#in the same way the people eiffel hurt have every right not to forgive him if they don't want to but also. come on | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

muffindaddystyles · 3 years

Text

Tell me you love me, before I go.

A/N: A very short smutty writing I had in my swirling whole night, which unapologetically I ended up writing in the wee hours of dark.

Summary: Harry and Y/N are rivals -- very passive aggressive enemies. When on a mission Y/N breaks into his room he had no choice but to punish her.

AU: Rivals to lovers, dark sci-fi, angry rough sex, spanking and spitting, reassurance kink and unrequited love.

A war between two groups. Left one with nothing but a tech base and other with almost everything. So the Arsonists raid the Phantoms' buildings to steal food items and necessary fuels for their people since they're mostly unarmed due to lack of weapons they try to use their brain as much as possible.

Y/N works in one of the tech bases of Arsonists and right now she's standing with her five more mates trying to figure out how to break through these large gates of the villain's building, one of his most strong headquarters.

They've to collect some data before another truck of fuel arrives for Phantoms next Wednesday so they could have access to it without doing much effort.

Once sneaking in successfully because the two guards were too muddled in gossiping their arsess about their maiden. The building's nothing too extravagant, sleek and able to live, dimmed to an unpleasant light indicating everyone inside it is sleeping.

She barges into the villain's room easily and almost had all the information in her hands from his drawers when the door to the room banged close, startling her at spot and the frames of her glasses fell on the carpeted floor.

"Shit."

"D'ya think cursing would take ye' out of here? if so you're down bad" Her heart sinks in when his cold insensate voice booms within the walls — a heavy boot comes crushing her glasses, again and again mercilessly.

Her blood boils. Because, what the fuck. Doesn't he have any manners?

"Do you think I need my glasses to punch the shit out of you, you prick!!" She pounced at him, almost breaking his nose into a splitted eiffel tower but he dodged it, twisting her wrists at her back and snatching the files from her sneering menacingly —- letting her painful grunts fly over his head without any remorse.

"Well, well." She yelps when he tightens his grip angrily, "Look what cat dragged in come little mousey we're going to have some fun." She didn't know until now that someone could be this strong as he puts her in a chair like a rag doll binding her with no escape out.

She tries to squirm and wriggle her butt out but he just tuts standing tall and evil in front of her, she rakes her gaze slowly up to his tanned biceps and clavicles popping from underneath his flimsy shirt, matted curls grazing his shoulders.

"Oh no, trust me sweetheart, you're going to want to stay strapped in here. We're going to find out how many times an Arsonist can break –- and for the fact my people will kill you on the spot if you step out of my room." Shiver runs down her body from fear and he chuckles, flopping onto the edge of his bed, man spreading, leaning onto the heels of his palms behind him.

"You're pathetic!" She spits out. Full of venom.

"Pfft, a thief telling me that 'm pathetic." He shakes his head and she's despising his audacity as if he rules the world. She could kick him square in his sexy face but the thing's she's bound to this damn uncomfy chair.

"Atleast, I don't go on killing people." She grumps and it's like she pushed a button when his irises turn pitch dark. Her eyes widen in astonishment, reeking with fear when he leaves his spot in a thunder striding towards her furiously and drags the chair closer to him, almost lifting it inches above floor.

The next thing she knows that a gun is resting against her temple ready to be fired, "Ye' really that desperate fo' me to prove it to you, huh?" He growls, hooded gaze following the gun that's sliding down her cheek and the way her breath wavers —- lips trembles, nose twitches he knows he's fucked.

"Will it hurt?" If she's going to die it better be an easy way.

His eyes soften at that. Taking in the rosy features of her, the plushiness and squishiness of her skin that his fingers feels like dipping into cream. The women of Phantom aren't like this; they're built differently to fight and kill who wrongs them -- they're almost heartless at this point.

"Dunno, You'll get to know after taking one." He shrugs like it's not a biggie tipping her chin with the gun's pointer and her eyelids slip shuts. She couldn't cry. Even her dead body wouldn't forgive her if she would cry infront of her worst enemy for the last time.

"I hate you, Harry. I'd never ever forgive you for kidnapping my cat when we were small." There she said it. If she's gonna die soon she better let it off her chest. Before it could hit him right in the wound he builds a shield fast arguing back with a stoic chuckle.

"Guilt tripping wouldn't help, darling." He tuts patting her cheek with the gun's barrel —- funny case it's empty of bullets. He just shooted all of them whilst doing target practice.

"Fuck you." She yells.

"It'd take much more action than just undressing me naked with your bare eyes." He squeaks dramatically. Stepping away and pouts when she huffs trying to kick her feet in his direction.

"Not my fault that you're a perv."

He pouts feigning fake disappointment putting a hand on his chest, "You're such a grudge holder."

"Think about 10 ways to fuck me until then 'm heading to make amends for you -- see what they offer in return of their precious nerd." He smirks, it's sad such a gorgeous face could be such evil she thinks.

When he comes back she's fallen asleep from getting tired and exhausted being trapped in the same spot for hours, "Sorry, peaches but they don't want you back –- even told me to kill you if that what it ta —- oooh" He halts in his tracks closing the door behind him quietly not to wake her up and pads softly towards her, putting her dangling head back gently in a comfortable position and tucks a strand of her hair that's tickling her nose behind her ear.

You're not supposed to act that way with your enemy, you FUCKER.

His brain screams but his heart says otherwise.

She has changed. She never cries anymore. Everytime they kidnapped her or she ended up being caught from his henchmen —- she'd always need company to make her feel less frightened from the hollowness of their buildings, would cry when they'd lock her up in dark rooms.

It's awfully hurtful how once bestfriends turns into rivals just because of a conflict that ruined their and their families lives.

She has been doing all of this for people who doesn't even care about her. They're using her and many others like her to build a nuclear power plant so they could become intimidating.

He retires to sleep. Debating in his sleep whether he should just free her and tell her to sleep in one of the rooms of the buildings but soon the possibilities died when he was high in his slumber.

He groans, knuckling the sleepiness away from his eyes. He woke up from loud the thumping and found Y/N trying to break the door knob, he winces covering his ears when she screams watching him lunge towards her in rush.

His chocolate curls bouncing atop his head. His emerald eyes speaking with morning's gold and lips ripe like cherry. His brows kinked in annoyance and expression pinched in rage.

"You're confident." He rasps out in his morning husk and slams his hands on either side of her head trapping, cornering her between him and the wall.

"Did you really think it was going to be this easy." He nothing but purres, pushing her against the door. She gasps abruptly aware of their height differences moreso the radiation of power he daunts that she ignored her whole life.

"Hmm." He hummed. Eyes black with intimidation burning her under the intensity of it, he keeps his focus on her, smirking. "It suits you. This trying to fight me, desperation is a beautiful look on you."

"Fuck you."

"I mean if, ask nicely." His smile is sweetly honey and lethal if you ask me.

She glares at him with blazing daggers, "This isn't the way you make people love you." Her chest heaving with his heat close to her and his scent enveloping her.

"Love?" He laughs fondly even, crinkled forming by his eyes and he breathes out when she hovers her dry lips over his's, "Sweet thing this isn't about love — if ye ask me far from that." He's lying. He's full of bullshit.

"And yet you don't touch me or hurt me." She squints her eyes up at him wrecking her brain how to slip away from his hold, "If you beg so." He simpers awfully lewd for her. Sure as rock for what he said with his whole chest.

"Come get me then!" She trips him aside and rushes for the door when he pushes her into it tightening his hand around her throat, it's aching him to tell her the truth but he wants to let her know her worth. He rests his forehead against her's muttering a rumble deep within his chest, "They don't want you Y/N." Her windpipes squeezes painfully. The statement punching her lungs. Tears springing in her eyes.

"You're lying!!" She looks up at him shattered and desperate.

He caresses his knuckles against her tear stained cheek, "Shh, shh baby I'll always want you even if they don't — " He jerks back when she blows hit at his brawny chest yelling at him.

"It's because of you!! You, you, you." He sighs. Grabbing her wrists and pining them above her head, "Shut up, please." His chillness irks her more and she nips at him feastly.

"Make me." So he does. When her eyes drift up at his determined ones it takes her breath away and she knew it was over for her.

His lips catches her's in a hard kiss, driving them apart with the force of it. Nothing gentle mind mushing about it rather pricking needles into her skin with the severeness of it. She feels the door rattling against her back when he shifts, pushing her against it with his hips, every thought of her exploding into white noise of want and lust. The dark curl of desire twisting in her stomach and pearling sweat on her neck. With the last thread of restraint in herself she tries to pull away.

"No." He says bringing her lips back to his's. Cupping her cheeks to deepen the kiss and it's ardent as before not loosing it's spark, she slips her hands under his shirt — pulling him closer and the low groan at the back of his throat, a small pleading noise of want sets her skin on fire.

"Fuck me." She mewls. Trying to latch on his body like a kitten with it's dainty paws.

He glides his clammy palms down her bum and grabs her thighs wrapping them around his waist. Not breaking the kiss but tasting ever dulcet corners of her mouth and creating heavenly noises.

The next thing they know she's crawling back with the help of her bum to settle in the nest of pillows and he's fumbling with his belt buckle quite aggressively, she tugs the hem of his shirt down not satiated enough from having his lips on her and meanders her fingers in his hair to pull at them roughly in order to flush her chest up against his's.

"Never thought your sheets would have smelled other than sex." Because, genuinely. They smell that of fresh mint and roses.

"So, you think of me doing dirty on this bed you're laying at the moment?" He asks mock and degradation evident in his tone, "D'ya get wet dreamin' 'bout me railin' ye' to death?" He grazes his teeth along her jaw and sucks at her earlobe counting in her silence.

"Shut up." She gasps, probably from the abrupt press of his bulge against the inside of her thigh.

"Make me then." He growls. Fisting the hem of her hoodie and pulls it over her head throwing it among his skinny jeans. Her head falls back and lips tremble from the effect of slap he landed at her outer thigh —-- she knows she can't shut him.

Though he knows that her single command and he'd be at his knees for her.

When she clings to him for dear life and whimpers in his ear softly, his eyes widen in realization and he leans away to watch her expressions diffuse into manifold emotions. His nose scrunches up and he holds back his cooes for her.

She's a subby. A cute one.

Her eyes blink open to the sight of him out of his boxers and it waters her mouth —- her mind manipulating her to lunge forward and take his heavy member in her palm to give a good suck to his shiny crimson head.

Down her throat. Nestle her nose against the trim patch of hair under his balls.

"Like what y'see, doll?" He highers his chin quite smug about her staring and she hates him for that, "Pretty cocky for someone who likes staring at his enemy's tits." Her voice groggy. She wheezes a squeak through her nose when Harry pulls his shirt over his head revealing toned pecs and abs -- skin sewn with tats.

Unfortunately, she doesn't get to stare at it for longer when that shirt comes wrapping around her eyes blocking her sight.

He can never let her have nice things would he?

"Wanted to gag your mouth with it … but I'd rather love hearing you moan fo' daddy." He nips at her collarbones -- sucking it harshly to leave a prominent mark. His calloused hand rubs over her tummy smiling against her skin when she jolts and lets a little squeal slip.

His cock drips precome at her tummy and her breath shudders into heavy pants when the tip of his cock dipped in her belly button nudging it.

"Ha —- " He glides his sticky head down her happy trail and slips his large palm into her panties cupping her with his middle finger teasing her entrance, "Couldn't hear you!" He ducks down to put his ear near her lips and drums the pads of his digits against her cheek.

She huffs and squirms for a second then moans breathily when he spanks the side of her hip leaving a sting, "Oh my god, daddy." His grin victorious and he lowers down to smudge his lips against her parted ones -- kissing her tongue and humming around it.

She's somewhere it's hard to configure out, in between paradise and wonderland.

"Tell me princess, what d'I do with you in your filthy dreams?" He grabs her jaw patching gentle pecks against her lips and he slops his finger into her throbbing pussy, "Fuckin' drippin' down ye' bum fo' me." She cries out trying to hook her thigh around him but he hisses slapping her cunt hardly -- turning her into a thrashing mess. She's trying hard to suppress the bitter-sweet sensation of her own body getting out of control and her glistening pussy lips flutter erratically creating sloppy noises.

She squirts drenching the sheets underneath them and her panties.

He slides his arm under her arching back pushing her up against his chest with a jerk, "Daddy's askin' you somethin'." He grits, propping his knee in between her thighs to rub it against her soaking centre.

She gulps, licking her dry lips, "You–your rings … ah!" Her whimpers are muffled against his chest and he twists his thumb in tight circles to smear her wetness from her slit to clitoris, "What 'bout them, doll?"

How does she tell him she liked what he did earlier.

"Daddy, please … " She whines blindly searching for his face but he grips her wrists in his one hand and groans, "How's daddy gonna make you feel good when you don't tell him, pet?" He takes a kitten lick of her perky nipple. Teasing her areola with the tip of his cold tongue against her warm sweaty body —- he laps at it hungrily then creates a suckling noises, the noises, his slobbery tongue on her body, his fingers curled inside her pussy and the thick humidity is too overwhelming, she feels like fainting.

She wants him, inside her needy pussy.

She can't take the teasing anymore.

"Spanking! I – I liked it when you did it, please." He kisses her nipple for the last time before smashing his mouth against her's in a fervent sinfulness and parts away with a smooching noise to sit back on his heels, "It wasn't that hard was it? Just a word and I could give you my whole world." The sincerity in his voice makes her want to hug him and kiss him for lifetime but for now he has other plans as he rips her panties away moaning obscenely gruff at the sight of her pussy weeping for him to pound his cock inside her, so ready and full of dripping honeyed wetness for him.

"Your safe word is clouds." He whispers in her ear. He knows her limits and her resistance but by any chance he'd cross it he'd never forgive himself, "What's it?" He asks and she says in wavering, "Clouds."

"Atta girl." He pets her cheek.

Her nail scratches the side of his hands that are pinning her down when he spits on her already damp cunt, a loud noise resonates along with her needy cries when his free hand adorned in jewels came spanking her pussy and her pelvis remains lifted in air bathing in the sting of metal and the throb rattling in her whole core.

"This's what you wanted?" He kisses his teeth slapping her slick clit again and again, "To be roughed up by daddy, hmm." She bobs her head squirming and wriggling. Her words struck in her throat.

"To be manhandled." He hums a growlish moan tasting his own fingers coated in her juices, "I'll show you what being manhandled really feels like." He promises her. She gasps a sweet yelp when he flips her over and throws her bum up.

His cock rubbing against her thigh and her heartbeat fastens, anticipating something, crimping the sheets in her fists and mewls into the mattress when he spanks her ass loving the way it jiggles stroking it afterwards to subside the burn down before landing another brutal one.

She bolts her eyes shut throwing back her hips at him and he lays all the way over her back pushing her down on the bed, her cum trickling down the inside of her thigh, "Want daddy's cock?" He asks. Slicking the head of his prick up and down her asshole and slit.

When she nods vigorously he bumps it in furious circles against her swollen bundle of nerves, "Then beg fo' it," He says intimidatingly and she doesn't waste a second before blabbering shamelessly.

"Daddy … please I want your massive cock inside me, all of it." In her entire lifetime -- she never once uttered these kind of words.

His heart mushes into a puddle seeing her a babbling mess and grabby hands for him, he kisses her gently speaking to her with foremost affectionate, "shh, shh moppet. You could have it anytime you want it, daddy's g'na fill you to rim with his cum and make you keep it there for hours with his prick still snug inside your little pussy, just made for him, c'mere...yeah just like that." He lays her back gently that her front is facing him now and wraps his hand around her calve raising it and pushing it against her chest firmly.

A series of pornographic moans and whimpers echoes in his bedroom when he seathes inside her slowly stretching her out in by inch leaving a burn behind her pulsating walls, their breath laboured breaths mingling, "Fuck you're so warm baby —-- hugging daddy's cock so good." He whines looking down where they're connected and knotted. His stomach twists and turns, his hips stiffens and he resists from pushing inside her when she's not ready but her milking him with her wetness isn't doing him any mercy too.

She gropes his ass, nudging him to move and their teeths clanks, temples falls against eachother and lips whisper prayers of their unrequited love when he pulls all the way back to pound back inside her roughly.

"You're daddy's good girl, making him feel so good. I want to keep you to myself. all of you and cherish you, make love to you, w'na mark you however I want." He groans eyes rolling back under his closed lids grinding his hips against her's in rhythmic pleasuring motions to give her clit stimulations and she cries out feeling another bursting orgasm bubbling in her tummy.

"'M gonna cum, daddy!" She tugs at his roots and he drives more maniacly inside her, "Squirt around daddy's cock pet, so your pussy could swallow it deeper inside you." The headboard of bed hits against the wall vigorously and she digs her heels deeper into the dimples at his back moaning at the top of her lungs when she gushes all over his dick making more squelching, soapy, dirty noises of him raming inside her.

She desires for more.

She has become one little insatiable thing.

His balls smacks against her bum and his thursts turn faster to chase his high, "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He curses nuzzling his face into the crook of her neck and keeps his hand around his throat with the slight pressure of claimation.

"Come fo' me again." He spanks her ass and she clamps shut down at him pushing him to the edge of ecstasy, "Squeezing me so tight -- gimme more, I know you can princess." Her legs tremble around his waist when she crampies around him and his cock's head strokes against her sweet spot doing wonders to just topple her off real quick.

"Daddy!" She feels floaty and foggy head coming on his cock for the many times she has forgotten. Her mind blocking out even the weak shuddering whimpers and beaten moans of Harry as he reaches his orgasm unloading inside her -- his cum sticking thickly to her walls and some of it oozing outside of her pussy hole but he pumps it back with lazy strokes.

He lifts his smushed face from the dip of her neck, his own curls sweaty against the nape of his neck and he smoothes his palms down her sides to calm her, his lips brushing featherly against the corner of her mouth as she keeps on blabbering something.

When he tries to pull out gently she cries out pawing at his shoulders, "Daddy no!" He caresses her sweaty hair back and gets rid of her blindfold, pecking her nose sweetly.

He wants to take care of her. He yearned to have her like this for years. He has to bring her back from her sub-space before it's too late.

"It's no daddy anymore, petal. I'll crush you in this position — " Carefully he tries to retreat but stop when she says in a very dejected feeble voice, bottom lip wobbling and tears springing at the corners of her eyes, "You don't want me too?" OH NO. This's what Harry was afraid about. A breakdown. He saw the storm coming but didn't know it could be this worst right when she's in her sub-space.

His face pales at that. His state in frenzy and panic.

"No bubba. I want you my precious girl -- s'just you're gonna get tired like this, hmm. 'N I have so much to show you and make you meet new people -- couldn't have me baby walkin' on her wobbly legs for whole day could I?" He cups her cheeks tenderly and smiles down at her warmly smothering her in devoted kisses.

"Promise, daddy?" She sniffles staring up at him with doe innocent eyes and he shakes his head, "Harry sweet angel, come back to me moppet." He keeps his gaze locked with her's, gliding his thumb delicately against her cheeks and seals his promise with a kiss.

"Promise."

She lets him pull out and he shushes her wrecked whimpers with his lips. Falling to side with a large puff of breather and embraces her with his arm slinged around her shoulders protectively and she hides her face in his chest, mumbling incoherent things and he tries to stay with her emotionally and physically much as possible -- assuring her and soothing her with his sweet nothings.

"Harry." She whispers softly and his ears perks up at that looking down at her with most loving eyes, "Hi baby." He giggles quietly kissing the tip of her nose and she sniffs cuddling into him.

"Sorry —- " He shakes his head pinching her chin to make her look up.

"You don't have to darling -- s'okay, everything's alright." After, making sure she's okay and giving her million re-assurances because he loves to he cleaned her with a damp wash rag.

"Such a pretty babe." He makes her blush treating her as if she's a china glass doll who'd break at his slightest poke and showers her in praises and kisses because dunno who got her self-esteem and confidence like that but that person sure needs to get punched in their face.

"Did I hurt you?" He asks tenderly applying a thin layer of cream on her red imprints. She shakes her intervining her fingers into his's one by one and kisses his knuckle, "No."

"Good." He chuckles as if he was holding his breath.

"How bout you take a lil nap and I see if I could bring us some brekkie, hmm?" He's gonna break his own rule. Taking food from mess area to your rooms and taking long showers was never allowed, having lights on after 12 because of the risk of attacks.

"'M not hungry, please stay." Her eyes half open and her face buried into his scented pillow, "Dunno. But to me you look like y'could faint any time soon." He says sternly pulling a snugly clean duvet over her body.

"Okie but come back quick."

"Don't worry. In a snap I'll be infront of you."

It's her fourth day here. She came out of his room to socialize just a day before and she realized from the nasty glowers thrown her way that not a single person likes her.

But it felt like spending a lifespan with Harry. To fill the emptiness of all those moments of their childhood together they lost once after the war.

She got to know he's the best cuddler and likes to be a small spoon, she loves to jetpack him. He seems rather scary and is scary when he's commanding people off -- they wouldn't dare but to speak a word over him but he's this big softie Y/N likes to squish in their privacy.

He got her glasses fixed and put them over her nose with a mishevious kiss, she was unable to not to grin when he murmered against her lips, "Now you could punch me with your glasses on."

"Seems like I don't have to do that anymore." She shrugged squealing afterwards when he threw her over his shoulder tickling her till all she coul see was him and stars.

It was all going on track until now when she was passing through the lobby to go to Harry who's practicing out in field, "What are you doing here Alex?" She asks angrily grabbing his arm and he tells her feeling relieved she's okay, "I'm here to take you back."

"But they don't want me back." She grits, he catches her wrist pleading her sadly, "We want you back -- Nia waits for you daily." Nia is his five years daughter.

"I know that … but — " How she's gonna tell him she's in love with one person they despise with their whole hearts.

"But what — "

"Alex!!" He was in the midst when she sees a bullet approaching his way from the side of his shoulder and screeches loudly pushing him aside, the bullet makes it's home in her chest.

It was fired from Harry's gun with his own hands that were loving on her an hour ago. Life drains out of his body and he feels sickness approaching to split his throat, knees turning weak as he stares his shaking hand in horror.

Before, he could do anything another bullet hits Y/N in shoulder knocking her to floor and this time it was one of his people, the shot was fired on instinct.

"Put your gun down!!" He shouts at him shoving him away with a single forceful push and strides towards where the love of his life's laying in a pool of blood.

He pulls his hair maniacly, falling to his knees and pulls her up in his lap cradling her head gently to press his lips against her forehead, "No,no,no,no baby." He sobs wiping his tears away harshly to see her properly.

"Ouch. It actually hurts." She gives him a frail smile raising her shaky hand to cup his cheek.

Will it hurt?

You'll get to know after taking one.

He wishes he could takes his words back.

"You'll be fine, you're okay, 'm so so sorry moppet. Didn't-- didn't know y'were standing behind him, bu –-- but s'...s'okay yeah —-- call the doctor!! Why nobody has called him yet!!!" His scream thunders aggressively as everyone watches their commander this defenceless and vulnerable infront of them for the first time in shock.

"It's not your fault, okay?" She manages to speak groaning and eyes rolling back from pain residing in her bones torturesly, he cries out like a wounded puppy patting her cheek to keep her awake, "Please stay with me baby, please." Her chest tightens. His chest tightens from the fear of loosing her and he stands up carrying her bridal style tumbling his way on wobbly legs towards the medical ward in the building.

His tears shiny droplets on her skin and she nuzzles into his fragrance for the last time.

"There was no happy ending to this," She murmurs. Any, sign of life fading from inside her and replacing her eyes with stoness.

He brings her closer to himself, "hey, hey now none of that -- you're not leaving. 'M not letting you leave." He kicks open the door and lays her limp body on the stretcher. Snapping his head outrageously in every direction to find any doctor but none and drags his palms down his teary face.

He couldn't stop crying.

He's loosing the sunlight of his bleak life he must protect her at all costs.

But, life's prize is something that would have him selling all of what he had worked for and still he'd be unable to even bring her back from cold dark earth.

"Shit. Shit ---– I'll patch you up myself. I know how to take a bullet out — " He creates a ruckus around to collect stuff, "Harry! Harry! listen to me." but her hollow anguish calls for him breaks him at last.

"How about you spend these last few minutes with me because 'm really 'bout to die commander." She tries to keep her anxious voice cheery but fails drastically coughing blood, "Don't say that baby -- I just got you, don't leave me, don't make me hate myself again." Sad tears trickles down her cheeks and he feels like fainting imagining the pain, agony and fear she's suffering from.

She's hating to leave him.

"Maybe in afterlife, we could have a nice homely house, long warm baths and two smol kittens —- and oh I forgive you for kidnapping my cat." She admires him for the last time wiping his tears away and tries to lift his head that's lowered into shame.

She's so fond of him at the moment.

She gulps, trying to gasp for oxygen feeling her heartbeat drop to zero, pleading him, "Tell me you love me before I go." His bloodshot eyes snap to her's and his chest heaves ruggedly with heartbreaking sobs -- his words full of sorrow tasting the bitterness of goodbye on her lips streaking away the blood on her mouth.

"I love you so much, baby. Never stopped. Never will." She cries at last kissing him back with all the blood she has left pumping to her heart and tries to exchange the words but it was too late before she lost it all -- cold in his loving embrace.

"Stay…." He begs praying like he did never before.

"Y/N!!" He screams trying to shake her alive and hugs his angel to himself with mournful wails.

Everyone standing outside the room knows that they'll never see this Harry again.

#harry styles smut #harry styles #harry styles one shots #harry styles dirty imagines #harry smut #You guys are gonna hate me for this #i cried too #pls fetch some tissue before reading

196 notes · View notes

trainsinanime · 3 years

Note

For the ask game: 13, 15, 17, 19

13. Unpopular opinion about XXX character?

I’ve said this before: The Gorilla is not “Adrien’s only parent”. The Gorilla is the jailer who physically enforces the limits on Adrien’s freedom that Gabriel has set. That’s his job, and it’s one he actually does most of the time. In Gorizilla, Adrien and Marinette are trying to dodge him (and Adrien’s fans) long before he turns into an Akuma. In Origins, Adrien tries to dodge him when he wants to go to school.

