#we got married but shush its a secret
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Finding You (Bucky Barnes x Reader) 3/?
A/N: Hey everyone, sorry this took so long!! This chapter was kinda hard to write, I felt like there wasn’t much that I could add but I did my best! I wanna get to Bucky as much as you all do! 😭😩
Summary: You’ve been one of SHIELD’s top spies for years but what happens when the organisation you’ve put your trust in crumbles and Captain America gives you a mission to help him find his best friend? The last thing you expected to happen was to fall in love with your assignment and become best friends with a witch.
Taglist ~ just comment if you wanna be added
@buckylokisimp, @white-wolf-buckaroo, @austynparksandpizza, @markandlexies
Word Count: 2098
Masterlist
Chapter 1 ~ Chapter 2 ~
Warnings: none
Chapter Summary: You and Steve run from HYDRA
Chapter 3: TOMORROW ISN’T PROMISED TO ANYBODY
I enter a shopping mall where I buy a hoodie for myself and a jacket, glasses and a hat for Rogers using cash. I pass by JD sports and see some Supra Vaders I know the Captain will just love so I go in and grab a pair, and get a pair of Nike Dunk Sky His for myself. I leave and meet him where he waits, away from any crowds and we put on our simple yet effective disguises.
“First rule of going on the run, is don’t run. Walk,” I say, recalling my operations training.
“If I run in these shoes they’re gonna fall off.”
I smirk. “Sorry, thought you’d be bigger.”
Ignoring my innuendo, Steve huffs. “They’re ridiculous, why can’t I lace them up?”
“It’s a fashion statement.” I glance at a map as we pass by. “Apple store’s upstairs.” We ride the escalator and enter the store.
Finding an empty laptop, I get to work. “The drive has a Level 6 homing program so as soon as we boot up, SHIELD will know exactly where we are.”
“How much time will we have?” he asks, surveying the area not so subtly.
“About 9 minutes from…” I insert the drive. “now.” I enter the coding commands to unlock the intel but something inverts each one… now comes in my training from the Academy of Science and Technology. “Fury was right about that ship. Somebody’s trying to hide something.” As I look through the coding script my inputs are rewritten to counter the commands. “This drive is protected by some sort of AI.”
“Like Stark’s robot voice? Can you override it?”
I raise a brow as I type away. “The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. Slightly. I’m gonna try running a tracer. This is a program that SHIELD developed to track hostile malware, so if we can’t read the file, maybe we can find out its origin.” The map tracks a location and pinpoints it as we are approached by a store employee.
“Can I help you guys with anything?”
I react quickly and give him my best charming smile. “Oh, no. My fiancé was just helping me with some honeymoon destinations,” I giggle, placing my hands on Rogers’ shoulders.
“Right,” he adds awkwardly. “We’re gettin’ married.”
“Congratulations! Where are you guys thinkin’ about goin’?”
I go back to the laptop and the state has been pinpointed.
“New Jersey,” the Captain reads aloud.
“Huh,” the employee lets out, surprised. “I have the exact same glasses,” he says after a pause.
“Wow, you two are practically twins,” I remark as I type away.
“Yeah, I wish!” he chuckles. “Specimen. Uh, if you guys need anything… I’ve been Aaron.”
“Thank you,” Rogers rushes out. “You said 9 minutes,” he checks his watch. “Come on.”
I shush him. “Relax… I’m working.” The screen reads Wheaton, New Jersey. “Done.” I look up at him and he has a frown on his face. “You know it?”
“I used to. Let’s go.” He pulls the hard drive out of the laptop and we walk out of the store. “Standard tac team. Two behind, two across,” he turns to face forward. “two comin’ straight at us. If they make us, I’ll engage, you hit the south escalator to the metro.”
As he speaks I roll my eyes, this guy was definitely not meant for the spy world. “Put your arm around me and laugh at something I said,” I say.
“What?” he sounds utterly confused.
“Do it.” I feel his arm rest on my shoulder and he gives the most awkward laugh I have ever heard come from a person. “See, Captain? No need to make such a scene.” We work our way to the escalator and I spot Rumlow on the escalator coming up. I turn to look up at Rogers. “Kiss me.”
“What?” he says again, flustered.
“Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable.”
“Yes they do!” he whispers.
I put my hand to the back of his neck and push him towards me so our lips meet and I feel his hand fall on my waist. I open my eyes and pull away slowly after enough time has passed.
“You still uncomfortable?” I ask turning and walking down the escalator.
“That’s not exactly a word I would use,” he murmurs and quiets down as we get to the parking lot.
“We could get bus tickets to New Jersey, think I’ve got enough cash for the trip,” I suggest.
“Keep a look out,” he says approaching a truck as I frown but do as he says. In no time I hear the start of an engine and whirl to look at him. “Come on, we don’t have all day,” he says smugly.
I get into the passenger’s side and he starts to drive to the Garden State.
“Can’t believe Captain America can steal cars…” I say striking up a conversation.
He chuckles. “Kind of a necessary skill when you’re fighting a World War and you’re in enemy territory.”
I hum and he glances at me. “And it’s not stealing if we give it back so get your feet off the dash.”
“Bossy,” I remark but do as he says. “I like that,”
There’s a pink tint to his cheeks and his jaw clenches but he doesn’t say anything.
“So I have a question for you…” I start with a raised brow. “But you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, although no answer is an answer in itself so-“
“Get to it, L/N,” he interrupts authoritatively.
“Was that your first kiss since 1945?” I smirk.
“That bad, huh?”
“I didn’t say that!” I laugh.
“Well it kinda sounds like that’s what you’re saying.”
“I was just… wondering if you’ve had practice… since going… into the ice,” for a super secret agent, that answer lacked finesse. “It’s just, I don’t know how you did it in 1945 but guys normally move their mouths for a long kiss like that,” I shrug.
“I don’t need practice.”
“Everyone needs practice.”
“It was not my first kiss since 1945. I’m 95, not dead.”
“Oh?” I say, curiosity piqued. “Who’s been kissing Captain America then?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“Someone special?”
He chuckles. “It might come as a surprise to you but it’s hard to find someone with shared life experience,” he says sarcastically.
“That’s okay, you just make stuff up.”
“What, like you?” I know he doesn’t intend for it to sound mean so I shrug it off.
