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still-with-koo · 8 months

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Just Neighbours | MYG | KSJ

Series: Chapter Three

summary: You move to a new city hoping to leave behind all the fragmented memories of your past. But the universe has other plans for you. Instead of helping you move on from the one person that haunts you still, the universe brings him straight to you. Is it a cruel joke, or is fate taking its final aim?

pairing: yoongi x reader; seokjin x reader; maybe some jimin x reader

wc: 3,971

genre/warnings/rating: 15+; slow burn; angst; fluff; exes to something… maybe friends, maybe lovers; some idiots to lovers; some enemies to friends to lovers; there’s pining, more so in future chapters; some pov switches; mentions of emotional abuse; mentions of infidelity; mentions of stringing someone along; some (poor) attempts at humour; oc gets embarrassed a lot; oc can be a bit insensitive; a few swear words; some self esteem issues come up down the line; kissing; sexual innuendos; suggestive themes; there may be explicit sexual content in future chapters. the characters in this story are my own and do not reflect on the members of bts or anyone else. this is all made up and just for fun, please don’t take it too seriously!

playlist: she’s in the rain by the rose

a/n: it’s been a long wait. i hope this makes up for it! we see a bit more of seokjin in this one <3

ch. 1 | ch. 2 | ch. 3 | ch. 4

It is raining preternaturally strong this morning. You slide the glass door open and step onto the balcony to observe the downpour closer still. The sun has barely risen and yet the storm seems to be in full bloom.

You suddenly wonder if anyone watching below might think you are mad for standing on your balcony in such weather. But the outer ledge extends far enough to keep you from getting drenched to the bone. You only feel light drizzle across your face, which is reason enough to stay out here.

You lazily place a hand on the railing and glance towards your neighbour. Their balcony blinds shuffle a little. You see the tiniest sliver of a face peeking through them but it leaves much too fast for you to make out.

The blinds are now being drawn and on any other day you would have stayed, delighted with the possibility of finally making their acquaintance. However on this day, you are not in much of a mood to pretend you are something you’re not.

Slinking indoors, you decide to make yourself some warm tea to console yourself. It has only been a few days but Jimin’s absence is felt so strongly you wonder what would happen if he never speaks to you again. That is why you’ve been feeling so blue lately. There is no other reason that comes to mind to explain the gaping hole in your chest.

Your kitchen light flicks on and you reach into the cupboard, grabbing the first mug that comes to hand.

And then freeze.

The familiar inscription brings a strange feeling to the pit of your stomach. And a memory you thought you had long forgotten.

“My whole heart?” You giggle, tracing the inscription across the mug with your fingertip. Slowly looking up at him, you smile, “I never pictured you as the cheesy type, Yoongi.”

A lopsided grin is his initial response, but then he kicks a nonexistent rock on your carpet, avoiding your gaze while he whispers under his breath, “Well, I couldn’t put ‘sex kitten’, could I?”

You snort, replying, “Because that would be you, silly.”

At that, he pounces on you, grabbing your hand in his and biting your lip. “Naughty thing,” he growls.

“What? Are you going to prove it now?” You are breathing shallow, mesmerized by the mischief sparkling in his eyes.

Shallower still when he catches your chin between his thumb and index finger. “Oh, I will get to that, but there is so much I want to do to you first.”

You try to push him away giggling so much you can hardly breathe as he plants kisses all over your face. “Enough, enough! I surrender,” you say finally, hands in the air as he sits back on the couch, surveying you with delight.

“I love you.”

Those three words hung in the air and at first you didn’t know who said them. But by the look on his face, it becomes painfully clear.

You did.

It was as if he just saw a ghost. He grew as pale as the wall behind him and to ease whatever strange discomfort arose you try to laugh it off. A couch cushion is thrown in his direction and soon it was as if nothing had happened.

The sound of knocking on your door rouses you from your daydream.

It takes a few seconds to register what is happening as you stare at the mug in your hands.

“Coming!” You throw in their direction as you walk over to the trash can, letting the mug hover over the bin. Sighing, you quickly place it back in the cupboard before yelling out, “I’m coming!”

Wiping your hands, you press up against the door.

Odd. You don’t see anyone through the peephole.

Slowly opening the door, you check. The coast is clear.

Closing the door behind you, your back hits the solid wood with a thud. Things like this have been happening a lot lately. This isn’t the first time you’ve heard knocking at your door without any visitors. And just last night, you could have sworn you heard your name being called out.

Shaking your head, you suddenly realize you will be late for work and start getting ready.

You’re mindlessly inputting inventory when your phone lights up. The sound of the storm outside must have drowned out the ding but there is a new notification. A message, surely.

You know you shouldn’t have your phone on the shop counter (it’s against store policy or whatever) but you can’t help it. You have a pretty good hunch one of these days (any moment now!) Jimin will come to his senses and call you back.

Or at least send a text.

Maybe a noncommittal ‘hey’.

Any acknowledgment would be nice, really. Anything to show he is close to forgiving you for scaring the life out of him during your drunken blackout.

You haven’t even told him that Yoongi brought you home that night… not that he gave you a chance. A ‘You ok?’ ‘Yes’ and he hung up. Just like that. And radio silence ever since.

“Are you trying to telekinetically vaporize your phone or something?” Taeyeon’s voice drifts into your consciousness. You didn’t even notice her enter from the backroom.

You give her a small smile and grab your phone, noting the junk email notification before quickly slipping it into your pocket while she comes around the corner to inspect your work.

“Finished with the inventory check yet?”

“Not yet.”

The storm grows louder and you catch a flash of lightening outside.

You can feel Taeyeon peering over your shoulder, a small click of her tongue punctuating some thought you can almost hear as her brows furrow. She then inhales slowly, her words coming out even slower, as if she’s measuring them carefully. “Are you feeling ok?”

You glance back at her with a puzzled expression, “Yes?” There is a searching look in her eyes. You know that look. Your mother used to give you that look every time you said you were fine when you really weren’t.

“Ok, I’ll take your word for it,” she replies, hands falling to her hips, “but you need to get your act together. This isn’t like you.” You follow her finger to the screen and notice a ‘daffy duck’ where ‘daffodils’ ought to be. Face heating up, you correct the mistake and chirp out a “sorry” as she clicks her tongue again.

“Business has been good lately, but we need to draw in more high end customers.” When your blank expression doesn’t change, she pulls out her phone, pointing to some article in Forbes magazine. “We need those rich heiresses who’ll spend a grand on a few special centrepieces. Or their gold digger husbands.”

You bite your lip. The business side of things has always felt a little bit daunting. But you are determined to do well… if nothing else, simply to prove to yourself you can do it. You nod and she gives you a small smile. Then her face lights up. “Ah, I almost forgot, the company is throwing a…” Taeyeon’s voice fades out as the front door chimes.

With a quick clear of your throat, you glance towards the front door. “Welcome to Stay Gold Marigolds,” you sing out in your best customer service voice. The one that’s a bit too high, an iteration that still needs a bit of work admittedly.

A yellow umbrella folds up and out from behind it appears a rain-soaked but unmistakably luminous face.

He looks up and smiles.

You recognize that face.

“… scary pregnant friend!” You’re now pointing at him with a smile. When you notice your hand, you quickly bring it down.

He nods, grinning back.

“That’s my alias,” he replies, casually glancing at Taeyeon with a polite smile. “But most people just call me Seokjin.” He’s fixing his tie with one hand as the now folded umbrella dangles languidly from his other. Even slightly drenched, he looks immaculate. The universe really has favourites.

Then you realize you just called him “scary pregnant friend”.

