first sat down,”Want to tell me why you were feeling down?”

“Not really,” you tried to duck the question and took another sip from your drink.”Just work I guess,” you added.

“You love your work, quit lying.”

You sighed, both impressed and a little annoyed that she could always read you so well.

“Okay, fine, you want the truth?”

You should have stopped yourself right there, but the beers had loosened up your tongue and there was this ever growing need to just vent and pour your heart out to your best friend.

“It’s Aegon,” you confessed with a heavy sigh,”I might…have developed a little crush on your brother.”

That was the understatement of the year.

Helaena didn’t react at first, she just took you in and then nodded her head calmly, almost too calmly which scared you a little.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” you asked.

“What can I say? You’re clearly not listening to anything I tell you about Aegon.”

“I’m sorry,” you hid your face into your hands,”I’m sorry, I’m being such a bad friend, I know, I just…can’t help it.”

“Yes, you can but you don’t want to,” Helaena pointed out.

You hated to admit she wasn’t entirely wrong.“Okay, fine, I don’t want to,” you admitted.

Helaena nodded and leaned back,”I won’t nag you about Aegon anymore if you promise to do one little thing for me. We’re friends so I can ask you, right?”

“What is it?” you asked hesitantly.

“We’re in a bar right now and looking around I can see quite a few good-looking, nice guys.”

“Hel,” you tried to stop her but she raised her hand to stop you.

“I want you to get drunk and go home with one of these guys, you get to pick, it just can’t be my brother.”

You shook your head.

“Unless it’s Aemond,” she added,”You can fuck Aemond if you want.”

You both turned to look at Aemond who was sitting in a corner booth, enjoying his drink while ignoring everyone else.

“I don’t want to fuck Aemond,” you quickly shut down that idea.

“Okay, anyone except my brothers then, I just…you need it, babe. Getting some will clear your head, like…a factory reset, turn you on and off so you can function properly again. Because the girl I’m seeing right now is not acting like my friend. My best friend would not be dumb enough to fall in love with Aegon of all people!”

Helaena never raised her voice, and she still didn't, but there was a hard determination to her tone right now you had never heard from her before.

Her words upset you but you couldn’t really blame her. Just last month you probably would have fully agreed with her.

“Can you do that for me?” she then asked, softer.

“I feel like you’re not the best influence right now,” you pointed out.

“Maybe so but neither are you.”

You nodded,”Okay…fine, but if I do this and it does nothing for me you have to stop bitching about Aegon.”

“I promise.”

“Fine,” you caved,”Then I’ll do it, but only because you’re my best friend. And I need more alcohol first.”

Four more beers were enough to get you just tipsy enough to come out of your shell, and your seat, and mingle at the bar. You remembered guys often tried to pick you up here during your university years, it never resulted in anything though because you weren’t the type for one nigh stands back then. You still weren’t, but these past weeks you’d done a lot of things you hadn’t done before. What was one more, right?

The first guys you’d talked to bored you within minutes and you realized this was going to be harder than you initially thought, but you didn’t intend on giving up so soon. Maybe more alcohol would make them more fun.

After two more beers you had finally found a guy who wasn’t too bad looking and actually pleasant to talk to. He’d lived in Winchester all his life and you both talked about your favorite spots in the city, the conversation flowed pretty easily and you ignored the fact that he was probably even more drunk than you were at this point.

And the fact that you weren’t even sure you really wanted to do this, but if it would get Helaena off your back for a while then it might be worth it.

And she was right about one thing, it wouldn’t hurt to finally get some dick again. You had been unusually horny lately.

But just as you were about to ask the guy to get out of there another girl came up to him accusing him of cheating on her best friend. Needless to say that was the end of that conversation.

“Ugh, men suck,” you sighed to yourself and took another sip from your beer.

“I apologize, my lady.”

The familiar voice made you look up and you stared right into his beautiful eyes, one blue and one brown, and that sweet, flirty smile he seemed to reserve for you.

“Sihtric,” you sighed, relieved at seeing a familiar, not to mention gorgeous, face.

“Lady Y/N,” he moved closer to you and pointed towards your empty glass,”Can I buy you another one of those?”

“I think I’ve probably had enough,” you confessed, breaking eye contact for a moment”But thank you. That comment wasn’t meant for you, by the way.”

”Good to know,” he nodded,”So, um…Aegon not with you tonight?”

You smiled bitterly,”No, Aegon is…I don’t know where Aegon is.”

“You guys break up?” he asked, a little too hopeful.

“No, I…actually I don’t know.”

He kept his eyes on you,”Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” you no longer tried to avoid looking at him but instead gave into his flirty stare and allowed yourself to drown into his gaze. ”Actually, no,” you confessed,”I’m not.”

“Anything I can do?” he asked softly and then he leaned closer, placing his hand on your waist,”Do you need a lift home? Or someone to talk to? I'm a good listener."

You gave him a thankful smile."You're really sweet."

He blushed a little with your compliment and gently rubbed your back before meeting your eyes again,"Tell me what you need."

Your mouth opened to speak but the words remained stuck in your throat.

"Wanna get out of here?," he then asked,"Get some air?”

You nodded.

Sihtric kept his hand protectively on your lower back, allowing you to lean into him to stay steady on your feet, while he guided you out of the bar.

As soon as you reached the front door and were out into the fresh air you both let go of each other, but not for long.

It was the alcohol, combined with the lingering promise you had made to Helaena. And the fact that you’d been horny as hell for weeks now and that maybe she was right and you did just need to get dicked down. Preferably by a hot, sweet guy like Sihtric.

You grabbed his hand again and pulled him with you, trapping yourself between his body and the wall behind you, your eyes meeting his in a silent plea. He placed one hand on your waist and rested the other against the wall, right next to your face, as he leaned in.

“Want me to take your mind off him?” he whispered while gently nuzzling your cheek. You grabbed his shirt to pull him closer and nodded your head.

His lips met yours in a soft, needy kiss and you moaned into it right away. It was all the encouragement he needed, hand sliding down your hip while the other moved into your hair. He deepened the kiss while placing himself in between your legs, pressing into you and letting you feel his hardness. You rocked back against him, just as impatient, and you both moaned at the friction.

Sihtric’s mouth moved down to your neck, licking and sucking your skin and your eyes closed in a blissful sigh. His kisses were sloppy and needy and it made you throb in all the right places.

“Fuck,” you whined.

He smiled against your skin.“You want this, right?” he checked.

You nodded eagerly,”Yes, I want this.”

He pulled your leg up around his waist and started grinding against your center, letting you feel all of him this time and there was a lot of him.

“Sihtric,” you moaned quietly when he placed little love bites on your neck.

Your hips were moving along with his, his cock giving you that perfect friction and if he kept doing this any longer you were going to fall apart just from this. Your eyes closed and you bit your lip to keep yourself from moaning too loud.

And then you made the mistake of opening them up again and looking over Sihtric’s shoulder.

Blond messy hair and gorgeous, very familiar, angry blue eyes were staring right back at you. With a surprised yelp you pushed Sihtric off of you.

“What the hell?” Sihtric’s shock was short-lived when he saw Aegon.”Oh shit…hey, I’m sorry, man, I didn’t mean to…I thought…she…”

Aegon wasn’t showing any emotion apart from the undeniable fire in his eyes, aimed right at Sihtric,”Can I please talk to my girlfriend?”

“Yeah, of course, I’m sorry,” Sihtric looked at you one last time, mouthing “sorry” again before he quickly fled the scene, leaving you alone with Aegon.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, calmly.

“Me?! What the hell do you think you’re doing??” you threw back, a lot less calm than him,”Are you stalking me or something?"

"I was just on my way home."

"Well, be on your way then! I was having a good time before you showed up.”

“Against the wall of the fucking bar? For the whole of Winchester to see?”

You looked around and only now noticed there were more people around than you had initially noticed and too many of them had their eyes on you. You wanted the ground to open up and swallow you.

There is no way you would have done what you just did with Sihtric in a public place like this if you’d been sober.

“I didn’t…notice that,” you admitted quietly.

“No, I didn’t think so," Aegon answered, too smug for your liking," Whose stupid idea was this, huh, did he talk you into this?”

“Actually it was Helaena.”

Aegon’s eyes widened.”Why on earth would Hel tell you to fuck…”

“It doesn’t matter now,” you interrupted him, wanting desperately to get out of this conversation. You suddenly felt exposed in every way and you wrapped your arms around yourself and sighed deeply.

Aegon's irritation fell immediately upon seeing your obvious discomfort.

“I’m sorry,” he sighed, shaking off his frustration,”It's just…you looked pretty drunk and I didn't know if he was...I just wanted to make sure you didn’t do something you’ll regret later.”

You scoffed.“For your information I’m not that drunk, but thank you, oh my knight in shining armor for saving me from the insanely hot guy before he could make me cum. How will I ever repay you?”

Aegon’s gaze turned hard again and he avoided your eyes. You tried to walk past him, showing him just how annoyed you were with him, but your legs were wobbly and your head was light. You were struggling to keep your balance and you bumped into him, hard.

Aegon’s hands came to rest on your hips, keeping you steady and then his eyes were on yours, his gaze unexpectedly soft.“Not that drunk, huh?” he teased with a little smirk.

You wished so hard you could stay mad at him but when he looked at you like that all your anger faded. You hated how much you couldn't even hate him.

Maybe Aegon was right, maybe you would have regretted sleeping with Sihtric once all the alcohol had left your body and you were able to think straight again. Maybe it would have been the worst mistake of your life.

Or maybe it wouldn’t have been. Maybe it would have been amazing and exactly what you needed to push Aegon out of your mind. You would never know now.

But one thing was undoubtedly true: deep down in your heart you knew Sihtric wasn’t your first choice. Not anymore.

Your first choice was staring at you with genuine concern in his big, beautiful eyes and your heart was breaking with how much you felt for him.

“Aegs,” your voice was nothing but a pleading whisper, hands grabbing at his shirt.

His hands were still resting on your hips and he pulled you a little closer to him, his voice nothing but softness now,”Want me to take you home, sweetheart?”

You nodded.

The walk wasn’t far but without Aegon to lean on you weren’t sure you would have made it there in one piece. He helped you up the stairs to your apartment and onto your couch, where you sank down with a dramatic sigh and let your head fall back into the cushions.

“God, I am never drinking again,” you stated, making him laugh.

“That’ll pass.”

He let himself sink down next to you on the couch,”Can I get you anything? Food? Water? A bucket?”

You laughed but firmly shook your head.”I’m good...can you stay for a while though?”

You turned your head to look at him, meeting his soft eyes again and Aegon nodded.

“Sure,” he whispered,”As long as you want.”

“Thank you."

“You’re welcome. And I’m sorry if I ruined your night,” he spoke softly, looking into your eyes, your faces right next to each other now,”I shouldn’t have interfered.”

“You didn’t ruin anything,” you reassured him,”The truth is…you were right, I was pretty drunk, still am, and I probably would have regretted that in the morning. So...it's fine, don't worry about it.”

Aegon smiled and then neither of you spoke for a while. The room felt too quiet and you bit your tongue, realizing you should swallow your next words and not make things more complicated. But the alcohol in your blood disagreed and thought this would be the perfect time for total honesty.

“Aegs...I didn’t really want to fuck Sihtric, you know,” you confessed,”I only did it because…”

You sighed deeply and Aegon leaned in to look into your eyes,“What is it, baby?”

“I only did it so I could forget about you,” you whispered, regretting the words as soon as they left your lips.

Aegon was staring at you, unable to speak or process your words for a moment. The room was suddenly spinning even though he hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol and the way you were looking up at him through your lashes, your gaze so sincere and innocent, it was too much for him to handle. It took everything in him not to pull you into his lap and kiss you right there but he didn’t.

Instead he just took your hand and squeezed it softly.

“It’s okay,” you smiled weakly,”I know you don’t feel that way about me and it’s fine. It'll pass.”

“Look at me,” he pleaded.

You did as he asked, immediately drowning into those pools of blue.

“You know that’s not true, right?” he then whispered.

“’What? No, it’s...its fine,” you were slurring over your words now,”You don’t need to say anything, I just…wanted you to know…you would have been my first choice.”

He bit his lip and then swallowed hard, shaking his head,“You’re drunk, baby, you don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I do, I do know what I’m saying,” you insisted but your words came out all wrong again.

Aegon just shook his head with a smile and then his eyes were on yours again,“I’m the last person you want to fall in love with, sweetheart, trust me on that.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m no good,” he simply answered, looking away while giving you the saddest smile you’d ever seen on him, which of course only made you want him more.

”But you are,” you disagreed, keeping your eyes on him even as he tried so hard to avoid yours,”You are good, Aegon, I know you are, I can see it in you.”

“You don’t know me at all, love,” he whispered and moved away from you on the couch”You should just go to bed now, sleep it off. You'll feel better in the morning.”

“Will you stay?” you asked him.

He shook his head,”I really shouldn’t.”

“Please, I don’t want to be alone, you have to watch over me as I sleep, I could get a concussion.”

Aegon couldn’t help it, his lips curled up into an amused smile,”That’s only when you bump your head not when you’re drunk.”

“Oh,” you smiled and then ended up in a laughing fit, making Aegon shake his head.

“God, you’re so stupid,” he smiled fondly, no longer able to not look at you,"And so drunk."

“You’re stupid,” you teased him.

“Fine, I’ll stay with you,” he caved,”Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself in your sleep.”

You smiled satisfied,”You can sleep in my bed with me.”

“Absolutely not, I’m taking the couch.”

You pouted at him, giving him your best sad puppy eyes.

“Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Look at me like that, it…makes it really hard for me to say no to you.”

“That’s the point,” you grinned and you reached for him again but Aegon just grabbed your arms to stop you.

“Go to bed, please, I’ll stay here in case you need anything but I am not sleeping with you.”

You pouted again and pulled away from him,”Pfff, you’re no fun, I thought you were the fun Targaryen but you're worse than Aemond.”

Aegon just smiled and shook his head at your attempt at insulting him,"Go to bed."

"Fine," you turned your back on him,"But it's your loss."

Aegon just watched you go and waited until you were in your bedroom before he let himself fall down onto your couch with a quiet grunt.”Yeah, I know.”

#aegon x reader #aegon x you #sihtric x reader #sihtric x you #aegon smut #sihtric smut #hotd fanfic #the last kingdom fanfic #tom glynn carney fanfic #arnas fedaravicius fanfic #modern AU

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heartateasee · 2 months

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“Four”

Word Count: 10k

(Part four of ‘Goodnight and Go’)

⋆★★⋆

*One month until the wedding*

My phone vibrates as I sit at my desk at home - working on a couple of sketches I needed to complete for some upcoming clients. I finished my apprenticeship at the shop about four months ago, and my books had been filling up more and more. It felt nice to finally be working on my own when it came to something I had been striving towards for such a long time.

I set my pencil down as I grab my phone, and I see the notification is for a text from Harry. Sucking in a deep breath, I stare at the screen - trying to decide whether or not I wanted to read what he had to say right now.

He's been trying to get me to come out for his bachelor party tomorrow, and I've been avoiding giving him a direct answer. It's not that I didn't want to go - I just didn't know if it would be in our best interests for me to do so.

These past few months had been tense between not only Gwen and I, but also between me and my mother. I was still involved in planning the wedding, but Gwen had stopped letting me hang around her place any longer than I needed to if she, Harry and I were all together. Once whatever wedding thing we were working on was finished, she made it obvious that she was ready for me to leave. I obeyed every single time - not really wanting to stick around anyway.

My mother and I were hardly on speaking terms. If she was around for any of the wedding planning, she acted like I was invisible for the most part. All of her attention was on Gwen, regardless if I was contributing my opinion to the situation or not. It was obvious she didn't care about what I had to say or suggest, and she was only going to hear Gwen out.

I was more than shocked when Gwen said that I could invite a plus one to the wedding considering Harry had invited Kieran as a separate guest now, and Kieran would be bringing her girlfriend.

For the sake of comfort, I had ended up asking Alfie to join me. I remember the night I told Gwen that I had invited him. We were working on table charts at Harry's apartment, and she seemed overjoyed that I had asked someone to come with me. It wasn't until she had stepped out of the kitchen to use the restroom that I finally met Harry's eyes after breaking the news, and he had a stern look on his face. We didn't talk about it, and we still haven't talked about it. I hope to keep it that way.

Some higher power above must have been looking out for me in terms of Gwen's bachelorette party. She was traveling to Vegas with all the bridesmaids and, of course, I was supposed to be included in all of that. An opportunity arose at the shop where they were needing volunteers for an upcoming tattoo convention in the area, and I immediately jumped in to help out. It was the same weekend as her bachelorette, and I lied. I told Gwen that I had already signed up previously before her engagement, and that there wasn't any way for me to back out because they wouldn't be able to get help last minute. I told her that it had slipped my mind until three weeks before the trip.

I expected her to be angry - to curse me out and tell me how ungrateful I was that she would even include me, and then I'd just deny her.

But she didn't.

Gwen didn't even care that I wasn't able to go, and I can't tell you how much of a relief it was to know that I wasn't going to get a mouthful from her regarding it. I knew overall she'd probably have a better time without me there anyway, but I still expected her to have something snarky to say.