“Not everyone can handle the truth, can they? I wouldn’t mind a few white lies to keep something good going… and you don’t need shared life experience, right? Not really… there’s that whole opposites attract notion, after all.”
“But it’s good to have someone who understands what you’re going through, right?”
I shrug… sometimes not knowing is better. Safer. “Maybe. But in this occupation…” I sigh. “Well I wouldn’t know. I’ve never been in love.”
“You’ve – you never had someone?” Looks like I threw him for a loop.
Shaking my head I turn to look out my window at the trees we pass by. “I don’t hate love or anything… it’s just dangerous to love someone like… us. Isn’t it? They’d either get hurt by people we go after or… ya know, if we don’t come back… it hurts them too.”
“But tomorrow isn’t promised to anybody,” he reasons. “So why deprive yourself of something as great as love on the off chance you die?”
“Because it’s easier.”
“For who?”
“Why the interest Rogers? You wanna fill that spot? Play a little house? Imagine we don’t have to save the world from domestic terrorists?”
He hums at my decision to not answer the question. “No, that’s not what I need right now.”
“And what do you need?”
“Just…” he sighs. “a friend.”
Of course. “Well, there’s a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers…”
“Maybe we could start with not calling each other our last names?” he offers.
I smile. “Maybe.”
We arrive at the location the tracer indicated as the sun is setting.
Camp Lehigh is on a sign but it seems to be long abandoned.
���The file came from these coordinates,” I say as I pick the lock on the chained fence.
“So did I…” Steve says looking up at the sign in nostalgia. “This camp is where I was trained.”
“Change much?”
“A little…”
I wonder around, scanning the area for any thing to indicate a power source. “This is a dead end. Zero heat signatures, zero waves. Not even radio. Whoever created the file must have used a router to throw people off.” I tuck the scanner in my back pocket and the Captain looks up at me then shifts his gaze to behind me, frowning. “What is it?”
He starts walking and I follow. “Army regulations forbid storing munitions within 500 yards of the barracks. This building’s in the wrong place.” He breaks the lock with his shield and we enter as it leads us underground.
I turn on the lights and it reveals the insignia painted on the wall. “This was SHIELD. The early days, after it evolved from the Strategic Scientific Reserve,” I say, recognizing the outdated logo.
We wander around, finding a wall of three portraits. “The three founders.” He looks at me. “What? The history is one of the things they teach at the academies. Colonel Philips, Howard Stark and Margaret Carter.”
“There are academies?”
“Three. Very tough admission.”
Rogers spots something and looks closer. “If you’re already working in a secret office…” he pushes the shelves apart. “Why do you need to hide the elevator?”
Using my SHIELD issued code breaking device I type in the code for the elevator which takes us down even further to a room of computers, monitors and servers.
“This can’t be right… this equipment is ancient how could it be used to make the files?”
There was one place that looked like it came from this century and I decide to take a risk and plug in the usb drive. The servers whir and more lights come on.
“Initiate system?” a computerized voice says.
Yes, I type. “Creepy.” As we wait for the system to boot up I smirk. “Shall we play a game?” I laugh at myself. “It’s from a movie that was really pop-“
“I know,” he interrupts. “I saw it.”
A camera moves to Rogers and a voice recites his name and year of birth. Then it turns to me and does the same.
“Is this the AI that was blocking my commands back at the mall?” I say looking closer.
“I may not be the man I was back when the Captain took me in 1945 but I am.” A photo appears on one of the other screens.
“You know this… thing?”
“Arnim Zola was a German Scientist who worked for the Red Skull.”
“He’s been dead for years,” I add, remember something of the history lessons.
“First correction, I am Swiss. Second, look around you. I have never been more alive.” The robot voice recounts his end of life story and how he uploaded his consciousness into databanks.
“How did you get here?”
“By invitation.”
“It was Operation Paperclip after World War II. SHIELD recruited German scientists with strategic value. Always thought they shoulda just locked them all up… we probably wouldn’t be in this mess if they did.”
“HYDRA would have died with the Red Skull.”
“Cut off one head… two more shall take its place,” I recite their mantra aloud.
“When history did not cooperate… history was changed.” A flurry of photos of the Winter Soldier in the back ground of significant political events appear on the screens.
“That’s impossible, SHIELD would have stopped you,” I say, moving closer.
“Accidents would happen.” News of Howard and Maria Stark’s car accident shows up next.
Rogers punches the screen as Zola provokes him.
Does that mean…? I don’t finish the thought as the mad scientist explains what the drive contains.
“What kind of algorithm? What does it do?” I ask.
The doors begin to close as Steve is too late to throw his shield. A beeping comes from my communicator, detecting something. “Steve, we got a bogey. Short range ballistic 30 seconds tops.”
“Who fired it?”
“SHIELD.” I pull out the drive and Steve pulls a grate from the floor. I jump in and he follows, putting the shield up above us as rubble rains down on us. He strains against the weight of it all and the debris settles.
💖💖
Thank you for reading!
I'll be gone until Monday again but I'll try to write on my phone!! I have literally never been so busy throughout this summer until now!
Chapter 4
#bucky barnes x reader#bucky barnes#steve rogers#x reader#steve rogers x platonic!reader#flirty!reader#marvel#mcu#marvel rewrite#captain america#winter soldier#catws rewrite#reader insert#fanfic#enemies to lovers#slowburn
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Adore You II (Yamato x Reader)
A/N: secret admirer Yamato fic. said that this one would be short, but i once again have gotten carried away. Here is the ending. It should be cute. thanks for reading.
Word count: 3200
It had been a long day at the bakery, full of kneading breads and selling cupcakes and just generally doing some busy work around the store. Life was uneventful, except for the moments she arrived at her apartment in the evenings just as the sun was setting, and she’d find a new gift lying on the ground or a note taped to her door.
It was nice, having these little surprises either at the beginning or ending of her day. In fact, she was growing all too used to the confidence boost the sweet love letters gave her.
Apparently, she was beautiful. She was strong and kind and generous and funny, and so many other things all stated and elaborated on in these notes. She was high off those letters. They made her feel just a bit better about herself. Even after long days of work where her hair was falling out its tie and her skin dusted with flour and chocolate frosting smeared across her dirty apron, she still felt on top of the world.