Oops.

“Ah, of course,” you reply, grimacing slightly. “Seokjin. Always happy to see a returning customer.”

Something flashes across his face, but you’re too busy fending yourself from Taeyeon’s elbow to notice.

“Um, Seokjin. This is Taeyeon, the store manager.”

She sends him a dazzling smile before straightening her blouse. Seokjin glances at you momentarily before approaching with a rather quick pace, extending his hand out to Taeyeon. Taeyeon’s mouth opens slightly but Seokjin doesn’t seem to notice as his attention immediately fixes back onto you.

“I’m glad you’re working today, Y/N,” he comments, hand leaving Taeyeon’s to rest on the shop counter. “I owe you my life.”

“Your life…?” You can feel Taeyeon’s eyes burning a hole in the side of your head. “For what?”

“For getting me out of trouble. My scary pregnant friend,” he pauses, his unexpected wink earning a knowing smile from you, “loved the flowers. She wants another bouquet for her birthday.” He glances down and adds, “and this tremendous umbrella, thank you for saving me from the downpour.”

“Oh, um, you’re welcome.” Your reply comes out a bit stilted as Taeyeon catches your eye, her smile seemingly plastered on as her eyes dart between yours and Seokjin’s. You respond with a slight tilt of your head as if to ask ‘what is it?’ You’re clearly lost.

Frustrated, she clears her throat. “You know, we have quite a selection of other arrangements. Perhaps you… or your wife… would—“

Seokjin’s eyes widen at Taeyeon’s insinuation. “Oh, I’m not married—“

You watch him scramble to switch the umbrella to his right hand and if it weren’t for the shrill sound of a phone cutting him off you’re sure he would have shown you his empty fourth finger. Confusion spreads across Taeyeon’s face before she realizes it’s her office phone. As she runs off, you smile at Seokjin.

“Ok, so no funeral, then?”

Seokjin laughs, and with a little prompting he starts telling you about his face off with the scary pregnant friend. Before long you’re giggling at his dramatic retelling, amused by how believably he re-enacts the scene for you. He even does her pregnant waddle, and smiles extra big when you laugh so hard a snort escapes. You’re positively red but he finds it endearing.

You laugh freely, he thinks, a trait he doesn’t see as often as he likes.

But then your focus shifts. Not that he notices, though. Not yet at least.

Your phone buzzes in your pocket, a soft ding drawing only your attention.

It would be rude to look at your phone now, you think to yourself as you bite your nail, eyes still locked on Seokjin but mind now on your phone.

The possibility that Jimin—

No, he definitely hasn’t texted you back.

But then again, you did send him a special something in the hopes of guilting him into forgiving you.

It wouldn’t have gotten there yet, though… would it?

Wait, Seokjin is still talking.

You clear your throat and smile, trying your best to look interested in whatever Seokjin is saying. But suddenly it’s silent and it looks like he might have asked you a question.

“What do you think?”

He did. He asked you a question.

Shit.

You inhale, considering your options: You could fess up; or take a stab at an answer.

Swallowing your pride, you decide to come clean about zoning out for a few seconds.

But those aren’t the words that fall out.

“Sounds good,” you choke out, clearing your throat again.

Stupid.

Stupid stupid stupid. Why would you say that? What did he even ask?

It must have been a good response because he is positively radiating with happiness. His smile is so big it’s infectious and soon you’re smiling too. But you have no idea why.

“It’s only a few minutes walk from here, actually,” he continues, but the sparkle in his eye slowly fades as yours does.

“Walk…to?” You’re biting your lip now.

His eyes narrow and you know he’s caught you redhanded. But then he chuckles, responding with a sweetness you didn’t expect.

“Well, I was just… I mean if you have time, maybe you could join me at my coffee shop,” he starts, and you notice the tips of his ears turning red. When the expression on your face starts to shift, he quickly adds, “I need to completely revamp it. I would love if you could drop by to help me choose decorations.”

Taeyeon enters at this last part and excitedly starts pushing you towards the door before you can even reply. “Of course, she would. Go on, Y/N. Help him choose.” And then she whispers, only for your ears, “This is it. Go get ‘em”

Seokjin wasn’t lying about the distance. It really was but 5 minutes from your flower shop. And the rain had let up thankfully.

However, the small cozy coffee shop you were expecting isn’t at all how he described it.

It’s not a tiny, out of the way place. It’s a beautiful place attached to an even more beautiful restaurant.

He opens the glass door and you put one hesitant step in front of the other, taking in the marble tiles and spacious set up, with exquisitely decorated tables and a front desk with a glorious bouquet.

You catch Seokjin waving behind you and when you look ahead, the hostess quickly pulls the bouquet down. You can’t help the quirk of your lip at this gesture.

His hand at the small of your back gently ushers you towards a table at the glass corner outlooking the park outside. Gesturing to the seat, you sit down and look up at him with orbs for eyes.

This can’t be his. Maybe he is renting the coffee shop from the owner of the restaurant?

“So, this place needs a remodel. Have a look around and let me know your thoughts. I’m just going to get us a coffee, hmm?” You nod and get up to survey the area.

A hostess walks towards you with a very broad smile. “You must be Mr. Kim’s girlfriend,” she immediately says as she comes within earshot. “Nice to meet you! I’m Anya.”

You gasp, quickly shaking your head. “No, no, I’m just here to help him with decorating. I work at the flower shop nearby.”

She looks at you closely, finger coming up to her cheek. “I’ve never seen Mr. Kim look at anyone the way he looks at you. He is clearly smitten.”

That is ludicrous, you think to yourself.

But her tone doesn’t give even a hint of sarcasm. She sounds dead serious.

“And if I were you,” she continues, “I would make a move. He is quite the catch.”

You smile politely. “I’m sure he is. A very handsome man with a … coffee shop like this. I’m sure whoever his girlfriend is, she is very lucky.”

Anya laughs. “He owns the whole restaurant chain, coffee shop and all. His mother passed down the ownership last year and he has been doing wonders to make the name even more well known than ever.”

Her eyes sparkle as she continues to tell you more and more about Seokjin, and you notice Seokjin speaking with a waiter over her shoulder. He turns slightly and catches your eye, giving you a sweet smile.

“So many people come to this location to see him. I mean, look at him. Even I took this job to have the chance of meeting him, thinking maybe he might fall… oh, I sound delusional.” She laughs again.

There’s no way someone like him is interested in me, you think to yourself.

“He is so focused on work like it is the only thing that matters in the world. So I was surprised to see him looking at you like—“

Lips pulling into a straight line, you decide you’ve heard enough. “I’m sorry, I really think I should take a look around now. Thank you, though!”

She nods but you don’t wait for another word as you turn away to look at the rest of the place. You run your fingertips across the sparkling glass countertops. He really doesn’t need a remodel. It already looks so perfect.

“Any ideas, yet?”

Seokjin’s voice startles you. He then extends a mug towards you as he takes a sip of his.

“Ah, I’ll need to mull it over, but I’m thinking we could add some more bold pieces. Most of your decorations and flower pieces are quite understated, but I think you need something louder, something that stands out…”

The more you say, the more his smile grows. He doesn’t say anything though, and just keeps smiling at you. When you finish, you look at him, expecting a response. But his sunny silence remains.

“And you have quite a few windows, Seokjin, but I think you could use some more lighting by this corner here.” You walk over to the edge that is blocked by the counter.

His smile turns lopsided, and you come up to him with your hands on your hips. “Are you not going to say anything?”

“It’s just that… when you stood in that dark corner, it lit up immediately. I think all I need is you… for this place to brighten up.”