During her trip away, Harry had asked if I wanted to come over to help him put together some ideas on gifts to get his groomsmen, but I declined. The last thing I needed was my mother to find out that I had gone over there when Gwen was out of town. I would've never heard the end of that.

Harry had tried to talk to me about what happened at the engagement party on a few separate occasions, but I dismissed his invitation to do so every time. I just told him that we both had alcohol in our system, and that I didn't know what I was saying when it came to separating ourselves from each other. Even though I said I didn't mean it, I know he could still feel that I was gradually doing it. It sucked because now I was the one to sporadically text him when he used to be the one doing that to me.

But it was necessary - for both of us.

Deciding not to put it off any longer, I lick over my bottom lip as I click on the notification to open up our message thread.

From: Harry 8:47 pm Hey, are you busy? I wanted to talk to you about the party tomorrow. I know you haven't given me an answer, but I'd really just like to go over the details with you.

I read over the words a couple of times to get them to register - chewing subconsciously on the inside of my cheek while doing so. Almost every part of me wanted to go, to be there for him, but something inside of me was telling me it would be a mistake to go. I had the fear of Gwen overreacting about it, or my mom using it to justify her claim of me playing some 'game' with my sister and her relationship.

Then there was the part of my brain that kept nagging me, reminding me that this could really be one of the last times Harry and I get together - just the two of us. The wedding was in a month, and after that, I knew that I would probably hardly see Gwen and Harry both.

I push myself up from my desk and head over to my couch. I lay myself down on it, staring up at the ceiling as I contemplate whether or not to call Harry, but I know that ultimately I need to.

"Here goes nothing," I whisper to myself as I press the call button next to his contact, bringing the phone up to my ear.

My fingers play with the hem of the cropped tank top I have on, my legs sprawled out across the cushions of my couch in my cotton pajama shorts. The phone rings a few times before I hear it click.

"Hey."

I close my eyes at the sound of his voice - a bolt of electricity shooting straight to my heart. My stomach stirs due to the giddiness I'm feeling just by talking to him.

My body's reaction to his just his voice was enough evidence to tell me no matter how much I tried to distance myself from him, my feelings would still remain.

"Hey you," I say back, tucking my bottom lip between my teeth.

"I'm not bothering you at work or anything, right?"

My lips turn up into a soft smile as I shake my head - even though I know he can't see me. "No, I'm just at home. Laying on the couch now, but I was working on some sketches before I called."

"Oh yeah?" I can hear the excitement in his voice, and it causes me to smile even wider. "That's fucking awesome, Carter. The shop's been treating you well since you finished your apprenticeship?"

It stung a bit to know that we hadn't really discussed that accomplishment together, but we've just never had the time to do so. My father was the only one that really talked to me about it, and even though he was hesitant about the whole tattoo thing in the beginning, I could tell that he was over the moon that I had actually completed that goal for myself.

"Really well, actually," I tell him honestly. "I've had a lot of clients come through. Some of them have even booked me on the spot for another tattoo after they see the work I can do. I'm working on two pretty decent sized pieces right now. One is a thigh piece for this girl, and the other is a quarter sleeve for this older guy. He's fucking badass, dude. The piece is for his grandchildren."

I almost hold back from saying what I say next, but I also can't help but let it slip out. "He reminds me a bit of you, actually. His one arm is completely tatted, but the arm I'm tattooing is pretty much blank except for a few here and there. He said he was keeping it clear for sentimental ones."

"Damn, no way," he laughs into the phone, and I can tell that he's smiling just as wide as I am. "Well, if he reminded you of me, how do I look as a grandfather? Tell me the truth."

I burst out laughing, tossing my head back a bit on the pillow it was resting on. "Harry, he doesn't look like you or anything!"

"Sorry, I just had to ask, you know? I hope I'm sexy when my hair is all silver and shit."

"If you have any hair left at that age," I tease with a smirk - knowing that Harry has freaked out in the past several times about going bald at some point.

"I know you didn't just say that," as angry as he tries to sound, his tone is still playful. "You better take that back right now."

I giggle softly. "Or what?"

"Then I revoke the invitation to my party," he responds, and I can see the smug look he'd be wearing on his face right now if I were to be with him.

"The party that I haven't even said 'yes' to, by the way, so your threat is a little low on the scale there."

There's a beat of silence, and I can feel that the conversation is about to shift. I close my eyes - bracing myself for what he could say next.

"Do you really not want to come? I won't make you feel bad or anything if you don't want to. I just...I don't know. I've just always pictured you being there for it since I started planning it," his voice shows vulnerability, and it initiates a tug to my heartstrings.

"It's not that I don't want to, Harry. I just don't know if it's the best idea with how things have been," I sigh, starting to pull on a stray string on my shorts.

I knew that I didn't need to elaborate on what I meant any further. He knew exactly what I was talking about.

"I've already talked to Gwen about it, and I'm not going to lie, she did try to fight me on a little bit. I let it rest for a while before I brought it up again, but I explained myself further the second time, and then she understood. She's okay with you going."

I let silence take over again for a moment as I process his words.

"I just know that we can get a little wild together," I start, closing my eyes as I drape my forearm over them. "I just don't want her to get upset if we get too drunk or something."

"It's my bachelor party, Carter. I think she expects for me to get a little wild," he chuckles. "Within reason, of course."

I'm quiet for a little longer before I speak again. "I just don't want to cause more issues than I already have."

I was never told about what happened between Gwen and Harry after I left their engagement party, and I didn't care to know. I'm sure that he got yelled at. Him being belittled or talked down to was something that I didn't wish to hear about. Harry didn't deserve that. The only person that had tried to talk to me further about everything that happened that night other than Harry was my father. He said that he wanted to hear what I had to say because he knew that my mom was probably exaggerating what she had seen.

For the first time, I opened up to my father about my feelings towards Harry. He had been none the wiser when it came to how I felt towards my best friend. I was surprised that my mother hadn't told him about what she had suspected, but he said that she had never uttered a word about it. Just like Kieran, he actually encouraged me to speak up, and as much as that warmed my heart that he now understood me, it also made me feel guilty. Guilty because now I wasn't just coming between Harry and Gwen, I was also coming between my parents.

One parent furious that I could ever feel such a way, and the other trying to steer me towards pure honesty with the one person who needed to hear my feelings the most.

"I understand where you're coming from, please know that I do, but...I know I've said it before-"

"But who knows when we'll find the time to do these things once you're married?" I ask, dropping my arm back down away from my eyes to rest my hand on my stomach. "Yeah, you may have said that to me once or twice."

I hear Harry sigh through the phone, and I curl my fingers into a fist - knuckles brushing against my skin. Never in my life have I ever been anxious around him like I have been these past few months. It was an odd feeling. I just never knew what he would say next, and I think it's because most of what we talked about had to deal with a lot of outside forces. Our friendship was now being slightly controlled by those around us.

"Yeah," Harry breathes.

My heart is slightly rattling against my chest now, and I don't even know how to respond. I want to ask why it's so important for us to spend so much time together before he's married, but I know that his answer won't match why it's so important to me.

That causes me to swallow the question down.

I try to steer the conversation away from Gwen and my mother being why I'm so hesitant so that it can grow a bit lighter. "Your groomsmen won't think it's weird that you've asked a girl to come along?"

I knew most of Harry's friends, a couple of his groomsmen were guys we had gone to college with, but a couple were also from back home in Holmes Chapel. Those were the guys I had never met before. Harry always talked about taking me there, but we never got around to it after finishing college. I had only met his parents before because they came here to visit him.

"Well, you know that Lance and Gavin will be more than happy to see you. I told them I was trying to get you to come, and they were hoping I could convince you," he huffs a laugh before continuing. "Ross and Shane are aware of who you are, and they don't think it's strange if you're there. They know how close we are - how much you mean to me."

Harry has said that last phrase so many times in our friendship, and it never ceases to cause my whole body to tingle. I know him saying that means something completely different than when I say it to him. It serves as a permanent reminder that I have to take his words for what they are - not what I want them to be.

"You don't have to stay the whole time. Even if you just come for a couple of drinks, I'll be happy. I'm actually keeping it really low-key. We're going to one of the bars that's not too far from you, I think? It's called Chemistry."

I knew of the bar he was speaking of, and he was right, it was only a couple of blocks down from my apartment.

"Yeah, that's just a little ways down from me," I run my fingers through my hair. Swallowing down my doubts, I conjure up all the courage to power through. "I'll meet you there. What time?"

"Wait, really?!" The octave of Harry's voice changes drastically, and I can tell he's both excited and shocked that I've agreed.

"Really," I laugh, still pushing my nervousness down. "Just tell me what time, H, and I'll be there."

"We're planning to meet around ten. Does that work for you?"

"That's perfect. I get off at eight tomorrow, so that gives me plenty of time to come home and freshen up before going back out."

"Fuck, okay," he laughs, and I can tell he's more than excited. "I'm so happy you agreed. You know I'd never make you feel guilty for not coming, but I just really wanted you to be there."

"I'll be more than happy to be there," I say, twirling a piece of hair around my finger. "Always want to be there for you."

"Same with you," Harry croons. "I've got to get to bed, but I'll see you tomorrow night, yeah?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then, Harry."

"Goodnight, Carter."

"Goodnight."

We disconnect the call, and I rest my phone on my sternum as I stare up at the ceiling again. I'm glad that I found it in myself to finally agree to go to his party, however, I'm just hoping that it's everything he wants. I would hate for Gwen to completely change her tune come tomorrow, and go off on Harry for having me there. I'd feel so guilty.

I push myself off the couch to head back over to my desk, and I hesitantly pull out one of the sketches I've been working on here and there lately. My fingertips brush over the paper as I stare down at the design, and I pick up my pencil to continue adding to it.

It was the heart that Harry had said he wanted after the wedding was over. The anatomical heart.

I haven't told him that I was working on this. I was hoping that I could surprise him with it once their honeymoon was over, and have it be part of a secret wedding gift.

After a couple more hours, I had put Harry's sketch away for later, and I finished up on the two that I had been working on for my clients. I store them away properly to take back to the shop tomorrow, and I head to bed - willing away the anxiousness as to what tomorrow could bring.

⋆★★⋆

I've probably changed my outfit at least ten times now, but I think I finally decided on the one I was going to wear tonight.

Standing in front of my full length mirror, I nibble on my thumbnail as I take in my appearance. I've settled on an off the shoulder flowy white top with bell sleeves, and a pair of dark brown trousers that were a bit cropped at the bottom, so I rolled them up a little more. It looked formal enough, but was still casual so it didn't look like I was trying too hard.

I straightened my hair for the first time in a while, and I also put on a little more makeup than usual. It had been a while since I had gone out at all, so I was planning on making the most of it.

Catching sight of the clock out of the corner of my eye, I realize it's half past ten. "Shit," I hiss, quickly turning to dig through my shoes in my closet to find a pair.

I decide on a pair of all white platform Vans authentics, pulling them on quickly before grabbing my jacket and my purse - throwing them onto my body as well. Racing out of my apartment, I turn around to lock it up as fast as possible before I'm heading down the street.

Thankfully it hasn't gotten too cold yet given that it's early November, but today is a bit windy, and it's drizzling - it definitely makes it feel cooler than it is. I pull my hood over my head and shove my hands into my pockets to keep them warm, although I won't be walking very far.

I had tried all day at work to keep my nerves at bay, and thankfully I had a day packed with clients so I was able to keep tonight off of my mind for the most part. This was the first time Harry and I would be around each other without my mother or Gwen watching our every move, and I hope that we can fall back into the same routine.

I just have to make sure that I remember to keep that barrier up between us.

My thumbnail swipes across my cuticle in my pocket as I walk, and I'm nibbling on my lower lip out of stress. I just don't want Harry's night to get ruined because of me coming. I'd feel so awful, and guilty if that were to happen. I just have to hope that Gwen really does stick to her word, and that she won't make a big deal about me coming.

I approach the bar and pull the door open, immediately putting my hood down as I step into the main area. My eyes search over the crowd to spot Harry, Gavin or Lance, but I'm having no such luck. There's a couple different rooms to this bar, so I'm guessing they must be in one of those that's off the side of the main room. I turn my body to make my way through the mass of people, heading towards the room to the left first as I know that's where the dart boards are, as well as the pool tables.

Finally I make my way into the new area, and I catch sight of Gavin. He's facing my direction, and I see a large smile appear on his face once we make eye contact. "Carter!"

Harry's back is to me, and he immediately whips his head around. He sends me the boyish grin that I'm so familiar with - causing my heart to flutter. There's still a good amount of people between myself and the table they've seemed to take over, but I notice that Lance is starting to make his way through the crowd to me.

"No fucking way," he chuckles as he throws his arms around me.

I laugh as I wrap my arms around him as well. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

Soon Gavin appears beside him, and I give him a large hug before we head towards the table to join Harry and his friends from Holmes Chapel - Lance's arm around my shoulders. I send a soft smile over to Harry's friends as I shrug my jacket off. I place my purse onto the table as Gavin takes my jacket, and I see he puts it on the back of the barstool with his own.

I've yet to look over at Harry since I've gotten to the table, and it's mostly because I noticed how good he looks as soon as I set my eyes on him. He's wearing a rainbow striped shirt with a pair of light washed blue jeans that are flared. Looking down at our feet, I notice that he's also wearing white Vans authentics, and I take in a deep breath - the small coincidence having me feel a certain way.

"What do you want to drink, Carter? I was just going to get a round," Lance says, and I purse my lips as I stand on my tiptoes to peer over his shoulder so I can see the beer taps.

"I'll just take a Modelo for now, please," I respond, and he gives me a nod before heading towards the bar.

I figure it's best to stick to beer for my main drink since I'm sure we'll be doing plenty of shots, and I tend to last longer on these kinds of nights if I choose not to drink a cocktail in between.

"Hey," I hear Harry's voice, and I finally look up to meet his sage eyes. "I thought you maybe weren't going to show for a second there."

He laughs softly, and I shake my head. "I told you I wanted to be here for you. I wouldn't miss this after telling you I'd be here. Time just got away from me a little bit."

He nods before stepping forward to wrap his arms around me. I close my eyes and sigh softly as I nuzzle my face into his chest. My arms find their way around his waist like normal, and I can feel his cheek pressing to the top of my head. I hate how at peace I feel when I'm in his embrace like this. We haven't hugged like this since the engagement party, and it's almost embarrassing how much I've missed it.

"Oh, I'm being so rude," I hear Harry say as we pull apart, but he keeps one of his arms around my torso as he turns us to face his two friends that I've yet to meet. "Carter, this is Ross and Shane, my friends from back home that I was telling you about."

"Hi, it's so nice to meet you," I tell them, reaching one my hands out to give them each a proper greeting.

"It's nice to finally meet the infamous Carter," I hear Ross say, and I feel heat rising in my cheeks. "Felt like I already had, especially in the college years since you're all this one wanted to talk about."

He points his finger at Harry as he speaks, and I look up to see Harry blushing as well. "I talked about other things," he tries to say, but I hear Shane scoff as well.

"Yeah, okay," he says jokingly. "We both know that's a lie."

We're interrupted by Lance coming back with a tray of drinks - passing them out to each of us just as we ordered. I see that there's six shots in the middle of the tray as well and he nods to them. "Everyone grab a shot," he says before looking over at me. "We were waiting until you were here to get the first round of them."

"You guys didn't need to do that," I say, but I'm still smiling at the kind gesture. "Thank you though."

"It wasn't complete without you here," Harry shrugs as he holds my eyes - both of us with a shot glass in hand.

I don't know what to say back, and I'm fortunate that Gavin begins to speak. "Shots in the air everyone! Cheers to Harry's last big night out as a bachelor!"

We all cheers our shots together following by tapping them on the table below before tipping them back to our mouths. I wince as the liquor coats my tongue, and I swallow quickly to get the taste away as quickly as possible while reaching out for my beer. I gulp down a few good sips of it before the taste seems to dull.

"How out of commission are you, Carter? You used to drink those shots like they were water," Lance comments, and I reach my hand out to press against his cheek - pushing his face away.

"I'll leave right now if you're not nice to me," I threaten, and Harry is quick to gasp.

"Absolutely not," he says and I feel his arm snake around my waist before he's pulling me into his side. "Stop bullying Carter. She can't leave."

I stick my tongue out playfully at Lance as I curl into Harry's side, holding the pint glass in both of my hands. Gavin rolls his eyes at us before speaking.

"Here we go," he shakes his head. "Just like old times - no one fuck with Carter or else you're going to deal with Harry."

"Damn fucking straight," Harry says, holding his own beer towards me, and I smirk before tapping my glass against his.

We each take another sip of our drinks, and I notice that Harry hasn't made any movement to remove his arm from around my waist. I glance down to my side where his fingers are resting - watching as they slightly curl around my hip as he starts talking to both Ross and Shane.