Yes, the Gorilla is often bad at his job, and sometimes will let himself be bribed into being even worse at it. And yes, he has genuine affection for Adrien, more so than anyone else living in the Agreste mansion (Nathalie stans: Fight me). And I could imagine that someone else in the same role might be worse for Adrien. But still, when Adrien is running towards his freedom, the Gorilla is the person he is running from.

I don’t think he is irredeemable, far from it, and I’m perfectly okay with stories where Adrien decides to forgive him. I just think the fandom needs to acknowledge that there is something to forgive here in the first place.

15. Unpopular opinion about the manga/show?

I’m still trying to sort my thoughts enough for a long-form post, but basically, I think the strict format hurts the show. There is only ever the one villain; there is only one plot; there is only one kind of threat. If you compare it to other shows in a vaguely similar conceptual space like The Owl House or Buffy the Vampire Slayer (what is Miraculous if not Buffy but happy), you can quickly see where it leaves a lot of development on the table because of those structural deficiencies.

Having multiple enemies in succession means the bad guys can have meaningful victories over the heroes, keeping the threat level up. At the same time, the heroes can make significant progress at times. Miraculous Ladybug just doesn’t have that, and the one time they did have a serious victory for the bad guy (exposing the other heroes), they couldn’t do anything with that.

The show also generally doesn’t have B-plots; at least no B-plots with any substance to them. The time spent on B-plots is instead given to the CGI battles, and to be fair, those can be a lot of fun. But that means there is really no opportunity to develop side characters better because there is no time; even the main plot often feels more like we’re watching a summary than a well-told story.

It also doesn’t help that the show is so strict about secret identities and amnesia for akuma victims and the like. Marinette can’t talk about superhero stuff with Alya (for most of the show anyway) and Chat Noir can’t talk about superhero stuff with Nino, which means those two don’t get any development. And Marinette can’t really reason with an Akuma victim, nor talk about personal stuff while in costume, so in the end the CGI battles are fun, but usually irrelevant when it comes to characterisation and plot developments.

The show seems to address some of these issues, especially with Rena knowing, but still, it’s far from ideal.

It’s a weird thing where it sort of balances out in the end; the show doesn’t seem to have the the time to develop any overarching story well, but it doesn’t have a good overarching story to begin, so it evens out. And they have given me enough bits for the minor characters so that I love all of them.

I’m a bit hesitant to post all this stuff because it makes the show sound horrible, which it is not. I genuinely love it and enjoy watching it. I just think that it could have been so much better if it had chosen a different format.

Not sure if this is unpopular, but it is a thing we’re not really talking about.

17. Instead of XYZ happening, I would have made ABC happen…

Apart from “restructure the entire show completely and rewrite every single episode”, you mean? 😁

I think we could cut Lila, and instead give more time to Chloé. People keep acting like “Zoé is supposed to replace Chloé”, and no, obviously not; Lila is. People also keep saying “the writers hate Chloé”, and again, no, obviously not; if they hate anyone, they hate Lila.

Lila’s job in the show is to be the Cordelia Chase character; the antagonist for the non-superhero side of Marinette’s life. This is the role that Chloé previously had, until Marinette realised partly through season 1 that being the bigger person in that relationship is both easy and fun. But Lila isn’t a good replacement, because Lila has absolutely no character, no depth; she’s either conspiring to make Marinette’s life harder, or, more commonly, she’s functionally completely absent. The writers seem to have no clue what to do with her.

So either expand her role, or remove her. I’m leaning towards removal because Chloé could probably be a better antagonist; she has all the motivation and backstory, and the writers seem to genuinely enjoy making her the center of attention.

19. What is the one thing you hate most about your fandom?

Honestly I am at a point where either the salt has died down, or I’ve managed to block it well enough, that I am basically very happy with the fandom. There are certainly a lot of hot takes I don’t enjoy, but my impression is that these are mostly the results of young people trying critical analysis for the first time, and I don’t want to be too harsh on that.

So… the thing that tends to disappoint me the most is really at the other end of the scale: I think the fandom is way too serious at times. The show is blatantly silly and cracky in every aspect, from its world building right up. Marinette may seem over-the-top, but in the context of the show, she seems to have about an average level of chill. Every single episode, if written as a fanfic, would be pure crack. The fandom is by no means a joyless place, far from it! But I think it could embrace the sheer insanity that is the world of Miraculous Ladybug even more. If you write a fanfic, and the Eiffel tower remains completely stationary the entire time, what are you really doing? 😁

#miraculous ladybug

60 notes · View notes

deathbymeow · 3 years

Text

Left Unanswered

Ladybug landed on Chloe’s balcony some 48 hours after she managed to open the first letter. It was an emotional goodbye, written the night before he left. With shaking hands, it had taken her an hour to finally open it and after seeing his delicate handwriting for the first time in years another to finally read it.

Dear Marinette,

There are no words to explain how sorry I am. I am a mere coward and do not deserve your forgiveness nor do I ask for it. If I could give my life for his I would without any hesitation.

I’m leaving Paris. My father has chosen to send me to New York to study abroad and live with my aunt. I should stand up to him and demand I stay but I fear if I do, I will only make things harder for you.

That’s what I’ve told myself but deep down I know if I stayed, we would never be the same and I don’t know how to live with that.

I broke us before we really ever had a chance.

I want you to know I may have loved the girl in the mask first, but I fell even harder for the one behind it. The last few years I’ve struggled with my growing feelings for you. I didn’t want to complicate your life with my burden. It turned out my burden was already yours.

I wish it didn’t take losing what we did to realise what was always in front of me. I’ve wasted so many years and now we may never get our chance. I don’t want you to wait for me. I don’t know if or when I’ll be back.

I will forever love you Marinette and my heart will always belong to you and you alone.

Always yours,

Adrien

She read it over and over until she could no longer see through her tears. Her heart ached and she struggled to regain control before she managed to pull it together and read the rest. All 1128 of them. He’d written something every day he was gone. Some letters were just a paragraph or two, a summary of his day. They all ended the same with him telling her just how much he missed her and still loved her.

About a year in, the letters started to change. Adrien wanted to come home, but he didn’t know how. He was scared that she didn’t want to see him. It was almost as if he was waiting for her permission. It broke her even more to think that he’d been waiting all this time for her to answer.

Ladybug took a deep breath and walked into Chloe’s apartment. She knew her way around the spacious layout even with the lights off. It had become her home away from home. It was ironic really. If you had told her that five years ago, she would have fallen over laughing. Zoe had been a huge influence in Chloe’s life and when she’d left to pursue her acting career Ladybug decided to give Queen Bee another chance. Now there was no denying it, Chloe had become one of her best friends. Her home had become a safe haven from all the memories at the bakery that threatened to pull her back down the dark hole of depression.

“Chloe, are you home?” Ladybug called scanning the room. The only light came from a few candles on the coffee table.

“For fuck sakes LB, people have front doors for a reason.” Chloe’s head popped up from the couch. Her hair was a mess and that’s when Ladybug noticed the clothes scattered around the couch. Sabrina’s head popped up next to Chloe’s and she shyly waved.

“Oh, umm yeah sorry. I umm. Sabrina always good to see you. When did you get back into town? Anyway I’ll… sorry.” Ladybug took a few steps back, but Chloe had already grabbed her robe and gotten off the couch.

“No, don’t you dare. You’ve already interrupted, now move it.” Chloe demanded pointing to her bedroom. “Sorry babe, just give us a minute.” She kissed her girlfriend on the lips then gently shoved Ladybug towards her bedroom.

Chloe closed the door and took Ladybugs hands in hers. “Okay before you say anything Luka called me.”

“Chloe I…”

“No look LB I know you two are… well I don’t exactly know what you are. Anyway, he didn’t go into details, but he told me he fucked up royally and that you would probably end up here, so spill. What’s going on?” Chloe asked as she sat on her oversized bed and pulled Ladybug down next to her.

“Fuck. Chloe, I didn’t know. All this time. Oh my god three years. I…” Tears she didn’t know she had left spilled down her cheeks as she started to sob. She hated losing self-control like this but at this point she’d given up on trying to control the emotions she’d hidden for the last three years. It was as if a flood gate had opened and there was no stopping it now.

Chloe didn’t hesitate. She grabbed onto her friend’s shoulders and pulled her into a tight hug. “Okay sweets, you need to breath and then explain what you’re talking about.”

“Letters… Luka… didn’t… give… me… only… two days… ago.” Was all she could choke out.

“You have to be shitting me. How many didn’t you see?” Chloe’s voice was laced with venom that Ladybug knew wasn’t directed at her.

“All… of them.”

Chloe softly lifted Ladybug off her so she could look into her eyes. “You’re telling me you didn’t read any of them until now?”

Finally, Ladybug managed to slow her breathing enough to talk without feeling like she was choking on the words trying to leave her mouth. “Luka said I’d told him I never wanted to talk to Adrien again, so he didn’t give then to me. He said he was waiting for the right time.”

“What the actual fuck. Like he wasn’t benefiting from it.” Chloe looked like she wanted to tear him to shreds.

“In no way am I blaming you, but why didn’t you ask me about them? Why didn’t you tell me to reply? Why didn’t you give them to me?” Ladybug couldn’t look at Chloe anymore. She knew what she was asking the blonde and she knew no matter how she worded it, it would come across as an accusation.

“Oh sweets, I did a few times. You always changed the subject as soon as you heard his name. I didn’t want to be that person. You had enough of them always hounding you about things. I know that’s why you come here, to escape it all. Anyway, Luka was around you the most and I trusted him to give them to you on your good days not three fucken years later.” She pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Why did Adrien think running away was the only answer, Chloe? I needed him and he wasn’t there. He didn’t even talk to me before he left.” Ladybug stood up and walked over to the window and looked out at the Eiffel Tower.

“You knew Adrien, but you didn’t know the full extent of his home life. His father is nothing but a monster in designer clothes. Gabriel Agreste mentally tortured that boy. He starved Adrien of love and made him feel so inadequate in everything he did no wonder Adrien blamed himself for every bad thing that ever happened.” Chloe grabbed a piece of paper and a pen off her bedside table and wrote something down. “He tries to hide it but he’s hurting. He’s always been quick to make rash decisions thinking he’s doing the right thing but in reality, half the time he’s just running away.”

Ladybug felt every one of her words slice through her. She looked at her own reflection in disgust. What had she become? Why had she been so quick to doubt him?

She hadn’t noticed Chloe come up behind her until she put her hand on her shoulder.

“He still loves you. I never believed in that type of love until I saw the way he looks at you. The way his eyes light up when he talks about you even though it clearly hurts him. The way your wounds never healed even with every one’s love. It isn’t our love that you need. You need him as much as he needs you, Marinette.” Chloe passed her the piece of paper. “For when you’re ready. Don’t leave it another three years.”

Ladybug eyed the piece of paper before taking it and tucking it into her suit. “Thank you.” She kissed the blonde’s cheek then slipped out the door and disappeared into the night.

******

Ladybug sat at the top of the Eifel Tower looking at Adrien’s address until the streets below were empty. And then before she knew what had happened, she was standing on his balcony trying to remember how to breath.

Tired and emotionally drained, her thoughts were a jumbled mess. Was this the right time? Could she really forgive him that easily? Could she forgive herself for that matter? He was probably asleep. This was a stupid idea, what was she thinking. She should just go. What would she say anyway?

As she turned to leave the door opened and a hand softly took hers. Her head lowered and a small sob escaped her lips. His hand felt warm against her gloved fingers. What was she doing? Panic started to grip her senses and she took a step towards the edge. A gentle tug on her hand made her turn around and she inhales as the light reflected off his emerald eyes.

Adrien looked broken. It was clear he hadn’t slept in days. His lip was split and bruised from the fight with Luka a few nights earlier and his hair was a mess making him look more Chat like. Ladybug couldn’t help but notice his bare chest and the way his pyjama pants sat low on his toned hips. A blush spread over her cheeks, and she quickly looked away.

“We don’t have to talk if you don’t want to but please don’t go.” He begged gently squeezing her hand.

Ladybug gazed back into his eyes, they seemed to melt into her soul and pull her towards him. She found herself nodding as she let him guide her into his apartment. He let go of her hand to close the door and curtains behind them. Ladybug looked around his dark apartment, Plagg was floating over the kitchen bench, and he gave her a little salute.

“Tikki spots off.” Pink light washed over them and the little Kwami smiled at Marinette before floating over to Plagg and giving him a big hug.

Adrien hadn’t taken his eyes off her and it wasn’t until she felt the cool night air against her legs that she remembered she was only in an oversized t-shirt and fluffy bed socks.

“Hey.” He looked almost shy as he smiled down at her. “Can I get you a drink or anything?” he asked as he rubbed the back of his neck.

Marinette shook her head unable to find the words she wanted to say. A moment passed, neither of them talked as they staired into each other’s eyes. She couldn’t help but notice the tension in Adrien’s shoulders, as if he was afraid, if he moved she would run again.

She hated how the distance between them felt like it was miles instead of a few feet. Before she could analyse the situation anymore, she closed the gap and threw her arms around him. Adrien exhaled like he’d been holding his breath then wrapped his arms around her and snuggled his face into her neck.

The two stood in each other’s arms for what could have been a minute or an hour. Time seemed irrelevant at this point. Marinette felt her eyes getting heavy but the thought of leaving physically hurt. So, she did the only logical thing she could think of.

She let go of his chest and took his hand. His eyes never left hers as she walked over to the couch and flopped down, pulling him down next to her.

“Just need to sleep.” Marinette whispered while looking up at him through her long lashes.

Adrien nodded in agreement, he stood up and grabbed the throw blanket from the back of the couch as Marinette curled up on her side. He gently placed it over her and turned to leave but her small hand grabbed his.

“Please don’t go.” Marinette asked as she lifted the blanket for him to climb under.

“As you wish, princess.” He said as he lay down next to her and wrapped her in his arms.

Marinette’s body relaxed against his as if it knew something she didn’t. Even though all her pain, she felt like a part of her had returned. It felt like coming home.

Listening to his heartbeat and surrounded by his warmth it wasn’t long before she fell into a dreamless sleep for the first time in what felt like forever.

#miraculous fanfiction #miraculous ladybug #miraculous fanfic #ml #Marinette Dupain-Cheng #adrien agreste #chloé bourgeois #aged up #hurt #angst #comfort #long way to go

6 notes · View notes

miraculous786 · 4 years

Text

Miraculous: Chat Blanc (Sequel to Heartstring) > Eighteen

Masterlist

"Marinette, our friendship is everything to me," Viperion spoke softly, standing at a distance to keep her comfortable. "I would never to lie to you."

"B-But you said..."

She turned her head to the side. Dry tears welled up in her eyes. The kwami cuddled up to her neck whizzed up to her freckled cheek.

"I know," he agreed, tone edging at a guilty whisper. "And I regret all of it. I just-"

Luka let out an uncharacteristic sigh. Scaled fingers gripped at dyed blue locks.

"I just couldn't control myself. Everything just came out of my mouth without thought. I...It felt like watching something through a screen. I-I couldn't do anything."

The girl pursed her lips. She shared a sad look to Tikki. "I want to believe you, Luka. I really do, but- how do I know that what I saw before wasn't you?"

He gripped his lyre, whilst poking one of the strings - as if it would give him an epiphany.

She hesitantly turned around, frown settled on her features. Her gaze took in his forlorn expression. His resigned demeanour. Defeated posture. The dull look in his usually-mirthful orbs.

A gasp escaped her parted lips.

Viperion's head snapped up. "What's wrong?" he asked - the worry laced in his voice making her will quiver. "Are you okay?"

"Your...your eyes..." she breathed.

Concern overcame him, just as Tikki came into his vision. After studying what seemed to be his face for a few seconds, the kwami flew back to her owner's side.

"Your eyes are still red," she supplied. "Not as dark as before, but still red."

"T-That means you're telling the truth, and...but- how...?"

He suddenly came forward in a quick movement, encasing her in his arms just as realisation struck her. Marinette's eyes widened, her breathing becoming fast.

"L-Luka!" she choked, hugging him back when he squeezed her tight. "I- oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I can't believe I trusted-"

"It's okay, my Melody, it's okay," he hushed, stroking her silky locks with care. She soon melted into his embrace. Tears rolled off of his magic-infused costume and mask.

"No, it's not."

He leaned his head atop hers. "It is, Marinette. Trust me, I forgive you."

The sniffles that she let out were muffled by his chest. The tears that she cried were wiped away by him from her cheeks. It was such a gentle gesture that she couldn't help but throw herself onto him again.

They stayed there for a dozen moments more. Cold from the wind was chased away by their shared warmth. Fear of the situation was scared by their heartfelt reunion.

"It's alright, my Melody."

She tilted her head up to meet his gaze. Their pants were blown on each other's faces as they slowly inched closer in sync.

Until a loud shout broke the tender moment.

"W-What was that?"

Viperion squinted to where the source of the noise was, and, sure enough, a white blur was seen to be running about the tip of the Eiffel Tower. It seemed to be sporadic in its movements - panicked. As if it were searching for something.

"It's Chat Blanc. He's looking for you."

Marinette turned to where he was looking. When noticing the akuma, a surge of confidence began to flow through her veins. "We have to save him."

"I don't think it's a good idea for me to fight with you, Melody."

"What? W-Why?"

"He's right, Marinette," Tikki urged. "His eyes being red could mean that Chat Blanc can still control him. It's better to go by yourself."

She sighed. "You're right...but, but what if I'm not strong enough? He's my partner."

Luka placed a hand on her shoulder. "You are strong enough, Marinette. Believe in yourself, just like I believe in you."

After a few seconds, pink dusted her rosy cheeks, as she let out a small giggle. Before he could comprehend what was happening, she came forward, pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips.

He too blushed - watching as she smiled shyly.

"Thank you, Luka. Tikki, Spots On!"

~*~*~

"Chat Noir!"

Said person turned around, only to be met with the sound of a string extending and a hit to the face. Sharp claws held onto the ground, keeping him stable as he took in the person in front of him.

"It's Chat Blanc!" he hissed, standing up and grabbing hold of his baton. "Where did you take Marinette?"

"Somewhere safe!" Ladybug exclaimed. "Chat, I'll ask again. Give me your akumatized object. We don't have to fight."

Blue eyes turned into slits. "Give me my Princess back first!"

"Listen, Chat. Marinette wouldn't want this. You're one of her best friends. One of the people she trusts. Whatever you do now will hurt her."

"Well, not as much as those stupid classmates of hers hurt her!"

Ladybug flinched. However, she didn't have enough time to react as a staff extended into her, sending her careening into the ground below. She snapped her yo-yo back into her hand, then threw it to wrap around a beam.

Her figure perched on the metal, as bluebell eyes scanned about. There was a flash of ivory to her side, and she immediately swung in its direction.

There was a grunt as she kicked Adrien, causing him to land onto the floor harshly. The relief she felt was short-lived, though, when with a quick launch, he was already back in the air again.

"This is not going well..." she mumbled worriedly. "Maybe I should..."

Marinette glanced down at her weapon in consideration.

"What's wrong, Ladybug?" he spat aloud, his voice echoing about the Eiffel Tower. "Too scared to fight your little sidekick?"

His words made something inside her crack. She gained a determined expression, as she gripped the yo-yo in her hand.

"Lucky Charm!"

A flash of pink and ladybugs swirled above, soon manifesting an item into existence. It was a spotted mask - exactly the same as the one she was adorning now.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

Someone cackled from above. "Oh, I don't know. Cosplay?" They attempted to tackle her to the ground, with a hand laced in destructive energy held out.

The heroine sidestepped out of range. She leaped into suspension again, feeling wind whistle past her ears as she fell. With a graceful roll, she settled onto a building's rooftop, that had a flat surface and no chimney.

Quiet steps followed behind.

"Where is my Princess?" he snarled, fangs bared as he inched closer. "I need to protect her!"

"She doesn't need protection!" Ladybug retorted, spinning her weapon as a shield. "She's strong enough as it is."

"That may be true, but who says that there won't be more in the future who want to break her heart? Break her spirit? Her trust?"

Marinette fought off the warmth blooming from her heart. She instead charged forward, blocking bursts of energy sent her way with her turning yo-yo. The mask at her hip jolted from every movement she made.

The one she was fighting growled in frustration. He held his hands out, roaring, "Cataclysm!"

Her eyes widened. The sheer force of the power shoved her off of the ledge behind, prompting her to groan as she was planted onto a pavement.

Ladybug grit her teeth. She readjusted the red-and-black object at her hip. Her arms supported her weight as she stumbled up.

That was when a small puddle at her foot caught her attention.

She focused on it in confusion, feeling a sense of intrigue take over. Her eyes zeroed in on the reflection of herself - lit up by the lampposts around - and then her face.

Or more specifically where the mask lining her face was.

Marinette sucked in a breath. "Oh no..."

~*~*~

My head huurrrttss :(

@unholykrow @northernbluetongue @aestheticnpoetic @inno-chan @uwuteamleader @vinebino @stina-2245 @2sunchild2 @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @theatreandcomicfreak @alissasmith21 @a-fan-fighting-for-equality @maribat-is-lifeblood @corabeth11 @queenmj10 @smolplantmum @hopetookmysoul @akalovelymaybe @the-navistar-carol @miraculouslycool @bobothyross @geminikessa @damianette-is-life @fandomsarepainful @iamacartoon @tyagressian @soupfilledboots

#miraculous #miraculous ladybug #chat noir #marichat #chat blanc #mariblanc #akumatized chat noir #akumatized adrien #marinette dupain cheng #luka couffaine #lukanette #viperion #viperinette #ml ladybug #ml salt #class salt

74 notes · View notes

gigiree · 4 years

Text

and they were happy

an: I don’t really know what this is, but the Chat Blanc episode killed me and god, this is what I managed to get out.

He keeps her secret inside and it’s oh so wonderfully tortuous. It burns him all lovingly and adoringly, sears his nerve endings until his muscles move with barely a thought to hold Marinette over and over again.

He knows. She doesn’t. It’s a bit uneven, but he likes to think he’s respecting her wishes by not finishing these revelations.

They are happy.

“Je t’aime, Marinette.” He says again, delighting in the smile that curls across her face every time. Marinette gives him that same smile. The one that makes it look adorably as if she’s been cold-cocked over the head with a frying pan. As if she can’t quite believe this is still real.

To love and be loved. That’s why people live, isn’t it? Adrien thinks it’s a wonderful thing, and doesn’t mind that his smile looks equally as stupefied when she laces her fingers with his.

---

“And we can have huge windows to let the light in you know? We can have lots of little succulents and colors and soft things. You like soft things, right?” He suggests dreamily. He twirls a strand of her inky hair around a finger.

She hums sleepily, curling up closer into his frame as the movie drones on and the rain falls heavily outside.

“Of course...we can have a work room for you. A really big fancy atelier that you can design in and you can get grumpy and tell me off when I interrupt your inspiration because I made a slightly-burnt dinner.”

She laughs.

“You talk like an old man, Adrien.”

He sputters, face flushing in heated embarrassment.

“I...I...just...really do...”

Her eyes drift open and glance up, coyly catching his gaze as she stifles her smile.

“Can we have a room for the hamster? And one for Emma and one for Hugo?”

He blinks in confusion.

“Emma? Hugo? Are those more pets you want?”

Marinette laughs, reaching up to pinch his cheek.

“No. The kids silly. For the kids.”

He finds himself unable to look her in the eye at that, love overwhelming him until all he can do is pull her closer and bury his face in the crook of her neck.

Marinette nearly feels like crying when his broken voice says-

“I just...really do love you, Marinette. Thank you.”

She cradles his head close. She’s feeling almost too tender, almost too aware. He’s thanking her for many things, but the potential of a future there...the idea of building a family together...it’s something that speaks to the neglected child in him.

For as much as her Adrien seems mature and cool sometimes, he is still a child. A dreaming, sad child who has found a home in her embrace.

She is his. He is hers. They fit very well together, don’t they? (The thought of red and spots pricks at the back of her mind, making her feel guilty.)

Adrien is content. That’s all that matters now.

---

The rain is heavy and Chat Noir is searingly warm. His heat seeps into her weary bones and helps her sorrow drift into mist.

“It will be okay, My Lady.” He tells Marinette, carding his dangerously sharp claws through her damp hair.

Her kitty...her Adrien...is making the sweetest face. Apologizing that he hadn’t told her sooner. Apologizing for something that wasn’t his fault.

Silly Chaton...there’s nothing to forgive.

Hope tastes sweet on her tongue as Chat kisses her. Adrien is her Chat Noir. If there was anything more perfect in this world, she would have liked to see it. Because as it is, she doesn’t think her mind can take much more perfection than this.

He holds her as if the rain will sweep her away at any moment. His heart is racing. He almost lost her. The hurt part of him wants to call out her bluff. Prove fiercely to her that “see, we are made for each other.”

But he can’t because he’s more so overcome with relief. Relief that she’d accepted his other self so easily. So he settles for pulling her flush against him and when she gives a little squeal of embarrassment, he smiles triumphantly.

That should be proof enough that they were made for each other. She fits so well in his arms.

Happiness can be wonderfully reflected in the puddles left behind by rain, it seems.

---

“Little cat sitting alone on a roof...waiting for his Lady Luck.” He sings, swinging his Iegs over the side of the building. He’s sitting so prim and proper, and Ladybug teases him as she approaches from behind.

“I can’t tell if you’re an old man or a little boy, sometimes.”

He looks over his shoulder with a grin wide enough to push up into his green eyes. The golden hour drapes him in pretty shadows, softening the edges of a seemingly-dangerous hero into nothing but a boy.

A boy in love and invincible within that love.

“It doesn’t matter. Old or young, I don’t mind, so long as you’re with me, My Lady.”

She laughs.

“You’re such a sap.”

---

They were happy once.

And then many things happened and the colors leached out of him and he...he

He reaches for her, desperately clawing at his ebbing sanity. The water streams calmly around him. He feels...nothing. Nothing as he beholds her stone figure reaching for him in those final moments.

