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writingsbychlo · 5 months

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BUY ME PRESENTS | draco malfoy

summary; draco loves you, and you love him. he just needs a little push to make things official. OR, draco malfoy fighting for his life when he realises just how much everyone wants his girl.

word count; 8928

notes; this is based on christmas eve, but I'm posted a couple days later! this fic puts us half way through our slytherin boy holidays! I'm not sure how the one I expected to be the shortest became the longest one so far. like, seriously, I know I keep saying this but wtf? why can't I write a short fic?

Dinner had already been served by the time you made it to the Grand Hall, the smells of roasted meats and seasoned potatoes filling the air, your mouth watering as you navigated between the throngs of people. Your seat had been saved, of course. A spot on the bench between Draco and Daphne, and as you neared, your friends noticed, smiles rising and waves in your direction.

Sinking into your seat, you pressed a kiss to the cheek of the blond boy beside you, his face tipping up to receive it and lips twisting into a smile, attention moving to you as you sat.

“Good day?”

“Better now that it’s over.” You smiled, a chuckle falling from him, and his hand came to rest upon your thigh, squeezing comfortingly while you helped yourself to a plate of whatever food was left. “What are we talking about, what did I miss?”

“Not much. Just Theo telling us all about Christmas in Italy.” Mattheo rolled his eyes, as though you all hadn't heard this exact same speech since that very first Christmas you’d become friends. Most of the group seemed to have simply tuned it out, laughing and nodding at the correct times as they whispered their own conversations.

A swipe of a thumb over your thigh as you finished filling your plate with food, and you shifted your attention to Draco. “So, what are your Christmas plans, Dray?”

Shuffling a little bit closer now that your plate was full, his arm moved to lay across your shoulders instead, letting you snuggle up into his side. “Oh, you know, the usual.”

He smiled, and your world seemed to get a little bit brighter, his lips brushing your hairline as he left a barely-present kiss there.

“Typical Malfoy-family Christmas. I get to do the tour with my parents, visiting every other rich-arsehole couple they know. Christmas Eve party. The pleasure of my father’s annual ‘you’re growing up now, son, it’s time to get serious about the world’ over the dinner table on Christmas Day. Open some presents I don’t want, on a schedule I don’t like.” He sighed, clearly used to it by now, but it didn’t make it sound any less awful.

“Well,” You smile, nudging him playfully with your elbow. “Maybe we could write to one another, or even get a little visit in?”

The hope in your voice was evident, and Pansy gave you an encouraging smile across the table. You’d been meaning to ask Draco this question for weeks now, and your last chance had been fast approaching. Since the summer, you and Draco had been hooking up. It was no secret among your friends, or even the students; your affections for one another were hardly contained, but it wasn't official.

You wanted the labels, the security, and the safety of knowing that he was yours and you were his, and nobody else could come between you. You wanted to be introduced to his parents, be his date at events, to have him be proud to call you his girl. But Draco had been hesitant, avoiding every conversation that might inch into the ‘so, what are we?’ territory, keeping a safe distance from any kind of real commitment.

It wasn’t enough for you anymore, not by a long shot, but trying to talk to Draco about it only ended up with him shutting it down, or skilfully diverting the conversation and you were growing tired of his games.

Draco only made a vague noise, neither an agreement nor disagreement, and looked away from you as he picked up his drink to take a sip. “I don’t know… maybe. I can get pretty busy over the holidays, I’d hate to let you down.”

Another skill of his, making it seem like cancelling or delaying or not doing something at all was your idea. He was clearly hoping you’d brush it off, and tell him not to worry about it, but instead, you kept quiet. Not giving him the satisfaction of any easy win, this time.

Pansy caught your eye across the table, shaking her head disapprovingly, and shooting a glare at an oblivious Draco. She had been your confidant these last few months, every update and development in your situationship, she’d been informed of. Every decision, she’d been a part of. She was practically as invested as you were, at this point, and she certainly did not approve of his nonchalant behaviour either.

“Speaking of parties,” Mattheo cut Theo off, clearly having had enough of the annual rehashing of ‘that one Christmas when Theo was eight’ for today, and changing the subject, “Who’s got their dates sorted for the Malfoy Christmas Eve Ball, and who’s daring to go solo and have Narcissa set them up like a matchmaker all night long?”

Chuckles rang out among the group, and Pansy smiled, leaning into Blaise’s side with a love-struck grin. “I think we’re safe this year.”

“I’m going solo, but, I did tell Aunty Cissa that I have my eye on a girl in one of my classes, and I’m seeing how it plays out. So, she’s not setting me up anytime soon, since she believes I’m already onto someone.” Enzo smirked, and Blaise congratulated him for his clever tactics.

You smirked through your mouthful of food, listening to Mattheo explain his complex excuse, to Reggie mournfully spill the story of how he’s already been set up by his parents witha ‘potential bride to meet’, and how he hopes she doesn’t show up. You laugh with the others as Tom simply raises an eyebrow, knowing that even Narcissa doesn’t attempt to set him up anymore, lest he scare away any more of her friends’ daughters. Theo, ever the player he is, is looking forward to dancing with every single lady he can find, and taking his pick at the end of the night.

“I suppose nobody needs to ask Draco who his date will be.” Mattheo grins, wiggling his brows at the pair of you as you smile, leaning a little further into the man at your side.

“Hey, who knows?” He chortles, and your eyes narrow a little, “I’ve had plenty of offers. I haven’t made up my mind yet.”

“Oooh.” Enzo’s eyes went wide, the other boys joining in, and Pansy fixed him with a glare. Daphne leaned around you with her jaw dropped at his statement, and you sat up from his embrace, lips pressed flat and a brow raised.

The boys snickered, ‘he’s in shit’ and ‘someone’s in the doghouse’, but he lived for the spotlight, a drama queen at heart, and he smirked down at you.

“Oh, c’mon. Don’t look at me like that, babe.” The playful nickname was one he only ever used when joking around. When he was sincere, he was much more romantic; darling, sweetheart, beautiful. “What am I supposed to say? ‘Hi mum, hello father, meet the girl I’m skipping class to shag! Thanks for paying my tuition!’, I don’t think so.”

The boys all laughed, Daphne scoffed in sync with her sister behind you, and Pansy looked like she’d lunge across the table at any moment, if it wasn’t for her chastising Blaise for laughing, instead. ‘You and Draco can share that couch you’ll both be sleeping on tonight’, she’d said. ‘See how funny you think it is then’.

The words stung as he spoke them, dismantling your relationship down to the bare minimum; to sex and physical connection and nothing else. Like the nights spent talking until the sun came up were nothing, the times you’d held him while he cried, or washed him in the bath when he was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open. Like he didn’t rub your stomach for hours every month when you got cramps, or had a stash of your favourite snacks in his bedside table for whenever you came over.

You knew that Draco Malfoy lived you, just as much as you loved him. It was evident in everything he did, every kiss and every word. But, he needed a little push.

“I suppose you’re right,” You sigh lightly, giggling along with the laughing boys around the table. “I’m not so sure Lucius wouldn't burst a blood vessel then and there.”

“Exactly.” Draco hummed, and you glanced back to Pansy. She was shocked, only for a second, before taking in the subtle signs of mischief on your face. Her own smirk stretched out in return, and her gaze flickered once to Draco, before back to you.

A new game was afoot, and Draco wasn’t going to stand a chance.

Slipping your coat from your shoulders, the annual Malfoy Christmas Eve Ball was well underway. Your parents had disappeared into the crowds before you’d even stepped out of the carriage, uncaring of where you were as long as you weren’t causing trouble. They were here to mingle with the other importants, and you were just here to learn the ropes of proper socialising.

The garment was taken from you, your small bag clutched in hand as a ticket was given to you for it, and you brushed down the front of your dress delicately. Pearls moved under your touch, beading along the bodice flat and perfected, and you felt your confidence rise as you looked at yourself once more in the reflection of a dark window. Adjusting the small lace gloves on each hand, you took a step towards the dining room.

Elegant music was playing from a live band up on a stage, the room was decorated this year to look like a winter escape. Pale and frosty, like a palace of ice, twinkling lights and glittering decor, crisp white tablecloths and ice sculptures. A layer of goosebumps travelled along your skin at the sight of it all, despite the warming charms that took place for the guests.

Scanning the room, you quickly found your table. The designated kids table, despite you all being legal adults and far beyond such status. You’d all be the babies of the ball until the new generation emerged, no doubt. Moving through the bodies and crowds of people politely, Theo was the first to glance up and spot you, his mouth falling open, and a rush of confidence took over as he raised two fingers to his lips and whistled.

The sound caught the attention of the others’ chatter fading to quiet as they all turned to look for the object of his cat-calling, Enzo’s eyes widened, Pansy cheered loudly, and even Mattheo looked momentarily speechless. You’d had the same reaction when you’d seen yourself in the dress too, your stylist had truly outdone herself for this one.

You looked flawless, and you looked expensive, and utterly elegant. Doing a little spin as you approached, a smile broke free on your lips as you stopped before the chair with your name card before it.

“Merlin, babe,” Pansy started, drawing your attention straight her her, “You’ve got every eye on you tonight. If I was single, I’d be all over you.”

She winked when you laughed, and Blaise rolled his eyes but smiled, leaning in to kiss her cheek affectionately.

“Pretty necklace,” She commented, and your fingers rose to the pretty string of pearls and diamonds that you had.

“It was a gift,” You simply hummed, tugging at your gloves. Glancing at the others, you gave each a polite smile, eyes lingering on Draco as he stared. In any other style, this dress would be scandalous for an event like this. A low neckline, spaghetti straps, no sleeves. Tight and fitted to every curve of your body, and yet the classic designs and vintage nature elevated it to the kind of class Audrey Hepburn would be proud of.

He looked just as good, a dark suit, a fresh white shirt, a champagne-coloured tie that made the colour of his eyes and his hair stand out and your mouth dried out a little. Silver rings adorned his fingers, the Malfoy signet standing out, clenched so tightly around his whiskey glass that his knuckles were almost white.

You’d worn soft, golden makeup effects today, a dusting of glitter along your cheekbones and eyelids, a shade of pink on your cheeks and lips that you knew was his weakness.

“Someone really wanted your attention with that, huh?” Your best friend teased, and your eyes snapped away from Draco, back to her.

“I suppose so,” You muse, hand coming up to touch one of the beads on your ear, “Since they also got me this lovely pair of matching earrings.”

Pansy made a dramatic show of admiring them, and Blaise gave a funny look, glancing at the jewellery, and then back at Draco, who was frowning. Before you could reach for your chair after placing your clutch down, Enzo was shooting to his feet from beside you, tugging out the chair for you.

Draco scoffed as you gave him a thank you, settling into your seat, and he glared at the man beside you. Enzo didn’t flinch, however, smirking at Draco as he spoke;

“What? It’s called being a gentleman, cousin.”

Crossing your leg delicately, you’d hardly even removed your gloves, before a tray was coming down by your side, and a young waiter with a dazzling smile was looking right at you.

“Champagne, ma’am?” Not a planned pawn in your game, but a welcome addition, you smiled sweetly in return.

“Oh, I’d love some. Thank you.” Taking the single glass by the stem, you lifted it from the tray and the man’s smile stretched wider as you sipped the bubbly, holding his eye.

“Of course, miss. If you need anything, anything at all, I’ll be at the bar, happy to serve.” His flirting was heavy enough that normally you’d want to roll your eyes, but tonight, you suppressed that urge, playing into it as you bat your lashes.

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind. Thank you.”

He took the dismissal, staring appreciatively as he walked away, another look over his shoulder to you as you watched him go.

“Stop eye-fucking the help.” Draco snapped, and your focus moved to him slowly, just to find his icy glare on you. He didn’t scare you, though, all that mean bravado, but you knew what was underneath.

“I was doing no such thing.” You tut, placing down your drink. “Don’t be jealous, Dray. You look even better in that suit. If you want compliments, just ask. No need to be mean.”

He seemed rather placated by this, his ego settling down, even if the others did laugh at him.

The conversation seemed to continue around you as you settled in, avoiding Draco’s heated stare and sipping at your champagne. The rush of warming alcohol through your veins settled every dancing nerve, and gave you the calm confidence to do what you had planned. Sitting forwards, just enough, you angled your body so that Draco might have the perfect view over your cleavage as you feigned interest in the chatter around you.

He took the bait, his gaze falling right where you wanted it, the gems of your necklace dangling just over the swell of your breasts, and he licked his lower lip, pulling it between his teeth.

Raising your hands and catching the swinging gem, you toyed with it carefully, letting it run over your fingers. Time melted away as Draco’s gaze flicked between your nimble touch, your lips, and your chest, shuffling in his seat every so often, and gulping at the bubbly in his glass.

He was on his third refill by the time food started to be taken around, and you took pity on him momentarily, sitting back in your chair and angling away from him, ready to receive your first course.

As the starters came around, you turned to thank your waiter, surprised to see it was the same man from the bar who had brought you your champagne. You’d given him little thought since he’d walked away, and you’d never spotted him again, but perhaps that was exactly why he was delivering your food now, as he beamed at you and set down the plate.

Men did love a little attention, after all.

Reaching for the bottle of champagne cooling in the centre of the table, the waiter never looked away from you as he refilled your glass without being asked. Draco finally seemed to notice as he finished adjusting his napkin, gaze narrowing on the man serving you. “You’ve got to be kidding me…” He muttered.

You pretended to take no notice, smiling at the man and waving your fingers flirtily as he walked away.

“I’m going to get another drink at the bar,” He announced, leaving without his glass and without asking if anyone else wanted one. You knew where he was truly going, if the lock of his jaw and the stamp in his step were any indication. You doubted you’d be seeing that waiter again.

As you poked at your food, Pansy excused herself too, only a few bites into her meal before she disappeared with a wicked grin and no explanation to anyone. Enzo just chuckled beside you, glancing around the room like he was watching all the cogs of a machine in motion, before turning his gaze on you. “You do look lovely tonight, do you know that?”

“Of course I do. I spent days on end trying on dress after dress to find this.” You sighed, admiring the gorgeous piece of art on your body as you set your cutlery down.

“And is it serving the purpose you need it to?” He teased, voice knowing, and you nodded. Flicking your gaze over the patrons and guests in the room, you searched for Draco, finding him talking politely to one of his mother’s friends at the bar.

“It is, I think.”

“Let’s hope it stays that way.” He whispered, your focus still on the man who truly held your heart, who was making his polite excuse and walking way, back towards you all. His gaze locked on yours, only for a second, before Pansy was calling your name and drawing your focus elsewhere.

When you looked up to her, she was grinning, a man by her side. “This is Elliot, he’s been wanting to meet you for some time. I promised him I’d introduce you both tonight.”

You offered the best smile you could as his cheeks reddened, and Pansy merely patted him on the shoulder, slinking away as you offered your hand to him. “Lovely to meet you, Elliot.”

“You too. As embarrassing as that introduction was, it’s true. I have wanted to meet you for some time.” He had a kind smile and pretty eyes, and he seemed far too nice to be dragged into your game tonight, but he seemed almost like a willing participant, and you weren’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth. As Draco took his seat, Elliot continued, “Pansy has told me so much about you. You know, if you’re free one day before you go back to that fancy boarding school of yours, I’d love to take you out.”

“Yeah? What have you got in mind?” You smile, twisting a little more to face him, and your encouragement only brightens his expression as Draco’s darkens in your peripheral.

“A night in London, perhaps. We could get dinner, and see the opera?”

“She doesn’t like the opera.” Draco sneered, openly staring at Elliot with enough contempt to scare away lesser men. Elliot tugged at his collar, glancing at Draco, and then back to you as you tried to hide your shock at his behaviour.

“The theatre, then?”

Draco looked ready to snap again, and before he could, you nodded, sparing your unwilling partner. “That sounds wonderful, I’ll see what my schedule says. I’ll get in touch with you through Pansy if I can find the time, is that okay?”

“Perfect.” He smiled, sneaking another wary glance at Draco who was not backing down from glaring at him unflinchingly, but Elliot shook it off, bravely. “It was a pleasure to meet you, truly.”

“And you, Elliot.”

Soon after he left, the plates were being cleared. You tried not to smirk as a different waiter, and one who very pointedly did not so much as even catch your gaze, cleared your dishes away at record speed.

You knew that Draco had something, everything, to do with that. He was jealous by nature, a spoilt single child who did not like to share his favourite toys, and that is exactly what you were betting on tonight.

You stood, taking a lap around the room with Pansy to settle your food before the next course, and to get another drink. She took the opportunity to fill you in on how her first Christmas event with Blaise’s family had gone, and when you returned, you made sure to surreptitiously place yourself behind Draco’s chair.