I can feel a shiver run up my spine at the sensation it brings as his thumb glides over my hip bone, causing me to suck in a deep breath through my nose. This touch wasn't something out of the ordinary for us, but I had gone months without having this sort of contact with him. The absence of it was causing this moment to feel bigger than it was, and I was cursing myself internally for the way it was affecting me.

Every part of me is telling me to move away, and to let his arm fall back by his side, but I can't. It's so selfish, and I know it means way more to me to have him hold me like this. I just keep remembering that this is probably it. So, I'll take a bit of Kieran's advice for tonight, and I'll be a little selfish.

Without trying to think too much into it, I curl into Harry's side even more as I take another sip of my beer as I keep my eyes on both Ross and Shane. They're talking about how Harry is planning a trip to come to Holmes Chapel a few months after the wedding, and I find myself cringing when they bring up Gwen going with him as well. The mention of her name almost has me pulling away from Harry, but I remain.

As Harry is talking to Ross and Shane, I'm keeping up the conversation with both Gavin and Lance. I hadn't seen them in a few years, so it was nice to know what they had been up to since the last time we saw each other.

"Okay, let's take a group photo here at the table, and then there's a photo booth near the pool tables that we can take pictures in too," Lance says as he puts some of our beer glasses together onto the table to create a makeshift phone stand before doing a self-timer.

We step back from the table a bit so that we're all in the frame, and as much as I hate it, I make it a point to stand between Gavin and Lance instead of standing next to Harry. I know this photo will end up on social media, and I know that Gwen would probably blow Harry's phone up if she saw us standing in the photo next to each other.

Once we click a few pictures on Lance's phone, we gather our stuff and head over to the pool tables as the guys are talking about playing a few games. The first game was Ross and Shane against Gavin and Lance, so Harry and I stood against the wall as we sipped our beers. I was almost out, and so was he.

"Do you want me to grab you another?" I ask, looking up at him with the inside of my cheek between my teeth.

"Yeah, in a minute. Do you want to go in the photo booth? We can snap some pictures just the two of us before we take the group ones," Harry suggests, pointing over to it. "And then we can get another round."

I smile up at him, finishing up the rest of my beer as we place our empty glasses down onto the table that was near us. "That sounds like a good plan."

Harry places his hand on my lower back as we maneuver through the people to get to the photo booth, and then we step inside. I raise my eyebrows when I realize it's larger than your typical one, but you stand instead of sitting down. I watch as Harry swipes his card to start the machine, and then he goes to adjust the camera.

"Well good thing I wore my platforms today," I joke as he tries to get the right angle to get both of us since I come up just short of his shoulder. "This would be a much worse situation if I hadn't."

Harry chuckles as he gets the camera into a good spot, and then he presses the start button. I move closer to his side as I feel his arm wrap around me. Just before the first picture clicks, Harry pulls me closer and lifts me off the ground so that I'm in the frame better.

I let out a squeal as I was caught completely off guard, and I'm quick to wrap my arms around his neck. He looks up at me, his bunny teeth on full display as he breaks out into a fit of laughter. I'm looking down at him with wide eyes, and soon I'm laughing right along with him as the next picture snaps.

"Wait, hold on, let me get on your back," I state, and he puts me down quickly so I can get behind him.

With my hands securely on his shoulders, he bends down and I straddle his lower back. He lifts up while I lean my head down so my face is right next to his - cheeks pressed together. We're still dying down from our giggles as the next picture goes off. I get a little brave, and I move my hands down from his shoulders to where my hands are now pressed to the center of his chest.

Harry pulls his cheek away from mine to look up at me, and he's still wearing a big smile as we're staring into each other's eyes. At this moment, I've forgotten all about the fact that we're taking pictures. I'm so drawn in by the look that he's giving me with that expression on his face - my pulse quickening just by looking at him.

The final picture snaps, and the flash draws us both of the trance we seemed to have been in. He lowers me to the ground carefully, but instead of letting me walk away, Harry places both of his hands on my hips as he continues to stare down at me.

"I'm really happy that you came, Carter," there's such sincerity to his voice, and I can tell he means every word as he speaks them. "It just feels right having you here. It's like everything about the night is complete."

Lifting a hand up, I do what I've always done. It was a habit I told myself to break, but tonight I choose to break that rule instead. I run my fingers through the front of his curls to move them off his forehead as I tilt my head to the side.

"I'm happy I came too, H. It's been really nice so far."

We move out of the photo booth to collect our photos from the drop, and we're immediately laughing over them. There's two copies so we each take one. I'm quick to put mine into my purse so I don't misplace it, and Harry puts his in the inner pocket of his jacket.

"Another beer?" I ask him with raised eyebrows, and he nods as we begin to head towards the bar.

Once we're at the bar, I feel Harry hook his index and middle finger into one of my belt loops, and I look down at them for a moment. This was something he picked up on doing when we were in college so that we wouldn't lose each other in large crowds, and the longer we've been at this bar tonight the larger the crowd has grown.

The bartender comes over, and I'm quick to lean forward against the surface so he can hear me over both the music, and the voices. I order Harry and I another round of beers as well as a round of shots for our group. I back off the bar a bit as I look over to Harry, and I can see that he's just staring at me with an unreadable expression.

"What?" I laugh, biting down on my bottom lip.

He shakes his head, but he doesn't make any signs of looking away. "Nothing. Just..."

Harry trails off, and I tilt my head to the side. "Just?"

I may be mistaken, but it's almost like I feel Harry's fingers closing down even more around my belt loop, as if he wants to pull me closer, but we're interrupted by a call of my name.

Looking over my shoulder, I'm met with Duncan and a few of the other guys from the shop. "Oh my god, hi," I pull away from Harry as I walk over to them, giving each of them a hug. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Just stopping by for a couple of beers after a show we were at," Duncan says. "How about you?"

"Oh, I'm here for Harry's bachelor party," I say, stepping back to place my hand between Harry's shoulder blades. "You guys remember him, right? I've tattooed him a few times."

Duncan nods and steps forward, extending his hand out to Harry. "Yeah, I remember," he nods. "Nice to see you again, and congratulations on the wedding."

"Thanks, mate," Harry shakes Duncan's hand, giving a small wave to the other guys as well.

"I've got your next round of shots, alright?" Duncan asks.

"Oh, we just ordered-"

"I'll tell them to put it on my tab, and just tell them Duncan has it covered the next time you order some," Duncan interrupts me, and I smile.

"Thank you," Harry speaks up. "You didn't have to do that."

"Not a problem, man. Enjoy your night."

Duncan and the guys head off just as the bartender places our beers down, as well as a small tray with the shots on it. I pull my card out of my pocket so that I can properly start a tab for myself, and the bartender takes it - telling me they'll give it right back.

"No Alfie tonight?" Harry asks, and I let out a hefty sigh.

"He's closing up the shop. We stay open until midnight on the weekends for piercings" I state, already chugging down a few sips of beer. "And I've told you, Harry, it's not like that."

I hardly hear Harry's hum in response due to the volume around us, but I still pick up on it. The bartender comes back over to return my card, and I thank them as I grab the tray of shots while Harry takes my beer for me.

We walk back over to the other guys while Harry's chest is practically pressing against my back. He's not able to grab me in any way since both of his hands are full, so I know he's trying to keep as close as possible.

"Here we go guys!" I announce as I set the tray down on the table.

Just like before, we each take a shot and down them before the others return to their game.

I prop myself up onto the high bar stool that was by our table, and Harry drapes his arm across the back of it. "Carter."

Looking away from the intense game of pool between our friends, I look up into his eyes. "Yes?"

"Thank you for being my best friend," he exhales before running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. "I don't know what I would've done without you these past few years."

I set my beer down on the table and place my hands on his shoulders. "I don't know how I possibly would've survived without you, Harry. I'm so grateful for you."

The corner of Harry's lips twitch into a soft smile, but it doesn't meet his eyes.

"Hey, you two!" Gavin's voice sounds off, and I drop my hands away from Harry as I look over for him. "Shane and Ross lost, so it's the two of you against us."

"Do I have to?" I groan, pushing myself off my bar stool.

"Yeah, does she have to? You guys know she sucks at pool," Harry says as he walks behind me, and I turn around to slap the back of my hand against his chest.

"Don't be a fucking dick."

Harry chuckles as we approach the table, and we each take a pool cue. "You guys will give us some slack since it's my bachelor party, right?"

Lance rolls his eyes. "Yeah, sure...absolutely not."

I giggle at this answer as I hold my pool cue to my chest.

Tonight feels like old times, and I don't think that I realized I missed it as much as I do until just now.

⋆★★⋆

"See you guys in a few weeks!" I call out after Gavin and Lance as they head down the street towards the hotel they had booked not too far away from the bar.

Shane and Ross had left about an hour ago, both jetlagged from the flight as they just got in today. They would be staying here until the wedding, but they were going to be doing some traveling in our surrounding states since it was their first time in the US.

Harry and I now stand together outside of the building, and I look up to see him with a concerned look on his face as he stares down at his phone.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"Ubers are so fucking expensive right now. The surge has the price way up there. It's almost 70 dollars for me to get home," he shakes his head. "Let me check Lyft."

I stay quiet as he does so, and he huffs out a groan. "Almost the same price."

Pursing my lips to the side, I choose my next words very carefully. "Well...how about you come back to mine? You can hang out until the surge ends, or you can stay the night. I don't care either way."

Harry looks over at me for a moment before he shakes his head. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"Oh, fuck off with that," I say, hooking one of my arms around his. "It's not imposing when you're my best friend. Now put your phone away and let's walk."

We start down the sidewalk, and I'm starting to feel the effects of the liquor I've drank tonight. I wasn't obliterated by any means, but I was definitely feeling the alcohol. Harry tucks his phone into his pocket, and he keeps me close as we walk.

"Did you have fun tonight?" I ask, resting my cheek against his bicep.

"I did. It was all I could've asked for, really. How about you?"

I nod in response. "I think I probably had the best time I've had in a while with everyone tonight. It's so wild to me that Lance and Grace are having a baby."

"Oh my god, I know," Harry gasps. "We make some pretty good matchmakers, huh?"

I giggle at his statement, curling more into him due to the harsh winds. "We really do."

Harry and I had set Grace and Lance up together during our final year of college. We knew they both were attracted to each other, but neither of them would make the first move. We took it upon ourselves to plan a hangout with just the four of us without telling them. At first Grace and Lance were a bit irritated, but after an hour of us all talking, it was like we had all known each other forever.

"I would say maybe I'm a little better though," I blurt out, squeezing Harry's arm into my chest. "I set you and Gwen up too technically."

It's quiet between us for a few moments before Harry speaks. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

We walk into the building of my apartment, and once we approach my door I unlock it. We head inside, both of us toeing off our shoes and shedding our jackets. "Did you want anything else to drink? I have some tequila."

"Yeah, bring the bottle over to the couch. We can just take turns swigging from it - if that's okay with you," Harry says, and I nod.

Harry plops down onto my couch, and I can see that he's manspreading out of the corner of my eye. I let my eyes dwell for just a moment before I look away - heading into the kitchen. I push onto my tiptoes to grab my bottle of tequila off the top of the fridge, and then I fill up two glasses with water. I skillfully tuck the tequila under my arm so I can bring everything over to the couch without catastrophe, and I thankfully succeed.

Smiling at Harry, I put both waters down on the coffee table with the bottle of tequila in the middle. I collapse onto the couch beside him, and I look over to him with what I know is a drunken smile on my face.

"You should just stay the night," I tell him. "Like old times. One last old time, yeah?"

If I wasn't mistaken, I see something almost resembling pain when I speak those words, but Harry quickly covers it up. "Okay, yeah, I'll stay."

"I can take the couch if you want to take my-"

"I'm not taking your bed, Carter," Harry shakes his head as he reaches out to grab his glass of water. He gulps down half of it before setting it back down. "The couch is just fine. I've spent plenty of nights on it already."

"I know," I sigh, closing my eyes for a moment. "It's just...this is your night. I want it to be perfect for you."

The feeling of Harry's hand on my thighs forces me to become more aware, and I open my eyes to look over to him. "It's already been the most perfect night, I promise."

I hum as I look at him. "Well, I'm glad, H. You deserve it."

Sitting up on the couch better, I go to reach out for the tequila bottle at the same time as Harry, and we both break into a fit of giggles. "You do it," he instructs me.

I grab the bottle and pull out the cork before I shuffle onto my knees on the couch. I move closer to him, and I just let my body and mind do what they want for once when it comes to Harry these days. My hand wraps around the back of his neck, and I tilt my chin up.

"Head back," I move my torso so I'm practically hovering over him. "I'll pour it."

Harry keeps his eyes on mine as he does what I've asked. He parts his lips, and I tilt the tequila bottle so the liquor starts to drip into his mouth. I count slowly to five before I stop, but Harry is quick to swallow it all down.

"That's it?"

I roll my eyes playfully, and he snatches the bottle from me. "Your turn then."

My heart skips a bit as I lower my ass down onto the heels of my feet, and Harry moves around so he's over me just a bit. I open my mouth just as he did before I start to taste the tequila against my tongue. I breathe through my nose as the alcohol fills up, and once he stops, I swallow immediately. Groaning, I grab my water to chase it - shaking my head.

"This game sucks, why did I start it?" I choke out, and Harry lets out a loud laugh.

"It's not a game, flower," Harry sets the tequila bottle down. "We're just drinking."

Flower.

It's been years since he's called me that, and I'd honestly forgotten that he ever had. I don't dwell on it though - mostly due to my slightly intoxicated state.

"Can't believe you ever got me into tequila like this," I scold him, although I'm fully teasing. "You're my reason for many, many hangovers, Harry."

Harry reaches out and tugs at my septum piercing. "You love it, don't fucking lie."

I gasp at him, and I push back up onto my knees. "That's not fair. You don't have any piercings for me to get you back."

My eyes trace over his frame, and I smirk as I reach forward. I go to clamp my fingertips down around each of his nipples, but Harry's hands wrap around my wrists in an instant. I let out a yelp of surprise as he pulls them into his chest, and he shakes his head.

"You had four options for that, and you went with the main two? Playing it safe?"

I giggle, going to answer him, but I feel my nose knock against his as I tilt my head up to do so. I didn't realize just how close we were at the moment.

The alcohol is causing my head to swim, and I may be interpreting this all wrong, but I feel him lean in at the same time as me as we keep our sights on each other's eyes.

The next thing I know, our lips are connecting in a soft kiss.

There's a tingle that starts to evolve throughout my body as we keep the small connection - neither one of us really moving. We pull away, and the sound of our wet lips parting fills the room. I flutter my eyes open to look at Harry once again.

Opening my mouth, I go to apologize before I feel Harry's lips on mine once more, and as it deepens, his hands slide down to my forearms until they're dropping to my waist.

He hauls me into his lap, and soon the noises of our lips and tongues clashing against each other is all that bounces off the walls. I can feel my tongue ring rolling along the roof of his mouth as I tangle both sets of my fingers into the back of his curls. Our chests are flush together, and as much as I know this is wrong, the only thing I can think about at the moment is him.

The interaction becomes heated in just a few seconds, and I can feel Harry's fingertips digging into the small of my back from where my top has ridden up. I pull back as he ghosts his hand towards my stomach until he reaches the hem of my shirt. His eyes hold mine as if he's asking for permission, and I give him a nod. My arms raise above my head as he starts to lift my top off my body. He tosses it to the side, leaving me in my strapless bra as I tighten my thighs against his.

"Are you okay?" I ask, my chest heaving.

Harry's eyes look up from the revealed skin to look at my face, and he quickly nods. "Yeah, this is more than okay."

One of his large hands cups my face while the other drops to my thigh, and he pulls me down to connect our lips once more. His thumb swipes over my cheekbone as our tongues glide together.

My mind is absolutely racing, and as chaotic as it feels, I can only focus on how exactly I'm feeling. The one thing that I've wanted for so long is actually happening.

I feel Harry's hands all over me it seems. He caresses my body, treasuring it like I always knew that he would. I moan as I feel his palms encasing my covered breasts - resulting in me rolling my hips against his.

I tilt my head back with a gasp as Harry's lips trail down my jawline, and then my neck. His teeth nip at my collarbone before he works his way back up the side of my neck he didn't tend to before - lips journeying to find mine again.

Harry sucks my bottom lip between the two of his, and I moan. My eyes roll into the back of my head as I grip to his shoulders with an arched back.

"Harry," I whimper, his name muffled as he grazes his teeth along my tongue.

He soon runs his own tongue over mine to soothe the ache, and I can feel his bulge growing against my inner thigh. I trail my hands down his clothed stomach until my fingers grip to the hem of his shirt. He mimics my actions from before with his arms in the air, and I pull his shirt up and off his frame. I look down as I feel my palms in contact with muscles - my hands covering his defined abs.

"Holy shit," I'm dumbfounded at just how fit Harry has gotten. It's been years since I've seen him without a shirt, and even though he's always been very toned, this was another level.

His butterfly tattoo now accentuated his chiseled abs, and I could see the tips of the ferns peeking over the waistband of his jeans - his hips narrowing down into a 'v' shape below the denim. My hands can't stop smoothing across his torso, and I lean forward to have my lips mold against his.

As time goes on, the more I can feel my body heating up, and I want more.

