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rivers-rambles21 · 3 years

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The one with the road trip

Part 15 of The one where Bucky has a cute neigbour series!

Pairing: Bucky Barnes X Reader (f)

Warnings | 18+ only - no smut but mentions of it

Apologies for any mistakes, this has been written on my phone and its a bit difficult to edit. Once I’m back with a working laptop I’ll give it a once over :)

Bucky had intended on renting a bike so you could ride down to Louisiana but with Sam’s suit it would’ve been an impossible feat.

He settled for hiring an SUV and added you both to the insurance so you could take it in turns driving on the long trip down south.

“Been together one day and we’re already on our first trip” You teased as you rested your feet on the dash, taking in the scenery as Bucky drove. His metal hand gripped the steering wheel as he peaked a glance over to your bare legs, resisting the urge to pull over.

“You’re the one having a mid life crisis doll not me” You feigned offense and swatted the soldier beside you, pleased to get a hit in as he tried to dodge your attack. His eyes remained on the road as he grasped your hand in his. “Less of that thank you” He laughed, bringing your hand to his lips, leaving a kiss on the back before giving it back to rest on your thigh, his hand not leaving yours.

“Looking forward to seeing Sam again?” He didn’t respond but his face said it all. “You’re so dramatic” You chuckled as you leant down to root around in your bag for the road trip snacks. Retrieving a bag of cashews, you offered it to Bucky who gladly took a handful.

“I just know he’s going to ask a billion questions about stuff we’ve not even discussed yet, that we’re probably not even ready to talk about. He didn’t stop asking about you y’know? Y/n this, Y/n that…he kept threatening to ask you out.”

“Oh he did”

The car swerved slightly as Bucky's grip on the wheel tightened, his concentration lapsing for a split second.

“He did what?” He asked, tearing his eyes from the road to glance over at you.

“It was just a bit of harmless flirting-” You began before being cut off.

“We flirted.” Bucky stated, his jaw clenching.

“We also did a lot of things just friends don’t do. Relax Sarge, he only asked to get a reaction out of me.”

Bucky grunted in response, knowing his reaction was a tad over the top but he couldn’t help it. You were his.

“We could always mess with him in return.” You pondered as you took a swig of your drink. “Maybe hold off on telling him about us, it’s only meant to be a flying visit anyway isn’t it? So we wouldn’t have to pretend for long… play him at his own game?”

Bucky smirked in response, completely on board with your little plan.

The next few hours passed with the typical car games and a quick power nap as Bucky continued driving.

“How long until you start at Starks?”

“A month thank god, the GRC wanted me gone pretty quickly, I didn't have to work my notice which was a blessing really. I’ll schedule a day to go and clear out my desk and say my goodbyes. Will you still get your pension if we live out of the country?”

“I’m not sure to be honest, I can pick up work wherever we are though, it wouldn’t be the first time. I’m good with my hands”

“You’re telling me” You muttered under your breath. Bucky heard you loud and clear and let out a laugh as he recalled how you spent most of last night. “Are we crazy? Travelling with no plan, barely any money and only just starting out as a couple?”

“Oh absolutely”

Eventually Bucky took a break from driving after you stopped for food in a roadside diner. It had been a while since you’d driven but you wanted to give Bucky the chance to get some sleep, something you knew he still struggled with.

Despite telling him to try and get some sleep on the back seats, he remained upfront with you, doing his best to battle the drowsiness that had overcome him. He’d not gotten much rest the past few weeks, from battling the Flag Smashers in Europe, to hunting down Zemo and then back to New York. In truth he was worried he’d have a nightmare and wasn’t sure on how he’d react but upon your insistence, he tried to get some shut eye. After an hour or so he dropped off, the sound of you humming along to a song on the radio sending him off into a dreamless sleep.

Bucky couldn’t quite believe it, he couldn’t remember the last time he slept without being haunted by memories of the Winter Soldier. Granted, he only got four hours of sleep , but it was the best he’d felt in a long time.

When it came to your turn to get some shut eye Bucky insisted on stopping over in a hotel for the night. You’d tried to convince him a motel would suffice after you lost the battle of you sleeping in the car but he was victorious.

To be frank, after spending so many hours in the car, you were grateful to be sleeping in a bed with your super soldier by your side.

As you slept, Bucky took the time to fire off a few emails advising he’d be ending his lease. Having slept earlier, he felt energised and was content in browsing the internet as you slept tucked into his arm.

He did his best not to wake you as he opened a selfie from Shuri of her with Ayo and Nomble, a chuckle escaping his lips as Shuri and Nomble looked to be thoroughly enjoying themselves on a boat trip in New York whilst Ayo sulked in the background.

He also replied to an email from his therapist's office, letting them know he’d be absent from his next session but planned on returning the following week.

Bucky was tempted to let Sam know he was coming but thought it best to surprise him.

The next day was much of the same, both of you switching the drive and stopping off at diners for food. Due to the lack of respect Bucky had for the speed limit, you were making good time and would be in Delacroix the following morning.

“-it was like I didn’t exist. Honestly it was the most humbling experience of my life”

“Sergeant Barnes in his uniform… now that is something I’ve got to see.”

“Maybe one day”

Your eyebrow perked at the thought. “Good god man” You groaned dramatically and sank further into your seat, giggling as you caught sight of the blush covering his cheeks. “For what it’s worth, lack of nutrients from the rationing clearly messed with her eyesight.” You were genuinely baffled how Peggy didn’t swoon for the man next to you.

“Where were you in the 40’s when I needed you huh?”

“I doubt I’d have been your type”

“Intelligent, strong woman with a great sense of humor? And thats not even mentioning your ass.. Oh no, definitely not my type” He replied sarcastically.

“Ha ha fine, I’ll take your word for it.”

“I’d have taken you dancing, maybe gone to a show or even the carnival. Anything you wanted.” He took your hand in his again and kissed the back of it as he pondered just how he’d of won you over back then. He usually didn't like to dwell on life before the war, the pain of losing his family and the future he lost was too much but having you in his life somehow made the memories hurt less. Having you with him now along with the future he could picture with you helped him make peace with his past life and accept that it wasn’t something he could ever go back to.

When Steve was returning the stones, he did wonder whether he should go back with him but the realisation that there wasn’t anything waiting for him apart from a time that he didn't belong to made his decision to remain in the present resolute. And by god was he thankful he stayed.

On your way to your final hotel before arriving at Sams, you’d taken over the driving and had kept Bucky entertained with your off key singing and terrible car games.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me” As it turns out, Bucky was a sore loser.

“What? It counts!!”

“You cannot see bacteria Y/N”

“Yes I can! It’s right...right… right there!” You pointed to a random bit of the car interior and held back a laugh at a clearly unamused Bucky.

“You’re so full of shit”

“How do you know I can’t see it huh? Guess it’s my turn again, I spy with my little -”

“No” He cut off as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Absolutely not. I’m going to choose a game.”

You let out a little smile and continued focusing on the road until the super soldier landed on something he liked.

“Okay okay, would you rather sounds fun. Doll, would you rather have the superpower of being invisible or ability to fly.”

“Aw come on Buck these are tame! If I have to answer, without a doubt invisibility.”

“Not dirty enough for you sweetheart?” A tingle rang down your spine at your new nickname. “I’d have to agree, invisibility easily.”

“Buck you’re an actual superhero, you’ve already got powers, leave some for us mere mortals!”

“... you think I’m a superhero?”

“....you’re literally an Avenger.” You reached across towards the man beside you, keeping your eyes on the road as you pressed your hand against his forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”

Bucky rolled his eyes at your sarcasm and swatted your hand away from his head. “Fine you made your point.”

You shook your head as you returned your hand to the steering wheel, tapping away to the song on the radio.

“The rest of these questions are boring” He muttered as he furiously scrolled through his cell.

“C’mon, go R rated”

“It’s no fun when I already know the answers to these!”

“Pfft doubtful, come on, hit me”

“Spit or swallow, you’re a swallower doll.See?”

“Okay okay! You’re right, I give in. How about we just ask each other some questions?”

“But you already know everything,” He remarked, throwing a few cashews into his mouth.

“When did you first see me as someone other than a friend?” You’d thrown him off guard with that question, his hand stuck in mid air as he went to throw more snacks into his mouth.

“Wouldn't you rather know my most embarrassing sexual encounters?” He offered but was met with silence. “Fine……. I’ve never seen you as just a friend. Yes we were friends before we became more and honestly Y/n if it never progressed further than just friendship I would’ve been fine with it, more than fine with it y’know? Meeting you was the best fucking thing-” “Buck, it’s okay” Your hand reached out towards him and squeezed his thigh as you kept your eyes on the road.

“There’s more… before we officially met in the lobby when that creep wouldn’t leave you the fuck alone, I’d seen you around. I was coming back from lunch with Yori and he was complaining about having gone for burgers instead of our usual and there you were, headphones in completely oblivious to the world and searching for your keys in your purse as usual. You were just so carefree - everything I wanted to be. And then a couple of days later we met and I was a goner.”

You bit your lip as you fought back a smile, overwhelmed by his honesty. It was a welcome feeling, knowing you weren’t the only one that felt an attraction almost immediately.

“I’d seen you around too, before we officially met I mean. It’s kind of hard to miss you” You chuckled as you snuck a glimpse over at him and found him doing his usual glare. “It was pretty early on for me as well, do you remember when we went for coffee?”

“And you ordered us two cups of sugar? Yeah I remember”

“Mocha Latte’s aren’t bad for you… they just give you a bit of a buzz”

“Especially if you order extra cream…”

“Anyway! I’ve always been attracted to you, I’m not blind y’know but after seeing this dark looming strong man consume a drink like that, and have some residue cream left on his lower lip mind you, I just knew that it was more than just a crush. There’s something oddly charming and attractive about seeing someone so intimidating be so soft. It’s like I’m the only one who gets to see that side of you and I love it”

Bucky didn't quite know what to say, he was slightly flustered at the compliments you were throwing at him and by the knowledge that you’d been interested far earlier than he had ever dreamed of.

“We’re idiots aren’t we? For not realising sooner.”

“Oh without a doubt”

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royallyprincesslilly · 3 years

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Title: Kismet {12}

Henry Cavill x Famous OFC Aliya Taylor

Warning: Plot, Slow Burn, Mild Cursing, Dialogue Heavy

Words: 4.2k

Summary: Aliya is a singer turned model turned actress. Since she was fifteen, she’s been creating her empire in the entertainment world. As the daughter of a famous fashion model/designer and Hollywood director, you’d think life is easy for her, but her past has been anything but easy. Due to past trauma, she’s forever changed and no longer trusts any man that is not in her family and a select few in her team. She’s sworn off love and serious relationships and has planned never to fall again, but love isn’t something that can be planned. It just happens when it’s meant to. Can Aliya outrun a love that seems hellbent on holding tight to her, a love that is Kismet?

Note: How are you guys liking the pacing of this story? I think this might be my slowest burn of all. 😬😬

If you enjoyed this please LIKE, COMMENT, REBLOG!! 😘

As always, thank you so much for reading. ❤️❤️

***Loosely Edited/Proofread***

***Interactive***

Previous Chapters: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |

When one thinks of a vacation, you think of beaches, sand, salty ocean water that you can see right through, a blazing sun that is a joy to be burned by, tropical drinks, lounging by the pool in a hammock with an endless supply of bathing suits. When one thinks of the quintessential French vacation, you could think of waking up the smell of flowers from the countryside and the ocean salt, the warm caress of the sun as you sip your French coffee, lounging on the beaches, touring the countryside by day, feasting on the best authentic French cuisine, sipping the best of wine country offered all the while soaking up culture and relaxation. In other words, live like the French.

Your vacation, though it started awkwardly, didn’t remain that way for too long. You and Henry had made it a mission to take relaxation and freedom to the max and, by doing so, you had created somewhat of a routine. Usually, either you or Henry would make breakfast and coffee then have it outside. After breakfast, you’d both lounge by the pool for an hour or two. That was before you found out he liked to work out first thing in the morning. Though you weren’t much for working out, you vowed to do it with him. which led to you having your coffee and then out for a run through the fields. He often went four miles out then four miles back, but when he realized you were not a runner, he cut it down to two and two. Even that was torture for you.

Then once you’d returned and showered, whoever came out first would make a simple breakfast that you’d have out back and then to the pool. After you’d take a drive, often going miles and miles checking out neighboring towns seeing sights. On each day, Henry always had something planned. One day it was a tour of a vineyard where you learned all about the winemaking process, helped harvest grapes, and even did the traditional squishing grapes with your feet. That was the day Henry had the brilliant idea to play up your ticklishness, which led to you falling in the barrel staining your white shorts ensemble red. He laughed his ass off to that. By the time you left the vineyard, both of your outfits were ruined, but you had plenty of pictures and a crate of the wine you’d made.

Another day it was sailing around the Mediterranean in a boat that Henry manned himself. You couldn’t help but watch in awe as he steered it like a pro and taught you the proper terms for things on the boat. When he’d found a good spot to drop anchor close to some rocks, you lounged on the hull soaking up the sun, then taking a dunk in the ocean when the heat became too much where you snorkeled around the reef. On a particular day, he took out a speedboat to St. Tropez for shopping and spa treatments that really had your entire body feeling like jello.

While he liked to spoil you with luxurious options, he also liked the rugged things too. He taught you how to fish and took you on multiple nature walks. While you enjoyed nature, you realized you didn’t like it as much as he did. According to him, he would choose to be out in nature as often as he possibly could. You were slowly beginning to enjoy it as much as he did. A few times, you took him to a club where you saw firsthand that he was a real party boy in another life. You liked the club nights because it showed you a whole other side of him. The side that was carefree, able to cut loose and not take himself seriously. It was a side you made a silent vow to bring out as often as you could.

To round out the experience, he did as the French and took advantage of France’s natural romance. There were plenty of romantic dinners at romantic restaurants that overlooked the ocean or the cliffs or the city lights and even a few at romantic vineyards with the view of the rolling hills and a sunset. The romance was not something hard to find, and it wasn’t always in going out. You spent plenty of nights in the villa lounging together with candlelight in the room and a gentle breeze wafting through the opened doors while watching something on tv together. While it was awkward before, you were becoming more and more comfortable around him.

This comfort also helped you feel closer to him and though you teased each other often, said sly things to one another, and even flirted shamelessly, nothing else of significance had happened. Henry didn’t make any moves to kiss you or cuddle or even hug you, really. The most he’d done was hold your hand at the most sporadic moments, for the shortest amount of time. It made no sense, and it drove you crazy because you could feel the attraction between you in everything you did. You could sense the desire in the air was strong, but everything remained lukewarm.

Though your comfort level rose, your insomnia never subsided. When Henry had gone to bed, you often remained up just writing music, journaling, or making things with the pictures you’d taken throughout the day. Your sleepless or low sleep nights gave you the chance to either reformulate your plan or think about your progress. A lot of times, thinking about the progress had you thinking about him, and if you did that, it was only a matter of time before your mind drifted to your want for him.

It was funny to you that before him, you could push affection, intimacy, and sex to the side and act like they were not even actual things, and it never bothered you or had any effect. Since Henry, it was damn near impossible. You thought about his touch at every turn, about his lips more times than you could count, and imagined him between your thighs at least once every other day.