You placed a hand on his shoulder, a friendly gesture, squeezing and rubbing enough that your thumb swept over his collar and across his neck. His pulse jumped under your touch, and he tipped his head closer, into your touch.

As he did so, your heart leapt in your chest. To others, it might look like a friendly gesture but to you, it meant so much more. You were tempted to cave then and there, to live with this being enough, to settle, but you couldn't. You didn’t want this to be it, you wanted to follow this by leaning down to kiss him, to have him smile against your lips in public the way he did when you were alone.

To arrive at these events together, arms linked, and to stumble out tiredly together too. To sit by him, his hand on your thigh, to rest your head on his shoulder, to kiss him on the dance floor. The thought was enough to push you through.

He twisted his head, to kiss your hand like he often did when you did this. Carefully, you slipped your hand away just in time, knuckles brushing across the nape of his neck as you stepped away, and back to your seat.

His sights moved to you, but like a saving grace, the servers began to appear with more dishes, and dinner soon distracted you all. A delicious serving of salmon and potatoes, and the hall fell quiet enough for you to hear the beautiful music playing when chatter fell low.

Low conversation, drinks refilled, and that perfect mood set across the room, as people took to the tables and quieted down. Your favourite part of the night, usually. Good food, your friends, and a chance to catch up without the usual weight of it all sitting on you. Regulus was talking, telling the rare story that had him caught up in a long conversation where he usually just observed quietly, but your attention was fixed on your lover.

Until, Theo spoke up.

“Oh, merda,” He muttered across Reggie’s’ story, his gaze cutting to you alarmingly quickly. “I forgot to tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Your heart skipped a beat, a flash of panic.

“My cousin flew in last minute for the party, and he wants to speak to you.” Theo’s words soothed your panic, and you offered him a flat look for the dramatic way he’d put it. Taking a sip from your glass, you raised a brow.

“When?”

“Now.” He confirmed, sights lifting to sit just behind you, and before you could even turn, a chair was being pulled up beside your own from another table. Turning your head to the owner, a smile burst across your face at the man sitting before you.

“Dario!” Your arms were around his neck before you could stop yourself, and he was chuckling as he bundled you into an equally enthusiastic hug. He chuckled lightly, pulling back only far enough to press a friendly kiss to your cheek, and you cupped his face as you parted from him. “You’re growing a beard!”

“My mother hates it.” He chuckled, rubbing a hand over it. As you twisted a little more towards him, he reached down, practically manhandling you as he reached for the edge of your seat by your legs, tugging it sideways to face him. You squealed as the chair jolted, screeching on the floor, tugging you closer as he leaned in. “Sei incantevole.”

“Are you charming me in Italian?” You smirk, a boyish smile on his face as he lounged back in his seat. “What are you doing here, anyway? Theo said none of you were flying in this year! I thought you couldn't make it.”

“I couldn't,” He sighed, shrugging, “But, then I heard that you would be here, without a date, and I knew I just had to make it. So, here I am, la mia bella donna. You think a short flight from Italy would stop me rushing over here to you?”

Your giggle was against your control. Even if he was more like family than a romantic interest, the way his accent twisted around coyly spoken words, was enough to bring a blush to even the most unreceptive woman’s face. “Cut it out, you flirt.”

“You’ll save me a dance later, right?”

“We’ll see.” He rose his brow, and you lifted your glass, taking a sip of bubbly to hide your smile, leaving him hanging. “Depends on how much more of your cheesy flirting I can endure.”

“You mean my wonderful Italian charm?” He teased, pinching one of your cheeks, and deepening the flush he had already created. “Don’t think I don’t see the way I make you blush.

You could only scoff, mouth dry as you tried to think of a retort, and you didn’t miss Theo muttering in Italian behind you, curse words you’d picked up on tumbling from his mouth.

“Perhaps this can convince you,” Dario reaches for his inner pocket, producing a small, slim box. An excited squeak breaks from you as he hands it over, your fingers brushing the elegant leather, an Italian name embossed across the front. “Open it later, alright?”

You could only nod, admiring it happily, before slipping the box safely inside of your clutch. He took your hand, kissing your knuckles as he stood. A final wink as he offered you hid charming goodbyes, and a farewell to the rest of the table, before returning his borrowed chair to where he had taken it from.

You watched as your friend left, disappearing into the crowd, no doubt to mingle and socialise as he had always been so good at, before you swung back around in your chair.

“He taught you everything you know, huh, Nott?”

Theo only shrugged, a cheeky grin on his face. “What can I say, tesoro? We Nott men just have charm. We’ll woo your panties right off.” He winked, the cockiness not lasting long as Draco swung at him, a fist landing roughly on his arm as the Malfoy heir scowled, glaring at his best friend.

“Cut it out.” He growled the words through gritted teeth, and your hand shot up, rubbing at your lip to hide your grin as Draco made no effort to hide his own emotions. Theo only laughed, rubbing at the patch on his arm he’d taken the hit.

Dessert was served, a beautiful display of ice cream and winter berries that almost looked too good to eat. The key word being almost. You hadn't been able to resist, however, and the first small groan you’d let out as the sugar hit your tongue had Draco’s gaze snapping straight to you. I did not leave, once, after.

Instead, he watched, through a dark gaze, every curl of your lips around the spoon, every swipe of your tongue to catch the juice of burst berries. If you’d put on a little extra show, just for him, nobody else had to know.

It was like he was staring right into your soul, so intense, even after the meal was long since finished. Finally, you indulged him once again, turning to look at him and raising a brow. “Yes, Draco?”

“You look beautiful tonight, I am simply admiring.” He let his gaze move across you slowly, making his admiration apparent, and his gaze lingered a fraction of a second longer on your neck. He stared at you with open adoration, the kind of look that told you exactly how he felt, even if he was fighting it, but he was close to breaking. He was close to losing this game he didn’t know he was playing. Then, his gaze flickered over your shoulder, sweet observation morphing. His brows drew together, his open hand slamming down on the table hard enough to make the glass rattle. “Oh, fucking hell…”

Mattheo erupted with sudden laughter, loud and brash, and there was a tap on your shoulder before you could even ask him what had him in such hysterics. A young man you did not know, perhaps a few years younger than you, and glanced around the table to see which of your friends had put this one together. Each seemed to have caught on in their own time, and had a hand in adding to the fun, to watch Draco suffer more, but none of them were laying any claim to this one.

“I’ve been watching you all evening, and you are beautiful.” He smiled, stuttering over his words slightly, and Draco made no shy show of his disdain, rolling his eyes and making a disapproving sound. “I was wondering if you might grant me the pleasure of a dance?”

“She would dance with you,” Enzo interrupted, before you could speak at all, leaning forward toward the edge of your chair from his own, and you could have kissed him in gratitude for saving you. “But, she promised me her first dance. Isn’t that right, love? And I think now is the perfect time. Let’s go.”

Offering you his hand, you took it, letting him sweep you away without a second’s delay, navigating you both to the dance floor and twirling you expertly into his arms. One hand clasped your own, the other sitting at a respectable place on your waist, your own on his shoulder, and he fell into the well-rehearsed steps of a classical ballroom dance he’d been doing since he could walk.

You let out a shaky sigh, relief flooding your veins as you looked back to your seat, noticing that the boy had taken Enzo’s rejection well and disappeared, not hanging around and waiting for your return.

“You’re killing him slowly, like a predator playing with its prey,” Enzo smirked, neither of you needing to clarify who you were talking about, as he brought up his cousin.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really?” He chuckled, spinning you out before pulling you back in, sharp actions that made you dizzy with their accuracy, and you grinned as he brought you tumbling right back into his arms, perfectly. If he’d been trying to win you over, his dancing alone would’ve had you swooning. “You just show up to a fancy event like this, dripping in diamonds and pearls and looking like a million bucks, supposedly single. You mean to tell me you didn’t know that all these rich London boys wouldn't descend on you like vultures?”

“Not my fault I’m single and hot, Enz.”

He just laughed, dipping you a little. “We do struggle, don’t we.” You wove between people, a happy silence falling between you both once again as he guided you over the floor, back and forth, “Are you, though? Single, I mean.”

“That is up to your cousin.”

“Touché.”

You continued to move, until your feet were sore from all the twirling, clinging to Enzo in fits of giggles as he spun and twirled and dipped you more, hands on your waist as he lifted you through the air, making a show of his dancing.

He may have seemed altruistic in his gestures, sweeping in to save you and Draco from your dance with the boy, but he was using you too. Enzo was taking every opportunity to show off his moves to every lady around the room watching, a flirty smile on his face between conversations and he glanced around, and you wouldn't be surprised if he received more offers than Theo or Dario by the end of the night.

As the third song came to an end, and the music fell for just a second, you panted slightly, arm around his neck now, looking up at him with flushed cheeks and a bright smile. “Can we take a break?”

“Tired, already? You only gave me three so far.” He smirked at the way your jaw dropped, your face going hot and you knew your cheeks were red. You untangled yourself from his body, barely making it a step away from his laughter before he wrapped an arm around your waist, tugging you into his side. “Oh, c’mon. I thought the aim was to flirt and make him mad?”

“He’s not even here to listen!”

“I’m practising,” Enzo murmured, steering you towards the bar, and leaning on the wood as he flagged down the bartender. You were quickly served, by a woman who fawned over Enzo as she passed by, and you had to snap your fingers in front of his face to snap his gaze away from her retreating form. “So, how long are you going to make him—”

A tap on Enzo’s shoulder cut him off, and he turned to look, straightening up instantly from his slumped position. As soon as he moved so you could see, your relaxation melted away too, as you found yourself face to face with Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy.

“Lorenzo, I’ve hardly had a chance to talk to you all evening. I want to ask you about your schoolwork.” The impressively formal and deep voice of Lucius Malfoy settled over your skin like fresh snow, cold but smooth, and you shuddered.

Narcissa only chuckled lightly at her husband’s words, her eyes on you. “You’ve been busy, though. Who is your lovely lady?”

“Uncle Lucius, Aunt Cissa. This is my friend, (Y/n).”

It wasn’t exactly the circumstances you’d wanted to meet them under, but you smiled nonetheless, nerves running wild as you offered your hand to them both, shaking politely just as your parents had taught you.

“Ah, (Y/n). Yes. I make a point of knowing all of Draco’s school friends, but I’m in business with your father, aren’t I?” Something like a small kernel of sweetness was buried in that statement, his interest in his son’s life, even if he tried to hide it behind formalities, but it wasn’t your place to comment.

“Yes, sir. That is correct.”

“They’re very proud of your schoolwork. They were telling me about your latest project. You synthesised a new potion to grow murkweed faster, is that true?”

You were surprised he knew so much, your small project submitted for Herbology was the last thing you’d expected Lucius Malfoy to know of, or take an interest in, and your mouth felt like sandpaper as you tried to form words. “Yes. Yes, sir. That’s right.”

“Interesting.” That calculating gaze scanned over you, analysing you from head to toe, like he could see right through you with a single glance. “That is impressive, for someone of your age. I’d be open to learning more. Are you considering making a future out of your alchemy talents? I have connections that I could contact for you.”

You were speechless, your stomach going wild with butterflies born of both excitement and anxiety. He smirked, a look that would set you on edge if you weren’t sure deep down that this was in your interests, not against them.

“Perhaps we can discuss it more soon, when we next see you. With Enzo?”

Enzo’s arm around your waist shifted, a reassuring weight that you were sure had been your only grounding presence for this surreal conversation. He patted your hip encouragingly. “Oh, no, we aren’t…”

Motioning between you both, Lucius’ brows furrowed, and Narcissa tried to hide her sigh.

“Sorry to disappoint you, Aunt Cissa. (Y/n) isn’t mine, though it is wonderful that you approve.” Before either could question him, or expand on their confusion, Enzo gave your waist a final rub, before removing his touch from you entirely, and stepping towards his family. “Shall we go and discuss schoolwork then, Uncle? You have questions, and I have answers. I hope the ones you want.”

“It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss (Y/l/n).” Lucius politely offered you his hand again, shaking it firmly, and that was about as friendly a dismissal as you’d ever get from him, you’d heard. This was only supported by the surprised look on Narcissa’s face, and the beam Enz gave you as he guided his uncle away.

“I hope to see you again soon, (Y/n). You look wonderful this evening, thank you for coming.” Narcissa murmured, before following her husband and nephew, glancing back at you only once over her shoulder. She knew. The woman was far more cunning than she let on, the true embodiment of a sneaky Slytherin, observing quietly and taking everything in. Her eyes glinted. She knew you knew she knew, too.

Your heart was pounding, cheeks warm as you lifted your fingers to them cautiously. The disappointed waitress placed down two drinks before you, Enzo long gone without his, but you smiled at her with appreciation, fingers shaking a little as you lifted the glass to your lips to take a sip.

You’d spoken to Draco’s parents.

They’d liked you. Lucius had offered to put you onto the career path, and Narcissa had complimented your dress. A soft laugh of disbelief slipped free, your eyes sliding closed for just a second as you revelled in the moment.

It hasn’t been what you’d set out for tonight, but it was far more than what you’d hoped for. Opening your eyes again, to head back to the table and find Draco, you were met by the sight of a stranger leaning before you on the bar, grinning down at you in amusement. “Hello.”

“Hi.” You gave a terse smile, and a single nod. “If you’ll excuse me—”

“I didn’t even get to ask you to dance yet. Saw you out on the floor with the Berkshire boy, earlier, and I thought—”

“I’m dancing with her next, mate. Piss off.”

Draco rarely sounded that mad, a chill went down your spine as you felt an arm slide around your waist, tugging you back into his chest. “Dray…”

The stranger only scoffed, glaring at Draco as he wandered away, and your hand reached for his forearm on your body. He snatched it away too soon, however, tugging on your hip to turn you around. His jaw was clenched tight, eyes more frozen than the coldest glacier. “Dance with me.”

Not a request, and he didn’t wait for an answer, before plucking your drink from your hand and slamming it down onto the bar, guiding you back to the swaying bodies. Standing before you, you offered him your hand, your hand sitting lightly on his shoulder. He didn’t take the respectable route, instead, his arm wrapped tight around your waist, sweeping you close to his body, and beginning to move you both in simple steps.

It was several minutes before he relaxed, your arm sliding further around his neck in a more intimate hold, bringing the two of you much closer, swaying slowly. The tension in his body gave way with every step, and with a resigned sigh, he finally spoke, “You met my parents.”

“I did. They were lovely. Very curious about Enzo and I’s relationship.”

His hand clenched on your waist, and you tipped your head at him as his piercing gaze drilled into you. One more move…

“Oh, don’t be so mad, Dray. We’re only shagging, after all. You’ll find a new girl if I get swept away by someone else.”

His eyes narrowed, jaw clenching, and a fire burned in those silver eyes now, melting the ice away with rage. Checkmate.

“You win, alright? I’m not playing this stupid game any longer.” He took a deep breath, and another, fingers twitching on your back as jealousy bubbled under the surface. “For fucks sake, how many pieces of jewellery from other guys are you wearing? Who bought you those earrings, that necklace? I should be the only one buying you gifts. I should be the one spoiling you. You want the Malfoy family ring? I’ll go yank it off my mother’s engagement ring from her finger right now, just take all this off.”

He studied you for a second, confusion growing at the smirk that grew on your lips. Victory was yours, and you leaned in, pressing a delicate kiss to his cheek. Letting the hand from his neck smooth down his chest, his gaze stayed locked on the jewels around your neck, glaring angrily. “No.”

“No?”

“No. It’s pretty. I’m going to keep wearing it all, let it remind you what you have. Next time you piss me off, forget a date, or use the last of my shampoo, I’m going to put it all back on so you can remember how many guys would jump at the chance.” His nostrils flared, but he stayed silent, wisely knowing when to keep his mouth shut. “I don’t want your family ring, Malfoy. Not yet. I just want a proper title, and the respect that comes with it. I’m not your booty call, or your side piece. You don’t want to play games anymore? Then don’t.”

“You already won.” He whispers, his head dropping down to let his forehead rest on your own. “You know how much you mean to me.”

“Yes, I do. But I want the whole world to know it, too, Dray.”

He didn’t respond verbally. Instead, he twisted his head, enough to press his mouth to your own, silencing any more arguments between you both as he kissed you. His lips claimed yours, a tender and loving kiss, showing everyone just how much you meant to him. There was no mistaking the emotions within it, not as his arms wrapped around your body, holding you to him as the pretence of dancing was given up, your hand on the back of his head, fingers in his hair, meeting every push and pull.

When he pulled away, your smile took over, bashful now under his openly adoring gaze, and he stole several more pecks from your lips. A happy sound escaped you as he tugged you in, tucking his face into your neck, and swaying you both to the music.

“Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?”

“You have, but I’d be open to hearing it again.” Your hand smoothed over his hair, and he chuckled against your skin, leaving a kiss on the crook of your neck before raising to meet your eye.