I rock my hips against Harry's with more force, and a groan rattles within him that I feel vibrating back against my hands that are resting on his toned chest.

My lips venture away from his as I begin to tend to the skin of his neck like he did for me - his hands now securely on my hips as he keeps guiding me to grind on him.

"Oh, fuck," Harry moans before I begin to kiss him again.

My hands slide down to his jeans, and I undo the button and pull down his zipper as I lightly suck on the hinge of his jaw.

"That's it," he breathes. "Just like that, Gwen."

My movements cease, and it's like time completely stills as the name that isn't mine leaves his mouth.

I immediately feel tears burning in my eyes as I lift myself up to look at his face - his eyes still closed. After a moment, Harry flutters his eyes open, and he looks at me with confusion before I see the realization take over.

"Carter, I-"

"No, no," I shake my head, climbing off his lap, running a hand through my hair as I search for my shirt. I locate it and tug it over back onto my body as I wrap my arms around myself. "We shouldn't have done this anyway. That...we should just talk about it in the morning when we're sober."

"I didn't mean to, please, I don't want you to go to bed angry at me," Harry goes to reach out for me, but I move even further away.

"I'm telling you, Harry, the conversation needs to happen when we're both in a better state of mind," I tell him. "You know where everything is to get yourself situated."

Racing into my bedroom, I shut the door and press my back against it as I try to catch my breath. I can feel the tears streaming down my cheeks, and I give it a moment so I can gather myself before I walk into my ensuite. I've never been more thankful for having a full bathroom in my actual room until this moment.

I strip my clothes off after turning the shower on, and once the water is scalding hot, I step underneath it. I let it wash over me as I cover my face with my hands - reflecting on what just happened.

I just made out with Harry. My best friend. My sister's fiancé. The man I'm truly in love with, but he doesn't even know. The man who doesn't love me back in that same way.

Gasping to catch my breath due to how overwhelmed I was getting, I reach out to grab the bar of soap, and I start to lather my body. I continue to rub the bar over my skin again and again until I'm starting to truly scrub.

What Harry and I did just now was so wrong, and I need to scrub his touch off of me.

I exit the shower with bright red skin, and I change into my pajamas before I begin to brush my teeth. I stare at myself in the mirror as I do so - pressing a little harder tonight against my gums than I usually do.

His taste is still on me, and I need to rid myself of it.

Once I finish up in the bathroom, I collapse into my bed. I pull the covers completely over my body to hide myself away. As much as I don't feel like I could get sleep after what just happened, I know the alcohol is playing a factor into me feeling tired, and I drift off to sleep.

⋆★★⋆

The next morning, I'm woken up by a muffled voice outside of my bedroom door. I groan as I glance at my phone on the nightstand, and I see it's only a little past ten in the morning. Slipping out from under the covers, I rub my palm into one of my eyes as I open the bedroom door. I recognize the voice as Harry's, and I can tell that he's on the phone with someone.

"I was at Carter's, Gwen. I was going to get an Uber but they were super expensive, and I had one too many drinks at the pub and couldn't drive. I-"

I knew how Gwen could be if she was accusing you of something. I knew that's what she was doing to Harry right now.

She hardly allowed you to speak. It's been that way my whole life. Whether she was trying to say I took a shirt from her closet, or that I misplaced her favorite lipstick - she would always get out what she wanted to say first before hearing anything else.

"You don't believe that I'm actually here at her place right now? Do you want me to go and wake her up because I can? Where else would I-"

I can now hear Harry shuffling around my living room which makes it a little harder to hear the conversation. I'm sure he's trying to gather his things.

"Yeah, I'm about to leave right now. I'll take an Uber back to my car. I'll see you soon."

I give it a few more seconds before I make my presence completely known, and I walk out into the living room to see Harry already by my door - slipping into his shoes.

"Are you already-"

Harry cuts me off before I can even finish my sentence. "I'm sorry, I have to go. Gwen is pissed, and she's not going to hear me out until we're face to face."

I look down at my hands at I fiddle with my fingers, brushing my thumbnail against my cuticle out of a nervous habit. "I was going to fix us breakfast, and then I was going to drive you back to your car at the bar."

"I appreciate that, Carter, but I can't stay. I'll...I'll talk to you later."

I look up just in time as Harry slips out the door, and I feel my heart sink into my stomach.

He didn't even look at me once before he left.

#harry styles #harry styles au #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fic #harry styles writing #harry edward styles #harry styles ff

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his-saiko · 1 year

Text

You opened the door to see Kenma streaming a game. He didn’t bother turning to you but you see him briefly look to the screen where he sees himself and you behind him.

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t know you were streaming.” You bowed your head to the camera and turned to leave but Kenma quickly took his headphones off and called you.

“Did you need something?” He asked. He had his game paused and was waiting for your answer.

You winced a bit before answering. “I actually came to see if I could… cuddle with you.” You mumbled and pursed your lips as you fiddled.

“Oh, okay.” He shifted in his seat. “Come here.”

“Huh? But you’re streaming.”

“And I want cuddles.” He argued as if what he was asking for was normal.

“Wouldn’t your chat not like that?”

He looked at the live chat then slowly turned back to me and shrugged nonchalantly.

“Okay. Don’t complain to me when I fall asleep.”

“Okay.”

You sat down with your boyfriend and watched him play the game. You would also tell him what the chat was saying and occasionally answered questions. Enough people were asking you to play a segment that you went with it but it was very different from watching Kenma play.

Eventually, you got comfortable and were starting to become sleepy. Kenma must have noticed because he ended the stream. When he turned his PC off, he asked you to move to the bed.

The both of you got comfortable in bed and he just started up his switch to play a different game.

#haikyuu #haikyu #haikyuu!!#haikyu fluff #kenma kozume #kenma drabble #kenma headcanons #kenma x y/n #kenma x you #kenma x reader #hq kenma #haikyu x reader #haikyu x you #haikyu x y/n #haikyu x gender neutral reader

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justrainandcoffee · 2 months

Text

Against all odds (Alfie Solomons x fem!oc) Part 2

Crossover Peaky Blinders - Hunger Games

Series Masterlist - Part 1

Summary: The 60th edition started and Philip and Reah are in the Arena. Alfie knows this will not be easy and his hopes aren't very high. But those being officially the first games for Rose, she has other expectations. She's has hopes. || Two years later, during the 62th edition, Alfie is facing the consequences of being close to Mrs. Evert.

Series warnings: Mentions of sex (consent and non-con). Murders. Blood. PTSD. Cheating. Prostitution. || This is set in Panem universe. Topics as minors being sexual corrupted are also mentioned because it's CANON.

Words: 3.6 k || Alfie x Rose masterlist || Here I mentioned the OCs Eva who belongs to @evita-shelby and Lucy who belongs to @emotionalcadaver.

Hearing Alfie's advice, both kids survived the bloodbath but they got separated. While Reah was inside a stone cave, Philip went downhill in search of water. Neither of them had weapons yet, but the cameras showed how Reah was sharpening a rock to make a knife.

Alfie was watching everything in silence. It was as good that they survived that damn bloodbath. The previous year, both of his tributes died there. But they were weaker than the Philip and Reah, despite they were older. At least now Alfie could focus on searching sponsors.

His own bloodbath. His mind went to six years ago. The first one was a boy from district 7. Alfie grabbed him by the neck and smashed his head against a frozen rock. Two times was enough to kill him. Then, against the probabilities, he murdered the girl from district 1 who attacked him by the back. She was a well toned girl, trained to kill people even stronger than Alfie himself. But he managed to grab her by her braid and pushed her down. When she screamed and let him go, Alfie threw her to the ground and mounted her. The boy stabbed her in the eye with her own knife, she died instantly. The girl's body remained there with the handle protruding from her blue eye, the blade was deep in her brain. He grabbed the sickles and ran away.

"How are they?"

Hearing Rose's voice helped him to clean his thoughts. She had a plate of pastries in her hand and offered him one, which he accepted.

"Alive."

"That's good. How many died?"

"Seven. But there's one, the girl from district 10 who's severed injured. She's not gonna make it, she can't. Even if the mentor sends her medicine… so, eight."

"Poor girl. Suffering it's the worst part."

"I guess."

The screen showed a pack of tributes chasing a younger boy. They were laughing and cheering as usual. It was the adrenaline speaking for them. At the end of the third or fourth day, neither of them will be laughing anymore and probably most of the pack will be dead. But now their brains were still under the influence of the adrenaline and they were not conscious at all what the games were really about.

Rose saw how the man was staring the screens and decided to leave him alone. She didn't know what to say, after all and Alfie needed to focus on the kids. Maybe, one of them could be lucky enough to win the games.

The third night since the beginning of the games, Alfie returned to their floor to sleep. He needed to go to his bedroom to rest. But he found Rose at the table, she was clearly crying but tried to hide it when she heard him. She closed her sketchbook.

Alfie sat next to her. He didn't need to ask what was wrong with her, the reason was that Reah was dead. No one but the gamemakers killed her. She was running when an avalanche of stones fell over her head. Other two tributes died with Reah.

"You get used to it," he said. "Sooner or later."

"She was sweet."

"She was, yes."

"You really get used to it? Seeing the same kids you laughed with, you ate with… die like animals?"

"You need to get used to it, Rosebeth, or your going crazy," Alfie picked up some grapes that were over the table.

She shook her head, "that's not my fucking name."

"It's not? Then what's your name?"

"Just Rose."

"I prefer that. Why do you call yourself Rosebeth, then?"

"Because I need to be a new person here. I can't be Rose. Rose can't smile and pretend that everything here is fucking fine, when it's not. But Rosebeth can. She can. When I cross that fucking door I need to pretend. I have to clap, I have to laugh. It was my secret, no one knew my real name until now. But it doesn't matter now."

Alfie studied her. She wasn't just sad. The woman next to him was angry. Alfie remembered her words from the past week when they argued on the balcony. The eyes of a person who knew what you felt when you're waiting for a death sentence when you're only 12. Even if she escaped from it.

"Did you lose someone on the games?"

"No. At least no one I knew. My mother lost her best friend and the sister of hers, before I was born. The three of them were friends, apparently and my middle brother lost an old buddy. He was 15. This girl, Reah, she was… she was the first one I was close to," she didn't realise she was crying again. She kept talking while sobbing. "I thought… that maybe… I-I- even was designing a dress for her in case, she was the winner. FUCK!"

He couldn't help but put an arm around her. He was sure she wasn't the frivolous and indifferent woman he thought she was at first. At least she cared for the kids and her sadness was real. Rose was crying against his shoulder.

"It's okay, Rose. Sometimes is better to die there than face the consequences of surviving the games. Believe me: You don't win the games. You survive them... Sometimes not even that."

It wasn't uncommon for some victors to commit suicide. Alfie himself thought about it, but he never did it.

Rose relaxed when his fingers started to stroke her hair.

"I'm sorry," she said still against him.

"For what?"

"For everything. I'm not part of this, but living here I feel I own you an apology. For having to kill to survive, for whatever people did to you after the Games, for Reah… the other kids…"

"You did nothing. You're not the enemy."

"I married the enemy."

"But you're not him."

Finally she pulled apart from his shoulder. There was a wet spot on his shirt where her face was, she tried in vain to dry it out with her hand. For a moment both of them stared at each other in the eyes. Alfie wiped away the last tears of her face and she closed her eyes. She didn't need to see to know that Alfie was leaning towards her. Rose first felt his breathing against her skin, then his beard and finally his lips on hers.

It wasn't love. It wasn't even a 'I like you', it was a 'this is the only way I know to find comfort.'

It wasn't passionate, hot, messy either. It was a calm, soft but firm. If usually sex calmed his thoughts, Alfie discovered that kissing her gave him peace. Something he forgot he could feel.

"Thanks," he said later nuzzling his nose against hers.

"For?"

"For understanding."

This time it was her who kissed him. It felt good, probably the only good thing she felt since she put a foot in the Capitol four years ago. Alfie's hand was on the back of her head pushing her against him. For a moment the kiss was hotter than before. But Alfie stopped himself.

"I can't."

"Don't worry. It's okay. It's already late… probably we should go to sleep. It's… don't worry." Rose smiled at him, even when her eyes are still puffy and red. "Philip still needs you."

Alfie stood up and kissed the crown of her head before leading to his own bedroom. He couldn't sleep until hours later.

The next morning to Alfie's relief he discovered that Philip was still alive unlike tributes from district 11 and 12. The girl from 12 died because of Philip. Alfie was still amazed that a boy with only one had could be so skilled and strong. But the kid was and after four days he was still alive.

"Any luck with the sponsors?" Rose asked him.

"Not really. I think he needs water, maybe. I haven't seen him drink since yesterday and the landscape is terrible."

"Mmm. Let me help."

Alfie saw her fix her dress and after looking around she went to talk with an old man. Alfie understood what she meant with Rose and Rosebeth. The latter was chirpy and flirty, was full of joy and was very persuasive. Not long after, the old man approached Alfie and with his help Philip received not just water but necessary food.

Minutes later when they watched the screens both of them saw the moment that Philip received his gifts. The boy was happy. Alone behind a big rock, Philip calmed his thirst. Rose was happy too. Before going with the rest of the staff, she smiled and winked at him. And Alfie couldn't help but smiled too… for the first since he visited that damn place for the first time.

But happiness isn't something you can feel during the Hunger Games.

Philip survived, against all odds, to the sixth day. Not only that, he was one of the two last survivors.

The tension was palpable. It was him, a boy from the third poorest district, or the boy from district 4, one of the richest. But when you're about to die, the fact that you're poor or rich doesn't matter. Alfie could see his boy was tired, sweating and sick. But the boy from district 4 wasn't doing well either. One of his eyes was closed and his right knee was bleeding. Both boys were staring at each other. Dmitri, the other boy, had a hatchet but Philip had his spear. If Philip threw his spear and failed it was over. But Philip never failed. So, he did it, he threw his spear which ended in Dmitri's liver. The boy from district 4 fell on his knees.

Alfie forgot to breathe. He never, never wished the dead of any boy or girl, but…

Philip never failed. But Dmitri either. Even when he was half dead, his hatchet ended on Philip's skull. And the games were about the last man standing. And that was Dmitri. Philip was dead.

Alfie walked blindly towards the elevator. He barely saw around him. He pushed away aggressively the male mentor from district 12 who was on his way but this one said nothing. He knew what Alfie was feeling. Whatever he wanted to say it wasn't the moment. A red haired girl at his side remained in silence as well.

Alfie broke two glasses against the wall. Rage, fury… there weren't words to describe his anger. The young, cheerful, sweet Philip was so, so close to win his games. How many more times he was going to tolerate that? How many boys and girls were going to die under his protection? No one, except him, knew about the hate he experienced every time he had to face the family of those who died. As it was his fault that the games exist. As he himself wasn't haunted by his own demons. The faces of those kids… 12 mentored, 12 dead.

Alissa was quiet, too. Every year she had to see too those kids dying over and over again. When Rose opened the door, saw the broken glasses on the floor and Alissa on the sofa. But Alfie wasn't there. Carefully entering his bedroom, she saw him sat on the mattress with his face in his hands. She wasn't next to him when happened but in her studio. She was devastated like happened with Reah, or even worse because Philip was about to win. Just seconds away from his victory and in a millisecond… he was dead.

Alfie didn't watch at Rose when he heard her. Nor didn't react when she caressed his back. His mind wasn't there. The hatchet. Alfie could see Philip's death in his mind in loop.

He didn't realise he was trembling. But Rose did. He forced him to look at her by putting one of her hands on his cheek. She stroked his beard with her thumb, slowly and kissed him. Same as happened when Reah died, it was more comfort than other feelings. Alfie reciprocated. This time she ended on the mattress with him on top of her.

If it wasn't because of the fucked up situation. If it wasn't because of two kids were dead, the whole scene could've been interpreted as the beginning of something especial. Alfie was caressing her abdomen and she had her arms around him. But it was just a kiss. It helped both of them to feel better, if that was possible, at least for a moment.

"Maybe next year," she whispered against his mouth.

"Maybe next year."

But it wasn't the previous year. The winner was a boy nicknamed Jack from district 2. Tall, handsome and lethal.

But destiny it's so cruel that this year it was his twin brother who was competing. If he was like his brother, then the poor children from district 9 competing this year didn't stand a chance. In Rose's mind still was alive the memory of Philip two years ago. Last year the girl died during the bloodbath and the boy after two days.

She saw the reaping celebration. This year district 9 was represented by Armand (17) and Theresa (14). Alfie was right, you get used to kids' death as cruel as it sounded. She felt the death of the previous kids but it wasn't like with Reah and especially Philip.

She didn't have much hopes. Probably the winner was going to be the boy from District 2 and could join his brother in the glory of being a champion. Unless someone could bet him against all odds.

Alfie was staring through the train window. Theresa and Armand were talking to each other and giggling. Alfie didn't know if they were pretending that the train trip was something enjoyable or they were just ignoring their probably fate. Seven consecutive years as mentor and not a single winner. Alfie was sure that he'll never going to return home with a victor.