One night it had gotten so bad from remembering him swimming in the pool in slow motion. Everything he did was in slow-mo like he was posing for some men’s porn magazine. That was the night you had to please yourself to thoughts of his wet lips, memories of his voice, and body as it moved through the water and muscles as he hoisted himself up out of the water with it dripping off of every inch of him. that night, it was the quickest you’d ever come. You wondered if he was struggling the way you were, but throughout the days, you saw no evidence he was, and that made you more insecure than you’d ever felt in your life.

~~~~~~~~~

-Nine Days Later-

The night was young—well, young for you. While Henry slept, you found yourself in the back yard with the breeze brushing against your bare skin. The glow of the moon beamed down on you, bathing you in its pearlescent illuminance, making you feel like a goddess of the night. It could have been the moon, the fact you were naked under it, or the 2nd bottle of wine you were on. It didn’t matter what it was; you felt good. The wine made your thoughts flow more freely, and where your thoughts went, your pen in your notebook mapped. You got your best writing done at three in the morning when you were naked and feeling wine-nice.

With your pen hooked on your bottom lip, you looked over the new lyrics you’d written for a song that Henry had inspired. The notebook was filled with at least ten more from the same muse. This song was the night’s second one. The first centered around your anxious thoughts about making the first move and how to do it in a way with little to no risk, and your worries of being in the friend zone the second was drastically different. This one focused on you admitting your attraction, the possibility you were falling for him, and your fear of him making you feel out of control. It was raw and real, the realest you’d been in a long time when it came to your feelings.

The words across the page were sensual and painted a clear picture of arousal and desire. As you hummed to yourself the way you imagined it flowing, you began replacing your hums with words. You quickly got lost in your process and zoomed through putting everything down on paper. Once your brain sparked off, it never stopped until it finished the mission.

“Aliya?”

You turned to the sound of Henry’s voice, forgetting your state of undress. Almost immediately, you gasped and grabbed the blanket holding it to your breasts.

“Shit.”

Henry was already turned away, his back facing you.

“Um--.”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. God, I—shit.”

Henry snorted then slowly released a breath in a loud huff.

You rearranged the blanket then spoke, “You can turn around.”

Slowly and cautiously, Henry turned to you again. With your lips pressed together, you gave him your best apologetic face.

“I’m so sorry. I thought you were asleep. I didn’t think you’d come out here,” you explained.

Again, Henry snorted then chuckled to himself as he nodded his head. You were so embarrassed that you covered your face.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered one last time.

“No need for sorries,” Henry began trying not to make eye contact. “It’s um—it’s okay.”

The awkwardness had returned.

“I didn’t see anything. Don’t worry.��

You didn’t believe him one bit but pushed any remaining awkwardness deep down and fought through it.

“Don’t you sleep at all?”

“Not really. Remember, insomniac.”

“I know you said that, but usually insomniacs can manage something,” Henry said.

“Um, well, since I was diagnosed, I can on occasion get three or four hours tops.

“Wow. We’ve been sharing this house for a little over a week, and I didn’t know that much.”

You smiled and took another sip from your glass. “You’re off the hook, you actually sleep, and it’s great.”

“How long have you had it?”

“Since I was maybe eighteen,” you explained.

“So what do you do when you’re not sleeping?”

After finishing your glass, you moaned and leaned back in your chair. “Walk around, find a good spot to sit, write, sometimes go for a drive, online shop, work. Usually, it is mainly work,” you confessed.

Henry gave you a stern daddyish look. “Are you working now?”

You bit your bottom lip and scrunched your face. “Guilty but only sort of. I’m writing music. That’s not work for me. For me, it’s a component for my sanity.”

Henry nodded. “So you sit up all night naked writing music?”

The way he put it had you laughing out loud.

“Wow, pretty much. Fuck, when you sum it up like that, you make me sound like an insomniac exhibitionist.”

You laughed together for a few short moments. “Can’t they prescribe something?”

“They have, quite a few things actually. When I was eighteenish, I was on several sleeping pills. I was the guinea pig, and I must have tested at least twenty brands and formulas, but none of them seemed to work well with me. Of course, they had to monitor my intake to make sure I didn’t become addicted, but after a few years, I said, forget it let’s not try anything anymore. I just stopped taking the pills and sucked it up,” you clarified.

Henry looked impressed. “So you function on three hours of sleep?”

“Pretty much.”

He whistled then bowed his head. “Wow.”

“it’s not bad. Honestly, it might be a blessing in disguise. I get so much work done they wouldn’t believe.”

“You literally make money while others sleep,” Henry joked.

You softly snickered and nodded.

“Do they know why it started?”

He was asking all the right questions, you thought to yourself.

“Yeah, we know.” You really didn’t want to say anything else, and you had a mini internal fight. Groaning, you continued. “Trauma.”

You could feel his eyes on you, and you rearranged your things on the table and picked off invisible lint off the blanket, all in an effort to not look at him. Though you were physically naked, you felt emotionally so as well. Taking a risk, you glanced at him and held his gaze. He was unreadable.

“Here,” Henry said, holding out a spoon to you.

“A spoon? What’s this for?”

Henry smiled and took a step toward you. “Close your eyes.”

You scoffed and wrinkled your nose before you closed your eyes and waited. You didn’t hear anything and wondered what he was doing.

“Uh—hello? Henry, are you there?”

The sound of Henry clearing his throat told you he was in a different location that was somewhat closer.

“I’m here. Open.”

When you did, you looked around expecting something but not sure just what. When your eyes landed on the ice cream before you, you smiled.

“For your massive sweet tooth.”

You couldn’t help but giggle. He’d learned a few things about that sweet tooth over the last week. This was him being cute about it.

“This Is my favorite flavor and brand. You don’t play, huh.”

“Of course not. I pay attention.”

“Thank you.”

Henry nodded, then pulled another spoon from behind him. “Cheers?”

You knocked your spoon against his and said the same thing. Henry sat beside you while you opened the ice cream, then both of you dug in. the first spoonful had you moaning so loud it echoed around you.

“That good?”

“Mmmm, so good, better than sex,” you joked.

“Then I am sorry, Ms. Taylor, you are having sex with all the wrong ones.”

The spoon paused at your lips as you quirked your eyebrow at him. Henry wasn’t backing down, though. He held your gaze almost like he was challenging you. Damn, you thought before you looked away first.

“So you write all your own songs?”

Nodding, you put another spoonful of ice-cream in your mouth. “All by myself.”

“Impressive. I know artists try, but not a lot do it alone. There will usually be a few co-writers,” Henry added.

You were a little surprised he knew that. “You’re right. More and more try to get on it for the added profits that being a writer brings in. for me, I do it for far more selfish reasons.”

Henry quirked his brow, silently asking you why.

“I need an outlet, something to get everything in my head out. I’m up for twenty to twenty-one hours a day, and I have a lot going on in there. So, I need to be able to get that out to start fresh the next do, that means---I write.”

The way Henry’s eyes rested on you made you feel like he had so much to say, but he was holding back with doing so.

“It’s good to have an outlet.”

“What’s yours?”

His goofy smile made a return, and you couldn't help but smile back.

“Don’t judge me, okay, but it’s video games.”

You smiled and raised your hands. “No judgment here, ever.”

“I like video games, Warcraft, Witcher, Call Of Duty, HALO. Anything bloody, I’m there for it. I also use exercise a lot. I have to work out, have to.”

“Have to?”

Henry took another spoonful of ice cream and sighed out. He looked like he was thinking about something, and you gave him the time needed.

“Yeah, when I was a kid, I was heavy--,” he began sighing. “I was a fat kid, and it meant I got teased and bullied a lot. My nickname was fat, Cavill.”

“Oh no, that’s horrible.”

“Yeah, plus I was at private school. Let’s just say—it was hard, really hard. I had some dark times, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t stick with me some even to this day.”

You bit your bottom lip, reached your hand out, and rested it on his knee. Your heart sank thinking about what he’d gone through. You knew how painful words could be, especially as a child. “I’m sorry. Kids can be such assholes.”

Henry snorted and gave your hand a gentle squeeze. “They sure can.”

“Plus, I could tell working out is a joy for you. I’m not blind, and neither is the female population of the world and some of the male.”

Henry’s laugh was unexpected but welcomed all the same. You liked his laugh, and the more you heard it, the more it was becoming one of your favorite sounds.

“Seriously though, I’m sorry you went through that. I know it couldn’t have been easy to work through.”

He looked down at your hand that was still on his knee and nodded before he cleared his throat.

“You mentioned you’re close with your grandmother?”

Taking your hand back, you rearranged the blanket again and nodded. “I did. Yeah. She’s my mother’s mother, and she is—she’s my world.” With a soft smile on your lips, you quickly went through your fondest memories with her.

“I don’t think it’s healthy to depend on her as much as I do, but--.” You shrugged. “She helps me with so much, like being forgiving, being more open, being a better person in general. She gets me and doesn’t judge me or make me feel like something is wrong with me. In her eyes, I’m—Corrin, my middle name, and it’s great. All the pressure I constantly carry around is gone.”

Talking about how much your gramaw meant to you made you emotional, and the sting of tears in your eyes told you just how emotional you’d gotten.

“That’s great to have at least one person in your life that can do that for you. you’re lucky.”

“Yes, ha, she’s—uh, she’s the reason I’m here,” you confessed. Henry looked very interested to know what you meant.

“How so?”

“She uh, she just reminded me of a few things and pointed some other things out to me,” you said, giving him the CliffsNotes version. You could tell it wasn’t going to cut it, though, so you continued. “She pretty much made me think from a different perspective, the one that I was desperately trying to ignore.”

Henry still looked interested, but he nodded. “I have to thank her because I’m glad she changed your mind.”

You studied him for a little while as you put another spoonful into your mouth. “Are you?”

Henry didn’t look away or give way to any emotion on his face. He just nodded. “Yes. I’m glad you’re here.”

You didn’t see any indication that he was lying or stretching the truth. You did notice that the pull between you was still there. Henry was the first to look away this time, and the two of you continued to share the half-gallon container of ice cream while chatting. He told you more about his private school days and painted a clearer image of what he was like as a boy, and the image you got was absolute adorableness and tenacity.

By the time you both walked back inside, two hours had passed, and the beginning of the sunrise was peeking out behind the mountains. You stood in the long hall that separated your room from his clutching the sheet wrapped around you and your notebook.

“So, in the morning—or a few hours we’ll catch a flight out,” Henry confirmed.

“Still won’t tell me where to?”

Henry smiled, rubbed the back of his neck, and shook his head. “You don’t like surprises, do you? This is the fifth time you’re trying to pry it out of me.”

You pinched your lips then groaned. “No, no. It’s not that I don’t like surprises. I love surprises—well, good ones. I just like to know every detail. I like--.”

“Being in control,” Henry finished, hitting the nail right on the head. You knew it was the loss of control that was making you antsy.

You closed your eyes and slowly breathed out.

“Yes. I guess I might have a control problem.”

Henry looked very amused. “Might?”

The two of you laughed together, and you couldn’t believe the call out.

“Shut up.”

“It’s okay. I get it. I like control too, a whole lot, and I don’t usually like when control is taken from me, but I’ve gotten better with it. Now, I won’t die if my control is taken. Then—it felt like it.”

You nodded at yet another thing you had in common. It was becoming more than you could count on your fingers.

“Good for you, but I—I might die.”

Henry laughed again, this time not with you, at you.

“I’m going to make you a promise. By the end of this vacation, you will be better at giving me control,” Henry said, his voice so deep and commanding that your spine tingled. When the tingling traveled around to your gut and moved downward, you clutched the sheet tighter.

“Oh, will I?”

He smirked; it was a cocky one. “Yes, you will. I don’t break promises. Never have.”

Your eyes locked, and that tingling intensified, making your lady parts beg for some attention. He was downright captivating, and it was so hard staying on your side of the hall.

“All you have to know is that I won’t abuse my control. You can trust that. You can trust me.”

You almost made the yikes face hearing the T-word. You knew he remembered you saying that trust was a tricky thing for you, and you also knew this was probably a test. You were in between a rock and a hard place. After sighing out, you spoke.

“Okay.”

“But, you do have to say these five words, though,” Henry said with a smirk.

“What?”

“I—relinquish—control—to—you.”

With every word, his voice got deeper and deeper, his eyes more and more focused on you. It was so easy to get lost in them, and he must have known it.

“Uh—no. I can’t say that.”

“Sure you can. I know it’s not easy, but I promise you will not regret it.”

Your nose flared, heart raced, mouth went dry, all points of your anxiety. You hated feeling backed in a corner, and you hated giving away your control even more.

“Will you relinquish control to me?”

With a grin, he spoke, “I will.”

“When?”

“One day,” Henry said, that grin still on his face.

Of course he’d say that you thought. “How about, I will try,” you appeased.

“Nope. Not good enough. I want it all, Aliya.”

You groaned and ruffled your curls, still clutching the sheet with one hand. He was not going to let up.

“God, Henry.”

He didn’t say anything, just waited. He didn’t even look pressed like he was worried you’d say no. He looked confident, commanding, and in complete control, and it called to you. There had never been any other man who you’d ever thought about giving control to. None of them felt like him. He felt different.

“I,” Henry perked up but kept his eyes firmly on yours. another thing you loved about him. “Relinquish—control,” you paused again, feeling the full weight of the words you were going to release. You weren’t just saying that you were giving him control to make the decisions. You were giving him control, period. That was when the panic picked up. “Control to,” you rolled your eyes then hissed. “You.”

The silence stretched, but the longer it went on, the less anxious you felt. Yeah, there was some residual panic lingering, but the look in his eyes only comforted you.

“Thank you. I know how hard that was for you,” Henry softly said.

You looked down and took a shaky breath. “You have no idea.” When you looked back at him, he was still staring at you. “Okay. Well, good night, Henry.”

“Good night, Aliya.”

A visible shiver ran through you, but you ignored it and turned around to walk to your bedroom door. After a few steps, you stopped and smiled as an idea formed. Instead of walking forward, you turned around and walked back to him. Once close enough, you tiptoed, threaded your fingers into his hair at the nape of his neck, then pulled his head down to yours. It was then you pressed your lips to his.

From the second your lips touched, it felt like you’d been standing out in the rain and gotten hit but a lightning bolt. Your moan was loud, and once it slipped out, Henry grabbed you, pulled you flush against him, and held you there. The hand on your hip squeezed while his right hand sneaked around your back to press his palm against your tailbone. That was when you realized you wanted more—a lot more. You sucked his bottom lip into your mouth, then nibbled, sinking your nails into his curls. You were second away from dropping the sheet, so you pulled back, grasping to the fraying threads of your self-control. Henry’s eyes were still closed, giving you a few extra seconds to admire his beauty. He still had the same effect as the first time he’d kissed you.

“Good night, Henry,” you said again, pecking his lips once more before walking away again.

Though you’d given relinquished control, you just took a little of it back. It felt good.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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#kismet fic #henry cavill #henry cavill fanfiction #henry cavill x reader #henry cavill x you #henry cavill x black reader #henry cavill x black ofc #black fanfiction #slow burn fanfic

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marshmallow-phd · 4 years

Text

Catching Rain

Part of The Untamed - EXO Wolf Universe

Genre: Wolf!AU

Pairing: Minseok x Reader

Summary: You were more than satisfied with your life. You attended a nice college, had nice friends, a nice boyfriend. That’s what your life was: nice. You weren’t looking for anything more, so what were you to do when this seemingly harmless boy walked into your life and turned your nice little world into one much more dangerous?

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I Epilogue

You woke up in a sweat. Little beads dotted your upper lip and temples. The source of the heat was all around you, encompassing the space you occupied. It held you so close that you wondered in your hazy awakeness if you would ever feel the cold again. Not that you wouldn’t mind. Summer was always your favorite time of year. But right now, you could use a break from the personal space heater.

Eyes breaking open, you sucked in air at how close Minseok was. His entire outline was a blur, only his nose and mouth in sharp focus. The previous night’s events came back to you. Though still slightly hazy, you remembered falling asleep during the movie, Minseok bringing you up here, and then asking him to stay. It was quite possibly the most peaceful rest you’d had in your life.

Minseok was still asleep. His mouth was open just a bit and the slightest bit of tension in his eyebrows. Your arms were pinned between your chest and his. If you uncurled your fingers you could touch his slack jaw. Minseok’s arm was tight around your waist. He sighed happily before snuggling in closer, moving his face so it now rested in the crook of your neck. Okay, as satisfied as he was, this was now getting a bit uncomfortable for you.

“Minseok?” He didn’t move. “Minseok.” You kept squirming until he finally woke up.

At first he merely blinked away the sleep. When his eyes focused on you, they grew wide in horror. He scrambled back to give you room.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. He pushed himself up into a sitting position.

“It’s okay,” you said. The smile was nearly impossible to hold back. As you also sat up, your hand slipped under the pillow, hitting something hard. You frowned. It felt like a book. Did he like to read before he fell asleep? You pulled the book out. No.

It was your notebook of ideas.

Panic set in his eyes. “I swear I was going to give it back.”

“Where did you find it?”

“I’m the wolf you’ve been meeting in the clearing, remember? I found it the first day. I meant to give it back to you, but it would have been hard to explain, given the circumstances.”

You took a deep breath. The notebook was a reminder of all the information that had been dumped on you in the last twenty-four hours. It had been so easy to ignore the processing time your brain needed. Being in Minseok’s presence made it easy to forget a lot of things. “I, uh, I think I should go home.”

Disappointment was an understatement for Minseok’s expression. “Yeah. Right. I’ll take you back home.”

“Actually, I just need to get to my car. I parked it on one of the back roads.”

“Okay.”

He waited patiently for you to get out of the bed and put your shoes back on. He didn’t question why you’d parked out there. Simple answer was that he had made the connection to your little hike. You excused yourself to go to a bathroom, in which he pointed you towards. You didn’t have anything to brush your teeth or hair, so you settled on a splash of water to the face. Your go-to bathroom habit at this point. When you returned to the bedroom, Minseok was in fresh clothes. Keys in hand, he stepped passed you without a word. You followed him down to the first floor. Using your notebook as a shield against your chest, you tried to be as invisible to any of the others you ran into as you exited the house. Out in the garage, you got into the car that Minseok indicated.

The ride was quiet, save for the few times you gave Minseok directions to where you’d parked your car. Closing your eyes, you leaned your head against the glass. You were still tired and could feel a headache starting to emerge.

“Uh, (y/n)?”

“Hm? What is it?” You opened your eyes and nearly shot out of the car.

Several police cars and at least twenty civilians were all huddled around the area where your car sat. Erik was amongst them, talking to one of the officers. As soon as Minseok’s vehicle was pulled over to the side and the engine turned off, you bolted.

“Erik!”

He looked so relieved when he saw you. The officer looked shocked, then his face rested into a neutral expression. “You must be (y/n).”

You nodded. “Yes, I am. What’s going on?”

Minseok came up just then. Erik did a double take then frowned. His eyes drifted down to your hand. You were still holding on to the notebook that Erik would recognize in a heartbeat. He motioned to Minseok with his head as he asked you, “The guy from the pictures?”

Minseok looked surprised at the comment. And even a little embarrassed. But he did the gentleman thing and held out his hand. “I’m Minseok.”

Erik ignored the hand, barely glancing at it. “We were all worried about you. Do you realize what we thought when your phone was off and the cops found your car out here?”

You flinched back. “I’m sorry, I was… taking pictures. I lost track of time.”

“You lost track of time?” Erik scoffed. “That’s all you have to say?”

“Hey, back off,” Minseok growled, taking a step so he was now partially between you and Erik. “She’s a grown adult. She doesn’t have to check in with you every three hours. She can make her own decisions.”

Erik looked him up and down. “That much is apparent.”

Shaking your head, you turned to the third man in the group. “I’m sorry, officer. This was all a misunderstanding.”

“It’s alright. Just be careful next time, okay? Maybe let someone know where you are.” He looked at Erik. “We’ll call off the search party and let everyone go home.”

“Thank you,” Erik said. His tone was low and short. The officer left to scatter the rest of the people. Erik barely looked at you. “I’m glad you’re safe. Turn your phone back on.” With that, he stalked off towards his car.

Minseok scratched the back of his head as he shifted from foot to foot. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”

“It’s fine. Really, it's my own fault.” You dug your keys out of your pocket. “I should get home.”

“I understand. Can we talk? Later?” He sounded so hopeful, so sure. But you still needed time to think. Your brain felt scrambled, pulled and stretched like taffy on a hook.

“Yeah,” you finally answered. “Later.”

He must have been hoping for a more enthusiastic response. You didn’t have the energy for that right now. “Okay. Um, okay.” That was his goodbye as he turned and headed back to his car. Did he have to look so much like a wounded puppy? You watched his car disappear down the road, a cloud of tan dust following closely behind.

You waited for everyone else to clear out before getting into your own car. For a minute or two, you sat there. It seemed so bizarre, surreal, the situation you found yourself in. And it wasn’t even the pack of humans-to-wolves that had you so disoriented. It was the fact that Erik had called the police, that a search party had been formed to find you after one night away. It was obvious that he still cared, break or not. Turning on your phone, you groaned as the notifications stacked up. Missed calls, texts in all caps, other social media contacts. You tossed the device into the passenger’s seat and drove home.

Willa was waiting for you at the dorms. As soon as you walked through the door, she pounced.

“Oh, thank god you’re okay!” When she let you go, she punched you in the shoulder.

“Ow!” You rubbed the sore spot. “Was that really necessary?”

Willa pouted. “You could have least told me that you were heading out. Might have saved us this fiasco.”

“You were asleep.” And you would have been punched anyway. Willa insisted that she had no control over her limbs in that groggy state, but you didn’t entirely believe that. “I’m fine. It wasn’t that big of a deal. Minseok’s right, I'm an adult. I don’t need babysitters.”

“Who’s Minseok?”

Oh… crap. “Um, he’s just a friend. A tutor, really.”

Willa took that pathetic explanation. Although, truthfully, that was how it all started. “Oh, did you finally decide to get help so you can finally pass math class?”

You narrowed your eyes at her. “Jerk.”

“What?” Willa said innocently. “I want to see you graduate. You’ve been talking about getting your masters and I want to see you do that. Kind of need to pass your classes to get there.”

Stalking past her, you fell down on your bed, face towards the ceiling.

“Hey, you okay?” Willa asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you lied. “Just tired.”

“I bet, if you stayed out all night.” Willa sat down on her bed across from you. “Where were you, anyway?”

You shrugged. “Just… around. Clearing my head.”

“You were safe, at least?”

“Perfectly.”

“Good.”

Nearly a week went by. You went to class as normal. You were nearly finished with your extra credit project. Minseok had given you the perfect jumping off point and diving into the project had given you the ultimate excuse to not think about anything else. Between that and your other classes, you’d hardly had any interaction with the people close to you. Besides Willa, you’d almost completely isolated yourself. The reasoning you had given yourself was to think things through, to decide if you would turn back around and go down the other road or keep heading forward. The only problem was, you kept avoiding it.

You didn’t think about Erik or Minseok. Or, you tried not to. If little thoughts of them started to creep up, you would find something to distract yourself with. A jog, a scary movie (avoiding anything supernatural), or homework. You would immerse yourself until the thoughts went away. Avoidance might not have been a healthy coping mechanism, but it was the one you were going with.

You were currently participating in that mechanism as you lied on your bed, watching videos on the internet. It was simply you and your short laughs as you switched from clip to clip. The internet was a black hole. Once you got too close, you were sucked into a place where time no longer moved at a normal pace.

Willa walked in and dropped her bag on the floor. You barely acknowledged her long, drawn out sighs that were clearly made for attention. She sighed again. Louder, this time. When that still didn’t work, she threw her pillow at you.

You turned off the phone and finally looked at your best friend. “Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you.”

“It could have been avoided if you’d looked up from your phone the first time.”

Sitting up, you turned to her. “Okay. What can I do for you?”

She pursed her lips. “I’m hungry.” Like it had been waiting for an invitation, your own stomach growled. Willa smiled. “Sounds like you are, too!”

You laughed. “Sure, okay. Let’s go get something to eat.”

