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jyoongim · 23 days

Note

Hello! May I request something similar to what’s been written before with alastor x vox’s little sister. But instead this time it’s alastor flirting with reader during overlord meetings and just saying stuff on the radio about her to swoon her- maybe he even started to court her too?

I actually just find this shit hilarious and I love torturing vox…

You never understood why Vox avoided coming to the Overlords’ meetings. It was making him look bad when he only sent you to represent the Vees district.

But alas, you were welcomed kindly by Carmilla and the others.

Especially the Radio Demon Alastor.

Over the years, your nervousness around the demon wane and you actually found him quite pleasant to be around.

Vox had always told you to stay away for Alastor, claiming the demon would just fuck with you to get a reaction out of him.

Like the obedient sister you were, you tried to listen to your big brother, but Alastor made it so hard to stay away.

At the Overlords meetings he often reserved a seat right beside him, keeping you filled in if you came in late or made jokes in your ear.

While you often tried to remain professional and regal, Alastor found you blushing and stuttering to be cute.

He never missed a chance to flirt with you throughout the meetings, snickering when you threw him a glare when reprimanded by Carmilla.

But that was only the beginning.

You were often awakened by the sound of Alastor’s radio broadcast (He gifted you a radio and how could you refuse a dedazzled radio?). You would be flustered hearing the red demon talk about you over Hell’s broadcast.

Compliments, joking, serenading, flirting directed towards you could be heard by all sinners.

It drove Vox mad that the Radio Demon seemed to have the hots for his sister.

He would disconnect all of Hell before letting Alastor be around you.

But Alastor was nothing if not persistent.

He lavished you with flowers, letters, trinkets and charms that suited your fancy. Of course Velvette giggled at the attention you were getting, while Vox’s systems were overheating. Like all things constant, he had finally worn you down.

Alastor had caught you out shopping on one of his outings, smiling wide when you let out sparks when he brought your hands to his lips.

”Its a lovely day my dear why don’t I treat you to lunch hmmm? You must be famished.” You barely had time to protest before he whisked you to a fancy restaurant.

You couldn’t help how your heart fluttered when the demon asked about your interests. He hid his distaste for your brother just enough for you that it made you giggle.

When Alastor admitted to wanting to court you, your systems went haywire. You were conflicted. You knew Vox wouldn’t like that you being in a relationship with Alastor, but you reeeaaallly like the demon.

You accepted and it was the best decision of your life.

And Vox’s worst nightmare.

He glitched out when you told him you had accepted Alastor’s advances.

Voxtech headquarters were often filled with gifts Alastor sent you.

Date nights had Vox’s clawing at his wires.

He hated seeing the smug look Alastor threw him when he would catch the two of you cuddling on the couch, watching an old movie.

Vox didn’t understand why you wanted to date him.

He was old-fashion, a fossil, did not fit your aesthetic, but you frowned saying you quite enjoyed how modest Alastor was. He actually wanted to get to know you and didnt have anything to gain from Vox.

He made you laugh, didn’t tiptoe around you.

He didnt care you were a pampered princess, he spoiled you more.

Vox would always treat you like his little sister, but you were a grown woman, you didnt need him to always look after you.

”Voxxy just give me this one favor ok? I know you two don’t like each other but pleeeaassee try to reframe from killing my boyfriend”

So Vox tried, he really did, but seeing Alastor be so so touchy with you made him itch.

You had fried Hell’s communication systems because Vox ruined dinner.

”He didnt have to kiss you!”

”You kiss Val all the time theres no difference?”

”It is different!”

”How?”

”We have an very professional agreement-”

”You two fuck!”

”Alastor would fuck you if given the chance! Why can’t you see he’s no good!”

”…”

”You didnt…”

”We didnt get far!”

”IM GOING TO KILL HIM”

”I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A FAX MACHINE!”

Alastor chuckled as you sulked in his arms. “He’s a big stupid sensor who think he can tell me what to do!”

You turned to Alastor, lip quivering “I really like you and Vox…Vox just don’t get it” you said sadly, leaning on his shoulder.

He hooked a claw under your chin and pressed a kiss to your forehead “Oh don worry dear. Hes just being how big brothers are. He can’t scare me off hehe no I quite like the investment I made”

He pressed his lips to yours and you melted in his touch.

Your brother would get over it…sooner or later.

#hazbin alastor #hazbin hotel #alastor #hazbin hotel fanfiction #alastor x reader #jyoongim #alastor the radio demon #alastor x y/n #alastor hazbin hotel #vox hazbin hotel #hazbin vox #vox x reader #vox the tv demon

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hughes86-43 · 2 months

Note

You coming in from a late night at work to find Quinn hughes asleep on the couch, as he was trying to wait up for you

Waiting Up | Q. Hughes

warnings - none!

love this idea, thanks for requesting!

You just walked in through front doors of yours and Quinn’s apartment when you spotted him on the couch. He was underneath one of your big, cozy blankets fast asleep, and the tv was on in the background filling the silence. He must’ve been waiting up on you to get home.

Usually you’re the one waiting up on him to get home from either practice or games that you couldn’t make it to. Today, however, you had to stay over a bit at work at your marketing job since you have a big proposal coming at the end of the week and had paperwork piled up.

Not wanting to wake Quinn up just yet, you walk into your guys’ shared bedroom to change out of your work clothes and into comfy pajamas and throwing one of Quinn’s hoodies over it. After that, you make your way into the shared bathroom to wash your face to get rid of your makeup from the day.

Walking back into the living room, you take another moment to look at your gorgeous boyfriend who is still sleeping peacefully. Deciding now is a good time to wake him up as you were getting hungry for dinner, you walk over to him and bend down so you’re eye level with him. You lay your hand on his cheek, rubbing circles with your thumb over it. “Quinn baby, I’m home.”

Upon hearing your voice and feeling your touch, he opens his eyes. With a faint smile he says, “Hi baby, I tried waiting up on you but I guess I fell asleep, so happy to see you.”

“I’m happy to see you too, now scoot over, I wanna lay down under the covers too!” Quinn laughs but waits not a second more to pull you under the covers with him. He just got back into town yesterday from a roadie, so he has missed you so much, and you have equally missed him the same amount. You were upset that you had to work late, but now you have time to enjoy moments with your sweet boyfriend.

“How was work anyway? I know you said it was a bit stressful, but did it let up any today?” He say while intertwining your hands together.

“It was better today than it has been, but what can you do when you have a major proposal coming up. During our lunch break though, we all went to that taco place in town that has those birria tacos that you like, and now I have my coworkers obsessed with them,” You say with a smile on your face.

“Hey! Those tacos are the best, everybody needs to know about those!”

“You’re right,” you say laughing. “I’m glad you’re home, it makes coming home from work better.”

“I’m glad I’m home too, just hate that I was asleep when you walked through the door.” As if you could get any closer to him, he pulls you back into him and wraps his arms around you even more.

“It’s okay, I got to admire your lovely face for a bit when I walked in. Also, please never shave because the beard is looking so good.” You say shyly.

“Oh, yeah? I guess I could grow it out a bit, for you anyway,” He says with a wink, and then he starts tickling your sides and that causes you to start laughing. He could listen to your laugh forever.

“Okay stop! I take it back! If you’re going to tickle me, then I don’t need the beard anymore!”

“Hmmm I bet. I’ll let you rethink that decision,” he says pulling back from tickling you and now just admiring your face that is now slightly pink from laughing so hard.

“Okay, never mind, I love the beard too much for you to get rid of it!” Then you pull him into a kiss, instantly melting under him.

Suddenly needing air, you two pull apart. Now remembering why you needed to wake him up, you say, “I’m hungry, what do you want to eat? I’m down for anything that you are, just not tacos!”

“Hmmm, I think I want some macaroni and cheese honestly. I haven’t had it in a while, and you make the best out there. If you get all the ingredients together, I’ll help you make it.” He says, rubbing his hands up and down your leg that has made it out from under the covers.

“Sounds perfect Quinny! Now let’s go eat before I starve!” Sadly you leave the warmth from him and from being under the blanket and make your way to the kitchen to get the ingredients.

As soon as you make it into the kitchen, Quinn grabs your hand and pulls you back into him. “I just wanted to say that I love you so much.”

Giving him a big smile, you pull him into a deep hug, “I love you so much too.” In that moment, you know you’ll always have someone to go home to, even when he is away for games, he will always be your home.

#quinn hughes #quinn hughes fic #quinn hughes x reader #quinn hughes blurb #quinn hughes imagines #nhl imagines #imagines #my fics #blurb #hockey imagines

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scwheeler · 2 years

Text

🏹🩰 ˖ ࣪⊹ — just a stupid dance?

pairing: mike wheeler x fem!reader

summary: after dating for three months, the least mike could do was wait for your answer to the dance but he gets impatient and makes a stupid mistake 🤦🤦

warnings: heated arguement, happy ending?

age of pairing: 14-15

your eyes stayed on your yellow phone that was placed upon your bedside table. the cord was all tangled and dragged on the floor to the outlet on the wall. you were sitting on your bed, back straight and full of anticipation.

today was friday and the dance was next friday so he had a week to ask you but still you couldn’t help but feel nervous jitters along your spine. you tried to look somewhere else and distract yourself. at first you started to crochet but it was impossible and didn’t turn out too pretty so you gave up and just closed your eyes. hoping you would drift to sleep and forget about the phone.

but every time you tried to avoid it, you didn’t know if it was the bright yellow color but your eyes would always return to it. he didn’t ask at school this morning so you thought he would after school school on the phone. now you were a sitting duck glued to the phone next to you and hoping he would have the courage to ask you already.

another boy in your class named henry had asked you on wednesday but you said you were dating mike and was going with him but now you were rethinking your choices. maybe you should’ve just said yes to henry so you wouldn’t be a nervous wreck for the next week.

as your boyfriend, wasn’t mike obligated to ask you? lucas had asked max weeks ago with a whole proposal that you and mike were apart of and she said yes no shit. they were so perfect for each other.

dustin was going to impress some ladies at the dance so him and will are going as friends. so all your friends had settled their plans for the dance so why couldn’t you?

right before you were going to turn off your lamp and go to bed, the phone rang. you jumped and immediately grabbed the phone, putting it to your ear. “hello?”