Every day she grew more and more curious as to who was leaving those notes lying around. It really could be anyone, even someone she barely knew. In that case, she had no idea what she would do. Yes, the person in question seemed nice, but she didn’t exactly feel comfortable dating someone she didn’t know or like.
And if it was someone she knew, what would she do then? Could they stay friends after all this mess? She would try, but would it be too awkward for them to be around her after spilling their feelings over and over again?
Just thinking about the outcomes of this secret admirer situation was overwhelming and she avoided the thought. She would just enjoy the acts of admiration from the comfort of her own home.
It had actually been three days since the last gift was left outside her door and she was beginning to grow excited. If he was gone for another few days, surely she could go around and figure out who was on a mission for the entire week. The turning point was almost here, she thought. Only a few more days until she could find out. It was both scary and exhilarating to think about.
As she rounded the corner to her apartment, walking up the metal stairs, she expected nothing at her door once again. That only made sense. Definitely not a person standing there, no way.
She certainly did not expect to see Kakashi standing at her doorstep, holding a bouquet of flowers. Just as quick as she had seen, she ducked back behind the wall, hand pressed to her mouth to shush her gasp.
What the fuck…
That was definitely him, she confirmed in her mind. The same white hair, mask, jounin vest, everything. Her heart raced and she felt panic creeping up her neck. How could this be? Kakashi was her friend, and only her friend. She thought that had been established a long time ago. There was nothing intimate going on between them, and she never anticipated there would be.
She waited until he was gone before she walked to her apartment and picked up the flowers and note. She swore that this wasn’t Kakashi’s handwriting, but now she wasn’t so sure. Maybe it was and she was just remembering wrong. Why was she even questioning herself though? Right in front of her eyes, she saw Kakashi leaving flowers at her doorstep. The answer was clear as day.
Kakashi was her secret admirer.
The more she thought about it, it made a little sense. He always accepted her free baked goods, but she always just assumed he didn’t feel like buying his own bread. And he walked her home from the store on more than one occasion. He was nice to her every time they hung out. All of those things she always just assumed were normal friendly things to Kakashi, but she found herself questioning his every move now.
Oh man. Oh shit. How would she even go about confronting him? He was such a cool and collected guy, she would feel awkward rejecting him. Would he be angry? Another thought crossed her mind for a moment. Maybe she shouldn’t reject him. He was a very smart and kind man, and he always knew what to say even in the worst of moments. He was reliable and strong and forgiving.
Maybe she should just go for it.
Yeah, she cared for Yamato a lot, but why keep trying for someone completely unattainable when another guy she got along with was ready to give her the entire world? From the way he spoke in his letters, he liked her for a long time and intended to make her his long term girlfriend. It broke her heart that the man she spent years longing after didn’t feel the same way, so much time wasted. It really sucked.
She had been lonely for so long that the thought was more than tempting.
It was all way too much to think about.
She entered her apartment that night with a lot to ponder before she fell asleep, tossing and turning with the knowledge that Kakashi was in love with her. How could she sleep knowing that? She would have to talk to someone else first before deciding what to do about everything. She would wait for Yamato to come back and help her out. He’d know what to do.
_______
It had been days since she found out about Kakashi and this entire mess. Yamato was due to be back today, and she was counting the minutes. She already asked off work for the rest of the day so she could get all her business sorted out. There was just too much to do and she couldn’t wait until night time to get it all done.
Awkwardly enough, on her way to see Yamato, she ran right into Kakashi outside the grocery store. He was carrying quite a big bag of food items, and she nearly knocked them all right out of his arms. She yelped, jumping back about two feet to keep her distance. Being so close to him felt nerve-wracking.
“Y/N, what’s up?” he asked, his eyes scanning her up and down. “You look nervous."
“Me, nervous? Psssshh, of course not. Why would I be nervous?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I asked.”
She stood there for a silent moment, her eyes drawn right on his face. He didn’t look different. He looked like his normal, cool self, definitely not like a man in love with her. He was damn good at hiding how he felt. She rubbed the back of her neck, her eyes averted now to the wall beside her. “So, uh, what’s up with you?”
“Nothing much, Just got back from a mission and I’m going to be home for a few days so decided to get some groceries.”
“Oh, really? How long were you on that mission?”
“It was only 2 days.”
“I see…”
Why was she asking? She saw him. There was no way he was on a mission that night. He was right there. Maybe all this questioning was a sign that she wished this was all some sort of mistake, that it wasn’t Kakashi at her doorstep, or maybe they were pranking her. A cruel and unlikely prank, but still, it was a possibility.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” he questioned and he leaned in just a bit closer to get a look at her face. The woman found herself getting flustered. Quickly, she pressed her hands to his chest and pushed him away.
“I’m fine. Just stay over there.”
“Yeah, you’re definitely not fine but whatever you say.”
She bit her lip, not knowing how to diffuse the situation. He was right, as usual. Things were definitely not okay, she just wasn’t ready to face the reality that he loved her, not here in front of the grocery store in the broad daylight. That was meant to be private. She couldn’t reject him like that, it would be humiliating.
“It’s nothing, Kakashi. I’m just...getting sick is all, so you shouldn’t get so close.”
But he persisted. “Sick with what?”
“I don’t know, the flu?”
“Hmm,” he nodded, but his eyes were all knowing and she found herself wanting to slither away on the ground and hide in an alley for a while. “You’re on your way to see Tenzo, right?” How? How could he have known that? She swore, this man was getting on her last nerve with his smartass attitude.
“Yes. How could you tell?”
He smirked through his mask, shifting the weight of his grocery bag to his left side. “Well, he just got home today, and the only reason you’d be walking that fast is so you could see him,” he replied, and she nodded grumpily, her arms moving to cross over her chest. “I’ll let you go. He should be leaving the Hokage Tower soon, I just saw him heading in that direction.”
She thanked him before continuing on her path to go find Yamato. She was actually glad to be done talking to Kakashi. It felt way too weird talking to him knowing all the things he was secretly thinking about her. Plus, he was getting annoying with all the questions. She just wanted to find her friend and talk through her options.
It saddened her, but Yamato was never going to like her back and maybe Kakashi was the best choice for her. In this town, if you got to 25 without getting married you were pretty weird, especially if you weren’t a shinobi. Villagers get married off so quickly, it’s just part of the small town nature of it all. Parents want grandchildren, and it’s easier to live off a two person income. People got married young.