Willa hopped off the bed and switched her things from her backpack to a purse. You pulled on a pair of shoes and shoved your feet in. As the two of you headed out and towards Willa’s car, she came up with an additional idea.

“Why don’t you ask Erik to join us?”

You cringed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

She sent you a look. “Why not?”

That was right. You hadn’t completely updated her on the recent events of your life. “Because… we’re on a break.”

She unlocked her car and opened the driver’s side door, but didn’t get in. Leaning against the open space, she said, “Like… a real break or a Ross and Rachel kind of break?”

You shrugged. “I’m not sure, to be honest.”

Willa was quiet for a second. She was looking away from you, eyebrows scrunched in thought. “Was he the one who suggested it?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. “Why do you ask?”

“I-” She clicked her tongue several times. “Look, I didn’t want to say anything because it wasn’t my place and I didn’t know what the situation was anyway. This is college, we all have to work with others and-”

“Willa, spit it out.” Your heart was picking up speed in anticipation of what secret she was about to reveal.

“I’ve seen Erik talking to some girl in the theatre department. A lot.” She threw her hands up. “Innocently, by the way. It didn’t look suspicious at all, besides the frequency. And the fact that it was just the two of them. Did I just make things worse?”

You found the corners of your lips turning up. “No, actually, I feel a lot better.”

“Really?” Willa looked taken aback. “Are you saying that… you might not be in love with Erik anymore?”

“I think we’ve grown apart,” you said.

“Maybe… because of someone else?” Willa looked at you with a cheeky smile.

You rolled your eyes. “Let’s take this one step at a time, okay? Get in. I’m hungry.”

Willa laughed softly to herself, but got behind the wheel. The two of you had dinner at the small malt shop that had been a staple in the city for decades. You munched happily on the fries and sipped on your chocolate shake with no worries whatsoever. Willa saw your sudden change in mood, but didn’t say anything, keeping the conversation on a lighter note.

Apparently, talking to someone about what was going on was, indeed, a good idea. It was natural for two people to grow apart. And you had been destined for someone else all along.

The next day, you went about your routine as normal. After your last class, you headed towards the theatre. It was hell week, as the thespians say. It meant every spare moment was spent in the theatre to get ready for opening night. Erik would be there to make sure any last touches on the set were taken care of. As you neared the building, a familiar spectacled man exited the front doors with a small group of people.

“Eric, wait.”

He stopped and waited for you to meet him. He had a tight grip on the strap of his messenger bag. The group stopped and waited, but he shooed them on.

“What is it, (y/n)?”

You folded your arms over your chest. “We need to talk.”

“Yeah, I’ve been waiting for this.” He looked down at the cement sidewalk, kicking an invisible object. “I guess the break will be permanent, then, huh?”

You moved your own gaze off to the side. “I… um.”

Then it hit you. Why did you have to be so scared about this? It wasn’t a permanent ending. And you were allowed to make your own choices. You shouldn’t have to beat around the bush and spare his feelings. Wouldn’t it be better just to be honest?

“You know what? Yes, it will be,” you said assertively. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, but that’s life. People change, others come along. And from what I hear, you’re moving on, too.”

Erik’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t do anything.”

“I know,” you said. “And neither have I. But feelings change. It's okay to follow them.” A mindset you were only now learning for yourself.

Erik adjusted the bag’s strap to sit more comfortably on his shoulder. “Maybe it’s good that it ended this way. Maybe... we could still be friends?”

“Yeah, maybe.” Arm’s length friends, anyway.

Erik looked over his shoulder at the group that was now huddled around a car. “I’ve got to go. But… thank you. For talking to me about this. I feel a lot better. I hope you do, too.”

You blinked. “Yeah, of course.”

Erik gave you one last wave before going to join the others. The sun was starting to go down, but you didn’t want to go back to the dorms just yet. You decided to head downtown, to walk around and figure out what exactly you would say to Minseok. You knew it had to be in person. Simply calling him wouldn’t be enough. You needed to see him.

Hey, so Erik and I officially broke up. And I like you. Heck, I might even be falling in love with you. I want to be your mate. Now what?

Yeah, you could be so articulate sometimes.

Night had fallen by now. The brightest stars in the sky were shining, breaking through the city lights that drowned out the others. A few people milled about. It was that lull time of night when the dinner rush was dying out and people were getting ready for their late night escapades.

“(y/n)!”

You nearly laughed out loud before turning around. It was like Fate was pulling the strings, putting you on the path that would lead you right back to him. And you couldn’t say that you were upset about it. In fact, it might be the push you needed.

“Hi, Minseok,” you said in a quiet voice as he approached. He was alone. Thank goodness. You didn’t really want to have an audience for this.

“How have you been?” He kept his hands in the pockets of his black jeans. His shoulders were tense, pushed upwards as if he were holding himself back.

“Not… too horrible,” you replied. “You?”

“Anxious.” He was honest. Too honest. Knowing that he’d been anxiously waiting for you to do what you promised, to talk to him, made you feel horrible, selfish. Might as well stop stalling and pull the bandaid off in one go.

“I, um, I talked to Erik.”

His head shot up, eyes sparkling with anticipation. “You did?”

“Yeah.” You chuckled. “We… we broke up. For good. People drift apart. And, not only did I find myself drifting away from him, but I drifted towards someone else. Someone really special, made just for me.”

A smile so wide that his gums were showing spread across his face. He took a step towards you. “Really?”

You nodded. “Yeah. Really.”

Minseok didn’t hesitate. He reached forward, cupping your face with both of his hands. Then he kissed you.

The first kiss was deep and electrifying. It was warm, soft. He took it slowly as you followed along. It was perfectly right.

He was still smiling when he pulled away. You giggled at his happiness. He took that as an invitation to pepper your lips with more short kisses. He moved to your cheeks and your nose, making sure to capture every inch of your face. You were surprised by the shower of affection, but you certainly enjoyed it. An eruption of cheers broke the sweet moment.

To your left, nearly the entire pack was clapping and cheering in jest. Junmyeon looked guilty and apologetic while Jongdae simply rolled his eyes.

“And here I thought this was going to be a private moment,” you groaned through your teeth.

“Sorry,” Minseok sighed. “Not in this family.”

You smiled at him. “I guess that’s something I’ll have to get used to.”

He leaned his forehead against your own. “Yeah. I guess it is.”

#exo #exo wolf au #exo wolf!au #minseok x reader #kim minseok #xiumin #exo werewolf au #exo werewolf!au #exo supernatural au #exo series #exo fanfic #exo fanfiction #The Untamed Universe #Catching Rain

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1234-waystodie · 3 years

Text

The Israeli-Palestine conflict

*for the disclaimer - this message was written by an Israeli citizen who is following what happens in Gaza closely from news all over the world*

Thank you for reading this message. I will start with the fact that I’m not going to refer to the start of the conflict (who the land belongs to, who was here first) because it’s not relevant to the point that I’m trying to get to. This message talks about the present-day - Israel is a state, Gaza is not. Israel is a democracy, Gaza is being controlled by Hamas, a terrorist organization. Those are facts and you can look them up at Google if you don’t believe me. Okay so - let’s talk about the present conflict, “Shomer Hachomot”. It all started with what happened in Jerusalem. Frankly, I’m not going to get into this either because you can look at this both ways but I will say this - nobody shot anybody just because they were in a certain place. Jerusalem is a very complicated story and I’ll admit I didn’t really dig about what happened there. The fact is that after what happened in Jerusalem a group of Israeli-Arabs radicals who lived their whole life in peace with their neighborhoods, Israeli-Jews, made violent acts across the mixed cities (Lod, Ramle, Jerusalem, Haifa)... Cities that just a couple of days before were safe and happy for both sides became war zones - Arabs (again, radicals, there are a lot of Arabs that are against the way others act) lit things on fire, broke things across the city, tried and killed a citizen that was on his way home and made a lot of damage both to the city but more importantly to the trust of their neighborhoods who did nothing wrong.

Just for those who don’t understand how bad things got - my father bought a week before everything went down in Ramle meat from a nice Arab man who gave coffee and a warm welcome as my father was new to his shop. I used to get into Umm al-Fahm, An Arab village, to buy stuff. Now people are afraid to walk the street - a jew that lived all his life in that mixed city was killed when he drove through it, people broke his window, took him out of his car and hit him with a brick to his head and he died. Murdered.

So, as “support” Hamas started firing rockets from Gaza to Israel and that’s how “Shomer Hachomot” - the current operation started. Now, the drill is this - Hamas is firing rockets at the citizens of Israel. Israel tells them to stop and if they don’t they fire in Gaza and that’s the part you need to read closely.

Israel is not firing at civilians. It’s a fact and if you don’t believe me you can look at videos such as https://www.facebook.com/ynetnews/posts/10159905254995572 Translation: “Check if there are any children here.” “There are kids here, they are moving fast.” “Wow, we think there are kids here. We are stopping this.” “Right? there is a big one and a couple of small ones.” “We are suspecting that there are kids and we will not do it, we wouldn’t risk their life.” “Yes.”

So, why Israel was planning to fire in that place in the first place? Simple this is the point that I feel that most of the world doesn’t understand. When Israel fires at Gaza it doesn’t aim at civilians. Hamas is firing missiles and building headquarters where the civilians are so when Israel will come and kill Hamas members the citizens will be in the crossfire as well and then they would say “Israel is killing civilians!”

Now you would say “this is not an excuse they are still firing at civilians!” Wrong.

Israel is giving a couple of hours’ notice before they are attacking a building with civilians in it. Just a couple of days ago a big news tour was brought down - one of the reporters, from the Gaza side, who worked there wrote a breaking story about how they got a short notice, about how he couldn’t get most of the things he holds dear out. About how people that are leaving there are homeless. What he ‘forgot’ to say was that the building was the headquarters of Hamas, and they were the target of this Israeli raid. All the citizens by the way are well and alive because, as I said, Israel always tells beforehand so that people wouldn’t get hurt.

A couple of days ago we saw the picture and video of a young girl (6) that was rescued from the distraction of her home after an Israeli raid destroyed a building close to hers. Tragic. Again what the media left out was that Hamas build tunnels underneath the city so he could hide from civilians and Israelis alike and when Israel destroyed a building that was related to Hamas the tunnels underneath collapsed which, unexpectedly, led to homes of innocent civilians collapsing as well - hence what happened with this 6-year-old. Israel doesn’t want innocent civilians to be killed and there was no way to know this would happen - a thing that Israel by the way said and apologized for as it was not planned to happened.

I don’t remember when but sometime in this operation a rocket that was fired from Gaza and was supposed to lend in Israel landed in Gaza and killed kids. Do you know what the media in Gaza did? That’s right kids - they took pictures and posted that Israeli rid killed those kids. Because that’s easy to blame the enemy when the whole world thinks it’s their fault anyway so why not make things worst? Another point that makes people hate Israel is the Iron Dome. Fewer people in Israel are getting killed because of that - for those who don’t know what the Iron Dome is, it’s “is a mobile all-weather air defense system[8] developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries.[7] The system is designed to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired from distances of 4 kilometers (2.5 mi) to 70 kilometers (43 mi) away and whose trajectory would take them to an Israeli populated area.[9][10]” (taken from Wikipedia)

That is the face of Israel - defend and protect citizens while Hamas is doing everything he can to attack Israeli citizens without thinking twice about the life of people in Gaza.

Funny story, did you know that Israel gives Gaza food, fuel, electricity, medicine, aid, money, and far more? Every month? Yes, taxes from people like me and my friends go to Gaza to help them. My money goes to help Gaza citizens, my government tries to help Gaza citizens and it’s been happening for the last 20 years.

Now let’s talk about what happened world-wild. When things are bad for Israel do you know who the rest of the world blames? Jewish people. Notice how from anti-Israeli the hate became to be anti-Semite. In London, my favorite place on earth, people called out to “rape all the Jewish girls.” In Montreal people are looking to find Jewish houses to attack the people in the house, my friend told me that she knows a girl our age that is afraid to go out of the house. They called a mutual friend of hers who is Christian to threaten her if she doesn’t give them her location so they could hurt her friend. Only a month ago a citizen from my city was murdered in the US for being Jewish. He was there to celebrate the wedding of his family and was murdered. For being Jewish.

Believe me when I say that non of the citizens of Israel are happy for how people in Gaza are suffering. It’s awful. But, and it’s a big but, it’s not Israel’s fault it’s Hamas. So yes, #freeGazafromHamas is the hashtag that needs to go around, it doesn’t have to be Israel VS Gaza, us or them, life if not black and white, it needs to be #IstandwithIsrael while also saying #freeGazafromHamas.

To sum up - please read more than one source and don’t believe everything that the media is saying. I know it became a trend to hate Israel because a lot of celebrities see what’s on the media and decided not to question anything and hate a country that is just trying to protect itself. And please, god please, stop hating Jewish people who have nothing to do with what happens in the middle east. If you have any more questions or if you want to make a civil conversation you can always write me <3

#israel #standwithus #conflict #standwithisrael #gaza #טאמבלר #ישראל #freegazafromhamas #stop the hate #jewish #Jewish people

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creamypudding · 3 years

Text

Woeful WIP Wednesday

I last touched this WIP in August 2020. It was for the AkuRoku beard event I had tried to get underway for World Beard Day which is annually on September 1st. I never finished the story because it was getting very technical with beard related care products and a lot of sex. Like a lot of it. I have notes where they fuck each other like 4 times? On the couch, in the shower, in bed. I don’t know why I stopped writing it. It’s outlined but I ran out of steam and interest. As much as I am a smut-writing champion you’d be surprised how often I write stories only to run completely out of steam once I get to the smut. Go figure. In this story Axel and Roxas are in a long distance relationship and have a wager on who can grow the better beard. It is rated T and stops a bit before the ‘good stuff’ was going to happen. Word count - 2385 If you enjoy this, or any of the other WIP’s it would be great if you would let me know. Cheers.

Homecoming

The date, time, and location were set; 1st April, 6pm, Olga's—a favorite haunt of their family and friends’, and the best place to get Polish sausages. Roxas stood a little way down the road from the establishment, his two suitcases; a small one stacked on top of the large one, in hand as he looked at his reflection in his phone's camera. He brushed at his Banholz beard; big, bushy and grew to about his mid-chest. He had oiled, brushed, trimmed, and shaped it to look its best, for today was a monumental day. 6 months ago he had been dared to grow a beard by his boyfriend, Axel. Roxas had agreed but only if they would have a competition to see who could grow the best beard, to be judged by a panel of their relations and peers.

Roxas thought himself ready and walked on, wheeling his suitcases along behind himself. This competition was the precise reason why Roxas now entered the cozy restaurant. It had been booked out for the occasion and was filled with family and friends who all greeted Roxas with raucous cheers of—

“Roxas! You’re back!”

“Good to see you!”

“Is that really you under there?”

“Axel! Axel, your competition has arrived!”

The suitcases were tugged away from Roxas and the throng of people around him cleared revealing, there, across the space, standing at the head of a banquet table laden with bigos, golonka, pierogi, schabowy, placki, pączki and a range of drinks like compotes, oranżada, piwo, and żubrówka, was Axel in familiar jeans and a black shirt with flame motifs that Roxas had bought him as a gift two years ago. They looked at each other across the space.

Voices sang out, praising the magnificent beards they both sported.

Roxas saw Axel’s thick, dark beard; a Bandholz, like his own. They walked toward each other and stopped in the middle of the floor. Roxas craned his neck to look up, Axel smirked down.

“You look like a real Viking,” Axel said.

“You look like a mismatched pirate. Didn’t feel like dyeing your beard?”

“It’s too much red. Makes me look like a tomato. I’ll show you the photos of when I tried.” “Cool.”

They grinned at each other and Axel threw his arms around Roxas, lifting him off the ground in a tremendous hug. Roxas’ face got smothered in the scratchy beard but he still giggled and when he dropped back to the ground hooked his hands around Axel’s neck and gave him a chaste peck on the lips.

They pulled apart laughing a little.

“That’s something new to get used to,” Axel commented, rubbing his lips.

Roxas nodded and threaded his fingers through Axel’s.

“Come on everyone,” Sora, Roxas’ half-brother, shouted over the crowd. “Now that both our competitors are here let's get the judging going and then eat!” Cheers of enthusiasm rose and Axel and Roxas were ushered before the panel.

Roxas and Axel were examined in turn, their beards evaluated for physical appearance: thickness, length, feel. And then for popularity, which opened up to the entire group of assembled people.

Roxas grinned up wildly as he was crowned Beard King and received a victory parade amongst the shoulders of his friends to wild chanting before he was dropped on his ‘throne’, which was just a high backed chair in the middle of the banquet table laid out. He was presented with an enormous hamper of goodies relating to beard care and then Axel took his seat next to Roxas and everyone joined in on eating all the delicious food before them.

Much talk was had over dinner regarding Roxas’ time away—as he studied in a different state and only came back home over the summer and Christmas breaks. He was caught up in everyone else’s lives as well and then after three hours of eating, chatting, and boozing, wished everyone a good night as well as thanking everyone for crowning him king and coming out, and then he wheeled his luggage to Axel’s red Kia Cerato coup parked at the restaurants car park and got in to go back to their place.

“What does my liege want to do when we get home?” Axel asked, fondling the tip of Roxas’ beard as he drove along the street.

“I want to go through that basket of goodies with you, play with your beard, and play with you. I’ve missed you so much.” Roxas clasped Axel’s hand and rubbed it against his cheek.

Axel stroked him when he stopped his rubbing motion. “At least we get three long months of being together until you have to go back to college.” Roxas groaned. “It’s going to be so good, even when I do have to go back because we’ll be able to video call and won’t have to keep this beard stuff a secret from one another anymore.”

Axel nodded. “Yeah. If I had known what we were getting into I might not have agreed to this. Six months is too long without seeing your… well… rugged face. I can’t really call you pretty now, can I? I didn’t actually believe you’d look so much older with a beard.” “C’mon, you didn’t even think I could grow one. Not that I know why. You’ve seen dad, he’s always had a really respectable circle beard.” Axel shrugged. “I guess I look at your baby face and just… could never picture it.” “I’ll make sure we take a lot of photos so you’ll never forget. Have I shown you photos of dad from when he didn’t have a beard? I get my baby face from him. Underneath his beard, you’d think he’s twenty years younger than he is.” “Can’t say I’ve seen those. So when you’re fifty you’ll look thirty?”

“You know it. I can be your baby-faced sugar-daddy.” Roxas cracked up laughing at Axel’s bewildered scowl.

“For one, you are only two years older than me, and two, at this moment I’m your sugar-daddy since I work.” “True, but once I finish my degree and start working I’ll make so much money that you’ll be able to go part-time and look after our fur-babies.”

A strangled noise left Axel’s throat. “This is why I love you so much. You’re willing to protect me from a grueling working life.” Axel quickly leaned over, Roxas also leaned in and they shared a small kiss.

Roxas giggled. “So tickly and hairy.” ----------------------------------------------------

They arrived at their small cottage-esque house which they were renting. It had an undercover carport, a disheveled wooden fence, dry grassy patches, and a dead flowerbed. The door opened up right to their living room. A hallway ran through the door on the right, leading to the two bedrooms, and bathroom, with a separate toilet, and to the left of the living room was a door which led to the kitchen and laundry. Their backyard was an overgrown monstrosity which Axel only tended to when the landlords came around for inspections. The house was drafty, they were pretty sure black mold grew in the vents in the laundry and bathroom, but it was affordable, small, and let them live together when Roxas came home over college breaks.

Axel helped Roxas get his bags out of the car, they stowed them away to deal with later and sat on their plush, tan faux-leather couch whilst rifling through the content of the prize basket.

“It was really nice of everyone to pitch in and get us this gift basket,” Axel said, pulling out a beard-care kit consisting of several brushes, some oils and waxes, and a few trimming essentials.

“What do you mean us? This is mine.” Roxas glared, but he couldn't repress the bubbling-inside grin.

“You're really gonna use all of this Beard Candy and King of Wood all by yourself?” Axel held up the respectively named balm tin and oil bottle.

Both of them giggled.

“I might.” Roxas grabbed for the bottle. “I am king of wood.”

“You're more candy, darling.” Axel snatched the bottle and shoved the tin at Roxas.

Roxas gasped with playful offended. “Not true. I am King Beard. Everyone thinks so. We had a vote, remember?”

“We did. You really want to keep all this to yourself though?”

“Nah. WHat’s mine is yours—Oooo! There’s dye and glitter!”

Axel looked at the packets Roxas held up and went diving into the basket. “Ribbons too. Who do you reckon snuck this stuff in?”

Roxas thought for a moment humming and hawing.

“Sora!” they both shouted in unison and cracked up laughing.

Axel put the items he held down and got up. “You want anything, babe? Tea? Hot chocolate? Water?”

“A tall drink of something hot and sweet.” Roxas made eyes at Axel, who grinned broadly.

A spark of lust ignited in Axel’s eyes. He stepped close to Roxas, bent down and kissed him, pushing him against the couch. The hairs against Roxas’ lips tickled. He wrapped his arms around Axel’s shoulders, pulling them chest to chest and Axel climbed up to straddle Roxas’ lap. Roxas pushed his tongue into Axel, who sucked gently. Both of them hummed and pulled apart.

“I do actually want a drink though,” Roxas sniggered.

“On its way, sugarplum.” Axel slid off and headed to the kitchen.

Roxas’ cheeks were plump and hot from all the smiling. He had missed Axel so much. He listened to Axel banging away in the kitchen, as taps turned on and off, drawers and cupboards opened and shut, and container lids popped in and out of place. Roxas kept looking through the goodies in the basket. He really appreciate everyone's support, but most of all Axel's for doing this with him—even if they were pitted against each other.

Axel talked to him from the kitchen. They talked about Roxas’ flight home, Axel's job and then Axel was back, carrying a tall mug of steaming liquid, gasped with whipped cream. He set that down on a coaster before Roxas and put a much more sensibly succeed mug down for himself, filled with what smelled like chili tea.

“It's so good to have your back, babe.” Axel leaned over and kissed Roxas, who cupped Axel’s cheek and stoked along where skin met beard. Roxas could taste the light spice on Axel's lips as he had been sipping his tea before he had come in.

Axel left small touches on Roxas’ arms, trailing up to his neck where slender fingers caressed and rubbed. Roxas melted into the touch and hungered with his kissing of his boyfriend.

Axel pulled away, licking his lips. “Have your drink. I slaved over it.”

“Oh, what hard work it was to push buttons, wait for water to boil, and open the fridge to get whipped cream out.”

“It was the hardest. I had to do it all without you there.”

Axel was being ridiculous but it twinged in Roxas’ heart. “Okay, I retract my previous sarcastic remark.” He grabbed his drink, snuggled closer to Axel, and licked at the cream and sipped, humming with appreciation.

Axel looked down at Roxas and simply said, “Yum.”

Roxas huffed out a small laugh and felt his cheeks turning pink. He was glad for his beard.

“You're giving me all sorts of ideas looking like that.” Axel quirked an eyebrow.

Roxas’ stomach knotted. Having been debited their webcam sessions made him feel excessively deprived of his boyfriend touch. “Kiss me.”

Axel obliged, leaning down, sucking Roxas’ lip onto his mouth for brief moments and then flicking his tongue over Roxas to lip, licking the cream off which gathered in his beard.

Roxas held his drink away from the both of them and gently pulled on the end of Axel's beard, drawing the other man in for another kiss. Roxas pulled away then, humming. “I've missed you, babe. Let's never have a comp like this again.”

“Your beard as itchy as mine feels?” Axel scratched at his chin.

Roxas chuckled. “No. It feels pretty good, but I mean the not being able to see each other bit.”

“Ahh, yeah. Agreed. I mean, this,” he brushed the fuzzy edge of Roxas’ beard, “is actually surprisingly attractive on you, but I get what you mean.” Axel leaned in and hushed against Roxas’ love, “Your voice in my ear is honey to me but seeing you touching yourself is my bread and butter.” Axel kissed Roxas behind his ear, making him shiver.

Roxas nuzzled Axel's cheek, making them both giggle because their beards tickled.

Axel clapped Roxas’ thigh. “C'mon, let's do some beard stroking and grooming. I want my beard to look like Nori from the Hobbit. Which dwarf do you want to be?”

Roxas laughed. They had been talking about the wacky beards of the dwarves from that movie trilogy for at least two months now. “Gloin. His beard is magnificent!, plus, I found a packet of beads at the bottom of the basket.”

Axel nodded. “All right, my glorious Norse God. Let's doll each other up.”

Roxas giggled with delight.

They spent the next two hours taking turns combing and braiding each other's beards. Roxas split Axel's dark, silky beard into three prongs, found done large clasps to target the end and hair-sprayed the shit out of the two outer parts of the beard to make them stand stiff and jut out from Axel's face.