“hey y/n,” it was mike. thank god. “i know it’s late and pretty lame but would-you-want-to-go-to-the-dance-with-me?” he rushed the last couple of words and you could tell his friends were with him on the other line because you heard distant laughter that were clearly dustin, will, and lucas.

“hmmm it took you this long to ask me so i think i’ll have to think about it,” you playfully told him so but you knew the answer was clear as a crystal. you were going to say yes. but you wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine, or at least a little run for ‘his money.’

you thought that he would take your answer as a yes and tomorrow afternoon at lunch you would make sure that the plan is set for you two. unfortunately, mike was not that bright and neither was his friends.

as soon as you hung up the phone after your answer, his face was stuck with one expression, confusion. “so what’s she say dude!” lucas asked, grabbing his arm and shaking it. all the boys were waiting for mike’s answer but he only put the phone down and looked up at his friends slowly. “she said she’d think about it?” and wrinkled his face.

the rest of the boys were taken aback, looking at each other and furrowing their eyebrows. “maybe she wants to breakup?” dustin suggested which earned a light punch from will. “what if dustin’s right and shes over me? am i old news?” mike questioned but all his friends didn’t know either. they shrugged and tried to reassure mike that everything was fine but that night when he lied in bed.

he made a decision stupid decision.

you walked into the school with full confidence and a definite smile on your face. now you could finally go dress shopping with el and max without the burden on your shoulders of you worrying whether or not if you were going with your boyfriend.

but now it was all settled, you would tell him later that you obviously wanted to go with him and then you would have a great time with him.

however, mike walked into the school with his shoulders down and no happy smiles. he was too busy worrying about what you said yesterday. were you serious? or just fucking with him? if his friends were right then he was in deep shit. did that mean you were going to break up with him? but before any of these thoughts turned into words as he saw you approaching him from down the hall, another girl came into his view.

some girl in his class that barely talked to him. mike couldn’t even remember her name until she almost jumped at him, interfering his path towards you.

“mike! um my names shelby, you probably knew that since we had the same classes for like six years but, i’ve really liked you since like the first day of school when you looked at me from across the room. so might’ve just been looking at the wall behind me—but…but whatever! i was just wondering if—if you wanted to go to the dance with me…? if you’re not going with anyone else already!” the girl blurted out with a perky smile and clearly anxious eyes.

at first mike was appalled. didn’t she know he had a girlfriend? did this girl really like him from the first day of school? was he that distracted by you? you looked at you walking to him behind the girl. you had a similar perky smile but far more dazzling eyes.

then he stared back at this girl nearly pleading him to go to the dance with him. he almost felt bad if he rejected her and it wasn’t like you and him going to this dance was set in stone. after little consideration he opened his mouth and said the most dumbest thing in the world,

“sure.”

the girl gasped and hugged him which he took by surprise but she didn’t really care. the girl ran off to her friends and left the hall while you finally got to mike with a now confused look. “who was that?” you wondered. honestly you weren’t the jealous type but if a girl was hugging him in the middle of the school hallway, you had a right to know.

“oh that’s shelby.” mike responded with a pretty bland face. you nodded as if you understood who she was with just her name. “she’s the girl i’m taking to the dance,” he quietly said, avoiding your eyes and looking at the ceiling lights.

you had to do a double take on that part of his response. “what?” you were searching around to look into his eyes but he kept his focus away. “what do you mean she’s the girl you’re taking?” you asked again, crossing your arms this time with a more firm tone.

“it just happened, ok? its not like you said yes after i asked you yesterday. it’s not a big deal, i’ll call you later,” mike assured and finally caught your eye contact. he could see you looked bothered but it was set in stone.

sooner or later it was friday. max and el convinced you to still go so they were at your house getting ready while every five minutes you insisted, “i don’t think i should go, i won’t be able to see mike with another girl!” max would roll her eyes after you said it the first fifty times and el would sit beside you and hold your hands, “you’ll be fine plus you’re going with me so i’ll make sure you have a blast.”

she gave you a reassuring smile and max would do the same, “if you need me don’t worry i’ll leave lucas in a blink of an eye and come to your rescue,” she added, putting on some more blush on el while you painted your nails.

you three wore your beautiful dresses and stepped down the stairs to get to the door, where steve was going to pick up you, max, el, lucas, and dustin. the only ones going with nancy were will and mike. before you could sneak out without your moms pictures and squeals, your mom immediately ran from the living room to the door with a camera in had.

dismissing your groans and moans, you still proceeded to take a million pictures until you could heard steve’s car horn blare two times. you grabbed max’s hand who grabbed el’s hand and you guys rushed to the car, trying not to trip in your heels on the concrete. “be safe and have fun!” you heard your mom tell from the door.

you three jumped into the car, max joining lucas in the third row and el and you sitting in the second while dustin was in the passenger next to steve. steve gave a little wave to your mom and headed for the school. “wow you guys look pretty,” dustin commented, turning around from his seat.

“you don’t look too shabby either dustin, perhaps you’ll find a girlfriend tonight,” you remarked wiggling your eyebrows while max and lucas ‘ooo-ooooh’-ed. “if i’m lucky,” dustin responded putting his hands in the air.

before you guys knew it, the school was in sight and steve had stopped the car in front of the entrance. “ok before you guys go, i’m picking you up at ten—ten sharp. don’t make bad decisions and don’t drink the punch, drink a packaged drink like a soda or a juice box. also stay away from bad people or anyone who looks sketchy, and lastly stay together or somewhat. have fun but mostly i want you guys back here AT TEN, in one piece, so your parents don’t kill me,” steve demanded, looking at each and every one of you and pointing his finger all around.

with a couple of nods and ‘yes’s he let you guys out to which the blasting music could be heard. you ran up the school stairs and went in with el on your left and waved bye to lucas and max who went to go have fun on their own. dustin also marched in and was looking for some fun already, saying a quick bye to you guys and running off.

one of your favorite songs, ‘time after time’ by cyndi lauper was playing so you pulled el onto the dance floor. you and el danced lots and ate some snacks, mostly laughing and joking about some stuff which made you forget all about mike. you didn’t even remember why you were so glum before until the song changed to ‘every breath you take’ by the police.

this was you and mike’s song, it was played at the first snowball in middle school where you wore a light blue dress with white dots and he had asked you. when you saw him enter the school doorway, you couldn’t believe your eyes. he looked like a dream come true.

“hey y/n!” to which you looked in the direction of the voice. it was will who looked like he was going to die of happiness. he looked so cute with a perfect smile on his face. you and el gave him a big hug but before the three of you could converse your eyes drifted towards the door, only to be met with a familiar face.

♪ every breath you take ♪

♪ and every move you make ♪

you blinked a couple, hoping it wasn’t him but it was. mike wheeler brought shelby holmes on his arm to the dance. you quickly looked away so they don’t notice but you knew mike caught you. el and will were busy talking so they didn’t notice when you slipped out to sit on the bleachers.

♪ every bond you break ♪

♪ every step you take ♪

you held a red cup of punch, it went against steve’s “rules” but you could care less about that right now. “whoa there, you might wanna slow down there!” a voice said, taking the cup away and placing it his side while he took a seat next to you. “calm down its not alcohol it’s just punch,” you looked up to be matched with an unfamiliar feeling. it wasn’t mike.

♪ i’ll be watching you ♪

it was henry. the boy who had asked you to the dance before mike had. he was pretty cute you admit and had dimples unlike mike. but you liked mike. you were dating mike. yet he was here with another girl, dancing around and talking to her as if she was his girlfriend.

♪ every single day ♪

♪ and every word you say ♪

♪ every game you play ♪

you watched them across the room, he spun her around. fucking unbelievable. she giggled like a little girl and he watched her smile, holding her hand while they danced. henry might’ve gotten the message and turned to you, “hey do you wanna dance? this is one of my favorite songs.”

♪ every bond you break ♪

you would’ve said no. refused. rejected. walked away and went to mike— but mike was busy with a girl so why could you be busy with a guy? to henry’s surprise, you happily looked over to him and took his hand. you pulled him onto the dance floor and put your hands on his shoulders. henry followed and put his hands on your waist and gave you a sweet smile.

you looked behind henry where mike was looking at you with a ‘wtf’ look. he watched as he spun you around and grabbed your hand while the two of you danced.

♪ i’ll be watching you ♪

as soon as the song ended, you were going to ask if henry wanted a drink when an arm pulled you away. it was mike. what did he fucking want now?

he grabbed your hand and pulled out outside. you didn’t even get to say a word to henry. “what the fuck is your problem?” you demanded pushing mike back. “oh what’s my problem? what’s your problem y/n? why are you dancing with henry polar?” mike argued and stepped forward once again.

you rolled your eyes and crossed your arms in annoyance. “so what if i’m here with henry polar? you’re here with goddamn shelby holmes for gods sake! you’re clearly not interested in dancing or doing anything with me.” you debated.

mike scoffed and crossed his arms too, “but y/n, i asked you. i asked you. and you know it, you know i’m right. you said you’d think about it and i left it there then i went with shelby because she asked me and i didn’t want to leave her hanging how you left me!”

“well sorry i made you wait less than 24 hours! while i waited about two weeks for you to ask me! we’re dating mike. we’re dating for gods sake! which means you should ask me sooner and you should’ve known that i would obviously say yes!” you responded with your arms crossed the same.

“but then why’d you go with henry?!” mike questioned. “because he asked me, and it was right after you got asked by shelby. i didn’t want to be the fool who was only waiting on you after you said yes to another girl!” you answered with a stern tone.

“whatever y/n, at the end of the day, we’re still dating. ok i’m not dating shelby and you’re not dating henry, we’re together and this dance, this dance is stupid anyway!” mike ended and searched for reassurance somewhere in your eyes.

you looked away though, avoiding his burning eye contact. instead you looked up at the moon that was full tonight. mike walked closer to you, “im sorry. i was being impatient,” he admitted and reached for your hand.

you gave in and held his too, “im sorry too, i was being an idiot and you’re right this dance is stupid.” finally looking his way you gave a light smile, calming down in the cool breeze. “yea you were being an idiot,” mike joked nudging your shoulder. “not as much as you—shelby holmes? you couldn’t find anyone better?” you grimaced making a disgusted face.

“oh really? how about you and mr. henry polar!” mike fired back which made you laugh thinking back to your dumb decisions. “i think you’re the only one that’s perfect for me, mike wheeler,” you replied and walked towards the school entrance again.