"I saw her the other day" Alissa commented sitting down at his side. She had a glass of orange juice in her hand.

"Who?"

"You know who, Alfie…" Alissa smiled sideways.

"Mmh."

"Her hair is shorter now. You should compliment her. We women like that."

Alissa looked at him. She had been there when Alfie was reaped eight years ago and saw him became a mentor, too. He was always a grumpy young man. But if Alfie thought she was an idiot, he was wrong. She saw the changes two years ago. She saw the way his eyes softened when he looked at her after the girl's death. And the previous year Alissa saw the way he brushed her hand when he thought no one was watching. And even if Alfie was determined to remain in silence, that it was his right, he couldn't lie to her.

"Anyway," Alissa said "I'm going to prepare for our arrival. You should do the same, Alfie."

"Her hair is shorter now."

Alfie found himself imagining her new look.

The first year together they kissed because they found comfort with each other. The second year they kissed for the same reasons but also because they wanted to. And it was almost every night.

And now… honestly he didn't need reasons. He just wanted to feel her.

He missed her.

She missed him.

While she was changing her clothes Rose realised that part of her anxiety it was because of Alfie. It wasn't just for the beginning of games, the costumes, the Arena… but him.

Last year, the last night, they slept together. Nothing sexual, just sharing the bed. They had been kissing because they had nothing better to do. Because it felt good. She was tired, so she cuddled up with him and fall asleep. The next morning she woke up with his arms around her waist.

Rose was still thinking about him like a friend. A friend she kissed on the mouth, french style.

But just a friend.

She tried not to run when she heard the train. Her electric blue dress with golden decorations followed her movements when she walked quickly towards the door.

Rose found Tigris in the hall waiting for the old mentor from district 10, a morphling woman, and her two new tributes. Rose didn't remember the name of the boy but the girl's name was Eva.

While she was waiting she saw the kid from district 2 and indeed it felt like she was looking the same boy from the previous year. Same smile, eyes and probably height, too.

Tigris was already talking with the old woman and greeted Eva and her male counterpart. Even when Rose never talked to Tigris personally, she knew it was a talented designer. And probably this year both teens were going to shine.

"Hello, hello!" Alissa captured Rose's attention with her loud voice.

There they were. There he was.

"Good morning, Alissa… Alfie."

"Good morning, Rosebeth," he greeted her using her fake name.

She smiled at him and then introduced herself to Theresa and Armand and told them about the ideas she had for them. The usual.

Another year. The sames hopes and the same fate for them, too. Alissa leaded the way to the elevator. Both kids were at her side. The other two, slightly behind them.

"You got your hair cut," Alfie commented remembering Alissa's words.

"Yes! I did!" she replied surprised that he had noticed it.

"I like it."

"Thanks, Alfie."

Alissa heard it, but avoided smile.

The Arena that year it was a desert. Rose heard the conversations about it inside the control centre. The microphone this time was inside a flowerpot she gifted to one of the gamemakers. The woman put the plant next to her desk and that was exactly what Rose was expecting.

After three years knowing him, Rose trusted Alfie but she was still scared of telling him her real reasons of why she joined the Games. She knew him and his temperament. Alfie was pure fire and the last thing she needed was him, or anyone else, interfering with her work.

The notes were hidden inside a painting that represented the Capitol. No one touched ever and since the first day it was there. Although it was obvious she was going to need a new place to keep the rest of them.

For their costumes this year she had decided to simulate a wheat field. A really long golden cape for both of the tributes that could fly in the wind with a lot of little wheat ears vertically sewed on them.

Alone in her studio, Rose was lost in her thoughts and enjoying the summer wind that entered through the open window. The background music relaxed her.

The sound of the door made her lift up her head from the clothes. She smiled.

"You shouldn't be here. It's late. And you should be sleeping to accompany the kids tomorrow."

"And I will be," Alfie replied "I'm just checking you're doing your work."

"It's that, so?" she looked at him who was sitting next to her now.

"Yes."

"Well, I'm doing my job, Alfie. And pretty well."

Rose grabbed one of the golden wheat ears and sewed it on his shirt. She was close to him and Alfie kissed her forehead.

"Don't move or I can prick you." It took her just few seconds to add the ornament to his shirt. "Now you're part of the team, too."

"I thought I was part of it from the beginning."

"But now is official."

He chuckled and finally they kissed. One more year. And they didn't have any more excuses for their actions.

The last thing Alfie wanted was to fall in love with a girl from the Capitol. But as he kissed her, Alfie realised that he lacked of words to describe that feeling.

"I missed you," she admitted.

"I missed you, too."

That was the third day in the training centre after the official presentation. Theresa was talking with the girl from district 11 and it seemed that she was teaching her about different techniques to create a trap. Armand was practicing with knives.

Rose was outside that place that was exclusive for trainers, mentors and tributes but she could see them through the windows. Next to her were other people, including Alissa and Tigris.

"Take a picture, last longer."

Alfie turned around and saw a read haired girl that he knew from being one of the mentors from District 12. Another mentor with the same luck as him. She had won the 58th games.

"Lucy."

"Hello, Alfie. If you continue staring her, you'll cause her a headache."

"I wasn't staring."

"Yes, sure." Lucy whispered to him "She's a married woman, you naughty boy. And a hell of husband she has."

"Exactly. She's a married woman means I'm not interested. Besides, this not a fucking romantic place. It's the fucking Capitol and this is the butchering season. 99% of this kids are going to die, the last thing in my mind is a married woman."

"How often do you lie to yourself?" Alfie huffed at her words, but Lucy still had things to say "people are commenting, Alfie. You're too close to her."

Alfie gritted his teeth. He whispered to her, too "she's not her fucking husband. She's not like him or any of the Capitol. How dare you to judge me when I suffered the same as you?"

"I'm not judging you, Alfie. But other people…" Lucy pointed with her green eyes to Aveline Young "Volcano girl thinks you're a fucking traitor. Tommy… I'll talk to Tommy. I spoke with Rosebeth once, she seems nice. But a lot of them suffered because of her husband. And now you're after her like a little dog. Don't blame them either. They don't know her but they do know him. And in their eyes, they are the same."

Next part.

Taglist: @call-sign-shark @peakyswritings @hoodeddreams13 @leenieweenie12 @lunarubra

#alfie solomons #alfie x rose #alfie solomons x oc #alfie solomons x ofc #hunger games au #peaky blinders #alfie solomons imagine #alfie solomons fanfic

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invisibleraven · 4 months

Note

“Can I sleep here with you?” Rose & Carlos

"You sure you have everything packed?" Rose asked as she watched Ray put the last of the shirts he had set aside into his duffel.

"Think so, and if not, it's too late now, I've got to get going to catch my plane," Ray hummed. "It's only for the weekend anyways."

"I'll still miss you," Rose said, looping her arms around his neck, stepping up onto her tiptoes to press a kiss to his mouth.

"Mmm, I'll miss you too mi amour," Ray replied, swaying them back and forth. "But the sooner I go, the sooner I get back."

Rose sighed and let him go, but gave him a playful swat to his butt as he passed. "Well get on then, I'll be here when you get back."

Ray smirked and blew her a kiss as he left, and Rose watched the car pull out. The house seemed so empty without Ray-even if it was only going to be a few days. More so with Julie at sleep away camp and Carlos at baseball camp every day.

She wandered through the house, humming to herself, an idle melody that would probably never turn into anything, but she still jotted down bits and pieces of it as she found scraps of paper around. The Petal Pushers were due for another show soon anyways, something new might be just what they needed to get them to be more regular about performing.

Victoria brought Carlos home before supper, but declined to stay, she had a Pilates class that night, but promised to meet up the next day for a morning of yard sales while Carlos had a play date with little Alfie Peters.

"Is papi gone?" Carlos asked as they ate grilled cheese sandwiches in front of the television-Rose wasn't a stickler about eating at the table when it was just her and the kids.

"He is, but he'll be back Sunday night, probably after you are gone to bed. But I'll make him come kiss you goodnight if you'd like," Rose replied.

Carlos hummed, nodding, but his attention was more so on the cartoons on screen than her. Rose got it-she would be more entertained by transforming robots at that age than her own mother. It was a quiet night, cartoons until bathtime, then a story and bed. Rose smiled as she kissed Carlos' forehead, wishing him goodnight.

Then she was left to her own devices-not really sure what to do with herself. She puttered around, finding little things to do, but eventually she found she couldn't stick to any one thing, and decided on an early night. Even if she knew she wouldn't sleep well in that big bed all alone-she never slept well when Ray was on an away shoot.

She had barely drifted off when she heard the door open, and a small voice called out "Mami?"

"What's going on mijo?" Rose asked, sitting up, seeing Carlos by the light of the moon through her curtains and the small glow of the nightlight in the hall.

"Can I sleep here with you? I had a bad dream."

"Of course you can," she said, pulling back her quilt, and patting the mattress next to her. Carlos raced over and snuggled into her arms. "Do you want to tell me about the dream?" Carlos shook his head against her chest, and she patted his hair soothingly. "Well then, let me know if it comes back, and I'll chase it away."

Carlos nodded, and was soon snoring in her arms. Rose smiled as she rubbed his back, watching him sleep. Soon enough he'd be too big for this, seeking her comfort after a bad dream, too big to climb into bed with her. Until then she'd relish these moments, even if she didn't wish nightmares on her children.

She found her eyes growing heavy as she listened to Carlos' breathing, feeling him warm and soft in her arms. And even if it wasn't the same as having Ray in the bed with her, she didn't find it nearly as hard to fall asleep that night-not with her son next to her.

And neither of them had anything but the sweetest of dreams for the rest of the night.

#filled prompts #ficlet #rose & carlos #julie and the phantoms

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hopemariposa · 1 month

Text

My Thoughts (That You Didn’t Ask For) Upon Watching Bluey

art creds: Pinterest @kawo2206

god bless *blows kiss* <3

I hate Muffin. I hate Muffin with everything in me. She is the bane of my existence. I have never wished such violence upon a toddler.

The use of the term “tactical wee” has become part of my everyday vernacular. i have to tactical wee before my classes. I must tactical wee on road trips. I tell my mother to tactical wee. Bingo’s off-handed line has overtaken my life.

I have cried far too often during these episodes. Sometimes it isn’t even during a particularly emotional scene. Sometimes I just…. Cry

in the episode “tickle crab” (S2:E1). legitimately laughed more than I do during quote-on-quote “comedy movies”

the recurring joke names used during play scenes makes me point and gawk at the screen the way that MLP FIM expected me to every time they introduced a new allicorn

It has healed parts of me that I did not know needed to be healed. I have an undiagnosed something and have needed therapy since the seventh grade. But that is unrelated, I am sure.

now I give you this rigorous list of my favorite episodes:

S1:E7 “BBQ”— it humors me.

S1:E11 “Bike”— also the first episode I cried during

S1:E17 “Calypso”— scratches an itch in my brain, bonus points because it’s wholesome

S1:E37 “The Adventure”— the perfect depiction of a child’s overactive imagination (it’s me, I’m child)

S1:E43 “Camping”— iconic episode, is the reason I got interested in Bluey, no matter what the ending will make me cry

S2:E3 “Dance Mode”— just…. such a good lesson for little kids to learn and… oopsie I’m crying again

S2:E13 “Army”— wholesome as heck. so so wholesome. also I love Rusty and Jack.

S2:E18 “Escape”— just a fun episode

S2:E20 “Queens”— Bandit in this episode??? funniest thing ever.

S2:E35 “The Quiet Game”— I love Alfie. loved him from the moment I saw him. he must be cherished. awkward little cinnamon roll 🥺

please send me Alfie fanart. please.

finally, I leave you with this:

#the first time I watched Bluey was at my cousins #spring break left me bored #I turned to Bluey ig #Hope rambles sometimes oops #Bluey #bluey cartoon #bluey heeler #bluey show #bluey fandom

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alfiely-art · 5 months

Note

I’ll go ahead and do it.

Makoto Kagutsuchi. Tell me all your thoughts about our silly little goof.

You have unleashed the beast AAAARGH

I'm gonna follow the number prompts but. Be prepared. This is gonna be long.

Okay before I talk about my first impression, you all need to understand. I went into this game almost entirely blind. The only characters I had seen were Yuma and Shinigami (of course), along with the train detectives, Swank, and the NDA (except Yakou). I also skipped the intro. I had no idea that Makoto existed. So. Imagine. I'm playing the game, all concerned about the NDA, and I(Yuma) wake up in this fancy ass bed. Immediately, I think, "is this some wattpad fanfiction? I've been sold to Raincode BTS....". I walk out of the bedroom. The cutscene starts. This skinny, naked little twink with a funky ass mask takes up my screen, giggles, does a bow, and Immediately my heart is stolen. This funky little guy has taken the top spot of my favorites. And he just continues getting better. He's SO eccentric and SO silly. He's ominous and I've decided he is best boy. Then there's the rest of the middest chapter in the game, and I'm feeling bored, then he takes a good scene with Yomi and makes it EVEN BETTER. Teasing what I thought was the big bad, immediately making all the other characters tense- he just. Commanded everyone's attention, in and out of the game. It's very rare for a character to be able to do that, and he just... does it consistently.

I have so many headcanons guys. Can you believe it. Alfie having headcanons about Makoto. Anyways! I think part of the massive walk-in closet he definitely has is dedicated to masks. The masks on his page in the art book and countless others. He also bleaches his hair. Also, I've talked about this before, but I think he had a similar relationship with the previous CEO that Yuma has with Yakou. A mentor of sorts, but definitely not just a boss and his employee dynamic. Oh, and I think he's got cool fangs. What's the point of being a homunculus if you don't get cool animalistic features. Also he is schizospec. Why? Because he's just like me fr. He's got the schizoid dilemma built into him from the ground up

Legitimately I don't think I have any complaints about Makoto. Like. There was never any point where I wasn't absolutely invested in what he was doing and fawning over him. Okay well actually I do have one complaint. Why don't I get to have gumshoe gabs with him, huh? Let me interact more with him. Maybe Yuma was feverish and shit after Makoto rescued him, so he forgot about their interactions. Please. I need it.

MAKOYUMA RAHHHHHH. Okay sorry I'll be normal. Anyway, I really like makoyuma. Sue me. My very first ship was selfcest, I guess I'm returning to my roots. I shipped them from the very moment Makoto showed up because there was just... so much he was hinting at. Of course, my initial theory was that Yuma was a homunculus and Makoto was either number one or closely related to Number One. But it was clear to me that Yuma and Makoto had SOME sort of connection, and I was right. Chapter five made me jaw drop. DESPITE ME GETTING SPOILED FOR MAKOTOS FACE. thanks Google. I still didn't realize what it meant when I saw it while trying to find a picture of Makoto to send to my friend... so it still shocked me. Anyway, Makoyuma just... has so much to it. Whether you're focusing on fluff or angst or hell, even dead dove shit. They can do it all. They're so complicated and I love them for that. They're very close to my heart. Other Makoto ships I enjoy are Makoyomi and, woah rarepairs, makoto + vivia and makoto + desuhiko. Makoyomi is a looney toons ass toxic yaoi and I think makoto and vivia would have a very interesting dynamic (not necessarily romantic), especially since... Makoto orchestrated Yakou's death. And with Makoto and Desuhiko I just like the idea of these goofballs being wacky.

Overall opinion: I have. Not been this obsessed with a character since Kiibo Danganronpa and Scaramouche Genshin. You know hyperfixations? Its like that. But I'm not autistic so it's not a hyperfixation. And mine involves adopting him into my identity. Permanently. Makoto is exactly the type of character I like and I enjoy him immensely. Stan Makoto!!!!

#rain code #master detective archives: rain code #raincode #mdarc #textpost #answering asks #makoto kagutsuchi #raincode spoilers

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kabbal · 2 years

Note

HI, Kabbal! I was wondering if you could a Jaydick relationship reveal headcanons?

Ohoho. Now this has comedy potential.

When Dick told Donna and Wally he was 'kind of seeing someone', they braced themselves for the worst. Because let's face it : Dick's taste in partners has been in a downward spiral for a good while. "It may seem a bit weird to you but I'm actually serious about them." Dick says. "Oh?" Donna asks. "Who is it?" She's mentally running through potential candidates - maybe Slade Wilson or some other up-to-no-good fucker who's going to trample all over Dick's heart. "It's Jason." Dick says, and Wally exclaims :"Oh thank God ! We thought it was going to be way worse."

"I kissed Dick yesterday." Jason says. Artemis squints at him, then goes back to polishing her axe. "Tongue ?" "Yes." "Good."

"Dick," Jason says, looking at the computer like every pixel on the screen is insulting him. "Why is are you reading a wikihow article on 'How to introduce a boyfriend to children' ?" "Well," Dick says. "At some point, I'm going to have to tell Damian about us. And I want it to go well, so..." Jason shakes his head: "Please tell me that doesn't make the brat my step-something." Dick offers him an apologetic smile. "Okay. I won't tell you." "Oh, don't get all smartass on me. It's not a good look." "Liar. You love how I look, anyday, anytime." "...Fuck, I do."