Then it was Roxas’ turn. Axel sectioned parts off, braiding and beading the thick, wiry hair into the desired shape.

They shared many kisses throughout and traversed down memory lane as they recalled the early days of growing out their beards and how itchy the first few weeks were. Thinking about it made both of them itch.

When their beards were all finished they took a photo as a keepsake.

“Are you sure you want to shave off our chin-curtains tomorrow?” Axel asked, touching Roxas’ dark blond hair.

Roxas burst out laughing. “Chin-curtains? Are you getting attached to yours? You've been doing nothing but complaining about it for months.”

“Well, I like all the touching. I like us sitting together and doing each other.” Axel couldn't keep a straight face as he said that.

Roxas rolled his eyes as he smiled brightly. “We can still touch each other no matter what.” He slid an arm around Axel's waist.

#akuroku #akrk #beard #wip #woeful wip wednesday #cream pudding writes

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tweedlydumbtweedlydoo · 4 years

Text

Off Limits (Spencer Reid #10)

Previous Chapters:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Tag List: @on-my-way-to-erebor , @haileymorelikestupid , @angryknightstatesmantrash

NOT MY GIF

*******************************************************************************************

Spencer rushed back to the BAU. His thoughts running a million miles a minute. When he arrived at the BAU, he hurried the team into the briefing room, the team rushing to question Spencer.

“What the hell is the matter Reid?”

“What’s going on?”

“Did you run back here?”

“It’s him. It’s Nicholas Watson.” He states, out of breath, “Ava’s stalker. He has her and he called me.” He breaths out quickly.

“Oh shit. You mean the Nicholas Watson? The one that got away in Miami?” Morgan questions.

Spencer nods in response, taking a deep breath, “He took her to get back at me because I saved the last girl he had before he could “have his fun”. He told me I have 24 hours to find them or he kills her.” He puts his phone on the table. “He’s supposed to send me hints of where they are. He thinks this is a fucking game.” He runs his fingers through his hair.

“Did he say when he would send the hints?” Hotch asks.

Spencer shakes his head, “They’re in Atlanta. That’s all I know. She left early this morning with bags. So those photos I received were from this morning when she arrived at the airport in Atlanta.” About that time, his phone dinged with a text message from an unknown number

Village Coffee House.

“What does it say?” Emily steps next to him, looking at his phone.

“Village Coffee House. That’s it? What the hell? How am I supposed to go by that?” Spencer plops himself on the couch.

Penelope opens her laptop and types it into the system, “It’s a coffee shop in Atlanta. What would the coffee shop have to do with him taking her?”

Spencer thinks for a moment. Why does that sound so familiar? Spencer snaps his fingers when it clicks, “That’s her favorite coffee shop in Atlanta. If she just arrived home, she’s going to want her favorite coffee for the morning.”

“What if that’s where he abducted her? Maybe he’s taking you through the whole abduction.” Hotch wonders.

After Ava’s parents dropped her off at the house, they left shortly after to return to work. She decided she didn’t want to sit around all day, so she left and took MARTA into the city. First stop; coffee from Village Coffee House.

She received her coffee and walked out of the shop and down the street. Second stop; The park. As she rounded the corner, she was grabbed and pulled into the alley. Before she could even let out a scream, she was hit over the head with something and knocked out cold.

When she awoke, she was tied to a chair and gagged. Her legs were bound to the chairs legs and her hands were tied down to the sides of the chair. Her head throbbed. She blinked her eyes to get adjusted to her surroundings. It was a warehouse. There were wood stacked in rows and some machines. And a man sat across from her, leaned against a table.

“Finally, you’re awake.” He groaned, “I thought you were never going to wake up.” He pushed himself off the table and pulled out his phone, walking over to her.

She cowered away as he got near. “Now we can call your little boyfriend.”

The team gathered their things and headed to Atlanta on the jet. When they landed Spencer received another text.

Your girlfriend is very pretty… Better hurry before I do something. Hint: warehouse

“Building is the next hint.” Spencer announces to the team.

“Okay so the first hint was where he abducted her. Next hint is warehouse. That must be where he’s keeping her, some type of warehouse.” JJ states.

“Morgan call Garcia and tell her to look up all the warehouses in Atlanta. We’ll start from there. It’s during the day so it has to be abandoned warehouses.” Hotch instructs.

“And they’ll be close by to where he abducted her.” Emily adds.

Hotch had called the Atlanta Police Department when they landed and explained the situation. The head of the department then instructed them to come there and that they were welcome to work the case from there along side the department. After settling in at the department, Garcia called back.

“You guys have to give me more to go on. There’s hundreds of vacated warehouses around the area of abduction.”

“What about face recognition from street cameras?” Spencer asks, “We have his picture in his database. It could give us an idea.” Spencer glances down at his timer. 18 hours left to find her.

“Okay… okay. So, I have him caught on the street camera at the coffee shop.”

“Where does he go next?” Emily questions.

“The street camera on the next street over captured the abduction. He grabbed her and hit her over the head. Then carried her through the alley. His face pops up on the camera at the end of the alley putting her in a white van and heading northbound. That’s all I have.”

Spencer sighs in frustration, “He should be sending another hint soon.”

~ 14 hours left to find her

Spencer had started to panic a little bit. It had been 4 hours since his last hint. Atlanta Police put an APB out for Nicholas, his picture all over the news. They hoped to narrow it down to if people had saw him after the abduction. Spencer wasn’t sure about that move, but he wasn’t sure what else to do. He felt like he was backed into a corner. He was alone in one of the rooms of the department, the rest of the team were out with the detectives answering phone calls for the hotline, when Spencer’s phone dinged with a text, APB out for me Doctor Reid? Wrong move. You should have made a better choice. Time to suffer the consequences.

There was a video attached. Spencer watched in horror as Nicholas drove the knife through Ava’s leg. Ava’s screams pierced his ears. He could see the fear and pain in her eyes. He heard Nicholas’ voice come over the video, “Next one won’t go through her leg.”

Spencer was struck with horror. This was all his fault. All because of something that happened in his past. And now his choices have hurt Ava. The video started to replay, and he went to shut it off before he stopped himself in realization. Nicholas just made a mistake. Something he doesn’t do. The man was always two steps ahead of the BAU, but now the BAU was one step ahead. Nicholas just showed Spencer right where they are. When going through the list of abandoned warehouses there was only one that dealt with lumber in the past and it was located only a few blocks from the coffee house. Time to go save his girl and end this guy once and for all.

Ava had been in and out of consciousness since he had stabbed her in the leg. He’d left the knife in her leg which was good because it was keeping her from bleeding out. She had still managed to bleed a out a good puddle of blood under her chair. Sweat was pouring off her. Damn this Georgia humidity. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and the pain radiating through her leg.

The man walked over and started cutting her ties on her legs and arms, “your boyfriend should be on his way soon.” He picked her up and held her against him, using her as a shield. About that time Spencer and the FBI team barged in, guns drawn. He pulled the knife out of her leg and put it to her throat.

“FBI! Drop your weapons!” Hotch yells.

Spencer was the first one she spotted. She had never been so happy to see him. She felt the gun digging into her back. The knife in his hand was cold against her throat.

Spencer took a step forward, “Put the knife down, Nicholas. Now.”

Nicholas smirked, “or what? You’ll shoot me? Can’t shoot me if your girlfriend here is my shield.”

“We have you surrounded Nicholas. There’s no where else to run. It’s over!” Spencer took a small step forward, “Now let her go.” He warned.

Nicholas glanced around at the FBI team.

“Spence…” Ava whispered softly. She wanted to warn him, but Nicholas dug the knife harder into her neck, his way of telling her to shut up.

“Hey, it’s okay-”

It was like the world had moved in slow motion. The gunshot echoed through the warehouse, surprising everyone. No one was sure where it came from at first, then Nicholas let go of Ava, the gun in his left hand. FBI agents fired their shots, piercing Nicholas multiple times. He fell to the ground, dead.

Spencer watched as Ava’s body crumbled to the floor. He quickly rushed to her, “Ava! Oh god. Baby... no no…” Blood. There was blood everywhere. He didn’t know where it was all coming from. He started putting pressure on her stomach, where he thought the shot went through. She was gasping.

Ava looked up at Spencer, her eyes wide, “S-spence...”

Spencer looked at her, tears were slipping down his cheeks, “you’re going to be fine. Just stay with me.”

“I love you...” she sputtered out and then used all her strength to touch his cheek to wipe away a tear. She could feel the life slipping from her. She was weak and tired and all she wanted to do was sleep. She wanted to give in. She gasped quietly, then her eyes fluttered closed.

That was the first time Ava had said I love you. Spencer wanted to be the one to say it first, but Ava had beat him to it. “Ava, you stay with me!” He patted her on the cheek, “Ava baby.. please.” He whimpered. He watched in horror as her eyes didn’t flutter back open nor did she flinch. His worst nightmare had come true. He knew he was putting her at risk with his enemies when they started dating, but he couldn’t help himself. The moment she walked over to his desk so Hotch could introduce her, he knew that she was it. She was his one. She was his sun that would shine even on his darkest days. She was his happiness. Now, that happiness was slipping away. He could feel it in his heart. The bond the two of them shared was unbreakable, a match made in heaven. Their heartstrings were tied together in a tight knot and he could feel her side of the strings losing its grip. He was about to lose her forever.

“Someone call an ambulance!” He screamed, frantically looking around. He looked back at her and sobbed as he rubbed her cheek, “Ava please baby wake up…”

*******************************************************************************************

Damn. I’m sure you’re thinking to yourself, Would she really kill off the main character? Hmmm you’ll have to read the next chapter to find out ;)

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la-muerte · 4 years

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This evil is getting out of hand but SO ARE THE LIES DESIGNED TO SUPORT IT.

Regarding the 17 year old who shot the “protesters” last night...... over 1027 shares in less than a few hours......Americans are wanting TRUTH and the media IS NOT GIVING IT

1) carrying a rifle across state lines is perfectly legal.

2) based on the laws I can find of his area at 17 years old Kyle was perfectly legal to be able to possess that rifle without parental supervision.

3) he lived in Antioch, IL and traveled to Kenosha, WI. This is a 20-30 minute drive. And he works in Kenosha. He was not an out of state agitator.

4) all 3 shootings were justified uses of lethal force.

The first guy charged him with a Molotov cocktail missing him with the fire bomb yet kept running towards him.

The second guy beat him with a wood and steel skateboard in the head and then attempted to take his rifle.

The third guy presented a pistol and aimed it at Kyle’s head.

5) he was not running from the 1st guy. He engaged him directly. He then responsibly called 911 and attempted to render aid to the man who’d just attacked him. He was then chased off by a crowd of protesters the next 2 assailants came from.

6) he ran to police after the last engagement with his hands up declaring what happened.

7) there is 0 evidence of being racially motivated or having came to incite violence. In fact there is a lot of evidence in the videos to the contrary. He was waging and scrubbing protester paint graffiti from buildings just an hour before this. He was carrying a medical trauma kit to aid anyone injured in the protests.

The media has spun an immediate narrative that this man executed 3 people.

That is simply lies and for WHAT AGENDA when the extremely large quantity of cellphone video before during and after the shows exactly what happened.

~ Steve Kosier

Anyone participating WITH BLM or ANTIFA deserves exactly what they’ve earned. Disaster death and misery.

The 17 year old who shot this idiot was there cleaning vandalism off walls earlier and was there as he stated to protect and defend properties in an area where they were vandalized and burned down the day before.

He was attacked by multiple idiots at once, beaten to the ground, threatened with a burning Molotov cocktail, a handgun pointed at his head and hit in the head and shoulders with a skateboard

(Just being accurate) but before he fired to protect his life. In shooting he maintained muzzle control and trigger discipline to the point of only hitting the two idiots that were an immediate threat to him, one attacking him with steal and wood and the other with a pistol pointed at him. Those are each deadly threats individually so when you put the two together attacking one armed person......what were they thinking? They got what they deserved.

Molotov guy got shot in the face

Skateboard boy that everyone is heralding as a hero had a long arrest record for violence and took a round to the chest (he is now peaceful), the guy who got shot in the arm was a convicted felon who wasn't allowed to possess a firearm in the first place but is there at the “peaceful protest” pointing a pistol at others heads in multiple pictures. I've seen the video and the kid shot in self defense. He immediately walked unthreatening towards the police and surrendered to them as they drove right by him. Hes was clearly attacked without provocation and he will be found not guilty.

Chose which side you fight for carefully because in the end - THIS IS GOING TO BE A FIGHT and if you’re in the streets these days in these places and don’t know you’re putting your life in the balance - it’s simply Darwinism at work

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bike42 · 3 years

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April 13-15, 2021 IAT Heading South

The funny thing about Spring in Wisconsin is it can be variable. After two weeks of amazing warm weather, we’re back up North in the cold. It’s actually “normal,” weather for April, but after what we’ve had recently, it’s kind of hard to go back. Actually, it was perfect weather for hiking, we just had to keep moving.

This time, we’re staying in the Holiday Inn Express in Antigo, WI (population 7780). I had a Waunakee Chamber Board meeting via Zoom early Tuesday morning, so Jeff and I drove up late Monday night so I’d be able to take that call before joining the gang. The hotel experience is different than when we’re together in a cabin, but we can’t always have everything perfectly aligned.

Kent had shoulder replacement surgery about two weeks ago, so this hotel option worked out well for Kent and Lynn too. He can’t hike “off road” for a bit (risk of falling), so he’ll hang out while Lynn hikes with us. I will say it felt odd not having him along on the hike. They arrived at the hotel early Tuesday morning, and Lynn rode with us to rendezvous at the start with Dan, Tam and Gary who had already left a car where we’d finish our Tuesday hike.

There were a few snow flurries in the air as we set off hiking just after 10am. We all dressed in layers, but the 34 degrees with a high of 40 caught me a bit off guard and I had to get creative and layer in some clothes that I’d brought for hanging out in the evening!

Everyone started out in gaiters, which was good as it wasn’t long until we were detouring around or splashing through puddles. In fact, as we were traversing around 4H Camp Susan, the road was completely submerged so we hacked our way into the woods, up a hill, and bushwhacked back down to the trail.

A little more than three miles, and we were crossing Hwy 45 – which marked the end of the Highland Lakes Segment and the start of the Summit Moraine Segment.

We came upon the Jack Lake ski trails area, and a nice little warming shelter with a porta-potty. It had a stove and wood – we could have had a fire if we’d needed to warm up. We were glad to have a picnic table and took an extended break there. The terrain was like other cross-country ski areas we’d hiked before – nice wide-open trails, but hilly!

After a few easy miles, we came to a fancier warming shelter called the Spychalla Lodge. We didn’t need another break, but we took one anyway.

From there, we continued on to Veteran’s Memorial Park. My folks had checked this out already, so I knew to expect cute little cabins and a nice campsite – I thought we were just a few weeks too early for camping, however – plus we needed Wi-Fi for a few conference calls. Just outside the campground, we entered the Langlade County Arboretum, where all the trees were labeled – we found it to be quite educational. The trail wound around several beautiful lakes: Game, High, Low and Jack Lakes – said to be named by card-playing loggers that had previously inhabited this area.

Our guide book warned us of possible issues with floating bogs and beaver dams, but we had no issues. We arrived at our end point for the day about 3PM – could have gone further, but Jeff and I had a Zoom call to be on at 6:30PM that evening so we’d planned for just over 11 miles today.

It was a windy day, but we were mostly protected in the trees – the sound of the wind in the high pines was awesome. While it never got warm (although Gary was hiking in a t-shirt), it was a pleasant day. The woodland flowers were just beginning to bloom, but they were advanced enough to use my “Picture This” app to help identify them. The forest and lakes were alive with the sounds of birds including sandhill cranes, geese, several kinds of ducks and I really loved the sounds of the Ruffed Grouse as they were “drumming,” to attract females or ward off challenging males.

Back to the hotel, and we walked over to the Bowling Alley across the parking lot – always a fun experience and the place was hopping, and the food was ok.

Wednesday morning, we awoke to snow on the cars, and the temperature was 33 degrees as we set out. I was the navigator, but wasn’t paying attention as Gary, Lynn and I were in a deep conversation about Waunakee’s Community Study on race ... so we missed a turn and saw a bit more of Langlade County!

We did the car drop, and at the start, there was a moss-covered stump that I’d photographed Tuesday afternoon – what a contrast to now find it snow covered!!

We set out at a brisk pace, and quickly finished the last 3.5 miles of the Summit Moraine segment. The terrain was mostly wide, grassy rolling roads, but then it turned and climbed along a ridge. Someone had built steps out of large rocks – the first time I can recall seeing that. I imagine it was a lot of work to build that, but made the climb easier. We skirted several beautiful lakes, and saw a beautiful DCA site.

The trail paralleled Highway A for a stretch, where we got a few honks from cars going past. We crossed the highway and began the Lumbercamp Segment. The trail went through the Peters March State Wildlife Area, and I expected it to be wet, but aside from an occasional large puddle in the low spot on the trail, it wasn’t bad. No one got wet feet today!

We walked along lumber roads, mostly grass covered thankfully. We only came upon a short stretch where there was active logging with equipment present but no one working today. The roads there were muddier, but nothing like the mud soup that we’d experienced several weeks ago on the Highland Lakes Segment!

I slowed my pace a bit and immersed in the peace of the surrounds – enjoying seeing the new growth of the trees and flowers, and listening to the cacophony of the birds.

After six miles, we searched out a place to stop for lunch. We’d been spoiled yesterday coming upon several shelters and areas with picnic tables! We finally spotted a downed tree, and Jeff got out his saw and lopped off a few branches to make room for the seven of us. It made us all think about the lunch we had sitting on a log atop a mountain in Slovenia a few years ago!

We continued trekking, on the lookout for the “Hillbilly Hilton” that we’d read about in our guidebook. Its all that remains from the Norem Lumber Camp which operated from 1920 to 1938. The camp originally had several log structures, but the only remnant is the root cellar, which has been renovated (?) into a respite for hikers. There were several sleeping platforms, a table and shelves with various things that had left behind. Unfortunately, there was a lot of trash both inside and outside. In the event of severe weather, it’d be a good place to take shelter, but I’d have been more comfortable in a tent versus sleeping inside there!!

We had another snack, and the guys kicked into turbo mode, with Gary issuing a self-challenge to finish the hike by 3pm. Tam, Lynn and I hiked a more moderate pace, stopping to check out the ramps (wild onion, or wild leek) – the forest was full of them, and I’d never seen them growing in Wisconsin before. Made us wish we were cooking dinner tonight!

The trail left the primitive road and headed up of high-relief hummocky topography. Once again, we found ourselves stumbling over roots and rocks, which actually was a welcomed change from the monotony of the forest roads. We came upon the beautiful Baker Lake, with a steep boat launch and a wooden slide to launch a canoe or kayak – would be a great secluded place to paddle!

From there, we climbed up a steep hill to Hwy-52 and the endpoint of our segment (and the guys patiently waiting).

We hiked over 16 miles today, in just under 7 hours. Great pace, but not too challenging. Feels great to be able to put in these longer distances. Gary commented that we had “rain, snow, sun, and wind; everything but locusts!” All in all, a great day.

We picked up the car at the start and got back to the hotel about 4:30pm, where Kent was waiting for us. He walked around Antigo, but reported it was much colder and windier than what we’d experienced in the protection of the forest. Since we had a Zoom call scheduled with Donovan of Embark Explorations (our Kilimanjaro guide company) at 7pm, we decided to head out to dinner right away. Tam found the Fifth Avenue Restaurant in downtown Antigo that had a good-looking menu and great reviews, so we headed there. Like most placed up north, they’re a bit casual with COVID restrictions and masks seemed to be optional and they had no problem with our group of 7 people sitting at one table.

We had a great dinner, lots of food, my favorite Leinenkugel Creamy Dark beer, and Jeff and I got pie to go from the Dixie Diner next door (same ownership – same family operating both places for 75 years).

After dinner, we went back to our “suite” at the Holiday Inn Express and huddled around Jeff’s laptop for our call with Donovan (and George Sanchez, our BrightStar colleague from Austin TX who will be joining us in Africa). Donovan and his wife have a pact to live somewhere else in the world every five years. They’d lived in Tanzania at the base of Kilimanjaro, and are now living in Guatemala so he was logged in from there. The call went well, but a storm was approaching there – we could see the lighting in his background window, and as he predicted, he lost power towards the end of the call. We learned enough to get super excited for our September trek! I’m so thankful that Gary suggested this IAT adventure to help get us so comfortable with multi-day trekking and test out our cold weather gear in preparation for all the weather we’ll encounter on our 9 days on the mountain in Tanzania.

Thursday, we woke to clearer skies, but still cool – the sunshine makes all the difference, mentally as much as physically. An easy car drop, we found ourselves at the start of Kettlebowl and hiking down into the bowl by 7:50AM.

The road opened up at the base of the Kettlebowl Ski Area, a nice little hill with some short, steep sections, served by several rope-tows, so that made me think of the nearby Paul Bunyan Ski Hill where I learned to ski!

Kettlebowl is a segment I’d read about as one where people had trouble getting lost so I was a bit nervous. It was rated a 4 / 4 so that got our attention as well. In reality, it was mostly wide forest roads, with numerous intersections. Perhaps in full leaf out, some of the signage is obscured, but we had no issues. We did have over 1000 feet in elevation gain, but easier to do with wide grassy paths versus narrow rocky trails.

Our group set off fast, which helped warm us up on the cold morning. After a mile, the layers started coming off. After about 3 miles though, I backed off a bit to enjoy the hike a bit more. Most of this area had been logged long ago, and has a successional forest of aspen and birch. Without leaves, we could really see through the trees – lots of hills, kettles, large rocks. We didn’t see wildlife, but I’m sure they saw us!

After about 5 miles we had a break – I went into the trees to find a large rock to sit on while I enjoyed the coffee I’d brought along with a fig bar. I really enjoyed the tranquility of being “alone” in the forest, knowing Jeff and my friends were just over the ridge – not exactly out of ear shot, so I had my “adventure with security” moment. I honestly cannot imagine doing these treks alone, but many people do. Our group is so compatible too, its ok for some to head out fast and work on cardio, and for others to linger back and talk or just enjoy the solace of the hike.

We completed the nearly 10-mile trek well before noon. We’d left two cars there, so Gary and Lynn headed back to Antigo to pick up Kent at the hotel, while Jeff and I drove Dan and Tam back to their car. We all met up at the Dixie Diner in Antigo for a hearty lunch. I was thinking cheeseburger of course, but their special today was a Pastie – either beef or chicken variety. My love of dough led me to choose that option – it was good, but very different than what I was used to. It had large chunks of beef and potatoes, while I’m used to more of finely diced version, more like a hash stuffed in a pastry.

After lunch, we drove back to the cemetery where the Kettlebowl segment ended to begin what’ll be a 30-mile connecting route (CR) – through the end of the Guthook West portion and onto the Central portion of the app! Since we had a great day and we were all feeling good, we decided to knock off 5 miles of the CR, and Kent walked with us – we felt complete as a group again!

I’d developed a small blister on my right heel yesterday, that was unusual. This morning’s hike, even though I’d had a Band-Aid on it, expanded it to quarter size. It didn’t prevent me from hiking; I hardly thought about it. But I’ll need to work on route cause (probably will have to give up pedicures and my foot softening lotion and build up my calluses before September)!

We had a fast 5 miles back to the tiny village of Polar, then a shuttle back to the cars and we were all on our way home. We’re still a 2.5-hour drive to our home – getting closer as the “crow flies,” but its still a remote location with small county roads to drive to get to our locations. After our 4 days next month, we’ll be within two hours – still too far for day trips, but that will come this summer.

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morbidmemories · 5 years

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The mcstay family

On February 4, 2010, Summer McStay, her husband Joseph, and their young sons Gianni and Joseph Jr. disappeared from San Diego, California. The McStay family of four was living a happy life, and had recently moved to a new house, which they were renovating and turning into their dream home. Joseph had a newly successful business designing and installing water fountains. This gave him a flexible schedule and the ability to work from home, so he could spend more time with his family.