“You are breathtaking, darling. I’m in awe. This colour is my favourite, you know.”

“Why do you think I wore it?”

His fingers trailed down your spine, eyes sparkling even more at that revelation. “How about we get out of here? We’ll make our goodbyes to my parents, and head out.”

“Our goodbyes?” You repeated as he took your hand, lacing your fingers together.

“Yes. From their son and his girlfriend. I think you deserve a proper introduction, after all.”

Tugging you across the floor, he gave you no time to prepare, and certainly, none to disagree, as you smoothed your hair and attempted to control the blush he’d brought to your cheeks. Through the crowds he wove, until he was pulling to a stop just shy of his parents, and Enzo looked as though he could have cried with relief when Lucius’ intense focus was taken away from him. The boy quickly slipped away as both of Draco’s parents turned to face you.

“Miss (Y/l/n), when we said we hoped to see you again soon, I didn’t realise you’d take it quite this literally.” He murmured, voice as low and calm as always, and your lips parted, a different kind of heat flooding your features.

“Oh, behave now, Lucius,” Narcissa grinned, her gaze dropping to your clasped hands, before she reached up to her son’s face, pinching his cheek with a smile. “Draco, darling, I’ve hardly seen you all evening.”

“Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you Mother, but we’ll be leaving early.” She only gave him a knowing look, ignoring Lucius’ displeased huff, as if she wasn’t surprised at all.

“‘We’?”

“My girlfriend and I.” He said, proud and strong, before tugging you forward a little more to stand in front of him. His hand left your own, circling your waist instead, and she offered him a smile at the news.

“I see.” She smiled, patting her son’s cheek affectionately, before turning that knowing gaze on you. “Now Lorenzo’s evasiveness whenever I asked him about you makes sense.”

“You asked about me?” Your words were a rushed squeak, which only seemed to amuse Narcissa more.

“Of course, dear. I wanted to know more about you. I’d ask you to sit and chat with me for a spell, but I believe my son might combust if I did.”

“Mother!” He gasped, and Lucius only tutted.

“Draco.” His father growled softly, shaking his head, and the red on his son’s cheeks only grew.

“You both may go, for now. But I hope you’ll visit me soon, and we might talk?”

“You mean… just us?” Your words tapered off to a near whisper, and Lucius smirked to himself as Draco rolled his eyes.

“Yes, dear. We’ll have tea.”

You could only nod, bidding your final farewells to them both in a state of awe, before Draco was hurrying you along. Tight hands gripping your waist, lips on your neck as he loved you through the crowds, swiping up your bag and giving you barely a moment to say goodbye to your friends before sweeping you away again. It was only due to the snow falling outside, you were sure, that he allowed you to stop long enough to get your coats.

Helping you, he lifted the garment onto you from behind, kissing your cheek as he reached around your body to fasten it. His elegant coat was already on, and leather gloves were on his hands as he offered you one. Lacing your fingers through his own, he smiled, tugging you out into the freezing night, and ushering you around the side of the Manor, away from the stream of cars lined up for guests as they left.

“Where are we going, Dray?”

“To one of the gardens near the path.” He never turned back, leading you carefully around patches of ice and slippery snow as you moved, the light from the house fading. It was almost pitch black, before he mumbled a small spell, and the garden lights glowed to light, glittering on the fresh blanket of ice.

Sitting on the grass was an old-fashioned sleigh, enchanted to keep dry, even in the snow, and two reindeer sat happily in the snow snuffling at the grass and scattered food.

The landscape stretched out far before you both, trees and grass and walls all covered in snow like something from a Christmas card, and the sigh that left your lips clouded in the air before your face.

“Oh, Draco…” Taking a few steps closer, snow-tipped over the tops of your heels as you stepped off the pathway onto the grass, chilling your feet for only a second, before Draco was following. Scooping you up into his arms, you kicked the ice from your feet with a giggle, your arms looping around his neck. “What’s all this?”

“This is your Christmas present. I didn’t realise that was the kind of ice you wanted instead.” He muttered, eyes flicking down to your neck, as he carried you carefully through the snow and towards the ornate sleigh. As you leaned in to kiss his cheek, he smiled shyly, avoiding your gaze as he became embarrassed, “I wanted to do something romantic for you. We can take the sleigh back to the town, get a cab, and take the jet anywhere you want to go. Pansy already packed a bag for you.”

He placed you down on the edge of the sleigh, letting you shuffle across onto the warmed leather. With another kiss to your lips, he scoffed at your smile.

“Merry Christmas, my wicked little girlfriend.”

“I can’t believe you arranged all this.” You were practically bouncing in your seat, watching as Draco nervously tugged on the reins, prompting the lazy animals to stand back up, before settling into the sleigh himself. Like they knew just what to do, they took off in a slow trot, tugging the pair of you along through the snow.

“Maybe if you’d have waited, instead of making me fight for my life tonight, you’d have been surprised.”

His arm was splayed along the back of the seat, and you snuggled in a little closer to him. Curling his arm around you, he pressed a kiss to your forehead, shaking his head and burying his nose in your hair. “If I didn’t make you fight for me, Dray, you’d probably have introduced me to your mother as your study partner. I gave you a little push, that’s all.”

“Is that so?” He muttered, guiding your face up so he could peck your lips. “Who do you think helped me arrange all of this for my ‘lovely lady friend’, hm? I’ve been writing to my mother about having an interest in someone for months now. You underestimate me.”

“You never gave me any other indication!”

“Oh, please. You walk me like a damn dog, you knew how I felt.” His mouth closed over your own, stealing a kiss, and you couldn't help but smile into it. “I think tonight just proves it.”

The sleigh trotted on as Draco kissed you in the back, beyond thought and reason, your hands tucked into his coat for warmth as he kept you cuddled in close to his side.

Minutes melted away, the two of you lost in your own world as you jostled and trotted through the fields, back toward the town. Whatever he had planned, it had been in motion for days, and the thought only made you fall a little more in love with him. Perhaps you had underestimated him, but none of it mattered now, not when he was kissing you like you were his only way to breathe, and you had him in your arms, properly, at last.

“So, Pansy knew about your little plan?”

“Yes. I told her days ago.”

“Hm…” You loved her, and it was perhaps her knowledge of Draco’s actions that made this all the funnier. “So, she knew about your plan, and mine. And still, she made sure to introduce guys to me all night. She played us both just for her own amusement.”

As you thought of her, your fingers lifted to your neck, sitting on the delicate jewellery there, and Draco huffed. Looping his finger underneath it, he tugged lightly. “Can you take this off now, please?”

“Why would I do that?” His pout deepened, glaring at the offending item, and you gave in with an airy laugh. “Pansy, Daph and Tori picked it out personally.”

“What?” His head snapped up, pout gone as his jaw dropped, and he was not laughing like you were. “You let me believe another guy decked you out in diamonds all night! What about the matching earrings?”

“Blaise.”

“The bracelet?”

“Theo and the Notts.”

At that mention, his eyes narrowed again, searching for your clutch and finding it resting in your lap. “But Theo’s cousin Mario gave you a separate gift.”

“Dario.” You corrected, and he mimicked it childishly, scoffing afterwards. “Well, that part was real. He truly was flirting, and I have no idea what it is, I haven’t opened it yet.”

“Give it to me.” He reached for your bag, a second too slow as you swiped it away from him with a gasp. He didn’t give up, still trying to snatch it as he leaned over you, pressing you back into the seat through fits of laughter, the two of you fighting over the bag until it was pressed to your chest, your eyes wide as you stared up at him, shaking your head. “Give it to me! I’m chucking it, hand it over!”

“No, it’s mine!” He slumped back into his seat, panting for breath and smoothing his hair back down. He was pointedly staring away in the opposite direction, and when you leaned in closer with a chuckle, he leaned away. Grabbing his shoulder, you planted yourself firmly in his lap, kissing the underside of his jaw. “I’m keeping it, but your present is better, I just know it. Whatever it is, could never beat this.”

“Promise?”

“I promise, Dray.”

He gave in, wrapping his arms around your waist, tugging you in closer to his body and pressing a happy kiss to your cheek. “Fine, but I’m buying you a new necklace when we get off the damn plane. I don’t care who bought that one.”

#draco malfoy #draco malfoy x reader #draco malfoy x you #draco malfoy/reader #draco malfoy/you #harry potter #slytherin boys #tom felton #draco malfoy x y/n

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ferrstappen · 10 months

Text

max, the wag (for the third time) l Max Verstappen x reader

a/n: i was in the middle of writing this when news of Danny coming back to the grid!!! omg I'm so happy of seeing RIC and listening to his radios and everything, it wasn't the same without him <3

also, about requests. Please keep sending them, I've LOVED all the reqs I've gotten but right now im getting ready for my bar exam in a couple of weeks so my time is super super limited, but I promise I'll get to most of them (bc imsorry there are some reqs that I really can't connect with) after the exam, it's one of the things I'm looking forward to <3 but for now this kind of mediocre story telling will have to do...

ANYWAY, HOPE YOU LIKE THIS INSTALLMENT! you can find part 1 and 2 on the master list <3

summary: the continuation of your favorite paddock couple.

Max arrived to the track by himself.

If he was being honest, it wasn’t on his plans to walk alone with the photographers, Red Bull marketing team snatching him for stuff right after he swapped his credential. Even from far away he was able to hear chants of fans and more media than usual.

But you weren’t right there next to him.

He knew it wasn’t your fault, Silverstone not being a track where he was usually welcomed with opened arms and he was aware of you not wanting to be too in the eye of photographers who didn’t make questions to you, but there still were different WAGs and outfits or whatever accounts tracking your every step, especially with the new wave of partners and sudden break ups and polemics.

Still, the selfish part of him wanted you to enter the track with him, even if it was a few steps ahead or behind him, holding your hand and smiling as you complained about the amount of credentials you had to carry: the usual green VIP Paddock, Red Bull something. You’d think after all these years they’d know me, you’d say and he’d laugh.

On the other hand, you finished getting ready and called the front desk to get a taxi to get there, feeling a bit guilty of letting Max go on his own, especially when there were more eyes on the track with Brad Pitt being there and a lot of important people who’d want to talk with him all day.

Texting Max to let him know you were already by the guests entrance waiting when you noticed some intense flashes getting near. You’d been around a time or two to know this wasn’t usual, maybe in Miami but not when you were on the abandoned back entrance, not very glamorous and low key.

But you saw her…

Shakira, are you visiting Lewis?

Who are you cheering today?

Shakira, third Grand Prix of the year!

Did you talk to Lewis before? Is he nervous?

Your eyes followed her, mouth opening when you followed her small frame, exuding class and sympathy, even Alexandra who was also making her entrance stopped to get a closer look of the Colombian bombshell.

Of course, they didn’t ask her to show and get accredited, she just walked by with a radiant smile leaving paparazzi behind as she kept talking with the friend she came with.

But wasn’t that a Haas credential?

It didn’t matter, it wasn’t important, because right then your brain made the connections and started dialing Max while nervously biting your polished nails.

“Baby, everything okay? Are you already inside?” Max answered, but his words were quiet and rushed.

“Yes, but you’re never going to believe…”

“I’m sorry we have a meeting, please don’t go to the paddock, go straight to the driver’s lounge, okay? Love you”

He hung up and you wanted to pull your hair out, knowing he is the one and only person you wanted to share this information with, and you were also certain he was the only person who would truly appreciate the gossip and speculation about his fellow driver’s love life.

Max was able to leave the meeting almost forty minutes later, getting outside for some air until he remembered your call and that you probably were bored to death on the lounge. He was turning around to go there when…

When he saw the one and only Shakira in all of her glory.

He wasn’t starstruck or anything, being immune to celebrities and the imaginary pedestal where most people placed them, but this wasn’t about that, it was about the way she was supposedly hiding under a cap walking towards the Mercedes garage.

He covered his mouth and hastily made his way to you.

You didn’t greet each other with the usual peck on the lips and short hug; his slightly widened blue eyes told you exactly what you needed to know as he opened the door to his small room.

“Please tell me that you saw her!” You said as soon as he closed the door.

“Yes, just now she was walking to Mercedes,” Max was whisper shouting as if someone would hear him and it was the highest of secrets.

“Did you see Lewis?” You asked Max but he said no. “What if you try to ask Brad Pitt if he saw her and like if they’re friends… with Shakira?” This time both you and your boyfriend laughed at the idea.

"I did see Sainz trying to go unnoticed with a tall brunette,do you think she is the new girlfriend?" Max asked and you nodded.

"I'm pretty sure he cheated on Isa with her, and I am almost certain she was in the Paddock Club in Monaco during qualifying," Max whistled at the new information.

Now he kissed you, lips fitting perfectly against each other, but your eyes suddenly opened and separated from him. What? Why? What happened? Max was disconcerted.

“Please don’t laugh at me because this is a serious idea…” You told Max who had your entire attention. “What if we write to Deuxmoi?”

“Deux what?”

“They have all the inside scoops and sightings, even your name’s popped up once or twice,” Max’s eyebrows rose at the information. “We should write that Shakira was seen on the British Grand Prix and I am one hundred percent sure someone will have more information!” You proposed and Max chuckled.

“Schatz, I can just ask Lewis why she’s here,” Max told you before embracing you, his arms circled around your waist.

You rolled your eyes before resting your head on his chest, but suddenly it hit you, swiftly lifting your head and facing Max.

“Then why haven’t you asked him yet?!”

#max verstappen fanfic #max verstappen au #max verstappen x reader #max verstappen imagine #max verstappen #max verstappen blurb #max verstappen x you #max verstappen series #f1 fic #f1 masterlist #f1 x you #f1 x reader #f1 fanfic

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vinnellamadz · 3 months

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Everyone asked for both so I’m gonna do both :3, PLEASE I am not a talented writer or anything please excuse me if it’s not as good

Lucifer X reader Headcanons

- Before Lucifer met you, he was definitely an emotional wreck.

He spent all his time in his workshop, creating things as a coping mechanism.

But as soon as he locked eyes with you, it was like a light bulb in him switched on, and he was instantly hooked on you.

- Lucifer tried his best to woo and court you.

As if his last moments on earth depended on it, he would smother you in gifts, specifically custom-made ducks that he always made sure were made with love and perfection.

His desire for you was so intense that he devoted all his efforts to winning your heart and making you his.

It was as if all his sorrows and woes melted away the moment he saw you.

- There were times that Lucifer almost gave up.

As he feared that you didn't return his feelings, thoughts of failure and despair filled his mind.

However, when you finally accepted his advances, he was overwhelmed with joy.

So much so, that he jumped into your arms and held you tightly.

It was a moment of pure blissful happiness, and he knew that he never wanted to let go.

- Lucifer was so focused on wooing you that he forgot to tell his daughter about you.

He was so concerned about making things perfect that he did everything in his power to ensure that your meeting was as perfect as possible.

He was so worried that you might not like each other that he tried to prepare for every possible scenario.

Spoiler alert, you and Charlie loved each other

- While visiting Charlie’s Hotel, a certain red-haired male was stepping a little too close to you for Lucifer’s comfort.

Lucifer saw the male coming closer and closer and grew increasingly concerned.

He did not like the idea of someone else being close to you, especially Alastor

Lucifer felt jealous and protective, and he wanted to make sure that the male kept his distance.

Safe to say you spent the rest of the visit with lucifers arm around your waist.

- Lucifer loves to take you out on romantic dates.

He always finds the perfect places to take you, with the most delightful settings.

He takes you to intimate restaurants, candlelit dinners, and romantic walks on the best beach in hell.

He makes sure to plan everything to the smallest detail, so that you always feel special and pampered.

Lucifer wants to show you how much he cares and appreciates you, and he does it through romantic dates that are always perfect.

- While Lucifer does have his shortcomings, he will go as far as needed to prove to you just how much you are loved every day.

He is committed to making your life a series of surprises and magical moments, and he will always go the extra mile to ensure that you feel loved and cherished.

In the end, Lucifer may have his faults, but he will never let them interfere with making sure you feel special and appreciated every single day.

Adam X reader Headcanons

- Adam does not typically get into relationships, but when he does, he tends to exhibit similar behavior patterns. He engages in playful teasing and name-calling as a way to show affection toward his partner.

Although these antics can seem somewhat derogatory, Adam ensures that his partner never actually feels bad as a result. While he might playfully poke fun at his partner at times, he is also capable of being loving and supportive (barely).

- Adam is not a typical romantic, and he is not used to expressing these types of feelings. Even so, he tries his best to court you in his own way.

There are times when he may act a little awkward or mean, but beneath it all, he truly cares for you.

While he might stumble over his words or lack the grand gestures, Adam shows his feelings through small gifts and nicknames.

- Although you might not be showing any signs of affection, Adam would never give up on courting you. He is persistent and determined to win your heart.