He sees his father’s stone body turning away from him in those final moments.

Chat Blanc cannot die. He goes limp in the water...but all it does is bouy him back up. Up and up to a white world where she longer lives and his happiness and love have been bleached so much, he no longer recognizes what they are.

Still...his muscles burn in memory of holding her. Should he hold her now, she’d fade away into dust.

His hackles rise and the grief claws it’s way up his throat unexpectedly and he screams. He screams her name and tears at his own skin. The blood falls but the wounds heal too fast.

If he squeezes himself hard enough, he can almost pretend she’s the one holding him. But a part of him remembers...that his Lady always come to the rescue. So he will wait.

He goes numb once more and climbs his way up what’s left of the Eiffel Tower. He swings his legs over a rusty beam, and sings.

Delusion tastes sweet on his tongue, but there’s no one to share the taste with.

---

They are...happy. Sort of.

She’s the newest guardian and she’s given up on Adrien, but Luka plays her song and for now, it’s okay. Paris is lovely this time of year and the river isn’t green enough to remind her of what she’s lost.

Kagami loves him and makes him feel...content. There is hope and potential there that sparks curiosity in him, but he is still raw from an ache he hadn’t realized had been there.

He tries not to look at the sunny sky, because it’s blue enough to remind him of what he’s given up. For some reason, he can’t bring himself to look across the row of good friends to catch Marinette’s attention when he has a joke he thinks she’d like.

It’s warm enough for ice cream, but when he takes a bite...the world feeIs a little colder...a little more without color.

It’s quiet enough for music, but as she listens, it hurts a bit when she hears her melancholy in those notes.

But it’s okay...because in another time and another place, they were in love and they were happy.

Perhaps the universe will be kind, and help them find that happiness again.

#miraculous ladybug #ml spoilers #adrienette #marichat #chat blanc

459 notes · View notes

k-k-keroppi · 4 years

Text

t ya’ll i was watching dr who speeches cause i needed a good cry, and i have a take (may or may not be hot idk). If every companion was immortal, they would all turn into the master, i think.

under the cut, cause its a long boi

Like, the doctor and the master were best buddies, they did everything together, and even to the master, who obviously is also part of the species with the stars in their hands, the doctor could show the master so much more that the master could ever see on their own. So the master formed such an incredible bond to the doctor, and vice versa, but then the doctor left. They grew morals one day and left the master alone (except more complicated ik). And we’ve seen what happened to the doctor when they travel alone, with the whole time lord victorious, the laws of time are mine, i could be so much more thing.

And we’ve also seen what happens to the companions that he leaves behind, the ones that survive. Rose built a whole fucking time machine to drag herself along a dimension to get back to him, amy and rory give up everything so many times to travel with him, once you’re with the doctor its obviously so difficult to do anything else, because they’re so wonderful.

The master is simultaneously the doctor and the companion in this situation. He has the same power as the doctor, and he uses it to chase the doctor across the fucking universe because they miss them. The doctor made other friends to fill the hole left when each one leaves, the hole that was created the first time they left someone (the master), but the master never did. The master never traveled with anyone the way the doctor did, they never made another connection like they one they had with the doctor, and it drove them mad.

they decided that if they can’t have their old relationship back, then an antagonistic relationship would have to do, fueled by the raging anger of being abandoned by the most important person in their lives. So the master hurts people and starts wars and burns planets just to see the doctor again because the doctor left them, the doctor left them alone and now if they have to hurt then everyone else has to hurt too. ‘time lord victorious’.

but then with missy, the master changes a bit, and she’s sick of the stupid game they have to play, that she invented, she just wants the doctor back. Like with the cybermen in heaven sent (i think) she does all of that, all the death and war and corruption just to force the doctor to see that she isn’t his enemy, she isn’t different to him. she just desperately wants him back, and she’s not interested in the good or the bad of it anymore. And when he takes the bracelet, and tells her thank you, they have a conversation and there’s no malice in her voice, there isn’t any smugness. her aim was never to corrupt the doctor, she didn’t want to hurt him, she just wanted him to see her, properly. that they’re still compatible.

and then on the cyberfarm thing with not-saxon-john-simm, when the doctor does his speech asking her to stand with him there are tears in her eyes, because she desperately wants to. and she was going to! she shot her own previous regeneration just to make sure that she could stand with him with no consequences, they were both finally ready to abandon the stupid rules they had made up, and then she got shot for it.

I can’t remember where, but i saw a post that said that the latest master’s anger was the anger of someone who had been hurt by their own kindness, and i agree with that. I think that Missy finally wanted to be good, not because she believed in it, but because it would make the doctor happy, and that attempt to bridge the gap got her shot, and she lost the chance to be with him again.

and then he regenerated, and he was not better, he was not good, he was so so angry, because if this is what kindness gets him what’s the fucking point, if kindness hurts this much why should i bother, who’s gonna make me!

so he goes back to being a dick, but even while he’s being a dick he’s still desperately missing the doctor, you can see it because he texts her! what villain who hates the hero decides to text their enemy like their best friends?! I can only imagine how conflicting it must have been for the master to text the doctor, to have a relationship with her again. It must have proved to him that the doctor could love him, that character wise it was in both of them to care about each other, but it was the outside that was the problem. the electromagnetic field of reputation that pushed them further apart while their hearts pulled them together (sorry for the prose). And you can see that he loves her, even without the destruction, even without all of that shit, (a good quote for that is the one on the Eiffel tower ‘when does this stop for you?’ ‘why would it stop, how else would i get your attention?’) because of one thing he does. all the other timelords dress in their traditional dress, the doctor doesn’t look like any of the other time lords except the master. Because the master, despite consistently mocking and ridiculing humans, repeatedly calling them the doctor’s ‘pets’, dresses like humans anyway, just like the doctor does. so either he does that to show the tiniest slither of kinship, even when their fighting his clothes scream ‘look look look, we’re the same’, or he does it because he’s jealous that the doctor spends so much time defending earth, she loves humans even though they hurt each other, even though they’re cruel and mean and spiteful, just like him, so he dresses like them too, because he’s jealous of the affection she gives them. even when they’re not on earth he dresses like that.

i saw another post that said with dhawan!master he was having an identity crisis for the first time, and i agree with that too. I think that missy’s kindness and readiness to join the doctor, as well as the relationship he had with her as o had shaken him, and proved that that the doctor could love him if he was just kinder, and he alternated soft and hard throughout the series. it was like he didn’t know what he was supposed to be, he couldn’t figure out the right answer, he was stuck between his anger and his loneliness. After so long of it simmering away, his need for the doctor has finally bubbled over, and he doesn’t know how to cope with it, because enemies isn’t enough anymore.

Another thing i think was that I think the master is afraid of the doctor being better than him. they were always equals on Gallifrey, outcasts together, messing things up and bunking off school, always wrong but wrong together. but when the doctor left, all scared of fighting and afraid of killing when the master didn’t have concerns like that, i think it planted the seed that the doctor was better, the doctor was too good for he master. and over time that festered into anger and abandonment and insecurity and everything else, but with everything the master did to hurt the doctor, every planet he destroyed, it was just one more way to prove that the doctor was better. and so he was in so deep into this hero villain dynamic that he never wanted, but he can’t stop now, he cant stop running and making the doctor chase him, because if he stops then he’ll have to face what he’s done and there isn’t a way out, so he has to keep going. if he admits that he was wrong, he would have to ask the doctor for forgiveness and i don’t think the thought of being told, to his face, that the doctor can never forgive him, is one that sits lightly with the master.

anyway, the point of that paragraph is that’s why he destroyed Gallifrey. he found out that the one person he made a real connection to, the most important person in his life, the person he has destroyed worlds just to see, wasn’t that same as him. It was conclusive, scientific proof that the doctor was actually, literally better than him. It was black and white proof of all the fears he’s had since the doctor left him, because before that point he could have been making it up. but then he saw that and it was all true, that doctor left him because t=he could never be as good. and not only does it ruin any hope of a relationship, it ruins the memories of their old one as well, because a friendship like that among equals an incredible connection, but a friendship like that with such a gaping hierarchy means pity.

and not only did they ruin the relationship of both the past and the future, but they hurt her. Despite everything, the master loves the doctor, and its up to you whether you think that means romantically or wholly, but he loves her despite everything he’s done, and now he’s found out that they hurt her, they lied to her, exploited her, used her, and he wants them to hurt for it. He’s still so furious, and not even necessarily at her, but she is the only person he has who has ever really cared about how he feels. and now he doesn’t know if that was out of pity or love, and he’s angry at, for, and around her all at once, and he just needs the doctor back but he can’t get to her. he’s being pulled in about eighty different directions, as is the doctor, and he simultaneously wants to hurt her, look after her, ask for her help, protect her, forgive her, fight her, he’s so confused.

Idk, I’m not saying the master is a good person, and I’m not saying the doctor is either, and I’m not saying that the doctor needs to forgive him, I’m just saying that i don’t think either of them really want to hurt each other, and somewhere down the line they both got confused and took wrong turns and couldn’t figure out how to get back to each other. And the doctor’s response was to keep walking her path and hope to find him again, and the masters response was the bulldoze the walls in between them. and, carrying on this metaphor, when the doctor felt bad for the walls he had destroyed and tried to rebuild them, the master took that completely the wrong way and his abandonment consumed him. kinda like Spinel.

18 notes · View notes

shedreamsofstars · 4 years

Text

the secrets that make and break us - chapter one

“I can’t do it anymore Ladybug,” he said bluntly, running a finger absentmindedly over his ring. “Do what?” “Keep the truth from you. I won’t stand back and let the secret of our identities ruin us.”

With his already strenuous relationship with his father in ruins, Adrien has had enough of secrets tearing people away from him. Fearing the same will happen with Ladybug, he resolves to reveal himself to keep them from meeting the same fate.

...xxx...

Secrets tore people apart.

Adrien Agreste knew that better than most.

They dug under your skin and festered beneath the surface, rearing their ugly heads at the worst possible moments. Like the one when he'd discovered that his father had been more than just the antagonist in his personal life.

It had been stroke of luck that Hawk Moth had not noticed Chat Noir's advance. He was distracted by Ladybug purifying an Akuma and this alone had allowed him to execute a close-range attack. The hand of fate had guided his staff right towards the man's chest, knocking him off his feet and the Miraculous right off his coat.

It clattered to the rooftop beside him, leaving behind a scrambling man Chat knew all too well. Or hardly at all, as the situation would have it.

It should have been the ground-breaking moment that finally gave Paris' heroes the upper hand – knowing Hawk Moth's identity meant they were closer one step closer to retrieving the Butterfly Miraculous and saving Nooroo.

But all Adrien felt was the ground shifting violently beneath his feet as his world rearranged into something unfamiliar before his very eyes. His ears filled with white noise, drowning him in a deafening reprise as he tried to make some sense of why his father was snatching up the Miraculous and disappearing in a cloud of white Akuma's.

He knew Ladybug was talking at him, but even her voice couldn't break through to him as he stared blankly at her lips, trying to figure out the words they were forming. He was losing his balance, the world teetering from side to side until Ladybug's hand rested firmly on his shoulder.

Her touch steadied him – it was likely the only thing that kept him from slipping and plummeting from the rooftop down into the traffic below.

Adrien didn't return home that night.

Nino had been confused by the last-minute request, but he had been more than happy to let him stay the night. He'd have to deal with Gabriel and Nathalie's wrath in the morning but getting some time away from his father was worth it.

Besides, what could his father do that was worse than him terrorising Paris?

As Chat perched on the top of a brick chimney scanning the city skyline, he wondered what Ladybug had made of the whole situation. It had been a week since they'd discovered that Gabriel Agreste was Hawk Moth, and he hadn't seen the girl since.

Looking out over the familiar city, it seemed that everything was the same on the outside. People still traversed the Champs Elysée with joy and the Eiffel Tower still glittered on the hour.

It was the same on the outside, but his world on the inside couldn't have looked more different as he traversed the Parisian rooftops nightly, flitting from one place to the next with an ease that bordered on deliberate carelessness.

Adrien had never gotten along well with his father, that was a well-established fact in the Agreste household. But that didn't mean that he didn't want to. In fact, it had been one of the only things he had wanted for years. To have his father understand him, to have him see him more than just a tool to exploit and further his business reach.

But there was no hope of that now.

Not when Adrien had spent the better past of the week avoiding the man at every opportunity he could. Whenever he was forced into his company, Adrien had done nothing but seethe with quiet anger and loathing at the man that sat before him, so calm and carefree.

How could his father live knowing that he was the cause of so much hurt? How could he be so unaffected by everything around him. He didn't even seem worried that Paris' two superheroes now knew his identity and could reveal his darkest secret at any moment.

What kind of man-

"Chat Noir!"

The boy spun at the sound of Ladybug's voice, his anger cooling a little at her very presence. His heart slammed wildly in his chest as he caught sight of a flash of red to his side, turning just in time to see the girl land gracefully on the rooftop below him.

"Milady," he responded with a light air he didn't quite feel as he hopped down to join her. Instinctively, he reached for her hand and bowed low, letting his lips brush against her knuckles. He held onto her fingers a beat longer than was proper, but if she noticed at all, Ladybug didn't comment on it.

"I got your message Chat. Is everything okay?" she asked, her dark hair glistening in the setting sun.

"No, actually …"

"Hawk Moth?" she interrupted, glancing around as if there was some imminent danger present. She swung her yo-yo defensively, the sound of it cutting through the air sharp and dangerous as she spun to face him again.

"No," he responded. "It's not him, but it's about him."

"Oh," Ladybug said quietly, letting her yo-yo fall slack in her fingers. She was silent a moment, tilting her head as if to try and figure out what he wanted to say. Even as conflicted as he was on the inside, he couldn't help but notice how adorable she looked right then.

"You … you saw who he was," Chat said simply, dropping down to the ground and leaning against the brick wall behind him.

Ladybug nodded. "Yes," she replied softly. "We both did."

"But you haven't told anyone."

Adrien had expected his public life to implode just as much as his internal one at the revelation that his father was a criminal mastermind, but the news channels had been nothing but crickets. Ladybug had remained silent, and he didn't know whether to be grateful or not.

"No. I don't know what to do with that information yet." she said, taking a seat beside him.

"Why not? What's stopping you from going straight to Nadia or literally any other reporter?"

She sighed, fiddling with her fingers in that nervous way of hers. It always reminded him of something, but he could never place what. "It's difficult to explain but, exposing him could hurt someone I care about."

"… Adrien?" he asked cautiously.

Ladybug looked surprised but nodded. "Among others, yes."

A thick silence settled around them just as Chat realised he was out of time. The small talk was done. He had called Ladybug here for a reason, one he had refused to tell even Plagg, and now it was time to follow through

He took a deep breath and turned to the girl beside him. "I can't do it anymore Ladybug," he said bluntly, running a finger absentmindedly over his ring.

"Do what?"

"Keep the truth from you. I won't stand back and let the secret of our identities ruin us," he said, repeating the words he'd been practicing inside his head all week.

"Chat, what do you mean? We can't reveal ourselves - you know that. It's dangerous, and we could-"

"I don't care anymore. I thought that I'd be able to know him someday, you know?" Chat said, his green eyes glassy as all the pain and hurt at his father's betrayal caught up to him.

Talking to Plagg had been one thing, but to actually voice the words he'd been feeling inside was harder than he had ever expected. Even still, he pushed on, knowing that there was no going back now.

"I wanted us to understand each other and have something real between us. But his lies were always more important. They kept us apart and now he's so far gone I can never reach or forgive him."

Ladybug reached for his hands, and a part of him wondered if she was doing it to keep him from slipping his ring off. Not that it mattered anyway. They both knew that he didn't have tor remove his Miraculous - there were other ways for him to achieve his goal.

"Chat," she said, her voice full of concern. "Who are you talking about?"

"My dad," he choked out. "We've been fighting Hawk Moth, but it's been him this whole time and I never knew. The secrets kept us apart and I can't do it anymore."

Ladybug's eyes went wide as the pieces began to fall into place. "Chat, stop talking-"

"No Ladybug! I don't want us to end up like him – so deluded by ourselves that we can't even tell the difference between right and wrong. That we can't even trust one another."

"We won't Chat. I'll always trust you; you never need to worry about that," she said, but there was a flicker of doubt in her blue eyes and he caught onto it instantly.

"You don't believe that. Our secrets will come back to haunt us one day," he said, voice defeated. "Forgive me Ladybug, but I can't let that happen."

Chat knew the exact moment Ladybug figured out what he was about to do. She lifted her fingers to cover his lips, as if she could somehow stop his words escaping if she could just reach him in time, but she was too slow.

"Plagg, claws in!"

She sat transfixed in horror, hand still outstretched as Chat's mask and suit began to disintegrate in front of her. She screwed her eyes shut tight, but by then the damage had already been done. She'd seen who he was underneath, who he always had been.

She knew that Chat Noir and Adrien Agreste were one and the same.

It was a relief to have another person know the truth if he was honest. A cold and welcoming relief. Like he had spent the longest time tied with invisible bonds, and now that they were gone he could move easily again, without restraint.

It felt like he had finally set himself free.

Adrien risked a glance towards Ladybug, but she had turned away from him. "Ladybug," he whispered, placing a gentle hand against her shoulder and urging her to face him. Now that he no longer had to hide himself from her, everything would be easier. If he could just explain to himself to her, she'd see that too.

"Ladybug, please look at me," he said again. She resisted at first, but she could only hold out for so long. As she turned back to him, all the elation he had felt at revealing himself vanished the moment he caught sight of her tear stained cheeks.

"Ladybug, you're crying," he said, tone filled with alarm. He leaned in towards her to wipe at the tears, but she swatted his hands away angrily. She jumped away from his touch and pushed herself to her feet, sniffling softly.

"Chat … what have you done?"

...xxx...

full disclosure, i have no idea where this is going, i'm just along for the ride lol. this started off as a fluff piece believe it or not, but it accidentally turned into this angsty mess.

i've never written for these two before, so i don't feel like i have their voices down just yet, but hopefully i'll get better at that. thanks so much for reading, i hope you enjoyed. feel free to let me know your thoughts if you have the time

#miraculous ladybug #ladynoir #adrienette #ladrien

11 notes · View notes

angelofthequeers · 4 years

Text

Hold Me By Both Hands: Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I don’t own ML.

Why yes, as much as I love Lady Noire with all my heart, I’m slightly creeped out by the fact that her outfit is a leather suit that’s so skin-tight that it makes her boobs pop and her belly button visible. When she’s FIFTEEN. (Or 14. I don’t even know their ages anymore).

Chapter 36 | Chapter 38 | AO3 link

His lady. Marinette. His lady is Marinette. How had Misterbug never seen it before? The same pigtails, dark as night; the same angular eyes that shine with a determined ferocity that’s always struck him as familiar, even if he’d never quite figured out why. Even though those eyes are now the cat-like green of his when he’s Chat Noir and her black hair falls down her back in a loose braid, she’s still recognisably Ladybug. And she looks utterly incredible in her suit: a cropped, long-sleeved black qipao top with bright green lining and two small slits up both sides at the bottom, over what looks like black gloves and a tight black suit with thin green lines down her sides and outer thighs. She’s also got a thin black belt with a green paw print on one side around her waist, along with knee-high black boots with green trim around the top and soles that appear to be green with black paw pads if Misterbug looks closely as they run.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng is stunning, no matter what guise she’s in. How did he get so lucky as to fall for the same girl twice? All his feelings for Ladybug, died down to background noise since being with Marinette, are rushing back to him in full force, filling his veins with jittery little ladybugs instead of blood and warming him better than any expensive heating system ever could.

Of course, it’s not a hundred percent certain. But honestly, who else could it be? Marinette trips down the stairs and hurts her left arm (although he’s got doubts about that being an accident, after her recent run of bad luck), and Ladybug’s left arm is hurt so badly that she can’t be Ladybug? And every single time Marinette’s been around, Ladybug hasn’t been, and vice versa? The way she’s been odd every time he’s brought up Marinette? How she was conveniently out on a secret mission when Evillustrator was targeting Marinette? No; now that Misterbug’s mind has connected the two girls, there’s no way he can see Marinette and Ladybug as two different people.

But what’s he supposed to do? He can’t just up and tell her. She’d flip out if she knew. And…maybe he’s just a bit scared. Maybe, after Marinette’s confession about the ways in which she used to pursue Adrien, there’s that fear that she’ll not want to be with Chat Noir if she learns that they’re the same people, especially since she’s confided in him without the knowledge that he’s the boy she was talking about. And considering that Marinette is one of Misterbug’s best friends and he’d kill everyone in the room and then himself if anything happened to her, there’s no way in hell he’s going to do anything to risk losing her.

“Um, excuse me, what the hell?” says a familiar voice, cutting through Misterbug’s thoughts. He and Lady Noire have finally made it outside, where there are vines and tendrils covering almost every inch of the place, plunging the courtyard into the quiet, breath-holding atmosphere of the heart of a forest. What the hell is this akuma annoyed about?

“Oh, hi, Honeybee!” Lady Noire says. “Chat and I decided to try switching our Miraculouses for a bit, to get accustomed to each other’s powers.”

“We – did! Yeah!” Misterbug says. “Misterbug and Lady Noire, at your service!”

Honeybee wrinkles her nose. “Eww. Ladybug looks way better in spots than as a mangy alley cat.”

“Luckily for her, she doesn’t have to give a fuck about what you think!” Rena Rouge says brightly as she lands beside Honeybee, while Carapace skids to a halt next to Lady Noire. Honeybee flips Rena Rouge off in response.

“Guys, focus!” Lady Noire easily slips into her role as the team leader. Another sign that Misterbug had missed! Marinette is class president; she’s a natural leader! “What are we up against?”

“A hacked-off gardener, I think?” Rena Rouge says. “Called himself Tangleweed before he ran and got his plants to try and strangle the hell out of us.”

“How do we find him, then?” Misterbug says. “With all these plants, he could be anywhere.”

“Just follow the leafy green road, dude,” Carapace says. Huh. Now that Misterbug looks closer, the vines and other plants do seem to be trailing from a common source outside what he assumes is the school gates, not that he can make sense of what’s up and down in this place.

“Well,” Misterbug says, “everything will be just vine once – ow!”

“Leave the puns to the clown, bugaboy,” Lady Noire says with a charming little smile, retracting her baton after bopping him over the head with it.

“Okay, I take it back,” Honeybee blurts out. “Lady Noire is just as hot as Ladybug, and feel free to stomp my head into the ground whenever you want. I’ll totally thank you for it.”

Lady Noire snorts at that. “I’ll remember your offer. But let’s take down Tangleweed before I go stomping on heads.”

Following the road of plants leads them out of the school and into the streets of Paris, which have also been overrun and choked just like the courtyard. Once they’re out of the school, however, following the plants is unnecessary to find Tangleweed. Unless Misterbug’s sorely mistaken, the massive flower bud on the tip of the Eiffel Tower is most certainly the location of this akuma.

“If this is another Horrificator pod person thing, he better not be slimy,” Honeybee says with another nose wrinkle. “Ick.”

“I’d comment on that, but I’m afraid Lady Noire would hit me next,” Rena Rouge says dryly.

“Damn right,” Lady Noire says with a shit-eating grin. Fantastic. Is Plagg’s bastard energy rubbing off on her? “Well, bugaboy, what’s the plan?”

Misterbug blinks when his teammates turn to stare at him expectantly. “M-Me?” he stammers. “Aren’t you the brains, milady?”

“Sure, when I’m Ladybug,” Lady Noire says, twisting the tip of her boot on the ground coyly. Misterbug’s heart nearly gives out at the sight because this is his gorgeous girlfriend Marinette he’s talking to. “Come on, milord, I’m sure you can think of something.”

“I’m gonna be sick,” Rena Rouge mutters.

“Payback’s a bitch,” Lady Noire grins.

“Well, you don’t have to watch me make out with my boyfriend! And ew, Ladybug watches me lock lips. I’m gonna make myself sick now.”

“Guys, focus!” Misterbug whines. Lady Noire falls silent, though her green cat eyes continue to glitter with mischief. “D’you think we can get to Tangleweed ourselves? Or should I Charm it?”

“Not this early,” Lady Noire says. “At least get closer and gather information. The Lucky Charm doesn’t just give you what you want. You have to make do with what you get and figure out how to win the battle!”

“May I just repeat,” Honeybee says, “please crush me into the ground.”

“Come on!” Lady Noire spins her baton. “Let’s go yank some weeds!”

“Hey, that’s my line!” Misterbug complains as he leaps after her, followed by Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Honeybee. It’s easy enough to make it to the Tower; the problems start when they try to scale it and a thick root appears out of nowhere and literally slaps Honeybee out of the air.

“Ah,” Misterbug says. “Yes. Because this was going to be easy, just for me.”

“You know, putting on this suit is probably the best thing I’ve ever done,” Lady Noire says cheerfully and bats a massive tendril of grass away from Rena Rouge with her good arm, wincing as she does so.

“Stop being a bastard and help me figure this out!”

“Fine, fine. Let’s try a distraction! Rena, Honey, keep him occupied. Misterbug, Carapace, and I will try and sneak around.”

“I grow gayer every time you call me Honey,” Honeybee says, then spins her trompo and leaps out onto a massive pink flower. “Hey! Planthead!”

“Look at Honeybee in her natural habitat!” Rena Rouge grins, stabbing a tendril with her flute. Honeybee shoots her a death glare.

“Come on!” Misterbug says. He, Lady Noire, and Carapace take off up the Tower, although Lady Noire noticeably winces every time she’s forced to put weight on her injured arm. Oh. Shit. Misterbug had forgotten about that!

“I’m fine,” Lady Noire huffs when she catches him staring. “Seriously.”

“Forgive me if I don’t believe that,” Misterbug says. “Look, you can stay on the ground and –”

“Like hell! I can still fight, bugaboy!”

“Uh, am I missing something, dudes?” Carapace says.

“I just don’t want you to hurt yourself even more!” Misterbug says.

“I don’t need you to coddle me! I can – ah!”