On February 9, when family and business partners hadn’t heard from Joseph in five days, they sent a co-worker to the house to see if the family’s beloved dogs were there. When the partner arrived at the home, he found both dogs outside, with food in their bowls, which led them to believe that the family had gone out of town and had somebody caring for the dogs.

On February 13, when the family hadn’t been heard from in nine days, Joseph’s brother went to the house. He found no signs of a break-in, except for a partially open window, which he used to get into the house. Inside, he found a relatively normal scene. The family had moved into the house three months earlier, and was in the process of unpacking and doing renovations. Joseph’s brother found no sign of the family, so he left a note for the person feeding the dogs and asked them to call him, as he was concerned about his family. Later that night, he received a phone call from animal control, which was planning to take the dogs because they had been left outside without food for over a week. As it turned out, someone from animal control had stopped by and fed the dogs, so Summer and Joseph had not arranged for someone to feed them. This information was alarming enough for Joseph’s brother to call the police and report the family missing, as it was uncharacteristic of them to leave the dogs without food.

On February 15, eleven days after the family was last heard from, the police searched the McStay family home. What looked normal to Joseph’s brother but was alarming to investigators. Because of the lack of furniture and the state of the home amidst renovations, it was difficult to determine whether or not there had been a struggle. However, there was raw food left out, which seemed to indicate the family left in a hurry or had the intention to come back soon after. There were no signs of foul play or any forced entry. There was no evidence to determine where the family went or why they had left.

Earlier in the week before the family disappeared, Summer had made plans to visit her sister, who had recently had a baby. Additionally, a family friend was helping paint the house, and left with the intention of returning on Saturday, February 6, to finish the job. The family did not appear to have any plans to be gone that day. On Thursday, February 4, the last day that the McStay family was heard from, Joseph attended regular work meetings. Cell phone records indicate that he drove home after the meeting, and he continued to make calls into the evening.

Investigators made a break in the investigation when a neighbor’s security camera caught the McStays’ car leaving their home on the evening of February 4. The car never returned to the home. Investigators also discovered that the same car had been towed on February 8 for a parking violation near the Mexican border. Investigators immediately seized the car and searched it for evidence. Inside, they found a relatively normal scene: there were a number of new toys, the children’s car seats were in their positions, and the front seats were adjusted to Summer and Joseph’s relative sizes. There were no signs of foul play, but the fact that they had left the car and toys four days after leaving home, so close to the Mexican border was bizarre. In addition, security cameras for the parking lot from which the car was towed confirmed that the car had not arrived there until the afternoon of February 8, so there was four days of which the family was unaccounted for.

Investigators discovered that neither of the family’s cars had traveled to Mexico in years, so they believed that the family had not driven into Mexico during the unaccounted for four days. The family and friends of the McStays did not expect them to be at the Mexican border. Summer had stated that she felt that Mexico was too unsafe and that she would never go willingly.

However, a new discovery on border surveillance video changed the course of the investigation. Investigators found four people who resembled the McStays walking across the border at approximately 7:00 p.m. on February 8, less than two hours after parking the car in the nearby parking lot. The video shows a male adult and a child walking in front of a female adult with another child. The sizes of the people appear to match the McStay family. When family members were called in to help identify the people on the video, they had mixed reactions. They recognized that the children and Summer were the people in the video, but Joseph’s mother believed that if the man in the video were Joseph, his hair would have been much bushier. Otherwise, the family looked identical to the McStays. They were dressed similarly to the McStays, and the children were wearing hats similar to ones they had been photographed in. But several family members did not believe that the man in the video was Joseph. Investigators believed that the family pictured is likely the McStays, based on analysis of family photos and home videos.

Investigators believed that the family was willingly walking across the border, with no indication that they were in any distress. Investigators searched for passport records of the family, and discovered that Joseph had a valid passport that had not been used before or after the disappearance. Summer’s passport was expired and investigators could not find any records that she had applied for a new one. In addition, neither of the children had passports. Investigators found one of the birth certificates left behind in the home. It would have been impossible for the McStays to travel into Mexico with insufficient documents. In addition, investigators also discovered that Summer had changed her name multiple times throughout her life. Though simply changing her name is not an indication of anything sinister, it did stir up a number of theories that Summer was responsible for the disappearance. None of these theories have been confirmed. Though it is possible that Summer was using a different name, there are no records of passports under any of her other names. The entire case left investigators and loved ones completely puzzled.

In April 2013, the San Diego Sheriff’s Department turned the case over to the FBI, which was more equipped to investigate cases that involve other countries.

On November 11, 2013, the remains of two adults and two children were recovered in the California desert. Two days later, the remains were identified as the McStay family. The deaths have been ruled a homicide.

On November 5, 2014, Chase Merritt, a business associate of McStay was arrested and charged with four counts of murder, after his DNA was discovered inside the McStay vehicle. Prosecutors claim that the McStays were murdered by Merritt for financial gain. McStay Family 3 Merritt is documented as writing checks totaling $21,000 on McStay’s business account, after McStay went missing. Merritt used the money to fuel his gambling addiction at nearby casinos, in which he lost thousands of dollars. Merritt’s trial has been delayed multiple times due to Merritt attempting to represent himself and repeatedly firing his attorneys, he has gone through five between November 2013 to February 2016. In 2018, the trial was postponed again so that his current defense attorney could do more investigating, Merritt remained jailed without bail. Merritt’s trial finally began on January 7, 2019 and on June 10, 2019, a San Bernardino County jury found Merritt guilty of murdering the McStay family. He could face the death penalty as a result.

#tcc #true crime #crime #murder #tuesday #education #family #mcstay family

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goodnightkisseu · 4 years

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Time To Heal - Chapter 7

→ pairing: sehun x reader

→ genre: fluff, angst, struggling musician sehun x rich reader

→ word count: 4,054

→ warnings: none

→ summary: you had your life planned out for you ever since you were a little girl. However, when your friend, Baekhyun, takes you with him to his old hangout, you meet someone, someone you were willing to risk your parents’ criticism to be with. His name was Oh Sehun. But, in the end, what you really should have asked yourself, was if Sehun was ready to face your parents…

→ masterlist // exo masterlist // time to heal masterlist

→ [prologue] [ch.1] [ch.2] [ch.3] [ch.4] [ch.5] [ch.6] [ch.7]

→ updates taglist~: @chanyeolol @meryljill-111192 @sehunscutiepie @hi-cupid @lilian235

note: we are coming up on the end of this series! ;A; honestly I’ve fallen back in love with it as I’ve been editing it for all of you to read ;; I hope that you’ll all enjoy this chapter!

Also, please let me know if you would like to be tagged in this story~

- ash <3

Over the last two years, you had run through hundreds of scenarios in your mind. You theorized about seeing Sehun again, about the things that you would say to each other, but nothing quite amounted to what happened when you actually met. It was definitely awkward, and rightfully so in your eyes. It had been years, and there was no way for either of you to grasp the type of pain the other went through. However, seeing each other again didn't feel nearly as bad as you had expected. You had a nice dinner, and Sehun even went out of his way to apologize for his past behavior. That was never something you had planned to hear.

When you told Baekhyun about your encounter with Sehun, your friend was quick to ask how you felt. He knew it had been trying for you, so, for the meeting to take a completely different turn than you had hypothesized, it was likely a shock. And honestly, you weren't sure if you even knew how you felt. Sehun was someone that had broken your heart, and never did you think he'd feel remorse for it. But you could tell that he was aware of his actions, and that felt more in line with the Sehun that you knew. Your feelings towards him at the moment were... complicated.

Yet, as complicated as they were, you weren't going to let them stand in the way of his apparent efforts to make amends. Additionally, you felt like accepting his apology might have been the step that you needed to move on with your life, to keep him from running through your mind. So, after receiving his new number from Baekhyun, you sent a simple message. It read, "Let's put the past behind us and move forward. Good luck with your new single, and I can't wait to hear it!"

In the days that followed, you felt a sense of relief, weight lifted off of your shoulders. It felt like making amends after all of this time was the right move. It felt right to move forward, and that was what you did. Slowly, you found yourself emerging from this space that had only been occupied by you and Baekhyun. You started to go out again, whether you were invited by Baekhyun or your coworkers. You started living that life that you had unknowingly put on hold. The more time you spent with others, the more you felt like a whole person, your own person again. You were able to have fun, to chat with them, to really experience life in the way you wanted to.

And in due time, you even started dating again.

Nothing was ever quite permanent. It had been a long time. You had to rediscover and realize what you were actually looking for in a significant other. Guys came and went, but you never quite clicked with any of them... until Changmin. He was your longest relationship after Sehun, though it only lasted for a little over half a year. The two of you had met during fashion week. Your parents sent you to oversee their part of the show, as they had some other business out of the country. You had met backstage while you were directing some of your models, and he taking pictures of the different lines from each company. Something at that moment just clicked for the both of you.

Coincidentally, Changmin was someone that your parents had been trying to set you up with for years. He ran an editorial company that was well respected across the industry. To your parents, it was a match made in heaven for you and your business. He was a nice man, and his reputation had the possibility of boosting up your family's brand. The potential for both companies to grow together was exponential. Your parents were thrilled.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out. You weren't sure exactly what drove you apart. Everything had been going so well for the two of you... until it wasn't. It could have been the extra hours that you had to put in to get the new line ready for the coming season. It could have been the fact that Changmin was overseas for most of the year, the two of you only meeting up when he was in town. Honestly, you spent so much time apart you wouldn't have been surprised if maybe you fell out of it because he already had someone else. At the end of the day, the relationship came to an end, much to your parents' disappointment.

Admittedly, it was painful losing Changmin. During those periods where the two of you had been inseparable when your relationship was in a good state, you had started to depend on him. With things in Baekhyun's life picking up, Changmin had become your source of comfort in your best friend's absence. Now that he was gone, you felt that emptiness again. It was that same type of void you felt when Sehun exited your life, and like a creature of habit, you threw yourself back into your work. The only difference was that you didn't close yourself off this time. You still went out, had a good time with the people closest to you, but with your career picking up, you decided that there wasn't time for another serious relationship.

Instead, you had to focus on your true passion, your job. And in seemingly no time at all, three years passed.

You had been working hard to learn the ins and outs of the industry, immersing yourself in everything it had to offer. You went to every show, board meeting, and kept your focus on learning how the business was run. With retirement around the corner, your parents very naturally started to give you more control of the company. They were transitioning you into the full-time over and representative in their absence. And though it had been stressful at first, time and patience made it all a bit easier. Everyone that worked at the fashion house gave you time, and for that, you were grateful. You still had a lot to learn, but with your parents' excitement with their newest line, you knew that you had no choice but to make sure that it did well.

Today was filled to the brim with work, much like your schedule had been for the last few months. You were to oversee the photoshoot for the new line, so that morning, bright and early, you drove out to the studio, meeting the rest of your staff in the large open building. You worked with the stylists to organize the clothes in an easy to access manner. You talked with the makeup artists about which looks would suit the different moods and styles of the wardrobe pieces. You coordinated with Jinhee, the lead for this line, making sure that you had each checked off everything on your list. She was in high spirits today, and you couldn't help but chuckle at her eagerness.

The entire time that Jinhee had been working on this line, she had a model in mind that she wanted to represent it. She was never forthcoming with his name, but this was something that you had all grown accustomed to. She didn't want to ruin the surprise for anyone because, to her, the model was such a big part of making the line come together, and she wanted everyone to properly experience that. What she had said about him was that he wasn't a model by trade. He was someone that worked in the entertainment industry and had a knack for photographing well. Many magazines had asked him to be a part of their issue, and each photoshoot turned out better than the last. So, when the model walked arrived, you weren't sure exactly what to expect.

Well, you knew one thing you weren't anticipating. You hadn't suspected that it would be Sehun.

As one of your interns gave him a tour of the set, blushing like mad whenever he would throw her a smile, you couldn't help but realize how strangely life worked. It almost felt like a twisted form of fate to bring the two of you together like this. Even though it was for a work function, it still felt very surreal. You hadn't seen Sehun in years. Life had picked up so quickly that the last time the two of you met up was about a month after you reunited at his concert. But it wasn't just you that got busy. It was also Sehun.

From what the news and Baekhyun told you, the single that Sehun had mentioned was in the works when the two of you last met was the one that shot them to stardom. It didn't make waves on its initial release, but the more that people heard it, the more interest the band garnered. Within a month, the song topped the charts for multiple weeks on end, a feat that had been difficult for many artists in recent years. Sehun and the band started to get more recognition. They ended up doing lots of interviews and television appearances. Their schedule got so packed that even Baekhyun had a hard time meeting up with them. The two of you lamented about how the job of a celebrity must have been hard. Still, you knew that, no matter what, Sehun would always keep in contact with Baekhyun, even if it was just a simple text.

You would also send Sehun a message from time to time, though you rarely expected an answer, unlike your friend. Granted, your words were usually congratulatory, messages of excitement when a new album or tour was announced. Sehun's answers in reply were always rather simple, typically a 'thank you' or something along those lines. He would do the same for you, mostly if he saw good things about your company in the headlines, about how innovative it was or how well it was doing. The two of you would sometimes chat after that, filling the void, but it never got personal. It was strange to think that, at one point, you were in love.

But now, you were just acquaintances. Ones that would check in on each other from time to time. It definitely made Baekhyun's life easier, not having to dance around when he talked about the two of you. Still, there was something rather... bittersweet about it.

You had been so busy running around, making sure that everything was in place, that you didn't get a chance to properly greet Sehun at first. It wasn't until your intern brought him over to meet the team that the two of you finally met. Everyone happily greeted him, lamenting on his handsome features. You knew that he couldn't show it, but the way that his eyes locked on your own, you knew that he was surprised to see you. Still, he politely greeted everyone, and you did the same, inviting him to sit and relax for a bit while you worked with the team on the finishing touches.

Overall, the photoshoot went rather well. It was outfit after outfit, lighting change after lighting change, and makeup touchups, but every time you studied the monitor or watched the live shoot in front of you, you had to admit that Jinhee was right. Sehun really did fit this type of styling. Granted, you were sure that Sehun could pull off anything, as he was the type that always made what he wore seem comfortable and fitting to him, this particular set of colors, combined with this strong features, completed the look. He really suited the vibe that the higherups were looking for from this line, and you were relieved. The slight awkwardness for you was well worth the results, in your opinion.

As everyone prepared for the next set of outfits, your eyes wandered around, making sure that everything was proceeding as expected. Your eyes eventually landed on one of your stylists as she helped Sehun into his next outfit. Yet, something about it felt... off. Slowly, you left your spot behind the monitors and approached them, the issue catching your eye immediately.

"Hyerin, this type of shirt doesn't lie quite like that," you told her, the young woman jumping slightly when she heard your voice. You apologized for scaring her before you proceeded to direct her on how to adjust the fabric. However, instead of doing what you suggested, she moved out of the way instead, leaving you to pick up the material and fix it yourself. Though, as you worked, you never focused on the person in front of you, only on the clothes.

"It's more like this," you told her, demonstrating how the cloth should lie. "The style is more open, so you want to make sure that it sits comfortably on the model's shoulders," you instructed. You saw Hyerin nod, thanking you before she excused herself to get the next outfit ready. You continued to fiddle with the fabric for a bit longer, making sure that it suited the style you were looking for. Once you finished, you turned to head back to the monitors, when the male in front of you finally spoke.

"I didn't expect to see you today. I had no idea that you were directing photoshoots now," Sehun stated. His words managed to stop you from walking away, and inwardly he was glad. This was the first time in years that you were in front of him again, and everything in his being told him to keep you there, to keep you talking.

"Well, I've been promoted a couple of times since we last met up. The upside is that I have more say in everything now. The obvious downside is the responsibilities and the lack of sleep," you joked, wanting to keep it light between the two of you. Yet, you also knew that you needed to address the obvious elephant in the room, as well. "By the way, I'm sorry if this is a bit uncomfortable for you. Jinhee never disclosed the name of the model she wanted for this photoshoot. I never would have known that you would be the one to show up, or else I would have asked for someone else to direct..."

Gently, Sehun shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm actually not uncomfortable at all. We did decide to put all of that behind us, didn't we?" he inquired, seeing that small smile cross your features as you gave him a nod. "Actually, if I'm, to be honest, I'm glad you're here. It's good to see you, and your presence has helped to ease my nerves..."

At that moment, you dared to look up at him, your eyes looking into his, getting lost in those gentle dark orbs you used to love so much. As much as you were a source of calm for Sehun, he had been the same for you. Honestly, no photoshoot you had ever directed had gone as smoothly as today's had, and though you didn't want to admit it at first, Sehun definitely was a factor in it.

"It's nice to see you as well," you told him earnestly. There was more that you wanted to say, but when the photographer announcing that he was ready for the next set of shots, it cut you off before you could. "Keep up the good work, okay?" you told him, before running back to your previous position, picking up your things and getting right back to work.

"I... I missed you..." Sehun murmured to himself, the words that he wanted to speak to you directly, but wasn't able to. It annoyed him that he didn't just say them, but he knew that there were other things to focus on at the moment, and that was not one fo them. Instead, he moved back under the bright lights, going straight to work, in front of the cameras that he had grown accustomed to.

After the two of you met up again, having made amends for the past, it became painfully apparent to Sehun that he missed having you in his life. At first, he had thought it was just a fleeting feeling, a strong sense of nostalgia at your presence, but as the weeks and then months passed, he knew it was more than that. There were days, after long hours of practice that he longed for your comforting and supportive aura, that presence that used to calm him when things were difficult. He missed that beautiful smile you would give him and the way it would light up the room around you. He missed your encouraging words, the ones that would lift his spirits and make the days more comfortable. Sehun knew that all of these small things, these things that he used to love about you, were things that he wanted in his life again.

For a long time, he told himself that they were things that he could no longer have. He convinced himself that he had broken the relationship beyond repair. Instead, he found solace in your little congratulatory messages and the light conversation that would follow. Yet, he wanted more. He craved for more conversation, for more interactions, and eventually, he threw his pride aside and asked Baekhyun about how you were doing. What he hadn't expected his friend to tell him was that you moved on, that you had started to date again.

It wasn't something that surprised Sehun, and he knew that it was bound to happen. He wanted you to be happy to find someone that made you happy. It just pained him that he might not be able to be that person for you anymore. He found himself interacting with you less, trying to still the pain of his own heart. Work became his best distraction, and he stopped hoping that anything would change between the two of you.

Seeing you today, though it was a surprise, also brought some of those feelings to the surface again. Sehun knew where he was, and that, as professionals, you both had a job to do. But still... he wondered... if maybe...

The remainder of the shoot went smoothly. There weren't too many lighting changes or even makeup changes for the rest of the day. A majority of it was just getting Sehun in and out of the remaining outfits, something that the stylists could handle on their own. You continued to monitor from a distance, only piping up if something felt off. In the early evening was when the photoshoot finally came to an end. You thanked everyone for all of their hard work in making this line look and feel as amazing as it did before you all started to pack up for the day. You helped sort through the clothes, making sure that they were put in the correct boxes while your photographer and his team packed away all of their lights.

As people shuffled around the noise level at its highest for the day, you almost didn't notice the older man approaching you. It was Sehun's manager, and the moment that he got your attention, he asked if you would have a minute to speak with Sehun later. It seemed like your old acquaintance wanted to see you. In turn, you asked if it would be possible to meet with Sehun after your staff had left, and the man agreed, going to relay the information to his charge.

Once everything was accounted for and neatly stowed away, you helped your team move everything out to the vans that were parked outside. They informed you that they would be able to get everything back to the studio on their own, and you thanked them. When all of the cars were gone, you made your way back into the building, the space larger now that it was emptied out. You heard the sound of footsteps approaching the room as a familiar and tall figure entered, giving you a small wave. Sehun arrived without his manager in tow, and you could only imagine that he was downstairs, waiting for the artist.

"So, why did you want to talk to me in private?" you asked softly.

"I figured that you wouldn't want the people you worked with to gossip, so I thought this would be better. It is a private matter at all, between us," he replied, seeing you gently nod. Both of you were aware of the damage that could be done if rumors started flying. You may have been in a relationship before, but it wasn't well-known by anyone. Something like that coming out could be detrimental to both him and you... mainly if people went digging for information.

Still, now that he was given this time alone with you, he wasn't too sure how to proceed. What were the proper words to use in this situation? Maybe, he just needed to say it. "Earlier... I wanted to say that I missed you."

Everything that Sehun had to say lately felt like it surprised you, though you tried not to let it read on your features. There was a time when you had also missed his presence. Over the years, you decided not to depend on that old feeling too much. You had tried to move on, but you couldn't deny that he had been a big part of your life, and that, sometimes, you would miss him too. You just never thought that he'd admit that, given how things had gone before.

"I... I feel the same sometimes," you confessed, seeing that bit of surprise flicker across his features.

"I guess... I guess that's a natural feeling for both of us. That sometimes, it could be weird not having the other around," he explained, watching you nod. "It feels like something is... missing, right?"

You nodded. Sehun was hitting the nail right on the head, but you weren't entirely sure where he was going with this, and you wanted to know. You wanted him to make a move.

"I know that we can't be who we were before, but I miss your companionship. We said we would make amends, and we've started to, but I would like to try harder. I would like for us to be able to confide in each other again. I know that pain doesn't expire, and I'm not saying that we just throw all of that out the window, but I... I miss having you around as a friend. The guys are great, but they don't understand me like you do..."