Even if you were to continuously reject him, he would continue to pursue you. Adam feels deeply for you, and he is willing to go to great lengths to make you his own.

So, if you truly want him, Adam would never stop trying to win you over with his endearing charms.

- Once you finally surrendered to his charms, Adams ego grew even bigger.

As part of his big ego, he became extremely affectionate and public in his displays of affection. He wants everyone to see you as a couple, and he doesn't mind who's watching.

Adam wants everyone to know that you're his, and he is going to make sure everyone knows it.

- Adam is an incredibly possessive and insecure man (I wonder why 👀), and he dislikes seeing other men around you.

When a male approaches you, Adam quickly swoops in, giving the other man a dirty look and then proceeding to make out with you in front of him. With his dominant display of affection, he makes sure that the other man knows his place.

Then, he takes you by the hand and leads you away, anticipating the night that awaits you both.

- Adam is a romantic man, and he enjoys date nights with you. He loves to spend time sitting on his balcony with you, eating takeout, and engaging in fun gossip.

However, he also appreciates having nice dinners together, and he enjoys taking you to the hottest concerts in town.

He also likes to express his affection for you through singing, he cherishes your presence more than anything else.

- Even with his flaws and occasional mistakes, Adam is a decent lover overall.

He may be imperfect and stumble at times, but his genuine desire to make you happy is what matters most. Although he may make occasional jabs and tease you, it all boils down to his genuine care for you.

At the end of the day, your happiness is what Adam truly cares about more than anything else. Even through all the ups and downs of a relationship, he will always do what it takes to make you happy.

- Adams favourite movie is frozen.

IM SORRY IF THIS IS OOC ITS MY FIRST TIME WRITING IN SO LONG

#hazbin hotel #hazbin adam #hazbin lucifer #helluva boss #hazbin #lucifer x reader #adam x reader #Lucifer x reader hazbin hotel #Adam x reader hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel Adam #hazbin hotel lucifer #alastor #charlie morningstar #lucifer x reader hazbin #Adam x reader hazbin #hazbin Adam x reader #hazbin hotel x reader #hazbin Lucifer x reader #x reader

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norrisleclercf1 · 2 years

Text

We Were Just Kids

Pairing: Lando x Reader

Rating: PG

Request: Yes/No, Friends to lovers with Lando please. Maybe they were childhood best friends and when Lando’s racing career gets serious, they lose touch. The reader follows Lando career and is really happy he’s doing well. After not seeing each other for 5 years, Lando shows up at a family Christmas party…

Warnings: None

A/N: Happy birthday to my baby! Ahh this request couldn’t have come at a better time 😉👏🏼🥰

Growing up next door to Lando, you never thought much of the karting thing. Not understand at that age what he was achieving and want that meant for his future. But, as you grew up more and attended his karting, you understood.

“I want to go to Formula 1; I want to win the championship.” He told you late one night. Both your parents were downstairs drinking and talking while you both sat and watched an old F1 race. You didn't comment on it because knowing now that he'd one day have to leave to chase his dream wasn't something you couldn't handle.

One year later, Lando bursts into your room, smiling his brilliant smile, but you can't smile back; you know what that smile means. He was leaving; he was chasing that dream.

“I got it, y/n; I’m heading to Mclaren drivers academy!” He yelled happily, jumping around your room as you sat on your bed, homework long forgotten.

“Well?” He asks. Seeing your reaction, his falling expression snaps you out of the daze. “That's amazing!” you burst and launch yourself at him as you both hug in your small bedroom.

He rambles about the schedule and when he leaves, but all you hear is static. He's leaving; Lando is going and not going to look back.

You stand in front of his house as his dad packs everything up, shuffling your feet back and forth. Lando says his goodbyes but stops in front of you. Lando knew something was wrong; you stopped coming over and not telling him everything.

“I'll come to and visit, I promise.” He whispers, standing close so only you can hear him.

“Go, Lando, or there’ll be traffic.” Is all you offer him; he steps back, face crumpled up in pain but vanishes as quickly as it appeared.

Neither of you says anything else as he leaves; when his car is out of view, you bolt upstairs and lock yourself in your room.

That was five years ago; now, Lando was an official Mclaren driver for Formula 1 and was living his dream and crushing it. You kept up with his races and watched every single one, going as far as never having plans during the season so you could watch the races with no issues.

You both lost touch about a month after he left, letting it fizzle out so it wouldn't hurt as much, but it still broke when you saw his smile, the knowledge he had forgotten all about you. Shaking your head, you finish getting dressed since it is your family's annual Christmas party, hearing voices grow more and more. You know people are arriving now. Sliding on your small black heels, you walk out of the room and head down the grand stairwell; getting to the last step, you don't look up, smoothing down your dress.

“Y/n.” The voice breathes out your name; your hands are freezing on your dress. They start to shake slightly. There was no way he was here; he lived in Monaco now and should be there, be can't be here.

With slow movements, you look up and stare into those gorgeous blue-greenish eyes of his. Their hair had that natural curl now, skin glowing from the sun, and he was taller, leaner, and confident about him now.

“Lando.” An uneasy smile traces your face as he steps forward, arms opening like he wanted a hug, but you step back, bumping into the bottom stair, almost falling. He moves quickly and catches you stopping the fall.

“Nice catch, mate.” Your cousin laughs, patting him on the back as he's greeted with cheers from the other guests in the dining room.

“Training.” He whispers, staring right into your eyes, making your body sweat.

“You can let me now.” Lando clears his throat and lets you go as you both take a step back from one another, the air thick with confusion and uncertainty.

“Right, you look.....you look great, Y/n.” He coughs, a slight blush coating his cheeks, but you straighten your back, and a tight-lipped smile is given to him.

“It's been five years; I’d hope I've grown up.” You remark and cringe at how snippy it sounds but Lando just giggles and nods.

“Yeah, it has been.” The conversation stops there as you both stare at each other, you begging for an excuse.

“We should go join the others,” Lando suggests; he doesn't finish as you quickly enter the dining room, greeting everyone and noticing the last two chairs open side by side. Looking at your mother, she sips her wine and smiles slightly before being pulled into a conversation by your grandmother. Lando soon joins and sits down next to you and instantly gets drawn into a conversation by other people as you sit there eating and drinking, thankfully not to be bothered.

“Oh, well, ask Y/n; she watches all of Lando’s races.” Your mother's voice floats to you and everyone else, making you freeze your wine glass permanently stuck to your lips.

Looking up, you see everyone staring at you, Lando and your mother smirking. Putting the glass down with a hard clank, you swallow the thick lump in your throat. “Do you?” Land asks, not happy about the hope fullness in his voice.

“Yes, I do,” you state, trying hard to end the topic. “All of them?” He asks again, staring you down as well the entire table.

“Yes, all of them, Lando, because I didn't forget where you came from, but you did.” You snap, the chair scraping the marble floor and heels clicking as you storm out, feeling all too hot.

Throwing a door open, you head into the small garden, the crisp Bristol air sending a chill through you. You sit down on the old swing set, something you and Lando used religiously after school. The sound of dead leaves crunching under someone's foot as you look up and see him walking towards you.

“I didn't forget.” He whispers, standing in front of you. His shoulders were slumped, hands shoved deep in his jacket pockets, almost a way to protect himself.

“Yes, you did.” You whisper, ripping your eyes away from his captivating eyes.

“No, you were the one who stopped talking to me.” He snips his jaw tight from anger at the thought it was his fault that this friendship ended because of him.

“Because you left, you just left one day here, and the next one is gone, Lando. It broke my heart.” You yell, standing up and being face to face.

“Don't, you always knew my dream that I wanted this, don't try and blame me, dammit y/n, I wanted to invite you to so many races, but you stopped talking to me, you stopped talking to me a long time ago.” He states, stepping closer to you as you scuff.

“You never answered my question.” He whispers, grabbing your cheeks with both hands and making you look at him; you groan, not wanting to answer.

“Y/n?” He asks, growing impatient, just wanting to know the truth.

“Yes! Okay, he's I watch every race, I watched your first podium and cried, I watched you and Carlos become best friends, you and Max celebrating his first championship, and I felt my heart stop when you crashed in Spa.” You ramble as Lando smiles slowly, his thumb rubbing your cheek in comfort.

“You watched.” He whispers that hope back in his voice, making your heart flutter.

“Yes.” As you both move closer, Lando chuckles softly and kisses your forehead. Before you look up, he smiles before kissing you gently on the lips.

“I would've brought you with me if I could; God, you have no idea how bad I wanted to come back to Bristol and have you with me.” He whispers this goofy smile on your lips as you shift your weight and lean into his body.

“Kiss me again.” You whisper, making him give that signature giggle as he kisses you again.

He was soft; everything around him was warm and felt like home. Oh, how you've missed him, being beside you all the time, and knowing your best friend was back.

“Come back to Monaco with me?” He asks, breaking the kiss as he kisses your forehead again, pulling you close.

“Really?” You ask, pulling away as he nods his head.

“Yes, the new season will ramp up, and I want you there for the first race.” He smiles, making you shake your head.

“Lando.....you just came back; im not leaning right away; we’re going to build this first, but I'll come to the first race.” You reason, making him groan but nod his head in agreement.

“Besides, I really, really want to meet Charles and Carlos; I mean, damn.” You grade, making him scream in shock as you just laugh, hugging him again.

“I'm glad you're back.” He whispers kissing you again, glad you finally have you in his arms.

#f1 #f1 x reader #f1 x y/n #formula 1 #f1 fandom #f1 imagine #f1 2022 #f1 scenario #formula one #lando norris #f1 mclaren #lando scenario #lando x y/n #lando x reader #lando imagine #lando.jpg

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allastoredeer · 3 months

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Hello, I just read the new chapter of "Damage Control" and it was a really fun read! I usually don't comment on the fics I read because my English isn't good, but as someone who's just starting to explore what the radioapple dynamic has to offer, I found this fic to be a god-send and it feels wrong to just not congratulate you.

Your characterization of all the characters in Hazbin Hotel and the world building for your radioapple series is so heckin' amazing I have no words for it. You show so much understanding of the hellaverse that even the smallest details, like that news segment with Katie Killjoy in the first episode, feel so on point. To me, it doesn't feel much different between reading your fics and watching any episode of the show.

I also wanted to ask if you were planning on involving the Sins at some point in the story. It can be fun to see the Sins gathered together to discuss why the short king, the same one who has been crying for his wife for seven long years, is suddenly involved with one of the Pride Ring's most dangerous Overlords. I can clearly hear Asmodeus say something like: “If I had a nickel for every time a royal gets involved with a sinner/hellborn (cofcofstolascofcof), I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.”

I really hope you never stop writing. You have become my favorite writer in this fandom. I hope you have a great day :D

HELLO!!! AHHH thank you so much (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`) Reading this sdjfnslfnljfn I can't tell you how much it warmed my heart. It watered my crops. Cleared my skin. Paid off my debts.

Seriously, when I got this is it just - it means a lot to hear. I'm so happy you're enjoying my fics! I'm overjoyed you like the characterization, and I'm so, so happy to have received this. It really does mean the whole world to me (to a lot of writers) to get feedback like this, so thank you <3

I don't know if I'll include any of the Sin's in my radioapple series, but I do have a handful of ideas and scenarios I want to draw/write out involving the Sin's, Lucifer, and them meeting Lucifer's new boyfriend/partner, Alastor ^.^ I love thinking about them all coming together--maybe Lucifer hosts some big, grand, once-in-a-millennia event in the Pride ring, and all the Sin's and Royal Hell families are invited to attend--and they all meet Alastor there. Ozzie and Queen Bee can introduce their partners too, and it'd just be so much fun.

I also need Ozzie to visit the porn studios, because of course, and absolutely murdering Valentino for how he treats/abuses his sex-workers.

This whole ask just...made everything better. Thank you very much. I definitely intend to keep writing, it's such a fun hobby and I derive a lot of enjoyment from it (hopefully one day I'll publish a book 🤞) .

Also, you're English is very good! Very clear and easy to read!

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a-world-of-whimsy-5 · 1 year

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Hey, dear! could i get an extremely fluffy picture/oneshot Daemon x pregnant!poc reader where ever since they found out about reader's pregnancy he has been super protective, loving and an excellent husband with her and the unborn baby so one afternoon they're spending quality time together (maybe she's reading to him) while he caresses her belly and the baby kicks for the first time, please?

Here you go.

The soon-to-be father

Pairing: Daemon x Fem. Reader (From the Summer Isles)

Themes : Soft | Fluff

Warnings : None

Word Count : 1.3k words

Want to be tagged? Want to know the reader request rules? Read all here

It was the height of autumn.

The leaves turned red, dusk crept in faster, and there was a growing nip in the air.

The dragons had taken to gorging on anything and everything the dragon keepers offered them, as if preparing for the lean winter years. It would not be long, they said, before the dragons retreated under the pits to sleep away the winter.

Even here, in the Red Keep, life grew slower, with the rooms and corridors growing darker. Torches were lit everywhere, and fires were blazing to provide the warmth and light that the sun couldn't. Despite everyone’s efforts, the cold still crept in through tiny cracks and crevices, as if the season was determined to have the last word.

Today, however, was tolerably pleasant, although you debated if "tolerably" was the right word. As a lady of the Summer Isles, you were accustomed to warmer weather and sunnier skies. Still, this was the place your husband called home, and you were determined to love it.

No, you tell yourself. This isn’t just your husband’s home. This is the place your unborn child will call home soon enough.

Your hand fluttered to your growing belly. Two more months, the Grand Maester said. Two more months, and everyone will know if it is a son or a daughter.

Your husband didn’t care if it was a boy or a girl. He was just eager to be a father. A father who was driving everyone to distraction with his plans for the nursery, the midwives, even going so far as to insist on being present for the birth. Not that you minded. You were just happy to indulge his whims, often shaking your head and grinning whenever he went overboard, something he did frequently and without shame.

A pelt being draped over your shoulders brought you out of your daydreaming. "You’re shivering." Daemon had walked in, silent as always. "Come sit by the fire, you’ll be warmer."

You studied him, discreetly, as he went over to the hearth to add more logs to the fire. Daemon was much calmer now, a far cry from the bundle of brash energy he was when the two of you wed. He also looked a little surly this afternoon. "What happened at the council meeting?" you asked, as you made yourself comfortable on a large sofa. Daemon finished his task and took his usual place next to you, picking up a book as he did so. He threw an arm around you and sighed.

"The pissant everyone is determined to make king has been visiting fighting pits every night for weeks now." Daemon rubbed his eyes, wondering how his brother managed to sire one such as his oldest nephew. Perhaps it was a punishment from the Gods for what had been done to the late queen Aemma, he reasoned, though he'd never say it aloud.

"Fighting pits?" You inquired, your gaze drawn to the book in his hands. It was dubbed, The Songs of the Seven Kingdoms. "Like your boxing?"

Daemon sighed and shook his head, his mood darkening. "I wish it was the case. We all do. No, my sweet, this is nothing like that, where there are judges and rules and where the opponents are grown men.

"But I’d rather not talk of that." He continued after a moment’s pause. "I just want you to promise me that you’ll come to me if Aegon comes anywhere near you."

You'd heard the rumors about the prince; everyone had. But hearing something that was passed off as mere gossip confirmed as true was a frightening prospect. "It cannot be that bad…." You say in disbelief. "I mean…. Aegon is a prince… He’s Viserys’ son, surely he…"

"Aegon is nothing like his father, so promise me," insisted Daemon. "Promise me you’ll come to me. Aegon is nothing like the sweet princeling he pretends to be. He’s far more dangerous than you think."

You swallowed as the gravity of the situation started to sink in. Daemon had moved with and fought alongside some of the most dangerous men in the kingdom. And if he thought Aegon was that bad, then—

"I will come to you if Aegon approaches me," you promised.

"Good," Daemon was pleased. "And how have you been? How is our child?"

"A little uncomfortable now that the baby is getting bigger, but I’m good. And the baby is healthy," you said indulgently, rubbing your belly. "And growing strong. The Grand Maester is very happy with everything. He said two more months before the baby is due to make their grand appearance."

Daemon placed a hand over yours, his joy matching yours. "That’s good. I told Viserys I’m not going anywhere till after out child arrives. He agreed."

"And I’ve had word from my mother," you picked up a letter on the side table and hand it to him. "She’ll be here before the birth. She also said four of my father’s finest warriors will be coming with her, and that they’ll be staying here as my sworn protectors. It’s rather odd, since I never asked for such a thing."

You tilted your head to one side when Daemon went red in the cheeks. "Husband," you said in amusement. "What did you do?"

Daemon groaned and mumbled something under his breath.

"Husband," you snickered. "What. Did. You. Do."