Tangleweed seems to have finally clued in that he’s getting a surprise visit from the rear. A vine lashes out and Lady Noire’s forced to dodge with the reflexes of, well…a cat. But she’s unprepared for the follow-up attack, especially as she hisses and cradles her arm to her chest, and she’s knocked off the beam that she’s clutching, hurtling towards the ground with a shrill scream as her staff clatters just out of reach.

“I got her!” Carapace says and dives after her before Misterbug can devolve into a panic attack at the sight of his lady plummeting off the Eiffel Tower. “Shellter!”

No. Focus! She can take care of herself. That’s why you love her. Focus, Misterbug!

Right. New plan. He drops to scoop up Lady Noire’s baton from the stray beam and then continues scaling the Tower, until he’s at the tip and right next to the massive pink flower bud. This close, it looks like it’s pulsating…wait, no, it is. Ew. Good thing Honeybee’s not up here or she’d be pitching a fit.

“Right,” Misterbug says, and takes advantage of Lady Noire not having her baton to add, “Time to nip this in the bud!” He shakes the baton to lengthen it, then jabs at the bud with a bellow…only to be grabbed by the ankles by a vine and hoisted into the air.

“Misterbug!” Lady Noire cries from on the ground as another tendril starts snaking towards his ears. “Use your Lucky Charm!”

Right! “Lucky Charm!” Warm power rushes through Misterbug as he bends up to toss his yo-yo, so unlike the cold energy of Cataclysm, and he’s so preoccupied with this warmth that he almost misses the summoned item that floats back towards him. It’s – “A feather? What am I supposed to do with this?”

Before he can start to think of a plan, though, there’s a low groaning sound that splits the air. The tendril around his ankles loosens, almost as though in shock, and he drops off the creaking, leaning Tower like a stone and is forced to whip his yo-yo off and toss it back at one of the beams to arrest his fall.

“Well? What did it give you?” Lady Noire says once he’s on the ground and can see the reason for his release: the bottom of the toppled Tower is corroded, just like whenever he uses his Cataclysm as Chat Noir. In response to her question, Misterbug holds out his hand to reveal the feather.

“I don’t know what to do with it!” he says. “I mean, I thought of tickling it, but you’d do something totally different! It can’t be that easy!”

Lady Noire hums and looks back at the collapsed Tower. “Well, I’d come up with some convoluted plan, but you’re a simple, straightforward guy,” she says. “Maybe it is that easy. But you can’t just get up there and tickle the akuma without coming up with a plan, which is the whole point of the Lucky Charm.”

“And we have to do it fast, dude,” Carapace says. “I’m gonna change back in a few minutes. And so’ll Lady Noire.”

“Well, the obvious thing would be to have Rena keep it occupied with Mirage while I tickle the flower and Honeybee paralyses Tangleweed,” Misterbug says slowly. “But it can’t be that simple…right?”

“Why not?” Lady Noire says with a small grin. “It’s still a plan. Carapace and I can help Rena Rouge keep him busy until our timers run out. Nice thinking, milord.”

“Alright, let’s freakin’ do this.” Rena Rouge twirls her flute and raises it to her lips to play a little tune. “Mirage!”

Birds. Her illusion is birds. Hundreds of them, flapping around Tangleweed’s vines and vanishing in orange light when the vines touch them, but they seem to do the trick of keeping his attention focused away from the superheroes, as his vines start to lash out at them.

“Let’s go!” Misterbug takes off running for the fallen Eiffel Tower with Honeybee, ducking and weaving through vines and flowers and leaves, batting them away when they react to his presence and try to grab him once again.

“Ew,” Honeybee grimaces when she and Misterbug finally make it to the pulsating pink bud. “Gross.”

“That’s what I said,” Misterbug says. “You ready?”

Honeybee steels herself and nods. “Venom!” she says and catches her throbbing trompo. Then she wrinkles her nose. “Ugh. I’m never gonna be able to look at my weapon the same way again.”

“Get ready to pollinate this plant,” Misterbug grins. Honeybee gives him such a venomous look that he’s surprised he doesn’t drop dead on the spot. “Fine, fine, I’ll lay off the jokes.”

“Just tickle the damn thing already!” Honeybee says. Sticking out his tongue – because okay, Adrien’s technically not yet friends with Chloe again and she doesn’t know he’s Misterbug slash Chat Noir, but it’s so much fun to mess with her – he steps up to the bud and starts to tickle it with the little red feather. The bud quivers, then shivers, then thrashes wildly and falls open to reveal the green-skinned man inside. Honeybee’s on the case straight away, jabbing her trompo into Tangleweed’s arm to freeze him on the spot.

“Nice,” Misterbug says. “Where d’you think the akuma is?”

Honeybee raises an eyebrow. “Probably the shears he’s very obviously holding in his left hand?” she says. Misterbug squints at Tangleweed. Oh. Right. That…would make sense. Biting down on a scathing retort, he grabs the shears and snaps them over his knee to release the evil purple and black butterfly.

“Don’t forget to capture the akuma!” Lady Noire calls over from the base of the ruined Eiffel Tower.

“Hey, I’ve always wanted to do this!” Misterbug swipes open his yo-yo and tosses it at the akuma, capturing it and reeling it back in. “No more evildoing for you, little akuma! Time to de-evilise!”

“You are a massive dork and I hate that I’m in your presence,” Honeybee says. Misterbug grins at her as he releases the now-white butterfly.

“Bye-bye, little butterfly!”

“Nope. Ladybug does it better. Don’t even try.”

“You could be just a little more encouraging, you know,” Misterbug says.

“That would imply that I approve of you being a gigantic loser.”

“Hmph. Don’t be such a hater.” Misterbug throws the feather into the air before Honeybee can retort, and when he calls, “Miraculous Misterbug!” the ladybug swarm surges around Paris, restoring the Eiffel Tower and other damaged buildings and vanishing any trace of Tangleweed’s plants.

“Did you seriously just –?”

“Hey, you told me not to try and be like Ladybug,” Misterbug grins. Honeybee’s eye twitches.

“Not bad for your first time as Ladybug, milord,” Lady Noire says as she bounds over with Rena Rouge and Carapace. She holds out her good fist, and Misterbug, Rena Rouge, Carapace, and Honeybee follow suit and the five of them cry, “Pound it!”

[8:33 pm] miraculass

ladyBIrd: nice job today, guys

what does the fox say: wait why is your name still that

what does the fox say: you’re lady noire now right

ladyBIrd: only temp

catitude: yeah we thought it’d be good to try each other’s powers

catitude: in case we ever have to swap and realise we’re fucked bc we don’t know how to use the other

mess w turt u get hurt: makes sense

honeybeetch: just pls hurry up and switch back

honeybeetch: i can’t stand to see ladybug like this

honeybeetch: i mean

honeybeetch: she’s hot but i can’t handle misterbug

honeybeetch: he’s a giant loser

catitude: :(

mess w turt u get hurt: omg chloe????

honeybeetch: !!!!!!!

ladyBIrd: caRAPACE NO

honeybeetch: FUCK IVE BEEN EXPOSED

what does the fox say: welp

catitude: f

airhead: Plot twist

airhead: Did I get that saying right?

mess w turt u get hurt: SRY

mess w turt u get hurt: i just

mess w turt u get hurt: the timing of honeybee esp after queen bee

mess w turt u get hurt: and how she’s a bitch here but like

mess w turt u get hurt: not nasty

mess w turt u get hurt: and chloe’s been better since mal

mess w turt u get hurt: even said congrats to marinette n adrien at school that day

mess w turt u get hurt: idk how chloe and honey were together after mal but prob rena

honeybeetch: only ladybug can call me honey shellhead

mess w turt u get hurt: only rena can call me shellhead fuzzhead

what does the fox say: aww i didn’t know we were at that stage in our relationship

mess w turt u get hurt: stfu don’t make a big deal of it or anythin

what does the fox say: 0:)

catitude: dw honey we’re not taking the miraculous

honeybeetch: good bc like fuck i’ll give it

ladyBIrd: Honeybee

honeybeetch: ugh fine

honeybeetch: only for u lb

honeybeetch: but thanks for not taking it

ladyBIrd: just

ladyBIrd: stop figuring each other out

catitude: pls

catitude: idk who milady is

catitude: now i feel sad :(

ladyBIrd: ugh

ladyBIrd: you’re a dork

catitude: eat me ;)

honeybeetch: ew get your kink away from me

airhead: Is it too late to give back my Miraculous?

ladyBIrd: yes

catitude: yes

mess w turt u get hurt: yes

what does the fox say: yes

honeybeetch: yes

honeybeetch: anyway later losers

honeybeetch: late night massage calling my name

airhead: My mother will be expecting me

honeybeetch: mine won’t

honeybeetch: not since i told her to gtfo back to new york

honeybeetch: don’t think she wants to talk to me for the next century

what does the fox say: yeah i should start on my homework

mess w turt u get hurt: SHIT FORGOT STUDY DATE WITH GF

what does the fox say: loooool

catitude: f

catitude: let’s take this to dms milady

ladyBIrd: such a gentleman

[8:39 pm] direct messages

Chat Noir: so um

Chat Noir: how’s the arm

Ladybug: sore as hell

Ladybug: freakin broke it

Chat Noir: oof

Ladybug: yep

Ladybug: prob gonna be out of commission for a few weeks

Ladybug: least the cure fixed any damage I did to it when I was transformed

Chat Noir: just treat plagg well

Ladybug: same with Tikki

Ladybug: I miss her already

Chat Noir: same with plagg

Chat Noir: even if he’s a gremlin

Ladybug: he told me to tell you he’s super offended

Chat Noir: let him be

Ladybug: um

Ladybug: ty

Ladybug: for having my back like that

Ladybug: don’t know how I would’ve managed with my arm

Chat Noir: of course bugaboo

Chat Noir: we’re a team

Ladybug: <3

Chat Noir: <3

Chat Noir: hate that i can’t go and see mari

Chat Noir: even if she’s out of the hospital she prob needs rest time

Ladybug: Chat

Ladybug: you’re her boyfriend

Ladybug: why the heck wouldn’t she want to see you

Chat Noir: i mean

Chat Noir: true

Chat Noir: i’m gonna go see her now

Ladybug: good

Ladybug: I’ll have fun with this homework

Chat Noir: ew

Ladybug: yep

Ladybug: thank god it wasn’t my right arm

“It’s really nice of you to do this, Adrien!” Tikki says as Adrien double checks his schoolbag the next morning to make sure that he’s got everything.

“Well, why wouldn’t I give Marinette a lift to school?” he says. “Someone’s got it in for her. They broke her arm! I mean, it was an “accident” that someone tripped and caused a domino effect just as Marinette happened to be on the stairs but come on. I’m going to stick by her and be her ‘lucky charm’.”

“Mhm.” Tikki’s mouth droops. “She doesn’t deserve what’s been happening to her. Uh, from what I’ve seen of her…”

“You don’t have to pretend.” After a night of tossing and turning, Adrien’s realised that this is the right thing to do. He can’t just sit back and pretend that he doesn’t know, especially since he’s got Ladybug’s kwami for the time being. “I know Marinette is Ladybug.”

“Eep!” Tikki claps her little paws over her mouth. “I didn’t mean to –”

“No, no, it wasn’t anything you said!” Adrien hurries to say. “I figured it out yesterday. Ladybug just happening to have the same injury as Marinette? And then everything clicked.”

Tikki sighs and lowers her arms. “I’m just surprised that none of the others figured it out,” she says. “You are one of the least observant lot we’ve had.”

“Hey,” Adrien protests, though he can’t find it in himself to take offence at something that true.

“When are you going to tell her that you know?”

“I don’t know. I want to but…I’m afraid, Tikki.”

“Adrien –”

“She likes me, right? Adrien? Even though she’s choosing to focus on Chat Noir?”

Tikki slowly nods.

“I know I’m just being silly but, like…part of me is terrified that she won’t want me anymore if she knows I’m Chat Noir. What if she decides that she likes Chat Noir better than Adrien and she wishes I’d never told her? That she’ll lose interest because it’s been me all this time and – and I’ll lose her.”

“That won’t happen, Adrien,” Tikki says firmly. “Marinette most definitely will still want you even if she knows you’re Chat Noir.”

“But –”

“Adrien, I’m her kwami. Trust me when I say that she won’t be disappointed at all. Knowing you’re Adrien would probably make her happier because then her heart won’t belong to two different boys when they’re the same person.”

“Right. Right. Just…give me some time? I still have to wrap my head around the fact that I fell for the same girl twice. Of course she’s Marinette! Who else is as brave and funny and gorgeous as Ladybug?”

Tikki giggles. “How about telling her when you give me back? That should give you enough time to sort yourself out.”

“This isn’t fair,” Adrien complains. “I got stuck with the gremlin kwami. Of course Marinette would get the sugary sweet one.”

Tikki laughs again. But at the sound of footsteps outside Adrien’s bedroom, she dives into the pocket of his green hoodie, just in time to avoid being seen as Nathalie opens the door.

“If you’re insistent on giving this Marinette girl a ride to school, you have to leave now, Adrien,” Nathalie says.

“Right.” Adrien grabs his bag and follows her. “Thanks, Nathalie.”

23 notes · View notes

goldenboywrites · 5 years

Text

three times scorpius swears it’s not love & the one time it maybe is

“You guys are basically married.” Rose’s eyes gleamed with evilness while Scorpius’ narrowed in anger. “You’re in love!”

“No. We’re not.” Al was his best friend. Nothing more. Just because they were joined at the hip, rarely fought, and could finish each other sentences did not mean they were dating or in love. It just meant they were really good friends.

“I’ll prove it! Example one: you brought him lunch yesterday...”

Scorpius couldn’t keep his eyes off of the doors to the Great Hall. He wouldn’t even blink because he didn’t want to miss it when Albus came in. He was late and his best friend was never late especially when he was meeting Scorp.

His fingers tapped against table and his lower lip was jutted out into a pout.

“He’s not coming, Scor.” The blonde glanced to his left and frowned at Rose. It made his skin crawl that she knew something about Albus that he didn’t. Even though they were all best friends, he prided himself on the fact that he and Al spent more time alone together. “He forgot about some essay that’s due last period and he went to the library to try and fin-Hey!”

He didn’t let her finish. He didn’t even flinch when she screamed ‘hey!’ at him. He had already gathered the food on his plate into a napkin and was headed off to the library to meet Al. Lunch in the Great Hall just wasn’t the same without him.

“I was being a good friend!” Scorpius protested with wild eyes. How did she even know that’s what he did?

“You were worried about him.”

“No. You were boring me.”

“Okay,” Rose brushed back a fire red lock of hair and smiled sweetly at him. “Example two: he did poorly on an exam and you brought him his favorite candy in from Hogsmeade...”

“I’m useless,” Albus had tears in his eyes and it tore Scorpius’ heart apart. “I’m never going...I just don’t understand this stuff. It doesn’t come easy for me the way it did for James and the way it does for you. I’m stupid. I-”

Scorpius slid out off of his bed and onto Al’s. He wrapped his arm around his best friend’s shoulder. Albus leaned against Scorpius’ shoulder as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “You’re dumb or stupid. You’re just better at different things. Like defensive spells and charms. Do you know how hard I have to study for classes like that? Potions...is just natural for me. It’s in my blood. But you’re not stupid. Not at all..”

His pep talk worked a little but Scorpius could still see the hurt behind Albus’ eyes. He excused himself from their dorm room and snuck out through the hidden passage to Hogsmeade. Making Albus happy would require some supplies.

Scorpius returned as quickly as possible. Various sweets shoved into bags. In order to treat Al’s bad mood, Scorpius declared an all nighter with treats and a bottle of firewhiskey that Scorpius took from the basement of Honeydukes.

As he handed Albus a box of candied pineapple, the brunette smiled from ear to ear and Scopius swore he saw a blush when Albus muttered, “You remembered my favorite.”

“Once again...I was being a good friend.” Scorpius was bored. Of her. Of this conversation.

“We’re friends and you don’t do stuff like that for me. I bet you can’t even tell me my favorite candy.” She had a point and Scorpius hated her for it.

“Maybe I don’t like you,” He retorted with a smirk.

“Or maybe you like me but you love Albus. Which brings me to example three: you took him to Paris for his birthday.”

“That’s not even a good example! I brought you too!”

Rose wagged her finger in Scorpius’ face and made that god awful annoying tsk, tsk, tsk noise at him. “Yeah. I was there which means I saw it...”

“Wow!” Albus turned and looked at Scorpius, his eyes filled with pure happiness and excited. The whole trip he had this puppy dog excitement. Bouncing around from place to place, trying new foods, taking pictures on some foreign muggle device that he called a camera. Scorpius didn’t understand why he needed it when he could use a pensieve but still, every time Albus randomly shouted ‘SMILE!’ Scorp faced the camera and smiled widely.

“I mean...just...wow..” Albus was looking at the Eiffel Tower with amazement. He took his breath away. Scorpius had seen it hundreds of time. It didn’t phase him. What caught his attention was Al’s face. The happiness. And that happiness was there because of Scorpius. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from Albus. He wanted to remember his face forever.

Reaching forward, Scorp grabbed the camera from around Al’s neck and peered into it. He centered Albus’ face and clicked the button he had seen Albus touch a hundred times so far. A quick click sound and Albus turned to face him with a bewildered expression on his face.”What was that for?” He grinned goofy and took the camera from Scorpius’ grip. “I wasn’t ready for a picture!”

“You were ready. Don’t worry. And when you...however you get the pictures out of his little box I want that one, okay?” Albus nodded in agreement and stepped a little closer...his fingers nudged Scorp’s and the blonde smiled...

“Are you guys done making googly eyes at each other? I’m hungry!”

Scorpius jumped and turned to see Rose behind them with that annoying ‘all knowing’ look on her dumb face. Their fingers fell a part and Scorpius inhaled sharply. Why had he invited her? Oh right, she was part of their gang.

“How many times do I have to explain it to you, Rose? I’m a bloody good friend. I do nice things for the people I care about.” Why was this even a discussion again? Oh, right because Rose thought she knew everything when she didn’t know anything.

“I just want you to admit it, Scor. I don’t care if you’re in love with him or not. I’m pretty sure he’s in love with you. You guys are fools to keep pretending you’re just friends.”

“We are just friends!”

“I heard you last month. In the hospital wing. After Al had that Quidditch accident.” Scorpius’ mouth fell opened but he quickly turned it into a frown. That had been a private moment. “I heard what you said.” It was a violation. He had been talking to an unconscious Albus. Not to her. “So I know. And it’s okay...”

Albus had fallen off of his broom. It was awful. Horrifying. The worst ten seconds of Scorpius’ life. The entire crowd went silent. No one even took a breath. Scorpius’ stomach fell to his toes and tears filled his eyes as he watched. Helplessly.

Someone did help. Thank Merlin. And Albus was rushed to the Hospital Wing. Scorpius was the first one there. He fought the nurse to get to Al’s bedside. She refused. Threatened him with detention but she could have given him detention for the rest of the year and he still would have been at Al’s side. He watched with wet eyes as they worked on him. They kept him knocked out just to be on the safe side. He looked dead and that image of him laying there fueled Scorp’s nightmares.

Finally everyone left them alone. Albus slept peacefully and Scorpius sat in the uncomfortable chair for hours just watching him. The color had returned to his cheeks. His hands were no longer cold but warm. Scorpius took the credit for that since Al’s hands had been clutched in his own.

“That wasn’t funny, Albus,” Scorpius whispered to his best friend. “You were out there trying to be the hero and trying to win. But it wasn’t funny or cool. It was reckless.” He laced their fingers and scooted himself closer to the bed, his elbows rested on the edge. “And if you ever risk your life again carelessly like that just to win a game I will end you.” He tears that had been threatening to fall from his eyes finally did. Thick, wet, alligator tears. “I love you, Albus,” He choked on the words. On the emotions running through him. “I’m in love with you and I need you to not be reckless because I can’t imagine a world without you.” He sniffed and with his free hand brushed away his tears. “Don’t leave me. Not because of some stupid sports game. Don’t leave me...”

Scorpius looked at Rose. No, he glared at her. She still had that know it all look on her face and Scorpius had no defense for her last example. And what was the point? She wanted to make a point and she did. She didn’t care about Scorpius and Albus working things out on their own or coming together in their own way. She had to be right and that was all that mattered.

“If you say anything to him about any of that...you’ll regret it.” Scorpius started to shake. His breathing increased. He felt trapped and he hated it. “Don’t fucking say anything to him, Rose. I mean it. I’ll never forgive you...” He started shoving his belongings into his bag and tossed it over his shoulder. “I’ll ruin you if you do.”

“Scorpius...I didn’t...come on.. it’s not like that...I wouldn't...” She pleaded with him but he was far too angry to sit there and listen to her any longer.

He was already walking away from her.

#scorbus #albus potter #scorpius malfoy #drabble #ask meme answered #past!scorbus #three times scorpius swears its not love and one time it maybe is #i pick my poison and its you

89 notes · View notes

benhardyisdaddy · 5 years

Text

Love Of My Life - Part 12

MASTERLIST

(its been a while so im sorry!!! i hope u all like this fluffy af part cuz it was actually so cute and soft to write ugh BUT dont be fooled cuz the next part is going to be angsty af and like ummm yeah youll see 😌☕ also this gif is so cute wtf this is what i imagine his face was when u get excited about paris and are jumping around sksksk so cute)

Word Count: 1,903

To My Beautiful Wife,

Remember when you first saw this postcard? You were so in love with, I couldn’t not buy it. Tickets are at the airport. Pack your luggage. Everything's ready for you. 3pm is your flight. You’ve been dreaming of this moment your whole life. I wish I was with you. Roger will make a good travel buddy, you know that now. Please soak in every last moment. I’ve been gone for a while now. You’ll be in the city of love, so open your heart. You never know what you’ll find.

Yours Forever,

John

P.S. You’re the love of my life

“I can’t believe it.” you whisper, still staring at the postcard. “He bought it. He knew how much I adored it and he… He bought it.”

You look up to Roger with tears in your eyes as you smile. A slight grin is on his face as he watches how excited you are over this. You look back down at it and your smile drops.

“Wait,” you start, looking back up. “Are we… Are we going to Paris?” you ask, your eyes narrowing.

Roger fights off an even bigger grin as he looks half shocked and surprised.

“It said the tickets are ready for you. I think we’re going to Paris!”

Your eyes are wide with shock as you jump up and down, squealing and shouting loudly. You ignored how bad your head hurt, but you couldn’t believe it! John had all of this planned out for you. He didn’t forget how much you wanted to visit Paris. He didn’t forget.

You pause and look around your apartment, suddenly overwhelmed.

“Oh my god, it said we leave at 3! We have to hurry!”

You run as fast as you can back to your bedroom and fling your suitcase on the bed. You pack everything you can grab, making sure to miss nothing. You grab all of John’s letters and tuck them inside, followed by the postcard. You look around in a hurry and spot the black and white photo of John that you had taken. You stare at it and smile as you reach forward and pick it up. You run your fingers over the image and safely tuck it beside the letters. It needed to go with you.

You were in such a huge hurry getting everything around, you didn’t even realize Roger had left your place and went back to his. He asked no questions about anything as he packed a suitcase as well and hurried back. If his best friend’s wish was for him to go on a little vacation with his wife, he would never say no. The look on your face was priceless when you found out you were leaving for the one place you have dreamed of seeing. He was just as excited for you.

Shower, change clothes, get around and you’re done. You have exactly one hour to get to the airport on time. Roger helped place your luggage in his car along with his. You were giddy and excited, not able to sit still.

“I can't believe this is actually happening!” you squeal, looking out the window as you all drive.

He smiles and glances over to you. He hasn’t seen you this happy in a long, long time. It was so nice.

“Are you nervous?” he asks, looking back to the road.

“A little,” you confess. “But I’m really happy you’ll be there with me.”

Roger’s smile drops just a bit as he looks over to you fast. A sweet grin is on your face as you look at him, his heart speeding a bit. He smiles back and looks forward again.

“Me too.” he says.

***

“It’s only about an hour flight at least.” says Roger, holding your tickets in his hand.

You’re officially at the airport and waiting in your gate area. It’s 2:50pm and they were starting to board the flight. You were next in line to have your ticket scanned and off you were. Roger was right behind you as you clutch your purse tight to yourself. You walk through the long hall like structure and spot the opening for the plane. You stop just right outside of it, greeted by three flight attendants that smiled at you sweetly. You close your eyes and take in a deep breath. You open them once more and smile as you take the first step onto the plane. You glance back down at your ticket and search for you seat. It was the second row and a window seat. John really did know you. You slide into your seat and immediately buckle in. Roger sits next to you as you both peered out the window and watch as people outside scurry around to get everything in order.

“Ready?” he asks.

You look over to him and grin, nodding your head. You reach your hand over and grab his, lightly squeezing.

“Take offs always scare me.” you tell him.

He gently squeezes your hand back as he leans in closer to you.

“Just close your eyes and squeeze my hand as hard as you can. It’ll be over before you know it.”

You smile and nod as you lean your head back and close your eyes, still gripping his hand hard. Roger is still leaned forward a bit as he watches you slowly take in a breath and exhale. This was the perfect moment for him to take you in. He stared at you and every feature on your face. He couldn’t look away. He continued to watch you until the plane takes off. It was bumpy at first, causing your eyes to squeeze shut and to squeeze his hand hard.

“It’s almost over.” he whispered, causing you to relax.

And just like he said, it was over.

***

Paris, France. The one place you had dreamed of always visiting and here you were. The plane ride was smooth and perfect, almost soothing. You couldn’t believe you were actually here. You were the first off of the plane, looking around like crazy. Even the airport was beautiful. Roger walked close behind you as you both enter the building.

“What happens now?” you ask, looking to him.

“Well, he said he had everything planned. Maybe-”

Roger stops and looks at something, causing your head to turn around. A man in all black holds up a sign that reads Y/n and Roger. Your brows go up as you hurriedly walked over to him, a light smile appearing on his face when he spots you.

“Hi, I’m y/n.” you tell him.