Societal pressure would definitely be taken off her back, that’s for sure. It just wasn’t exactly as she had planned. One sided love.
Yamato was indeed walking home from the Hokage Tower when she spotted him after having wallowed in her own thoughts for the entire walk over.
“Yamato!” she called, running up to him. He stopped in his tracks, feeling himself growing warm again. She was just as beautiful as the last time he saw her, granted that was only a week ago. He wanted to give her a hug, having missed her for the last 7 days and all, but he refrained. He had no idea how she would react. Knowing her kind nature, she would hug him back, but then what would she think? He liked her? It was too embarrassing.
He looked down at the young woman and smiled. “Y/N, did you need something?”
“Yes, it’s really important. Do you think we can sit down somewhere more private?”
Oh God. Whatever she wanted to talk about, it couldn’;t be anything good. She wasn’t smiling, and normally she would have work right now. She wasn’t going to take off work for nothing. He nodded, and she silently dragged him over to the tea shop, her eyes flickering around to make sure Kakashi hadn’t trailed behind her. She took a seat at one of the tables and motioned for him to sit across from her.
He did as she asked, sitting cross legged on the floor, his hands secretly being wrung over and over again under the table. “So what did you need to talk about?”
“I know who my secret admirer is.”
Here it goes…
“Kakashi!”
“Wait, what?” His eyes shot open, and he froze. He was not expecting that, not at all. How could he? Yamato was Y/N’s secret admirer, it didn’t make sense. He made sure Kakashi knew to leave the flowers on her doorstep in secret, there was no way he would mess up something so simple. He was an S-rank ninja for a reason.
She nodded, her eyes almost as wide as his. “Yeah, I know. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him.”
“What did you see?”
“When I was coming home from work, I saw him outside my door with a bunch of roses and a note. It was in the same handwriting as all the other love notes, so I know it’s the same guy. I-I just can’t believe it’s Kakashi.”
Yamato knew he should have confessed right then instead of asking, but he couldn’t keep himself from knowing the truth. “Well, how do you feel about him? Are you going to accept?”
She sighed, her eyes trailing down to the side. “That’s the hard part. His words, in those letters, they made me feel so special and loved. If Kakashi feels that way about me, surely he can make me happy for a long time,” she told him softly, and he could feel his heart tearing in half with every second that passed. He put in all this effort, and for what? For his friend to steal the girl right from him. He felt a terrible pain in his stomach, and he had to keep the discomfort from reaching his face.
“So, you’re attracted to him?” His worst fear. He knew the ladies liked Kakashi. He was suave and handsome. It would make sense if Y/N liked him. Who didn’t like Kakashi?
His own self-esteem was diminishing. Out of all the outcomes he had thought up in his head on how this confession would go, he never expected it to end up this way.
She shook her head. Carefully, she explained, “It’s just that I’ve loved someone else for a long time, and I’m not ready to give up on them. I know I should, but I just can’t.”
It was time to tell her. His hopes were low, but her confession left him feeling like there was a chance. He wasn’t planning on telling her any time soon, not until he was positive she liked him back, or even wait for her to figure it out herself so she could come to him. He really wasn’t one for expressing his feelings like this. He was Anbu, that wasn’t their way of life.
He was scared. Scared of the rejection and then what would follow. The fallout and the avoidance. The dissolving of their entire friendship. Yamato was afraid of what this one little woman thought of him, and it took everything in him to muster up his next words.
“Y/N, your secret admirer is not Kakashi, it’s me. It's been me the whole time.”
Her lips quickly fell into a frown, and he knew that wasn’t a good sign. She tilted her head to the side and asked, her brows furrowed deeply, “How could that be? I saw Kakashi with my own eyes.”
“It’s because I asked him to fake it for me until I got back from my mission,” he groaned, “You said you were going to wait until the next time there was a big break in the gifts coming and then figure out what shinobi it was; well, I was just on a week long mission and I didn’t want you figuring it out so soon. I gave Kakashi some flowers and a note and asked him to leave it there sometime in the middle of my mission, to throw you off my scent.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. I guess I should have anticipated Kakashi being late and you finding out, but I hadn’t.”
“Yamato-” Y/N felt relief bubble up in her chest. If Yamato was really her secret admirer, then she had nothing to worry about. It seemed things had worked out too perfectly in her favor. She loved him, wanted nothing more than for him to reciprocate her feelings. And he had. He had spent countless hours planning little surprises for her in the hopes that it would make her happy.
Her heart felt over the moon with happiness. No one had ever went out of their way for her, not like this. But Yamato was different.
“Y/N, I care about you. I care about you a lot, as you can tell from all the letters I wrote for you.” He paused, his eyes rolling to stare up at the ceiling, too nervous to meet her own which were filled with shock. “I know we live completely different lives, and I know you’d rather be with that other guy, but that night you got drunk and you told me you wanted a man to sweep you off your feet and that you were lonely, I thought I’d try.”
“I got drunk and told you I was desperate for a man? When...When did this happen?!” Admittedly, she felt a shot to the gut at that one. How embarrassing. Perhaps, that wasn’t the first thing she could have got from his confession, but she needed to know.
“I don’t know. A month ago?”
“Damn, I’m so embarrassed.”
He groaned once again, covering his eyes with his hand and mumbling, “Yeah, me too, Y/N.”
“Why are you embarrassed?” she asked, noticing his red face and neck. “Yamato, I want to be with you. You are the other guy.”
“You really don’t have to lie to save my feelings.”
“I’m not lying. Admittedly, when the first gift you left was a bonsai, I immediately thought it could be you because 'tree', but I couldn’t be sure so I waited. I wanted it to be you the entire time, but I just couldn’t see someone as strong as you falling for a simple baker. I thought you’d be into other shinobi. I mean, they are more interesting than little old me.”
He reached over the table to grab her hands, and immediately he cringed. All this drama was making his hands sweat, and he didn’t want her to think of him as the sweaty hands guy. He scolded himself immediately after having the thought. She’s not gonna care, don’t be so nervous. Tell her how you feel.
“Stop. Y/N, all I care about is you. You are the most beautiful, smart, kind, and interesting woman I’ve ever met. You’re amazing. You work so hard at the bakery. You aren’t simple at all.”
“Yama...”