“right back at you y/n y/l/n.”

#*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧scwheeler #mike wheeler x reader #mike wheeler x y/n #mike wheeler x you #st 4 vol 2 #stranger things #stranger things 4 #mike wheeler #mike x reader #finn wolfhard

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koolkat9 · 9 months

Text

Count Your Blessing

Rating: T

Relationship: England + Canada

Word Count: 833

Read on AO3

Chapter 3

It had been a little over a week, and somehow, Arthur easily slipped back into his role as father. Get up. Get Matthew up. Get breakfast (cereal, or, if he was feeling bold, toast because he didn’t need a burnt kitchen on top of everything else). Get cleaned up and dressed. Then see where the rest of the day led them.

It was rather…calming. Which was surprising since the last time he had taken care of Matthew at this age, it was anything but. Though perhaps Arthur finally had the experience he needed.

But there was still one issue.

His phone had been ringing non-stop. Matthew’s bosses most likely trying to inquire where he was and if Arthur knew anything.

Matthew crawled onto the couch beside him. “Why does your phone keep ringing Daddy?”

“Nothing you have to worry about my boy.”

“But you should answer. Maybe they’ll stop then.”

Arthur let out a long sigh. Unfortunately, the kid was right. “Fine, but I’ll need some privacy.”

“Okay…” Matthew moaned.

Arthur smiled lightly, ruffling Matthew’s curls. “Stay here. I’ll just be in the hall.”

With one final pat on the head, Arthur headed out of the living room and picked up his phone. “Yes, yes, hello,” he huffed.

“You’re a hard man to get a hold of Mr. England.”

“Yes. I’m a very busy man, so make it quick.”

“We haven’t heard from Canada. The last thing he said was that he was going to visit you.”

Arthur’s grip tightened. He peeked into the living room. Matthew was laying upside down on the couch, his little legs resting against the backrest, feet rocking back and forth.

“He’s…” Arthur drew out. “He’s with me. Um…You know how he can get, I'm sure. Bit burnt out and tired. I thought it may be a good idea to keep him here so I can keep an eye on him.”

There was a pause on the other end, a chair creaking in the background. “I guess it’s better than him wandering off to the woods.”

Arthur gave a tight hum, nodding along. “Yes. So no need to worry. I’ll take care of everything, and he should be home in…no time…”

“Thank you, Mr. England. Well, that’s all we needed. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

“Thank you. Good day.”

Arthur let out a collected sigh. Hopefully, Matthew really would be home in no time.

He popped his head back into the living room. “Are you up for some lunch Matthew?”

“Yes please!” Matthew cheered, rushing to Arthur’s side.

Arthur took Matthew’s hand and led him to the kitchen. “So what kind of sandwiches should we have today?”

“Hmmm…Cucumber?”

“Really?”

“Yes please.”

He was going to have to figure out something else for lunch going forward. He couldn’t keep giving Matthew sandwiches every day. But…Matthew seemed to enjoy it so far. And it wasn’t as though Arthur was a wizard in the kitchen.

As Arthur cut off the crust, his gaze drifted back over to Matthew. Feet dangling from the chair, cheek rested in his hand, the boy stared out the window.

“Would you like to go outside and eat, Matthew?”

“C-Can we?”

“Of course. Just let me get some containers and the picnic basket. Could you get us something to drink?”

“Mhm.”

With the addition of some cut-up fruit and the containers, the food was loaded into the basket, and they were off. Now just to find the perfect spot. “Where do you want to sit Matthew?”

Matthew looked around, a serious look on his face as if this was the most important decision ever. Arthur couldn’t help but chuckle.

“The pond,” Matthew finally answered, “We can watch the fish!”

“What a brilliant idea.” Arthur stretched out his free hand. “Shall we?”

Matthew took it. “Let’s go!”

Matthew, being the little helper he was, helped Arthur lay out the blanket right next to the fish pond. It was the perfect afternoon. A slight breeze kept the heat away, the small waterfall Alastair installed a few years ago trickled in the background, and the sandwiches, though simple, were the perfect lunch for such a nice summer day.

“It’s almost like the picnics we’d have near the creek at the cabin…” Matthew thought aloud. “We should do that again someday.”

Arthur froze. “Matthew…you…”

Matthew turned to Arthur, bright blue eyes blinking up at him innocently. “I-I’m sorry. We don’t have to. Just an idea…”

“No, no.” Arthur wrapped an arm around Matthew’s shoulder. “I…I’d love that. But we’ll have to wait until this spell reverses first. Okay?”

Matthew beamed. “Okay!”

So Matthew still had his memories. Or at the very least some of them. Arthur ran a hand through Matthew’s curls, the boy munching away on his sandwich. His stomach knotted at the idea that this little boy possibly remembered all that pain and violence. Yet, he was sitting there without a care in the world. Well, if Matthew didn’t seem worried, perhaps Arthur could relax a little too.

#hetalia #hws #royal red bros #hws england #hws canada #fanfiction #count your blessings #hetalia fanfiction #my writing

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kitkatt0430 · 2 months

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🎱 🪐 🔪 🌿

🎱 ⇢ post your AO3 total stats

User Subscriptions: 177 Kudos: 39,919 Comment Threads: 2,449 Bookmarks: 8,391 Subscriptions: 1,343 Word Count: 2,191,216 Hits: 373,375

🪐 ⇢ name three good things going on in your life right now

My dad has retired which means I can spend more time with him. Since I live and work near him & my mom, I can meet up with him for lunch sometimes on weekdays.

I've gotten back into reading new mangas lately now that there's a Barnes and Noble just down the street from me. Before that the closest book store was a resell shop that, though nice, doesn't have the greatest manga selection. With mangas and comic books I tend to prefer physical books over ebooks, so it's been really nice to be able to browse a large selection again without having to drive fifteen to twenty minutes.

I've been reorganizing my kitchen which probably sounds boring, but I've gotten some new dishware and glassware that's brighter and more colorful than my old stuff and so the open shelves actually look really fun now. Since I started indoor renovations last year, I've really been enjoying how having things brighter and more colorful help lift my mood, so I've been trying to extend that where I can.

🔪 ⇢ what's the weirdest topic you researched for a writing project?

Hmmm, well... I've researched various sentencing standards for various crimes and how those crimes are classed. But that's not really weird. Nor was looking up how living wills work and power of attorney and what-not. Though it was interesting to learn that in the US if you give someone the right to make medical decisions for you when you can't, they cannot also be your doctor. So if you need a surgery and a surgeon in that field holds the right to make your medical decisions then they cannot also be the one who performs the surgery

Makes sense, but was also an interesting/relevant find for fic writing in the Flash with regards to Caitlin.

But weird... weird... I'm pretty sure looking up poisons is par for the course for a fic writer too. Average apartment rent...

I think I tend to look up more mundane stuff and make up the weird, really...

🌿 ⇢ give some advice on writer's block and low creativity

So it might help to step back and see if there are any patterns in when you're feeling blocked and/or low in creative feelings. For me, in the Fall I start to feel kinda burned out. It's definitely a seasonal thing for me that brings it on and, unfortunately, sometimes trying to just push through makes it worse. The more stressful my year, the harder that Fall burnout hits me.

Knowing what the pattern is can help you break that pattern, or learn to recognize and react in more helpful ways to minimize how it makes you feel.

For me, I think looking into aides for dealing with seasonal affective disorder may help. Having alternative hobbies that I can turn to also helps to calm me down when I'm upset or even just annoyed about something. I can pick up a video game to take my frustration out in the game battles or grab a paint-by-numbers or scratch art page and concentrate on creating something pretty to look at. It helps hit that creative scratch I need without frustrating me over how my own imagination is kinda at a low point for making fanworks.

But also there's learning to accept that sometimes burnout just happens. It's not my fault and being upset with myself doesn't fix the issue. Being able to step back and say 'okay, I need to focus on something else for now and let my creativity recover' isn't easy, but it's an important part of letting my brain heal from whatever is causing the block.

#thank you ^_^#kitkatt0430 answers #writers ask game #emoji ask meme

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dulcewrites · 11 months

Note

I’m dying for more of the Fools such in au. Do you have any more ideas/ thoughts you wanted to share about it? What was the moment Aemond realized he and Myrah might actually be happy together and vise versa?

Yes, I do have more thoughts! Thank you for asking First and foremost, I just recommend watching the movie (fools rush in) for anyone who hasn’t seen it. Not even just for this, mainly bc it’s one of my favs and I think others should watch if they haven’t 💀

Anyway onto the thoughts. I’m gonna try to do like a mini timeline of events I could see happening and hopefully that answers some things

Myrah and Aemond meet at a restaurant owned by Myrah’s aunt. In this cute little town right outside the city (where Aemond lives)

They instantly hit it off ofc, go back to Aemond’s hotel…. Baelor is conceived 😊. Myrah books it out of there in the morning before Aemond even wakes up

They go about their business for weeks till Myrah starts feeling tired a lot, and even feeling a bit sick. So she goes to the doctor. The checkup is going pretty normal till her doctor is suddenly like ‘congrats mama 🤭’ and myrah is just like ??? 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

Myrah goes back and forth between even telling anyone and just getting an abortion is secret. But she breaks down one day to her mom bc she scared. Her parents are pretty traditional so ngl it does hurt their soul a bit that their young daughter is pregnant and won’t even tell them who the father is. Her aunt (who owns the restaurant) is like 👀 but also is like ‘girl if you want this baby dead I’ll drive you’

In the end, myrah ends up deciding to keep the baby. Then makes the decision to tell Aemond. Not bc she wants anything but more for him to know. She doesn’t want some guy showing up in 10 years like hmmm is that my kid. But she is nervous bc she knows how this looks. She knew very little about Aemond, or his family. But it takes one google search and she’s like ‘ofc he’s from one of those families’. She comes from a working class background. She can only imagine what his family would think about her

So, she shows up at [insert work place for Aemond I haven’t decided on]. Not super appropriate but she kind of has no other way to reach him.

He is confused to see her. She asks if they can get lunch, mainly bc she wants to tell him in front of people so he doesn’t act up lmao

Anyway he takes it… not great. He excused himself to go scream in the bathroom 😭. But when he comes back myrah reassures him she doesn’t want anything. This was a curtesy thing, and that she (and the baby) will be fine.