In one quick breath, Daemon finally mumbled: "Imayhavebadgeredyourfatherintosendindwarriorsforyou."

"I’m sorry, but what?"

Daemon groaned again, speaking more clearly this time. "I- may have - badgered your father into sending warriors for you."

You just chuckled and buried your face in your hands. "Oh Daemon. It’s not necessary, my love, really."

"Not necessary?" Daemon stammered in shock. "My dear wife, did you not just listen to a word I said about Aegon? And have you not heard of that brother of his?"

And there he goes, being the protective husband. You couldn't fault the man because your own lord father was exactly like him. It honestly made you love him even more. "I heard you. And yes, I have heard the stories about Prince Aemond. Alright. Father’s warriors can stay."

"Thank you," said a relieved Daemon. "Now, enough of dark topics. How about something light?"

"Like this book?" You hold up the Songs of the Seven Kingdoms. "Perhaps I could read it?"

Daemon picked out a story, about the North and the children of the forest. He was content to let you read, his hand still over your belly.

The afternoon drifted on, with nothing but you reading stories out loud and Daemon rubbing your stomach whenever you grew uncomfortable. He became aware of something beneath his palm. Muscles rippled as something moved. "What’s that?"

There it was again, and this time you too felt it. "That, my love, is our baby." You put the book down, placed your hand over his. Sure enough, there was another ripple. "Kicking at my insides again."

Daemon grinned. "A child of true Targaryen and Summer Isle stock then," he said it so gleefully, you forgot your discomfort in an instance. "I wonder if they would be the one to bond with Grey Ghost."

You gave him a double-take. A wild dragon? Your child wasn't going anywhere near a wild dragon. "Grey Ghost? No."

Daemon’s eyes glinted mischievously. "Sheepstealer then?"

"Not on your life!"

He tsked and thought about it again. "I know! The Cannibal!"

"No!" You grinned. Daemon was only teasing you, after all. "My love, can we please stick to the practice of placing a dragon’s egg in the babe’s cradle?"

"Spoil-sport," he said cheerfully. "Alright, my love. An egg in the cradle it is."

"Thank you." You allowed Daemon to take the book. He then spent the rest of the afternoon reading to you and the child in your womb.

#asks #reader request #reader insert #soft #fluff #daemon being a dad #daemon targaryen #daemon x reader #HOTD #hotd x reader #writeblr #fan fiction

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pinchofhoney · 10 months

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Hi! Congrats on your 400 followers!! 🎉

I would like to request Steven Grant with the letters i) and m) ❤

hiya, thank you so much and thank you for sending request! as steven is my best boy, i hope i did my best and you'll enjoy this as much as i enjoy wrinting it!!<33

» fluff alphabet event

» special events masterlist

i: i love you how fast do they say the i-word?

Steven is not the type of person to rush into saying "I love you" without being absolutely certain of his feelings. He might be a little hesitant to speak those words out loud because he not only values the depth of vulnerability that comes with it, but also he might be scared of getting hurt. His gentle and considerate nature guides him to pick the perfect moment to express his emotions verbally, wanting it to be a meaningful experience.

But let me tell you about Steven's heart, which is undoubtedly one of the kindest and most caring ones you'll encounter. His love knows no bounds, especially for those he holds dear. It's a love that blossoms in every moment you spend together. When you wake up, he greets you with a warm and affectionate embrace, letting you know how happy he is to start the day with you by his side and as the day unfolds, he finds joy in surprising you with gestures that fill your heart with delight. Perhaps it's a thoughtful text message that brightens your busy afternoon or a surprise visit to your workplace with a homemade meal, just because he knows how much it means to you.

As you spend time together, you'll notice that Steven's affectionate nature is not confined to grand gestures; it's the little things that make all the difference. Whether it's a loving gaze, a gentle touch, or a warm embrace, he makes sure to show you just how much you mean to him every day. It's in those simple, yet meaningful acts of love that his heart truly speaks.

So, even though he might not say "I love you" right away, know that his love for you shines through in every small detail. With Steven, you're enveloped in a cocoon of care and appreciation, where you feel safe, cherished, and truly loved. And when the time is right, when his heart is brimming with the overwhelming depth of his emotions, those three magical words will leave his lips, genuine and overflowing with the sincerity of his heart.

m: morning how are mornings spent with them?

Even though Steven doesn't sleep very well, every morning he ensures it's the nicest one for you. When he's home, he wakes up with a gentle smile, not wanting you to worry about his sleep problems. After cuddles and many affectionate little kisses, he delights you with a cup of your favorite freshly brewed coffee, and despite his own fatigue, he's always enthusiastic about preparing a delicious breakfast, carefully considering your preferences and needs. And let's not forget about Gus the fish! He also gets his long-awaited breakfast along with his daily good morning hello.

After breakfast, Steven surprises you with little notes of encouragement, strategically placed around the house, reminding you of your worth and how much he appreciates you. He goes out of his way to create a peaceful and pleasant ambiance in the home, playing soft music or humming to himself while getting ready for work, making you feel comfortable and cherished.

Despite his lack of rest, Steven remains incredibly attentive and engaged during your morning conversations. He listens intently to what you have to say, never rushing you, and ensuring you feel heard and valued. His caring and affectionate nature brightens up the start of each day, making you feel lucky to have him as a partner.

Even if he's exhausted, Steven takes the time to plan activities or outings after his shift that bring joy to both of you. Whether it's a walk in the park, exploring a new museum, or simply enjoying quality time together, he prioritizes making lasting memories and ensuring your happiness.

Mornings spent with Steven overflow with love, thoughtfulness, and genuine care, as he consistently goes ten thousand steps the extra mile to ensure your day starts positively, despite his own struggles.

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reyreadsandwrites · 2 months

Text

The Promise of New York

content: Leo x named and implied daughter of hermes, childhood friends

a/n: I personally don't like writing in y/n / 2nd pov, so if you want your name in a story: send me your idea and a name and I'll try to get back to you!

warning: none, maybe one swear word?

Leo hadn’t seen Fiza in years.

The way he left things with Fiza wasn’t his favourite memory. He’d tell himself he did what was best, even if that meant never seeing his best friend again and selfishly, he wished he’d never done it.

They had plotted their escape down to the last minute. They would wait until everyone was asleep. They would sneak to the attic, where there was the one window that never locked - the school never checked down there anyways, and would run away into the distance. Start afresh. New York, Fiza would say with a dreamy look on her face. Yes, the one place they could be whoever they wanted. Who needed school anyways?

So, they had decided, one crisp November night, to carry out their plan. But they didn’t take into account one thing. Dexter.

Dexter was a scrawny kid with huge circular glasses that covered half his face and the beginnings of a whispy blond moustache. The teachers loved him. Leo didn’t. Dexter had heard their, albeit not so subtle, planning, snitched to the adults like the teacher’s pet he was and security was on high alert.

They had made it to the attic, without notice. How Fiza managed that was a mystery to Leo; she was always good at sneaking around. Leo would often joke that she needed a bell around her, to alert him of her comings and goings. Leo followed her, his torch light blaring behind him to check for shadows in the dark. Nothing. Yet.

“Leo, it’s locked.” Fiza whispered. The slightest hint of panic in her voice. He looked at her in confusion.

“What are you talking about?”

“The window.” She looked back at him. “It’s locked.”

“Are you sure?” At that, Fiza looked at him, seriously?

Leo came to join her at their planned exit. The moon illuminating them slightly, Leo almost didn’t need the flashlight. Key word: almost. He lost his next step on something that was scattered on the floor, he wasn’t sure what, and his flashlight slipped out of his hand with a loud CRASH.

“Did you hear that? I think I found them!” the two teens heard. Shit.

Leo looked at Fiza in alarm. Fiza’s sweater was rolled up to her elbows as she went to work with a old bobby pin she had fished out from her backpack, trying and trying to open the newly locked window. Now, admittedly, the next bit was a blur. Leo blamed the adrenaline. All he could remember is this: Fiza managed to get the lock open in less than a minute (he was pretty sure that was her personal best), Leo had insisted she go first and as soon as Fiza was out, he told her to run.

“There’s no time, go. I’ll find a way and we’ll make it to New York. I promise.”

Leo had never seen Fiza look so scared. He hated knowing he was behind that. With tears in her eyes, she opened her mouth to protest but before she could convince him otherwise, he slammed the window shut. One more look at the girl that had stood by him for years at this stupid boarding house, before turning to face the two security guards that had just bursted through the door.

“Lovely night for a walk, isn't it?” He forced a smile on his face.

The guards glared at him. “Where’s your friend?”

“Who?”

The school had moved him to a new foster house after that. Two states over. No chance of escape this time. New York, he would think. Every night. I’ll meet you there. One day.

---

Fiza loved the idea of travel. Leo and Fiza would often lay under the stars (aka. the fluorescent lights of the student common room), tangled in each others arms (the two of them would swear up and down that this was totally platonic) and she would talk about the places she would love to visit if the circumstances were different - the Grand Canyon was always one of them. Maybe that’s why, on the bus over with his new friends, Leo's mind couldn’t help wondering back to her.

It also made complete sense for Leo’s mind to wonder back to the time they spent as he was falling faster and faster towards the water in Long Island, New York of all places. Almost like fate wanted them to meet again. He knew that was cheesy but he almost couldn't help himself.

It didn’t take long for the group of teens - his friends from the Wilderness School and the two teens that had been their extraction squad, to crash into the lake.

It didn’t take Leo long to be claimed either. He swatted the holographic image as it was fading, a thousand questions running through his mind.

“Vulcan?” He demanded. “I don’t even LIKE Star Trek. What are you talking about?”

He distantly heard Annabeth, the scary blonde who brought them from the Grand Canyon, say something about a tour. He scanned the scenery. The crowd, the woods, the cabins; trying to ground himself in his new surroundings.

“I’ll take him.” He heard a distantly familiar voice say. Leo turned to see a girl, around his age, move forward from the crowd. “Come on, Spock. I’ll explain everything.”

She turned around and walked towards the cabins before Leo had the chance to say anything; he jogged behind her to keep up. His body was tingling, the butterflies in his stomach were almost painful. It was Fiza, he was sure of it.

Leo had never forgotten Fiza. Not her short, dark hair that the other girls she was friends with begged her to keep long. Not the twinkle in her eyes when she would have the best idea ever; all of Fiza’s ideas be it a small prank on Dexter or an idea for her latest history project were the best idea ever. Not even the promise he had made her. Now he was here, with a girl walking in front of him who was trying to explain the idea of Greek gods and heroes and he wasn’t listening. He probably should be but he couldn’t cause it was her.

It was his Fiza. The same girl who stuck with him because she thought he was funny when the rest of the school called him weird. The same girl who let him talk her ear out even when she wasn’t in the mood because she said she liked listening to his voice. The same girl who would keep every trinket or handmade ring (Fiza loved rings) that Leo would make out of scraps they had nicked from the woodwork classroom at their old boarding house.

“Fizzy?” He just about croaked out, his voice catching in his throat. He stopped in his tracks praying to his new found father that she would recognise his old nickname for her. Praying that she had thought of him even a fraction of how often he had thought of her.

She turned and smiled. That same Fiza smile that would pull him out of a bad mood in almost an instant. The relief and recognition in her eyes took the breath out of his lungs. “I wasn’t sure if you remembered.”

But how could he forget?

a/n: yes, I did steal one of Will's lines from tlh but still, thanks for reading!

#leo valdez #heroes of olympus #the lost hero #rick riordan #percy jackson #pjo #pjo hoo toa #hoo

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preet-01 · 27 days

Text

In 2023, I wrote We've Never Hooked Up during the Lewis/Merc contract negotiations and a reporter asked if Lewis and Toto had hooked up about the contract. Now, what was originally a one-shot is a story told in three parts. This is part 2 and part 3 will be out in about a week

Word Count: 1555

The plans to spend the summer break together fall through before early July.

It isn’t because Lewis is annoyed by how bad the car was and how no matter what he did the team barely seemed interested in listening to his feedback. And it wasn’t due to the continued fights they’d been having about his contract – or how Toto refused to advocate for him with the team in Germany. They’d agreed ages ago to not let work interfere with their relationship.

Not to mention that Toto has meetings that he should focus on. The German headquarters business didn’t stop just because Formula One was on a summer break. As CEO, Toto needed to work and Lewis didn’t want to spend the few weeks he had off fighting for some time with Toto.

So Lewis decides to make his own plans.

Maybe he��ll do some traveling with Miles, Spinz, and all the others. They had talked about a trip to Brazil. Or he could go island hopping with Daniel, chasing the warm sun and sandy shores. He had been meaning to spend more one-on-one time with Daniel after everything that had happened last year – it was bad when both Seb and Fernando were concerned. Maybe he could take up Seb on his offer to visit him in Switzerland and see his animals named after drivers. As great as his current friendship was with Fernando, he did miss seeing Seb every weekend and bitching about all things FIA-related.

“Will you be attending Google Camp this year?” John asks. The older man had offered him a ride to England on his private jet after the Austrian Grand Prix and with most of the Mercedes team leaving Sunday night, Lewis had taken him up on the offer without hesitation. He hadn’t had time to catch up with John in a long time, so it was as good an opportunity as any. Just the two of them and their respective security on the private jet — Seb would probably chastise him about it.

“I hadn’t intended on attending,” Lewis replies – he had declined the invitation weeks ago when the plan had been to be on some remote island with just Toto and a skeleton staff as company. “I already declined the invite before my original plans fell through,” he adds.

‘Hhm,” John nods, “come with me. I have a plus one and those events tend to be dreadful without good company.”

Lewis can’t help the laugh that escapes him. John had been downright miserable at Google Camp the year they had met. Stuck in some pissing contest conversation between Zuckerberg and Musk, John had jumped at the opportunity to pull him into a separate conversation when their eyes met across the ruins.

Google Camp hadn’t happened in 2020 for obvious reasons. Lewis didn’t know about 2021, but he’d been busy with other stuff. And in 2022, he’d gotten a few calls from John about the event. Most of them complaining about the lack of good company with a mind for racing beyond just “fast cars go vroom.”

He doesn’t commit to going but does tell John that he’ll think about it.

It wouldn’t be the worst way to spend the summer break. Lewis quite liked John’s company and he liked Sicily. They’d had a grand old time during the few days they’d spent at Google Camp together in 2019.

____

He goes to Sicily.

Of course, he goes to Sicily.

He goes and he lets John plan their entire trip. He lets the control slip out of his own hands and into John’s — trusting that he wouldn’t be a disaster at planning.

They have a private villa at the Verdura Resort that is probably much too big for just two people, but it has a pool and is one of the more beautiful places he’s stayed at during his life so far. There’s of course a lineup of Ferraris there just for their use and private chefs well versed in cooking vegan food.

Google Camp is well not so different from how Lewis remembers it and it quickly turns into an Italian vacation with John taking him to places Lewis had never thought of visiting before. Whisking him away from Sicily in one of the many Ferraris until they reach the harbor where a boat awaits to take them to mainland Italy.

He doesn’t think of the missed calls between himself and Toto or the short messages exchanged. Neither of them seemed to catch the other at an opportune time. Instead, he focuses on John and attempts to tell the man that there are better ways to have a sweater hanging from one’s shoulders than how John tends to have them. However, he does admit that it is an endearing idiosyncrasy.

And in the coming months, he does his best to not think about the promises that John had whispered in his ear as they lay under the blazing Italian sun. Or the taste of fermented grapes and ripe strawberries as a million stars shined down on them. Or how he’d laughed more in those few days with John than he had with Toto in the past few years. No, he doesn’t think of that at all…

Lewis ignores it the best that he can, for as long as he can — he’d always been very good at compartmentalizing and pushing forward.

Just as plans for the summer break spent on some remote island fall through, so do the plans for winter break. They don’t go to Toto’s home in the Austrian countryside or visit the Christmas markets. Well, Lewis doesn’t go, Toto does.

Lewis instead flies out to Brazil with Miles, Spinz, and all his other friends. None of them mention that the private jet they use isn’t the one that Lewis would usually rent or the one he’d occasionally borrow from Toto, but borrowed from one John Elkann.

Brazil is everything he’d needed after the season, after fighting with his car time and time again. It’s a necessary break that he had needed to decompress and just think.

It’s an eye-opening vacation, to say the least.

Things need to change because as Lewis had told Toto months ago, he didn’t have years and years to keep fighting.

Just as he’s about to call Toto so they can talk through everything like they normally do, a different billionaire is calling him.

“Hi,” Lewis answers, unable to help the smile that breaks out when he answers John’s call.

“Hello, Lewis,” John replies, “how is Brazil?”