“Please, just be with me. It took me a lot of courage to tell you how I feel, just say yes and accept that I love you for you.”
“O-okay. I’m so happy. I just can’t believe this is happening.”
A smile grew on his lips, and she let a goofy one take over her own expression. He never looked this happy, and she realized it was all because of her. Her heart jumped in her chest, and she squeezed his hands, feeling herself growing warm with happiness. His sweet words filled her ears and she laughed. “I promise I will treat you like a princess. I will not let you down.”
“Okay. I promise to treat you like my knight in shining armor.” His heart fluttered again. She was the one for him. He was sure of it. His cold exterior had grown soft and warm because of her, and he loved it. He loved her.
“Deal.”
They ordered their tea and sat their just relishing in the fact that for once, everything worked out for the awkward, terribly lightweight baker and her anxious, ungracefully stupid shinobi that she was hoping for all along.
#yamato x reader#yamato tenzo#naruto x reader#naruto imagine#naruto one shot#naruto#yamato one shot#yamato imagine#naruto shippuden
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Tom proposes to you in the most cutest and spontaneous way there is like realising that he want to spent the rest of his life with you
FLUFF OVERLOADED
WE ARE FLUFFY AF TODAY LFG! Its a bit long so I’m putting a read more for it but there’s not smut all fluff and softness
Requests Are Open!
It was a strange weekend away but Tom insisted on it and brought you and all of your family and friends along to weekend at your favorite lake house destination. Evey thing seemed fun at the time, but you couldn’t help but notice how strange Tom had been acting since you had got there. Not wanting to spend any time with you and avoiding you nervously when this whole trip was his idea in the first place.
Tom’s idea for a “family dinner” wasn’t out of character but the fact that he was barely making eye contact with you when you were trying to talk to him made it feel strange to you. You tried holding his hand and he would pull away as if he was nervous to be around you. When you tried whispering a joke in his ear, Tom would look straight ahead, afraid to look at you and laugh outwardly. It should have felt like a large Thanksgiving-like dinner, but it felt completely off to you and you weren’t about to hold back on Tom for upsetting you.
You glared at Tom as if you were plotting his murder with your eyes as Harrison and Harry sat across from you, whispering to one another as they laughed in Tom’s direction. It only made you more suspicious as Tom continued to tell anecdotes while he finally grabbed you free hand casually. Only you weren’t having it as you attempted to listen to his story from filming.
Harrison and Harry were using dinner to continue to busy Tom chops, as per usual. You were grateful for it as you sat there silently. Laughing to yourself as Harry began ripping Tom to shreds for acting like a movie star. Secretly knowing the boys always had your back in any situation.
“No, Tom,” Harrison said over a roar of laughter. “You don’t say that shit to Robert Downey Jr…”
Tom’s face grew red from laughing to hard as he passed a bowl of vegetables to you. He wasn’t looking at you again, and his eyes were filled with nervousness. You were going to kill him for making this so much weirder for no reason at all.
“Alright, mate. See how it is,” Tom replied as he glanced over at Harrison for some assistance, picking up on your silence.
Harrison elbowed Harry, who nearly choke on his beer as he eyed Harry. Finally, Harry got the hint to do/say something and he immediately raised up a glass.
“Well,” Harry started, “Cheers to a fun weekend, everyone!” he exclaimed as you all cheered to the toast and drank.
Tom took a sip of drink wine and rolled his eyes into the wine glass. That’s it? He glared at Harry again, as he shushed Tom by putting his hand to his lips, hoping you couldn’t catch it.
But you did, and Harrison saw it. Pretending to playfully punch Harry against his shoulder, making him yelp as Harry punched Harrison back in retaliation. The two of them play fighting now as a not so discreet distraction as you and Tuwaine stared at the two of them, no longer having an appetite due to Tom’s strange behavior.
“Hey, what’s going on over there?!” Tuwaine asked, pointing at Harry and Haz with his beer. “We’re eating, you know. Don’t make me tell Phil on you,” he joked.
“Can you punch Tom next?” you finally blurted out with a smirk as you and Harry exchanged grins as he laughed at your smug little comment.
Tom turned to face you , with a surprised look on his face, “She speaks!” He cracked a smile, putting his arm around you “I was beginning to think you’ve gone mute, darling,”
“I was beginning to think you’ve forgotten my existence, darling,” you sassed him back with a fake accent.
Harrison buried his face in his hand, trying not to look in their direction.
“Bite your tongue, guys; bite your tongue.” you heard Harrison muttering to himself, causing Harry and Tuwaine to burst out in a fit of laughter.
You turned to look at Harrison and Harry, who have both stopped laughing and gave you friend an apologetic look. Oops. You watched as they both now remained quiet as you took another sip of your drink and hoped you and Tom could go back to your room in one piece.
“False,” Tom insisted with you. You looked at him, flashing him the faintest of smiles.Even when you were pissed off at him, you couldn’t be for too long knowing how much you loved him. Tom glanced around the room, trying not to start anything. For an actor, he was really bad at keeping his cool.
“Are you up to something?” you asked him suspiciously.
Tom tried looking stunned, but it came out as a really awkward and nervous laugh, which then sent a train reaction to Harry who almost bursting it out in laughter behind his food.
“What? No!” Tom answered, mid-laugh. He glanced over at Harry, trying to get him to stop laughing. “Cut it out man, you’re making me laugh!”
Harry put his hands up apologetically as he was able to stifle his laugh. He glanced over at Harrison. “This is why we don’t get involved,” he whispered quietly, hoping you didn’t hear. But Haz hit him gently to knock it off as you shook your head, feeling that you were not in a joke or something and you hated it.
“Don’t be so paranoid,” Tom remarked as he tried to finish his beer. Harrison closed his eyes painfully as he heard Tuwaine groan out loud practically in pain from Tom’s very poor choice of words.
“You div,” Harrison said to him.
“Why would I be paranoid?” you added as you turned to Tom suspiciously, “You’re giving me a reason to be right now, what is going on?” you asked, looking around the room.
It was a time like this where the boys wished they didn’t know anything.
“Correction,” Tuwaine whispered to the rest of the table, “This is why we don’t get involved.” Tuwaine slumped back in his seat, looking towards Tom confused if they should leave or not, “I think he’s drunk Y/N,” Tuwaine said out loud to try and ease your stress you were clearly showing.