Your jaw drops. “Mr. Kim Seokjin, are you flirting with me?”

“Depends. Did you like it?”

“Seokjin!”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

If you didn’t know better, you would think he was about to kiss you with that look in his eye. Your heart is suddenly beating really hard as you try to avoid Seokjin’s rather intense gaze.

“Right. Well, the lighting is not our department. Just a friendly suggestion,” you reply, clearing your throat. You can feel his gaze follow you as you walk towards the centre aisle.

“For the flowers, I think we can arrange some samples for you. Maybe some lovely arrangements of peonies, carnations and crown imperials in vibrant colours? Or even a colourful mixture of rumex, parrot-beak and larkspur…” Your finger comes to your chin as you consider the options.

“You’re amazing, Y/N,” Seokjin says, hand lightly touching your arm to get your attention. He’s still smiling. “I was wondering if maybe you…” When you look up at him, there is a look in his eyes that has you swallowing hard. “Maybe you…”

“Mr. Kim, your twelve o’clock has arrived.”

The moment breaks and Seokjin excuses himself with the most apologetic look on his face.

When he returns, you’re done with taking measurements and pictures.

“I have all I need, Seokjin. So unless there’s anything else, I should get going.”

“Let me walk you.”

“It’s pouring!” You’re holding your hand out, watching the splashes on the palm of your hand.

Seokjin opens up the umbrella in an instant and steps out onto the sidewalk. “Your umbrella is going to save us again,” he shouts over the storm. He slowly steps back in towards you and holds out his hand. “Join me,” he asks with a twinkle in his eyes.

You put your hand in his, and suddenly he starts running, pulling you closer to him. You’re both dashing towards your flower shop, gliding out of the way of an older couple with an even bigger umbrella, and you both laugh with childish glee as you look at each other, relishing the angry curses they throw your way.

You’re nearly out of breath when you reach your shop. He looks at you with a glow.

The umbrella has not saved either of you as drops glisten on his sparkling skin, his dark strands damp. And the left side of his beautiful Italian suit is soaked through.

He looks at you and notices similar twinkling droplets on your flushed cheek, and gently wipes them away, eyes shifting up to meet yours. With a furrowed brow, he moves a few wet strands from your eyes. “Probably should have brought you in the car, huh?”

“What? No way,” you exclaim, finally catching your breath. “This was the most fun I’ve had in a long time.” You look up into his eyes and see a sparkle you recognize as his pretty, full lips pull into an even bigger smile.

“Really?”

“Yes. I used to love running in the rain back in my hometown. This brought back so many memories.” You shake your head when an old memory tries to resurface. Not now, you think to yourself. You don’t want to be reminded of an old flame when soothing water stands right before you.

“Then, can I ask if maybe you would—“

Before Seokjin can finish his question, his attention shifts past you, followed by a quick apology on his lips for being in the doorway for so long. He slowly pulls you aside and you meet a set of brown eyes as they walk past you.

Yoongi’s eyes shift from yours to Seokjin’s and back to yours again and you see something flicker in them momentarily before he’s walking away from you.

“Hey, isn’t that Min Yoongi?” Seokjin asks, astounded by the sudden run in. But you’re not really paying attention, a slow nod being your only response. Why was he in your flower shop?

Seokjin is oblivious, of course. When you look at him, he still has his sunny smile as if nothing has happened.

You give him a slightly dimmer smile in return.

Taeyeon’s head pops out the front door as she starts to call out, but then she notices you and Seokjin. “Hey, you two. Come in, will you? You’ll get…even more drenched than you are.”

Inside, your mind is still on Yoongi when Taeyeon drops another piece of news.

“We’re going to a charity ball next Friday, Y/N. So let me know if you need a shopping buddy? I need a dress myself.”

“A charity ball next Friday! It’s not the one at the Palisades, is it?” Seokjin asks excitedly.

“It is,” Taeyeon replies, “Are you going, too?”

“I am, but I don’t have a date unfortunately.” At this, he glances at you but you’re still lost in thought.

Taeyeon picks up on it, though.

“Y/N doesn’t have a date either! Why don’t you two go together?”

Seokjin turns to you for your answer, but you’re not paying any attention to him.

He watches as you fish out your now ringing phone from your pocket and notices how your face lights up tenfold. From this angle, he can make out a big ‘JIMINIE’ splashed across your phone screen.

If you had been paying any attention to him, you would have noticed his shoulders slump a little and the corner of his mouth falter a degree before he sits back up, smiling pleasantly while you excuse yourself to take the call.

#yoongi x reader #yoongi angst #yoongi fluff #yoongi fanfic #suga x reader #suga angst #suga fluff #suga fanfic #seokjin x reader #seokjin angst #seokjin fluff #seokjin fanfic #52hertz #lilo fics #sorry this took so long - writing has been so hard lately but i think this turned out ok :)

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kingofthewilderwest · 10 months

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Please remind me every time I talk to a friend about a new creative writing idea I should bear in mind I’ll never actually write said idea

#why the heck was I talking grand Lilo and Stitch fanfic #we know this is not going to ever have a single word written on it #(sometimes it's just fun to image) XD #blabbing Haddock #non-dragons #creative writing #writing

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r0tt3n-corpse · 1 month

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Poll bc idk which one to write

Tell me which characters you’d like to see too!!

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lilolilyrae · 6 months

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Thanks for tagging me @bookgirlfan!

Rules: Make a new post and post the latest line in your WIP & tag as many people as there are words or as many as you feel like:

Once I had made my way through the part of the forest, and I know every area of the woods here and have names for them in Entish speech, but I will not write them here for they would be much too long to translate into a quick tongue such as the common language of the people of middle earth… Burrarum, I carried the halflings who might not be orcs through that part of the forest until I met Gandalf, and Gandalf the wizard told me: they were not little orcs.

Yeah I'm writing a Fangorn & Gandalf pov description of hobbits as part of my flufftober challenge xD it's fun - I get to write long rambling sentences where Treebeard loses track of what he's saying at least twice halfway through because he gets distracted by some other story, and that's just a mood!

Not gonna tag that many people, I don't even remember that many usernames. Let's stick to a nice even 10. @cookie-sheet-toboggan @purlturtle @squishmittenficfan @smittyjaws @xvnot15 @kla1991 @wibblywobblyida @toboldlynerd @imagitory amysnotdeadyet die-schwanenkoenigin (only if you want to of course) you can wait to do it whenever you've got a new fic started, or if you like you can just use a line of an old wip from the drafts pile, I know we've all got one xD

#yes i can tell that its 11 i cant count and I'm not about to delete a tag xD #lilo writes behind the scenes #tagging meme #lilo writes #tagged #bookgirlfan #oct'23 #22.10.23 #fanfic tag

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crayonurchin · 1 year

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When I was 11 or 12, I went on a holiday with family friends. We stayed in a little cottage in Scotland. This was at the height of my fan fiction discovery, and I had recently learned that I could make OCs and then insert them with other characters and just... write anything I wanted.

I asked to borrow our family friends laptop and proceeded to spend most of the holiday writing an extended fan fiction about my Lilo and Stitch experiment OC called Kitten 630, and her extremely whump-y time with Gantu, Reuben and experiment 627, where they fell in love but not before the most angsty stuff a kid would write happens. There was a faked death, possible pregnancy, torture and my first attempt at exploring lesbian themes.