It was apparent from his words that Sehun shared your sentiments. You, too, had missed the comfort and safety that he used to provide for you. Before, it wasn't just Baekhyun that you could run to, but Sehun too. Often, you would even feel more comfortable speaking to Sehun about things than Baekhyun. Maybe having that back... it would be nice. It was better than hiding those troubles away from the world.

"It's going to be strange and awkward, you know. Going back to being friends... there's obvious damage that's been done," you pointed out.

"I'm well aware. But I think, because we're aware of it, we won't try to push it if it doesn't feel right," Sehun added. "Plus, don't you think it would make Baek happy? You know, getting to spend time with the both of us, and not having to have split custody?"

You scoffed. "You know how I feel about Baek, Sehun. I have a soft spot for him. You can't go using him against me..."

"Unfortunately, Baek is the only card I have to play. After all, you're his ride or die," he teased, a gentle smile lining his features.

The silence grew between the two of you, and you were the first to speak up after giving it some thought. "Then let's give it a try. For old time's sake."

With that confirmation, Sehun gave you a small nod and a smile. As he saw you off that night, Sehun felt the void in his heart filled. Though he didn't know how to express it, having you back in his life, even as a friend, made him whole again...

#oh sehun #sehun #exo #exo scenarios #kwritersworldnet #exo fiction #exo fanfic #exo imagines #sehun scenarios #sehun imagines #kpop scenarios #goodnightkisseu series #gnks: time to heal

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thinkyoureholy · 5 years

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Guess Who [1]

[A/N : new series, new plot, double the angst]

Pairing : Kim Jongin x Reader / Byun Baekhyun x Reader

Genre : Angst, Violence, Language, Fluff, Smut, Character Death...maybe?, Mafia! AU

Words : 2.5k

[ Sweet Lies, Book 1] Pt 1. Pt 2. Pt 3. Pt 4. Pt 5. Pt 6. Pt 7. Pt 8.

≫ ──── ≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫ ──── ≪

-Jongin’s P.O.V-

I paced around the room, concerned over the news we had heard earlier. A few hours ago Sehun got an email from an unknown sender. It didn’t say anything but it had one picture attached to it. None of us could’ve predicted that the picture would be of Y/N in a wedding dress standing next to Baekhyun who was decked out in a tux. It didn’t take a genius to figure out they were getting married but even seeing how obvious it was it hurt like hell. The feeling of regret that had washed over me was overwhelming. I knew that it was no else’s fault but my own that she ended up in his hands. If I hadn’t forced her to kill Jieun she would’ve still been here with us. Now she’s in his clutches, forever and there didn’t seem like there was a damn thing we can do about it.

“Jongin...someone’s here.” Sehun said quietly from his perch on the couch, his eye glued to the screen.

I pulled out my gun immediately, knowing it was one of Baekhyun’s men from the tone Sehun had used. I went to open the door before he had the chance to walk up the walkway. I pointed my gun at his head without hesitation, my eyes cold as I glared at him.

“Please...I didn’t know where else to take her…” He said, almost begged as he looked down at her in his arms.

I followed his gaze, my body freezing at the sight, my arm falling back down to my side. I was in shock, my feet glued to the ground. I opened my mouth to say something but closed it shut, no words coming out. I didn’t have too much time to recollect myself as I was shoved aside, Sehun running passed me. He must’ve seen from the security cameras. He stood over her for a moment before taking her from his arms, walking quickly inside.

“Y/N…” I mumbled to myself, trying to reach out for her but I retracted my hand.

I stood stunned, frozen to the ground. I couldn’t find the strength to follow after them, my heart sinking to the pit of my stomach. I finally snapped out of it at hearing him move to follow after them but I stopped him. I raised my gun and pointed it at him, my eyes showcasing nothing else but the anger I was feeling. I was angry that she was in this state, angry that I wasn’t there to protect her, angry at the fact that this was all my fault. I needed an outlet and this man right here will have to do.

“Wait! W-Wait please...don’t--don’t shoot I wanted to stop him but he-”

“You wanted to stop him?” I asked with a scoff, cutting him off, “I find that hard to believe if you were with him when he planned to do this.” I said in a low voice, pointing to the scar on the side of my mouth.

One side had healed without leaving much of a scar but the other...left a scar from the corner of my mouth running to my cheek. The scar was almost four inches long and Sehun? He had lost an eye, the other two with scars covering about seventy percent of their bodies. And this guy if trying to say he had been wanting to stop that bastard when he let this happen to us and Y/N’s at death’s door, I find it hard to believe he has our best interests in mind.

“Look I’m sorry okay? I should’ve done more and I’ve regretted everything that happened just--just believe me, please. I can help you get back at Baekhyun if that’s what it takes just please...don’t kill me.”

I stayed silent, thinking his offer over. He should have more intel on Baekhyun than we do. We’ve been laying low for so long to recover from our injuries that we’d need help to get back at Baekhyun if we liked it or not and right not this guy seems like the best option. I narrowed my eyes before signalling for him to go inside with my gun. He hesitated for a few seconds before walking passed me and into the house. He looked around wearily but before he could say anything I struck him in the back of the head with my gun. His unconscious body lay face first on the ground. He must’ve taken me for a fool for letting him in so easily but I wasn’t going to make a mistake like that. I crouched down by him after grabbing a pair of handcuffs I had discarded on the table a few days ago, handcuffing him. I’ll interrogate him later, right now Y/N was my main concern.

I ran up the stairs two at a time, knowing Sehun took her to Junmyeon, if anyone could save her it was him. But the sight I stumbled upon had my knees feeling weak. Junmyeon was performing CPR while Sehun frantically turned on the defibrillator. She was dead...and it was my fault. I watched with tears in my eyes as Junmyeon cut her dress off of her torso, placing the pads where they needed to be. I took slow steps towards them, Junmyeon rubbing the two paddles before yelling out clear. Sehun stepped back, bumping into me. I tried to reach out for her but he stopped me, grabbing my arm in a vice grip and holding me back. I looked up to see silent tears streaming down his face, his gaze on Y/N alone. I jumped at hearing the defibrillator go off for the second time, my eyes going back to her, my knees finally giving out.

I stared at my hands blankly, seeing them begin to shake the more times I heard Junmyeon use the defibrillator. This was all my fault, all of it. If I hadn’t told her to go and kill Jieun she wouldn’t have ended up in his hands, she wouldn’t be laid on this bed, dying. If I had just let her go and do whatever she wanted with her life instead of forcing my own ideals onto her she would’ve stayed by my side. If I wasn’t such a fool maybe I would’ve been the one to marry her and protect her, the one to make her happy but instead I was the cause of her suffering.

I brought my hands up to the sides of my face, sitting back onto my ass as I brought my knees up to my chest, crying my eyes out. If I lost her--if I lost her she’d be taking my heart with her. Even when we had been separated all those years I knew...I knew she was still alive, that she was breathing and smiling, laughing her heart out even if I wasn’t the one the put that smile on her face that simple fact was enough for me and now...she’s dying and there’s nothing I can do about it. All my life...I have never felt more helpless than I do in this moment.

“Forgive me...please… this is all my fault I-” I pleaded, my voice low but before I could finish I cut myself off.

Just as I was losing hope I heard someone gasp loudly, looking up to see that it was Y/N. Junmyeon had put down the defibrillator opting in using pure adrenaline to jump start her heart. I could see Y/N’s chest rise and fall but her breathing was still too shallow for us to relax. Junmyeon was quickly going through a few drawers, pulling out everything he needed before looking over at the two of us.

“One of you stays the other leaves. I don’t care who it is but you have to chose. Now!”

I scrambled off my feet at his words, sharing a look with Sehun before turning on my heel and walking out of the room. Right now Sehun would be a lot more help to Junmyeon than I would. I wiped the tears from my face, and went back down stairs. I saw Chanyeol crouching over Baekhyun’s man who was still unconscious. Rubbing my hand over my face, I reached down and grabbed the back of his collar, dragging him over to my office. I was going to get answers and I was going to get them now.

…...

-Y/N’s P.O.V-

I hugged my knees close to my chest, burying my face into them. All I heard was the sound of laughter. I knew who it belonged to but it sounded so distorted I didn’t want to believe it was his. The laughter only got louder and louder, the sound unbearable. I brought my hands up to cover my ears, tears streaming down my face.

“I did it! I killed them!”

No. They can’t be dead, not them, not after how we went our separate ways. I still had to apologize, beg for them to forgive me. I was so stupid to let myself be blinded by this fake love, I pushed my only friends away. They were the only people that had accepted me for who I was, loved me for me, without any conditions and I drove them away.

“You’re lying…”

“Oh but it’s the truth. You know it is! I killed them with my own two hands! Oh but not before torturing them! They screamed like the cowards they were!”

His voice was so close, as if he was yelling these words directly into my ears. The tears of sadness had started to mix with tears of anger as they streamed down my face. Before I knew it I started pushing at what felt like a firm chest. I shoved him as hard as I could, the only emotion in my eyes was hate.

I hate you.

I hate you!

……

I had been wandering through this cave that seemed to last forever for I don’t know how long. I just knew I had to keep walking. At times I wanted to just give up and hide myself away in some corner of this dark cave but something told me to keep going.

“Y/N…”

I froze at the sound of his voice, trying to remember who exactly it belonged to. Just as I was about to keep walking I heard it again, my hand coming up to my chest at the strange feeling that spread. I looked around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.

“Y/N I know I have no right to ask this of you but please...wake up…”

Just as he said those words I felt a warmth spread across my right hand. I looked down at it in confusion, bringing it up closer to my face to examine it but it didn’t look any different. But that feeling I felt in my chest amplified, becoming painful even. It was too much for me to handle as I fell to my knees. I clutched at my chest, the pain becoming more intense as the seconds ticked by.

My eyes flew open, only to have them close once again at the bright light shining over me. The pain in my chest was still very much there but it was dull compared to what I felt earlier. I let out a low groan, going to move my hands but felt something weighing down each of them. The moment I moved I heard the legs of chairs screeching across the floor before hearing them fall all together. I winced at the loud sound, blinking slowly to adjust to the light but once I did this overwhelming sense of panic washed over me. Baekhyun’s face flashed in my mind, the memories coming back. As my breathing sped up I could hear something beeping rapidly. My eyes darted around the room, my hands clutching tightly onto...well whatever I could get my hands on. I felt the tears well up in my eyes at the thought of being with him again, just his very name caused fear to course through my body. I opened my mouth to bug him not to hurt me again, anything but that, I don’t think I could take much more.

“Hey, hey it’s okay. You’re okay love, you’re safe now.”

I heard his voice before I saw his face and the moment I did the tears that had been accumulating in my eyes escaped. They slid down the sides of my face as I looked into his eyes, feeling a new wave of emotions wash over me. I opened my mouth to say his name but nothing came out. He gave me a sad smile when he noticed it was difficult for me to speak, shaking his head slightly. He cupped my cheek in his hand gently, leaning down to place a lingering kiss on my forward. I couldn’t do anything but stare up at him with wide eyes, Baekhyun’s words from before echoing in my head.

“They’re dead”

He lied...Jongin’s right here, in front of me. It wasn’t until then that I noticed Sehun standing on my left. He held my hand in his tightly, staring down at me with tears in his eyes...or eye. I furrowed my brows at seeing an eyepatch over his left eye. My eyes caught the scars that ran up his arms, looking over at Jongin quickly to see him trying to cover the scar on his cheek with his hand. I knew immediately who did this to them, tears of sorrow for them and resentment for the one that put them through this pain fell from my eyes. I felt my heart break more than it already was. My heart ached to know that they had gone through all this...because of me.

“I’m...sorry…” I said, my voice hoarse and barely above a whisper.

-Baekhyun’s P.O.V-

I sat in the dark room, back leaning against the wall as I stared out the window. I held a cigarette loosely in between my fingers, my eyes glazed over. It’s been like this since that day months ago. I don’t even remember the last time I left the room much less the house. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything, not after what I did. Just the thought of it caused my eyes to glaze over with tears. I looked up to the ceiling, willing them to go away but they fell nonetheless.

If only she was alive, God what I would do to see her. This pain in my chest, it hurt more than the first time, so much more. I would beg, beg on my fucking knees for her to forgive me, forgive my stupidity, forgive my actions. But I knew, I knew I would never even get to tell her how sorry I was.

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itshardtoactnormal-blog · 5 years

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Beautiful LGBTQ Proposal Stories

1. Patrick + Matthew

“Patrick and I started dating in July 2016. By September, we had told each other, 'I love you.' Day after that, I bought the ring. He is the most special person I have ever met, and loving him is the best thing I’ll ever do with my life. I proposed on his birthday, Jan. 19. He made me promise not to propose at Disneyland ― Disney’s super special to us. So I didn’t propose at Disneyland. I proposed at Disney California Adventure ― thank God for loopholes! We were married this past August. It was everything; HE’S everything. So thankful for our happily ever after.” ― Matthew Markulis

2. Allie + Sam

"We actually had two proposals! I popped the question back in July, and it was a total shock to Sam. We'd been together 3.5 years and I told her I'd never propose..."

"... Anyways, I've been waiting for a ring ever since. In November, she told me we were going to scope out a wedding venue at our favorite park, so we took our dog Lily and met our wedding planner there. Little did I know, they'd set up a beautiful arbor and candles, and Sam got down on one knee and proposed. To top it all off, she took me out to dinner, and I was stunned that all of my friends were there! It was so exciting to celebrate with everyone! When we got home, our Christmas tree was decorated with photos of us from over the years, and I had so many sweet gifts to unwrap. I can't wait to marry this sweet girl!" ― Allie

3. Jennie + Joanna

"As cliché as it may sound, Joanna was one in a million, and I knew it from the moment I met her. She was genuine and kind. She came into my life when I wasn't even expecting it. I never thought I would ever date someone with children because I didn't even think I would want children. However, these three little hearts opened mine to a world I never knew: true unconditional love. The way she loved them made me fall in love with her even more. I asked the two oldest boys for their permission to marry their mother. It was important to me they were part of the decision, as they were the men of the house. Without hesitation, they did. We planned the whole thing together! They were the only ones who knew that our family 'Easter' photos were actually a surprise engagement photo shoot. I was extremely nervous, but Tara, a good friend [and the photographer], made everything easier. She captured one of the best moments of my life: my now-wife saying yes to marrying me!" ― Jennie Romano

4. Kayla + Loren

"The photographer Albert and I came up with the idea for me to propose on the Hogwarts Express [at Universal Studios]. My fiancée Loren (who uses they/them pronouns), ever the planner, was furious that we were skipping all the attractions on the itinerary we spent hours planning just to ride the train. They didn’t speak to me the entire time in line! Finally, we sat on the train, and Albert motions for me to sit next to him across from my fiancée. As he is setting up this very obvious and huge camera (Loren still hasn’t caught on!) he sneakily texts me, 'Now.' I lean in slightly and Loren is shaking their head saying that I was in the way of Albert taking his tourist pictures! I couldn’t help but laugh because they didn’t even know the half of it. I finally get down on one knee with the ring in the chocolate frog box and start my proposal with, 'Are you still mad at me?' Loren puts it all together, starts to tear up, and we’ve been happily engaged ever since!" ― Kayla S.

5. Jan-Kristòf + Kellan

"Kellan planned to invite a group of our friends up to Rainbow Mountain Lodge in Pennsylvania to propose to me in front of everyone. However, he changed his mind, thinking that I would probably be upset if I knew that our friends were coming to stay with us during our anniversary weekend. The day after we got there, we hiked up Resort Point Overlook, where Kellan planned to propose at the top of the mountain with the sunset in the background ― except that he forgot the ring! Moments like this honestly remind me how much I love our lives; we just truly keep each other entertained. We went back to the hotel room, where he presented me with this box of photographs, which were a collection of the most memorable places we have been in the last 10 years, and notes, which he had written our story on. He then got on his knees and popped the question with the ring in hand. The picture of him kneeling was for the engagement pictures taken in Central Park in New York." ― Jan-Kristòf Louis-Mansano

6. Quinn + Evelyn

“June 18, 2018, is the day that will forever be my best. It’s the day that Evelyn sat next to me with a wine glass of lemonade and a mouth full of turkey sandwich while I nervously watched in anticipation of asking the most important question I’ve ever asked in my entire life. My heart was beating 1,000 times a minute and Evelyn was finishing her lunch ― I was way too nervous to eat anything. I finally got on one knee while pulling out my handmade sign and the ring and asked Evelyn, 'Will you marry me?' With a very surprised look and tears coming to both our eyes, Evelyn spoke the most important word that I have longed to hear for so long: 'YES!'" ― Quinn S.

7. Cameron + Maggie

"When Cameron and I met, we had no idea we would end up here. We went from strangers to best friends, roommates to more than friends, and two short months later, we became engaged. He gave me a puppy who was wearing a tag that said, 'Will you marry me?' After a moment, he asked, 'Well?!' So I said, 'If I say no, do I get to keep the puppy?' He said no, I said yes, and when he’s rotten, I tell everyone he tricked me into this marriage with a puppy. 😂..."

8. Jeroen + Amar

"Straight from the start, I knew Amar was the one that I would spend my life with. Amar is an architect and loves special sustainable projects like the High Line in New York City. So I prepared our trip in detail, including a paparazzi photographer to take pictures of the moment that I would propose. On the High Line, I fell to my knees and asked him to become my husband. Even though I knew he would say yes, I still was somewhat nervous. But he did, indeed, say yes, and suddenly a group of people who surrounded us started to applaud. We revisited that specific spot three times that week. It will be always our romantic spot in New York." ― Jeroen W.

9. Jackie + Beth

"Beth and I had both decided that we wanted to propose to each other, but we had no idea that we’d be proposing within 24 hours of each other. I’d been planning for months to propose to her on our anniversary in Tower Grove Park [in St. Louis], where we’d gone for several of our first dates. I planned every detail to be as personal and sentimental as possible – I coordinated a group of her closest friends and family, flew in her best friends from out of town, gathered branches from the park to have turned into a wooden engagement ring for her. And when the date rolled around, I hung string lights from our go-to hammocking trees and rolled out our favorite vintage rug from my grandma. I told Beth I wanted to have an anniversary picnic in the park (which, bless her heart, she agreed to, even though it had been cold and rainy all day). As soon as we turned the corner and Beth saw the string lights, she started crying. She said yes, and all of our friends came out from behind the bushes to surprise Beth (again) and celebrate with us.” ― Jackie P.

“What Jackie didn’t know was that I was planning on proposing to her the very next morning at our favorite farmers market, in the same park where she had proposed to me. I went to the market early, talked to all our favorite vendors, and set up a scavenger hunt through the market for her. I left notes, pictures and our favorite market foods at each booth. My last note asked her to meet me at the stone ruins in the park, just outside the market. As soon as I saw her walking towards me with tears in her eyes and arms full of herbs and veggies, I completely forgot everything I had planned to say — it became the happiest blur that ended with a ring on Jackie’s finger and a celebratory breakfast with friends, featuring all the food Jackie had gathered on her scavenger hunt. It was as close to a perfect weekend as I could imagine. We each got to show the other how deeply known and loved we are, and we celebrated that love surrounded by our friends, family and queer community.” ― Beth W.

10. Amber + Courtney

"Our driver dropped us off on the wrong block so we had to navigate our way through the rainy streets of New York. All the while, I was trying not to give away where we were going. We were lost, jaywalking streets, getting caught in traffic in the rain, until we finally found our way. We rode the elevator to the top of the building, where a gentleman walked us up to a door. Courtney didn't know what was behind it until it opened. Immediately, we were met with candles lit, lining the rooftop floor, leading us out to a terrace that overlooked a beaming Empire State Building. The rain had stopped. As I turned to grab Courtney’s hand and lead her out, she immediately melted into a million happy tears and knew this was the moment we had both been waiting for. I walked her out to the middle of the terrace and made a promise of family, love and happiness. I said, 'My mom used to tell me when I was kid, as we said our prayers at night, to thank God every night for the things you don’t want to wake up tomorrow without. It never made complete sense what that meant until I met you.'" ― Amber P.

11. Alli + Chris

"I proposed to Christiane on our four-year anniversary. We drove up to this great little trail in northwestern Connecticut and hiked up to a quiet vantage point to watch the sunrise. This was a pretty typical way for us to enjoy a day together or celebrate something like a birthday or anniversary. She noticed me fumbling around with a bunch of cameras but I was able to come up with an excuse about wanting to photograph the sunrise. As the sun started to come up over the horizon, I gave Chris her anniversary present: a children’s book I had written that told our story. It all led up to the last page, which read, 'Will you marry me?' She said yes, and we got to watch a beautiful sunrise!..."

"... Later, Chris proposed to me and surprised me with a ring when we were taking some engagement photos with Steph Grant in Yosemite National Park. They planned the whole thing without me knowing, so I got a sunrise proposal too." ― Alli L.

#lgbt pride #pride month #LGBTQ #lgbtg proposals

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blackwxtchmccree · 5 years

Text

Side to Side (Sugar Daddy!Gabriel Reyes x Reader)

Can also be found on my AO3 >>> here.

Chapter 1 can be found >>> here.

Taking things a bit slow, but I have some fun stuff planned for future chapters and I’ll update as fast as I can. Enjoy <3 -Valk

Gabriel had spent the better part of the weekend before he had received your call thinking about you. He wasn’t entirely sure why he had been infatuated with you as soon as you had greeted him—unable to pinpoint if it was your charming smile, your soft, caring eyes or the eager way you spoke to him. You couldn’t see it, but the way the sunlight had filtered in at your back when you were taking his picture painted you as something akin to an angel, giving you a glow that had captivated him. The way you spoke to him was easy, casual without seeming too unprofessional and that’s when he had decided—he wouldn’t mind keeping you in his company as long as you didn’t mind, either.

You had never flown first class in your entire life, enjoying the extra leg room and making small talk with the woman in the seat next to you, falling asleep halfway through the flight, grateful for the extra week after the grueling week you had had. Your exam had gone relatively smoothly and you had managed to write the rest of your paper in an excited frenzy Thursday night, motivated by the text you had gotten from Gabriel with your flight time and seat number.

As soon as all ten pages had left your hand and rested firmly in your professor’s, you dashed back to your apartment, grabbing the small carry-on you had packed the night before, petting Mira on the head, then dashing to the airport, shooting your roommate a text that you’d be out for a few days and asking her to feed Mira—but actually feed her, to which she responded she would and you could only hope at that point.

You awoke as the plane was landing, looking out the window with wide eyes, scanning the expanse of buildings below that was Los Angeles. You were actually here and the thought made your heart skip a beat as you descended, looking around curiously at the huge airport when they finally allowed everyone to exit the plane. You stepped out of the gate, looking around for a moment to get your bearings before spotting a man dressed in business casual clothing with a cowboy hat on his head holding a sign with your name on it. You approached him hesitantly, but he was surprisingly welcoming, motioning for you to follow him once he had confirmed your identity.

“I’m Jesse McCree—Reyes’ chauffeur and part of his security detail,” he stated as you walked through the airport, smiling at your curiosity, easily seeing why Reyes had taken an interest in you. “He wanted me to let you know that he has a meetin’ this afternoon, but dinner reservations are for 6:30. He wanted to give you plenty of time to settle into your hotel room and get ready. We’ll be by to pick you up at 6.”

“We?” You looked around as you approached the sleek black car you assumed was your ride, thanking Jesse when he opened the back door to let you slide inside. You were startled to find another man sitting in the passenger seat—a Japanese man with short black hair and brown eyes that met your gaze evenly when you sat down. You were quick to note the green dragon tattoo that peeked out from under the collar and right sleeve of the man’s shirt, impressed by the clean linework that you could see.

“This is Genji Shimada,” Jesse continued, answering your question. “Another one of Reyes’ bodyguards.”

“We’ve been re-assigned with your safety as our top priority, but yes,” Genji corrected Jesse, smiling at you as McCree started the car. “Nice to meet you, Y/N.”

“Likewise.”