Jason knocks on the small wooden door, a small tray with two Darjeeling tea cups balanced on top. It's only a few seconds before the door opens, revealing Alfred, still freakishly put together in a nightshirt and cap. "Well, goodnight, Master Jason. I see you have brought tea. Is something the matter ?" Jason swallows. "Hello, Alfie. I... Can we talk? I want to ask for a... blessing of some sorts." Alfred's eyebrows briefly reach his nightcap. "Well, certainly. I do feel we should head in, then. No proper blessing can be given in an hallway."

Dick knocks on a small wooden door, a small tray with two Earl Gray tea cups balanced on top. When the door opens, he's surprised to see Jason standing in the treshold, with Alfred sitting inside the room on an armchair in his nightclothes. "Goodnight, Master Dick. I suppose you too are in need of a blessing?" Dick has never seen anyone sip tea in a more amused manner.

"On a scale from one to ten," Jason asks. "How pissed would you be if I dated one of your exes." Roy stops working on his arrowhead to glance at him from under his baseball cap. "Depends. Are you talking about mine or Kori's ?" The alien princess flies down to them, a curious light in her green eyes. "I would not be angry that you are courting someone I had known, Jason. Although it may appear to Roy as an attack against the brother code." "She makes an excellent point, Jaybird. What about the bro code?" "You're really gonna bring up the bro code when you slept with Dick's ex?" "We're not talking about Dick, loverboy." "I mean... we kinda are." "OH MY GOD, YOU'RE DATING DICK?!" "Oh, what a great news ! I am very happy for you, Jason !" "THE BRO CODE IS NO MORE."

"Hey, Dami ! Do you have a moment? I want to talk to you ab-" "Speak no more, Richard. I do hope you do not think me incompetent enough to not uncover your dalliance with Todd. As it seems to have put you in an agreeable mood these last few months, I will offer my reluctant approbation. However, do not let Todd mistake this for endorsement. He still must prove his worth to me before I may be willing to let him ask for your hand." "Aw. Come here, let me thank you for your blessing." "Unhand me immediatly Richard."

"I'm in love with someone." Jason says. "You know what love is, don't you?" Bizarro nods gravely. "Me knows. Love is Red Him. Red Her too." "Exactly. So, I'm in love. You met him once, at the circus. His name is Dick." "If Red Him loves Dick Him, me love Dick Him also." Jason smiles and pats the big, blue, shoulder. "Thanks, Biz'. It means a lot."

"Do you think Bruce knows ? About us ?" Dick says. His fingers are pressing in the dip between two muscles on Jason's thighs. "I don't know." Jason says. "It's a tight race between his undying obsession for surveillance and his everlasting unwillingness to see anything that goes against his worldview." Dick snorts. "Maybe we should do the nasty right under one of his cameras. Or on top of the Batmobile. He couldn't ignore it then." "I'm gonna act like like you didn't just remind me of one of my greatest teenage fantasies three inches awayfrom my cock and say that it wouldn't work. He would just repress the memory. And then ask Babs to wipe out the tape." "You're so mean. He absolutely would, the old bastard."

Dick walks down to the cave, a waffel in his mouth. He strolls to his bike and is surprised to find a note on the saddle. Please don't fuck on the batmobile. He absolutely would make me wipe out the tape. -Barbara.

They don't fuck on the batmobile (yet), but they do fuck on Jason's bike, grinding like teenagers and kissing until they feel like drowning. The comms are muted, the alley is quiet Jason feels like fire under his leather jacket. Dick is driving him mad with hisses and moans and teasing words : "Big bad Red Hood caught a bird -Ah! Mh, I wonder what he's going to do to poor old me." Jason wants to devour him but there's a loud noise above them and an even louder: "DON'T MIND ME! JUST PASSIN' THROUGH! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!" Jason winces, and Dick laughs. "Well, it's nice to know even Harley approves." "What would she know ?" Jason snarls. "She's got a shit taste in men." Dick nuzzles his cheek : "She got better. Now, let's listen to the lady. Kiss me again?" Jason does.

"Why does Harley Quinn think you're boning Jason?" Stephanie asks, and Dick doesn't spit his drink but Tim does. "What the fuck, Stephanie?!" He says with milk dripping from his chin. "The kitchen is a peace zone!" "That was a perfectly innocuous question, Timothy." Dick can feel the argument brewing, so he puts an end to it (or rather, starts a different argument. "I'm not boning Jason." He puts his glass firmly on the counter. "I'm dating him and making sweet sweet love to him." Steph is laughing. Tim is howling. "EMOTIONAL DAMAGE, MAN!"

Jason is out on patrol in Park Row, checking on the working girls, when a window opens above him. An old lady's head appears and she whoops : "Hood, dear boy! Is it true that you made an honest man of the Nightwing boy?" "Maybe I did." Jason drawls. "Or maybe he made an honest man outta me." The girls around him start hollering and patting him on the shoulder and Jason knows that by the end of the night, all of Park Row will know - if it doesn't already.

They're coming back to the cave after a busy night, all of them bruised and bloody. Jason is limping and Dick offered his shoulder as a crutch. Alfred is doing rounds, distributing painkillers and first aid kits. Dick's hand mindlessly strokes Jason's hair, until he gives in and kisses the white strands plastered against his sweaty forehead. There is no gasps in the room, no offended cries. From the corner of his eyes, Dick can see Alfred tending to a wound on Duke's head, Cass and Stephanie huddled together, Barbara and Tim already planning their next step, and Bruce- striding towards them, a pinched look on his face. "Nightwing. Red Hood. Vitals?" "Jason's leg took a hit," Dick says so Jason doesn't have to. "Other than that, we're both good." Bruce nods. "Good. I am... happy. That you are good. The both of you." And then he strides back to the computer without a second glance. "He so fucking awkward." Jason says. Dick nods, and plants a kiss to his lips next.

#jaydick #dc #jaydick headcanons #jason todd #dick grayson

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ro-sun0658 · 2 years

Text

I hated Kat but I have changed my mind.

Ok. So the way Kat acted in volume 1 and 2 was NOT IT. But now I feel like she is the only one that is actually honest to MC out of all of the islanders. And I trust her the most out of all the other islanders rn. She acts like she doesn't care about anyone but herself but I think she really actually cares about MC and wants what's best for her. She made Alfie come clean after saying he only had eyes for Kat while flirting with MC. And now I'm low key hoping for like an enemies to lovers type thing with Kat and MC but I'm not gonna keep my hopes too high just in case.

Now I also like Eddie and trust him but HE NEEDS MORE SCREEN TIME.

Then there's Finn who is for sure a player.

And I don't trust Suresh cause of his emotional and physical cheating. And Dana is a hypocrite even tho I started to like her now she likes Suresh after shit talking him more than MC.

When Kat exposed Alfie I started to not trust him so now Kat and Eddie are my only hopes. Fusebox really out here trying to give me trust issues.

#love island the game #litg #litg s5 #litg season 5 #litg suresh #litg alfie #litg eddie #litg kat #litg dana #litg finn #litg ex in the villa #litg eitv

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wa-royal-tea · 2 years

Photo

Previous | Beginning | Next

(Transcript under the cut - Click Pics for HQ Version!)

@thebrixtons

Crystal Bridal, Brindleton (2:30pm)

Ginny: The boys are really enjoying themselves today.

Indirah: Why’d you say that?

Ginny: Rainier just sent me a picture of them hanging out at a café. I could’ve sworn he said he was tired when we arrived last night.

Indirah: Tired my ass. Who else is there?

Phone Screen: [Contact Name: Rain-near 🌧🥰]

Rainier [text message]: I’m at Starbucks, you want anything?

Ginny [text message]: Mint chocolate chip frappe please ^^

Ginny [text message]: I’m gonna be home a bit late. Don’t wait for me!

Rainier [text message]: Alrighty. Be careful~

Rainier [text message]: Oooh, your ex is here too! 😏

Ginny: It’s just Alfie, that Astor friend of his. Oh! Carlos’ there too.

Indirah: Yikes. Does Rainier know about Carlos?

Ginny: Yeah. I told him everything. I think he doesn’t mind. He did sent me the “oh, your ex is here too.” message.

Indirah: *scoffs* Not the jealous type huh?

Ginny: I’ve never seen him jealous so far.

Indirah: Yeah, so far. Guys like him are scary when they’re jealous. You don’t want to see that.

Ginny: I mean, I don’t mind if he’s a bit jealous. I do want to see another side of him, y’know?

Indirah: You two have been together longer than Alfie and Lina. Haven’t you seen everything?

Ginny: Well yeah, but that doesn’t mean I’ve seen everything everything. Mum said guys won’t show their true colors until you marry them. I still need to be careful.

Nora (in the background): I think an A-line dress would look good on you, don’t you think?

Catalina:...

Clementine: Lina? Earth to Catalina?

Catalina: *startled* H-huh? What?

Clementine: Nora asked you a question. Is everything okay?

Catalina: I...I’m fine. What did you ask, Nora?

Nora: I was just suggesting that maybe you could get an A-line dress for the ceremony. But if you don’t like that, maybe you can ask Miss Karina for her opinion.

Catalina: I uh...I don’t know. I’ll be fine with whatever dress that looks good.

Karina: I’m sorry, your royal highness. But the Queen and Crown Prince specifically said that you have full control over how your wedding dress will look like. I’ll just tailor it to your liking.

Catalina: Oh, uh, alright. I think Nora’s suggestion is good. I do like A-line dresses. Maybe some lace for the sleeves and shoulder area too?

Karina: Mhm, I’ll write that down. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Catalina: Hmm...I don’t think so?

Karina: Okay. We can always add anything else you think of in our next appointment.

Catalina: Yeah, alright. Thank you for today, Miss Karina.

Karina: It’s a pleasure, ma’am.

Clementine: Lina, we’re going to Ginny’s for lunch. Join us?

Catalina: I’d love to, but I’m a bit tired. Maybe another day?

Nora: Is everything alright? You’ve been acting different today.

Catalina: I’m fine, Nora. Don’t worry. I’m just...exhausted from everything.

Clementine: You need a break. Go home and rest.

Catalina: I will. See you guys later. Tell Ginny I’m sorry I can’t join you guys.

Clementine: Mhm. Take care.

Symphony Manor, Holan (3:28pm)

*door opens and closes*

Julia: Welcome home, your royal highness.

Catalina: Oh! Julia, you scared me. Why haven't you gone home yet?

Julia:...I was waiting for you, ma’am.

Catalina: *sighs* Another one?

Julia: I’m afraid so.

Julia: Here, ma’am.

“You’re making a mistake. You think he's going to accept you as you are after what happened in the past? Don't be naïve. - G”

Catalina *thinking*: Who is this “G” person? Why did they keep on giving me these weird letters?

Julia: Ma’am? Should I let the Crown Prince know about this?

Catalina: No. He’s already busy with other matters. I don’t want to worry him more.

Julia: But—

Catalina: I’ll be fine, Julia. Go home, please.

Julia: I’ll take my leave then. Please excuse me.

Alfie *from downstairs*: Lina? You home?

Catalina: Shit.

*door opens and closes*

Alfie: There you are.

Catalina: Hey. You’re back early. I thought you were having fun with the boys?

Alfie: I did. But Carlos had to leave. He has to pack for Gardania tomorrow. He has another movie shoot there.

Catalina: O-oh. That’s cool.

Alfie: What are you doing here? I thought you’d be back late?

Catalina: I was tired.

Alfie: Tired? Are you sick? Here let me check—

Catalina: *jumps back* No!

Alfie: Is everything okay? Why did you flinch? Did I do something wrong?

Catalina: No, I mean—I’m fine. I’m just...tired. I’m going to take a bath.

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clicruz13 · 10 months

Text

Peter and Bruce

Chapter 5: Bruce Wayne, Crime Lord of Gotham; Part 3

“- state of emergency… Gas mask requirement until 2:00am. Evacuation is in progress for Bo….” Peter nearly snapped the knob off the radio.

Thompson glanced over her cards while Peter sat back down. Alfred sighed.

“It should be over soon enough.”

“Maybe.” Thompson gritted out, the nails of her free hand tapped on the island.

Alfred placed a hand over hers. “My dear, I’m sure you’ll be right back in the action soon enough. At least, Miss Reid is proving herself. And Fox Jr. is not a slouch either.

Thompson snorted. “Who knew old Alfy could have good ideas.”

‘The not-knowing is always the worst.’ Peter grimaced at his phone, ignoring the byplay. ‘If I had my suit…’

Peter shook his head at his foolishness. ‘Don’t be stupid. No one know who Spiderman is here. Nor do I know enough about the criminals in the Asylum. Besides I don’t even know where Wayne sent the kids. Though knowing Mr. Heartless, probably in the middle of it to keep control over his criminal empire.’

Peter, at some point, fell asleep on the island counter. When he woke, he was alone. A blanket had been draped over him. The tea set washed and put away. Cards neatly placed in their box. The morning sun streamed in the windows.

Peter gave a triple whistle; high-high-low and waited. No reply.

Checking his phone made him sigh in relief. The kids had responded that they were alright sometime early in the morning. However the lack of the Doctor and Alfred was … wait, a text from Alfred. Both had gone into town to check on the clinic.

Peter headed to his room to take a shower and get at least a meal started. When he entered his room, his sixth sense flared. The window was opened.

The first attack missed as he dodged but he moved right into the second one.

Bam.

______________________________________________

“I thought you said this room would be empty!” Peter grunted as his throbbing head reminded him of the hit. One of his attackers had wrapped him up in wire. Someone was also laying on him.

‘Ugh, would be easy to snap if need.’ Peter squinted. ‘At least they put me on the bed.’

“Hey, I wasn’t expecting a Pennyworth 2.0 either.”

‘I am not sure if I should be insulted or flattered.”

“At least, he’s a cute version.” The first shifting into a bubbly singsong tone. “I think somebody’s up.”

‘Space please.’ Peter thought as his sight was filled with a pale Gothic blonde with pink and blue pigtails.

She giggled at his discomfort. She was kicking her feet in the air.

‘Is she wearing a cat costume?’ Peter saw the glimpses of the second intruder with pointed cat ears.

“Harley…”

“Don’t worry, Kitty-kat.” The named Harley chirped. “You can do whatever in Hunky-Wayne’s office. I wanna to stay with the cute butler.”

“Just don’t kill him or something.” Kitty-kat sounded like she was just done.

“Who me? Nah, that was more of Red’s thing.”

‘Wonderful.’

Peter tried to be subtle about trying to get out from under her. Only for her to hug him.

“And where do you think you’re going?” She was pouting. “We should get to know each other better. Granted we need to keep ya a secret from Pudding.”

‘Pudding?’ Peter felt a bit incredulous.

“He gets so jealous easily. He just might kill ya if he found out.” She put her cheek in her hand, looking pensive. “So, shh. Right? Anyway, are those bandages covering something or they just for looks?”

Peter just blanked out. “Seesh, you’re the silent type, ain’t ya.”

Peter’s phone buzzed with a notification. “What do we have here?”

‘Should have put a lock on that.’ Harley sat up on his chest as she opened the phone. Her fingers flied across the screen.

“Oh, ya’re a Petey. That’s a nice name for a nice face.” She blinked at what she was reading. “Aw, crap. Well, it’s been nice meeting ya, Bandage-man. Maybe when ya in town, I’ll see ya. Nite-night.”

‘Wha-.’

WHAM.

______________________________________________

‘Agh, I’m getting slow in my old age.’ Peter thought wryly. ‘Maybe I’m just a masochistic.’

Alfred readjusted the ice-pack. “Hold it a few moments more. The swelling is almost completely down.”

Alfred, content with Peter’s progress, patted his hand as he left. “I need to check on Miss Stephanie and Miss Cass. “

Tim, arm in sling, sipped a large mug of java. “Either you are the luckiest man alive, Mr. Parker, or the unluckiest. Can’t decide.”

Peter gave a deadpan glare. Tim jiggled the tablet he tucked into his sling with a shit-eating grin.

“I mean the footage caught them downing you and drag you in. Then fifteen minutes later, Catwoman exits but Harley Quinn stays for longer. And we find you in the bed, tied up. Kinky.”

Peter considered his options but Jason beat it to him.

“OW.” Tim nearly dropped his precious coffee.

“Oops, my hand slipped.” Jason deadpanned. “They didn’t do anything else to you, did they?”

Peter frowned, tilting his head so the ice pack stayed while he gestured. [Card girl talk.]

“I bet.” Tim muttered as he put his mug on the island. “OWCH.”

“Next time, you pair up with Damian.” Jason snagged the empty mug to dump in the sink. “You and Dick are a horrible combination.”

“What?” Tim exclaimed. “Please don’t! I’ll -”

Peter’s sixth sense didn’t overload him like it had earlier but it rose to a dull roar. Peter turned as the two boys fell silent. Wayne stood, emanating predatory energy and only a bandaged first. Peter stood up, allowing the ice bag to land on the table. Peter watched warily as Wayne scanned the room.

Wayne’s eyes landed on Peter. Peter found himself dwarfed in Wayne’s shadow. Wayne’s eyes seemed to harden impossibly harder as he lingered on the rapidly yellow-green on Peter’s face.