It has dawned on me... 14 years on from this, that I do not think I deleted those files from his laptop, and there is a chance he read them cuz all I did on that holiday was write this fan fiction for nobody to read but myself

#the cringe is NOT me writing stuff I loved #not at all #I am proud of her for that #no the cringe is JESUS THIS MAN KNEW ME SINCE BIRTH #And he possibly read my Lilo and Stich... idk the genre fanfic #but it was WEIRD #it was Turning Red levels of indulgence weird

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lilolilyr · 2 months

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my @b-and-w-holiday-gift-exchange fic for @anandabrat: Helena is a fame-hating bestselling author of a novel that is going to be made into a film, Myka is an up and coming actress... Can they get over their differences and find a way to be together?

14k words, rated T, no warnings

Read on Ao3 • moodboard • sources

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floreleine · 1 year

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Hi, are u still taking prompts? If so, i'd like to ask "argument/screaming match leading to kissing/sex" for floreleine and maybe jealous madeleine?

thank you for the prompt! Yes I'm still taking prompts, though idk whether this ask is new or I overlooked it for a while :} anyway, here you go!

1k, rated T, warning: homophobic language used by background characters

Summary: Florence is always flirting, and it is driving Madeleine crazy! Just because she's annoyed that Florence is always busy with some guy or other, it has nothing to do with any feelings she might have for her... or does it?

#Floreleine #gunpowder milkshake #Mine #prompt #prompt fill #prompt fic #gm #gm Madeleine #gm Florence #Floreleine fic #my floreleine #ask #Answered #lilo writes fanfic #lilo writes

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1dcommunityficrecs · 1 month

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Historical AUs!

We have 26 incredible fics submitted to this list, stretching from the fifth century up to the 1990s. We have stories that fit into just over 2,000 words, and others that are more than 200,000! This list includes one LiLo fic, and we also have our first ever non-English rec, with a French language fic -- truly the language of love.

To all my fellow history lovers, it's time to go apeshit. Read, reblog, comment, kudos, bookmark, tell your friends, all that jazz -- your local fanfic writer appreciates it!

Here In The Afterglow by fondleeds (88649, Not Rated, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Violence, bullying, homophobia, slurs

1970’s AU. In a tiny town in Idaho, Louis’ life is changed forever by the arrival of a curious stranger.

Reccer says: The beautifully chosen words, the captivating story, the queer joy!!!

Unrequited by babyhoneyhslt (144000, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Omega Prince Harry is send to France to marry Prince Louis, but instead of the nice boy he knew when they were children, he is met with a cold and distant husband and no idea as to why.

Reccer says: It was so interesting to follow along with this and try to figure out why Louis was behaving this way. And then later see them fall in love. Really liked it and can't recommend it enough.

Danger I can’t hide by CelticSky (227290, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) Warnings: War, homophobia

Flying Officer Styles and Sergeant Tomlinson would have likely never crossed paths in a time of peace, their lives laid out neatly, predictably before them. But then the world became unrecognisable. Too soon they grew accustomed to fear, surrounded by death and destruction, not even their freedom a certainty any more. Until they found each other. Comfort. Companionship. Understanding. Another person to lose.

Reccer says: It's one of those fics that I'd describe as monumental, masterful, epic. In my opinion, it should be made into a film, and brought to everyone's attention. The script is brilliant and relentless. The characters are subtle and nuanced. The writing is exemplary. A masterpiece.

Secrets in Winter by softfonds (82582, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

If Harry Styles thought he was going to have a peaceful winter while staying far away from the rake who lived across the street, he was sorely wrong on two fronts. A Victorian AU.

Reccer says: I loved the plot and the character development of the main pairing.

A cycle of recycled revenge by Brokenbeaks (103302, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Foxburgh, England, 1983. In the heat of summer, wreathed by pastures, rolling knolls, and thatched-roof cottages, Louis takes on a new job: caretaking for a recently blinded man named Harry. As it begins, what seems like a simple task turns into a quest that costs him every last bit of his pride and tolerance. Harry is, in practice, a two-legged curse. And Louis is just gonna have to put up with it. Or: The one where Harry likes to infuriate Louis almost as much as he enjoys straddling his lap.

Reccer says: Absolutely excellent. I was a bit worried about how Harry's blindness would be handled, but it was done wonderfully. Perfect fic. Perfect writing. Perfect plot.

Through Lonely Streets and Neon Lights by Sweetly_disposed (25107, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

1920's era, Great Gatsby inspired. Harry is a poor boy living in the South Village. Every night he watches the North City come alive and longs of crossing the river to be a part of it and escape his dreary life. The infamous Mr Tomlinson lives across the river from Harry. His parties are the stuff of legend; people on both sides know about them, and all Harry wants is a chance to go to one. When fate swings his way and he finds himself in Mr Tomlinson's house, he gets much more than he could ever have bargained for.

Reccer says:

Chasing empty spaces by Lis (Domesticharry) (79028, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

The year is 1934 and Harry Styles was to inherent the largest tobacco firm in the south. His parents have picked out the “perfect” girl for him to marry and he has the privilege of receiving the highest education possible. The problem was, Harry hadn’t realized he didn’t actually want any part of that future until he met a mechanic named, Louis Tomlinson.

Reccer says: This fic is simply magnificent. A must read

An invincible Summer by Brooklyn_Babylon (44627, Explicit, Harry Styles Louis Tomlinson)

Never content to stay in one place for long, a few months down south researching for his novel seemed like an idyllic, slow-paced summer to Louis. He wasn't ready for the blistering heat, the backbreaking work of watermelon picking, or how stifling the attitudes in rural Georgia would feel. And he definitely hadn’t anticipated falling in love with the farmer’s son. The summer of 1946 would turn out to be everything worth writing about.

Reccer says:

Box of Rain by Indierection (amandamoraisa) (26631, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

1970 AU, Louis is a boxer and Harry a ring boy

Reccer says: The era is well transcribed (the way of life, the music), and the story is very charming.

Cela aussi passera (French-language fic) by Hazzunah (110721, Not Rated, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

1993: Louis is 16. It's summertime, by a lake in France. He meets Harry. 1999: Louis is in Japan; he hasn't seen Harry for 6 years, since that fateful summer. He thought he'd lost him forever.

Reccer says: For years, I've been reading only in English, but there's still the odd French fic that I come across that's really good. "This too shall pass" is one of them. It's set in the 90s, it's beautifully written, it's moving, and the characters are well characterized. For me, it's a gem. So I recommend it. For anyone who can read in French.

You Make The World Taste Better by LiveLaughLoveLarry/loveislarryislove (10000, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Harassment and threats from the rival baker, culminating in physical violence and a grisly end in keeping with the fairy tale

A twist on Hansel and Gretel as a rivalry between bakers, based on Hans Traxler’s fictional non-fictional text "The Truth About Hansel and Gretel"

Reccer says: This fic is such a wild adaptation of a story almost everyone knows, capturing both the sweet (literally, since Harry is a baker haha) elements and also the darkness of the tale.

No One Like You by myownspark (20000, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles were noted painters in the 19th century. Louis was a Neoclassicist, Harry a Romantic -- totally different, nothing in common, no connection. But centuries later, art historians Niall and Liam find something that suggests perhaps the two were more intertwined than people think.

Reccer says: I love the parallel timelines, watching Louis and Harry's relationship develop and fracture and heal at the same time as watching Niall and Liam discover things. We see pieces of history they're trying to puzzle together, and then we see the history as it happened, what it really was and what it meant to them.

Bloom by LadyAJ_13 (28909, Teen, Liam Payne/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Non-graphic violence, period-typical attitudes

In early 1970s Oxford, Detective Sergeant Louis Tomlinson has to deal with the dual pressures of a case that hits too close to home, and the arrival of new colleague Liam Payne.