Lewis goes into the details about the vacation. Everything that they have done so far and everything that they plan to do in the coming days. John, ever so attentive, makes his own recommendations and tells Lewis about the places that he loved growing up. “You lived in Brazil?” Lewis questions, he had not been aware of that. How it hadn’t come up in their many conversations, he doesn’t know. Just as he’d thought that he’d learned everything about John, the man reveals something new – some new avenue to take their already hours-long conversations.

“Briefly when I was young. I attended primary school in England and then Brazil before we moved to Paris when I was in my teenage years,” John answers. “But it has always been somewhat of a home as many of my earliest memories are from there and I have gone back to explore the country many times since,” he explains.

“Tell me more,” Lewis says, getting comfortable on his bed as all thoughts of Toto and his future fly out the window.

If Lewis spends the rest of the day on the phone with John, just talking and definitely not flirting, then that’s no one’s business except his own. And he certainly doesn’t invite John to join him in Brazil. He just so happens to have business in Brazil obviously, nothing to do with Lewis.

As John Elkann makes declarations of unconditional devotion and presses kisses onto the most intimate parts of Lewis Hamilton, Toto Wolff is in the company of his other driver.

It is a far cry from how Toto had expected to spend his winter months ago when Lewis had joked about the two of them never hooking up during a press conference. Then he’d imagined a shorter man with tattoos on dark skin and a gap-toothed smile in his bed. He’d imagined Lewis curled up around him as they sought relief from the cold Austrian winter. He’d imagined a quiet vacation spent in one another’s company and visiting the Christmas markets that Lewis had fallen in love with.

Instead, his winter is spent in the company of George who is nothing like Lewis. Instead of a private vacation with visits to Christmas markets, he’s at karting tracks, ski charity events, and public places where people easily recognize them both. Instead, his winter is spent with someone who is still not fully sure of his position with Toto.

George is still staying at his place in Oxford when Lewis finally calls him about their usual pre-season coffee. Toto doesn’t kick him out, can’t find it in himself to do so. Not when George had looked so lovely and had taken so long to get comfortable.

No, George has an event to go to that morning anyway. It would be fine.

#lewis/john elkann #lewis/toto #elkilton

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fensherohair · 5 months

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The Marauders & The Metamorphic Witch Part 9

Words: 1.9k Warning: None although mentions of dating Pronouns: She/Her

Christmas was drawing closer; the many students seemed to be in a constant buzz of excitement. Many spoke about their plans, discussing if they would be going home for the holidays or staying within the walls of the castle. The castle itself had been decorated, and the great hall had several trees around the side, with a larger one behind the professor's area at the back of the hall, especially decorated by the professors. The candles floating in the hall had holly wrapped around the base, with snow falling from the cloud sky, hiding the arched ceiling. Even the grand staircase had been decorated. With tinsel lining the many moving staircases, some with sparkling baubles, too. The pictures had Christmas trees with them or something Christmas-related, and a few even singing Christmas songs.

Of course, the common rooms hadn't escaped the Christmas makeover. Each had a tree in the corner near the fire. Decorated in the house colors with Hogwarts emblem baubles here and there. Other decorations had also appeared around each common area, seemingly overnight. The first-year students always seemed to be amazed, whereas the older ones grinned at the reminder Christmas was coming. Every now and again, mistletoe would appear in a doorway or above a random area where students gathered. However, the Scottish weather had likely already reminded them the holidays drew closer, with the thick snowfall beginning in November and seeming to be constant. Until the ice and snow created a winter wonderland out of the castle grounds, even the great lake had frozen over.

"Are any of you staying here for Christmas?" asked Isolde, a soft smile gracing her lips as she remembered her parents informing both her and Allegra they would be staying at the castle this year. Their loving parents had finally got around to going on the romantic getaway they'd always talked about doing. Isolde had accepted it without much fuss, instead looking forward to exploring the castle when it was almost empty and getting to experience something new. Allegra, on the other hand, had written a harsh letter back to their parents, demanding they either change their plans or allow her to go to her favorite aunts for Christmas. Not surprisingly, they had refused, explaining it was too short of notice and the aunt would also be away with her own family.

"I will be, same with my dear older brother," stated (Y/N), recalling her parents were going to travel the world this Christmas, visiting her uncle in Egypt and Grandpa in America. The plans had been in place for a while now, but the uncle wasn't one who they got to see often, even if he always wrote and sent gifts for special occasions. Plus, it had been some time since their father had seen his own dad and his side of the family. The visit there was long overdue.

"I'll be going home, much-needed time with my sister Petunia," stated Lily, her bright smile dimming a little as she remembered how their once strong sisterly bond had faded in recent years. To the point that they barely spoke, and Petunia often ignored her. She had her own life now, friends that were normal rather than magical. "I'm hoping to fix our relationship; things haven't been the same since finding out I was a witch," commented the redhead, awkwardly moving her hair and brushing her fingers through it. She looked around the quiet dorm room, to her trunk that was already packed, and the presents sitting on top from three of the girls surrounding her.

"Family Christmas for me. Three generations in one house," chuckled Marlene, recalling the chaos that happened every year, her brothers always excitable on Christmas morning, ready to rip into the gifts, her grandparents telling stories of the past, her parents, aunt, and uncles casting a few spells to help the day go easier and entertain the younger ones. Despite the screaming, terrible singing, and often embarrassing stories, it still ended up being another perfect Christmas, even if the adults did end up tipsy or outright drunk by the night's end.

"At least I get rid of most of you and the boys," grumbled Allegra; the tension between the Smith Twins hadn't eased over the past month or so; if anything, it had gotten worse, to the point it was difficult for most to be around and the shared dorm had become almost unbearable. The two barely spoke to each other now and only stayed in the same place when there was no other choice, such as classes and the great hall. They did their best to stay away from each other when in the great hall and traveling between classes. Although Allegra still stayed close to the group, she often made rude comments. She acted as if she was the de facto leader, trying to control what everyone did and often shouting about the mischief and pranks being worthless.

"Remus mentioned Sirius was staying in the castle this year," voiced Marlene, glancing over to (Y/N) sitting on her bunk holding her penguin plushy, an open box of Berty Bots on the trunk at the end of her bed. "Apparently, he had a falling out with his parents about something, so he chose to stay behind," she added, mindlessly braiding her blonde locks, almost laughing as (Y/N) seemed to miss why Sirius chose to hang around the castle rather than taking James up on his offer to go to the Potter's for the holidays.

"He's a tosser, but he's somehow adorable at the same time," commented Lily, noticing the way (Y/N) looked around at the mention, still appearing oblivious to what almost everyone could clearly see. "Remus, too, is cute in a nervous way," laughed the auburn-haired girl, Isolde joining in, too. Marlene and (Y/N) looked at each other, the latter's cheeks heating up as if realizing what the girls were referring to, whereas (Y/N) looked on with confusion as if she didn't understand the direction the conversation had turned to.

"How in the name of magic haven't you noticed?" asked Isolde, directing her question to (Y/N), who looked back with confusion sparkling in her (E/C) eyes. She shook her head as if to indicate she didn't understand the question asked. "Come on, James practically yelled from the astronomy tower weeks ago," she added as Marlene and Lily began to laugh a little more. Isolde tried to find a way to explain it to her clueless friend.

"Sirius has a crush on you, (Y/N)," giggled Lily, blurting it out to save the awkward sidestepping Isolde was running at. "When James asked if Sirius had asked his girlfriend if she would brew the potion, he was referring to you," admitted Lily, finding the situation cute. How James, as gobby and annoying as he was, tried to help his best friend when it came to his school love life. "As I said, Sirius may be a toss pot, but you two would make a cute, mischievous couple," she added, as (Y/N)'s cheeks heated up at the realization, her eyes wide as she tried to hide behind the penguin plushy she held on to.

"Hey, if Sirus and (Y/N) are the Cute Mischief Couple, does that make Marlene and Remus the parents of the group?" asked Isolde, turning her attention to Marlene in time to see her hide her burning cheeks behind her hands, before quickly hiding beneath the wooly blanket previously resting across her bed. "At least you two recognize there's something there, and again, you'd make an adorably cute couple," she added as if to soothe the embarrassment a little. Allegra merely rolled her eyes from her bunk, not appreciating the girly talk or the reminder of others having what she wanted.

"And yet neither of you attended the winter dance together," voiced Allegra, pointing out Remus and Marlene didn't attend the dance together despite both recognizing there was a connection between them. Likewise, Sirius hadn't asked (Y/N) to be his date to the dance despite how obvious his crush on her was and how James and occasionally Remus pushed him to be truthful with himself and (Y/N).

"I can't walk in a straight line without falling over; how do you suppose I dance without my superpower of clumsiness taking hold?" asked (Y/N), a small smile appearing on her lips as her eyes began to sparkle with mischief again. Lily chuckled again, likely imagining the scenario mentioned or something else had tickled her about the comment. "Not to mention Sirius didn't ask, neither did Remus ask Marlene," she added, pointing out that neither of the boys had gained the courage to ask either of them to attend the winter dance with them. Just as it became clear again, Allegra hadn't paid attention; if she had, then she would have been aware (Y/N) had spent that week in the hospital wing again after being hit by a bludger during Quidditch. Remus had as well due to his condition being particularly difficult that month.

"Speaking of going on dates on all, Isolde, how was your date?" asked Marlene, turning the attention to Isolde, who looked like a deer caught in the headlights, her eyes wide as she began to pale at the realization she hadn't been as secretive as she thought she had been. Mentally, she questioned if one of them had seen her and her date at the Three Broomsticks or during their wander around the snowy Hogsmeade.

"At least tell me, my brother dearest was a gentleman," spoke (Y/N), her grin turning gentle as she revealed she was aware of the date; she found it cute, as much as Isolde and the others found her imaginary relationship with Sirius cute. Isolde looked over to (Y/N) with almost horror, as if terrified that she already knew of the months-old relationship. "He told me weeks ago. Said that he didn't want things to be awkward or make the friendship weird," admitted (Y/N), recalling when Hunter had pulled her aside to ask her permission to date Isolde. (Y/N) Being herself, she had asked why he needed permission. Although she did promise she'd kick her brother's ass if he hurt one of her best friends.

"See, this is why I say you Wolffe siblings are something to admire," laughed Lily, throwing a cushion at Isolde playfully. The brunette girl returned the favor soon after before breaking out in laughter. Marlene and (Y/N) glanced toward each other before hearing someone call their name from the common room. No doubt one of the boys.

"That will be the boys with the presents," spoke Marlene before getting up to answer the call. A soft smile appeared on her lips as she saw James waiting below, Peter next to him, wondering why he'd been roped into helping with the gift delivery. In the hands of the scrawny boy was the small pile of presents intended for him from each of the girls, each wrapped to the best of the individual's ability.

"You and Lily joining us on the train home tomorrow?" asked James, raising his voice slightly so Marlene could hear him over the chattering students crowding the common room, all of them getting ready to leave for the holidays. Knowing they had to be ready and at the station by noon the following day.

"I will be; I'm not sure about Lil. You get Mason, though, and I think Regulus," confirmed Marlene, walking to the small spiraling staircase to join the pair of boys in the common room. She was thankful to be away from Allegra again but dreading returning to the tension-filled room. She didn't want to imagine what would happen over the holiday period, with both Smith Twins being stuck in the castle and still having to share a dorm. However, she had little doubt (Y/N), and Sirius could handle it or remove themself from any situation if needed.

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inthepeakymidwinter · 1 year

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Lucky Charm Secured (Thomas Shelby x Reader)

Summary: Thomas rushes Y/N to safety during his party. Happily Based on this ask: " Hello! I’m not sure if your requests are still opened but I wanted to see if you would do a one shot of Thomas Shelby. Based on the movie first daughter the “ Lucky charm Secured” scene " Word Count: 787 TW: Gunshots Tags: @theshelbyclan @globetrotter28 Author's Note: Finally came around and finished this! Hope you guys like it. _________________________________________

It was 7pm on a Friday night when Mr. Thomas Shelby was hosting a ball at his mansion. He wanted to spread the word of his new political campaign and what a perfect way to do it by inviting over 300 strangers to his home. I was his horse trainer for the big races he took part in. He invited me personally to his ball and bought me a beautiful red ball gown after I trained his horse to win. I worked every day and night to make sure the horse was in top condition and just like I promised him, his horse ‘Lucky Charm’ won the race effortlessly.

I walked up to the doors of Mr. Shelby’s mansion. His brother Finn Shelby was guarding the door with his friend Isiah. I gave Finn my invitation letter and he nodded his head and lead me inside. The home was glowing with candles and enormous bouquets of flowers. I was so delighted at the thought of Mr. Shelby planning this ball and inviting me of all people. We had spent a few weeks together and had deep conversations about horses and life. I felt more connected to him than anyone else I had ever met. Even though he was a widow, and a bit of a recluse I still felt more attracted to him with every visit. My heart was hoping he felt the same way but it was nearly impossible to read the elusive Mr. Shelby.

I found my way towards the back of the home. There were servers holding glasses of champagne, and cheese boards with mixed fruits. I took a glass of champagne offered by a charming male server with blonde hair and made my way to the back yard. Mr. Shelby had a huge home, but his biggest and best feature was his back yard. There was a large stone patio and a maze of shrubbery about a mile from it. As I met the stone flooring with my heels, I was approached with the sound of Thomas Shelby giving a grand speech. People were cheering with him, clapping when they agreed, and overall, I had to clap with him. The man had a way with his words. I joined the crowd that gathered below his pedestal and moved my way to the front. He began to thank everyone for coming and then excused himself quite quickly. People cheered as he made his way down the stage. He walked back inside, and I followed him in. He seemed skittish and shaken up. I stood in my tracks, frozen by his tall stature in a well fit, silky black suit.

“M-Mr. Shelby” I stuttered.

“Why are you here, Y/N?” He asked me in a irritated manner, not bothering to turn around and face me. I was so thrown off by his response that I didn’t know what to say so I held the silence for a bit longer. It must’ve been too long by the time I decided on what to tell him because he spun on his heels and asked me again. “Why are you here?”

“Mr. Shelby...you uh…invited me sir” I stumbled on my words. He gritted his teeth and grabbed hold of my arm. “Y/N please…you must go. You have to go now” He rushed me to the front of his mansion, skipping strides along the way and causing me to slip on my dress. I fell to the floor in one swift motion, and he casually picked me up and held me close. “Y/N… It’s not safe here. You need to go” He breathed out. My stomach fluttered and I nearly fainted just by his warm touch on my skin. I nodded in agreement with him and suddenly heard gunshots go off. We both raced out the door and to the driveway where a black car had been waiting for us. “Hurry Y/N I need to get you safe” He pleaded with me. I rushed with him and as he made it to the car, he held open the door for me. I got in the passenger door where I found his brother Arthur as the driver. I scooted over in my seat to make room for Mr. Shelby but then I heard the car door slam. I looked over at Mr. Shelby in surprise and frustration. He had the closed the door on me and not come in. “Take her home Arthur” Mr. Shelby ordered. I sat there looking at Thomas Shelby with a clenched jaw. Hurt by what actions he took and frustrated that he didn’t care to say a goodbye. He just stared deeply with a blank expression as if there was no hope for us after all.

#thomas shelby x reader #thomas shelby fanfic #thomas shelby imagine #peaky blinders x y/n #peaky blinder fanfic #thomas shelby x y/n #lucky charm secured

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lordisitmine · 5 months

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TTNBD BLOG: PART ONE

I'm doing something different with this story. I always have much to say in the notes of my fanfiction and I'm usually bursting to talk about behind the scenes/commentary stuff, so I've decided to do blog posts to correspond with the updates of this story. I don't know if I'll do one for every single chapter, some of them may be grouped, but I hope people will find them interesting just the same! This post is to cover the first update, that being the prologue and the first chapter. Obviously, spoilers for those if you haven't read them yet.

INTRODUCTION

My writing process for a fic usually starts with the nagging vision of a single scene. It might be an ending, a beginning or a middle, but if it burns in my mind long enough that I have to write it down, that usually means that it will continue to stick around until I've done something about it.

Such was the case with To the End of Everything. In the late summer of 2014 (August I believe), I was on the bus, going to work, day dreaming (I can't read or watch videos in a moving vehicle, I'm very prone to motion sickness). I had recently been re-reading the first few arcs of the Kuroshitsuji manga and had finally gotten around to season two of the anime. Seeing Ciel as a demon gave me about six hundred thousand emotions, and so it was on my mind at the time.

Suddenly, a scene started to play out in my brain, and it was genuinely like watching a movie. I could see it all clear as day. It was Sebastian and Ciel, both demons, in twenty-first century London, standing at the grave of Ciel himself, on Ciel's one-hundredth-and-something birthday. Sebastian was holding a giant bouquet of roses and Ciel was rolling his eyes and pretending not to be totally charmed by the gesture.

This, of course, is the epilogue of TTEOE. That one scene dug its claws into me so completely that I spent the next four years writing an entire novel to explain how it was that the two of them ended up in that situation in the first place.