You glanced over at Tom, still not making eye contact with anyone. You scoffed at what Tom said as you took another sip of your drink. Looking around at everyone who was now staring at both Tom and you with wide eyes which made your heart feel like it was sinking into it’s stomach. You knew Tom was hiding something from you and you were getting upset that he made you the last person to know. Whatever it may be.
“Can someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?” you said, your voice raising a little bit as you tried to hide the cracks in it. You stood up, looking at Harry and Harrison for an answer, but their faces were empty as Tom was following your lead, trying to get you to sit back and relax to escalate the situation.
You finally gave Tom a look, that only meant you were plotting his murder now with your eyes. But you squinted your eyes when you noticed the small smile forming at Tom’s lips.
“Christ sake, Y/N, will you marry me?” Tom finally blurted out from behind you.
“Wait, what?” you exclaimed as your whole body felt like it was about to collapse. You turned towards the boys who looked just as stunned as you were. Clearly this was not a part of the plan but Tom said fuck it.
Tom chuckled as he pulled you closer, “I had a whole plan to bring you out here and do it tomorrow by the lake but I’ve been so bloody nervous I couldn’t even be around you. I’m sorry for making you think it was for bad reasons,” he felt terrible as he apologized to you.
Your eyes filled with tears in your eyes as you turned to face Tom in shock. You were confused and excited at the same time as you watched Tom grab the black velvet box out of his back pocket and got down on one knee.
You knew you probably looked stunned as a stream of tears rolled down your cheek, which started to make everyone sitting at the table cry with excitement. Tom took your left hand and looked up at you with a serious expression, “I can’t keep a secret from you to save my life” he said with a laugh as his fingers trembled against yours, “But please, let me be your husband so I never have to hide another damn thing from you again.”
#tom holland#tom holland x you#tom holland x reader#tom holland blurb#tom holland fluff#heyhihellowhatsup blurbs
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General Hux x Female Reader/Kylo Ren x Female Reader
A/N: I’ve been so ill recently I’ve read this chapter so many times the words blur together. It’s time to let it go!
Warnings: Force use, nausea mention, Hux is livid, Kylo is annoyed. Shits about to hit the fan.
Word Count: 2677
Read Chapter 16 here on AO3 here.
Hux had showered, was dressed and downstairs flicking through his datapad before you even surfaced. He had on a clean uniform and his coat was resting on his shoulders. As he sat in the kitchen sipping some black caf.
“Meilli?”
“Yes Sir?”
“Can you go and help her get dressed? I really should be leaving soon.” She dipped her head before scurrying away to find you. Beldon, came in through the side door, shaking out the umbrella before placing it in the stand.
“Did you intercept it?” Hux asked curtly, not even looking up.
“Yes Grand Marshal, I did.” Now Hux did look up, seeing the datastick resting in his housekeeper's hand. “What shall I do with it, Sir?”
“I shall take it back with me and analyse it on the Finalizer.”
“May I speak freely?” Hux paused for a moment before nodding. “Why don’t you leave it for My Lady to find and see what she does with it? I think she is loyal, Sir.” Hux frowned. He wanted you to be loyal, he didn’t want to think you’d been here on Arkanis conversing with Resistance sympathisers, but the rumours of them infiltrating First Order occupied worlds were getting too loud to ignore.
“Alright, put it with her stuff.” He rose when he heard you coming down the stairs, his heart he noticed was steady, not racing away with itself like it usually did. You saw him, your eyes full of sadness at the idea of him leaving until you saw the crate resting on the kitchen floor.
“That’s mine,” you stated nervously.
“Yes, you’re coming with me.” He murmured before placing a kiss on your head.
“But Armitage….I can’t.” Your voice was desperate as you clutched the edge of his coat. “The Supreme Leader…”
“Leave Ren to me.” His expression softened slightly in the face of your obvious panic. “I cannot be parted from you again.”
“Ok.” It was barely a whisper and you buried your face into his chest not wanting to be parted from him either.
The ride in the shuttle was quiet, the white lights of hyperspace flickered through the ship highlighting Hux’s profile as he carried on reading his datapad, catching up and whatever he had missed by being on Arkanis.
“How is Mitaka?” You waited for a response but it was clear his mind was elsewhere. “Armitage?” You said softly, making his head snap up in irritation.
“Oh, yes he can’t wait to see you,” he murmured offhandedly and you decided to settle back and endure the rest of the ride in quiet. You just wanted some conversation to try and dull the rising panic that had begun to weave its way through you like smoke. Slow and steady with each passing parsec it grew thicker the closer you got to Kylo Ren.
You tried not to look like you were staying close to Hux but you bumped his shoulder a couple of times when you both came down the ramp, instantly you looked around for a large brooding figure coming for you and your husband but there was nothing except some stormtroopers and Mitaka. His face broke out into a smile when he saw you before turning to Hux.
“Lieutenant, please escort my wife to my chambers. I have a meeting to get to.” You watched Hux stride off without so much as a glance in your direction and you frowned. Something was wrong…or maybe he was just nervous having you back on the ship.
“Are you ready?” You smiled again.
“Yes Dopheld, I am.” You linked your arm with him letting him chat randomly as he led you to the Grand Marshal’s quarters.
Your crate was delivered and you started unpacking once the Lieutenant had excused himself. As you pulled out some clothing to hang up something fell to the floor, you frowned seeing a datastick come to a stop over by the table. At first you had assumed it belonged to Hux and you put it on the table but something was niggling at you. It had been in your crate and he had no luggage, so why would his items get mixed within yours? You tried to ignore it but then you had the thought what if it was something to do with the estate? Letting loose a sigh of resignation you plugged it into the holotable, watching as it delved into the port. A holoimage flickered to life and began to play a message, you didn’t recognise the person or their voice and you wondered if this was actually Hux’s after all.
“Thank you for plugging this stick in, you are well on your way to becoming a Resistance member! My name is Poe Dameron, make a note of that I want them to know who is stealing all the First Order codes and secrets as we speak….” The world came crashing down around you and you flew for the port, scrabbling to pull out the stick but it had fixed itself into the table, tears clouded your vision and you gasped in wild panic. Could this be traced through the ship? This was Hux’s personal holotable, everything would be on here, everything.