Reccer says: This was an incredible, atmospheric, moody historical mystery fic. Topped off with a lovely, happy ending that had me tearing up.

Under Electric Candlelight by littleroverlouis (5051, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

In the 1970s, small town veterinarian Louis moves to NYC and meets a beauty at the bar named H who sometimes goes by Lola.

Reccer says: So immersive you feel like you're in 1970s Manhattan. The characters are truly electric and lovely.

this is my jam by disgruntledkittenface (4513, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Harry goes to a gay bathhouse for the first time. 90s AU.

Reccer says: This story is so much more than it first appears. I could feel the atmosphere and the emotion of the moment of the characters finding a freedom that didn't exist for them outside of the bathhouse's walls. It's an absolutely beautiful (and hot) exploration of such a specific time and place. So layered and thoughtful and hopeful and real.

After Dark, After Light by QuickedWeen (71440, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Kidnapping, battlefield

Louis Tomlinson is the mysterious commander of the Sutherland army sent back with Harry on orders from his laird to help shore up Clan Edwards' defenses. As the winter draws nearer by the day, the two are thrown together to prepare for the invasion that they expect as soon as the ground thaws.

Reccer says: This fic just sweeps you away to the Scottish Highlands! Such a fun historical romance!

the sanctity of patience by scrunchyharry (22521, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

When young Lord Harry was chosen by King Louis of Bavaria to become his husband and prince consort, Harry thought all of his dreams had come through. His illusions came crashing down when he understood it meant living in isolation in the alpine castle of Neuschwanstein with a husband who turned out to be far from what he had hoped for.

Reccer says: The writing is gorgeous and immersive. The characters are so vivid and I loved the way their journey to love played out.

Ace of Spades by allwaswell16 (78000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: depictions of violence, drug use

Louis is a pirate, Harry is his captive, and no one is who they say they are.

Reccer says: Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. The plot twists! The suspense! The intrigue!

Adore You by Isthatyoularry (66979, Mature, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson)

Arrange marriage AU, Harry initially hates Louis and their arrangement but goes along with it for the summer. Louis is perfect for him tho, as much as harry hates to admit it. They last.

Reccer says: The word building. Stubborn harry. Pining louis. Catching feelings. Hate to love.

We Can Find a Place to Feel Good by yeah_alright/uhoh-but-yeah-alright (8000, Teen, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

1960s AU inspired by Treat People With Kindness. Harry attends school dances over the years, meeting Louis and learning more about himself and what he loves.

Reccer says: Just so completely sweet and hopeful! Captures the vibe of the song so well!

The Garden Part 1 by Throwthemflowers/hazzabeeforlou (13000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post Warnings: Major character death, war

Biblical AU - 5th Century. A prince (Louis) falls in love with his father’s musician (Harry) in the midst of war.

Reccer says: This story is so hard to describe (it's Part 1 of a truly incredible 3-part series) but it's intense and brilliant and epic. The love here is all consuming and it comes through in the writing. Completely unique.

Ever Since I Tried Your Way by fairytalefemme (25896, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) Warnings: internalized homophobia

40s/50s AU. Harry leaves his bride-to-be at the altar, runs away from his life, and finds a kind farmer who lets him stay.

Reccer says: Such a sweet, tender exploration of love and self.

With Words Unspoken by jacaranda_bloom (18000, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Older Louis and Harry. 50ish Louis returns to a cabin he'd visited many years before and it's a hippie commune type place where he finds Harry.

Reccer says: It just made me SO HAPPY. Peaceful and lovely.

1957: here to take my medicine by zita17/louisandtheaquarian (2652, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) - fic post

Beat poets Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles blow off some steam before a reading.

Reccer says: Literally transports you to this particular time and place. And so so hot.

The murmur of yearning by Mediawhore (93300, Mature, Harry Styles/ Louis Tomlinson) Warnings: Rape/non-con attempts, death of character, slurs etc

Harry upon the death of his husband he was forced to marry find companionship and support in the arms of Land steward mr. tomlinson. Together they try to prove harry didnt murder his husband.

Reccer says: Regency era. Dark academia. Mystery and suspense. Forbidden love trope. The angst and mutual pining. Harry in corsets!

Love you in the dark by Perzikze (9225, Explicit, Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson) Warnings: Dubious consent i think, loss of virginity

Story of a historical wedding night. Innocent Harry has no idea what goes down during the wedding night; Louis eases him through it.

Reccer says: Innocent harry. Supportive Louis. It's adorable and sexy at once!

Stay tuned for the next list theme! It's similar... but different... ;)

#rec list #category 5 #historical au #one direction #louis tomlinson #harry styles #liam payne #niall horan #zayn malik #1dsource #1dficvillage #ficsfor4am #tracksintheam #trackinghome #allwaswell16 #alwaysxlarrie #1d rare pairs #hlcreators #girl direction source

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imagitory · 8 days

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@andrewmoocow Personally I find them to be misguided. There is a very well-done analysis video I've cited before that talks about the animation and why it ends up looking like AI, and I think it really addresses this argument better than I could --

youtube

-- but TL;DR, the animation looks "fake" largely because of stylistic decisions (l.e. turning off motion blur with the thought it would look "more like 2D") that weren't well thought-out. And I actually think the film's writing issues run into the same problem.

Because here's the thing -- writing high fantasy is not as easy as it looks. I can testify to this because I myself am writing a draft for a high fantasy novel right now.

All these years, Disney has been in an advantageous position with their animated films largely being adaptations of previous works, since they're already given a lot of the parameters a writer needs to build a world, plot, and characters. In a Snow White adaptation, for instance, you need a vain queen, an innocent princess, a prince, seven dwarfs, a magic mirror, and a poisoned apple, as well as a fairy tale world where these things fit comfortably. And since so much mainstream fantasy is largely inspired by medieval Europe, that aesthetic remains very familiar with audiences to the point that you need a lot less explanation for things. We don't really need an explanation for the political landscape of Cinderella because we see "fairy tale kingdom" and immediately know it's an absolute monarchy led by generally amiable rulers. We're not surprised when fairies appear in Sleeping Beauty, or when a magical sword predicts who should be king in The Sword in the Stone, or when Tiana and Naveen are turned into frogs in The Princess and the Frog, or when trolls appear in Frozen -- all of these magical conventions fit within the usual fantasy aesthetic and really don't need any explanation or backstory. I'd hazard to say that most people -- aside from those nitpicky critic types who get all hung up on how many servants are in Beast's castle just because they saw a bunch of extra silverware in the Be Our Guest sequence -- just don't bother questioning these things. And the original material also gives some shape and form to the adaptation's story, characters, and overall feel. It doesn't matter how close the finished product matches the original idea or even how familiar the audience is with that original material -- it still provides a jump-off point and sense of focus for the writer(s), the same way fanfiction (even an AU fanfic) can, in contrast to original content.

All right, well, what about those Disney projects that aren't fantasy? Well, in the case of stories like Treasure Planet, Robin Hood, and Mulan, they're still based off preexisting properties that people will find familiar enough that the writers can focus more on the adaptation's unique additions and not focus on detailed backstories and explanations about how the world and societies depicted in the story work. It's a lot easier to just focus on the fantastical elements like the space tech, talking animals, or Mushu and the ancestors if the rest of the story and cast are relatively easy to understand. Even in the case of original stories like The Lion King (which admittedly was largely inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet, but I digress), Lilo and Stitch, and Lady and the Tramp, they still exist in a non-magical world that closely resembles ours, with only superficial changes like animals being able to talk or the existence of aliens. Even quasi-historical settings like The Great Mouse Detective and Atlantis: The Lost Empire look enough like our real-world equivalent that their settings are largely recognizable to us.