Wayne breathed in deeply once, twice. Peter thought for a split second he heard a rumble.

Something vaguely familiar tickled Peter’s mind.

‘Deja vu and I need to have a talk soon.’ Peter mused as he meet Wayne’s eyes evenly.

“Hey, Old Man, how’s Damian?”

Wayne blinked and just like that, his eyes softened back into a summer sky. For a second, Wayne seemed confused but he masked it. Had Peter not been watching, he’d miss it. Wayne moved to pick up a fresh coffee. Tim was typing on his phone, like he received a new text.

“The head wound looked worse than it was. Fox patched him up.”

Peter hid his clenched fists behind his back. ‘Looks like he ain’t hiding his secret anymore.’

“You ready for my report.” Jason asked mildly despite the tension in his jaw.

Wayne’s eyes drifted back to Peter before agreeing. Peter only relaxed when he heard them enter Wayne’s office. Tim grabbed Peter’s arm.

[Thing wrong.]

“Yeah, I agree.” Tim said very softly. “I’m not sure what’s going on with Bruce but I’ve already asked Barbara. I think it might be safer if you stayed with her for a few days.”

Peter raised his hand to sign but Tim shook his head sharply.

“It's triggered by you. Whatever this is, it only occurs when you’re around. I’ve been watching the footage.”

‘And if it’s because I’m a meta-human and older…’ Peter fretted.

[D-U-K-E?]

Tim’s brow furrowed before clearing. “Don’t worry. If it’s based on THAT, one of the people coming to help definitely keep his attention.”

______________________________________________

Peter never even made it down the front steps of the manor an hour later. Even before Barbara gasped the beginning of a warning, Peter twisted to dodge the tackle. Wayne’s eyes were trailing glowing blue light and the snarl he gave emphasized fangs as the man twirled around.

‘Shit.’ Peter finally recalled what was going on. ‘You’re an idiot, Peter.’

Peter gave up the pretense of hiding what he could do. As Wayne got closer, Peter used Wayne’s momentum into a flipping kick. Wayne landed in the fountain in the drive.

“NO WAY.” Peter heard Duke exclaimed.

Peter barely flipped upright when Wayne was already closing the gap. Wayne to Peter’s trained sense was beginning to leak magic.

‘Wonderful. What type of demon is this?’

Wayne lunged and kicked out. Peter pirouetted to avoid it, only to have to dodge the next. He glimpsed that Duke (who was fricking flying, of all things) had gotten Barbara out of the damage zone. Right, the wall.

‘Not this again.’ This time Peter launched himself straight up to avoid the broader man from boxing him in. He used the back of Wayne’s head as he descended down to launch himself further away. Admittedly the thud Wayne’s head made against the wall was satisfying. A glance back had him groaning.

‘Alfred wasn’t kidding about him being hard-headed.’

Wayne was fricking smiling as if this was exciting. Peter watched warily from his new perch on a lamppost. Wayne stalked in a wide half-circle.

‘Damn it.’ Peter didn’t let the older man out of sight. ‘He’s trying to keep me here.’

Wayne took a step forward towards Peter, only to be forced back by a bullet. Wayne turned, snarling at the interloper. Jason, head bleeding, held a sniper weapon trained on Wayne as the teenager walked down the stairs.. The rest were positioned defensively around the door. Even Alfred held out his shotgun.

‘Shit had gone sideways in Dunnage.’ Peter’s grip dented the pole.

“Back off, B.”

“No.” Came the guttural response.

Peter, unable to dull the sense in time, was blinded by the magic flare of teleportation. However the meaty thud and Jason’s resulting groan told Peter the story he needed to know.

“Do not interfere.” Wayne barked as he tossed Jason back up the stairs.

‘Come on, it’s not like he’s giving you time to get any seals drawn out.’ Peter’s mind raced.

Peter dodged – barely when Wayne appeared from behind. A few glancing blows didn’t faze the older man.

‘Good news, folks, I’m readjusting. Bad news. He’s getting quick.’ Peter lamented as he was driven back towards the manor.

Peter undershot his flip and ended up with a punch that took the air out of his lungs. Wayne, eyes gone full on cat-like, wrapped his arms like steel around Peter. They both looked eyes. Wayne leaned slightly closer.

“Hello, little mage.”

‘Wa?’ Panic rose up as Peter’s upper functions shut down.

“Am I interrupting?” Someone causally spoke as they floated down right next to them.

In half of a breath, Wayne released him on an account of a punch to the jaw.

‘Get out. Get out, getout, getout. Gogogogogogogogogo.’

Peter fled into the gardens.

Scrambling into the better-than-nothing safety of the topiaries.

Through the orchard.

Falling off the edge of the terrace and into the pastures.

Shade, darkness.

Hide. Hide.

Shhh.

When the panic subsided, Peter found himself cocooned in the corner of the barn. He could hear Alfred the cat mewing at him, Titus whining, and the cow restlessly pacing.

Peter stared at his reddened wrists and began to laugh. And laugh until the tears started.

‘Guess I didn’t actually need the shooter after all.’ He tilted his head so he rested against the back of the cocoon.

“Oh shit.” Duke’s voice woke Peter out of his exhausted doze. “What the hell is that?”

Peter could sense Alfred the cat brushing up against an exterior support

“It’s Peter.” Damian said matter-of-factually. “The tracker leads to here.”

“How are going to get him out?” Duke questioned.

Peter tiredly rolled his eyes. Reaching out, he ripped open the cocoon at little too much and dumped himself onto the loft. He grunted.

Damian helped him up to his feet. Duke stared at the slowly dissolving web. Peter couldn’t find the words to reassure the boys. The panic had drained him completely.

As such, he could be forgiven when exactly he was given the last piece of the Wayne family’s secret for his reaction.

As they rounded the front of the manor, Wayne was sitting on the steps. Wrapped in a blanket, Wayne looked as drained as Peter felt. Jason, at least sitting up and alert, grumbled at Alfred tending to his injuries. Cass and Stephanie were chatting with Barbara. A dark-haired woman in a stage magician costume was talking with Dick dressed in a dark body suit and mask.

‘Eh? Dick in a body suit…’

Peter looked at the four other people talking to Wayne. Superman. Wonder Woman. The Flash. Green Lantern. He had seen them from time to time on the news when he was able to catch it, in papers, and more recently on the internet. Wayne was the first to look up. Peter’s body finally gave out.

‘Holy shit. Batman.’

#Peter and Bruce #Batman/Spiderman crossover #Spiderman #Batman #peter parker #bruce wayne #batfam #alfred pennyworth

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mortallyclearwonderland · 1 year

Text

Unicorn: Warriors Eternal - Episode 2

I watched Unicorn: Warriors Eternal episode 2. I watched the first one on youtube and didn't know the second was out. But now I caught up on the series.

The great things from episode 1 still remain. So let's start with the ''negatives''. Let's go from the smallest ''problem'' to the biggest one. The reason why I used '' '' is because those things didn't bother me too much. But they might be for some people and it's worth addressing.

1. I know there are people who would love to see an entire episode dedicated to Edred/Dimitri and Alfie/Seng, because the first one was pretty much about Emma/Melinda. I personally don't mind because Emma/Melinda had to share her screen time with the lore and the setup for the story. Also, I hate when stories drag on for no reason if they don't have enough backstory for an entire episode add something else important! I think they implemented introductions to Alfie/Seng and Dimitri/Edred. Also, it's not like it's over. Their current and previous lives fighting for dominance seem to be a major part of the story. We just have to wait and see. Hope it's not a letdown.

2. The voice acting. I don't know if the voice actors for Emma and Alfie are young and inexperienced or if they try to put on an accent and they can't keep it and act emotionally at the same time but something's not right. When Emma is quiet and shy the voice actress fits perfectly but when she needs to shout, it's as if she doesn't want to wake her parents in the next room. And when Emma and Alfie have their Rush Hour 3-like comedy routine it's like they just reed lines and don't talk to each other. Dimitri/Edred has the best voice actor because he actually can emote and his voice is nice to listen to. This is great because it seems he's the one who's going to do a lot of talking with his personality and being the one who has to explain a lot of stuff because he for some reason can remember more than the others. (I will write about it later.) I've seen people upset that after his transformation he lost his Russian accent. I understand. In the limited time he was on screen Dimitri charmed a lot of people and out of all characters, he looks the least like his original self. He only kept his outfit. But I think it can be a great indicator of who is talking. If it's a Dimitri who's in control we will hear his accent. At least I hope so. It would've been a waste if they didn't use it. All in all, I don't mind and it should get better as the series goes on.

3. Timeline? The only date we have been provided is 1772. That's when the school for orphaned boys has been established. We have no idea how long it's been active and how long it's been abandoned. It can be the 21st century with steampunk coating for all we know.

youtube

4. My biggest problem with this scene is how confusing it is. Emma is watching Winston play against the boys from the school for orphaned boys. I guess they let boys of all ages play because Alfie is referred to as just a kid even after who knows how much time has passed since then. In all the information about the show, the word teenagers keep coming up. I don't know about you, but for me, a teenager is a person from the age of 13 to 19. You know? The -teen part! Emma was about to get married so I assume she's 18 at least. I guess Dimitri is 18/19 because he must be old enough to travel on his own. Unless he had run away from home.

Just out of curiosity, I googled marriage in 18th-century England. These are the results!

Until 1823 the legal age in England for marriage was 21 years for men and women although after 1823 a male could marry as young as 14 without parental consent and a girl at 12 although most girls didn't marry until around the ages of 18 to 23.

And there you have it folks! The show takes place after 1823 and Emma is around 18/19 years old. But hey, it's just a theory. A TV show theory! And cut.

This episode was fun. I have to admit I feel kind of smug knowing I predicted the love triangle. Wait is a triangle if there are 5 people in it? Emma loves Winston, Melinda loves Edred, and Dimitri might have some attraction to Emma/Melinda but he could've just been nice. .) Shipers, your time has come!

#Unicorn: Warriors Eternal - Episode 2 #Unicorn: Warriors Eternal #Unicorn Warriors Eternal #uwe edred #uwe #edred #melinda #uwe melinda #emma #uwe emma #Edred/Dimitri #Alfie/Seng #6 Unicorn Warriors Eternal spoilers

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simon-x-billy · 1 year

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Simon x Billy

Year of the OTP: April

April Ch. 4: Are you alive?

April prompt: Seemingly unrequited love

Guest starring, Alfie Jones

AN: Fast-forward two months, and Billy’s still worrying about that American bloke he bundled off back to Brooklyn. Btw, he is also a man whore. No tea no shade, he just loves women (a lot and frequently). This chapter is part of a massive rewrite of Simon x Billy in honor of the Year of the OTP event on ao3. TW: This chapter includes trans themes, which I have hopefully treated with genuine feeling and respect. If you do feel triggered and there is something I can do to be better, please let me know. Gratitude and love.

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-----/Billy/-----

I’ve barely made it two months.

Billy: Are you alive?

Simon: Who is this?

Billy: You know who this is - are you alive?

Simon: Yes

-----/-/-----

Here I am just leavin to fetch Anna Lucia and my text notification sounds out. Last time I saw this name on my screen, reckon it’d be about a month past.

First dates. That’s a great feelin, isn’t it? You know you’re gonna kiss, but you don’t know when. Your heart’s poundin. And then the cell buzzes. Hope she’s not begging off. Took her ages to even sustain eye contact with me. To be honest, you know you’re bein flirted with when I come at yeh. Not that I’ve been pesterin her. Her eyes just couldn’t bear lookin straight into the sun. Ah, I’m only jokin.

Right, give m’self one last lookover. “Teeth, check. Hair, check. Cock in, check. Smell good, check. Phone, check. Text check…

Simon: Are you alive?

Billy: What’s up, man? All right? You well?

Time, check. Tick tock tick tock. Come on, man, I can’t be sat here waitin on yeh to decide whether yer textin back. Anna Lucia’s-

Simon: There was an earthquake in Northern Italy

Billy: Yes, that is correct - there was an earthquake in Northern Italy

Simon: You ok?

Billy: Yeah man, did you worry? That’s so sweet

Simon: Shut up

Billy: Then you wouldn’t know whether I survived the earthquake in Northern Italy

Billy: Don’t be losin sleep on my account, man - I’m well to the south

Billy: Big landmass, we’re not fallin into the sea

Billy: That sorta thing only happens in America

I pause, thinkin that he might take the bait, but it’s been a minute without a response and I’ve got a stunner waitin on me.

Condoms? Definitely. Check.

-----/Simon/-----

Billy: Simon

Simon: What

Billy: …

The little typing-in-progress dots start and stop, and start and stop again.

Billy: Nevermind.

Nevermind. Nevermind? Nevermind?! What the fuck?! You can’t just - grrrrrr. Sometimes I hate that guy.

Shit. What if something’s wrong.

What if he’s lost fingers and can’t thumb in a text. Besides “Simon” and “nevermind.” Yeah, no, that’s ludicrous, Lewis. Obviously. Certo.

Two hours later, and I’m still distracted. ‘Nevermind?’ Rude.

Annoying.

Fucking obnoxious, is what it is.

I do not need this kind of thing in my life. And I don’t even know the guy. So I delete him from my contacts.

I already kinda regret it.

Fuck.

——-/-/——-

So yeah. Fuck. I still regret it.

For a whole week. Shit.

Did I put it under Terrazze……. Or di Limoni? Ah, ok. The phone ringing in Italian sounds weird and wrong. Sorta like me in Italian.

“Ciao, Terrazze di Limoni, parlando Rosalina. Come posso aitutarti?”

“Um, si, I’m good, thank you…um, I don’t parlo Italiano.”

“Si, signore. How can I help you?”

“Thanks. I’m looking for Billy Delaney. Or, actually, I just need his phone number. I lost it.”

Nothing.

“Billy from the restaurant?” I clarify.

Again, nothing. “Yes?” I ask.

“Yes? Is this a question? I do not understand you, Signore Laywees.”

Ok, redirect. “Do you know his cell phone number? Please?”

“I can not, no.”

“Is there someone who does know his number? Maybe the computer?”

“No. Non signore. I am not permiso. Emmm, how you say, permit to give to you the informazione that is personal to him.”

“Oh. Yeah, I guess I can understand that. Makes sense. But since I know him?” Please please please.

She is silent, again. Until, “Is this a question? I still do not understand you, Signore Laywees.”

“I’d really like to talk to him. Via text, I mean. Send a text - to him.”

“Sí, signore.”

“Yes? You’ll give it to me?”

“No.” She makes it sound so final and permanent.

“Do you remember that he and I are friends? I stayed in the suite up on the top floor?”

“Si. You are the American on the roof.”

“I what? No, nevermind. He is still at the hotel, though, right?” Maybe I can just ask to speak to the mana-

“No.”

“Wait, what?”

“No. He is no longer at the hotel,” she informs me.

“But he’s still in Sorrento, right?”

“No.” It sounds so final and permanent.

Panic. “But-“

“He is in London,” she adds.

“Wait, what?”

“He is in London.”

“I didn’t know that,” I say quietly to myself.

“Certo.” Obviously? She thinks I’m obvious.

So now it’s even more important that she give me his number. Cuz if I ever need to get in touch with him, they wouldn’t give it to me. Not a chance.

“No.”

Goddammit, Lewis. “Did I say that out loud?”

“It was quiet, Signore.”

“Pardon?”

“Si. I perdonna you.”

Help? Confused. “Please, I need to talk- to text him. Even more now that he isn’t in Italy anymore. If you don’t share his number,” I say, kinda more to myself than to her, “then that’s it.”

“What is it?”

“I mean-” Shit, I suppose that really is it, then. I won’t get to tell him I’m over Voldemort and her nighty. I was kinda looking forward to that. “I guess it’s just that that will be it. In terms of knowing him. Friends. So, yeah. I guess I just won’t know him anymore.” This is the single most embarrassing experience I have ever had. Since my trip to Italy.

“Ah, si. Ssssssi.” She stretches out the last word, so it sounds like she’s mulling something over.

“Signore Laywees,” she says in a muffled whisper. “His numero is-“

——-/-/——-

Simon: Billy

That Irishman:

——-/-/——-

Rude!

——-/-/——-

Three days later it’s even ruder. More rude. (I’m allowed to think with bad grammar.)

I shouldn’t have bothered getting the number. That’s an hour of my life I’ll never get back. I mean, how many more days is he… You know what? Fuck it. I don’t even care.

This is me not caring.

At all.

—--/Billy/—--

Fucksake, Simon. I was with a girl. Lucrezia with the long legs, and what, you want me to pull out to answer your text?

Y’ know what - I’m done with this. He’s alive. That’s fine. All I needed to know.

Deleted.

—--/Simon/—--

Simon: Where are you?

That Irishman: New phone, who dis?

I - wow. That kind of - stung.

Stings.

—--/-/—--

It’s been a week and it’s still stinging.

Simon: Are you alive?

I couldn’t go a week without texting. What the fuck is wrong with me.

That Irishman: New phone, who dis?

Ow.

He ghosted me. Actually, like, in reality, intentionally ghosted me.

Simon: You know who this is.