The car ride to your hotel was filled with Jesse and Genji bantering with each other and dropping small tidbits about the city as you drove past landmarks. You found they were surprisingly easy to talk to, though Jesse was far more talkative than Genji was—not that you minded. The cowboy was sharp as a tack and Genji, though quiet, was perceptive, noting whenever something you saw out the window caught your eye. Jesse got out to check you in once you reached the hotel, both of them following you up to your room to make sure everything was in place before leaving you with a reminder that they would be back at 6 o’clock before shutting the door.

You looked around the room, almost afraid to touch anything. It was far more lavish than anything you had ever experienced in your life and you snooped around a bit, sliding the doors to the balcony open and stepping out. Your room had a gorgeous view of the city and you stepped inside to grab your camera from your bag, snapping a few pictures, not wanting to forget this. Once you were satisfied, you stood for a moment and leaned against the railing, letting the breeze brush past your face. It was surprisingly warm in the city considering it was December, but you weren’t going to complain, glad for a little bit of sunshine and warm air.

Your phone vibrating pulled you out of your head a bit later and you pulled it out of your pocket, finding a message from Gabriel displayed on your lockscreen.

In a meeting, but got word from McCree and Shimada that they delivered you to the hotel safely. Check out the bathroom if you want a taste of just what I could spoil you with. -GR

That piqued your interest and you stepped back inside, setting your camera aside again before padding to the bathroom and turning the light on. You were met with a view of a surprisingly modern bathroom, though your eyes quickly fell to the basket sitting on the counter. Upon further examination, you found it was filled with bath bombs, exotic soaps, and lotions galore that you definitely couldn’t ever afford. You were quick to respond to Gabe, settling on just sending him the heart eyes emoji and a thank you.

You sifted through the basket, smelling each of the bath bombs before settling on a lavender one, deciding you had time for a bath. You drew the water and threw the bath bomb in, stripping and settling into the water’s warm embrace. You hadn’t realized just how wound up you were with anticipation and apprehension until the water and the lavender scent began to soak into your skin and your aching muscles, relaxing you. You realized you could breathe again—your exams were over and even though you were far from home, you were sitting in an expensive hotel room relaxing in a divine bath with a delicious dinner and an attractive man on the itinerary. You couldn’t have asked for better prospects than in that moment.

An hour later the clock read 4:54 pm and your phone buzzed again—another text from Gabe.

There’s another surprise in the closet. Put them on. I’m sure you’ll look divine. Can’t wait to see you. -GR

You sat for another few minutes, unwilling to subject your body to the cold bathroom air just yet, but eventually curiosity got the better of you and you stepped out, draining the tub and wrapping a towel around your midsection. You moved towards the closet, sliding the door open, your eyes falling on a sleek, off-the-shoulder black dress that hung there. On the floor below sat a pair of strappy red platform heels. For a moment you were daunted—you hadn’t walked in heels since graduation at the end of your senior year of high school. Not wanting to make a fool of yourself, you dried completely off and slipped your undergarments on, mentally thanking last-night you for packing a strapless bra.

Slipping the heels on, you adjusted the bow that had been sewn on to the strap before tightening it to fit the front of your foot, surprised to find they actually fit (and leaving you wondering how Gabriel guessed your shoe size correctly). You then took a few brave strides across the hotel room and back until you felt you could walk successfully enough without twisting your ankle. After, you slipped into the bathroom again to put on a bit of makeup and fix your hair before pulling the dress over your head, looking in the mirror and admiring the way it hugged your frame. Upon further inspection, you decided to throw on red lipstick to match your shoes, finally fully satisfied with your look as the clock struck six.

There was a knock at the door and you grabbed your wristlet and the keycard into your room, opening the door to face McCree and Shimada again. They both stopped dead in their tracks, looking you up and down for a moment, making you blush.

“You look stunnin’ darlin’,” Jesse complimented, tipping his hat. Genji gave a nod in agreement before offering you his hand, leading you towards the elevator, then to the car once you reached the bottom floor.

The ride to the restaurant was shorter than you expected, and didn’t lead where you thought it would, either. The car veered through the city and up the coast a bit to the cliffs above what you learned from Jesse was Beverly Hills and Hollywood in the distance. Once you reached the top of the slope and pulled into a parking lot in front of the restaurant, the cowboy parked and Genji got out, opening the car door for you and letting you step out.

“Mr. Reyes is already inside waiting,” Genji said, nodding towards the restaurant. “I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you.”

You gave Genji and Jesse a farewell nod before turning and making your way to the entrance. The front of the restaurant was modern; a path lined with lit bowls of fire glass led to the front patio, where several elegantly dressed people were talking amongst themselves with drinks in their hands. Your heart was racing as you politely pushed past them, looking around the open-air balcony trying to spot Gabe among the delicately decorated tables. You spotted him leaning against the bar on the balcony railing overlooking the bay, drink in his hand, his face highlighted by the setting sun—he looked good, brown eyes glowing and broad shoulders relaxed.

You approached cautiously and Reyes looked up as you got closer, his eyes scanning your frame leisurely, a small smile gracing his lips as he extended a hand, giving you a small twirl. The dwindling sunlight made you look ethereal—giving your figure the same glow as when you two had first met. It seemed to settle into your hair and on your lips as you spoke, your eyes looking up at him through thick lashes.

“Y/N! Right on time,” he greeted you warmly, the way he was looking at you making you blush again. “I suppose Jesse and Genji would be poor escorts if you weren’t.”

“They’re delightful company,” you replied earnestly, a smile lighting up your face. “I see why you keep them around.”

“You look stunning, by the way.” He was hardly subtle about the way he was eyeing you, though his gaze lacked any hints of lecherousness or debauchery, his eyes tracing every one of your curves appreciatively.

“Are you complimenting me or your own choice in outfits,” you retorted playfully, crossing your arms across your chest.

“Both—though the outfit is only as good as the person wearing it.”

“You’re flattering me,” you replied quietly, unused to being complimented.

“I’m trying,” he quipped back, watching as your gaze moved to the view just over his shoulder, your eyes falling onto the water below, captivated by the rolling of the waves.

“Have you ever seen the Pacific Ocean?” Reyes followed your gaze, infatuated by the innocent curiosity and amazement reflected in your eyes—something he hadn’t seen in anyone in years.

“No. I’ve never been too far from home. Doesn’t look too terribly different from the Atlantic, though,” You replied with a huff, watching as the last sliver of the sun slipped under the horizon, the orange water fading to a muddy brownish blue.

“We could change that,” Gabriel offered, looking down at you almost mischievously as he sipped at his drink, suppressing a smirk when you looked up at him with wide eyes. “I could take you wherever you want to go.”

That gave you pause and you fell quiet for a moment, suddenly bashful, realizing the gravity of the decision you had laid out before you.

“We can discuss it once we sit. Do you want something to drink?”

“Do you mind,” you asked, knowing the drinks here were likely expensive, but then again he had already flown you out, paid for your hotel room, and bought you clothes.

“Of course not. Order whatever you want.”

Gabriel made fun of you when you ordered wine and realized that it could actually taste good, going down surprisingly smoothly, not making you grimace for once. You were seated soon after, ordering your food and munching on appetizers. You realized you hadn’t eaten much all day except for a granola bar you had wolfed down this morning before you left. The soft, ambient lighting in the restaurant calmed your nerves a bit and you found that just as you had witnessed before, Gabriel was easy to converse with. You were cutting into your entree and eating the most delicious steak you had ever had in your life when the topic of conversation fell to what you had visited for.

“How would this… work, then,” you asked hesitantly, taking a sip from your wine glass before setting it aside, looking across the table at Reyes as he leaned leisurely back in his chair.

“You provide me with companionship and in return, I’ll pay your bills and tuition and give you a monthly spending allowance,” he replied, twirling the whiskey in his glass idly as he looked at you, his lidded brown eyes glowing a honey-gold color in the candlelight. “I get invites to a lot of galas and charity events and usually I go alone, but after a few hours it grows stale. If I had someone at my side, I think I’d find them a bit more tolerable.”

“That’s it? What about…” but you faltered, unable to meet his gaze, instead turning your eyes back to your mostly empty plate.

“Look at me,” his voice was soft, but stern and you cast your eyes back up, heart fluttering in your chest, almost relieved to see he was smiling slightly. “As I said before—not unless you want to. I’ll pay for everything—I just need you to be where I ask when I ask.”

“I can’t say that I’m the… ‘gala’ type, though,” you replied sheepishly, your brow furrowing, though you managed to hold his gaze this time. “You should have seen me walking in these heels when I first put them on. I looked like a newborn calf. I felt like I was in 7th grade again trying on my mom’s heels for the first time.” That made Reyes laugh—a beautiful, deep sound that made your legs weak even when you weren’t standing.

“That’s alright. I’m not asking you to be perfect,” he replied gently. “I’m just asking you to be there. I’ll show you the ropes when the time comes. And we’ll have plenty of opportunities to go shopping and pick out clothes and shoes you find more suitable I promise.” You responded with a small nod.

You were silent for a bit, taking a moment to look back out over the sea, finding that even over the soft music you could still hear the waves below, a small sea breeze filtering in and brushing past your face, flushed from the alcohol. It was a bit of a risk—you would likely have to find ways to circumvent your parents and prevent them from finding out, not even bothering to imagine how they’d react if they did find out. On the up side, it meant you could quit your job and focus a bit more on your classes, though you hoped that whatever Gabriel had planned didn’t interfere with that, either. Ultimately, you just hoped it would work—this seemed too good to be true. You turned back towards the man across from you, letting out the breath you hadn’t realized you had been holding.

“I’m in—wherever you need me.”

A smile spread over Reyes’s face and it made your heart skip a beat.

“Good—I’m glad to hear it,” he replied sincerely, raising his glass towards you. “To my new sugar baby.”

You raised your glass to meet his, clinking them together before downing the rest of your wine.

Sugar baby.

That was a title you could get used to.

#gabriel reyes #gabriel reyes x reader #reaper #reaper x reader #modern au #sugar daddy au #sugar daddy!gabriel reyes #sugar daddy!gabriel reyes x reader #photographer!reader #sugar baby!reader #overwatch #overwatch au #my writing

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marshmallow-phd · 4 years

Text

Catching Rain

Part of The Untamed - EXO Wolf Universe

Genre: Wolf!AU

Pairing: Minseok x Reader

Part: 1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 I 6 I 7 I 8 I 9 I 10 I Epilogue

The pencil bounced up and down on the folder lying closed on the table. Several students nearby eyed the noise created by the eraser and metal casing (you had an odd love for a good old fashioned pencil that needed sharpening) but you didn’t stop. You couldn’t stop, not with all this nervous energy surging through your veins. You really shouldn’t be this nervous. This was only a simple… tutoring session? No, it couldn’t really be classified in that category. He wasn’t going to teach you anything – at least, you didn’t think you would be learning anything in this project. Supervising seemed more appropriate. A direct line in case you were stuck – which, to be honest, you already were.

When Sungkyu had told you about this extra credit, it had sounded so easy. Even the outline he’d created had been simple. But your usually creative brain had seemingly run dry of the juice that sustained it. Were you finally finding your fatal flaw? Capturing an image, finding the moment in a sea of moments, that was easy for you. Apparently your talent stopped at the ability to apply that skill to anything else. You’d arrived at the library a whole hour early in an effort to have something started by the time Minseok was sitting across from you. But you just couldn’t find the connection between art and math. You weren’t Leonardo Da Vinci.

“This seat taken?”

Your pencil stopped mid-tap. Face remaining neutral, you looked up. On the other side of the table, Minseok stood casually and waited for an answer. The gray hoodie he’d adorned laid slackly against his torso, hugging his hips where black pants peeked out underneath. One hand held onto the standard backpack hanging off his shoulder while the other was stuffed in his jeans’ front pocket. A sweet, crooked smile stretched across his thin lips. And there your heart went, doing backflips again. With the fear of your voice cracking, you simply gestured to the chair across from you. Nodding, Minseok pulled the plastic seat out from under the table and sat down. “So, how far have you gotten?”

“Not even past the start line,” you admitted. You opened the folder you’d put together for the project to show the pathetic state of your effort. The only scribbles in the margins were from tiny, poorly drawn doodles and some last minutes thoughts from your philosophy class. If someone were to say you were an intelligent person, you would like to agree with them, but this current predicament was making you feel like a fraud.

Taking the outline out of the folder’s pocket, Minseok scanned over the paper. “You know, art and math are more connected than you think.”

You raised an eyebrow teasingly. “Are you going to give me a lecture on how artists have used math to create measurements in their sculptures or paintings?”

“Well, not anymore.”

You laughed. “I get that there’s a connection. Math makes up everything, right? I just can’t find a real world application between photography and math.”

Minseok pursed his lips to the side, thinking. “Maybe you can use math to help you set up a shot.”

“No,” you shook your head. “Pictures are captured organically. If you think about it too much, it loses its magic.” Pushing yourself up, you leaned across the table. You turned on your camera and angled the display screen so you both could see as you flipped through the pictures from the clearing. A small, appreciative smile crept up on his lips. “Capturing your subject is all about the feeling. It isn’t as easy as doing a math problem and then angling your lens before clicking a button. There’s no heart in that. The focus should be on what’s in front of you.”

“But don’t you adjust the shutter speed and light index and other things to change up the picture to capture what you want?”

You felt like a guppy with your mouth opening and closing as you searched for a response. All your brain could come up with was, “Well… yes….”

“So, you do use numbers in your photography.”

“That’s different.”

“How so?”

Suddenly, you were Baby put in a corner.

A non-malicious grin spread across his face. “Just because you don’t realize you’re using the numbers doesn’t mean that you’re not.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at the comment. “That sounds an awful lot like a freshman philosophy lecture.”

“Could be. I did only take the one semester for a humanities credit so I could be paraphrasing. But if something stuck then perhaps that’s the one credit that wasn’t a waste of money.”

The laughter coming from you was nonstop. You couldn’t help it. Every little jab and joke he shot off made you feel like you were the only audience member in a comedy club - however, they weren’t gold. The jokes weren’t even that funny. Some of them might not even meant to be jokes. But the bubbly feeling in your stomach pushed its way up and came out before you could fully process his intention. Talking to him was… effortless. And this was barely a conversation. A single warning bell was ringing in the back of your mind. Dangerous territory was near, but you kept walking. Curiosity was a strong attractor.

“So,” Minseok clapped his hands together and folded his fingers, resting his chin on his knuckles. In that single motion, he transformed from the GTA to the optimistic sophomore in his looks. “Can I ask you a question? Besides the one I just did, anyway.”

You nodded, “Of course.” Anything to keep you from actually having to work on this project. Which, obviously, was very counter intuitive, but you would finish it… eventually. And if you didn’t get too much done today, then that was nearly a guaranteed second session.

“As a photographer, what would you say is the hardest thing to capture? Like, in a picture?”

You were taken aback. No one had ever asked you that before. You didn’t even think the topic had come up in any of your classes. Different subjects floated through your head as you tried to find the answer to his question. Moving objects was the go-to reply. But some - like human beings - were easy with the tiniest modifications. There was one thing, though, one particular part of nature that you loved but often gave you frustration. “Rain.”

“Rain?”

“Yeah… Catching rain. You can feel it, but you can’t always see it.” You held out your hand, palm towards the ceiling. “The drops could be pouring down from the clouds, hitting your skin, but the camera can’t capture it.”

“So, what do you do then?” He asked with an eagerness, with true attentiveness and interest in your words. It made you sit up.

“You change your strategy. You slow things down. That’s when it comes out best.”

He nodded slowly. He took in every word you were saying and absorbed it. A warmth spread across your cheeks and you prayed it wasn’t visible to him. Out of nowhere, Minseok cleared his throat and sat back. “Maybe you could use the numbers in the equations.”

You grimaced as you came back to the reason the two of you were here. “That sounds complicated.”

“Okay, then,” he chuckled. “Why not-”

The muddled shrill of a cell phone vibrating against the table. You hadn’t even realized he’d put it there at some point during the conversation. He let out a disappointed sigh as he flipped the device over and checked the identity of the caller. An apologetic look was thrown your way as he answered. “Hello?”

The faint, intelligible voice of another guy echoed through the speaker. Minseok nodded as if the caller could see him.

“Okay. I’ll go now.”

And there was the wave of disappointment. So today was to come to an end already. And you still were no closer to a realization than before.

Minseok pressed the red button and disconnected the call. The smile that he had on his face earlier morphed into a sadder version. “I have to go.”

“That’s okay,” you reassured him. “Hold that thought for next time.”

A spark flashed in his eyes. Was that a bit flirtatious? How bad was it that you could no longer control the fluctuation in your voice?

“And when would next time come around?”

“Saturday?” Eric had to spend the day finishing off the set pieces for the upcoming play. When he was working like that, he could be lost in painting for hours. Getting him on the phone or off the stage would be next to impossible. That seed of guilt was pushing on your stomach again. Hanging out with a guy that made you laugh while your boyfriend was off somewhere else wasn’t a good idea. Maybe you would ask Eric first if he was comfortable with that. If he said no you could always come up with a good excuse to back out.

“Saturday should work.” In a quick motion, he flipped your folder around and wrote down his number. “Just let me know what time works best for you.” Jumping up from his seat, he threw his bag over his shoulder and started to walk away. But after a few steps, he turned back around. A wide, gum-revealing smile spread across his face as he waved casually. But his smile was anything but casual. In it you saw hope, a possibility of something more.

I’m in trouble.

You knew it. You knew very well that meeting up with him was going to lead to a terrible predicament. But as he walked away, you’d resigned to follow that rabbit hole anyway.

Needing a distraction, you hopped up and headed out your own way. There was still another matter you needed to solve and now was the perfect time. With your backpack in the passenger’s seat, you drove out of the parking lot and towards the back roads, taking the same way to the forest you had previously. The wheels of your car matched up almost perfectly with the marks from before. Locking your backpack in the trunk, you pocketed your keys and phone and started hiking. You followed the path to the clearing; your nerves bounced faster and faster the closer you got.

Immediately, you headed straight for the tree that had been your resting place. The grass was taller in only a few short days. The blades scratched gently at your hands as you pushed the blades aside for a better view of the ground. After circling the area, you had to give up. It wasn’t there. The wolf flashed in your mind. Shaking your head, you ridiculed the idea. The wolf couldn’t have taken your notebook… could it? Certainly if he had there would be remnants of paper still around.

Blowing air through your lips, you sat down at the base of the tree. Now what were you going to do?

A rustling nearby made you jump. Out of the trees, the wolf from before - at least, you assumed it was the same wolf - cautiously came towards you. “Did you take my notebook,” you asked out loud. The wolf pulled back his ears in response. Your eyes widened. “Did you?”

The wolf barked. You had to laugh at yourself. You were having a conversation with a wolf. You felt ridiculous. Again.

You sighed. “I guess it's just time to face the facts. It’s gone. Eric won’t be too happy with me.”

The wolf growled before coming up next to you and curling up in the grass to your right. He laid his head in your lap. Yes, this was definitely your wolf. What else were you supposed to do if not pet him?

“Eric will just be disappointed,” you said. “Not like, angry or anything. I’ll need to come up with another place to lose it, though. If he found out that I came to the forest by myself, he’d turn red. Especially after-” You froze, your hand hovering over the wolf’s ears. The news of the campers returned to the front of your mind. They were attacked by an animal - a wolf, most likely. Something still told you that it couldn’t have been the wolf currently resting on your legs. How could he be like a puppy with you and vicious towards others?

Noticing your sudden silence, the wolf lifted his head and looked up at you.

“You didn’t hurt those people, did you?”

The wolf tilted his head to the side. You took that as a good sign.

Reacting to a sound your own human ears didn’t pick up, the wolf’s ears flicked up as he turned towards the trees. He stood up on his paws and pulled on your sleeve with his teeth so you would do the same. One bark conveyed what he was trying to tell you. “Okay,” you nodded. “I’ll go. But you be careful, too, alright? If there’s something… mean running around here, I don’t want you to get hurt either.”

It still amazed you how this animal could somehow understand you. He reared up on his back paws and placed his front on your chest. You were now looking eye to eye with this giant dog. He gave you a sloppy kiss on your cheek before jumping down and nudging you away. He saw you all the way to the edge of the forest. Disappointment weighed you down as you plopped down in the driver’s seat. And you weren’t sure if it was because of the lost notebook or the wolf you were leaving behind.

Minseok ran through the forest back to the house. This whole “mate pull” was starting to scare him a little bit. He’d been trying to find any clue to the rogue wolf that had invaded their territory but a feeling told him to go to the clearing again. You’d come back. He was both elated to see you again and petrified that you were out here with no protection. If he hadn’t come across you… he shivered at the very thought of what could have happened. When he heard something moving close by he needed to get you out of there; he didn’t care if it was the omega or a harmless rabbit. Seeing you go created a whimper in his chest, but he would see you again on Saturday. Goodbye for now wasn’t something to stress about.

After running the perimeter for another hour, he headed back to the farmhouse. The conversation from the library followed him through the trees. He’d simply asked a question to keep the conversation going, but he was finding an allegory within your answer.

You’d said in order to catch the rain in a picture you had to slow things down. Maybe that was the approach he had to take with you. His initial plan had perhaps been a bit too strong. If circumstances were different, it might have worked. But given the fact that he had competition for your heart, that would no longer be a good direction to go in. So he would take it slow. He would get to know you through these small meetings about the project. And he would let you get to know him. Maybe then the pull would grow on your side. Maybe then you would come to him on your own terms instead of him chasing you down. Yes, exactly like rain in a photo.

Now back home with a clear head, he slipped into the jeans he’d hidden in the bushes before walking up to the back door. The kitchen was a ruckus like always as he entered. Most of the pack was home from the university, except for Junmyeon. Kyungsoo and Chanyeol were discussing what to do about dinner while Jongdae and Baekhyun were teasing the younger wolves about… something. Minseok couldn’t really pick up on what they were going on about. No one seemed to notice the eldest’s entrance, but that was alright. Minseok simply grabbed a cup from the cabinet and filled it with water from the tap. Leaning against the counter, he sipped at the room temperature liquid with his eyes trained on the floor.

“Minseok?”

He looked up at the brother who called his name. The kitchen had quite down a few notches. “Yeah?”

Jongdae gave him that concerned gaze that curled the corners of his lips. “Why were you out running by yourself?”

“I was just trying to see if I could find the omega.” While that was the truth, it wasn’t everything that occurred out in the woods. He was getting closer to telling everyone about finding his mate, just so he didn’t have to tiptoe around anymore. He would see how Saturday went and then he would decide.

“But why on your own?”

“I sent him.”

Junmyeon came into the kitchen, taking the leather messenger bag that was draped over his shoulder off and placing it on the kitchen table. “It was just a recon mission.” A little smile perked up in the corner of his mouth. Around the room a few eyes rolled, but no one called out the leader’s exaggeration of the situation. “If he was able to find anything then he was supposed to note it and report back.” He looked to Minseok, who shook his head. There was nothing.

“Still odd that you sent him by himself,” Sehun commented with narrowed eyes.

“I thought he could use the quiet.”

“You are all too loud,” Minseok jumped in. Several voices roared in protest, not realizing that they were instead proving his point.

“What’s for dinner?” Jongin asked, the subject immediately being changed. What a relief it was that they all had a powerful focus on their stomachs - especially when they were empty. Minseok took the opportunity to finish off the water and head upstairs to take a shower.

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blankdblank · 5 years

Text

Forgotten Pt 10

Prologue - Pt 1 - Pt 2 - Pt 3 - Pt 4 - Pt 5 - Pt 6 - Pt 7 - Pt 8 - Pt 9 -