Aemond shocks her, and honestly himself, by asking if he can come to the first appointment. Myrah is halfway to saying no bc her parents advised her to cut ties cleanly especially if he doesn’t explicitly say he wants to be around permanately. But he looks so earnest so she says yes.

I sort of debated how I imagine Aemond telling his family, namely Alicent. Honestly I could see him jay blurting it out one night on the phone. Like ‘I’m having a kid’. Now this ofc shocks Alicent. Bc frankly, she thought if any kid would be making her a young grandma is Aegon. But she gives him sound advice about raising a child (especially while not being in relationship with the mom) is not easy. And if he’s not 100% in, he needs to leave them alone for their sake.

the thing that really pushes him to step up is viserys tbh. His father is so critical of him for this. Probably makes some disparaging comments about myah when he hears she’s essentially a struggling artist. Hinting at her doing this on purpose. And Aemond really can’t believe for a moment bc really??? Viserys targaryen has something to say about raising kids??? That’s rich. But then he remembers how clueless his father is so sure he would think he’s a great father/made good decisions and has room to talk

Anyway fast forward to the first appointment with the obstetric. I feel this appointment def lays the early stages of them being good for each other. It should be nerve wrecking and awkward, and don’t get me wrong some parts are, but he holds her hand and when they do the ultrasound he has that’s “their” baby in there.

When they leave, Aemond is very clear about wanting to make it work. Not just co-parenting but with myrah herself

Ok that was super long winded opening to their relationship. Anyway in terms of hiccups they may face. Aemond is a workaholic. Hard to curve and him and myrah butt heads a lot of what things are considered ‘important’ in life. It is understandable when you grow up in the family dynamic he did, that ideals in that department is murky. They both have to create appropriate boundaries before baby Baelor comes.

Moments they realize they could be happy together. For Aemond, the way she gels with his mom and siblings. Mainly Alicent. She also tells viserys and daemon to fuck off one night (she instantly feels guilty. Pregnancy hormones what can ya say) but Aemond loves her for it. Also when Baelor comes, Aemond sort of feels like his heart is bursting. For myrah, the fact that Aemond tries. She isn’t expecting perfection but nothing bothers her more than someone who dwells in their situation when they have the means/wherewithal to get better. Also he is very handson from the get go. One of her fav memories is him shooing her out of the apartment so him and Aegon could paint the nursery. As well decorating the nursery with him

#fools rush in au #sorry this was SO long lmao #as you all know by now aemyrah are truly my babies #will always have opinions and thoughts on them

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darklydeliciousdesires · 2 years

Text

Not One of Many - Chapter Two.

Since I’ve now completed Upon Darkened Shores, this will replace its posting days of Monday and Thursday, maybe with the odd chapter thrown in here and there too as an extra treat since this story is virtually writing itself right now. Alfie as a muse is a force to be reckoned with, besties! I’m looking forward to your thoughts, as always :)

Previous chapters - Prologue One

Tag list - In the comments

Words - 3,074

Warnings - 18+ for later chapters. Minors DNI!

“Right then, princess. Get out my bleedin’ way. Clothes horse to the rescue.”

Magda. If there was one person Beth could count on in a clothing crisis, it was her best friend.

“Thanks so much, Mags. I really appreciate it,” she spoke, Magda pausing from towing dress bags through the lounge door of her small Putney flat.

“You can appreciate me with brunch on the corner once a decision has been made. Hurry up, I’m fucking Hank Marvin’!” Beth had never been one for cockney rhyming slang, but her bestie was a huge proponent of such. Closing the door and following her in, Magda was laying out the bags carefully upon the sofa when she entered the lounge, turning to Beth. “Right, where did you say, again?”

“Lunch, Notting Hill.”

“A location would be useful,” Magda further prompted.

“The Ledbury.”

Picking up a bag, she moved it over to the desk chair. “That’s those two out. Right, now, bear with me. I know you always say you don’t suit grey, but you’re full of shit and I’ve crapped more knowledge after a bran flake induced bowel movement than you’ll ever bloody know about fashion, so just take a look.”

She was on form, as usual. Mind you, Magda only ever had one form. Talking and gesticulating at a thousand miles an hour, with a delivery blunter than a spoon. “Here, look at this. Ralph Lauren, and a size bigger than you usually take, but they do run small, so I’ve noticed.”

“Hmmm,” Beth mused, taking in the wool, iron grey dress.

“Get it on!”

Saluting Magda as she pulled out the next offering, she changed out of her joggers and vest, wiggling into the dress, reaching behind herself to fasten the zip.

“Always freaks me out when you do that, Miss Rubber Shoulders,” Magda shuddered, on account of the fact Beth was double jointed, so had no issues doing up her own zips. “Right, let me see you.” She paused for all of three seconds. “Nope, get it off. It ain’t that one.”

Usually, she would have liked to have vetoed an outfit herself before a decision was made, but Magda, being the chief fashion stylist for the UK publication of ELLE Magazine, certainly knew what she was talking about. “Right, Max Mara. Actually, no. I don’t like that neck on you. Bear with me.”

She raided the bags with the same zeal as Winnie the Pooh attacking a honey jar, pulling garments from within until she landed on what she was looking for. “Versace! If in doubt, go with Versace. Donatella might have a face that looks like one of those heads they hang on the back of a door in Peru, but she knows her bloody dresses.”

Beth burst out laughing at her analogy, taking the baroque bodycon dress and slipping it on, Magda assisting with evening out the stretchy fabric. “That’s it, girl. That’s the one! That and your little sandals with the gold clasps. Perfecto. Right, get the hell out of it and feed me!”

“Are you sure it isn’t too much?” Beth asked tentatively.

“You’re interviewing Alfie Solomons, ain’t you?”

“I am.”

“And he’s a power player on the circuit, so you need the power dress. You turn up in fast fashion and he’s gonna take you about as seriously as if you’d just walked in wearing a clown suit. I still can’t believe you’ve never heard of the fella either. Only fucking owns half of bloody London.”

“I wasn’t going to wear fast fashion!”

“It still disgusts me that you buy it. Bleugh. Hurry up!” With her marching orders in place, she went and changed into her jeans and a shirt, pulling on her flip flops (Primark, to Magda’s distain) and picking up her bag (which was Chanel, to Magda’s joy) before they exited the flat and walked to Romero’s on the corner for the promised brunch.

“He doesn’t own half of London, by the way. Just a lucrative percentage of it,” Beth chirped after they’d put their order in, Magda pausing from guzzling her black coffee for a second, her face incredulous.

“You know he just bought The Pendulum, don’t you?” She did not. The Pendulum was one of the chicest boutique hotels in the city, with rooms starting at an eye watering tariff of £1,000 a night.

“How is it that you know so much about him and I don’t?”

Magda snorted, pulling her Marlboro Lights from her bag and lighting one up, likely the first of many. “Because you live under a bloody rock, apparently.” she paused, bobbing her tongue out playfully, Beth making her roar when she stuck her middle finger up discreetly. “He’s a big deal, that man. And he used to date Tiff, one of my wardrobe assistants. She was one of four. You know that too, don’t you, that the guy thinks he’s Hugh bloody Hefner with the multiple girlfriends, except he’s fucking sexy as fuck and not old. Or dead now, rather.”

Beth’s ears pricked up at such a revelation, that Magda knew someone he’d previously dated. “Oh really? And what did Tiff have to say about him?”

“Not much, really. Other than he spoiled her rotten and had a cock like a baby’s arm holding an apple.” Another of Magda’s classic analogies, causing Beth to spray a mouthful of foam over the table, her friend included. “Oi! Watch it, this is vintage, making me look like I’ve been bloody cum all over!” Swatting at the flecks of foam from her light jacket, she glared at Beth, that glare eventually turning into a grin.

“You’re so dirty.”

“Like you ain’t!”

“I have my moments, but you’re a constant stream of pure filth, Mags.”

Raising her coffee cup, her grin widened to Cheshire cat proportions. “That’s why you love me! Now, tell me in as many words what the viper had to say about your article, because personally I think she’s talking out of her bloody arse.”

Magda would think that, though, almost always having Beth’s side where her journalistic endeavours were concerned. She was staunch in her support, yet would tell her if she thought anything she’d written had missed the mark. She’d read her piece on childless by choice women and loved it, so took great umbrage with Madeline’s refusal to publish it.

“Saccharine bullshit?” she exclaimed, once Beth was done relaying the meeting. “So, it’s saccharine now, for a woman to relish in the declaration that her ovaries purely ornamental? Pah. Just because she’s a bloody breeder.” At thirty-eight, Magda had decided long ago that children were not in her future. She and her husband, Dennis, loved their four rottweilers like they were children, though. Besides, Dennis, being twenty years her senior, had two kids from his first marriage, so it was of no issue to him, Magda’s choice not to have any.

“I mean, it’s not as if I even did that, though. My personal stance was that children aren’t in my immediate future as a twenty-nine-year-old woman, and that I would like to become a mother eventually, just not now. I make no apology for speaking with pride about my decisions and detailing how myself and others truly are extremely content in our choices as well. There’s nothing saccharine about that.”

She paused, sipping her coffee, contemplative. “However, maybe I should revisit it and take the criticism. I won’t improve unless I do.”

“Or tout it to another publication?” Magda suggested, drawing gently on her cigarette. “Then, you see, if you receive similar critique, you’ll know it was an issue with your writing and not something down to Madeline’s personal preference.”

Beth had considered such, but if she was honest, her confidence in her words had taken a little bit of a knock, hence why she hadn’t taken the steps to reach out to any other editors as yet. Freelance journalism was tough in that respect, no guarantees of publication and having to people please in order to receive attention. Perhaps her article might please somebody else, though.

After two plates of food (scrambled eggs for Beth, eggs Benedict for Magda) had been polished off, Magda had to dash to get to her appointment later that afternoon, Beth heading home to begin emailing out her rejected article to a few of her contacts in the press, hoping that someone else out there might find her words worthy of print. She didn’t worry too much over it if they didn’t, though, because she knew she’d be onto a winner with her next planned piece, the subject of which she would meet in three days' time.