“No! No no no no!” You felt anger filter through your obvious panic, you had told Anika no. You had told her you wouldn’t betray Armitage no matter if you were married or not and yet here you were, betraying your husband, the First Order and everything you believed in.
“You might just want to check no ones coming for you, if they are, give this to the first trooper that asks for it and the stick of secrets will find its way to us. The Finalizer is our playground.” The man said smugly in the image. “Commander Poe Dameron over and out!” The stick jolted up, releasing its hold on the port and you grabbed it out ready to throw it away from you when there was a hurried knock at the door. You froze, only the sound of your heart reached your ears and you waited for whoever it was to go away but they tapped smartly on the door again. You put the stick behind your back and opened the door, a lone trooper stood there, his helmet tilted to the side at the sight of you.
“You’re the spy?” He hissed in disbelief.
“I’m no spy!” You demanded and he held his hands out to shush you.
“Do you have it? The stick?”
“This?” You flinched as he wrenched it from your grasp and hurried without another word down the corridor. A sense of relief washed over you, now it was gone you could feint all ignorance.
The more time marched on the more confident you became that what you’d accidentally done had gone unnoticed. You were pouring a cup of caf when Hux returned, you smiled asking if he wanted a cup stopping when you saw him looking at your almost empty crate. His expression was hard and his eyes seemed to be searching for something, your smile faltered.
“What’s wrong? Are you looking for something?” You asked a little too brightly.
“A datastick.”
“Oh! Was that yours? A trooper came by asking for it so I thought you’d sent him to come and get it. I did wonder why it was in my…”
“No it wasn’t mine.” You clamped your mouth shut, his eyes like two burning lasers on your face as he advanced towards you.
“Oh,” you swallowed nervously. “Whose was it then?” You leaned away from him slightly when he came to a stop right in front of you, he seemed to tower over you more than normal, if he was being intimidating it was working.
“Yours.” He spat it at you almost, making you flinch slightly.
“I don’t know….”
“I TOLD YOU NOT TO LIE TO ME!” You cowered, your hands clutching the chair as fear roiled inside you.
“Armitage you’re frightening me!” He grabbed your clothing at the shoulder, pulling you up and close to his furious face, the red blush that he always got when angry had already reached the tips of his ears.
“I’m not even the most terrifying one,” he snarled in your ear. “I’m so…” his voice broke and you sneaked a look at his face. His eyes were slightly pleading through the anger and you felt your heart fracture at the expression.
“Armitage, I promise….” You shut your mouth abruptly as he shook you harshly.
“You are such a disappointment to me.” You gasped when he hauled you through the door, your feet almost dragging along the floor and you struggled to keep up with him. Stormtroopers watched with interest at their Grand Marshal dragging you down the corridors, many moving sharply aside as Hux stormed past them. He stopped at a conference room, the door opened and before you could register what was happening he threw you into the room with a strength that was hidden by his slim form. Air expelled from you abruptly when you collided with the floor, you curled up against the pain that exploded through your abdomen and you saw a pair of black leather boots enter your line of sight. Slowly he crouched before you, the mask covered his face but it was different, red glowing lines marked the surface giving him a more frightful appearance.
“What do we have here, Grand Marshal?” His voice was so similar as it slithered out of the vocoder but no less dangerous, your eyes stared back into the sightless pits trying not to give away how terrified you were.
“The traitor we’ve been looking for,” your husband spat vehemently.
“No!” You cried out. “I’ve been on Arkanis, how could it be me?” Kylo tilted his mask to look up at Hux.
“You’re the one who brought her on board.” He said calmly, noticing how Hux rocked back on his heels as though Kylo had punched him. “Maybe you’re in this together.”
“Supreme Leader I can assure you….” Kylo raised a finger to point at Hux, halting his words.
“I shall interrogate her, and you’re next.” He stated. A pair of troopers grabbed your arms and dragged you upright, you shot a terrified look at Hux but he refused to even acknowledge you, his face pinched and angry that he could even be associated with this. With you.
“Armitage!” The cry fell from you in the vain hope he’d just look at you.
“While I deal with her, maybe you could oversee the capture of the rogue trooper before I strip you of everything.” Hux turned sharply and left you. He didn’t even glance in your direction, he just left you at the mercy of the most powerful man in the Galaxy.
“Now, where shall we begin?”
“No Kylo please…!” But your begging was futile. His hand outstretched towards you and you tried to recoil but the troopers held you steady. Pain blossomed behind your eyes even though you tried to block him it was no good, he had grown even more powerful and he easily broke down your meagre boundaries. Faces, so many faces all from Arkanis, the wedding, Oakley….Kylo happily replayed the moment where Hux had interrupted the almost kiss and you could feel his amusement. “Go ahead! Laugh! You made me do this!” You gasped through the searing pain as he delved deeper.
“I didn’t make you do anything,” he rumbled. The words brought up the image of the surprised trooper at your door and Kylo controlled the memory, almost rewinding it making your stomach heave with nausea. “Hold her!” He snapped at the troopers who had clearly moved away thinking you were going to be sick.
“The Finalizer is our playground…” Poe’s words lingered in your mind as Kylo withdrew and you sagged heavily. He gestured for the troopers to leave, they left you leaning against the table, the room spinning as you tried to get your bearings. Kylo paced up and down before coming to a stop and removing his mask. His hazel eyes watched you slump to the floor, he placed his mask on the table with a thump before crouching down to your level again.
“The Resistance seems to have a claim on my ship.”
“It’s Armitage’s ship,” you managed to say between breaths. He rolled his lips, his jaw flexing, the muscle under his eye twitching.
“Still so loyal, even when he is not,” he retorted softly.
“What…what do you mean?” His eyes studied your face before responding.
“Who do you think planted it in your luggage?” You shook your head and wished you hadn’t, your brain felt like it had detached and you winced.
“My luggage had passed through so many troopers before it made its way to me and then it was in the house on Arkanis.”
“You think I am willing to blame my own army…” he started but you cut across him.
“You’re willing to blame the one man who controls them.” You snapped quickly.
“You shouldn’t have come back,” he snarled.
“He came and got me, he chose me over all this.” Kylo smirked before standing to his full height.
“Yes, he really chose you over all this.” He said copying your words. “That’s why he’s here fighting your corner,” he pointed out snarkily. You felt defeated, he was right, but you refused to believe Hux would turn on you so quickly….like you had turned on him.