Fast-forward to the fall of 2018. It's almost Halloween, and I'm finally, finally, putting the finishing touches on the final chapter of TTEOE. Ciel and Sebastian are standing in the ruins of Phantomhive manor, which has been destroyed (again). The man who killed Ciel's parents has been defeated. The great evil has been vanquished. The contract between Ciel and Sebastian has come to fruition, but instead of Sebastian consuming Ciel's soul, he has transformed it. Ciel has been transformed into a demon, and he and Sebastian are even more irrevocably bonded than they already were (more on that later).

There were, however, still a few loose ends. No ending is ever truly clean, not in real life. And sure, this was fiction, but I like to leave room for my readers to imagine what might happen next for themselves, and also give myself a little bit of breathing room as an author, in case I ever do decide to write a sequel. But when I wrote the lines about Sir Arthur's followers still being out there, I didn't have any concrete plans to do anything about it.

Until about ten months later.

August, 2019. What is it with me and August? Well, whatever it was, it got me again. The same cemetery, the same grave. Only this time, it wasn't the twenty-first century. Ciel's death was still fairly recent in the grand scheme of things. And instead of Ciel standing in front of his own tombstone on his own birthday, it was Lizzy, bundled up in the cold, carrying out her grieving ritual, even still, visiting Ciel in order to wish him a happy birthday and to tell him she hoped he was in a better place.

And then an immediate hard cut to Ciel and Sebastian in Paris having wild sex. Here, let me quote my own outline document, which is the first thing I write for any fic, the place where I messily scribble down everything I want to happen in order to then break it down into scenes and fully write it later. I wrote this back in 2019.

"Lizzy visits Ciel’s grave. She tells him about her latest life update, how med school is going, how her friend Sybil has invited her to go to Paris for the holiday, and how excited she is that her parents said yes, on the condition that she take the servants with her to keep her safe. They've become super extra protective ever since the business of Ciel’s death and all that. Lizzy seems to be doing better, as the last time she visited Ciel’s grave was months ago, and we are led to believe she used to come here all the time. She ends the visit by telling Ciel that she might not be back for some time, and that she truly hopes he’s in a better place.

Cut to Ciel, who is indeed in a much better place- namely Paris, in some ridiculously lavish bed in a ridiculously lavish apartment, getting his ass eaten and his back blown out. It’s his birthday after all, and Sebastian won’t let him forget it, even if Ciel thinks birthdays are a foolish thing for demons to celebrate. It’s also their anniversary though, of the day they made the Bond, and Ciel doesn’t mind celebrating that one so much."

So, yes. I've been sitting on this sequel for some time.

The problem this time, unlike with TTEOE, was that I had no idea what to do with these two scenes. They were obviously the beginning of something, but the beginning of what, I had no idea. With TTEOE, I had elements from canon to draw upon, and an obvious goal- tell the story of how Ciel got his revenge and became a demon.

But here, any conclusion I might have was more vague. The cult was still out there, so maybe something happens that brings Ciel and Sebastian back to London? But to what end? Ciel is supposed to be dead, so it's not like he can just re-enter his old life.

I knew for sure I wanted the story to focus on Lizzy as well, to give her a narrative arc of her own, and maybe a romance (a sapphic one, obviously, because that's how we do things in my house). Would she know Ciel was still alive? Would she be a victim? And who would be the villain? Who had taken over in Sir Arthur's stead, and what was their even worse, even bigger plan that the gang would have to foil?

Obviously, I now have answers to all of these questions. But of course, those answers are for me to know, and for you to find out.

So, over the course of the last few years, I've been coming back to this story, adding random pieces in by bursts of inspiration, building a Frankenstein's monster of sorts. Trying to create life. And then a year ago in December of 2022, I decided I was ready to flip the switch, summon the lightning, and actually sit down and write this son of a bitch.

I really did intend to have it done a lot sooner than this. I was, in retrospect, a bit premature in announcing my intentions. However, one of an author's biggest motivations is their audience, so I think it was good that I knew people were waiting for me to do it, even if it did cause me to stress myself out more than a few times. But that;s completely on me, not on you, the reader.

I won't get too much into my personal life, but a number of things happened this that contributed to creative drought and periods of business that prevented me from writing. But I had encouragement from you guys, and I'll always be grateful for that, because it got us all here!

PROLOGUE: COUP DE FOUDRE

TTEOE had an epilogue; TTNBD has a prologue. There are several through-lines in this story (and oh boy has that been a BITCH to plot out, I hope it will be worth it) and a couple of those through-lines start years and years before the rest of the story, so I sectioned them off like this. Also, having a prologue makes me feel a little fancy.

Original characters are a touchy subject in fanficiton for some people. I personally don't read a lot of fic with OCs, which is wild because I'm currently writing one. But whenn they're executed well, some of the best fics I've read have had OCs play a major role. Of course, self-insert OCs are their own sub-genre, but that's not what is happening here. There were holes in the story I wanted to tell that needed characters to fill them, and none of the existing characters could reasonably be stretched to fill those holes. So original characters it was!

There are three original characters in this story; Sybil, who plays the most major role, who you met as a baby in this chapter and who you'll see as an adult in the next one. Then there's her father Simeon, who you've met as well, and another character who I won't mention by name yet because they're going to be introduced in next week's instalment! Both Simeon and this other person play lesser parts in the story, but they're important. I will be doing drawings of them this week, so you'll get to see what I picture them like alongside their descriptions.

EDIT: December 19/2023. I realised a couple more things I forgot to mention when I was chatting with my translaor van_Dort, for whose work I could not be more grateful! Simeon's name comes from the Bible, specifically the Simeon spoken about in the New Testament book of Luke, in Chapter 2, during the story of the birth of Jesus.

In Luke CH.2, Simeon was an old man living in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus's birth; he had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw the Messiah. When Jesus was brought as a baby to the Temple in Jerusalem to be blessed, Simeon got to hold him, thus fulfilling his life's purpose.

The parallels between this Simeon and mine aren't meant to be super direct, but in TTNBD, Simeon's purpose was to father Sybil, and in holding her when she's born, he sees that purpose fulfilled. Also, as Van_Dort said, having a demon with a biblical name is just pretty cheeky and fun :>

Alois and Claude are here too! Season two of the anime is so juicy, with so many good elements to it, I just couldn't resist bringing these characters out to play. I can't wait to get into Alois's absolutely busted head and his wicked toxic dynamic with Claude. I feel like their relationship is a great foil for Ciel and Sebastian's, especially in this fic with the tone I'm going to take. I'm excited for you to see my representation of some of the events of the anime's second season.

CHAPTER ONE: A FAR, FAR BETTER REST

Ten or more years ago, when I was very, very involved in this fandom, much more than I am now (I'm like, here lurking but I wouldn't call myself active) I came across a piece of fanart of an older Ciel and Sebastian, and Ciel had this long hair, and it was so beautiful, and it changed my brain chemistry forever. I've never forgotten it, but I've also never been able to find it again, much to my chagrin. Maybe I'll try to recreate it now that I have the will and the skill to do so.

NEVERMIND! I just took a break from writing this to go search for it one more time and I actually found it! This is a repost on DeviantArt, The notes on the post say it was taken from 4chan but I can't seem to find the original source which sucks but I found it! I've been thinking about this picture for years!

So yes, this specific picture is 99% of the reason why Ciel has long hair in TTNBD. If anyone by some miracle knows the original source, please do share. That and growing out one's hair is symbolic of starting over or time passing or whatever thing you learned in your high school language studies/literature class. Also I think it looks pretty. This is exactly how I imagine him, I've been trying to capture this hairstyle in my drawings, I need to tweak his bangs a little I think.

Also, kudos to those of you who noticed that Ciel's fake name- Gespenst- is German for phantom! I couldn't resist the fun little reference, both to the name Phantomhive and to the fact that Ciel, for all intents and purposes, is a dead man. Also it sounds cool! Bonus!

ANYHOW, onto other stuff. Namely, let's talk about the telepathy thing.

My guilty pleasure is those middling to badly written romance fantasy novels where a nineteen or twenty year old girl gets taken away into a fae realm and falls in love with some hot strapped fae prince or whatever and then finds out that he's her Mate *gasp* and they're *bonded*. If you're reading this and thinking about A Court of Thorns and Roses, then you're thinking of the exact series I was obsessed with when I was writing the end of TTEOE.

In ACOTAR, Feyre and Rhysand have a mating bond that includes a telepathic link. I already knew I wanted the ritual that turned Ciel into a demon to form a tangible bond of some kind between him and Sebastian, and I was reading those books at the time and it just struck me upside the head. Mating bond! Duh! It plays perfectly with the possessiveness that's already inherent in their relationship and the fact that they're supernatural beings with supernatural abilities- and I also happen think it's pretty ~hot~ oop.

To be fair, it's not just ACOTAR's fault: I've been big into Star Trek since I was a teenager and if you know what T'hy'la means and the absolutely legendary fandom mythology that surrounds it, you know where all of my obsession with mates and bonds and stuff really comes from.

I hope I've done a good job of laying out sort of how it works between Ciel and Sebastian, but just to be clear- I don't see it as being like, the ability to read/hear every single one of each other's thoughts. it's more like a link that they can use to sort of "speak" directly to each other, or if one of them is thinking about something very intensely, they can pick up on it.

To me, the vibe of these two has always been "power couple in a crowded room at a party, having a silent conversation with their eyes about how they're better and prettier than everyone else here" and I guess I wanted to make that a reality.

Also it's a great trick to be able to use during sex scenes.

Which brings me to my next point: as you will see, there are a lot more sex scenes in this fic than there were in TTEOE! And they're a lot more... how do I put this... graphic? That's Partially because Ciel and Sebastian's relationship is established, and they're demons, so they're just horny most of the time- and partially because it's been so many years since I wrote TTEOE! I'm just more comfortable with this stuff now and I know my way around it better from a writing perspective.

I wasn't even twenty years old yet in 2014 and now I'm staring down the barrel at thirty, so I've just grown up a lot and developed more as a person, as well as a writer. I feel like I've gotten better at writing in a lot of ways and one of those is definitely my ability to write porn. Not to brag or anything. I know it's a weird skill to be proud of, but in fandom it's a skill that's kind of worth its weight in gold.

Speaking of writing improvement, the honest-to-God biggest challenge for me this time around has been matching the cadence and tone of the writing in TTEOE. Having taken such a long break, and my writing voice having shifted like it has, I have to be deliberate about keeping it all coherent. I hope I'm doing an okay job.

Last but not least, Abberline's back! It's everyone's (my) favourite oblivious detective! I love outsider POVs and so I had a hoot and a half writing him in TTEOE, so of course he's back to investigate crimes and always be about one or two steps behind until the truth turns around and backhands him in the face! What will he do, where will he go, who will he see? Who knows! It's always an adventure!

Like Lizzy, Abberline has had his own response to what happened to Ciel. He's changed in his own ways and his place in life has changed as well. You'll be seeing more of him soon, along with everyone else.

Okay! I think that's all for now! Thanks for reading this... very long post! Feel free to ask questions, I'll be camping out near my inbox, and I'll see you again next week!

-lord_is_it_mine

#lord speaks #kuroshitsuji #fanfiction #black butler #sebaciel #writing #my writing #behind the scenes #ttnbd #tteoe series #ttnbd blog #commentary

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aimwigs · 3 months

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your dadwig fics INVOKED something in me. qt and lud would def become better copayments later on and i could see her/slime being the godparents for anthony jr incase anything happening to lud and aiden. the way you write the dynamics in the group is amazing and i can’t wait to see more!! also the brief snippet of nick and im assuming z2’s son? the way you write him as a dad based on what he talks about in his own childhood makes so much since. also, would nicks/z2’s kid basically be lucy and ryan’s cousin/raised as such? because if i can just IMAGINE the terror that kid would create with lucy

sorry this took me sooooo long to write but here is the last dadwig fic for a while and well it's actually more of an aiden fic. loved all that you said abt nick's kid and lucy so decided to make a little fic out of it! this is actually set the same night as the campout fic!

and also yeah lud and qt are goated coparents + they all stay very close!!! something about it taking a village lmao

Aiden has always seen himself as generally pretty good with kids. He grew up with much younger brothers, for starters, so in some ways, it occasionally felt like he played a hand in raising them, between acting as a role model when they were in their teens and babysitting them when they were younger. He’s also always gotten along well with his friends’ kids and dated a girl who worked with children for several years, often tagging along with her while she was with them. He’s always wanted to be a dad and these things have always assured him that he’ll be a good one someday, whenever that day might be.

That’s why he thinks it’ll be no problem when Ludwig asks him to watch Lucy while he’s on a campout with Ryan’s Girl Scout troop since QT is out of town visiting her sister. It should be easy enough— she’s a little rambunctious but she’s always liked him and besides, if he can’t watch his boyfriend’s kid for a night, he has no business dating a guy with kids.

He comes up with this big grand plan for their time together: he’s going to take her mini golfing, grab dinner with her, and then throw on the new Pixar movie while she winds down for bedtime. It’ll be the perfect fun little night for her to enjoy while her dad and sister are off roughing it in the woods.

And then Nick’s wife goes into labor.

“I just need you to watch him while we’re at the hospital,” he says frantically, pushing Mason through his front door.

Mason looks super bewildered, his mop of dark hair sticking out in every direction as he stands there with his Thomas the Tank Engine backpack. He probably has no idea what to make of the fact that he has a baby brother on the way. Or maybe he’s just three.

“It’s no problem,” he tells him because it’s not. He already told the two of him that he was down to watch Mason whenever the baby came and even if he does have Lucy tonight, it’ll probably be more fun for them to have a sleepover anyway. They’re practically cousins.

“Thank you.” Nick hugs him tightly and bolts back towards the car, quickly pulling out of the driveway and speeding off toward the hospital.

Mason peers up at him with his dad’s icy blue eyes. “I need to pee.”

Right. Okay. He’s got this. He leads Mason to the bathroom even though he’s been to his place about a hundred times by now and takes his backpack into the living room so he knows where it is when it’s time to go to bed. Two kids tonight. No problem.

It’s still early, so he makes Mason some lunch and parks him in front of the TV while he evaluates his plans for the night. Nick was in too much of a rush to give him a car seat, so he probably shouldn’t drive him around the city for mini golf and dinner. Except, maybe he can sit in Lucy’s car seat and she can just sit in the car since she’s older and a little tall for her age. That still seems like pushing it, though, so maybe they just stay in tonight. He’ll have to decide later.

Ludwig shows up right after lunch to hand off Lucy, her car seat, and her overnight bag.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take her to Slime’s so you only have one kid on your plate tonight?” he asks, nodding towards where Mason and Lucy are already jumping up and down on his couch, the latter still wearing her shoes.

He waves him off. “I’ve got this. It’s two kids and they’re already friends. What’s the worst that can happen?”

Ludwig snorts. “With those two? Arson, probably. Maybe highway robbery.”

Aiden rolls his eyes. “Seriously, Lud, it’s fine. We’re going to have a fun night.”

He gives him an amused smile. “Well, if you’re sure, I guess I’ll leave her here with you. I’m sure Slime would come to get her if you need help, though.”

“I won’t.”

“Sure, babe,” Ludwig kisses him on the cheek when none of the kids are looking.

Their relationship isn’t a secret, per se, they’ve just been putting off telling Ludwig’s daughters about it officially. Since neither Ludwig nor QT have dated since the breakup, it’s definitely something new that they’re going to have to have a conversation about. Though, six months of dating feels a little like they’re pushing it off.

Ludwig pulls Ryan out the door and leaves shortly after. As soon as the door clicks shut, Aiden makes his way over to where Mason and Lucy are still jumping on his couch. If they have this much energy, maybe mini golf should stay on the table.

He claps his hands together. “Okay! We’re gonna have an awesome day together. Who wants to go mini golfing?!”

Instead of the overwhelming response he expects from two young children who very much enjoyed mini golf when they all went together like two months prior, Mason just shrugs and Lucy crosses her arms over her chest.

“Uncle Slime says mini golf is for normies,” she informs him.

He cocks an eyebrow. Fucking Slime, dude. “Do you even know what that means?”

She holds her chin high. “It means that cool people don’t mini golf.”

Mason, who he’s pretty sure idolizes Lucy about as much as she idolizes Slime, nods frantically. “I wanna be cool.”

He cycles through other possible ideas for fun things they can do together. Bowling is out because the last time they went Lucy had a total meltdown and he doesn’t care for a repeat of that. They could do a hike if it weren’t for the fact that losing service is probably a terrible idea when Mason’s new brother could arrive literally whenever at this point. An arcade could be a decent option, he supposes, but Mason might still be too little to understand how the games work.