When Saturday arrived, she was up and out of the house by 9am to arrive early for her 9;45am meeting, being greeted with much more enthusiasm for her other piece, a write up on the disturbing trend of FGM and the impact it had upon women and girls, discussing the condemnation in the face of cultural tradition. She left on a high, her article accepted and praise heaped upon her, rushing back home via tube and running all the way from Putney station to her flat, showering again quickly and smothering herself in lotion before pulling on the beautiful Versace dress, touching up her makeup and calling an Uber to get her to Notting Hill on time.

“Hello, flower.” Rising from his seat upon her arrival at The Ledbury, Alfie kissed her cheek in greeting, pulling her chair out for her. Very gentlemanly. “You’re early, and you look stunning.”

“Thank you.”

“You definitely suit Versace,” he continued, the waiter arriving with them. “Mind if I order for you, treacle? They have a red here I think you’d enjoy.”

“Yes, no problem,” Beth confirmed, moving her chair a little closer to the table.

“The 2019 Merlot, please. And a soda water, lots of ice. Cheers, fella.” The waiter departed swiftly with a nod, Beth noticing a trend with his drinks, that being they lacked any alcohol.

“You don’t drink?” she inquired, Alfie shaking his head.

“So seldomly it would be fair to say I don’t, no. I enjoy the same as you when I do partake though, sometimes the odd pint of Guinness an’ all, but those occasions are very few and far between. Oh, I took the liberty of requesting a non-treif menu for lunch. It’s a set taster, but strings can be pulled for dietary requirements, although I have no clue over your flexibility where Kosher is concerned, I didn’t want to risk it.”

Very attentive, Beth noted. “I’m fairly relaxed. How about you?”

“Well, I was raised Orthodox, but as I’ve grown, I’ve learned heavily to Liberal, or as my mother refers to it as, a bad Jew. I suppose I am in a lot of ways, really. I ain’t a good boy by a long shot.” The look in his eye eluded very clearly to Beth that dietary stipulations were not solely what he referred to there. “Still, though, I don’t touch treif, although I’m more relaxed about Kosher slaughter if I’m eating meat anywhere but home. I confess, sometimes I’ll be cursing Amira while she’s sitting there chomping on a fuckin’ bacon sandwich because it smells so bloody good,” he chuckled.

The waiter arrived with their drinks, Alfie thanking him courteously before turning his focus back to Beth. “And you?”

“The same, funnily enough, except I was raised Liberal so my parents weren’t massively strict about eating out. Still, though, I was never allowed a cheeseburger, and I’ve never eaten one since moving out from under their watchful eyes, either,” she revealed, Alfie raising his eyebrows.

“I bloody love those things,” he laughed, shaking his head but not looking ashamed. “My mother wouldn’t half wallop me for it.” Of course, part of the Kosher rules stipulated that meat and dairy were never to be eaten together.

“How very meshuggeneh of you!” she teased, sipping her wine.

“I know. Like I said, I’m a bad boy.”

She smirked, leaning forward a little. “A badge you wear with much pride.”

He mimicked her movement, his face a picture of levity. “If only you knew the half of it.”

“I’m hoping I will, once our interview commences.”

He chuckled, winking. “At least two thirds couldn’t be detailed within a public place.”

Circling the rim of her wine glass with her fingernail, she couldn’t help herself. “Those being non-verbal in the demonstrative?”

Alfie smirked. “That’d all depend on you, darlin’.” Oh yes. He was a bad boy, but Beth could easily give as good as she got.

“Would it? Personally, I’m of the opinion it would be more the other way around, if you catch my drift.” He did, and he felt himself pulled towards the beautiful, witty woman across from him all the more. His girlfriends, he never had that kind of verbal play with him. They weren’t dim-witted, but even basic nuance sometimes sailed right over their heads. He enjoyed a woman who bit back, who he could have a bit of fun with. “Now, I believe we have an interview to conduct, all banter aside.”

Taking her phone, she opened up the voice note recorder, hitting record before placing it back on the table gently. “So, Alfie. Give me a little bit of background behind the man slowly buying up London’s hospitality industry one venue at a time.”

“How far back do you wish for me to detail?”

She shrugged, straightening her fork. “At the beginning? But abridged.”

“Alright, can do. What you need to understand first though, yeah, is that I built what I have from literally nothing, Beth. I had fuck all, right, born a poor, Jewish lad on the third of December nineteen eighty-four, raised in Camden, the first child of second-generation Russian immigrants, Sarra and Boris Solomons. I have two younger sisters, who my mother raised mostly alone, since the old man died of cancer when I was six. Losing my dad young was what gave me the drive to succeed, watching mum struggle. I always maintained that I’d make a success of myself, and I did. By the time I hit twenty-six, I’d gone from barman, to bar manager, to eventually bar owner.”

“And how did you raise that kind of capital, in order to facilitate the purchase of your first bar? Also, where was it located, and do you still own it?”

“A combination of maxed out credit cards, bank loans and the gift of the gab with investors. I’d paid the lot off within the first two years of Penny Black’s opening, and yeah, I still own it. I’d never part with it now, I’m a sentimental ole’ bugger like that. It’s over in Ealing. Ever heard of it?”

Beth smiled with nostalgia. “Heard of it? It was my local when I was at uni.”

“Yeah? Fuckin’ ‘ell!” he exclaimed, pleasantly surprised at such a coincidence. “So, what uni were you at? West London?”

“Good guess,” she confirmed, nodding. “How about you?”

“I did an NVQ in business and finance at college, then studied for my BA in the same around working two bar jobs. Fucking knackered me right out, but it was worth it. So, tell me. What was your first break in writing?”

She looked at him somewhat curiously, licking her lips momentarily, the action sending a pleasant shiver through him. “Who’s interviewing who here, Alfie?”

He laughed softly, stroking his beard before sipping his drink. “Well, you to me. It don’t mean I can’t get to know my beautiful interviewer a little while she goes about her work, though.”

She gave him a subtle smile, cocking her head. “It does when you derail my questions.”

“Ooh, she’s fierce.”

“Correct. So, tell me what challenges do you most commonly face, running a small empire the likes of which you do? I discovered you have quite the profitable portfolio of establishments within your ownership.”

He paused for thought for a moment, long enough to sip his soda, crushing a large piece of ice between his back teeth. “Trying to do too much of it myself. Because I’m a bloody perfectionist, you see, and I wear myself too fuckin’ thin a lot of the time, since I know how I like things to be done, and very few can accomplish the tasks I set them with quite the same proficiency.”

He was so very confident in himself, but it never came across as arrogance to Beth. His conviction was cool, his faith in himself solid and unshakable. She found that notable, the fact that he wasn’t attempting to impress her by being overly grandiose.

“And what does a typical day look like for you?”

“I’m awake at six to get a workout in, shower and then have breakfast. I head into my home office for 7:30am, where I spend most of my day unless I have meetings to attend, then pause for lunch if time permits, finish at about four, walk my dog for a couple of hours over the park while glued to my phone answering emails and taking calls, then depending on the day, out with one or all three of my girls on the night, or enjoying my own company.”

“Yes,” she began, clearing her throat. “About that. Dating three women at once.”

Adjusting one of the two chunky, gold rings he wore, he looked out from long, light brown eyelashes, his mouth upturning. “Why do I get the distinct impression, yeah, Bethany with the lovely legs, that it’s this side of my life that holds the most fascination for you?”

“I am equally interested in hearing you discuss your business ventures and successes as I am the inner workings of your love life, but from the perspective of selling the article, I know what will draw the most focus with the readers.” The way she held his gaze so firmly and spoke with such confidence impressed him, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Because sex sells?”

“It certainly does.”

“I admire that honesty. Because we all love shagging, don’t we?”

She took a piece of her hair, twirling it around her finger, the action speaking loudly to him. “In my game, I’m all about the truth. So, care to indulge me?”

He snorted softly, scratching his chin, smile widening. “I’d do a lot more than that to you, Beth.”

It was about to become an interesting interview, she sensed.

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kittyball23 · 2 years

Text

The Reason (a Hotel Transylvania fanfic)

Summary: Ericka didn’t want to tell him… but it turned out she didn’t have to

A/N: Oh wow, it’s been a little while since I’ve written anything, but I’m glad I was able to get this out in time. Just some silly little Drericka humor ahead, lol

__________________________________________

Ericka was surprised.

Dracula was not by any means stupid - a little naive, yes, mostly when it came to dealings of the 21st century at times, and sometimes he made rash and rather impulsive decisions. But aside from that, he seemed smart enough. That's why it surprised her when, as they snuggled atop their coffin-shaped bed, he opened up a discussion she didn't think he'd really inquire about.

"Ericka..." he breathed, his breath tickling her ear as he nuzzled against the top of her head.

"Hmmm?" she hummed in acknowledgement.

"Why do you keep your hair short?"

Ericka furrowed her brow slightly. "You don't like it that way?"

Dracula chuckled lightly. "No, no, of course I do, sweetheart. I was just wondering."

She pursed her lips, thinking over what exactly she could say instead of the real reason - the obvious reason that Drac seemed to have forgotten (or perhaps he was just pretending not to know).

"Well... when you're training to fight and hunt monsters, it's not always a good idea to have longer hair. You know, gets in the way in combat and that sort of thing..." She shrugged.

"Oh..." Dracula responded quietly. He moved a hand from around her waist and began to caress through the soft, light curls that adorned her head with a loving tenderness. "But you know... you're not really a monster-hunter anymore. No fights to worry about. No one you have to kill or track anymore. You could wear your hair however you want now."

Ericka pulled back slightly from their embrace so that she could look him in the eye. His expression held a small grin as he stared at her softly and she couldn't help but smile back at him.

"I know, honeyfangs... I just prefer to keep it this way. Trust me, it's better."

Dracula raised an eyebrow at her choice of phrase, wondering what exactly she meant. But he decided not to question it too much as she leaned in to kiss him gently.

"Besides," she said, leaning back into his arms once again, "it looks nice on me. And it makes my neck look more delicious, does it not?"

Dracula gave a sheepish laugh, a flush overtaking his features as she gave him a knowing look. She had caught him more than enough times eyeing her neck with a hungry glint in his eyes and practically salivating at the sight. He knew better than to even consider attempting a taste, though. She giggled at his reaction before pressing another chaste kiss against his lips and cuddling up against his chest once more. He sighed and held her close.

"You know, I think you'd look wonderful with long hair," he murmured. "It would suit you very well."