@c-s-stars

Clutching the end of his sleeves Fili inched over to your side as subtly as he could manage. After your breakfast Thranduil drove you and your Cousin Draco to your shop giving him the full tour as Thranduil headed off to his clinic to help with an issue about the records for an old patient requesting them after a move that Mal was having trouble finding. Taking a closer look at your boat Draco moved away from your side while you caught Fili’s intention and subtly moved a bit closer.

Leaning towards your side feigning reaching for a tool in front of you he stated, “Not sure if you heard yet, Tauriel sent the pub papers back.”

You nodded, “I did.”

His eyes met yours, “Well? When did you want me to drop it off back to you?”

Your brow rose, “I’m not taking the cash back Fi. It’s Ki’s.”

His hand rested on your forearm at your attempt to step away, “But-.”

Forcing a smirk onto your face you said, “Fi, what about all those designs Ki had?” Fili’s lips parted, “Rattled on about them endlessly for months. Just needed a backer.” Fili nodded, “Well he found one. We all have our dreams we brought back home.”

He softly chuckled at your playful smile as you moved back to join Draco, showing him inside the boat and pointing out where everything is going to go before showing him the final designs. All until Thranduil returned to take you out to the next town over for a full day of exploring then returned just in time for a dinner at the Manor. Around you the Elves sat smiling and laughing through your trading of stories about your various sets of travels lasting until you left for bed once again leaving word with Thorin to unlock the shop at your having to drop Draco off at the airport for his flight back.

With a tight hug Draco gave you a peck on the cheek mumbling against your shoulder, “I’m going to miss you Lady Bug. But at least with my new station at Lothlorien we can see each other more often.” Setting you down he smiled at you, “I’m glad you’re safe. When I was there, at the pub-.”

“I know I’m not supposed to interfere, but she had no right to do that to him, take everything.”

Pressing a kiss to your forehead he sighed and met your eyes again with a soft smile, “I was talking about how Thranduil kept staring at you.” Making your smile grow, “You might not be able to still get his story by touch, but I can.” His smile grew at the flash of worry in your eyes, “Nothing like that. He truly cares for you. There’s still a bit I need to learn about everyone here, and hopefully after my duty is up I could possibly move here too. Truly is peaceful.”

Your smile grew, “We could always use another mechanic.”

“Good.” His hand eased over your cheek, “About Kili and his pub, I’m not mad. From what I can tell other than opening your shop to keep the Durins in Erebor that’s the first you’ve interfered. Enjoy your life, protect your family and never forget I’m always going to be here when you need me.” You nodded again stealing another tight hug before he climbed into the waiting cab at the train station waiting to take him to the airport. With another wave he was gone and you turned back to head back inside the train station to wait for the two hour long train ride back again.

…

Kili heavily plopped into the seat beside his brother for the breakfast Sigrid had been curiously whipping up since she woke up at four in the morning. The full spread confusing the pair, but in their hunger and her past use of baking to calm down they assumed she might have had a troubling dream. Across the table the food was set while Kili said, “Jaqi has a cousin.”

Fili, “And he looks like you, I mean, just like you.”

Kili sighed then looked up at his brother, “Are you sure she liked me? I mean, we could be twins.”

Fili shrugged, “Maybe I was wrong. I mean, she never said anything about him.”

Sigrid added another plate to the table saying, “Probably missed him.” The brothers looked up at her, “You all said she lost her family and was bounced around. Well he was in the service by the looks of that bag, maybe she didn’t know where he was, if he was ok.”

Kili nodded, “Makes sense.”

Fili leaned over and gave Sigrid a kiss on the cheek, “Bad dream? You were up early.”

Sigrid shook her head, “I got sick again, I think I’m pregnant.” The guys both turned their heads to look at her and she popped up, “I forgot the biscuits.”

Open mouthed Fili followed after her and when she set the tray down he said, “Just a guess? We can take you to the clinic for a test if you aren’t.”

“I just, I keep wanting to eat, and Ma was like this with my younger siblings, and I just,” she sighed smoothing her hands through her hair in a deep exhale bringing his hands around her hips. “I keep feeling warm, just randomly just bursts of heat, and then I’m nauseous and then I just want to eat again and just burrow in bed under blankets but then I get hot again-,”

Leaning in he kissed her sweetly on the lips then hummed, “First thing we’ll head over to the clinic.” She nodded and he led her back to the table, “Let’s eat.”

At the table Kili sat watery eyed and nearly tackled his brother in a tight hug that he carefully extended his arm to pull Sigrid into as well. “Our little family is growing!”

…

Alone through the exiting terminal again you walked finding your motorcycle giving it a kick start and taking the long ride home again through the growing green back to the small shop you parked in front of. Shutting off your bike you walked inside joining the others on unpacking the first pieces of interior for Thranduil’s boat.

Hour by hour you organized it and started installing the most basic pieces first inside the freshly sealed and reinforced lower sleeper cabin. An echo of your stomach broke through the sounds of the whirring machine in your hand drawing a sigh from you leading your path home once again as the Durins all helped you lock up for the day.

Seated squarely on your bike you pulled into your driveway and couldn’t help but smile at the familiar sports car waiting there. With a puffed up Helmsley on his hood tapping his tail against it counting down until he began yowling at the pair of you for his unfed status should you miss the deadline and he heard a grumble from his own stomach. Biting his lip Thranduil watched you park in your garage and accepted your tight hug when you walked over to him as his eyes closed taking in the details of your trip trapped in your thick layers while his lips met your forehead.

“I made a drive, closed early for supplies in the town over, got us some dinner.”

Meeting his eye again your smile grew, “Thank you.”

Through a muffled giggle from you his lips met yours for an enamored kiss ending and allowing you to step back smiling at the irritated cat rising up on his haunches accepting your curling him in your arms for the trip inside while his tail curled around your arm supporting his weight. Behind you Thranduil opened his car grabbing the bags of food and followed you inside. Joining you at the table as you set Helmsley down and filled his bowl with the food Thranduil had brought over the night before.

You turned around pulling out of your jacket to hang it up and join your smiling date at the table as he filled the wine glasses he had set out for you around the meals he had set out for you both. A warning grumble came from beside the bowl next to the counter signaling the claiming of your seats as Thranduil slid closer to your side with a creeping smile asking about your trip wishing to simply watch your smile grow through sharing.

The dishes were washed and set in the dishwasher when your plates were finally cleared, as you yawned Thranduil’s hand curled around yours following you into the bedroom at the repeating of your offer of him staying over. While you changed in your closet he pulled out of his shirt and sat on your bed against the pillows sliding his fingers over the furs and impossibly soft layers on the equally as soft mattress packed with memories of your smile as you burrowed in this safe space deepening the smile on his face.

The door opened and he released his lip from between his teeth looking up at you in one of your tank tops and your favorite shorts over your long socks while you worked your hair into a long braid on your path over to him. In a lean over he switched off the light for you spotting Helmsley claiming a spot at the foot of the bed under one of your furs as you released your braid and climbed into bed.

After a slide down onto his back Thranduil accepted your good night kiss and smiled curling his arms around you when you settled against his side using his shoulder as a pillow. Slowly you drifted off to sleep struggling to finally let go and drop off at the feeling of the icy blue eyes still looking you over adoringly while his fingers eased along your back in slow gentle strokes. Mirroring yours his smile grew, easing your hand higher on is shoulder you giggled and softly stated, “You should be sleeping.”

As his adoring gaze deepened looking over your face with still shut eyes he chuckled lowly and replied in a velvety purr, “How can I sleep with pure starlight I my arms?”

Through an awkward giggle your hand moved blindly to cover his eyes as you cuddled closer to him, “Go to sleep.” Giggling again.

As he chuckled again he purred back, “Cover my eyes all you want I can still picture your magnificence perfectly.”

Burying your head against his neck while his arms circled you tighter at your hand moving to curl around his side, “You need to rest for work tomorrow. Close your eyes go to sleep, Duil.”

Settling you closer to him as his lips met the crown of your head, “Alright, but I’ll be dreaming of you, and you’ll be in my arms there too.” Making you giggle against his neck when you kissed him there.

“Goodnight Duil.”

Closing his eyes he exhaled slowly allowing the memories of your smile trapped in these sheets allowing himself to slip off as he purred, “Goodnight my Darling Starlight.” As the night went on his smile inched wider through each mingled dream of all the places and moments he wished to share with you, always ending with a recap of your short time dancing under the stars while their light shimmered brightly across your skin.

“Meoooow!” Through slitted eyes you both peered at the cat slumping onto Thranduil’s side and sliding towards his face stirred a chuckle from the Elf trying so hard to keep hold of you for just a short while longer making you giggle in return.

In a low mumble against the top of your head he said, “You really need to work on your inner alarm clock. Just because the birds are up doesn’t mean you have to be.”

Another chuckle came from him at the tail curling around his ear making him try to squirm and burrow with you under the pillows and covers. Until the cat followed him there triggering a squirming fit from him at the tickling attack until he finally climbed out of bed while you laid there laughing at his near jumping out of bed calling out, “Fine.” Walking through the cottage to the door in the kitchen you heard him say, “The sun’s not even up yet!”

After a pleased ‘meow’ at his being free to explore Thranduil added, “Now don’t you go bringing that badger back here for breakfast! He will not be destroying her curtains like he did mine!” Giggling behind your hands you heard him add, “Anything involving all my fruit, half my cutlery and a blender is not an accident!” With a huff he closed the door and walked back to join you unable to hold back his smile at your escaping laughs. Biting his lip he climbed onto your bed and crawled back into his former spot in his attempt to hold you again.

Mid giggle you said drove his smile wider saying, “You got tickled out of bed!”

With a blush he replied, “He is a very crafty cat.”

“Apparently with very mischievous friends.”

You giggled again through his lips landing on yours as he chuckled too, “The badger is the better of them. Don’t even ask about the porcupine.”

“Oh! With the red patch on his stomach?!”

Thranduil smirked as he pulled back to look at your face, “You know about him?”

“He owes me a chisel! Four years back he stole my best one! Promised to return it, something about helping a beaver.”

Thranduil chuckled, “Ah, well if it has a frog symbol on the handle I found it in my gutters when I first moved in.”

“How the-.”

He chuckled again, “Seems we have both had casualties in the fur coated feud.”

Closing the distance you claimed another kiss from him trailing a finger along his jaw just under his ear triggering a quirky smile to form on his face. “Tons of new discoveries this morning. You being ticklish as one of them.” A chuckle sounded from him at your inching closer to him deepening his expression while he struggled against his urge to pull back to fend off another attack, “Don’t worry, I will only use it on very, very special occasions.” Biting his lip he chuckled through an exhale at your lips pressing just below his ear while you brushed him onto his back and curled across his chest while his arms circled you through his drawing the covers higher over your back.

“Special how?”

His lips met your forehead as you nuzzled your head against his cheek kissing that same spot again, “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

Earning another chuckle from him at his eyes closing, “I look forward to it.”

…

A bell sounding brought Thranduil out of his office and into the lobby finding Fili and Sigrid grinning widely making him glance between the pair of them, “Morning.”

Mal looked through the scheduled appointments and shook her head confirming his suspicion that they were here randomly on their own. Sigrid inched closer saying, “Sorry to pop by, just I think I might be pregnant.”

Thranduil chuckled and extended his hand to his side, “I’ll get you a test, you can use the bath in my office.” She nodded and followed him through the hall and waited outside his open office until he came back with his test he passed her.

For three minutes he used his watch to time the wait while Fili wandered around the lobby inspecting anything and everything to keep himself distracted. Double lines had Thranduil almost pinned against the wall chuckling in a tight hug from Fili to give himself a few moments to calm himself down before wrapping Sigrid in a far gentler hug peppering her cheeks with kisses.

Thranduil grinned moving to his planner on his desk he brought into the room saying, “I suspected there might be a baby or two brewing so I have a new ultrasound machine on the way. I have an appointment slot open for next week we could get your first sonogram unless you’d prefer to head to the Midwife the next town over.”

Fili wet his lips, “You’ve handled pregnancies before?”

Thranduil nodded, “We all do a decade in the prenatal department when we start out back in Elven territories.”

Fili, “It would be better than the long drive to Dale. Amad always said it was hard to get appointments with her midwife, Adad ended up having to handle Kili’s birth himself when they couldn’t make room for her.” His eyes scanned over her face, “Unless you’d prefer-,”

She shook her head, “No. You’re right. Plus it feels better, knowing we’d have him to ourselves.” An awkward grin spread on her face at catching Thranduil’s soft smile, “And you used to work in the ER so, if anything were to happen-,”

He shook his head, “I doubt that it would, but yes, if it did I could handle a great deal. I’ll add some more supplies when you get closer to the time just to be safe if you prefer.”

Fili wet his lips and nodded, “That would be good. I know Amad would prefer that, and we might have a crowd for the appointment.”

Thranduil chuckled again, “Wouldn’t have expected anything less.” His eyes looked Sigrid over, “In case she asks my best guess would be your place at near the end of your first trimester.”

Sigrid, “Is that normal, to not know for so long?”

Thranduil chuckled again moving to write down the appointment time on a reminder card, “Every pregnancy is different. And if you have any Numenor blood in you it would make you early on the discovery actually.”

She accepted the card and he chuckled in her step to claim a hug of her own he answered with a gentle pat of his hands on her back until she pulled back with an elated squeak, “I have to call my Da.” Turning to the door Fili hurried after her giving a wave to the pair they were leaving, “Thank you!” She called back in the doorway then darted out to hurry back to the pub to make the call as Fili hurried to the paper where he found his parents.

…

Halfway through your shift, once again covered in grease at your guiding the new propeller and rudder systems into place. Your head turned spotting a familiar tall blonde walking into the shop eyeing the large array of plans Kili was utilizing his Uncles to put the designs for the new expansion for the pub together before calling on their distant Cousins to do the work from the Iron Hills. Thranduil crouched at your side you giggled under your breath at his stolen peck on your cheek before his asking, “Getting along well?”

You nodded securing the last set of bolts into place, “Ya. Laid the build ins earlier after we set up all the wiring, flooring will be tomorrow after I add the final touches and checks on the steering systems.”

“That’s good. Moving ahead pretty quickly now huh?”

With another giggle through your wiping your hands on the rag from your pocket you said, “Tearing it apart is one thing, building it back is another. Not any easier. Won’t be overnight but it should be done before spring, hopefully.” Pointing your finger at him an excited smile grew on his face as you said, “I do have a few questions though.” With a giggle you led him backwards for a few steps until you turned and walked over to your work bench showing him the final designs once again for a few more details at the lack of a few materials he had decided on months prior. “Apparently they won’t have the leather to cover the benches you wanted,”

“It doesn’t really matter.” You met his gaze with a disbelieving look only to have him lean in to land his lips on yours, “As long as you’re there I don’t care if I’ve got folding chairs in the sleeper.”

Rolling your eyes you replied, “I will never, never, let a boat leave this shop with folding chairs, even if I have to eat the costs.” Making him chuckle again.

“Pick what you like. I won’t be going out without you. As long as it has the yellow stripe on the side I am fine with anything.” After you giggled he replied, “My Ada had these model ships he’d build and they always ended up with a yellow stripe.”

You nodded, “He does lean towards yellow.”

“My Naneth’s favorite color.” Locking your eyes with his you spotted his glimmer of pain in them. “That’s why I’m calling it Marigold.”

“Her middle name?”

“No.” He chuckled softly, “But she loved to name things Marigold, even had a toaster named Marigold once as a child.” Stirring another chuckle from you both. “Had I been a girl I am certain that would have been my name.”

“I’m certain it would have suited you nicely.”

He chuckled again, “As am I.” After a glance at his watch he stole another kiss, “Pick for me please, I’m helpless with all this, Dearest.” Smiling wider as you rolled your eyes and turned back to the designs while he walked back to his car heading back to the clinic once again.

Tapping your pencil on the desk you felt Dwalin joining your side, peering over your shoulder asking, “He couldn’t decide?”

After another giggle his smile grew at your response, “Asked me to.”

With a deep chuckle of his own he said, “Well now, finally you get to build your dream boat. Didn’t think the leather suited the look at all in the first place. Probably picked it so it’d take longer to piece together.”

“Wouldn’t doubt it. What do you think of the grey?”

“I think it’ll pair nicely with the wood finish.” With a wink at you he added, “Right out marvel she’ll be. All due to you.”

…

Biting at his lip Fili on his lunch break inched closer to his brother, who had been wiping down the same spot on the counter in the empty bar, lifting his hand he flicked Kili’s ear making him drop the rag to hold his stinging ear, “Where were you?”

Kili wet his lips and asked, “What do you think of Mal?”

Fili, “It’s about time.”

Kili rolled his eyes, “I mean it.”

Fili nodded, “So do I, I don’t know where the lines all blurred but you clearly care about her and she’s clearly crazy about you.” Through the door you strolled alongside Dwalin for an early lunch making Fili say, “Kili’s gonna ask Mal out.”

You and Dwalin both answer, “Bout time.”

Kili scoffed, “Honestly-!”

You grinned at him, “Oh come on Ki, she’s crazy about you and you’d have holes in your skull if those dimples get any deeper around her.”

Taking a seat at the bar beside Dwalin who nodded, “Plus, we all saw those pictures of your night in on Thorin’s date, pretty cozy.”

Kili sighed looking you over, “What am I supposed to do?”

“Ask her out.”

Kili, “Where? She’s been through town.”

Dwalin, “Take what you know about her and pick something. You can do it.”

Kili, “But-,” he smoothed his fingers through his hair, “My brain’s not working.”

With a grin you said, “She collects ducks. That’s all I got on her.”

Kili wet his lips, “Ok, I can think of something with that.” Looking you both over he asked, “What did you want for lunch?”

You gave your orders then your head turned to the door when Thranduil strolled in with Mal behind him. Straight to your side he went placing his hand on your shoulder, “Darling, I wanted to tell you, I got a call.”

When Mal took her seat your eyes turned when Kili came rushing up to pick up the bowl of toothpicks Mal knocked over once again, a beaming smile on his face deepened the blush on hers when he blurted out, “I like dicks!”

Covering your face while Dwalin closed his eyes and shook his head through your giggles in a turn to rest your head against Thranduil’s chest in his hum of, “I can wait a minute,” grinning at the scene as Fili outright laughed and covered his face.

Kili blinked for a moment then stammered out, “DUCKS! I like ducks. I heard you like ducks too! Which really makes sense on the whole, Mallard thing. We could go see some, sometime.” He said resting his arm on the counter’s edge that slides off making him force a wider grin in putting his arm down again.

Muffling a snorting giggle behind her hand his dimples deepened when she lowered her hand to say, “Ok, we can go, see some ducks.”

In a moments pause Thranduil leaned down to plant a kiss on your forehead then said, “I got a call from my Ada, he needs me for a surgery, so I’ll miss our dinner.”

Locking your eyes on his you answered, “Alright.” Leaning down he stole a kiss on your lips then he promised to see you when he got back and hurried out to catch his flight leaving you stealing a glance between the blushing pair.

Kili blinked again asking her, “So, you’re off then today?”

Mal nodded, “Ya. We didn’t have any appointments anyways.”

Kili wet his lips, “Well, Dain is in Dale later today looking at supplies for the expansion, we could close and you could drop in after a stop at the aviary I heard they have a duck parade, whatever that is.”

Mal nodded again, “Sounds good. I’ll have to tell Bilbo.”

Kili nodded, “Well I have to get through their orders and Fi can take over, right?”

At his hopeful grin Fili chuckled and nodded, “Ya, it’ll help me stick closer to Sigrid today.” Kili turned to hurry to the kitchen as Mal turned to go talk to Bilbo down the street leaving you all still giggling at the encounter.

…

Under the rising moon you crossed the field between you and the Manor with a basket tucked in your elbow. Through the glass doors you caught Thranduil hunched over the counter waiting on his kettle to boil after having to drive out to help his Father with a lengthy surgery. In an attempt to knock on the glass pane your hand froze at Helmsley’s trot to the door to leap and grip the tassle on the knob causing it to swing open causing Thranduil to straighten with a sigh to go and close the door again. When his eyes fell on you his smile grew as he eyed your pajama clad self raising the basket higher at your side saying, “Thought you might be hungry.”

Biting his lip he crossed the room claiming your basket and the hug you curled him in and he said, “Just what I needed. To see you again.” Pressing a kiss to the top of your head and guiding you inside for a late dinner with the pleased cat seated between your feet using one of them as his pillow through your learning about his trip and what he could share about the surgery.

Not long after the meal had been cleared up he smirked through his trip into his study with you in tow curled under his arm through his tour, leaving your side only to open a drawer and pull out your hand forged chisel wrapped in a bright yellow ribbon making a bow. His smile grew as he offered it to you leaving it in your open palm, “Scrubbed it up quite a bit.”

Your brows rose as you eyed the velvet box tied to your chisel. “And the box?”

As his smirk grew he replied, “Not a clue. From the porcupine, most likely.”

Nodding with a growing smirk urging an awkward smile to grow on his face only growing as you opened it eyeing the diamond necklace inside, “The porcupine bought me diamonds?”

“He must be incredibly sorry for misplacing your chisel.” You rolled your eyes again while he walked over and placed the necklace around your neck leaving a peck on your neck as he did.

“Would you mind thanking him for me then? Quite exquisite taste he has.”

After his nod he purred against your ear, “I will. It looks magnificent on you Dearest.” Planting his lips firmly on yours, smirking against your lips at your turn to ease your arms around his neck while his curled around your back. “Tired?”

“Would you mind me staying, or-.”

He stole another kiss, “Stay over any time you wish. I’ll give you a quick tour of what’s on our way.”

Room by room after the grand staircase you eyed each of the moonlit statues and paintings decorating the empty rooms before the gasp that drew his smile wider and him to lead you into what could only be a small ballroom filled with crystal coated chandeliers and candelabras reflecting light onto the mural coated ceiling and walls. Barely above a whisper as you turned in a small half circle you muttered, “Wow.”

Moving closer to you his hand found yours to lead you in a quick spin through his lips finding your neck, “One night, when we’re not so exhausted I’ll break out my records and we can dance all night in the moonlight, hmm?”

Still moving your feet your lips met his after your nod, holding each other through another few turns until he sighed softly starting to lead you back to the door shifting you back to his side. Stealing more glances at each room until you finally found his bedroom, the massive room with the large four poster curtain enclosed bed surrounded by various pieces of art you inspected including a few sketches of you, while he said, “I’ll light the fire.”

You nodded blindly turning and exploring the room until you ended up backing into his chest when he moved to hug you, stirring a quiet giggle from you, “It’s incredible.”

His smile grew as you turned to face him and the golden firelight spread across your skin while he led you over to the bed, “I’m glad you like it.” Holding his smile as you climbed onto the bed and settled back while he pulled out of his shirt and tossed it away then climbed onto the bed under the covers to spread out across you using your shoulder as a pillow, smiling as you brushed his hair out of his face.

You settled together winding your legs around his while you curled your arms across his back feeling each of the memories flooding through the sheets. Mainly tossing and turning mingled with bouts of recitations of countless attempts at poems between the occasional heated moment where your name spilled out between low moans at his own imaginations of you. Halfway through the final memory, one of him singing a near fragile song through his sketching of something your eyes opened at his stating, “I should have set out the crystals first.”

Gliding your fingers through his hair again you left a kiss on his forehead replying, “Don’t you dare. You are an incredible poet, with an amazing voice.” He tilted his head back claiming another loving kiss before your smirking addition of, “And I love the way you whisper my name.”

Quickly he rose to turn over saying, “I’m getting the crystals.” Your giggles sounded as your hands met his ticklish spots gaining a squirm from him dropping him to his side through a laugh until you curled your legs around his. Pressing your chest against his back with your fingers gliding over his chest turning his head to face you after your kiss on his neck and soft nip at his ear. His eyes scanned over your face until they shut at your lips meeting his through your hands trailing lower over his chest stirring deeper breaths from him at their teasing circles while a muffled near moan was lost to your impassioned lip lock.

#Thranduil x Reader OC #Kili x OC #Fili x Sigrid #Hobbit #lotr

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