“Let's walk to the park,” he decides because there’s a pretty decent playground in his neighborhood that both of them have been to a few times.

This, at least, they both agree on. He grabs a few water bottles from the kitchen while Mason puts on his shoes and they walk over together. Or really, run, because Lucy and Mason break into a dead sprint in the direction of the park as soon as they step outside.

He speedwalks after them— one perk of being tall as fuck is that it’s easier to keep up. He’s glad that they’re so excited, at least, and at the park, they can largely entertain themselves. If they did go mini golfing, he would have had to facilitate the entire time.

Of course, he keeps an eye on them as they dart around and become best friends with kids that they’ll probably never see again after today. To be fair, that’s something that he also does well into his 30s.

Maybe he does get slightly distracted responding to messages— it’s not like he’s worried about them when they’re clearly plenty entertained by the park itself and he knows them well enough to know they won’t run off without checking in with him. He figures it’ll be fine.

And then he hears an all-too-familiar scream.

He sprints over to find Mason on the ground below the slide crying and clutching his ankle, half his leg scraped up on the woodchips. He must have gone off the side somehow, probably by standing.

Lucy is as pale as a ghost as she stares at him. “Is he gonna die?”

“What? No,” he tells her as he crouches down to look at his ankle. It looks fine but he knows that ankles are fucking weird sometimes. “Are you okay, buddy?”

Mason lets out another quivering sob. “N-no.”

“Can you walk?” he tries.

Without trying, he shakes his head.

Okay. He can handle this. It’s fine. He just hopes he doesn’t have to take him to the hospital— he can’t imagine running into Nick there and having to explain that within hours of Mason getting dropped off, there’s already been a medical emergency.

“Come here.” Aiden reaches out and lets Mason climb into his arms. Fuck, for such a tiny kid, he’s damn heavy.

He carries him home with Lucy walking at his side, blue eyes comically wide. He gets the full story: she dared him to run down the slide but didn’t know what would happen. Aiden is pretty sure that she’s learned her lesson plenty.

When he gets home, he lays him down on the couch and immediately props his leg up on a pillow. He goes to pull his shoe off and hesitates. Fuck, he hasn’t taken a first-aid class in twenty years. Are you supposed to leave it on because of the swelling or some shit?

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Lucy hovering, clearly still freaked out. It probably doesn’t help that he’s clearly fucking panicking. He takes a deep breath and turns to her. “Lucy, can you go to the bathroom upstairs and grab the first-aid kit that’s under the sink?”

She nods and runs upstairs. He honestly doesn’t know what he needs from it. He just wanted to give her a task.

He inspects Mason’s ankle a bit more closely. It still looks fine. Grabbing the base of his foot, he gently tilts it up and down. There’s no seizing up or sudden yelp of pain.

“Does that hurt?”

Mason sniffles. “Yeah.” He seems almost unsure about it.

Aiden isn’t a medical professional but he’s pretty sure he probably just twisted it and that it’ll probably be fine. The shoes can come off, then, for the sake of his throw pillows.

After Lucy returns with the first-aid kit, he picks out the remaining woodchips and cleans up the scrapes on his leg before bandaging him up. He’s not going to get out of explaining this one to Nick but considering that he used to skate, he’s probably seen much worse.

He makes a makeshift ice pack and wraps it in a kitchen towel before placing it on Mason’s ankle. He’s not even really crying anymore.

“You’re gonna be okay, let’s just keep the ice on it for a little,” he tells him. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Lucy’s shoulders visibly relax. “How about we watch a movie and order pizza?”

“C-can we get pepperoni?”

Smiling softly, Aiden ruffles his hair. “Of course, we can get pepperoni.”

He sets them up with the Pixar movie that he planned to put on anyway and orders the pizza before settling back into his seat on the other end of the couch. Both of them seem too enthralled by the movie to remember that they were super freaked out like twenty minutes ago.

His phone buzzes with a text from Slime.

you good over there bro? lud said you’ve got the dastardly fucking duo tonight

He smiles as he replies with a picture of the two of them, wide-eyed as they stare at the TV.

all good :)

Crisis aside, Aiden is pretty sure he’s a damn good babysitter.

#dadwig #aiden #my fic #answered #anonymous

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starlit-dreaming · 2 years

Text

[ch3] élémentaire

Fandom: MLB Ship: Eventual Felinette, MarcNath & Chlogami, Past Lukanette TL;DR: HBIC Marinette + Rich Marinette + ML Salt Fic + Canon Divergence

0 | 1 | 2 | [3] | 4 | 5

Note: another surprise update for myself!

still not 100% sure if im gonna go the poly mari route or not, but for now we get nino in this chapter (which i find funny cause i think everyone wants to see nino more than felix in this fic)

————————————————————

iii. tournesol jaune

————————————————————

Félix Graham de Vanily leaned back in his seat, looking away from Chloé Bourgeois with blatant disregard. The view of Paris from Le Grand Paris was the same as always, and if it weren’t for the fact that his mother was returning to the Parisian Branch of Graham de Vanily Films, he wouldn’t have even bothered to entertain this visit to this restaurant in question.

“I won,” Chloé stated, not at all caring that he was purposely ignoring her earlier.

He blinked, confused by the statement.

And then he froze.

Félix finally looked at her, a frown ever present.

“I won,” Chloé repeated herself, looking at him with a sharp look. “Now, are you willing to talk to me? Or do you intend on running back to London?”

As the years passed, Félix was beginning to expect that all the schemes Chloé had in mind would never come to fruition. He grew up with her to some extent, though he made it a point to maintain his distance to the heiress of Le Grande Paris when she befriended his cousin, and he knows how stubborn Marinette can be from their time together…

(But, his mind interjects, a memory of a video coming to mind, a video he wanted to forget. Marinette changed, she wasn’t the same girl he knew.)

“What do you mean?” Félix had practically demanded.

“Marinette.”

He couldn’t help but sour upon hearing her name.

“It’s only been a week since I won,” Chloé continued on, rolling her eyes as she muttered something about him being ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous . “And it’s been a long time since you’ve last been in Paris, but you listen to me, and you listen good, Graham de Vanily,” she said, outright glaring at him now. “I’m not going to tell you off for looking like Adrien and going around as him, but keep in mind that Adrien is my friend, and I won’t hesitate to start a fight just because you hold a grudge against him for whatever dumb thing he probably did.”

“I already got that out of my system the last time I was in Paris. While I’m not fond of my cousin, I find my uncle to be even more displeasing,” he admitted, feeling incredibly annoyed at Chloé. “But never mind all that. What do you mean you won? You’ve never won any of the past wagers.”

Chloé shot him a smug grin. “You can ask her yourself.”

“Oh? And what exactly is she planning?”

“Stay in Paris for more than a weekend, and you’ll know soon enough.”

“You are infuriating.”

“And you are a coward,” she flatly stated.

——————————

Rose was smiling sweetly as she listened to Lila’s lies, the voice recorder in her pocket collecting every single word. Alya still seemed a little gloomy about her now soured relationship with Marinette, but she perked up as Lila went on and on about her supposed adventures with Ladybug, with Alya recording for the Ladyblog.

It was laughable, really. There was video evidence of all of Lila’s lies, everything published online that the liar consented to.

Lila was right where Rose wanted her to be.

A wide-eyed look of awe, an eager smile, leaning a little closer as if to hear better, and Lila smiled at the attention.

Even though Alya posted the entire interview online, there were some moments that were edited out, some of which were side conversations unrelated to Ladybug and other celebrities, but were lies nevertheless. Everything was evidence, every word a note for her downfall.

“And then what happened?” Rose would ask, making sure to ask questions to keep the lies going, to make the lies bigger and longer. Details, details, details…

She didn’t want to turn Lila into a martyr of some kind, nor did she want to make her an outcast at Dupont. Marinette seemed to simply want her out of Paris — which was understandable. Lila was akumatized multiple times, and an individual like Lila shouldn’t have access to such a destructive power whenever something would upset her.

And yes, Rose did want Lila out of France in its entirety, but she wanted more than that. She wanted her reputation destroyed, to be outed as a liar, to always be doubted.

She wanted revenge for what Lila’s done.

So, she’ll be patient. She’ll make sure Juleka is kept at an arm’s length away from Lila. And she’ll help Marinette with her plans and secrets, just like she did in their days at Notre Dame .

After all, Rose Lavillant was the pretty flower of Le Jardin for a reason.

——————————

Claude Sainté-Pierre would like to think that he was pretty used to the unexpected.

Sure, the whole Papillon thing did put a damper on things. And yeah, Chloé’s tyrannical tendencies had been getting worse as the years went by without Félix and Marinette keeping her in check, but it’s better now! Which was probably a red flag, but it was a small mercy, and he’ll gladly take it. And then there was the whole thing where half of Mme Bustier’s class seemed to kind of worship some random transfer student from Italy that nobody had heard about til then.

Everyone pretty much knew who she was because of the Ladyblog, and she was cool for a while, but then it started sounding like she was bragging about how much better she was. Nobody outside the Akuma Class wanted to talk to her for long.

So yeah, he took everything in stride as much as he’s used to.

And then there was Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Claude smiled, fake and well-rehearsed, hoping that the girl in question didn’t realize how nervous he was starting to get. She smiled back — yeah, he didn’t think that would work either. For the most part, they were amicable as fellow Class Representatives, content on ignoring the elephant in the room.

When she disbanded her faction, she still smiled at him in greeting, but there was no reason to really talk to each other.

He kind of wishes Félix was in his shoes at this very moment, just so he can laugh it off as his friend being socially awkward as usual. Plus, Félix wouldn’t have to deal with the feeling of intimidation — not that Marinette was being intentional about it, but still.

“I’d like it if you could tell Félix that I want to speak with him,” Marinette smiled, as if she hadn’t just made the most absurd request he’s ever heard.

And while it sounded like a request, it felt more like a demand.

See, people didn’t approach Claude or any of the other Quantic Kids just to talk to Félix because Félix intimidated everyone outside their faction. They did not ask Claude to set up any sort of communication, and they still don’t.

He couldn’t help but narrow his eyes.

“I thought you had the chance to when he last came to Paris,” he pointed out, keeping his feigned smile.

Something flashed in her eyes down to her tiniest expressions — too quick for him to really pin any of it down for long, but there was at least a flash of irritation and fatigue. Huh. Did something happen between them after all?

But… Félix himself confirmed that he didn’t actually see Marinette. His irritation seemed to make sense to Claude at the time, but if Marinette saw him, maybe Félix saw how different she’s become at Dupont and was irritated at that? Ah… the woes of being the most emotionally intelligent member of the Quantic Kids! Félix must’ve gotten jealous and was too frustrated to want to bring that up, after all, he was competing against his lookalike and seemingly pleasant cousin.

“I did have a chance,” Marinette admitted — man , it was jarring to see how quickly she recovered her smile. Granted, she used to be faster at bouncing back up, but Claude much preferred interacting with her in their acquaintanceship as Class Representatives. “However, neither of us were in a mindset to… hold a proper conversation.”

That was probably as much of a confirmation that they did have some sort of interaction. Albeit, a very unpleasant one, but an interaction nevertheless.

“Is that so,” he couldn’t help the brief frown before he quickly recovered, smiling again. “Why come to me about Félix, when you could just as easily get his contact from Chloé?”

“Because, Claude Sainté-Pierre,” Marinette had said with that ever so familiar smile — sickeningly sweet with sharpened eyes. “I have a business proposal for your faction leader.”

Her eyes glinted, as if making a promise of some kind, one that demanded to be asked.

Claude wasn’t sure he wanted to know anymore.

——————————

He doesn’t deserve it.

Nino Lahiffe doesn’t deserve yet another chance.

Ever since the disbandment of the factions (or rather, the disbandment of Méticuleuse, if he wanted to be specific), he failed in being a good friend to Marinette.

Part of it was the fear of Chloé’s wrath without the safety net of Le Jardin, another was out of selfish worry. It was nothing more than an excuse for his inaction, because he thought that he was respecting Marinette’s decision by not actively being there as a reminder of the past.

After all, everyone wanted the revival of Le Jardin, of their kind faction filled with friendly faces.

(Except for Nathaniel. He always thought it was tiresome, came a thought he tried to ignore.)

Despite his deliberate distance, he still ended up falling back into Marinette’s circle the moment that familiar spark of confidence had shown itself against Chloé. It started to get better for a while, he started to think that things were looking up. Their group wasn’t Le Jardin, but it was still exciting — he had his own best friend apart from the few he grew up with, Marinette was shyer now for some unknown reason (well, now he knows why, but he didn’t at the time), and she would still hang around.

The spark of affection he felt for her reignited, and then… he realized that a romantic relationship wasn’t what he wanted. Like Alix, he wanted the old Marinette back, the cool girl who smiled and laughed with a spark in her eyes, who knew exactly what she wanted.

And he did have that version of Marinette, just… not with Adrien around. While yes, Nino did think that maybe they’d have a chance to be a good couple — not that he’d tell Alya that — he had his doubts. Adrien didn’t seem to resemble Félix personality-wise, but they were both blonde, probably had a similar stature, and green eyes. He made Marinette more frazzled and a stuttering mess, but Félix unknowingly made Marinette flourish and stand out.

Nino thought that maybe she was projecting a fairy tale romance with Félix onto Adrien, and that if she was, a romance between her and Adrien was bound to fail.

But he still promised to help her before knowing that fact.

That was his second failure to Marinette and their friendship: he didn’t help her with Adrien in the end. And then she moved on and dated Luka for a while — a fact that Alya hadn’t even known until after Marinette started dating the guy in question. That should’ve clued him in on the changes going on between Marinette and Alya.

And then came his worst offense to his friendship with Marinette.

Falling for Lila Rossi’s lies.

He let himself get easily swayed by his girlfriend — he knew that Alya had a one-track mind, that she was stubborn and firmly stuck to her beliefs even if her opinion was drastically wrong. Nino knew what he was getting into when he and Alya started dating, and he thinks that he might even love her, that he wants her to stick around, but he didn’t think about how his friendships changed because of it. He started disregarding Marinette’s concerns because, well, Alya is her best friend, and if Alya says that it’s just jealousy, then clearly it’s just jealousy, right? And he doesn’t hang out with Adrien as often as he used to, and Adrien’s always letting Lila hold his arm, so maybe he’s just in the oblivious crush phase where he doesn’t know a thing about his feelings!

And then it was the little things piling up. Letting Marinette babysit his little brother with Alya’s little sisters. Taking her for granted in her kind nature, thinking that she would be fine with it. Always asking Marinette something here and there, warning Adrien when Marinette does something a little sus. Maybe Marinette’s just under a lot of stress because she does have a billion things to do outside of school — things like that , which would make him doubt her. What if she helped him just to get to Adrien?

At least, he doubted her until the Expulsion Incident. He knew Marinette, he knew she didn’t need to cheat on exams, that she didn’t like to steal anything unless it’s somebody’s phone (which was an inside joke with the former Notre Dame students). And to hear that she pushed a girl she didn’t like down the stairs?

That was a Chloé Bourgeois thing to do, and Marinette’s plans were leagues better than Chloé’s.

He didn’t think that Lila would try to make Marinette be the bad guy in all of this, so he rationalized that maybe it was someone with a grudge against Marinette? Who must’ve looked remarkably similar to their Miraculous Princess. While Marinette and Chloé had an amicable relationship, the Charmante and Méticuleuse faction would either never get along or would be the best of friends and nowhere in between. Friendly socializing or constant antagonizing. There were a lot of people who thought Marinette was a waste of Chloé’s precious time, and ever since Marinette started actively fighting against Chloé, maybe someone in the Charmante faction was targeting her?

By not doubting Lila from the very start, he let his guard down when Lila claimed that she didn’t like Adrien. When Lila claimed this or that. When she claimed to have found the sketchbook and intended on returning it.

One of Marinette’s sketchbooks had paid the price for his blind trust. His girlfriend is perfectly ensnared in a liar’s trap and wouldn’t listen to reason. Nino’s best friend stopped hanging out with him because of that same liar.

His girlfriend.

His new best friend.

He failed Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

His childhood friend since the start of école maternelle, the same friend who was there when his parents divorced. The friend who was always there for him, who looked at all the stylish glasses, and reassured him that he didn’t look like a dork when he had to choose which frames he wanted. The same friend who helped him find his love for music.

The same friend who protected him from Chloé in their Notre Dame days.

And despite it all, Marinette had given him one last chance. A chance that he and the other members of Le Jardin would know that he didn’t deserve it.

Marinette had texted him a picture of a single, yellow sunflower.

His last chance.

. . .

So no , Nino doesn’t deserve another chance, but that doesn’t mean he was a fool enough to reject it.

#fic: élémentaire #fic: elementaire #hbic marinette #rich marinette #ml salt fic #wynter writes

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