Ericka snorted, disagreement wanting to voice itself but she held her tongue as she continued to lay in the bed, curled up with Drac.

"Maybe," was all she said for the moment. But she knew she wouldn't.

__________________________________________

The conversation about the hair was a forgotten topic by the time that night came and they had to rise.

Since moving into the hotel, Ericka had been shadowing Drac as he worked throughout his shift, jumping in to help whenever she could. She learned a lot about how he managed, and also much about monster culture than she was ever taught. Dracula himself operated everything with knowledge and experience, not once flinching when it came to a mess by the wolf pups or a clogged toilet in Mr. Bigfoot's suite. It was clear he had been doing this for years, and he was confident in the way that he dealt with everyone.

Then, lunch break came. Drac was about to head off into the kitchen with Ericka to grab something to eat when one of the knights came running up to him.

"Count Dracula, sir!" he saluted, somehow out of breath despite not having lungs. "There's a disturbance in room 231!"

"A disturbance?" Dracula repeated, confused. "What kind of disturbance?"

"Does this answer your question?" an irritated voice sounded. He turned to look, and saw an angry Mr. Bones hanging from the jaws of Tinkles, who was wagging his tail happily.

Drac yelped, then crossed his arms. "Tinklesss...."

The dog recognized the stern tone in the vampire's voice and obediently dropped the skeleton guest on the ground, sulking away.

Mr. Bones put his parts back together again and scowled. "That's the second time that dog bursts into our room and tries to eat my family and I! This time, the whole bathroom's ruined!"

Dracula apologized and then looked to the knight for confirmation. "Miraculously, nothing but a few messy shampoo bottles and a broken shower head,” he said.

The count nodded. At least the damage wasn't that bad. Things in the hotel may be old, but they never really broke or fully replaced unless something caused it to be so. Drac straightened up and began to give some orders.

“Okay. Send out some witch maids to clean the mess and reorder the bathroom. Do we know where we keep the spare shower heads?”

“Last checked in the basement, sir,” the knight replied.

“The basement? Are you sure?” Drac asked.

“Yes, sir.”

Dracula groaned. He was hoping it was up in the attic instead, but of course it wasn’t. Now he had to go downstairs, where Van Helsing and his eccentric lab now was amid all the other basement items that were already there.

“Shall I send one of the witches down to retrieve it, sir?” the knight asked.

“No, no,” Drac said. “I’ll go down there myself.”

But Ericka saw the rather reluctant expression on Drac’s face. She knew that while he and her great-grandfather had put aside their differences and faired relatively well with each other, they still would prefer not to interact more than needed.

“Honey, maybe I should go down,” she suggested, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “It’s probably better, and - “

“What? No, no, no,” he protested, taking her hands in his. “It’s alright, mouse, you don’t have to trouble yourself. Besides, my lunch can wait. You on the other hand should go grab something to eat now. I’ve heard your stomach growl a few times already.”

“No it hasn’t,” Ericka denied. But, as if it was on cue, it rumbled right there and then, loud enough to be clearly heard. Dracula raised an eyebrow at her, and she gave an awkward laugh, then sighed.

“All right,” she said. “If it’s any consolation, I think he’s on his nap right now. He won’t be awake for at least another thirty minutes or so.”

Dracula breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, good.”

He gave her a quick parting kiss and then made his way down.

__________________________________________

The basement was not at all what Drac remembered it to be like. If he had thought there was a lot of boxes before, it was nothing compared to how it was now. It was practically a maze, with all sorts of junk scattered everywhere - big, small, round, tall. He stepped over some of the items, and froze when he heard a loud snore ring out. He quickly found the source - it was Van Helsing. Just as Ericka promised, the elderly robotic-bodied man was hunched over to a corner amid the boxes and dozing away, using one of them as a pillow. Still, Drac wanted to keep quiet.

He began his search, cursing himself for not labeling the old boxes and seeing that Van Helsing clearly did not do the same. More than enough times he pulled out strange contraptions or full monster-hunting weaponry that was put aside and not used. The one that baffled him the most was a weird ray-looking staff with a translucent crystal at the very end, and a dial that said ‘Monster’ and ‘Human.’ Drac looked it over once, then twice, and tossed it aside with a shrug. Whatever that was, it certainly wasn’t important.

He went to turn around, but accidentally smacked into a tall stack of boxes. The tower wobbled a little, and then collapsed over him in a loud clatter. Dracula gasped, poking his head out and looking over toward Van Helsing. The old man only mumbled something in his sleep, but did not wake. The vampire breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned at the mess of boxes that were spilled.

Dracula was grateful that he was a vampire. Using his magic, he was able to easily levitate the boxes and put them back in place in an instant, whereas it would take a human much longer to rearrange the same mess. He gave a satisfied nod, and stepped forward to continue his search, stopping short when he felt his foot make contact with something hard on the floor. The count paused, and looked down. It was some sort of book. A scrapbook it seemed. It was a little old, with some of the pages sticking out from the edges, and the leather cover worn some. The title, composed of various little colored stickers, read as ‘My Little Monster Hunter.’

Curious, Drac picked it up and opened the book, instantly realizing what it was meant for when he saw the first page. Taped onto it was an old polaroid of a small sleeping baby, the caption reading ‘Ericka Van Helsing ‘85.’ Dracula grinned. It was a scrapbook of Ericka in her youth that Van Helsing must have kept. He flipped through the pages, absolutely captivated with the child that his zing had been. The next photo was of Ericka when she was about three years. His heart practically melted at the sight. She was a gorgeous kid, with full rosy cheeks and a bright smile that was almost as bright as her short platinum curls. On the next page a little bag was taped on it, the inside containing a little fangless baby tooth marked from the year 1988, when Ericka was four. Dracula shook his head in wonder. It always amazed him how quickly humans aged when compared to vampires. Why, his little Mavy was older than she was now by time her first baby teeth had started to fall out. He chuckled in spite of himself and continued looking, seeing little drawings that were taped into the book that Ericka had drawn. Most were stick figures of herself plotting out different ways to kill him, and he snickered. How fate had changed since then. He flipped the page to go on, and then stopped. He double took on the photo that was there, blinking several times to make sure he was seeing correctly. And he was. He giggled a little. Then more. He glanced down at it again, and then burst forth with a loud belly laugh that racked his body and had him slapping his knees.

He was so overcome with laughter that he failed to hear the footsteps that were approaching from behind him.

"Drac?" a confused voice asked.

The vampire calmed himself down as he turned around, finding Ericka before him.

"Ericka!" he exclaimed, unable to keep the grin off his face. "Honeybat, I thought you were eating lunch!"

"I came to check on you. It was taking a little longer than I thought, and I was worried that maybe you and my great-grandfather got into an argument or something," she explained. Then she gestured out to him. "Clearly that's not the case, though. What's got you in such a good mood?"

"Just a little something I found," Drac said, pulling out the scrapbook from behind his back to the page he was looking at.

Ericka gasped, and Drac couldn't help but start up on his cackling again at her reaction.

"Honeybat," he said between laughs. "Is this what you were trying to hide from me?"

She looked down from his amused face to the photo that was taped into the book, cringing. It was a photo of her when she was five years old. She remembered that day. Her great-grandfather had made her do a practice pose for what in the future would be her very own Van Helsing portrait that would take its place among the other portraits of their family. She stood there, a mischievous grin on her little face… and two very distinct long, unnatural, gravity-defying curls that had grown out of her hair from the previous year.

Ericka shook her head. "They're terrible!" she cried. "I mean, what the heck kind of genetics is that? I look like a clown!"

Dracula chuckled some more and went to comfort Ericka, who had averted her gaze and was pouting. He hooked his fingers underneath her chin and turned her head to face him.

"Honeybat," he spoke soothingly, "don't upset yourself. I must admit, I was never a fan of that hairstyle..."

Ericka groaned and Drac gently caressed her cheek. "But you're beautiful no matter what."

She flushed crimson and looked up to meet his eyes with an almost imperceptible quiver of a smile. There was something about how much he cared for her that made it impossible to be upset. She closed the gap between them in an appreciative kiss and then pulled back again, giggling as she did so.

"Doesn't mean I'm about to grow out my hair, though," Ericka clarified.

Dracula chuckled. "I know, love, I know."

She leaned in to kiss him again, unable to resist the urge of feeling his lips on hers, but a loud yawn interrupted their moment. The pair heard the unmistakable clanking of a metallic being making their way toward them, and sure enough Van Helsling appeared, still sleepily rubbing at his eyes.

"Yes... mmm... what did I miss?" he asked groggily.

Drac and Ericka were each about to answer him, but their eyes wandered to the top of his hair. As he was sleeping, he had a bedhead and the wisps were now sticking up and out every which way. The pair glanced at it, then back at each other and erupted in a laugh.

Van Helsing stared blankly at his great-granddaughter and the vampire’s antics.

“Was it something I said?”

__________________________________________

A/N: Well, that’s all for now! And happy 10-year anniversary to the first Hotel Transylvania, the one that started it all!! Not sure who is still in the fandom, but I do hope you’re doing well :) Until next time! :D

#hotel transylvania #count dracula #ericka van helsing #drericka #fanfiction #love #kittyball writes

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chemicalpink · 1 year

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Wow, thank you for all the info!

For your job, do you work in a more technical role or more creative?

I love all your AU preferences, fwiw. I didn't think I was a magical realism person until recently and then I found a few fics that made me a believer :)

Can we switch gears to holiday/winter? Do you have a favorite food or drink you associate with the season? Anything that makes you feel that warm nostalgia?

Thank you again!

Your bangtan secret santa,

Menorah 🕎

MENORAH HIIII

Omg my job is everywhere, i sometimes get more technical stuff, others a more creative one... most of the time it is a business-aligned one tho, big numbers and big decisions kind of thing.

OHHH hmmm I'm a big foodie, I used to be in charge for holiday dinners up until recently, now that I don't get to spend the holidays with family, my comfort holiday food has become toffee nut beverages from Starbucks lmao

As far as nostalgia goes... snowstorms are a big thing that I kind of miss, they bring me back to when I was living in the UK, living a somewhat dull life in winter school. I remember having to wake up at 5 for seasonal ballet rehearsals, having to wait for lunch in the cold hallway down campus, sitting in the far right table for a warm meal and back to rehearsals for the day.