“Yes, ma’am. I know exactly who you are. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” he says, holding out his hand to shake yours and Roger’s. “Your husband John had to of been the most genuinely nicest person I ever got to meet. It was a pleasure to know him and to do this for him.”

You fight back happy tears as he speaks. That was the John you knew as well. You smile and look over to Roger then back to him.

“Oh, forgive me,” he says as he takes off his dark sunglasses. “I’m Samuel. You may call me Sam if you’d like.”

“Nice to meet you, Sam.” says Rog.

“You as well, Mr. Taylor. Shall we go?” he asks.

“Oh, but our luggage-” you go to say.

“It’s already all in the car, Mrs. Deacon. Your hotel is the next stop. I’ll be your driver for the next four days here. Anything you need or anywhere you want to go, I’ll be right there.”

You look to Roger and smile as you slide your arm around his. This was so exciting yet nerve wracking. The three of you make it outside and to a large black SUV. Sam opens the door for you both as you thank him and slide inside.

“I had instructions to take you to your hotel and then to your dinner reservation at seven.” he tells you as he begins driving.

“My first ever Paris dinner!” you says excited.

“Perfect, I’m starving.” teases Roger.

***

Your hotel was large and beautiful. Breathtaking actually. It was about 15 stories high and the most elegant place you have ever been in. When you reached your room, your eyes were wide. It was humongous and gorgeous. A large chandelier hung in the middle of the room, a king sized bed caught your eye as well. A large glass table by the large TV stand had a bucket with ice and two bottles of champagne. You walk over to it and suddenly spot a piece of paper that’s folded in half. It has your name on the front and your heart flutters. You know it’s from John.

My Beautiful Wife,

Enjoy your time here. I know you will. Sam knows the schedule of what I have planned for you. He will tell you everything. For now, relax and get ready for dinner. Also, walk outside on the balcony. I think you’ll enjoy the view.

Yours Forever,

John

P.S. You’re the love of my life

The view? You look over to the two large doors that lead to a huge balcony. You place the letter down and slowly walked over to them, feeling Roger’s eyes on you. You grab their handles and swing them both open. You take a step outside and peer around, freezing. You gasp and your eyes go wide. Roger rushes over to you and walks behind you, stopping as well. In front of you, the most perfect view, was the Eiffel Tower. It was tall and mesmerizing, just like you knew it would be. A warm, soft breeze brushes against you as you smile widely. You couldn’t look away from it. You had longed to see it for so long now and there it is.

“John really knew what he was doing.” whispers Rog, his eyes glued to it as well.

You turn around to Rog and smile.

“He did.” you whisper back.

The two of you look at each other for a moment, not breaking away. Something about the way Roger looked at you reminded you of something or possibly someone. You glance down at his lips and then back to his eyes, noticing him do the same. He’s close to you, almost too close. You find yourself moving in even closer, him doing the same. You look away quickly and clear your throat.

“We should get ready for dinner.” you say fast.

Roger looks down and nods as you walk around him and back inside. He looks back at the tower for a moment before following. The two of you are silent as you change into a long black dress and fix yourself up. As you're applying lip gloss, something suddenly hits you. You turn around and walk out of the bathroom, your eyes narrowing. Roger’s sat on the bed as he ties his shoes. He looks up to you and notices the look on your face, pausing.

“What?” he asks fast.

“We only have one bed.” you say.

Roger turns and looks behind him, suddenly realizing it as well.

“Oh…” he says. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”

“You are not sleeping on the floor. We can make it work.” you say smiling.

You walk back into the bathroom and for some reason, your heart’s beating fast. How is tonight going to go?

Tag List: @crazylittlethingcalledobsession @queen-bunnyears@queengavemeasheerheartattack @fatbottomedboi @lokis-scepter-in-my-pants @rtyler19

Perm Tag List: @loudxxstar @iambuckyrogers @babebenhardy @ramimalekrp-roleplayerpage @mautand @rogertayolr @mothermercuryy @basics-andthesimplelife @caterinaborgia @discodeakyjazzyjoe @sheridans-dynamos @bethany-cc @onexlittlespark @idontbelievethiss @having-a-freddie-time @denimmay @bensrhapsody @manuosorioh @writing-in-hell @cupcakehardy @toms-irish-girl @a-kind-of-magik @thesecondlastjedi @dianamarie-has-a-blog @ezmina98 @finnbalortrash21 @frostedsugarcookiemint @yourealegendroger @popcrone818 @wronglanemendes @sj-thefan @borhapqueen92 @httpfandxms @haileylansley @arrozsocarrat

#benhardyisdaddy #roger taylor #rogertaylor #rogertaylorxy/n #roger taylor x reader #loml #love of my life #angst #part 12 #fic #series #sad #John Deacon #johndeacon #ben!rogertaylor #joe!john deacon #queen #borhap

54 notes · View notes

geekgirles · 5 years

Text

A sword and a yo-yo.

So, as I expected, I was disappointment with Oni-chan. And I decided to write a nice aftermath considering the lack of bonding time between Marinette and Kagami when they're the only sane characters who're into Adrien! So, I changed that ;) Sorry if it's too vague, I actually wrote it yesterday. Please enjoy! And shout-out to @apocalypse-of-the-fucked for helping me out! Girl, you rock!

The parisian sunset was a sight to behold, indeed. With the sky’s rosy and orange shades darkening as time went by, yet it only made the view even more breathtaking. She would say it could even rival the first sunrise of the year back in Japan. The only thing that made it not so perfect though, was that she was watching it from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Right after she had been akumatised that same day.

But, she was there per Ladybug’s request. And after having to deal with whatever she had turned into this time and the Hell that Lila Rossi had proven herself to be in the scarce few hours she had known her, something inside her told her she owed it to the superheroine.

As she waited for the masked hero to make her appearance, she allowed her mind to wander back to the moment she had regained her senses.

Kagami suddenly found herself in the middle of Paris, in some unknown location she had never been to in all her months living in the City of Lights. But one thing she could recognise for sure was the two heroes standing near her and, unfortunately, the Italian girl who was complaining to her phone. Annoyance apparent in her voice.

The young fencer narrowed her eyes. From what she could hear, Lila seemed to be playing the victim to her mother, whining about the lousy job Paris’ duo of superheroes had done to protect her from the crazy chick who had lost her marbles and attacked her.

“They can’t be that bad if you’re still alive and whining, if you ask me”. The Japanese teen thought.

Everything was just very suspicious, she remembered this girl was annoying and gave off the vibe of being more fake than a tan from a beauty parlor, but didn’t she always say she was best friends with Ladybug? Then why would she criticise her like that?

That’s when she appeared. In all her mysterious glory and deep blue eyes, Ladybug crouched down before Kagami. The young fencer had to keep her cool, something that didn’t happen often considering she was practically trained to remain focused at all times.

“Are you okay?” The heroine simply asked.

“Y-yeah. I...think so”.

“Don’t worry about losing your cool and getting akumatised. Happens to the best of us”.

Kagami couldn’t believe her ears. Despite losing all control and probably, most likely, trying to hurt innocent people out of spite, Ladybug was trying to comfort her. No wonder she was Paris’ idol… No, scratch that. More like its guardian angel.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Lila exclaiming something about Ladybug having to be beside her because Alya (?) had asked her about whatever and she demanded her presence because, apparently, she owed it to her.

Then it was Chat’s turn to speak.

“Sorry, Lila, but we’d better go. Don’t wanna de-transform, you know!”

As if on cue, Ladybug followed suit but not before leaning into Kagami’s ear to whisper “Come meet me at the top of the Eiffel Tower at sunset”. And then, she was gone.

And that’s why she had had to convince her driver to take her to the famous landmark instead of going home after such a stressful day. And the reason why she found herself waiting for the masked girl to appear.

But why would she want to speak to her, though? Did she want to make sure she was alright after being akumatised? Which was sweet, but she had never heard any of the other students who had been turned into villains mention the same process. Just what was going on?!

“Hi”

Her thoughts were abruptly stopped by the arrival of said hero.

“Hello”. She replied as formally and professionally as she could.

Gesturing to the edge of the tower, Ladybug welcomed her to sit. Once she had done so, the polka-dotted lady did the same.

“So”-she started- “I guess you must be wondering why I asked you to come meet me here, right?”

“That must be the understatement of the century” The Japanese teen answered, a bit more harshly than she had intended. “Look, if this is about me getting akumatised for the fourth time-”

“It’s not!” Ladybug quickly corrected. “I mean, I decided I should talk to you after you were akumatised… But I actually wanted to have an honest chat with you because I believe you deserve the truth. Telling me why you became one of Hawk Moth’s victims would indeed be a good start, though”.

This was going to be humiliating… However, Kagami, always the proud one, put on a façade and sighed.

“I was akumatised because I was jealous.” She revealed.

“Jealous? Of who?”

“Of Lila.” Kagami revealed. “Listen, I know it’s petty, but I can’t help it. She was just so close to this one boy I like, who happens to be my closest friend back at school, that I just couldn’t control myself! I already have to deal with his not-so-secret crush on this other girl who’s… kind of difficult to read? She seems to be head over heels for him yet, she rejects him. It’s infuriating!”

Luckily for her, Kagami had ignored Ladybug’s utter astonishment. She was clearly talking about Adrien. But who could this mysterious girl of his be? Certainly, it wasn’t Lila. And Chloé… The fact that they were friends was appalling enough. She was convinced she was Kagami, but the Ice Queen’s outburst had left her questioning everything. Could she be talking about Marinette-erm- her? That couldn’t be possible. He had asked her for advice with the girl sitting next to her! But, at the same time, Marinette couldn’t think of anyone else Kagami could suspect of. So, what if?

“Not to mention, that Lila girl does not appear to be trustworthy at all. I have sometimes been described as a judgemental character, I won’t deny it, but this girl in particular just rubs me off the wrong way. Always so sweet, so charming around others. And yet, as soon as the vast majority turns around, she becomes cold, distant, proud… It appears as if all her charm was nothing but a trap to lure you in… And forgive me, I know she’s your best friend, Ladybug, but she’s just-!”

“Lila is a liar”.

At that her rumbling stopped. She turned to the polka-dotted girl next to her, eyes wide. So many questions popping up in her head, so many feelings battling against each other for dominance. But anger was soon getting the upper hand. So much anger.

“What?”. She hissed.

“Lila”, The hero began, "is a liar. She lies about absolutely everything. Believe me, this conversation would end a lot sooner if I just told you which truths she has actually said. But yes, Lila lies with every breath. I can’t tell you every single falsehood she’s talked about, but I can tell you this: I never saved Lila’s life, and therefore, we are not friends. Even better! Not only did I never saved her life, but I don’t even like her as a person and, on top of it, I’m pretty sure she absolutely hates me.

“Lila lies for several reasons, as far as I’m concerned. She lies to be the centre of attention and get everyone on her good side, willing to obey her every command, or , if she feels threatened enough, to turn everyone against you and get rid of you. To bring you down.”

“So everything she’s said about you was to make herself look good in front of others?”. Kagami asked, dumbfounded.

“Pretty much, yeah.” Was Ladybug’s simple answer.

The Asian teen was absolutely disgusted about that new piece of information. No wonder she seemed suspicious and fake. The Italian girl turned out to be the kind of people Kagami despised the most!

“And why haven’t you expose her to the Ladyblog? If I’m not mistaken, that Alya girl who runs it has some interviews about her and her “close friendship with Ladybug”, the world should know about this!” The fencer stated, fury apparent in her delicate features.

“I did expose her, though”-Marinette tried to excuse herself-”And that led to some damaging tendencies...”

“What do you mean?” Kagami asked, now more confused than angry.

The blue-eyed hero sighed. She really did have to fess up just about everything, didn’t she?

“Lila is prone to akumatisation. I wholeheartedly believe she’s already been akumatised four times, and whenever that happens she’s usually a tough opponent. Besides, knowing Lila as much as I’ve come to know her these past few months, she’s most likely to become emotionally vulnerable if someone exposes her lies. For a liar, that girl sure is proud!”

“And you know this because you exposed her?” The Asian girl was beginning to understand.

Once again, the hero sighed.

“Yeah… Look, I’m not really proud of that because, while she deserved it, I must admit I went overboard. I-I humiliated her in front of the guy she likes, who’s probably the same guy you like, when she was trying to win him over by saying we were friends and she was actually another superhero. So...you can imagine how that one went. Not even ten minutes afterwards I had to fight against a superhero copycat and master of illusions.”

“Wait!” -Kagami demanded- “So you’re telling me Adrien knows?!”

Now she was furious. Her closest friend knew all along and, not only did allow her to get akumatised by not telling her, but he also allowed Lila to manipulate all his friends! Something was clearly wrong with that guy.

“Yes, Adrien does know. And, in case you’re wondering, no, he hasn’t exposed her himself. He believes in taking the high road given proving Lila is nothing but a liar will only hurt her more and cause more trouble.” Ladybug tried to defend her crush.

“Yes, but at the same time he’s letting her get her way while everyone’s deceived and he has to endure her clingy tendencies!”

Now that she had given a lot of thought. By taking the high road even Adrien had to suffer Lila’s actions. And sure, it had sounded as a nice alternative when he had first suggested it, but it hadn’t stopped Lila from declaring war between them, with no Adrien directly involved, after the seats had been rearranged, and he was the one who turned Lila down to sit next to her in the first place! As much as she wanted to side with Adrien, Kagami was in the right here. Taking the high road wouldn’t stop Lila.

“You know what, Kagami? I think there’s someone who’ll share your point of view.”

Now the fencer was simply taken aback. Who on Earth would be willing to take her side if her fencing partner, closest friend and oblivious crush wouldn’t? Unable to repress her curiosity-she needed to do something with her emotions, they were running out of control that day!-she dared to ask.

“Who?”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.”

Of all the people in the world the only person she would’ve expected less than Adrien’s friend Marinette was that brat of Chloé Bourgeois. But, still, that was too much! Marinette was Adrien’s oblivious crush! The girl who, although didn’t seem as bad as Lila or Chloé, she still didn’t trust! Why her?!

“I know you don’t necessarily have to get along with Marinette, but believe me when I say, out of her whole class, she’s the only other person who’s well aware of Lila’s deceitful nature. Actually, Miss Show Off already sees her as her enemy, so I doubt she’s got anything to lose.”

Kagami actually took the time to consider, even though they weren’t on the best of terms and although it certainly pained her to admit it, Marinette had to be something else to have Adrien so enamored with her. The way he spoke about her when they had their first real conversation after she had been turned into Riposte certainly showed a level of fondness she wish anyone would use to refer to her. Maybe...Just maybe, she could give her a chance.

While she kept on pondering her options, Ladybug stood up, catching her attention.

“Well, we should probably go, today has been quite an eventful day and I’m certain we could both use a rest. Just promise me you’ll think on the Marinette thing, okay?” She said as she gave her her hand to shake.

This girl was something else indeed. She was someone to admire. So mysterious yet caring and welcoming, but at the same time fierce and determined. She was exactly what Kagami had always hoped to become. But there was much more about her. She had this presence, a powerful presence, that made her both someone entirely new and different from what the young fencer had met before and, at the same time, she was oddly familiar. Something about that hair, her smile and, oh God, those eyes. The Japanese girl found herself blushing and incapable of turning her down.

“I will.” She promised, taking her hand to shake.

And just like that, the superheroine disappeared as fast as she had appeared and Kagami strangely found herself looking forward to interact with Marinette and getting to know her once more.

107 notes · View notes

taeken-my-heart · 5 years

Text

Independent {f} Chapter 13

Summary: Your mom calls you stubborn, your friends call you wild, and the boys you’ve left in your wake call you a frigid bitch. You’ve built a life of independence and you like it that way. Kim Taehyung, however; seems to be able to change your mind.

Pairing: Taehyung x Reader

Genre: fluff, mild angst

Word Count: 19925

Notes/Warnings: This chapter has some angst, a few instances of self deprecation and the OC just being kind of mean to herself, but there is a light and growth at the end of that tunnel!

Oh my goooosh. Tumblr has made the process of getting the draft on here so dang challenging. Please forgive me if there’s any choppiness or the layout is weird, I’ll be tightening it up over the next few days.

**There is a read more linked but it doesn’t seem to be working and I don’t know what to do about it. I’m sorry! TT

****

December brought with it, dark skies, chapped lips, and an accelerated time line. The semester was quickly coming to a close and you wanted to run head long into the winter break and get this misery over with. It had been almost a full week since you’d seen Taehyung and each day had brought a new wave of misery.

For the first three days you’d woken to eyes crusted closed and a sore throat. Courtesy of all-night cry sessions. It didn’t help that Taehyung had decided to stop attending your Art History class and begin taking only office hours to help your classmates. There was a part of you that was happy you didn’t have to see him right now, since you were too busy licking your wounds; a bigger part of you that wished you could take back everything you said so you could see him again, and the biggest part of all that was more devastated with yourself.

Why couldn’t you just be normal? Everyone else could date someone without freaking out, but you, no you were a mess. All you ever did was alienate people. You were probably better off on your own. You couldn’t hurt anyone if they couldn’t get close to you. You had too much baggage, anyway, who would want to saddle themselves up with that?

The library was quiet; every seat taken by a student in the throes of final exams panic. There were only 17 days left until the end of the semester and then you could throw yourself headlong into a project that didn’t remind you of your current misery. You were thankful, at least, that you were nearly done. As soon as you finished this paper your project for Art History would be done and then you only had three written finals to take.

Anna sat across from you; hands fisted in her hair as she starred down at her book in despair. If you weren’t so out of it, you might have laughed. She looked the picture of stress; eyes bugged, brow pinched, a silent scream in the arch of her lips as she softly read back the words of the textbook that she couldn’t seem to commit to memory.

The library door opening caught your attention and you glanced over to find Jimin entering slowly, vision trained on the tangled earbuds in his hands. You don’t know why or what possessed you, but suddenly you were jumping to your feet, making your way through the tables and over to the door.

“Jimin.” You called softly. He glanced up at you, dark eyes lighting in recognition before he stopped, frowning. “Hi.” You said, stopping just in front of him and the corner of his lips lifted in a careful smile.

“Hi.” He said, glancing around the room. This was not the place to talk, too many people trying to work.

“Can we talk for a second?” You asked, motioning out the door to the empty hallway. He paused before nodding, pushing the door open behind him and allowing you to exit first.

As soon as the door closed you watched him, fiddling carefully with the strings of his earbuds, and twisted your fingers together apprehensively. “How have you been?” You asked carefully.

He shrugged, glancing up at you. “I’ve been ok. What about you?”

You glanced out the window into the dreary, cloud scattered sky. “Yeah, I, uh, I’ve been ok. Finals, you know?”

He nodded, studying you with pursed lips. “What’s up, Y/N? What do you really need?”

You frowned, staring down at your shoes, scuffed and still a little soggy from the snow. “I guess I was just wondering how Taehyung is.” You whispered.

Jimin sighed and your frowned deepened. “I don’t know what you want me to say, Y/N. He’s pretty crushed. He hasn’t really been himself recently.”

Your heart ached at the thought. Gorgeous, smiley, carefree Taehyung was hurting and it was all your fault. “I’m so sorry.” You whispered, tears beginning to burn your vision.

“I can appreciate the sentiment, Y/N, but I’m not the one you should be talking to. I can’t receive apologies in his honor.” He replied and you were at least grateful that his tone was gentle. He was trying hard to be kind but honest and that wasn’t easy to do.

“I wish I could talk to him.” You admitted, looking up at Jimin through wet eyelashes. He shook his head gently.

“I wouldn’t. It’s not the time right now. You really hurt him, Y/N. He’s an all or nothing kind of guy and when you rejected him, he took it really hard.”

“I didn’t mean to reject him.” You whispered, a tear escaping down your cheek and you brushed at it angrily. “I’m just scared.”

Jimin sighed, reaching out and patting your shoulder, “well, maybe talk to him when you’ve got things figured out. He’s not a test drive, though. You can’t just use him as practice and hope for the best, you know?”

You nodded, biting on your bottom lip to stifle a sob. “Will you please take care of him for me?” You whispered, looking up at him. “Help him be happy again.”

Jimin smiled, nodding. “Of course; he’s my best friend.” He glanced down at his watch, frowning, “I’m sorry, Y/N, but I’ve gotta meet with my study group, I’m already running a little late.”

“Of course.” You said, stepping off to the side. “Thank you, Jimin.”

After checking your reflection in the bathroom mirror, you returned to the table, waving away Anna’s questioning look and staring back at your laptop. You had one more page to write and then you could allow yourself to return to your bedroom and cry in peace. You wouldn’t do it here.

If your dad were here…well, he wouldn’t have any answers, he was bad at this sort of thing, but the thought of how he’d flounder trying to make you feel better made you smile. You missed him every day, but especially when you were sad because it reminded you that you were going through phases of life that he was missing.

If he were here, things would be different. Maybe you wouldn’t even be at this school. You’d chosen it mostly because it wasn’t too far from home if you needed to go back for any reason. You’d always been adventurous and independent, though, so you may have gone somewhere much further away…if life had turned out differently.

There was no use in dwelling on the what if’s, though. Life was what it was and you couldn’t change it; only your attitude towards it. Besides, right now you had finals to get through. Then…then you could focus on something new to distract you.

Paris couldn’t come fast enough.

****

The morning felt better already. The last 2 weeks had been horrible; for lack of a better word. When you weren’t pulling your hair out in the library you were stressing out about whether you’d see Taehyung in the hallways. You’d just finished your last final of the semester and felt…free. Now you only had to finish packing your suitcase and you could head home for a few days before flying out to Paris.

The house was empty when you got there, dropping your bag by the doorway and sighing. Someone had turned on the electric fire and you shuffled your way to sit in front of it, outstretching your hands to warm them.

You’d forgotten your gloves, which was dumb because it was the middle of December and stupidly cold. Glancing around the room, you sighed. You’d miss this house during the winter vacation. Even though you were coming back to the same house and same people for spring vacation, it was going to be different, you’d make new memories, meet new people, but there would be no Taehyung and you hated how dependent you felt on him now. This was why you didn’t fall for people; why you didn’t open your heart to someone. It hurt too much.

You looked out the window, heart stuttering when you noticed Taehyung walking sluggishly by. He was bundled warm and you could barely see his face under his hat and scarf, but you’d know him anywhere. He paused by the mailbox, sighing, a sad frown stretching across his full lips as he reached out his mittened fingers, patting the duck softly on the head.

It felt like your heart was bleeding in your chest. You wanted to run to him and throw your arms around him, tell him you were sorry and you didn’t know why you were this way…but even the thought of it made your stomach churn with discomfort. What could you even offer to him anyway? Love? Stability? No, it was better this way. No man wanted to be with a broken woman.

Taehyung walked slowly away from the mailbox, fingertips dropping from the beak of the duck and down by his side and you sat frozen where you were, watching him leave. It all felt so final. You couldn’t wait to get out of the country and just escape your own mind.

****

Later after dinner, when your bags were packed and you were sat in the front room, your roommates came to join you, a tray of hot chocolates in Anna’s hands. Setting it down on the table, she sat down beside you on the couch, grabbing a mug for each of you before settling further into the cushions.

“Can’t believe we’re all heading home tomorrow.” Sarah said, sighing into her mug. “This semester went by so fast.”

“Too fast!” Anna agreed. “I can’t believe you’re going to Paris in just a few days!”

You smiled softly, “It’s pretty crazy right?”

“I’m crazy jealous.” Charlotte admitted, “Paris has always been top of the travel bucket list for me.”

“Really?” Anna asked in surprise, “I never knew that about you.”

“Yeah, it’s home to the Eiffel tower, the Louvre, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triumphe. What’s not to love? Plus, it’s the fashion capitol of the world.”

“You have to buy so many clothes!” Sarah gushed, “I seriously can’t believe you get to go shopping in Paris!”

You smiled, chuckling, “I honestly probably won’t have a whole lot of time to go shopping between the internship and touristy stuff, but I’ll try to have one good shopping trip in your honor.”

“If you don’t come back in a beret and a peplum pea coat, I’ll be seriously appalled.”

“Pretty sure the French don’t actually go about their day in a beret.” Charlotte remarked dryly.

You giggled, smiling at your friends. “I’m gonna miss you guys.”

“You say that like you’re going to war. You’re going to Paris, honey, you won’t even notice we’re not there.” Anna grinned, flicking your forehead with her finger and you wrinkled your nose at her.

“I’ll definitely notice.”

“Well, anyway,” Sarah commented, pushing her hair over her shoulder, “You’re going to go, you’re going to have a fabulous time, and you’re going to come back a changed woman. I’m super jealous.”

****

After returning home and spending a few days with your family, they were bringing you to the airport for what was probably the biggest adventure of your life. You’d never been on such a big trip alone; in fact, you’d never even been on an airplane by yourself. The nerves were clawing at your chest at the thought, but there was a soft simmering of excitement bubbling just under that surface.

The airport was cramped and busy, people heading home for the holidays and you felt a little sad that you’d be missing the celebrations with your family, but the experience was going to be worth it; you were sure of it.

The evening was blanketed with a soft mist when you arrived. It was cold, but nothing a coat and scarf couldn’t combat. The woman in charge of your internship had met you at arrivals and you’d grabbed your bags, making your way out front.

“Our car is over here.” Marie smiled, holding her arm out and you followed after her, the driver taking your things and putting them in the trunk. After sliding into your seat and buckling in, you sighed, leaning your head back against the headrest. “The drive to your hotel is around an hour so that will give us time to talk and go over some details.”

“Great.” You smiled, sitting up straight and facing towards her. “What is your job with the Paris Fashion Week?”

“I’m the head of Une voix de femme, a fashion and photography company. There are a lot of interns that come all year round for various purposes in the different shows and fashion industry and we get a lot of applicants so we’re a bit picky.”

The idea that the boss herself had come to retrieve you was a little mind blowing and you felt extra nervous at the idea of it. Maybe she picked up every intern, but even so, you couldn’t help but feel special. “May I ask how exactly my work was brought to your attention?”