You know what? I’m done.

I do not need this in my life right now. My book placing Simon out front as main character is due in two months, but Me Simon, the author? I’m still stuck. I still suck. I’ve scrapped everything I’ve written about him.

So of course I start writing an entirely different story. Which then turns into an idea for a Warlock spinoff series for my most flamboyant and interesting character.

It’s a love story between boys. It’s been building over the course of all three books, and I just can’t shove it out of my head. And the fans want that just as much as they want a Simon book. Easiest way to avoid doing something you need to do? Do something else you need to do.

Shit. I need to do some research.

That Irishman: Why?

Huh. Interesting point. I-

Simon: I don’t know

—--/Billy/—--

I think we’ve gotten past our - whatever it was a few weeks ago. That was weird. Yeah, weird. We were up each other’s arses about - what? Nothing at all. Immature and grating, and yet, we’re still texting. A little more often now. But usually it’s of the “are you alive?” variety, with single word, single syllable answers from Simon. “Are you over her?” “Yes,” that sort of thing. I can’t tell whether he’s pissed, or just wants to know I’m alive. I thought I was supposed to be knowing that he was alive.

Billy: Are you alive?

Grumpy: I guess

Billy: Two words! We’re making progress

Grumpy: Shut up

I laugh.

Billy: I’m not talking, I’m texting. If you want me to stfu, just put the phone down

Billy: Try it - now

Billy: See? Silence. Wasn’t that nice?

Grumpy: You really can’t can you

Billy: Can’t what

Grumpy: Shut up

Billy: Jaysus, Simon. Put the phone back down. I don’t need to be hearing you being mean

Grumpy: Funny

Billy: You know man, you’re like the Hemingway of texting

Grumpy: So literary

Well, he’s not biting. Much. Why do I bother? Have a better conversation with the cat.

Of course my friend Rachel’s a cat person. I like that about her. And her cat.

So I feed the cat. And Rachel, before she’s back to her pub downstairs. I potter about the kitchen, tidying up while I wait to hear back from my best mate, Alfie.

I feel my cell buzz in my back pocket, just as I’m puttin the several thank-you meals I’ve made Rachel into the fridge.

Alfie: We still on mate?

Billy: Do you really have to ask?

Alfie: Yes!

Alfie: I mean no

Alfie: I mean I know - just looking forward to seeing you mate

Alfie: Worried you wouldn’t want to see everyone - you know what I’m trying to say

Billy: I think what you’re trying to say is you’re leaving the house now

—--/-/—--

Is this… I think this is shot #3. She gave us two, and then… so that’s 4? I think.

Oooh, my arse is vibrating. But not for the fun reason.

“Whoa-what Alfie?!” has just grabbed me - bodily - and pulled me up against him.

“Alfie, I love you, mate. You’re a mostly good friend and I guess you’re kinda cute, but-”

He flips us around, drops his arse onto a bar stool, and makes himself very small.

“Tired, mate?” I’m frowning down at him when Rachel sets up another pair of shots.

“For the birthday boy. Where’d he get off to?” she asks, pretendin to survey the room.

I snort. “Here’s yer man. This tiny human here in front of me who appears to find my Vegas belt buckle fascinating. Alfie, mate, what’re yeh-”

“I’m hiding,” he hisses.

“But why?”

And of course it’s just as I’m throwin back shot #5 (4?) when the great eejit grabs me about the waist, yanks me to him, and buries his face in my navel.

So now I’m chokin on vodka and he’s hissing at me to shut up and stand still. “The fuck? What’re you doin?! Stop it,” I wheeze.

“Shhh!”

Still tryin to see past the blindin fire in my sinuses. “Fucksake, Alfie! You know I just blew a shot of clear alcohol out my nose. And I know you do cos you’ve vodka snot in your hair, and runnin down the side of yer face, mate. What the fuck?”

“I don’t care, shhhh!”

So I stand very still and speak very quietly. “Alfie, mate. Why don’t you care that you’ve vodka snot – my snot – runnin down yer face?”

That’s when he grabs both my arms and slaps them on the bartop, caging himself in.

This once again catches Rachel’s eye at the other end of the bar. As it should do. And she shoots me a quick look. I answer with a shrug.

“Do I even want to know?” she asks, headin back our way.

“Would both of you shut up? Hide me!”

Rachel rolls her eyes and leaves me with the child in my arms.

“I’d say I’m flattered, mate,” I whisper. “But you’re freakin me out now. I’m assumin it’s a girl, yeah? Which one is she?”

I’m looking into the bar mirror and spot a face from a lifetime ago.

“Alfie, is that-”

“It’s that fit Thai bird from Bangkok.”

“Alfie, is that Ken?”

Guest starring, Ken

Alfie buries his face in my navel again.

“Yes?” he says in a guilty squeak.

“Why is she here?” I ask very slowly, as if I’m speakin to someone not so bright. Because I am speakin to someone not so bright.

“Erm, well… Because I live here? Probably?”

I need another pint. And vodka’s put me off, as that’s a pain that’s gonna linger in my nasal passages. I signal the lovely Rachel, who nods as she begins to pull me a pint.

“Alfie. Why are yeh hidin? From Ken. Who is now where yeh live. And not in Bangkok.”

“I sort of…”

I give him the ol’ eyebrow encouragement.

“I’ve kind of been sending her sexy pokes…erm, sexy poking with her.”

“For a year?! Wait, no. How long has it been since Thailand? Have you been sexy poking her all this time?”

“Shhhh!” And back to my navel he goes. “I didn’t invite her! She’s just here! Over there,” he says with a muffled rumble into my belly.

“I have a feelin that’s just the beginning of a very long, very embarrassing story. Don’t let me stop yeh. But yer steamin up my stomach and my vodka snot has now migrated back to me. On my shirt. And you know how I feel about laundry.”

Sighing and shaking my head. “Mate, stop it. Yer actin like a baby. Face yer fears or face responsibility or buy her a drink. Those are yer options.”

“How about we buy me a drink instead?” He looks up hopefully, his hands loosening the vice grip he’s got on me.

“And by we, you mean me,” I state the obvious.

“It is my birthday.”

“And we have a history of phenomenally fucked up birthdays here. Are you plannin to make a regular habit of it?”

Rachel places the perfect pint in front of me. I sigh. “Sure’n I suppose you’ll be wantin my pint then.”

He grins sweetly up at me. “Birthday?”

“Thank yeh, Rachel, love. That’ll be one more. But I’ll be takin this one.”

Alfie whines unintelligibly.

“Alfie!” rings out the voice of a high tenor.

I move aside like the terrible friend that I am.

“Judas!” Alfie cries.

“Ken!” I cry.

“Billy. I like seeing you again. I don’t like seeing this one with his face in another man’s chest!”

“Another man’s-”

“Pickles!” Alfie cries.

Guest starring, Pickles

“Lord Jaysus, Pickles!” I cry. I’m over the moon to see our old mate Cheese & Pickles. Another one Alfie made a hash of a start with, leadin him on. But at least in that case, it had been an honest mistake with a cheese and pickle baguette, and quickly sorted. And we made a solid mate out of the mess. I’d hoped I’d get to see him again this year.

Ken, on the other hand, I never had much interaction with her. Nice girl if memory serves, but she is a bit of a wild card. Certo.

I round on Alfie. “Alfie, why is Ken here? How long has this been going on?”

“Two years!” Ken shouts.

Oh Alfie, you feckin brainless eejit, look at the state of yeh.

“He said he wanted me. Me. He never said anything about you.”

I watch as Pickles’ jaw drops open at the implication, and his eyes slide from side to side like it’s Wimbledon.

“I say it again, Billy. He told me he wants me. So I came.” Ken is trying to keep a lid on her emotions, but they’re right there at the surface ridin her.

“Erm,” Alfie begins, looking like things are starting to fall into place in that thick skull of his.

“What was that? Squeak up,” I press. “Today’d be grand.”

“Erm, well,” Alfie begins again. “I-” And his face turns cherry red starting from his collar, ending at the very tips of his little mouse ears. “I may have said-”

“I want you so much. You told me over and over. I want you. I want you so much. Come with me. So I came.”

Pickles zips his mouth shut.

Simon would have relished this moment.

“I am beautiful. You told me! How could you be with him? He is not beautiful.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that,” Pickles mutters again.

“Thanks, mate,” I say. No harm in hearin it, if I’m honest.

“And just where were you when you were telling Ken how much you wanted her? How beautiful she is?” Spit it out, man.

“Erm…” says Alfie, eloquent as ever.

“He was on the computer. Where else would he be? He was not in bed with you!” Ken turns on Alfie. “Were you?”

“Erm…” repeats Alfie.

“Have you no sense, you great eejit? You’re makin it worse.” All skull, no brain. Don’t know why I bother.

We need to get her calm, get her some privacy in a nice, cozy snug in the corner, sit down and sort this out. This is too personal for the floor of a pub. Not fair to Ken.

Guest starring, a snug

Looking disgusted with Alfie, Pickles steps in and picks up Ken’s hand. “You deserve better,” he says softly but with honest conviction. Good man.

Ken’s eyes are welling. “Yes. I do.”

“Oi!” Alfie exclaims in indignation.

I cut him off with an elbow to the ribs and a glare. “Not helping!” I grit out.

“Oh. Oh!” Alfie takes in a deep breath and gives her a sincere apology. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he says, and once again buries his face in my navel.

“Alfie!” Ken looks like she’s about to cry quite a lot of tears. “You said-”

And right before my eyes, Pickles’ face goes all soft. I watch it happen right in front of me. That moment you see in films when the boy looks at a duckling like he’s never seen one before, and suddenly she’s the loveliest water fowl he’s ever met. “Ken, is it?” he says softly. “Come sit down. I’ll get you something to drink, and we can figure it out.”

I incline my head toward the snug at the back part of the room. I can see it’s empty.

Ken raises her head high, and pins Alfie with a deadly glare. “You are not worth my tears. Or my frequent flying kilometers.”

Alfie looks ashamed, as he should do, and wisely keeps his fat trap shut. Wise - for Alfie, that is. Pickles leads Ken across the floor as far from Alfie and me as he can be. “Do you have luggage?” I hear him ask as they walk away. Good man. Damn good man.

“You owe Pickles, mate.”

“All my birthday beer is his.”

“That’s right,” I agree.

“That’s right,” Alfie whispers as he downs his two forgotten shots. “That’s right.”

“Alfie. What’s really goin on here, mate?” I ask him. “You realize you’ll be needin to have an honest talk with Ken, don’t yeh? Pickles may have put the situation on pause for the moment. But she does deserve better, man.”

He looks a bit lost.

“What were yeh thinkin?”

He starts to fidget. “Look, man.” I reassure him. “I’m here for yeh, thick, thin, wide, narrow, tall, short. Female. Male?”

“Or maybe somewhere undefined in-between?” he asks.

“Alfie. I love yeh, mate.” I’m bendin down gettin in his face, bein that the man is avoidin eye contact with his head down. “Nothin else matters, yeh see that, don’t yeh?”

Alfie peeks up and looks at me, barely. He’s unsure and deeply unsettled. Ken, in person, has him rattled — profoundly rattled. And can I blame him? Somethin private – and very likely somethin he thought was just for fun with no consequences – just became public and hit home in a very, very she’s at my home kind of way. So much for no consequences.

“Life is real, Alfie. Life happens. Life has consequences. Life is full of good people, in with the bad. Ken’s one of the good ones, mate. If yeh don’t want anything to do with her-”

“I didn’t say that!” busts out of his mouth, before he can think on it. Which, if I’m honest, describes everything that comes out of Alfie’s mouth. He squeezes his lips together, willing them not to speak.

I let it float for a minute, not wanting to give him any outs, but also not wanting to make him afraid to speak. But I break. “No judgement, mate. Do you want Ken?”

He finally lifts his head, and gives me frightened eyes I’ve never seen him wear. “I don’t know?”

“No reason to panic like this. No need to have it all worked out of a sudden, all at once. But you do need to be honest with her. And you need to walk over to that snug with me, sit yerself down across from Ken, and talk to her. Tonight. Let her know how yer feelin, that you might be conflicted, questioning. She’s got to know what that feels like, mate. Hasn’t she?”

He gives me a one-shoulder shrug, lettin me know he’s heard me.

“Go take a piss, do a shot, smoke somethin, whatever. But you’ve got 5 minutes before you have to act like a grown man. I’ll make your excuses til then. And I’m lettin her know you’ll be joinin us in that snug. No runnin from this, mate. She knows where yeh live. Because I’ll give her the street number and drive her there m’self if ye run.”

—--/-/—--

When I finally arrive back up at Rachel’s flat, I’m drunk enough to bump into every wall between the entry and the stairs, which I manage to fall up, and then “Ow!” as I knock my hip against the railing at the top.

I’m tripping as I try to walk out of my jeans and open the bedroom door at the same time. Seems like something that should be possible, walking out of a pair of jeans. It isn’t.

As I fall on my arse with a loud thud and grunt, my guest for the evenin begins laughin at me. I can’t really blame her. I’m drunk. She’s drunk. Neither one of us remembers each others’ names. Doesn’t matter. Except-

Guest starring, Guest

“Oh, Saints preserve us! Jaysus no!”

“What are you on about?” Somethin-somethin-somethin, “on me.”

I’ve no idea what she’s sayin, and couldna care, because I’ve fallen on my phone. “Mary and the sweet baby Jesus, oh thank you. Ohhhh thank you. Oh lord.”

I caress it lovingly – which is really what I should be doing with the bird crawling across the bed in a relatively alluring way. The screen lights up revealing a text notification, and I vaguely remember it buzzing in my pocket at the start of the night. I’d sort of forgotten it, what with Alfie’s nose in my navel. And my nose shortly due to be well below her navel.

Grumpy: Why

“What? Oh no, not you love. Don’t move a finger. I want yeh just like that.”

Billy: Why what?

He replies almost instantly.

Grumpy: Why are my texts like Hemingway

Billy: Brief.

I turn off my phone, and drop it on the crumpled and growing mass of clothing on the floor. After all, it’s important I focus all my attention on my guest’s needs. And I’ve a feelin she’ll have many.

—--/Simon/—--

Fuuuuuuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Again.

I have no idea how to write the Simon book and it’s seriously sucking my will to live. Which, you know, vampire Simon and all that.

OK, so here’s the thing. I can’t just suddenly claim I’m totally different from the character, when the fans know I’ve based him on me. And they know I’m a nerd. A huge nerd. I can’t turn him into some super, supernatural, sleek, and sexy vampire. Nope. He has to be confused half the time. And show periodic feats of great courage, followed by moping and pining and loyalty. The fans love it. They eat that shit up. On paper – not in my actual life. Me Simon, I mean. Other Simon gets to mope all he wants and they still think he’s worth reading about. Fuck if I know why.

I can’t turn him into an amalgam of like, hipster-bass-player-shoegazer-vampire. We’ve all already read the one about the rockstar vampire.

So what kind of person would Other Simon wish he could be?

Ugh, well, 15 year old Me Simon just wanted to be cool and get the girl. 15 year old Other Simon is… a vampire, and will get the girl. Maybe two. Eventually.

I think he needs confidence. Other Simon, I mean. That’s what being a vampire gives him. That and killer abs. (Vamp abs are killer. I crack myself up. This is me cracking up.)

I think that’s his real growth arc – the confidence, not the abs. Wayyy back at the beginning I started him from a place already lagging behind his peers, saving himself for his crush. So becoming a vampire boosts his confidence immeasurably. That’s why we can more easily believe it when he finally gets the girl. For like five minutes.

I dunno. Now maybe he’ll go be a rockstar at being a super-supernatural superhero, rather than an actual rockstar of music. Nobody cares that I play bass.

You, self in mirror. Nobody cares that you play the bass. Just let it go.

Ok fine, me. You win. As usual. Nobody wants to hear the stats on my vintage Marshall stacks. Or about my priceless Rickenbacker, played by Sir Paul himself. Oh my god, why? Whyyyyyy? This should be exciting to everyone, everywhere.

I wonder if Billy would say I’m whingeing. How do you even spell that. Winging? Winjing? Whinging?

Actually, wait. Billy’s a confident person. He’s gregarious. Everybody fuckin loves that guy. Sometimes I hate him, just to prove to the universe that it is possible. Sometimes he deserves it, too. Wanker. Twat. Neither of those sound good in American.

Maybe Ma’s right and I should get out more.

Nah.

What would I even do? I’m supposed to be writing. I’m supposed to be writing. Writing.

Writing.

I can’t believe I went to Italy and didn’t take one picture. Not one. I had a couple good conversations. All with an Irishman – no one Italian. That would be stupid, Simon. (Me Simon, not Other Simon.)

Fuuuuuck.

——-/-/——-

Simon: I was in the seat of the Roman Empire, on possibly the sexiest sea in the world, and I didn’t fucking notice

That Irishman: Yeah, I noticed

Simon: Where are you?

That Irishman: Sorrento, dinner rush, can’t talk

Simon: Pick me up tomorrow

That Irishman: Wait what?

That Irishman: ???

That Irishman: Simon

That Irishman: Simon!

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