#bangtan secret santa

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thatssotori93 · 2 years

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55, 62, 78?

55. Share a relationship story - pffft uh I don't really have too many unfortunately LOL. I guess one cool story is the last guy I dated worked at a radio station so every day on my lunch break he would make sure to play a song he picked just for me.

62. What is the sexiest thing someone could ever do for/to you? - I am not joking when I say this: literally take care of me, pay my bills, make my decisions for me. Like PLEASE make it so I don't have to act like an adult. Now...if we're talking sexually, then probably organize a g*ngbang. Lol.

78. What's your dirtiest secret? - hmmm...idk if its the dirtiest one but I spent the better part of a year sexting back and forth with my friend's dad. Oops.

#thank you!#asks #answers #kindhandscruelthoughts

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xoxolifewithdoriann · 2 days

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Spend the day with me mentally!

The random thought's that I have through the day... they time stamped and dated

Friday 04/19/24-Breakfast would've been great today... why didn't i stop because i def had time to grab me something from Bo. A good ole Cajun spicy chicken biscuit with grape and strawberry jelly. And those Bo Rounds !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! whew yes with hot sauce and ketchup on them. Some apple juice and I would've been AMAZING lol. But I will survive to lunch. Orrrrr maybe go run and get me some on my 1st break... decisions decisions decisions..

Lunch... what do I want for lunch. If I eat anything it has to be a salad, but from where??? is the biggest question. am i feeling golden c today??? or do I want one of my small salads from wally, hmmm publix... naw I dont want to spend that lol BUGETTING

I don't want anything "bad" chickfila would be amazing but that's not an option when I am at work

so what will it be for lunch today? wait so does that mean I am not going to bo? .

Knocked that production time line together rather quickly, I am proud of myself. For doing it and for the fact I have a solid template of a production timeline

I am loving the backdrop today for work, it's a coffee shop out by the lake, and I am listening to Christian coffee shop music, which is helping me vibe out at work and do multiple things.

Thursday 04/25/24 - 8:30am currently at work | today God has really been speaking to me. I left work later than intended because I knew i needed to stop and get gas before heading to work. and I like a certain drive to work to help me prepare for the day. so when i noticed the time i was like okay we are going to be late today... and that's okay. so i got up got dressed as quickly as possible and got out the door. i got gas not too far from my house on my route that i take to work. i stopped got my gas and then proceeded to work. Y'ALL as i go tot he light for work i looked at the time and noticed that i was going to be right on time. Y'all I have to be to work at 8:00am, I clocked in at 7:59am. I didn't begin my commute to work until 7:3_(something) but my commute is ummmm, one roads and etc. so get behind someone slow and yea you can kiss that nice smooth easy flowing drive good bye for sure lol. but back to this, y'all when i turned on that street i just broke out into a praise because that was no one but God that made that happen for me. because he knew that i wanted to be on time today. that was the one thing i was looking to do was be on time 90% of this week ( i say 90 to give myself grace some mornings). So to make it on time with my route and being behind lots of peoples, and i wasn't speeding and i made it on time was nothing but GOD. {I Thank the Master, I Thank the Savior, I Thank GOD 🙌🏾}

that was him continuing to show me that this time is perfect in my life and his way is better in my life. no matter how much i think i am late in life (because i do tend to have moments of thoughts like that just to be honest) that he shows me NOPE Daughter you are absolutely on time! Stop thinking you are late, i am the Father of time. Time is controlled by me say's God when you accept that you can not rush, dictate or NOTHING that pertains to time and my perfect time you will walk these seasons much easier and smoother say's the Father. So a awesome Daddy to speak and give help and solution all while covering me.

The Message Bible Ecclesiastes 3:11

11 True, God made everything beautiful in itself and in its time - but he's left us in the dark, so we can never know what God is up to, whether he's coming or going.

The Message Bible Jeremiah 29:11

11 I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

The Message Bible Proverbs 16:19

9 We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it. It Pays to Take Life Seriously

NOW! What to eat for lunch is the new golden question??????? I am seriously thinking about some Publix chicken, but then I also want a salad and I am on a super tight budget so not sure if this will be a both day lol just being real. So hmmmm let's really think about this in depth, because I have been wanting some fried chicken since the sunday that just passed. but sometimes the one by my job makes me angry so maybe after work. so salad for lunch it is, funny how the thing i need is the thing that won lol, i mean i wanted one but i wanted that chicken more lol.

but WAIT, i am going to walmart for my salad and they have good wings to me, thinking i may want to grab me about 3, hmmm what do we think about that?

also what am i doing with this hair??? I wanna try a twist out, so I think i will wash it tomorrow and then twist it sat at some point. I am ready for straight hair again, trying to hold out until i color it, because yep I am ready to color again, it's time for the change with the changing of season of life and feeling like NOW I am becoming ME, and emerging out the cocoon. So the hair must shift too lol, I need it. But in the mean time between time before that process happens what's the styles lol. its crazy how i really don't like doing my own hair anymore at all. i mean if i could have someone do it all the time i would be so happy.

one thing for sure, i am going to grab me a snack on this first break because ummm... the load is pilling up today and i need some energy. not sure who said i wanted to... never mind okay see y'all later.

xoxo doriann l johnson 💜💎🦋

#diamond #random thoughts #dear diary #day in life

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whatsjenniupto · 8 months

Text

Morning in Monserrate

Question 1: What did I want to see at Pena Palace? The outside of the castle with the brilliant colors, a bit of the Moorish architecture.

Question 2: Can I see those things if I just buy a park and grounds ticket for half the price? No.

Hmmm.

Fact 1: You hate overcrowded places.

Fact 2: You have no patience for selfie takers.

Fact 3: You barely survived Quinta da Regaleira and it's not the main reason people come to Sintra. If you hadn't had the empty paths through the hills, you would have stormed out in burning boot fashion. You will not survive Pena. Let's be real.

Original Sintra Day 2 Plan: Pena Palace and Moorish Castle

New Sintra Day 2 Plan: Monserrate

It wasn't on my radar, but if it had Moorish architecture, choose your own adventure grounds, and fewer people, it seemed the much, much better choice for me.

Ticket booked, off I went in the 100% humidity of morning in Sintra to catch the first bus up to Monserrate. The second my ticket was scanned and I started down the path to the villa, I knew I had made the best decision. This. Was. Amazing.

I strolled down paths, over waterfalls, around fountains, through the lush foliage of Monserrate. I had purchased the audio guide for an extra euro and used it to navigate my way through the forest to the villa.

While the audio guide was beneficial when walking the grounds, I was a bit disappointed to find it was exactly the same as the information on the displays in the villa. I could read it myself or wait for the guide to load and the narrator to read it at a much slower pace. I read and it was fascinating. The people who have stayed at the villa, the photos of former owners enjoying the grounds, all enjoyed with only a few other small groups of people shuffling around with me.

As I made the rounds around the villa, I found a paper map of the grounds on a table – unfortunately it was all in French, but with the pictures and the rudimentary amount of French words I can get my brain to remember, I was able to locate all the spots I had missed on my descent to the villa.

Like the false ruin chapel. (Sure, if you're building something where something similar used to be, building ruins makes sense. I think.)

And the ornamental lakes with gigantic pine cones. I was incredibly disappointed there weren't any lying around. How big is a 10kg pine cone?

I had planned on skipping the Mexican Garden. I live in Phoenix. These are my plants -- but I ended up on the path and I could not have been more wrong. They were my plants on steroids. Just like the 10kg pine cones, everything in Sintra was bigger than I had ever seen. That plant below on the left? Easily 7ft tall. Like, if I found a leaf on the ground, I could lay in it.

It was mind-blowing. I had never seen these plants this big. I almost felt like I had been shrunk. I walked back to the lawn for a final picture.

And then it was time to head back to the street to locate a bus to Sintra. I had snagged a public bus up to Monserrate for 2,60€. There were a couple options, but that was the first one that left from the bus stop. I was following the same concept to get back to Sintra. Take the first bus that comes along. A Scotturb bus came along and two other groups of people flung out their arm like I did. I lined up at the door in between the two groups, noting that the 435 number wasn't displayed, but it was the bus company, so I went with it.

Long conversation in Portuguese, showing the driver a slip of paper, and shaking heads. First group stepped back, annoyed. I hopped on, said I wanted to go to Sintra, and got charged 4€ (saving 10 cents because he didn't have correct change). Uh, what?! Oh, right. I do remember Scotturb having ridiculous prices when I researched this bus line. Ugh, oh well. This at least gets me back to Sintra for lunch before I head out to Ericeira. Second group stepped up and had the same interaction that the first group did. They too stepped back, annoyed. Another woman joined the line and had a long conversation about prices, but she paid and away the two of us went back to Sintra.

No idea what sort of bus I was on, but pretty sure it wasn't the 435 Scotturb that I'm guessing the other two groups purchased round trip passes on. And I'm quite certain I saved at least a euro by taking the public bus instead of buying a round trip ticket on Scotturb. Really would have been nice if a public bus was the first one by on the way back too.

#europe #portugal #sintra #monserrate

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mydivinepunishment · 9 months

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Should I wake up early and have a good breakfast or wake up Late and have a great lunch? Hmmm decisions decisions

#personal

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snowbabys · 2 years

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Gardening Club ⋆ part 4

(Disclaimer: i do not condone this behavior, nor think the idol acts like this in any way. this is purely fiction and for entertainment purposes only.)

Series masterlist

Pairing: yan!jungwon x gn!reader (ft. niki, jay and heeseung)

TW/Trigger warning: mentions of food.

Warning/notes: everyone's the same age for plot sake, one swear word? (is bullshit a swear word help)

Author's note: we're back late again woohoo sorry guys, really. so this part hmmm we're starting to escalate here. as always, if you'd like to be added to the taglist (or removed, no hard feelings), drop an ask! tysm for reading, enjoy~ ♡

Word count: 2,318

“Why’d you do it?” you asked while turning it in front of your face, curiosity putting a frown on your features.

“Doesn’t it look so cute?” Niki had a silly smile since he handed it to you, his excitement almost palpable.

“But why?” It was Jungwon’s time to question his friend’s decision. His tone dissipated the whole cheerful aura in a second, only to break your heart when you looked at Niki’s face again.

“Why not?” he questioned with a bit of disappointment.