“Pure coincidence.” Marie said, flipping open a file. Inside were some of the stills you’d taken over the years, mostly from school activities that you’re sure your professor had sent to her and others from the Winter Recital. “We do a lot of searching on our own. Not everyone who is talented will apply, some need to be sought out. I saw the pictures you’d taken of your school recital and I knew right away you needed to be with us. You have too much talent that shouldn’t be wasted.”

“Thank you,” you smiled softly, face feeling warm. “I never would have applied; I would have never thought I’d be good enough for something like this.”

“Common symptom.” Marie nodded, thumbing through some of your pictures, “the worthy never actually know their true worth.” She looked over at you, winking before returning to the file in hand.

“So, what exactly will my responsibilities be while I’m here?”

“We’ll go over most of the details tomorrow when you come to the office. You’ll need to be flexible and move quickly because we’ll have you in a few different locations. I don’t have your exact schedule with me currently, but I know you will be photographing the Dior, Saint Laurent, Mugler, and Hermes lines. We’ll also have you working with some couture design shoots.”

“Wow, those are some big names.” You mused, stomach twisting at the idea.

“Don’t feel nervous, dear, we wouldn’t have flown you out if we didn’t like what you have to offer. You have an ability to capture small details; that is what we are looking for. The models move quickly and they stop for no one; you’ll need to catch the details of their clothing with precision. Because you’re an intern, we know you don’t have access to all the equipment that other photographers will have with them so of course you will have all of our equipment at your disposal.”

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you!” You said softly. Honestly, at this point you were feeling honored, of course, and also completely overwhelmed.

“Don’t worry about too many details tonight, though. Tomorrow I’ll have my assistant Danielle meet you in the lobby of your hotel and she’ll accompany you for the remainder of your internship with us. Any questions you have, Danielle will be able to answer them.”

“Thank you very much, I’m so appreciative of this opportunity. I intend to make sure you’re happy with your decision to recruit me.”

“I have no doubt you will.” She smiled over at you.

Once you’d reached your hotel, the jet lag was beginning to hit strong. You’d begun falling asleep the last 5 minutes of the ride and were so grateful to be up and standing. With the door closed behind you and your suitcase deposited at the end of your bed, you made your way to the large French doors, pushing open the curtains and stepping out onto the balcony.

“Wow.” You breathed, hands reaching out for the metal railing, cold from the bite of winter. You could not have asked for a better view than the one you were given. The Eiffel Tower, just off to the right of your window, lights bright in the dark of the evening. The streets below were still filled with people, a busy Christmas market just a moment’s walk from the entrance of your hotel. You felt completely spoiled.

Of course, you wished you could have shared the experience with someone, but instead you’d focus every moment of your time enjoying this great new experience.

****

The next morning you were awoken by your alarm at 7:00 am. Your eyes were bleary and stung as you opened them, body warm beneath the fluffy white down comforter. You were expected down and waiting for the car at 8 am sharp and you still had to shower, get ready, and eat.

You moved sluggishly from the warmth of the bed, grabbing your shower supplies and trudging into the bathroom. After showering and getting ready, you made your way downstairs to have some breakfast. Ecstatic to find an assortment of French breads, jams, and a buffet of food you already felt yourself drooling over, you grabbed a plate, making your way through the line and allowing the greed of your eyes and growling stomach to take charge.

After stuffing your face with more food than was probably considered proper, you made your way out to the front of the hotel, checking your bag again to make sure you had everything you needed.

“Y/N!” Someone called and you turned to look around you, a young woman with short, dark corkscrew curls and beautiful dark brown eyes smiled, waving over at you and you smiled back, making your way towards her. “Hi there, I’m Danielle.” She greeted, reaching her hand out towards you for a handshake.

“It’s so nice to meet you.” You returned, shaking her hand and following the motion of her hand into the back of the car. “I’m so surprised, I really thought I was going to end up being with someone who was much older than me. It’s nice to see someone similar in age.”

“It’s nice to have someone to relate to,” Danielle grinned, leaning back in her seat as the car started driving, “plus, after we get the details sorted this morning, we get to go out exploring. Work officially starts tomorrow.”

“Are you serious?” You grinned and she winked.

“Course, girl. I hope you brought your money with you because we’re going on a shopping spree.”

“I’m gonna go broke by the end of this internship, for sure.”

“No way, this internship pays and it pays well. Anything you want to buy while you’re here?” She chuckled and you chewed on your bottom lip in thought.

“Well, my friends definitely told me if I don’t come back with a beret and a peplum pea coat that they’d skin me alive, so…”

“Put it on the list!” She laughed loudly, “No skinning alive. So, tell me about yourself, Y/N.”

“Well, I guess it depends on what you want to know. I’m currently in school studying Visual Arts with a minor in photography and I live in a small, run down, but cozy home with 3 of my best friends. When I’m not at school I’m at home with my mom, brother, step dad and our dog Goose.”

“And now you’ll get to say you interned with Paris Fashion Week.” Danielle teased and you grinned.

“I know, I can hardly even believe I’m in France. What about you? Tell me about yourself, Danielle.”

“Well, I’m originally from Pennsylvania, but my dad is actually from France. When I was getting ready to go into high school my dad got a job back here in Paris so we all moved here and have been living here ever since. I have two sisters, one older, one younger, and I’ve been working with Marie for the last three years.”

“Wow, so did you start working with Marie right after graduation or something?” You asked, eyes wide.

Danielle chuckled. “Something like that, yeah. I actually did my internship with Marie as well and then just ended up getting hired on and have been with them ever since. It’s been a pretty crazy amazing ride.”

“I believe it!” You breathed, “That’s really wild. I’m not sure what to do when I graduate, but I still have a couple years to figure it out.”

“Do you have any ideas or anything you want to do?” Danielle asked, twisting a curl around her finger and letting it spring back into place.

“Not a lot,” you admitted bashfully, “I’ve kind of thought about maybe starting my own company or something, but to be honest I really just like being able to take pictures of whatever I want and not being commissioned to do something, you know?”

“Oh yeah, I totally get it.” Danielle nodded, “a true artist’s spirit. You want your cake and to eat it too.” She grinned over at you and you shrugged, smiling.

“Guilty.”

“Something I’ll recommend is to get your feet wet first. Sometimes you’ve gotta do other people’s dirty work first before you can really get into your own stuff. Build enough of a name that being able to photograph your own stuff will one day work in your favor.”

“Yeah, I get that.” You nodded, watching as the car came to a slow stop out front of a large glass building that looked rather out of place among the ancient and beautiful cream-colored limestone of the other buildings.

“We’re here!” Danielle chirped, sliding from the car as the door was opened for her and you followed closely after, pulling your bag high on your shoulder and glancing around. The streets were busy with business people and tourists alike and you followed after Danielle as she led you into the building.

“We’re up on the 32nd floor,” Danielle said as the two of you stepped into the glass elevator and you gripped the railing, staring out into the streets in awe.

“Wow, you guys really know how to live, huh?” You murmured, watching the city sink below you.

Danielle laughed, leaning against the railing with you. “Pretty nice, right?”

You nodded mutely. “I just feel so lucky.” You finally admitted, “there are so many people who would want this opportunity and I got it without even trying.”

“Don’t feel guilty about it.” Danielle scolded and you turned to smile at her. “you deserve this internship. Marie loves finding people who are unassuming about their talent because they’re always the best. Just because you didn’t apply doesn’t mean you don’t deserve it.”

“Thank you, Danielle,” you grinned, “you’re giving me a pretty decent boost in self-esteem.”

“It’s my job.” She winked, nudging you with her elbow. The chime of the elevator reaching your floor brought your attention back to the door and you stood, facing forward. “Besides, I wouldn’t say any of it if it weren’t true. You’ve definitely earned it.”

The office was busy with movement, desks occupying the first half of the room and filled with people having conversation. The back was divided by rooms separated with glass. Two rooms currently occupied with photoshoots, a couple offices, and a conference room. It was noisy, but in a good way.

“This is where we get the technical parts of our jobs done. Paperwork, photoshop, that sort of thing. Certain magazine shoots are done in the back, as you can see. This is the behind the scenes dirty work that has to be done. The real fun stuff will be when fashion week starts tomorrow. Ok, follow me, your desk is over here.”

You followed after her to the right-hand side and she patted a desk with only a laptop to boast about. “This is your desk, right next to mine. It’s pretty bare right now, but the good thing is you can decorate it in any way you see fit.”

“This is so cool.” You grinned, “I get my own desk!”

Danielle chuckled, sitting down at her desk. “Ah, I remember that feeling, like a real grown up, right?”

“Yeah,” you admitted, sitting in your seat. “Feels like I’m suddenly an adult with all sorts of responsibilities. It’s so cool.”

Danielle grinned, shaking her head. “Well, Marie’s gonna want to have a meeting with us in a few minutes but she told me she had a conference call first so let’s chill and talk before then.”

You nodded, leaning eagerly forward. “That sounds great.”

“So, you’re still in university, right?” At your nod, she continued, “any boys?” She teased with a wiggle of her brows.

You sigh, shrugging, “Mmm…no, not right now, I guess.”

“That sounded very mysterious.” She replied, eyebrow raised and you moved your elbow from the arm rest of your chair as someone bustled by shouting something in French.

“Just…” you huffed, blowing air up across your cheeks, “there was a guy a few weeks ago, but I blew it.”

“Oh?” You asked, waiting patiently for you to continue.

You shrugged again, “he wanted a bigger commitment than I was ready to give him so I kind of pushed him away and we both ended up getting hurt. It sucks pretty bad.” Danielle watched as you tried not to sulk too hard and sighed.

“It can be really hard when something doesn’t work out the way we’d hoped it would.” She said, staring over at the elevator as a group made their way out and over to the studio. “I was in a situation back in college that was…well, it was pretty challenging. Life changing; in a good and bad way. I had to make a decision that I’ve often wondered was right, but I think what I’ve decided since then is that if things are meant to be, then they will be. Of course, that’s not to discount effort,” she said, eyeing your reaction, “but if you’ve put in the effort, done all you can to make it work, and it doesn’t then it wasn’t meant to.”

“Before I left for the semester I ran into this guy’s roommate,” you said, “and he told me I should probably give him time to recover so I wanted to do that, but I worry that I’ve just completely ruined my chances with him. I haven’t done everything I could to try and make it better because I didn’t want to push him, but I think I want to try again when I get back in the spring semester.”

“I think that’s a good idea,” Danielle said, twisting back and forth in her chair, “give the both of you the time to cool off and think about what you really want.”

“You said you made a really hard decision in college,” you said, watching her expression carefully, “what made you feel like that decision was the right one?”

Danielle paused, fingers drumming against the armrests of her chair, lips pressed together in thought. “Because I knew was doing the right thing for someone else. In the end, the decision I made wasn’t about me, but about her. I had to do it for her.”

“Your friend?” You asked and Danielle smiled softly.

“No. My daughter.”

“Oh,” you said, sitting straighter in surprise, “I didn’t know you had a daughter.”

“I don’t. Not anymore, anyway. At the time that I had her, the father and I were no longer together. He was from Belgium and had moved home; he didn’t really have any interest in being a parent. I was only 20 and I knew I couldn’t give her the life that she deserved, so I gave her to a family that could provide the life I couldn’t.”

Never had you met someone who’d made a decision like that before. You couldn’t even imagine having a child only to give them away. It would take a lot of love and self-sacrifice to do that sort of thing; you weren’t even sure you were that strong of a person.

“Wow,” you said, blinking down at your hands, now clasped in your lap. “How long ago was that?”

“She’ll be turning 6 this summer.” Danielle smiled. “I receive pictures of her sometimes, here, this was from just a few days ago, actually. They’ve gone on holiday in the Maldives for Christmas.” She handed you a handful of pictures from her desk drawer and you looked down at the family, a little boy and girl with their parents.

“She has your eyes and hair.” You smiled and Danielle chuckled.

“And her dad’s ears. Poor thing.” You looked up at Danielle as she pushed her ears slightly out and giggled.

“She’s beautiful. What’s her name?”

“Her parents named her Emile.” Danielle smiled and you handed the picture back to her.

“Did you ever have a name for her?” You asked gently and she nodded, staring down at the pictures.

“In my heart, she has always been Felicity.”

“That’s a beautiful name.” You said, watching as Danielle slipped the pictures back into her desk.

“Thank you.” She said. The phone on Danielle’s desk rang and she picked it up quickly, talking softly to someone in French before hanging up. “Marie is ready for us. Let’s meet her in the conference room.”

You followed after her, weaving your way through rows of desks to the back and into the conference room where Marie sat with stacks of books and papers that you presumed were for you.

“Good morning, Y/N.” She greeted you, standing to extend a handshake which you returned.

“Good morning.” You smiled.

“Today I will show you around the office, give you the details of what this week will be like and what we expect of you. I’ll show you the equipment that you can use and take with you. Of course, Danielle will be with you the entire length of your internship so if you do have questions, you can ask her too.”

She pulled paperwork from the folders in front of her, explaining in detail what they were about and giving them to you to read and sign. After the preliminary work, she went over your schedule with you in more detail, giving you a step by step program of what you’d be doing each day.

After about an hour in the conference room going over paperwork and details, she took you into a storage room, showing you types of equipment you could use for the week. You felt like you’d died and gone to heaven. Anything you could have ever dreamed of needing or even wanting for your photography was placed carefully around the room and against walls, beckoning you to take a look.

“You will have access to any and all of our equipment; whatever you feel will make the shots better.” Marie said, watching you stare wide eyed around the room. “Feel free to look around.”

You moved towards the left side of the wall, examining one of the cameras they had there, picking it up and flipping through the settings. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.” You mumbled and Marie and Danielle laughed from behind you.

“We’re happy to appease you.” Marie smiled. “Danielle, once she’s chosen the equipment she’s going to be using for tomorrow, the two of you are free to explore Paris. I’ll leave the schedule and everything you need on your desk and forward you the rest on your phone.”

“Yes ma’am.” Danielle nodded as Marie left the room with a squeeze to her shoulder. “Don’t worry about not being able to use all the equipment at once,” she said, smiling over at you, “you can trade things out each day based on what you’re feeling.”

You smiled at her sheepishly, holding the camera in your hands close to your chest. “Ah, I must be so easy to read.”

Danielle grinned. “Feel free to grab what you need for tomorrow. We’ll pack it up and have it ready for you when you get here.”

After exploring the room and picking the equipment you’d need for the next day, Danielle had some of the other staff come and help to pack it safely for you. The two of you grabbed your bags and ventured back out onto the street where the car was waiting.

Sliding in and fastening your seatbelt, you and Danielle chatted and laughed as you made your way further into the heart of Paris. The sun was deceptively beautiful as you stepped from the car; high in the sky and tricking you into the belief that somehow it was suddenly warm.

Shivering, you fastened your arms around your waist as Danielle joined you at your side, motioning with her head to follow her. “This is my favorite place to shop. It’s called Avenue des Champs Elysees and it’s probably the most famous shopping district in Paris. It’s got a great mix of things to do here, including luxury brands and affordable.”

“I like the sound of affordable.” You grinned.

After spending a good portion of the morning and afternoon shopping (and finding the cutest ebony peplum coat and even a gorgeous red beret) the two of you made your way to lunch in a nearby café. The exterior was a beautiful crimson with two six pane windows on either side of the door and garland wrapping across the edged of the roof and down the columns in front. The inside was cozy and warm with soft colors and a beautifully decorated fir tree in the corner.

“It’s so beautiful in here!” You smile, gaze shifting around the room and Danielle grinned.

“It’s my favorite café,” she admitted, “I always get the same so I’ll wait until you’re ready to order and then we can go grab a seat.”

After placing your order and finding a nice cozy table in the back, you dropped your bags below the table and slipped out of your coat, fingers wrung together to try and encourage warmth. “We start work officially tomorrow, right?” You asked and Danielle nodded, flipping through her wallet before placing it on the table in front of her.

“Yes, tomorrow is the first official day.”

“And you’ll be with me the whole time, right?” You asked, nerves heightened now that you had a moment to think about it.

“Yeah” she smiled, placing her hand over yours and squeezing, “don’t worry. I’ll be with you the whole time. I’ll guide you and make sure you know where you’re going and what you’re doing. We’ll even go to the venues early so that we can get settled into our spots and so that you can have a look around and get a feel for the location.”

“That would be great.” You breathed, the tightness in your chest lessening. “Sorry, just a little nervous.”

“Totally normal,” Danielle nodded, leaning towards you across the table, “I’d think you were a little weird if you weren’t nervous. This is a big thing, I get it. New place, new people, new experience. It’s understandable why you’d be nervous. Don’t worry, I’ve got your back.”

“Thank you, Danielle.” You grinned. “So, what should I expect for tomorrow?”

“Well, tomorrow is going to honestly be a little overwhelming and kind of busy. You and I will both be in the pit together taking pictures, but Marie has got two spaces sectioned off for us so we don’t have to worry about that too much.”

“The pit?” You asked. “Like an orchestra?”

Danielle smiled, leaning back as the server brought your drinks to you and you wrapped your chilled fingers around the warm ceramic of your hot chocolate mug. “Not quite. It’s an area at the very end of the stage reserved for the photographers. We’re probably going to be standing on boxes and it’s a little cramped with everyone shoved together, but it’s part of the thrill.”

“And we’ve got reserved spots?” You asked, sipping at your drink.

“Yeah, but it’s a bit cut throat in the pit at times so we’ll be having some markers going over a number of hours before us to make sure that no one tries taking our spots.”

“What’s a marker?” You asked, eyebrow rising.

“A marker is just someone that goes and marks your spot. We’ve already got ours marked, but like I said, it can be a bit intense so we’ll have people reserving our spots by sitting in them until we get there.”

“Wow,” you sighed, “there’s a big learning curve.” You had no idea the fashion industry was so do or die, but you were actually kind of looking forward to sinking your teeth into it.

“There is,” Danielle nodded, “but don’t worry, I’ll make sure to guide you through it and answer all your questions. Also, I think that’s our food.”

You turn around to watch the waitress carry your food over, setting it in front of you before thanking her and digging in.

The rest of the afternoon was spent meandering through the shops in different alleyways, picking up small knickknacks or clothes that you liked before heading back to the hotel to drop your stuff off. You’d asked Danielle about the market outside your hotel and she’d enthusiastically agreed to take you.

“This Christmas market comes every year and lasts a week into January. They’ve got cute things for your home, souvenirs, and a lot of really yummy food. Have you ever tried chestnuts?” She asked, turning to look at you as you refastened the buttons on your coat and twisted a scarf around your neck.

“Chestnuts? As in the things squirrels eat?” You asked, following her back out into the square in front of your hotel and turning off to the side where you could see the Christmas market waiting.

Danielle laughed. “Yes, squirrels eat them, but so do humans. Do you smell that sweet, rich smell?” She asked as you walked slowly towards your destination. The wind picked up slightly and you shivered from the cold, but you could smell it. You nodded and she continued.

“That’s a chestnut. We roast them in the winter and then eat them. They can be a little interesting to open, but they’re a fun experience to have and I personally love them. They taste a bit like a sweet potato.”

“A nut tastes like a sweet potato?” You asked, staring around in amazement as you stepped into the market and the vibrancy of the colors instantly grabbed your attention. It was surprisingly warmer and you supposed that was due to the steam coming from the different food stalls nearby.

Everything you could have ever dreamed of was in this market. Small wooden stalls reminiscent of the swiss style chalet’s held chestnuts, crepes, mulled wine, gloves and scarves, games, Christmas decorations and so much more. The market wound further down the street and around corners that you could not see. Your greedy eyes devoured as much as they could as Danielle talked more about chestnuts and the different things that she wanted you to try. There were children nearby with a man selling balloons outside of a cotton candy stall and your mouth watered at the smell. Directly next to you was a stall with waffles and around 30 different toppings. Different artisan booths selling things you knew you didn’t need but definitely wanted.

In the center of it all, and right beside a glowing carousal, there was a small band of performers, violins and guitars playing Jingle Bells with children weaving in between their parents in the square, playing a game of tag and screaming in delight.

“This is so amazing!” You grinned, turning to find Danielle watching you and she smiled, bumping your shoulder with hers.

“Let’s get some food.” After grabbing a small paper bag of chestnuts, two different kinds of crepes and a couple mulled wines between the two of you, you found a table to sit at and put your stuff down.

“First, I want you to try the chestnuts.” Danielle grinned, shaking the bag in front of you in excitement. “Don’t worry if you don’t like it, I’ll be happy to eat them all, trust me, but you should at least try it. It’s part of the Christmas market experience!”

“Ok, ok.” You chuckled, pulling a chestnut from the bag. It was still hot and you hissed, bouncing it between your fingers as you began to peel away the layers. “How long until I get to the actual nut?” You exasperated, once you’d made it down to a fuzzy skin under the shell.

Danielle laughed, sipping at her wine, “there’s only two layers. Under that fuzzy stuff is the actual nut.”

Discarding the two outer shells, you finally held the nut between two fingers. “Wow, the texture is so different than what I thought it would be.” You marveled. It was firm, but had a spongey consistency, almost like an uncooked mushroom.

“Try it.” Danielle encouraged, popping her own chestnut into her mouth and chewing.

She was right, it did sort of taste like a sweet potato, sweet and a little earthy. The taste was a little bland, but it was warm and with a little salt would have made a good snack. “It’s OK,” you smiled, “not really my thing but I can see why people like them.”

Danielle nodded, pulling another from the bag and beginning to peel. “Yeah, it’s not everyone’s thing. Here, we’ve got these too.” She said, pushing your crepe towards you and you smiled, grabbing the fork from the plate and cutting off a piece.

“Now this is what I was really looking forward to.”

With bites of warm food and sips of mulled wine to heat your insides, you spent the rest of the night talking and laughing until you returned to your bed, warm from alcohol and conversation, ready to take on the exciting new day in less than 9 hours.

****

You’d never felt more like a chicken without its head than you did right now. The office had been hectic, people running around, grabbing the things they needed and looking like they were in some sort of well controlled panic as they fled the building to their different shoots.

On the car ride to the venue, Danielle told you that the two of you would be covering two shoots today, both Hermes and Dior. Just hearing the names made you a little dizzy so you mostly listened instead of talking. You were glad that Danielle was going to be there with you, taking pictures herself. There was a little less pressure to not mess things up since they would still have her professional pictures to fall back on if they needed them.

The Hermes shoot was teeming with life. The walls and ceilings were made to look like you were in an outdoor tent and you tried to look around and admire as much as you could while still keeping your place behind Danielle and winding towards where the other photographers were setting up. None of the seats were occupied yet, since you’d arrived an hour before the show was due to start. Danielle said this was typical because you needed to be in your places with things set up and ready to go before the crowds started filing in. There would be no time once people started showing up.

Thankfully you’d had time this morning in the office to fiddle around with the camera you were using today, checking settings and getting comfortable with its abilities. That was something that had made you nervous in the beginning; that you wouldn’t have enough time to adjust to the equipment. Each camera was different and you were afraid you’d get stuck trying to make something work when you were supposed to be taking pictures.

Danielle had helped you find a camera with an f/2.8 aperture and pretty decent zoom range. “The models will be moving fast; you’ll need to adjust quickly. Make sure you’re getting well acquainted with that camera because once the show starts, you won’t be able to fiddle around with it without missing important moments.”

The two of you came to a stop beside the photographers, Danielle greeting a man and a woman sitting on two stools in the center towards the front and after a short conversation, they left and Danielle directed you to take a seat on one of the stools. “So, this is the pit.” Danielle grinned, adjusting her camera bag on her lap and digging through for what she needed.

You sat down beside her, looking around and nodding in greeting to a few of the photographers whose eyes you caught. “Wow, and we’re all just gonna be shoved in like sardines, huh?” You asked, turning your gaze back to Danielle who smiled.

“Welcome to fashion show life.” She leaned forward to whisper, “all of these people can either help you, or hinder you. Always make sure you are kind and friendly, establish relationships…but always be weary. Everyone is looking for their next big break, even if it comes at a cost, you know?”

You nod, leaning back on your stool and digging through your bag to grab your camera. You were pretty comfortable with it because the settings were similar to your camera back home, just way better quality. Now you just needed to make sure it was on the right settings to capture the images you wanted. You quickly switched your camera to manual, 1/250 at f/4 and took some practice shots of the people still putting the final touches on the stage. The pictures were so crisp and clear you had to stop yourself from doing a little happy wiggle in your seat. It was going to be hard to go back to your own camera after using such an amazing piece of equipment.

You chatted briefly with some of the photographers around you, mostly men, a couple from New York, 3 from London, but almost everyone else around you seemed to be from France. It was intimidating to look around and see only 1 other woman aside from Danielle and yourself, but that wasn’t going to stop you from kicking their photography butts. You weren’t competitive most of the time, but if you felt like somehow you were going to have to fight for something, you definitely would.

Slowly the room began to fill and you could barely contain your amazement. Some of the biggest names in Hollywood were sitting mere steps away from you, but there was no way you were going to show the other photographers how much of an amateur you were, so when Charlize Theron sat only 10 feet from you, you focused your eyes on the walkway in front of you and swallowed down your squeal of delight.

When the show started you felt like your stomach had jumped into your throat. You followed Danielle’s cue, pulling your camera up to rest against your eye and taking a deep breath in. This was it. This was the moment you’d been waiting for. The music started and models began walking down the runway, cameras flashing all around you and you let determination settle into your chest before quickly focusing in and snapping pictures.

Adrenaline kicked in, pouring through your veins as you watched the models move from the lens of your camera, taking as many pictures as you possibly could while they were in front of you. All noise funneled into a pinprick of sound until it was gone and you were alone with just your camera and the show in front of you. You never thought you’d actually enjoy the thrill of a high scale fashion show, but here you were, pulse erratic and stomach bubbling with excitement.

When the show was finally over and the other photographers were packing away their equipment, rushing on to the next show, you felt like you could finally breath again. “How was it?” Danielle asked, carefully placing her camera in its bag and gazing at you from the corner of her eye.

“Wow.” You said, and she laughed. “That’s the best word to describe it. There was a lot going on and it was a real challenge to stay focused at first. Especially when there were so many celebrities around. Did you see Charlize Theron sat right there?!”