In just about all Disney animated films, the screenwriters didn't have to world-build that much. They didn't have to put the character development and plot on hold to explain the rules of the universe these stories take place in that often -- not unlike how writers like Rick Riordan didn't have to explain as much about the country his hero Percy Jackson lives in, because his books are an urban fantasy where our real world is just "plused up" with magical elements. We don't need to know if gravity works on the story's characters the way it does for us. We don't need to be told about the political landscape, history, or terrain of our location. We don't need to ask whether dying is something our characters can come back from.

Wish, on the other hand, is an original story in a high fantasy setting that doesn't resemble our world. People might try to claim it takes place in the Iberian Peninsula, but come on -- Rosas is a completely fictional country in a world that has magic we don't know the rules of and countries that faintly resemble cultures from our world, but we don't know the histories of or how similar they actually are to their real-world inspiration. We also have a cast of characters we've never met in any other media and a story and messages that we know nothing about beforehand. This means that we have no preexisting framework going in for what's possible and impossible in this world; no frame of reference about who these characters are and what their histories are; and no parameters that the plot, characters, and themes must fit inside, whether based on the fantastical story being adapted or a real-world setting that's a lot like ours. And I don't think that Disney really thought through just how challenging it can sometimes be to tell this kind of a story without stuffing the script with a lot of "tell" and not "show," which, as just about any film person can tell you, is the exact opposite of what you generally want. In film scripts, you want to show your audience a lot more than you tell them -- this not only takes full advantage of the visual medium and communicates your point in a much more natural and artistic way, but it also lets your audience think for itself and come to its own conclusions.

Now of course, can you write a high fantasy original story that's easy to follow and evokes a lot of emotion in your audience? Of course! But it does take time and a lot of careful and creative world-building. J.R.R. Tolkien was the king of such things. George R. R. Martin has done it. Neil Gaiman has done it. Ursula K. Le Guin has done it. Even the writer of the Nimona graphic novel, ND Stevenson, did a good job of it! But I think it's quite clear that Wish's script was not in the works that long -- development of the original idea started back in 2018, yes, but it wasn't until January 2022 that it was announced Jennifer Lee was writing it and Julia Michaels was brought on to write the songs, so the film's current trajectory likely wasn't pinpointed until then. And if the film was released in November 2023, then that means Wish's script was finished in under two years. Although there are successful Disney scripts that I daresay needed only that much time (Frozen, for instance, was quite rushed, by all accounts), once again, those scripts were done for stories with some sort of preexisting framework that allowed the writers to skip explaining certain visual or contextual short-hand in favor of focusing on their own creative flourishes in character and story. They were written with a tighter focus on the plot and its players without the need to build a complete stage under them.

The reason some people want to cry "AI!" when they look at Wish's writing is that they're looking at a script that makes the rookie writing mistake of exposition-dumping in an attempt to make its audience care, rather than evoking emotion. That kind of exposition-dumping is something that most novelists usually have to trim and rewrite in future drafts of their work: it's a mistake done while the writer is trying to world-build enough that their audience understands all of these original rules, societies, locations, and characters they're not familiar with. This exposition is then often trimmed down before publishing, and when adapted for the screen it's often trimmed even further or even completely rewritten, in favor of more visual methods of conveying the same information. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz writes about Dorothy traveling down the Yellow Brick Road and about the long journey that takes her and her friends through a lot of side adventures on their way to the Emerald City: it's the famous film adaptation that cuts out the Kalidahs and puts the whole trip to jaunty music for the characters to sing and dance to. Wish could've communicated to us the importance of the wishes to their owners through more visual means, but instead feels the need to reiterate this idea over and over through written dialogue. And again, this is a common mistake by writers when they're inexperienced in creating completely original content, as opposed to spin-offs, sequels, or adaptations of other people's work.

AI writing is generally known for repetitive phrasing and sentence structure, lack of accuracy, and lack of a personal touch. As much as I'll agree that there are a lot of character and world-building choices in Wish that don't make sense, I don't think that's the same thing. There clearly was a story someone (or multiple people) wanted to tell about a person hoarding the precious ideas of other people away, even if it means those ideas can never be shared with the world -- it just wasn't a story that ended up being told that well. And I think this is why Wish is almost worth seeing -- it serves as a good example of why certain writing decisions work better than others and how writing for fantasy projects and/or "family entertainment" is an art form that's worthy of respect when it's done right.

To sum up my stance on the matter -- I think Disney just bit off way more than it could chew and then didn't give its writers enough time to properly digest it.

#disney #disney wish #wish (2023)#wish critical #analysis #opinion #oh boy here i go #personal

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povbeth · 8 days

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six roses | percabeth (0)

series masterlist

chapter summary: it's been two years since percy left town (read: annabeth), and neither of them can stop thinking about each other.

wc: 2.8K

warnings: it's just a lot of emotional constipation and regret and sadness and- [car crashes into me]

a/n: hellooooo :p honestly don't know what i'm doing bc nobody posts percabeth fanfic on tumblr but guess what? i do! i've been wanting to do a series like this for a while so i'm glad i'm finally getting started on it. lmk what you think here!

also posted on ao3

prologue: thinking about you.

Grover has been watching Annabeth lose herself for the last few hours.

Had she known, Annabeth would argue that Grover does this every morning. But today doesn’t follow their normal routine. The two canceled their shift at work for the next morning and took an early leave to prepare. Instead of locking her bedroom door and rotting in bed, Annabeth hobbled over to her best friend's house for a night with no sleep and a bag full of candy, ready to binge watch Disney classics till the sun peeks through the windows.

It’s an annual event, one that follows a 10 year tradition; One the same day every year, Annabeth and Grover have a sleepover, in which they total approximately two hours of sleep and six hours of movies.

It’s supposed to be fun, and Annabeth does find it fun. But for the last two years, it’s been different. Tainted. Scarred. And Grover knows this, but will never say it out loud.

“Whatcha thinkin’ about?”

He’ll make her say instead.

She’s not surprised at the question. Really, it was inevitable. Grover knows what joy looks like, and he knows what a lack of it looks like on Annabeth. She could feel his eyes observing her as she stared at Lilo and Stitch without a single tear rolling down her cheek. He can always count on her to sing along with Gaston, but not a peep left her lips. He knows how emotional the Little Mermaid gets you, but he couldn’t hear a sniffle from her.

She doesn’t bother turning her head to face him. She won’t let him see the silent tear trails on her face. “You already know.”

Does he ever wonder?

Does he ever wonder like I do?

About the memories he’s left behind on a whim, in the hopes for a dream that was miles away. Away from the town he’s been in since he could babble a few incoherent words, towards a city filled with unfamiliar faces Away from the town he can only remember by your name.

About the memories that haunt her at night, but they swear they’re here to keep her at ease. They should be comforting, but they’re holding her tight enough to be suffocating.

Maybe they’ll let her sleep tonight if she cries a bit. Just a teeny bit.

Before she knows it, her eyes are teary. Grover feels her shift on the makeshift bed the two made on the ground. “You good?”

Nights spent on the phone talking about forever, an eternity that would only last a little over a year. Had the word stayed true to its meaning, she wouldn’t have hated it. Spending forever with him. She’d sigh and tell him this in hushed whispers as she’d lay in bed with her phone beside her pillow, and he’d giggle a bit. If she wasn’t too caught up with the idea of eternity with him, she would’ve realized that he’d never reply with confirmation. That he thinks about it too, that her idea of forever exists in the realm of possibility.

Did he ever toy with forever like I had?