“Why tho?” Jungwon and Niki kept the discussion while you observed it.

You and Jungwon had stumbled upon each other when entering the school earlier. He greeted you with a smile and made small talk while you both waited for Niki’s arrival, which didn’t take long. What did take a little longer was trying to understand what Niki had on his hands from afar, a blue smudge falling on top of Injang’s white pot.

You finally made it out when Niki gave it to you. Injang had got a little cowboy hat on its top, personalized by Niki himself, blue with a white band, the plant’s name engraved on the band with black permanent pen. Jungwon didn’t like it at all, according to him “It’s gonna be too hot for Injang with that.”

“C’mon, it’s so cool!” Niki exclaimed, trying to convince you not to take it off. Which you didn’t, even after hearing it from Jungwon.

“Looks loose, so…” you excused it to the sulking boy.

“If Injang dies, you’re to blame,” Jungwon pointed to Niki and walked off, the school’s bell giving you the sign to go to your respective classrooms. During the walk till there, that someone from yesterday kept occupying your thoughts.

“Have you talked to Jay yesterday?” you touch Niki’s forearm and he shrugs at your question.

“Nah, thought he would like some space,” not having any sort of contact with Jay outside of school made you anxious even if you weren’t that close to him anyway. He’s one of your club’s group members, so it’s logical for you to worry about him eventually, but somehow, a weird feeling keeps creeping up your chest whenever you think about his absence. Maybe it’s just that it feels a bit empty without his noise during lunch break, but you couldn’t really figure it out.

Well, not until you saw him walking beside Jungwon during lunch break. He didn’t have his usual smirk, on the contrary, he seemed like he had a white night, dark circles around his lifeless eyes that made you quiver at the sight, the twisted feeling on your stomach intensifying as he kept in silence with no smile on his lips. When Jungwon entered your classroom, Jay stayed outside, out of your eyes reach as he stood behind the wall.

You forgot the whole previous scene while Jungwon came in front of your desk, all of your colleagues growing silent with his entry. He doesn’t get an empty chair to himself, instead, he stands still and your eyes fall to his right hand, which holds a box of strawberry milk. You didn’t realize when he lifted the box for you to pick, too lost in the shyness of being your whole class’ attention.

His red cheeks and shaking hands mirrored yours. You can tell he’s having a hard time keeping himself in the situation, all of your classmates staring at you both, numerous murmurs and some high pitch screams here and there. It wasn’t until Niki started to giggle beside you that you woke up from the trance Jungwon had put you into. Looking at the box he held in front of your face, you were at a loss for words.

“Are you taking it or not?” Jungwon’s harsh tone did nothing to ease your anxiety. It was his way of throwing his shyness away, you saw, given the fact that his hands weren’t trembling anymore.

“I…” you try to reach for the box, but just as you hold your hand up, someone else’s hand is faster than yours.

“We love it, thanks, bro.” You look at Niki, who has a shameless grin, and kick him under the table. His little ‘ouch’ never heard when you got your attention back at Jungwon.

“Thank you, Jungwon,” at the mention of his name, his ears and face got red again, bottom lip quivering when his eyes met yours. You thought he looked so cute trying to form a phrase, even cuter when he gave up and ran away from your class as fast as Niki could end a cookie. That was all Niki needed to make fun of you every second a professor wasn’t speaking for the rest of the day. Even while walking to the club’s room later, he did not let you live, bugging you with his annoying smirk and pokes.

“You like him?” his arms encircled you and held you stronger as you got closer to the classroom. You could just roll your eyes at him.

“No, I don’t,” you try to break free from his embrace, but he keeps you in place before getting in front of the door.

“You just rolled your eyes. You like him,” he pokes your cheeks like he did tirelessly in the last hour.

“Where did you get that from?” you slap his hands away to receive another poke a second after. You frown and he mimics.

“It’s like, the most obvious sign,” he whispers pretending there were more people around.

“Kids,” you both jump in surprise when the coordinator puts her head out of the room. “Inside now.”

“Yes ma’am,” you reply together while rushing inside, soon seeing you were late as everyone was already working with their groups.

Jungwon and Jay were at your group’s desks talking in a low tone before you got close to them, interrupting the conversation when Niki sits and bumps his shoulder on Jungwon’s. You notice Jay keeps his head down, no excited welcomings, loud jokes, or physical touch, an extreme rupture from his conventional character. You couldn’t help but jump to conclusions, wondering if he had issues going on with his family or something else let him down.

“Hey,” you greet them while sitting on Niki’s side, not letting your eyes out of Jay’s form in the process. Jungwon is the only one to respond and glimpse at you.

Throughout the club’s activities, the coordinator came to check Injang’s new accessory and left complimenting the choice, which made Niki annoy Jungwon like he did to you the whole day. Later, you had to go out and choose flowers from the school’s garden to take pictures and study, and even when everyone was having fun and interacting with each other, Jay kept silent. It worried you to no end, more than ever, as you knew this wasn’t like him. You take the first chance to get close to him while everyone else is distracted walking back to the classroom and you both are behind the group.

“You okay?” you whisper to avoid any commotion. He looks at you a bit surprised, but faces another direction fastly, promptly murmuring. “Really?” you try again, but he doesn’t seem to be interested, so you touch one of his hands and he stops in his tracks, still refusing to face you. “Jay, I know we’re not close friends, but you can talk to me if you need.”

“Stop…” he stares at your hand in touch with his. “Don’t touch me,” the boy then takes his hand away from yours and resumes his walking.

“Wait, did I do anything?” you run to catch him up, but he ignores you. Now inside and far from your colleagues, you take hold of his shoulders to stop him. “Please, tell me,” you feel his muscles tense, so you let go and wait for any reaction. He sighs tiredly and turns to you. You can see he doesn’t want to reveal something, and that’s what keeps a hint of anguish on you.

“I told you to stop,” he swallows hard.

“Why?” you feel your nerves making you sweat, not sure how to proceed. “I know something’s wrong, you’re not like that. I promise you can talk to me, I won’t tell anyone.”

Jay considers his options in a killing silence. The hallway is empty except for you, but even with the long way ahead, it suffocates you with the illusion of getting smaller and smaller with each passing second. You see the boy opening his mouth, but nothing comes out, making the atmosphere dubious. You’re some steps away from a headache when you hear Niki’s voice echoing.

“What are you doing there?”

Jay looks back and sees your friends coming. You notice him clenching his fist as the distance between you and them shortens. When they’re meters from reaching you, he turns to you with an intense stare.

“Don’t talk to me outside of the club, and please don’t touch me. We’re not friends.” Jay’s tone hits like a punch in the face, and you don’t realize your mouth is open until Jungwon approaches you. He alternates his attention between you and Jay who’s walking out and touches the small of your back to guide you to the club.

Niki preserves the silence thinking of what he saw minutes before. Not understanding what Jay said to you made it worse for him as he felt like you needed a moment from analyzing your sorrowful expression. As your closest friend, he wanted to make it better, he just hated to see you silent and closed to yourself, but it stayed like that till you were at the school’s gate. Jungwon kept holding your hand during this time, and Niki felt something lighting inside of him, being aware he should be the one holding your hand when you were down.

“Hey, do you wanna hang out in the candy shop?” your tallest friend offers you a smile not caring to receive one back.

“I just wanna go home and sleep,” you close your eyes and sigh. Niki uses this to engulf you in a bear hug knowing you wouldn’t try to escape. You don’t reciprocate, you don’t have the energy to, but he doesn’t care about it too.

“Text me if you need anything, okay?” Niki detaches from you and rests his hand on your head, softly caressing the place. You open your eyes and nod, then turn to Jungwon who is waiting for you.

“Piggyback ride home?” you nod again and give Niki a wave before climbing Jungwon’s back. Generally, you’d get shy with the contact, avoiding the physical touch as much as you could, but with a growing headache and bitter feeling on your chest, you couldn’t see yourself denying it. Also, Jungwon seemed to be a reliable guy, showing his understanding and peaceful side to you while you talked earlier in the club (at least before the Jay “incident”).

Not too far down the ride, Jungwon delicately raises the shoulder you rested your head to call your attention. “What did he say?”

“Just that we’re not friends and I shouldn’t talk to him,” you lift your head to talk properly. “I don’t know why it affected me so much, I’m not even close with him.”

“He can be really cold sometimes,” his voice is soft, trying to comfort you.

“When I thought we were gonna be good friends… like, what’s the point of coming to lunch break and acting all friendly if he’s gonna do this?” you shift a bit.

“He’s like that to everyone,” you can’t see much of his face, but with what you have access to, you observe his expression turning grumpier.

“Yeah?” he hums and you feel the vibrations on your forearms. “But Niki and him…”

“Listen, Jay has… issues,” you feel surprised with the interruption, all the more as his voice went an octave lower. “I don’t want you to be sad because of his bullshit. As you said, you’re not close with him, so if I can help you forget that situation, I’ll happily do it.”

You stay silent to that, falling into a thinking trance until you’re put back down on the ground, safely dropped on your doorstep.

“You said issues? What do you mean?” Jungwon’s face is only a few centimeters away from yours when you ask that, making you push back a little.

“Don’t worry about it,” he grins but it falters when you don’t smile back. “Please?”

“Okay, Jungwon.” You look down to your feet, not sure what exactly Jungwon was asking you. Did he intend to make you forget Jay or the issue with Jay? If you were to be fair, Jungwon was incognito when it came to other people. He’s close with Niki, sure, but knowing he’s supposedly closer with Jay made you intrigued after hearing his words about Jay. It also felt weird to you how he cut the subject short whenever you tried to elaborate on Jay. It makes you think, did they fight? What’s the reason they seem so weirdly distant when they’re together most of the time?

“Y/n,” Jungwon’s hand reaches for your chin, lifting your face to look at him. As before, his voice is soft again. You can’t ignore your heartbeat fastening when he gets closer, your skin almost touching. “Take good care of Injang today.” You blink repeatedly as he broke your expectations. Not that you wanted anything to happen, but for a millisecond you thought he was about to do something you could deeply regret in a friendship.

“Sure.” He does nothing to slow your heartbeat, only increasing it with a hug. You felt shocked enough not to hug him back, blaming the way he rested his head on the crook of your neck. When you were finally able to correspond, he let out a groan.

“I’m glad you’re opening up to me.”

part 3 | part 4 | part 5

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