Danielle giggled, nodding, “I did see. These shows get quite crazy. You’re really in for a treat when we go to the Dior show, they always, always put on a massive production. They’re doing their show at the Louvre this season and it’s inside this dome of flowers. It’s incredible.”

You frowned, eyebrows pinching in the center. “Inside a dome of flowers? Did they construct that inside the building?”

“You’ll see.” She grinned. “For now, though, we’ve got an hour and a half before we need to be there so let’s grab some lunch quickly. There’s some food trucks nearby.” You followed after her, bag slung across your shoulder with all your equipment safely inside and made your way outside into the crisp afternoon air.

“I didn’t realize how stuffy it was in there until we got outside.” You said, taking a deep breath in.

“Yeah, the pit always gets a bit stagnant, so many bodies, so little air. Ah, there they are.” She said, pointing off to the left and you followed after her, sitting down at an open table outside of one of the trucks.

After Danielle ordered, you switched places, leaving her to watch over the equipment and ordering your own food and drink. A full stomach later and a quick drive to the next venue, you found your spots, relieving the markers of their duty and setting up camp on your stools.

Danielle had been right. A giant dome of flowers had been built, within the Cour Carrée, the courtyard at the east end of the Louvre. Purple delphinium stems sprouting from every corner of the rolling garden turf. You felt like you’d entered some fantasy land as you stepped through the guarded doors and made your way towards the pit with Danielle.

“This is so cool!” You whispered and Danielle smirked.

“I told you, Dior always means business.”

This show was unlike anything you’d ever seen, making the hairs at the back of your neck stand to attention. This venues photographers were far more cut throat than the last and you definitely had to physically avoid some sabotage shots, but you were proud to say you held your own and at the end of it you even managed to get a picture with Rihanna and Elizabeth Olsen. That one was just for you, though.

“Ok,” Danielle said, after she’d finishing packing her bag and you’d put your own equipment away. “Let’s head back to the office and get some editing done. We’ll be working one on one with Marie to go over your work and see what kind of guidance we can give you for the next few shows.”

“Sounds great.” You smiled, slinging your bag over your shoulder and following her out to the car.

It was still afternoon, though slightly late afternoon by the time you made it back to the office. Setting your equipment gently down on your table, you unloaded your camera and sat down at your company provided laptop to turn it on and get the pictures uploaded.

It was going to take some time to get everything on the computer and then even more time to get things edited to the proper standard. You also had a meeting at some point with both Marie and Danielle to go over the pictures and find a better direction for the next few photoshoots. From what you understood, tomorrow you’d be doing the Marc Jacobs and Hussein Chalayan shows. You were going to have so much editing to do. You already had a headache.

“We’re going to meet with Marie in about an hour so go ahead and get some editing done. That way you can show her your raw images as well as the edits and she can give you some critiques.”

You nodded, pursing your lips and turning back to the computer as the main screen pulled up. “Sounds like a plan.”

Loading the pictures took longer than you’d initially wanted, but you had taken a lot of pictures so you couldn’t really be upset. The computer was doing things as quickly as possible. As soon as you were able, you began clicking through pictures, finding the ones you liked the most and beginning the editing process. You’d only been able to edit 2 pictures by the time Danielle was motioning you towards the conference room so you quickly saved your work, before closing your laptop and bringing it with you.

The conference room was significantly cooler than the rest of the office and you sighed in relief. You were beginning to get a little too warm at your desk and editing when hot was never a good combination. You sat down, waiting for Marie to join you, watching her through the all glass windows as she finished a phone call, grabbing her things and pushing out of her office, making a quick left to the conference room.

“How was it?” She smiled, her long dark cardigan billowing behind her. She pushed a wave of grey hair from her forehead and back towards her bun and you smiled excitedly.

“It exceeded expectations!” You gushed, watching as she sat down across from you, “really, it was so exciting seeing all those incredible models through the lens of my camera. Totally different from what I’m used to shooting.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing some of your pictures, then.” She smiled, hands held out in request of your laptop and you quickly opened it, logging back in.

“I’ve only been able to edit 2 pictures so far, loading them was more time consuming than I thought it would be.”

“That is ok, you have plenty of time today to edit. This is why we did not want to overwhelm you with photoshoots. You will need time to edit them before the conclusion of your internship.” She replied, scanning through your pictures carefully. You watched with apprehension as Marie scanned your pictures with what you hoped was interest, it looked like interest, at least.

Finally, she nods, turning to smile at you. “These are excellent. I’m very impressed with your style. Don’t be afraid to try a few more angles. It’s a little difficult to do in such a small space, but I think you can do it. I’d also like to see a few more pictures of the venue and the guests attending. Your attention to detail on the clothes is really astounding. Sometimes even professional pictures can be blurry with the models walking so quickly, but your pictures are so clear.”

After going back and forth about more you could do to increase the effectiveness of your work, your computer was returned to you and you excitedly continued your editing. The three of you remained in the office until dinner time when you finally wished each other farewell and the car dropped you back off at your hotel. Danielle had to have dinner with her family, so for tonight, you would relax, take a bubble bath, order room service and attempt to find a movie you could understand.

****

The Marc Jacobs show was filled with a lot of neutrals, which wasn’t a bad thing, but it made for less interesting pictures. There was a quartet of string instruments playing in the corner; a song that was a little too sharp, but perfectly representative of the mood of the clothing.

You made sure to get as many different angles as you could, keeping in mind Marie’s and Danielle’s different advice for your pictures. After the show, Danielle pointed out the French celebrities you should definitely get pictures of, and you made sure to get a good selection of pictures of anything else you felt might be relevant.

The next show was Hussein Chalayan, which you were particularly interested in because you’d never actually heard of him. From what Danielle had told you, he did some pretty quirky things with his outfits so you were looking forward to seeing what he had in store.

The atmosphere of the show was deep and moody. The clothes varied between muted tones and reds with a rather boxy style, but they made for excellent pictures. The audience was extremely receptive and it made the environment even more exciting. You could hear the shutter of Danielle’s camera in time with the click of your fingers on your own. You hadn’t gotten the chance to see any of her pictures, but now you were curious.

After the show ended and you were packed and ready to go, the two of you went to a nearby restaurant to sit and go over your pictures. “I am so curious about your style,” You said, just after your drinks were delivered.

“My style?” Danielle asked, eyes wide as she looked at you.

“Yes,” you chuckled, “your photography style. You were hired on after your internship, I could probably learn a thing or two from you.”

She smiled bashfully, spooning some sugar into her coffee and shaking her head, curls brushing against her cheeks. “I don’t know, you’re already pretty good. Marie has been really impressed with you.”

“Come on, come on, don’t feel shy. Let me see one picture, just one!” You bargained and Danielle laughed, opening her camera bag and pulling her camera out.

“OK, but only one.”

You nodded, reaching for the camera and pulling it towards you, staring down at the picture sitting on the screen. It was a picture of the last model, perched at the end of the runway, staring down into the lens of the camera as though Danielle were the exact person she was looking at. The angle was beautiful, the sheer of her dress captured beautifully in the lighting. Everything in the background faded making for a beautiful forefront.

“This is beautiful, Danielle. Wow, now I feel like the amateur I am!” You pouted and Danielle laughed, swatting your arm.

“Oh stop.” She said, taking the camera from you, powering it off and placing it back in its casing. “Your pictures are beautiful, Y/N. You capture details I couldn’t even dream of.”

“Well that’s just a bald-faced lie.” You grinned, rolling your eyes good naturedly at her. “So, you said this was our last fashion shoot, right?”

“No, we have two more fashion shows tomorrow and then the rest of the week will be editing. Then next week you’ll have two couture design shoots to do in office.”

“Oh, who are we going to photograph tomorrow? I don’t remember.”

Danielle glanced down at her phone where Marie had sent the schedule, “Tomorrow we’ve got Thierry Mugler and Saint Laurent.”

“Oh that’s right. I’ve heard of Thierry Mugler. I thought he just did perfume, though?”

“Nope,” Danielle chirped, putting her phone back in the pocket of her dress pants. “He’s mainly a fashion designer. I generally enjoy his shows. They are clear cut and to the point.”

“That sounds like my type of show!” You giggled.

After lunch, the two of you made your way back to the office, burying yourselves in editing until you could barely see straight. But so far, you’d accomplished a lot and were already ¾ of the way through editing the first two shows. Tomorrow you’d finish those two and then move onto the two new ones. It was exciting and overwhelming and you were really starting to feel a sense of power in your work.

Everyone around you was a powerhouse; Marie and Danielle the most inspiring of them all. You’d met some of your other coworkers and while most spoke only French, the few you were able to talk to had taught you a lot.

Aluin, who sat beside you on your right had given you some invaluable pointers on how to take better photographs and he showed you some of his own work from back when he was in college. The work ethic and self confidence that he’d built over the years was inspiring. He was so self-assured about anything he tried.

Even if he didn’t meet his goal or it ended in a way that was less than what he’d wanted, he just used that as an opportunity for growth and to push for better and you admired that attitude so much. You’d spent so much time feeling sorry for yourself; you didn’t want to do that anymore. You were going to be better than ever before.

****

There was something about the wave of adrenaline that you would get just as the show was starting that was addicting, and your final fashion show was the cherry on top of your fantastic cake. Saint Laurent was not only right at the top of all the fashions you’d liked from the experience, but the show itself was so thrilling.

A dimly lit room with floor to ceiling mirrors and lights flashing in and out like rolling ocean waves along the ceiling of the venue. If you hadn’t been taking pictures, you would have been dancing with the blood boiling in your veins. You weren’t sure you would ever choose fashion photography as your future career, but you could certainly see why someone would.

The pictures turned out amazing, the venue was the perfect environment for a dark and sexy vibe and you were so excited, scanning through your pictures of both the Thierry Mugler and Saint Laurent shows that your hips couldn’t help wiggling away in the back seat.

Danielle chuckled at your enthusiasm and you smiled at her, tilting your camera in her direction. “Look at these pictures!” You enthused, “I’m not one for tooting my own horn or anything, but these are freaking amazing.”

Danielle leaned closer, scanning the pictures as you flipped through them, nodding in appreciation. “It’s amazing, you’ve only been here, what, four days? You’ve already improved so much; I can seriously tell.”

“Thank you so much!” You grinned, embarrassed but pleased by her compliments. “I’m honestly feeling pretty good about myself.”

“As you should. You’ve got a lot going for you.”

The office was only half full when you got to back; most of the photographers and markers out on location. A few photographers were still in the building either editing or doing a couture shoot in the back and there were a few other staff members whose jobs you actually weren’t really sure of.

You spent the next few hours really focusing on work, getting as much edited as possible. Your first two shoots were now safely edited and sent off for review and you were already around 1/3 or the way through the second two. The office slowly filled the more people came back from their respective photoshoots and conversation picked up, loud with excitement from the week. It was close to dinner time when you finally shut your laptop off for the day, stretching your arms over your head with a groan.

“Hungry?” Danielle asked, standing behind her chair and pushing her arms through the sleeves of her coat.

“Definitely.” You smiled, standing up. You pulled on your slouchy knit hat, and wrapped your scarf around your neck before grabbing your own coat. Just as you were slipping your arms through the sleeves, Marie came and stopped by your desk, bundled chic and warm.

“Will the two of you accompany me to dinner? My treat.” She asked, purse hanging high on her perfectly rounded shoulders.

“Well, with an offer like that, how can we refuse?” Danielle said and you grinned.

The restaurant of Marie’s choosing was far fancier than your blood could afford and you immediately felt like you should be refusing such generosity, but at her insistence, the three of you sat down at a table close to the center and began to look through the menu.

After ordering and seeing the waiter off, you turned back to Marie whose glossy red lips were pulled into a smile. “How has it been, Y/N, going to photograph all those shows?”

“Absolutely incredible!” You beamed. “I could never have imagined such an amazing opportunity for myself, I’m honestly so grateful. I have already learned so much.”

“Which show was your favorite?” She asked, taking a sip of the red wine the waiter had poured for her shortly after you’d sat down.

“Honestly, it was Saint Laurent from today. His pieces were elegant and not too flashy and the show itself just felt really exciting.” You admitted

“I remember when I first started going to fashion shows,” Marie commented, twirling her glass in her hand, “I was really young, just recently graduated from university. I met a man there in the audience; a very promising fashion designer. His name was Pierre Dubois and he was really something special. I greatly admired his work and he is actually what gave me the idea for this company. I wanted so badly to photograph his art and publish it, but I did not have the skill of photography so instead I just spent my time with him; admiring him.”

She smiled at the memory; eyes wistful as she looked down into the swirling red of her glass. “We married in the spring when I was 25. Young and in love and a little bit foolish. Pierre was trying to start his own fashion company because his designs were beginning to find recognition and I was just happy to enjoy the journey with him. I still wanted to start this company, though, so Pierre encouraged me and with the money we’d made from the selling of his clothing, I started this company. It was very challenging for a while, it was a different time and so many people believed I could not be successful because I was a woman, but I was determined and what I say goes. Soon enough, he was becoming a bigger name and eventually my company started to grow. The rest is as you say, history.”

You smiled at the idea, that two people could start something so special together and see it become so successful. It made you crave something like that, in the future at least. Whether it was with a romantic partner or a friend, you hoped someday you could make something special like that. “Is your husband in any of the fashion shows?” You asked, taking a sip of your own wine.

Marie smiled softly, shaking her head. “No, he actually died shortly after his 40th birthday. It is unfortunate that the world could not have seen more of his designs. He really was a visionary.”

“Oh,” you said, heart sinking. “I’m so sorry to hear that. My dad died when I was 11, so I understand. He was a talented author and I’ve often wondered what else he could have come up with, if he hadn’t left so early.”

“Some of the best people this world has known, have been taken far too early.” Marie nodded, placing her glass down on the table and smiling over at you, “that is why we must be strong and continue the work for them. I may not be able to design fashion like my Pierre, but I can show the world what he loved and keep that dream alive. I love doing that for him.”

The food arrived just then so conversation switched quickly, but Marie’s words stuck in your head for the rest of the night. You wanted to be strong like Marie, to keep your dad’s visions alive. You couldn’t write wild and vivid stories like he could, but you could find joy in the little things and you were determined to share those things with the world.

****

It was already Friday and the work was long and tedious while you were editing. You didn’t have any more fashion shoots until next week on Tuesday and Wednesday so you had today and Monday to get the rest of the editing done for Fashion week. The editing was the worst part of photography, but the end product was always worth it.

Danielle had, had to leave for a doctor’s appointment about two hours ago and you were craving her company already. You dreaded thinking about when you’d go back home and she wouldn’t be there anymore. You’d been staring at your screen for 20 minutes now, wondering what was missing from this picture’s edit that you weren’t seeing.

Rubbing at your eyes, you leaned back in your chair, yawning with a stretch of your arms over your head. You still had a few hours left of work and you needed a short break. A sudden thought popped into your head, and before you could think better of it, you were clicking onto your Instagram and flipping through your friend’s pages. You knew you shouldn’t, but your fingers had a mind of their own and you were already typing in Taehyung’s name before you could even register what you were doing.

His page popped up with a flood of mostly familiar pictures, but there were two from the winter break you hadn’t seen yet. The first was a picture of him at the entertainment company he’d been signed to back at the beginning of November. He was standing with someone from the company and looked really excited and that made you happy.

You wished you could have made him happy, but you just hadn’t been ready. Flipping to the next picture, he and Jin were on the beach, the sun setting behind them and bright smiles on their faces. You were really happy for them; living out their dreams. Not very many people seemed to be able to do that, but you were happy they could; they deserved it.

“Is that the guy?”

You jumped, glancing to your left as Danielle set down her bag and sat in her seat, a knowing grin on her face.

You chuckled, nodding. “Yeah, that’s Taehyung.”

“Did you come up with a game plan?” She asked, shrugging off her coat and slipping her scarf from her neck.

You shook your head, pursing your lips. “Not yet. Honestly, I’ve been so busy I haven’t really given myself time to sit down and think about it.”

“I don’t think that’s a bad thing.” Danielle remarked, bringing her laptop back to life, “You’re giving yourself time to really clear the air and then it will be easier to find a solution to tackle the problem. Sometimes if we think too much about something, we end up going in circles and never find a real solution.”

You nodded; lips puckered. “That’s true.” You admitted. “Man, I’m gonna miss your insights!”

Danielle laughed, squeezing your arm from beside you. “You still have another week of this internship, don’t miss me yet!”

“That’s true, maybe I’ll be sick of you by the end of it.” You teased. “So, how’d the doctors go?”

“Good.” She smiled, pulling up her editing software and pictures, “it was just a routine checkup. I had surgery a few months back so I’ve been going in to make sure everything is healing properly.”

“Oh wow, and everything’s good so far?”

“Yeah,” she nodded, leaning back in her chair and looking over at you. “It was a slipped disk that’s been bothering me for a while. It’s been years now, but when I was pregnant there were some complications and I got a herniated disk because of it. I didn’t think much of it because it didn’t really hurt at first, but over the last year or so it was pretty painful so I went and got surgery to take care of it.”

“Wow, so you’ve just been working this whole time with a slipped disk?” You gaped, leaning forward in your seat and she chuckled, waving you off.

“Adulthood. I have bills to pay and can’t really afford to take the time off. Besides, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

“You are way tougher than me.” You nodded, going back to your laptop and surveying the picture you’d been stuck on before.

“Naw, no way,” Danielle said, “you’re only as strong as you say you are.”

You smiled over at her before twisting your laptop towards her, “I’m in need of your help, oh wise one. What’s missing from this picture?”

Danielle grinned, leaning towards the picture, eyebrow scrunched in thought. “Turn the resolution up just a little and it will be perfect.”

****

Saturday morning was a welcomed break from the hectic schedule of photoshoots and editing. Danielle had told you to sleep in and be ready by 11. She was going to take you sight-seeing and you were crossing your fingers for the Eiffel Tower and a museum or two.

“Of course,” Danielle said, once you’d told her what you were hoping for, “no trip is complete without at least going to the top of the Eiffel Tower and seeing the Louvre in all of its grandeur.”

“I am so glad we agree! What about Notre Dame? I would love to see that.”

“Add it to the list!” Danielle grinned and you cheered.

After having a light lunch at a café not far from your hotel, the two of you made your way to the Eiffel Tower, paying and taking the elevators all the way to the top. The air was quite cold, but the sweeping view was worth it.

All of Paris was set out around you. It had snowed the night before, only enough to dust the ground and trees, but somehow it made the sight more beautiful. Buildings made of Limestone could be seen for miles, all topped by pristine white. The river Seine was just to your left, beautiful and shivering in the breeze.

You were pretty sure you took an obscene number of pictures, but you didn’t care. You weren’t sure if you’d ever come back here again so you didn’t want to forget a thing. Notre Dame was equally impressive, walls covered in stone and beautiful portraits. The statue Pieta was absolutely breathtaking, you couldn’t help but marvel at how someone could make something from a single slab of marble.

You’d studied all about Michelangelo and his work in your Art History class so seeing some of the pieces in person was a little mind blowing. “I can’t believe I’m here.” You whispered, glancing around the room.

“I never get tired of seeing this.” Danielle admitted. “The grandiose makes you feel so small, but in a good way.”

The golden glow of the lights against the walls made you feel warm and cozy. The vaulted domes of the ceilings inspired awe that you just couldn’t get over. There was nothing like this back home, no intensely rich culture and history that you could just feel in your bones. You would miss that a lot when you returned home. Customs were different here; in that they were intense and made you feel like a tightly knit group.

There was a sense of belonging that you enjoyed witnessing and made this internship all the more worthwhile. After spending another hour touring every nook and cranny that you were allowed to see, Danielle took you back to the Louvre, which you were particularly excited about. You’d seen just glimpses of it from the Dior fashion show, but now you would get to go inside and explore.

“The history of the louvre itself is amazing,” you remarked as both you and Danielle began to walk the halls, stopping here and there to gaze at paintings or statues. “It was once a castle under the rule of Philip II before becoming a palace for the successive kings as their main dwelling. Eventually one of the kings switched the main residence to the Palace of Versailles and this building became an unintentional museum, housing the royal collection. Did you know at one point the Louvre was even renamed Musée Napoléon when Napoléon was in power?”

“I did,” Danielle smiled, “but I’ve always been a bit of a history buff.”

“Ah, well then you must have already known all of that!” You lamented and Danielle chuckled.

“No, not all of it, but even if I had, your passion is quite charming. I enjoy talking to you; it’s always an intelligent conversation.”

“Well I’m glad I could be of some use.” You teased.

****

The weekend passed quickly and Monday was too bright and too early, but you were happy to be back at work; it was a welcome distraction from the ticking of the time on your internship. Only a few more days and you would close the door on a once in a lifetime opportunity. You were trying not to mourn the experience while you still had time left. There would be opportunities for that later.

You had your second to last photoshoot tomorrow and today you were going to be drowning in editing. You spent the morning editing by yourself, Danielle having back to back meetings with Marie and a few of the other members of staff, but at least it allowed you to fully concentrate on your work.

After lunch you worked one on one with Marie, going over the details of Tuesdays and Wednesdays shoots before sending her the pictures you’d edited thus far. You were mostly done at this point, just a handful more and you were excited to see that finished. You were always a little tired of seeing your own pictures after a dozen or so hours of staring at them.

Monday finished with nothing more than a comfortable evening and a fizzle of energy, sinking into the plush of the hotel mattress. You would be sad to say goodbye to this bed; it had given you some of the best sleep of your life so far. Tuesday was a different sort of chaos. The energy was new, less intense than fashion week, but still there in its own variety. There were too many people in the studio, full of nervous energy and differing opinions of how they wanted the models to look.

At Marie’s sharp insistence that they let the photographer do her job, you were diving into the deep end; point and shoot. This was a little more comfortable for you, a little more of what you were used to. The ability to capture what you wanted; what you found beautiful. You were less used to guiding posture and more used to discovering it in its own natural state, but there was something invigorating in the power of it.

You were in complete control of your pictures, and whether they turned out well was 90% in your hands and only 10% in the hands of the models. As it was, they were professionals so you were assuming the 100%. That was OK, though. You were a perfectionist at best, which was amusing to some because of how candid your pictures tended to be, but they were perfection in their realism, which was exactly how you liked them.

The room was hot and a little stuffy; you were warm and wet in the creases of your shirt, but you lived for this. The models did exactly as you told them and, in the end, you were pretty happy with the images you’d captured. An afternoon spent editing was a price you were willing to pay to ensure the details were right.

A company dinner with conversations in broken English, too much French wine, and not enough space between bodies in the booths made for a well-rounded evening and you met your pillow with a belly warm from Pinot Noirs.

****

Wednesday morning greeted you with sun and a hangover. It was still too cold so you bundled yourself warm and waited for the car after breakfast. Danielle greeted you at the office, standing just inside the door with a smile and a hot chocolate.

“How are you feeling?” She asked, eyes flicking across your body and you grimaced.

“Too much wine,” you admitted, “but I’ll survive.” The elevator was stuffed full of people greeting each other with sleepy bonjours and stiff head nods. It felt like a Monday.

“Last photoshoot today!” Danielle enthused, stepping from the elevator and you followed after, nodding your head briefly before regretting the action entirely. Your head was still pounding. You needed to drink your water bottle before you could even dive into the drink Danielle had given you.

“Yeah, I’m not looking forward to staring at a computer screen the next 5 hours come editing time.” You said, pulling your water bottle from your bag and chugging the remainder. “I took some medicine this morning when I woke up, though, so I should be a little less dead in 10 minutes.”

Danielle nodded, motioning towards the closet over her shoulder and you followed, going to get the equipment you’d need for the day. You loved the flexibility you got with this internship. You’d heard about how creativity stifling some could be, the dictation of what your work was meant to be like, so you’d been thrilled to find that most creative decisions were left in your hands. Danielle and Marie’s guidance had been invaluable, though, and you really looked forward to continuing to implement what they’d taught in your future career.

“I think you should use the EOS 5D Mark IV for this one,” Danielle said, going to take the camera from its casing, carefully holding it out for you as she searched for different lenses you could use. “It’s gonna help you get more details with this shoot. The clothing the models are wearing today are pretty intricate so we need you to get some pretty in-depth pictures. Here, take the EF 24-70mm as well, just in case.”

The office was filling with life as you made your way back to your desk, carefully setting the camera down before sitting in your seat and switching to the settings you’d need for the shoot. You had about an hour before the models got here so you went to go set up the room with Danielle’s help, taking a few practice shots to make sure the camera was working properly.

Marie joined you when the models did, helping to show you good positioning that would exhibit the clothing without being too intense. The dresses they were wearing were definitely intricate; lots of beading and gems. Your favorite was a black tulle dress with gold star like designs across it and a deep V-neck into the middle of the sternum. The price of €9674.50 had you gagging, but you weren’t buying it, so for now you would just enjoy looking at it.

Once the shoot was over and the frames were loaded into your laptop, you began the tedious task of editing your final photoshoot. It was bitter sweet in that it meant that your internship was basically over. You would finish editing tomorrow and then Friday afternoon you would fly home.

Sighing, you sat back in your chair, pulling your arms behind you, fingers linked together as your chest opened wide in a stretch. “I can’t believe it’s almost over.” You mourned, and Danielle turned to look at you, lips twitching up in a small smile.

“The time really has gone by quickly.” She admitted.

“I feel like so much has changed.” You said, pushing the lid of your laptop until it was almost closed.

“In what respect? You or life or something else?”

“Everything, I guess.” You shrugged. “I’ve learned a lot about my craft, but I’ve also been learning a lot about what it means to be a strong woman and it’s all thanks to yours and Marie’s example.”

Danielle looked flustered at your admission, holding a hand up to her chest. “Me? What have I done?”

“Well, you’ve of course given me guidance with my pictures, but you’ve given me unintentional advice that has been invaluable.” At the knit in her brow you continued. “I hope this doesn’t come across the wrong way because I mean it completely positively, but in college you found yourself in a situation that was really hard. You knew your strengths and limitations and decided to make a decision that could have destroyed you for the benefit of someone else. If I’d had to make a choice like that, I feel like I would somehow look down on myself, but you’re just so bright and happy and positive.”