She doesn’t respond to the silent boy next to her, who waits for some kind of response. There’s a pile of memories clogged in her blue veins, and they choose tonight to flow properly.

And so she does what she knows best.

Lie.

“I’m good.”

Her memories unravel themselves quickly. They’re only a few years old, but they’ve learned fast. Really, they’re not evil in nature – sneaking out at one in the morning to see him at a park near her house, writing exclamations of love into his skin during class, holding his hand as he walks her home – but they’re sharp. Short strands, but they have an edge to them. They know where to poke her, where to prod, where to stab. Like shards of glass, meeting her chest with good aim.

(But it doesn’t seem like an issue. She’d relive them in her head regardless of the pain.)

It doesn’t take Grover long to realize that she won’t say anything more than that. Instead of pushing for an answer, he lazily turns his body to face her. “I miss him too, y’know.”

And that’s what makes Annabeth break.

Because it’s not just her – it’s Grover, her cousin, and more importantly, his best friend. The boy he’d known way before you, since the two were in pre-school, squalling nonsense that only made sense to them. Brothers who knew each other better than themselves (though Grover would argue that he never really knew him).

Grover’s hurt too, and it makes everything hurt more.

She’s sobbing before she knows it, staining her cheeks and pillow in the process. It’s an unmapped cry that escapes her, one that doesn’t sound like her. She tries to pin it on something – regret, distaste, sorrow – yet it doesn’t land quite right. Must be something ugly, something that can only exist in a person who’s come across Percy Jackson.

“It’s been two years,” she manages through the tears. “And I’m still feeling like this.”

“I know.” Grover comforts her. She’ll never know it, but the tears he holds back are only for her.

“He doesn't even think about us. And I know he did it for himself, for his career, for his family, but it’s just… I don't know–”

“You feel greedy,” Grover tries to grasp. “for wanting him to stay–”

“No, that’s not it!” she barely recognizes the noise that’s coming out her throat. Is this what her memories have done? Turned her into a foreigner of her own voice? “That's not even what I wanted! I just – I just wanted him to tell me… and to tell you…”

…that he was leaving. Not that he didn’t – he did, just on the day of.

That’s one memory that she can’t unravel. She doesn’t remember how her day started, or how the conversation came about. All she recalls is the moment he said, “I have to leave.”

The rest is a blur. She remembers looking at him incredulously, as if he was joking. She remembers arguing with him, angry at him for choosing to tell her now, when his ride to the big apple was an hour away. She remembers watching him leave, his shoulders slouched as he walked away from the ruins of their relationship.

She wonders what remains of her now. In his mind, perhaps he only remembers a lousy town with a girl with perpetual mascara running down her face. Maybe he remembers her name, not her face. Maybe she’s a distant memory that he can’t bother to recall, not when he’s at the peak of his career.

Years pass, and so do her emotions. Hatred has dissolved in her heart, but she’s sure she can build it back up if she wants to. She’s more understanding, that maybe it was for the best. Sure, she wishes he executed things better. But she gets it – Percy was a boy with dreams. And she, better than most people, should know what it means to reach for them.

It means to sacrifice the things you love the most – and maybe, it was proof that he did love her, at least back then. If that were the case, she wishes that she wasn’t on the top of the list.

Maybe nothing of her remains, and that’s what scares her the most. Especially when his everything is engraved in her.

It’s been exactly two years since the day he left, yet the realization only settles in her bones now – she’s afraid that she’s worth nothing more than dust to the boy who once loved her from the sun and back.

The truth is, Percy wonders too much.

His ‘friends,’ if that’s what he could call them, told him the night was still young. To be clear, it was an hour past midnight, and Percy just wanted to crash at his hotel room.

To be even clearer, he didn’t know these guys well. He's seen a few of them in that new movie with vampires, and the others are fellow singers whose songs he’s heard far too many times. They smile on the red carpet, baring their fancy looks for the cameras, and wipe the smiles off their faces as soon as they take a step off it. He thinks it’s fair – he’s done the same today – but it doesn’t excuse them from being absolute assholes to everyone who isn’t an A-list celebrity.

Of course, Percy doesn’t fit in the category of nobodies for them. He’s topping the charts with every new release and bagging every award he’s been nominated for. To the famous clique, he’s one of them, just haven’t been acquainted yet.

So when Percy happened to have a table near theirs, they invited themselves over with a bottle of alcohol that he swears was not on the menu.

Percy knew nobody besides Jason, his first friend in the industry, and his only friend at this event. He'd really been hoping that he and Jason could leave without anyone noticing. Like the incredible actor he was, his friend called Percy’s manager and convinced her that the two of them were actually feeling sick.

“Never going to a gala again,” Jason groans as they enter the hotel lobby. “That was terrible.”

“Yeah,” Percy mumbles. “I just wanna crash right now.”

Percy has never been a man of many words, Jasons noticed. He’s still the shy boy from the small town, even when he has to smile at the paparazzi that followed him practically everywhere. But today in particular, Percy hasn’t been talking much.

Despite the obvious lack of words from the raven haired boy, Jason says nothing. Even as they head up the elevator, the two stand in silence. It’s comfortable, but it’s different from their usual fall of words. Percy’s eyes are closed, not in concentration, but in an exhaustion that Jason can’t seem to pinpoint.

Jason doesn’t know anything about the town Percy left behind two years ago. He doesn’t know that today marks two years since he’s left it behind, and wouldn’t understand the weight that it holds, even if Percy were to tell him.

He’s been wanting to ask if something is wrong for the past few hours, and so he finally does. He's not expecting much, but Percy looks at him as if he’s finally hit his tipping point.

And that’s how Jason finds himself in Percy’s hotel room, having been dragged into the room by his older friend. He’s concerned, surprised by the sudden emotional act Percy’s put on.

“It’s just…” he heaves as he sits down on his bed. “It's been a long day.”

An understatement at its finest. He knew what awaited him – beyond the gala, there was his family. Sure, they’ve been on good terms, great even, but the weight of his ticket back home seems to weigh the room down. There’s his friends from back home, whose texts pile up on his phone (which Percy ignores).

And then there’s Annabeth. Clouding his thoughts before he woke up, appearing in his dreams and haunting him before he could take his first breath of the day.

It’s a given, he thinks, knowing that he’s made peace with everything else back in town. His parents were always supportive, his friends came to understand. But there’s a distance of time and heart between Annabeth and him, and the fact that it’s tainted his perception of who she is now has him begging God to shrink him into nothing.

So his day was rough. He can’t recall a moment where he didn’t feel an ache in his chest.

“Wanna talk about it?”

Percy fiddles with the bottom of his tie, rolling the material between his fingers. “well…”

He does, but the last thing he wants to do is say her name out loud.

“It's been two years since I left my hometown,” he mumbles. It’s easier to say than I broke up with my girlfriend two years ago and haven’t gotten over it since.

“I see.” Jason says, though he doesn’t really get it. He grew up in the city, and even though the two boys are practically the same, there’s a difference in experience between them. Where Percy grew up was vastly different from this place, so Jason tries to understand. “You miss it?”

“Mhm. I miss my parents, and…”

And Annabeth.

“There's something bugging you,” Jason notes with a frown on his face. “You can tell me, y’know. I won't judge.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you… it’s just complicated, I guess.”

“Well,” he sighs, running a hand through his hair. “I'm all ears.”

Percy doesn’t know what to say. But since his friend’s standing there, leaning against his dresser and waiting for him to speak, he supposes he has to spit it out at some point.

“Just… thinking about someone.”

“A girl?”