Danielle smiled, reaching out and squeezing your hand. “I wasn’t always like this. When I first gave Emile up for adoption, it nearly consumed me with guilt. What mother just gives away their baby? That’s what I kept asking myself. Eventually, I got to the point where I was tired of being my own worst enemy. I had to face my demons and forgive myself. What I did, I did for Emile because I love her. I couldn’t have given her the life that she truly deserved and that was bigger than my desire to be her mother. I had to sort of retrain myself, learn to love the woman I am and stand by the decisions I make. I also had to learn to accept my faults and not let them limit me. I’m not a perfect person, but I’m finally allowing myself to learn from those imperfections instead of letting them dictate my life. It was really a journey of self-love.”

“I’m envious of that,” you admitted, “loving yourself enough to be ok with making mistakes and learning from them instead of being limited by them.”

“Well don’t be jealous,” Danielle said, “do something about it. You can do whatever you set your mind to; look at Marie. The entire industry looked down on her because she was a woman, but instead of choosing to adopt that thinking and let it limit her, she turned around and said, you know what? My being a woman is my strength, not my disadvantage. Then she went and proved it. Seems like right now the person you need to be proving yourself to, is yourself. Self-love is a life long journey, but it’s important.”

“How did you start, then?” You asked, spinning slightly in your chair, armrests gripped tightly between your fingers and gaze trained down on your jeans.

“I started by forgiving my flaws and telling myself every day in the mirror the things I liked about myself. Sounds silly, but it really works. At first, it was hard. My mind was flooded with self-doubt and loathing, but I just kept practicing. For every negative thought, I counteracted that with a positive one until finally there were only positives left.”

“You’re pretty amazing, Danielle.” You said, looking up at you and she smiled.

“So are you, Y/N. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise, especially yourself. You are meant to be your biggest ally.”

****

Later that evening as you stood washing your face at the sink basin of your bathroom, you thought about what Danielle had said. There were a lot of things you didn’t like about yourself, it’s true, but there were a lot of things that you did like, so how could you learn to focus on those things?

Staring into your reflection, you frowned. Danielle was right, it was weird to try and tell yourself the things you liked, but it couldn’t hurt to try. Pursing your lips, you thought hard and decided you wanted to focus on the parts of you people couldn’t see on the outside.

“Uh,” you cleared your throat awkwardly, shifting from one foot to the other. “You’re a nice person.” Immediately you were flooded with thoughts of how awkward you were, but you rounded your shoulders and pressed forward. “You genuinely care about people; you don’t just fake it for the convenience of others. You always try really hard to get along with other people, but you don’t take crap from anyone.”

You smiled softly, thinking of some other things you liked about yourself. “You actually have a really good moral compass and a good sense of when a situation or person is good or bad; not everyone has that. You have a good sense of humor; you can always make people laugh and feel relaxed with you. You’re really smart, too. You’ve always knocked down every barrier that was in your way because you were determined enough to do it. This is going to be another one of those times.”

You spent so much time standing in front of that mirror that by the time you were finished, your eyes were heavy with sleep and you were trudging back to the comfort of your bed with a head full of praise and a warm heart. Loving yourself was going to be the best thing you’d ever done for yourself.

****

Friday morning came after a busy Thursday with a final dinner with Marie and Danielle and a teary goodbye to the former, who had an out of town business meeting and couldn’t see you off to the airport.

You’d packed your bags in the evening after dinner and double checked everything in the morning before Danielle came to get you for your final breakfast together. With your bags packed and in the trunk of the car, you’d stopped at a café. You still had two hours before you had to head to the airport for your 2 o’clock flight and your chest was tight with the bittersweet ending of your adventure.

You’d spent yesterday morning and last night after packing, praising yourself in the mirror and even though it had still felt a little awkward, you were already starting to feel a little change. It had given you a lot of time to think about who you were and who you wanted to be and as Danielle went to go pay the bill before you left for the airport, you had another moment to think about it.

One of the biggest things you’d noticed about yourself so far, was the lack of trust you had…in yourself. Maybe that stemmed from the fact that your dad had died and you weren’t able to do anything to stop it, maybe it’s because growing up after that, you were afraid to say no, afraid to hurt others in the way that you felt you been hurt by your dad’s absence. Or maybe you just didn’t trust that you could make sound and reasonable decisions.

Whatever the reason behind your lack of trust in yourself, you began to take note of what others around you were doing to build themselves up. Danielle and Marie were two of the strongest women you’d ever met. Danielle had scars both physical and emotional from her surgery and the baby that she’d given away. Marie had started an empire and carried it on her back, despite the scrutiny of her time that a woman couldn’t create and run a successful company.

You admired them deeply; wanted to be like them in many ways. Over time you realized you couldn’t actually be them…but you could be you, and that was pretty great too. You had a lot of great things going for you, a lot of really good qualities. Sure, you had things to work on, had done things that you weren’t proud of…Taehyung came to mind, but you had resolved to become your best self. You were done living your life in the shadows, feeling so afraid of yourself and the power you possessed, not just as a human being, but as a woman. You were done beating yourself up over the person you weren’t and you were ready to love yourself for the person you already were.

Sitting here in this Parisian café, dressed in your ebony peplum pea coat and cherry red beret feeling more confident than you had in your entire life, you were ready; ready for this change. “You ready to go?”

You glanced up, watching as Danielle came to stand in front of your table and you smiled, grabbing your bag and standing. “Ready as I’ll ever be.” You said, linking your arm with hers.

“I can’t believe it’s already been two weeks. Time really does fly.” Danielle moped and you pouted over at her as she closed the car door behind her.

“It really did go way too fast.” You agreed.

“Will you ever come back to Paris?” Danielle asked, reaching over and linking your hands together.

“I hope so” You said, squeezing her fingers in yours, “And of course you know if you’re ever in my area you’ve got to drop by and say hello.”

“It would be a crime if I didn’t.” She insisted. “I’m really gonna miss you.”

“I’m gonna miss you too.”

“Promise to keep me updated on everything, especially with Taehyung. I need to know how that all goes, I’m too curious to be left in the dark.”

You laughed, “I promise to give you the scoop, but don’t get your hopes up either. I was pretty unfair to him; I wouldn’t blame him if he still doesn’t want to speak to me.”

“Please, look at you. He’ll definitely want to talk.” She grinned, nudging your shoulder and you rolled your eyes at her.

Once you’d reached the airport and said your goodbyes, you lugged your bags through check in and security and then made your way towards the gates. It had only been two weeks but felt like it had been a lifetime. You’d learned so much while you were here.

Staring out the window at your plane, you sighed. You needed to make a plan, figure out how you could ever convince Taehyung how sorry you were and how willing and ready you were to actually give him a chance.

In the end, it had never been about him and all about you. You hadn’t loved yourself enough to realize that you were worthy of the love he was trying to give you. You weren’t willing to face the heartbreak of rejection so you pushed him away without ever really giving him a chance.

Now you realized you’d not only hurt him, but you’d hurt yourself. You were unwilling to do that anymore; to be the destroyer of your own happiness. You were so ready to love yourself, to be your biggest cheer leader. You were ready to face the fact that you were deserving of the love people wanted to give you. You smiled at your reflection in the mirror, the same young woman from two weeks ago, but so different too. You felt powerful, like there was nothing you couldn’t do. You were confident and comfortable in your own skin. Your body wasn’t perfect, you had little spots and cellulite in places you weren’t thrilled about; but this body had gotten you through so much and was always ready to get up and go forward in the morning. It was time your spirit caught up. You loved it in all of its little imperfections and intricacies and in learning to love the outward side of yourself, you were learning to love who you were on the inside too.

Sarah was right, you were one hell of a woman and you were no longer afraid to admit it. Take off was bittersweet; leaving behind the country and opportunity that had allowed for so much growth in your photography and even your confidence was a little scary, leaving with it a feeling of whether or not you could continue when you returned to old habits; but you refused to allow the everyday of your life to retract the progress you’d made. You were too driven.

It was late when you landed, but despite the hour, your family was still there to greet you. Your mom squealed, arms open wide as you jogged towards her, laughing at her excitement. “Oh my gosh!” She gasped, poking at your beret when she’d stood back. “You look so Parisian.”

You grinned, rolling your eyes, “What does that even look like?”

“Like that.” Ben chuckled, pulling you into a hug. “Welcome back, Tuck.”

“Thanks Benny boo.” You smiled and he groaned, grabbing at his chest in complaint.

“Hey Paul.” You said as he pulled you into a firm bear hug.

“How are you kiddo?”

“Super glad to be off that plane.” You admitted, stretching your back when you’d been released. “Economy is not where it’s at.”

Ben worked his arm around your shoulders and the four of you made your way to baggage claim through the handful of late-night stragglers off other planes. “Still can’t believe you went to Paris. Of course, my kid sister gets to do all the cool things.”

“Hey, don’t complain at me, mister. You’re the one who applied for a job at our old high school. You could have tried for that overseas job.”

Ben shrugged as your group came to a stop by your baggage claim, “You know I’m too conventional for that. I want the adventure, but turns out I’m too lame for it.”

“Can’t argue there,” you nodded and Ben laughed, smacking your arm.

“Be nice to your big brother!” He frowned and you wriggled your eyebrows up and down at him.

“It’s pretty cold out there,” Your mother said, linking her arm through yours, “Did you bring a bigger coat or just that?”

“This is surprisingly warm, actually.” You said, “but you know I went out with a bigger coat, I just packed it in my check in.”

“You might want it on.” Paul smiled, zipping his own coat up, “we’re having a bit of a cold snap right now.”

After grabbing your luggage, you followed your family back to the car, loading everything in and finally laying your head against the window. You were exhausted. It was just after midnight by the time you left the airport and after a full day of traveling you were so ready to fall asleep for at least 12 hours.

Conversation was light for the next 20 minutes, mostly your family talking and you drifting in and out of sleep and conversation. By the time you made it back to your house you were nearly asleep. Ben and Paul helped you bring your luggage back up to your room and you made your way to the bathroom to brush your teeth.

“It’s good to have you back, Tuck.” Ben smiled, kissing your forehead and you smiled up at him around your tooth brush.

“Are you staying the night?” You asked, pulling your brush from your teeth and turning to face him.

“Yeah, it’s winter vacation for us too so mom and Paul said I could stay for the last week of your break and then I’ll head back to my apartment.”

“See you in the morning, then.” You said softly, waving him away and he nodded, heading to his childhood bedroom to sleep.

****

The next morning you woke to a fresh snow and a mild headache. Jet lag was far worse heading over to Paris, but you knew you couldn’t completely escape the time zone difference so you stretched lethargically before stepping from your bed and making your way to the bathroom, fingers digging into an itch in your back.

“Morning sleepy head.” Your mother smiled from the breakfast table after you’d made your way downstairs. “I made breakfast.”

“I see that.” You remarked in amazement, “you really outdid yourself.”

The table was filled with all sorts of delicious foods and your stomach gurgled as you pulled out your chair and sat down. “I can’t decide what to eat first.”

“How about everything?” Paul chuckled, placing down his book and grabbing your plate to fill it with one of everything.

“Morning.” Ben croaked groggily from the door, shuffling his way to his seat, hair stood up in every direction and his eyes half closed with the remnants of his sleep.

“My, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” Your mother teased and your brother, having a general lack of energy, just yawned in response. “So, Y/N, you have one week before school, what do you want to do with that time?”

“I want to make a game plan.” You said and Ben looked over at you, one eye closed and the other half lidded.

“A game plan for what?” He mumbled around a mouthful of food.

“How to apologize to Taehyung.” You murmured, staring down at your food.

“Did something happen with him?” Your mother asked, taking a sip of her orange juice.

“Just kind of had a…falling out.” You said, smiling up at her, “he was ready for something more serious than I was and I was too far in my own head. I want to at least talk to him and see if he’s willing to give it one more chance. If not, then at least I’ve tried.”

“That’s a good idea.” Your mom smiled, “tell me more about him; you’ve been so secretive.”

You laughed, taking a drink from your cup, “I don’t really like to talk about things that aren’t for sure yet, you know that. I’ll tell you about him, though. He’s originally from Korea, has a brother and a sister, he’s studying dance and musical performance and he is so talented it’s ridiculous. He lives with a lot of friends from back home and they’re some of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. He’s really good at making me feel like I can do anything. I don’t know, he’s just really cool. Plus, he’s cute.” You grinned.

“As he should be,” your mother nodded. “OK, so you’ll make a game plan. Anything else? I was hoping we could go see a movie or something.”

“Yeah, mom wants someone to go a sappy movie with her.” Ben smirked and your mother swatted his arm.

“It’s not sappy.” She complained.

“Mom, it’s like hallmark on steroids.” He scoffed and you chuckled.

“Sure, mom, I’ll go with you. Mostly I just want to relax this week. Eat more than my calorie count allows and lounge on the couch with a blanket and movie.”

“I’m down for that.” Ben agreed, shaggy hair falling into his eyes as he nodded.

“I want both of you to help me with some things around the house while you’re here,” Paul said over his book and you nodded in understanding.

****

After breakfast was over you made your way back to the bathroom for a shower. The steam made you feel warm and lethargic all over again, like climbing back into the toasty heaven that were your sheets. You finished your shower, dressing and getting ready quickly before grabbing a notebook and heading to Ben’s old bedroom, leaving a knock on the solid oak wood panel.

“Come in.” He called from inside and you twisted the bronze knob, cool in your fingertips, until the door swung open. “Hey,” he smiled from his perch at the top of his bed. “What’s up?”

“Was wondering if you could contribute your man’s insight.” You asked and he patted the spot next to him.

“Sure, with what?”

“My game plan.” You said, taking the proffered seat. His bed, while unmade and a little messy, was soft and warm, and you sunk into its embrace happily.

“Ah yes, with that guy Tae something, right?”

“Taehyung, yeah.”

“Ok, so, what have you got so far?” He asked, turning his body so it was facing you, one foot on the floor with the other tucked into the center of his sweats.

“Honestly,” you sighed, “nothing. That’s the problem; I don’t even know how to start.”

“Well, I guess the only way I can really help is if you give me the details of what happened. Can’t help fix a problem I know nothing about.”

“I was hoping we could avoid that part.” You mumbled.

Ben laughed, “Sorry, Tuck. Time to be forthcoming.”

You sighed, nodding before delving into the story, watching his face apprehensively as he frowned or grimaced in certain parts and you wrung your hands nervously.

Ben exhaled loudly when you’d finished, lips puckered forward in thought. “It’s a lot to take in.” He remarked.

“I know.” You murmured.

“Well, obviously you both made mistakes, he should have been a little more patient, but you were definitely giving him mixed signals and leading him on.” Ben said gently and you frowned down at your lap, fingers tracing the rings of your notebook.

“Yeah.”

“It’s not the end of the world, Tuck, it’s been almost a month, you’ve both had time to calm down. Now you guys just need to talk. I honestly think it’s going to take more than just one chat, though, to be fair.”

“What do you mean?” You pouted and Ben smiled, ruffling your hair.

“So far, his romantic experience with you has been your body language and words at complete odds. How’s he supposed to know you’re really ready without you proving it…with time?”

Your shoulders deflated. “I was afraid you were going to say that.”

“Sorry, Y/N. He probably doesn’t trust your word much right now and you’re gonna have to show him you’re really serious about him this time. Building back trust takes time. Tell him you are ready and that you want to prove it to him over time and then be consistent. You make the moves to see him and you follow the signals and signs he gives you. And…if he says he doesn’t want to or isn’t ready, you have to respect that. Sometimes we burn our bridges.”

“I hope I haven’t burned this bridge.” You admit, looking up at your brother.

“I’m rooting for you.” He said, taking your hand in his own.

“Thanks Ben.” You smiled.

“Dad would be really proud of you, you know?” He said suddenly, and you looked over at him, eyes wide. “You’ve grown a lot over the last few years. When dad died, I feel like our family kind of fell apart. You and I were both really angry and I feel like you’ve spent a lot of time self-sabotaging, making it so that people couldn’t get close enough to hurt you anymore. I’m really proud of how much progress you’ve made. It’s not easy to open yourself up again.”

“What about you? Have you learned to open up again?” You asked.

“Well, I’ve always been a little more open than you,” he teased and you rolled your eyes at him with a smile. “But yeah, I’ve kind of been seeing someone.”

“Really?” You heaved, sliding closer, “tell me all about her!”

He chuckled, flipping the hair from his eyes, “Her name is Nicole, she’s actually another teacher at my school, teaches AP English.”

“Did Mrs. Lin leave?”

“She retired, yeah. Last year, actually. Nicole and I only started seeing each other about 2 weeks ago, but so far I think there’s a lot of potential; she’s really cool.”

“I’m excited for you. Really. At least one of us has got the romance department a little more figured out.”

“It’ll be the two of us soon enough. If not Taehyung, it’ll be someone else. There’s nothing wrong with you if you don’t date, though. You know that, right?”

You smiled, grabbing his shoulder in a tight squeeze. “I know, Ben. Thank you so much for listening. Seriously. Your support makes me feel like I can really do this.”

“You definitely can.” He said. “By the way, mom wanted me to remind you that you still need to open your presents from Christmas.”

“Oh!” You gasped, bouncing from your seat on his bed, “I totally forgot about that. Let’s go downstairs!”

****

Later that evening, after you’d had dinner and cleaned the dishes, you were sat in front of the fireplace in your pajamas, book in hand. Paul was watching tv, flipping casually through channels and you could hear your mom and Ben playing chess in the office. You coveted days like these, where you could sleep in and lounge lazily around the house. No responsibilities, just relaxation.

The downtime gave you the opportunity to think, too. Mostly right now you were thinking about how you missed Paris. All the time in the world and you wouldn’t have been able to explore all the things you’d wanted to. Every cute café, shoved in a small hole in the wall with beautiful vibrant wisteria and vines of honeysuckle hanging from the trellises. You wish you could have seen them in bloom, but even in winter it was an enchanting sight.

You missed Danielle a lot, she’d provided you with a lot of insight and a great friendship. You wished you could have brought her back home with you. She wasn’t that much older than you, but she’d taught you so much.

“Would you be willing to help me in the store tomorrow?” Paul asked, turning his gaze from the tv to rest on you.

“You need me to man the cash register?” You asked, looking up at him. “Yeah, the customers are in need of a pretty face, not just my gruff mug.” He chuckled and you smiled.

“Sure, I’ve got some time to spare. What time?”

He flipped to a rerun of an old army show, dropping the controller in his lap, brow wrinkled. “Not a super long time, I know it’s your break right now. How about from 11-3? That way I can get Bobby and I a good solid break.”

“Sounds great.” You nodded, flipping your book back open. “I’ve still got the shirt upstairs in my closet.”

“Great. Your brother is coming in tomorrow too, but he’ll be helping in the back with some heavy loading stuff so you may not even see him.”

“Is he going in at the same time as you?” You asked and he shook his head.

“No, he’s actually coming in at the same time as you so maybe you can drive in together.”

“Good. I’ll make him drive.” You grinned.

****

The drive to the store was slow in the snow, but the familiar roads and buildings were comforting in their nostalgia. The morning air was still and crisp, leaving a chill in the car that went sweeping into your bones.

Your breath fogged in front of you, condensation building on the window as you stared out. The streets were mostly empty, despite the hour, but as you made your way further into town the sidewalks became more crowded with people, snow trodden footsteps and the remnants of Christmas decorations.

Ben pulled into the parking lot of Paul’s garden and home store and locked the doors behind the two of you as you stepped, shivering into the mist covered afternoon. You could see a few customers inside, but it wasn’t overcrowded.

Moving inside, you shook the cold from your limbs, glancing around the room to find Paul. He stood at the opposite end of the store in the garden section, talking to a man over the top of a large potted gardenia. He waved at the two of you absently and you walked to the back of the store and into the employee break room, sliding your coat from your shoulders and onto the wall hanger by the door.

“I’m gonna go grab us some aprons.” Ben said, walking into the office and closing the door behind him to get to the shelf.

The break room was just as you remembered it. Two brown, leather couches, one with a poorly patched hole in the center of one of its seats, an old, wooden table by the sink with a small white fridge and a couple counter tops. There was a small tv sat on a table across from the couches, so you sat down, fidgeting idly with the sleeve of your uniform shirt while you waited for your brother to return.

“OK,” Ben sighed, making his way back out of the office and closing the door behind him, two grey aprons clutched in one hand. He chucked one into your waiting lap and you stood, fastening it around your waist and behind your back. “Let’s go see where he wants us.”

By the time you returned to the front, Bobby was already ringing up the gardenia customer and Paul was making his way over to the two of you. “Thanks again for coming in.” He smiled, clapping your brother on the shoulder and you waved him off.

“We’re happy to help.” You replied.

“I’m gonna go ahead and send Bobby on break and get you set up on register, Y/N. Ben, I’ve got a few things I need your help with. When Bobby comes back, I’ll go on break and send him your way, Ben.”

“Sounds good.” Ben nodded.

“Morning,” Bobby greeted you from his position at the register and you grinned. He was a shorter, slightly stouter man, just a few years older than you, with short, black hair, a rounded nose, and glasses. He was quiet and a little awkward, but a genuinely nice guy and someone you considered a good friend here in the city.

“How are you?” You greeted as he stepped from the register to allow your uncle to log his information in.

Bobby shrugged, “can’t complain. Making money to pay for my exorbitant lifestyle, the usual.”

You laughed, patting his arm and stepping back as your uncle made his way passed. “You’ll have to keep me updated on that.”

Bobby made his way back to the break room and Ben and your stepdad walked towards the back of the store, disappearing around the corner. The store wasn’t very busy right now so you grabbed a Home and Garden magazine from beside you and began to flip through to occupy your time.

Shortly before noon, the bell to the shop chimed and you glanced up as Anna, Sarah, and their mom walked through the door.

“Y/N!” Sarah squealed, running towards you, Anna hot on her tail and you rounded the register to give them both a hug. “Oh my gosh, we weren’t sure if you’d be here today but tagged along with our mom just in case.”

“Seems like it was a good idea.” Their mom said from behind and you chuckled, giving her a quick hug.

“Yeah, I just got back the other day and Paul asked Ben and I to come in and help today.”

“Did you buy a beret like we told you to?” Anna asked and you grinned, rolling your eyes at her.

“Of course, I did. Just wait until you see all the things I got! I’m so excited to show you everything.”

The twins mother made her way to the plant section of the store and you glanced after her, before turning your attention back to your friends. “Well we should hang out before we head back to school. I know you haven’t spent a lot of time with your family, but we’ve spent more than enough with ours.” Sarah teased and Anna nodded vigorously.

“Sure, you guys know you’re welcome to come over anytime. Why don’t you come over later after dinner and we can watch a movie or something?”

“And by watch a movie you mean gossip about Paris while a movie plays in the background?” Anna said, eyebrows wagging and you laughed.

“Pretty much.”

After the twins and their mother had bought what they needed and left the store with see you soon’s, you returned to a sluggish afternoon of the occasional customer question and watching the snow drifts outside the front window.

Every once in a while, you’d see Ben and Paul lugging heavy plants to the front of the store and Ben would make funny faces about the pain of heavy labor and you’d smile and laugh, waving him away. By the time both Bobby and Paul had taken their breaks and returned, you were ready to get some food of your own so with quick thank you’s from Paul and no problem’s from you and your brother, you both made your way back into the snow, bundled and warm, to head home for food and relaxation.

You helped your mother make lunch, before the three of you retired to the living room to watch old reruns of The Nanny and eat. It was so nice to be home and have no responsibilities. Even though you missed Paris and you even missed school, there was no way you were going to squander the opportunity to sit around and do absolutely nothing important.

After dinner, Anna and Sarah came over in their dad’s brand-new Christmas present, a beautiful cherry red Camaro and you remarked on the amazing feat it must have been to convince him to let them drive it.

Sarah chuckled, “well since we only live a block away, he was willing to allow it. You know if you lived any further, we would have been in the Toyota.”

“This is true.” You nodded your commiseration before grinning and looking at your friends with wiggling eyebrows. “Wanna see my clothing loot?”

“That should not be a question!” Anna insisted and the three of you ran giggling up the stairs into your room.

You grabbed your suitcase from the floor, flopping it across the middle of your bed and flipping open the top. “You still haven’t unpacked?” Anna asked, sitting at the foot of your bed, one foot tucked into the seat of her jeans.

You shrugged, “let me live my lazy life.” Pulling some of the clothes from your bag, you began modeling for your friends who indulged you happily with oo’s and aw’s and exclamations of jealousy that made you giddy with excitement.

“What about your beret?” Anna asked and you smiled, reaching into your closet and putting on the new coat and hat to show them.

“I’m so jealous!” Sarah cried, jumping from the bed and coming to your side to stroke the fabric of your coat. “Feels like wool.”

“It’s a synthetic wool, actually, and it’s so warm!” You gushed. “Also, check out the hat. Do you approve?”

“Very much so!” Anna chuckled, running her finger tips across the brim of your hat. “I hope you brought us souvenirs.”

“What do you take me for?” You asked, spinning back to your suitcase and pulling out two bags filled with small little goodies and a beret each for your two closest friends who squealed words of thanks and dug through their bags excitedly.

“Did you get something for Charlotte?” Sarah asked, looking up at you and you nodded, holding another bag up from your suitcase.

“Duh.”

The three of you spent the rest of the night filling each other in about your separate breaks and the presents you’d gotten and you gushed all about Danielle and Marie and Paris until you were blue in the face and they were green with envy and then you sat down to a movie with popcorn and more conversation until their dad was finally calling them back home and you were climbing back into bed, excited to enjoy the rest of your winter break before returning back to school for the spring semester.

*****

Thank you sooo much for being so patient and waiting for this 42 page beauty. I’m really happy with this chapter and I hope you love it. Please let me know what you think! I’m desperate for your thoughts and opinions. Haha. We’re almost there, only 3 more chapters!

Chapter 12

Chapter 14

#taehyung fanfic #taehyung scenario #taehyung angst #taehyung fluff #taehyung x reader

48 notes · View notes