He goes silent for a second too long and Jason panics. “Oh, is it a guy–”

“No, no. It’s my girlfr– well, ex-girlfriend.”

He nods in sympathy. He’s never been in a relationship, but he can imagine how hard breakups can be. “Yhings were rough, I’m guessing?”

Nothing was rough, actually. Things were as perfect as they could possibly be.

The two were enemies as kids. He remembers bits and pieces – young Annabeth kicking sand in his face, swearing that she’d never go close enough to catch cooties from him. 7-year-old Percy splashing water in her face (read: soaking her with a water bottle) and running away before she could tell his mom. Swore that they’d never be friends unless it rained cows.

Except things didn’t go as planned; she ended up dating him through highschool, and he ended up leaving her at the end of it.

“I guess you could say that. We broke up the day I left town.”

Percy doesn’t tell him that it was because of him, or that it happened right before he was leaving for the train station. He doesn’t mention how he was feeling blue for his first year here, and that even though it’s past one year, he feels sick at any memory of you. He doesn’t even say her name, because the weight of his guilt lays heavy on the vowels and it’s too much to bear.

Instead, Percy does exactly what Jason wanted – unpack how he feels. He lets his feelings escape the lid, listens to them pour out without caring about how selfish he sounds, how terribly hoarse his voice is.

Annabeth always seems to do this to him. A single memory of her has him feeling like he’s eighteen again. Every memory of that time leads to a dead end, and though a small part of him wishes he could forget her, his mind tends to run back to that time.

It's incredibly stupid of him to miss her when he was the one who left. He knows this, but can’t help but indulge in the longing he feels.

And by the time he’s done talking, there’s a box of tissues in his lap and Jason beside him, patting his back as if it could erase every bad emotion he’s feeling.

Jason’s at a loss for words. He didn’t know, but he feels like he should’ve. He should’ve connected the dots when he caught Percy reading old text messages a few days. He should’ve gotten the hint when he saw Percy standing next to another girl as if he was a stiff tree. He should’ve caught on to how his friend never liked to talk about relationships, excusing it as something he wasn’t interested in, despite his unrivaled passion for romcoms.

Percy loves torturing himself by thinking about Annabeth, but talking about her is the opposite – any mention of her seems to bring the mood down for not just him, but everyone around him. The weight of her name is so heavy, it’s a burden on anyone who knows your situation with him.

It's especially terrible when your Annabeth is inscribed in his heart, his veins adorned with engravings of her. The vessels are shrinking under her load, pressing his chest and squeezing his throat.

With every mention to Jason, her name escaping his lips makes the weight increase.

It's been exactly two years since the day he left, yet his heart feels heavier than before.

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sparkledfirecracker · 2 years

Text

Plants & Tantrums

Pairing: Dad!Ari Levinson x toddler

Summary: Ari tries to pick out a Mother’s Day gift, but his child has decided to make it extra hard for him.

Word count: 907

Warnings: angst, fluff, upset toddler

A/N: Even though I’m in a sappy mood, my blog is still an 18+ blog. Do not interact with it if you are a minor. A little Mother’s Day drabble that got inspired by the relentless toddler in the shop yesterday. I don’t do baby/toddler speech in my writing. Big thank you to @wakingbeauty and @dreamlessinparis for keeping up with me and my endless rambles about Ari.

This is not beta-read, all mistakes are my own.

It had started as a fun trip, Ari having buckled in his baby girl. She happily sang along to ‘I Had a Little Turtle’. Her red rain boot covered feet bounced along to the beat of the song as her little chubby hands acted out the dance she had learned from a family member.

Ari smiled as he glanced in the rearview mirror. His mini-me with a hint of her mother's charm sprinkled into her little frame. Parking in front of the garden centre. He unbuckled the toddler placing her on his hip. His arm held her firmly against him.

“Let’s go get mummy a nice gift. Nola, are you going to help me?” The little girl confirmed by nodding her head a little and giving him a wide grin.

He grabbed the sippy cup from the cup holder and walked toward the entrance. The heat from the greenhouse dome welcomed them and immediately warmed up their skin.

“Pretty flowers.” The small girl seemed to be in awe of the colourful plants filling the space. Ari placed her on the ground, following the toddler’s steps as she went.

Ari slowed down as a few items caught his eye. His focus shifted away from the roaming toddler. Picking up a few plants as he went, eyeing the green item for a closer inspection.

He wondered if his significant other would enjoy this one or if there would be another one she would love more. The bucket with pink assorted flowers looked beautiful as well. Or would she prefer some fruit trees and vegetable plants for the produce garden she had set her mind on?

A loud tin sounded crash was heard and he immediately was brought back to his conscious mind. Eyes darting from left to right trying to find Nola.

“Nola?” He repeated a few times as he searched the centre. Heart pounding as he couldn’t find her. He would not be forgiven if he lost her while gift shopping.

Relief washed over him as Nola finally came in sight. Happily sitting amongst the tin frogs. Some had fallen, but it hadn’t seemed to interrupt her play. The bright green colour of the frog was almost blinding, but it only had attracted the toddler toward the welded garden object.

His baby bunny was the best little thing that had ever happened to him. With a smile, he approached the toddler. Cleaning up the fallen items and ignoring the scoffs and huffs from other customers.

“Daddy? Frog?”

“Yes sweetheart, a frog, now let us get everything cleaned up. Then you’re going to help me pick out a plant for mummy okay?”

“Okay.” She nodded, helping the best she could placing the item back with the other. “Bye froggy.”

Ari’s patience ran thin when Nola started acting up. Though it was his fault that he couldn’t make up his mind. A rushed decision was made, with a vegetable plant and a small fruit tree in tow he urged the toddler towards the exit.

“Daddy, I want water.” The demand had been clear.

“Let’s go pay, then I can give you the cup,” Ari answered, not being able to reach for the cup hanging from his back pocket. Nola wouldn’t be able to reach for the cup even if she tried her best.

Waterworks started as Ari kept walking. The sobbing child stomped after him and suddenly screeched loudly clawing at his jeans. Fisting the material with her little hands.

Balancing out the two buckets of greens in one arm. He tried to lift Nola by her arm. She didn’t seem to enjoy the action and weighted herself down. Impressively strong for her age as she fought his grip.

The tears seemed to keep falling as Ari let go of her arm. Nola dramatically threw herself to the floor and rolled around. Ari sighed heavily placing the buckets on the floor and picking up Nola.

Heaved sobs coming from her chest as he grabbed her hot pink miracle cup that hang off his jeans. She grabbed the handle and threw it across the room.

“That’s it,” Ari spoke, setting Nola back down. Loud whales erupted once again as Ari walked away from her to get her cup.

With some quick effort, he set the chosen garden items on the counter. He turned to get Nola only to find her missing again. Her upset cries gave away her exact location. Making him rush through the aisles of the store.

With every passing minute, he applauded his partner more and more for keeping up with these tantrums. He took a deep breath to calm his irritated nerves, rounding the corner to find Nola hugging the welded frog-shaped garden statue. The yellow raincoat and red rain boots matched hers.

The small chatter of Nola warmed his heart. Appreciative of being gifted a child, a girl, from his favourite girl. Both had him wrapped around his finger.

“You want to have that frog don’t you?” He sighed, crossing his arms. He wouldn’t be able to say no to his baby bunny. Not when she was this upset with her tear-stained cheeks. The teary child looked at him hugging the frog even tighter to her chest. “Fine, let’s go get it and go back to surprise mummy!” He picked her up once more. Drying her cheeks with the leftover tears and kissed her head.

Shopping for Mother’s Day certainly had been an interesting one this year.

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