“Oh…” you looked imploringly at him as realisation struck you. “Oh!” The sobs smacked painfully into your chest, Kylo stood there, indifference written all over his face and watched as you cried. No emotion showed on his features as he let you wind down of your own accord before continuing.
“He has had many months to plan this, to set you up. He followed the rumours of Resistance sympathisers all the way back, to, you,” he pointed out.
“No I swear! I barely spoke to anyone on Arkanis! I dealt with the death of my father and the selling of the house before…before…”
“Attending the wedding of your good friend Anika Elloway.” He strode away from you, his cloak swaying. Your mind raced as you watched him, they had been watching you the whole time but who? Beldon. He knew your every coming and going because you’d trusted him, because he had run the house, because he was loyal to the family.
“I didn’t…” you closed your eyes and fisted your hand as you remembered Anika asking to speak with you at the wedding but there were ears. You had refused all details from her after she declared Oakley was looking to marry. Yes you had needed to find a new husband but you didn’t want to help the Resistance and you had told her as such. You’d gone in all your First Order glory but they still had tried to set you up and now you were taking the fall for a group of people who didn’t care about you at all. “I had no idea…” your gaze rose to Kylo, taking in the back of his head as he looked out of the viewport. “You have to believe me Kylo!” You pleaded.
“You will be detained in a cell until we can decide what to do with you.”
“No! Please!” You cried out as the troopers reentered to retrieve you off the floor, but your cries went unheard. Hopelessness coloured your world the further they dragging you into the ship until you were thrown unceremoniously into a dark cell. Huddling in a corner when the door slammed shut on you, echoing through the room leaving you in no doubt there was no room for escape. There was no one to save you, Hux had thrown you to the mercy of the First Order and the taped up cracks in your heart reshattered. How could you be so stupid? So naive? But still, you clutched to the small slither of hope that Hux wouldn’t let any harm come to you.
#star wars#echoes of the heart#general hux x female reader#general hux x you#general hux/reader#general hux/you#general hux x reader#general hux/female reader#armitage hux x female reader#armitage hux x reader#armitage hux x you#armitage hux/female reader#armitage hux/you#armitage hux/reader#general hux angst#kylo ren#my writing#mylifeisactuallyamess
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01 - Mamma Mia
Summary: Maiko just wanted her good ol’ dad to walk her down the aisle. So, she invited the three men from your past in hopes of meeting him. The only problem was, which one of them is it?
Pairings: Oikawa Tooru x Reader, Bokuto Koutarou x Reader, Kuroo Tetsurou x Reader
Disclaimer: This is based on the movie directed by Phyllida Loyd and written by Catherine Johnson which is inspired by the music of the pop group ABBA.
catch up here!
"Kuroo-san?"
The said man looked up from his desk to his secretary. He was buried deep in paperwork; his sleeves rolled up to his elbows; coat off. He raised an eyebrow in question. The secretary walked into his office and handed him a cream-coloured envelope with a waxed seal. Kuroo flipped the envelope over and there at the back of it was his name, written in perfect penmanship.
“What is this?”
“Came in the mail today. It looks like an invitation of some sort.” The secretary bowed in respect and went out of the room. Kuroo was naturally curious. Without wasting any second he opened the envelope carefully and pulled out its contents. A neatly folded piece of paper was in between his fingers along with a simple, yet elegantly, designed card with the names Umeda Minoru and Obara Maiko, on it.
“A wedding?” He had said out loud. He couldn’t recall knowing anyone with those names. Although, the last name Obara sounded familiar. And he couldn’t even remember any of his friends getting married soon. He flipped open the paper and read the letter.
Hi Tetsurou!
I know it’s been a long time but I hope you can come to Maiko-chan’s wedding. It will be held in Kalokairi. Remember the small island we used to go to?
I hope you can make it.
From,
Y/N
His heart skipped a small beat as he read your name at the bottom. That’s why the last name was familiar. Obara Y/N. He hasn’t heard anything from you for how many years and now, out of the blue, you invite him to a random girl’s—a relative, maybe? Was she your cousin?—wedding on the island where it all started. Maybe that’s why you invited him? Because the island reminded you of him.
No. That can’t be right. From what he knows, you hated his guts. Hated it since the moment he left you there. But if you were inviting him to a wedding, could it mean that you’re not mad anymore?
With his mind going miles a minute, he checked the date on the invitation and called his secretary back in to book the soonest flight.
—
Bokuto slipped his shades on as he walked through the docks. He waved at the other boat owners as he passed by them. The sun felt warm on his skin and he just knew that this was gonna be a good day. When he reached his spot, he smiled widely, beaming at the vessel in front of him.
"Good morning, sunshine." He greeted no one in particular. He hopped onto the deck of his beloved sailboat, running his fingers on the grabrail. He picked up the ropes lying on the ground and prepared the boat for voyage. "We're going on a trip for a few days, my sweet."
Patting his pocket, he pulled out the slightly crumpled envelope out of it. He couldn't help smiling down at the invitation in his hand. It was a bit peculiar to get a letter from you—a wedding invitation no less!—after how many years. Your brief...meeting with him only lasted for a week and yet Bokuto yearned for your presence even after that.
Sure he's been with his fair share of women over the years but, there was no one quite like you if he had to be honest. Looking back down at the invitation, he was glad it wasn't your wedding you were inviting him to. He couldn't help but think of the 'what ifs' once he gets there…
Excitement pulsing through his veins, he prepared to set off into the sea, back to Greece.
—
"Aeropuerto por favor. Rápido." Oikawa told the cab driver as he got on. The driver understood immediately, despite Oikawa's accent. Soon enough, they were zooming through the city of Buenos Aires. He checked his bag for his passport, wallet and phone. He also caught a glimpse of the envelope he got just two days ago. He hesitated in the slightest before deciding to pull it out and re-reading the letter.
Y/N…., he had thought to himself. If there was one thing Oikawa couldn’t let go of it was volleyball. But if you were thrown into the equation, he just might give it up for you. He didn’t even know what had happened; he just met you one day and boom, he was in love. He loved you with all of his heart and he was willing to follow you wherever you wanted to go. But alas, after that one night, you just decided to disappear, leaving a small note.
He doesn’t really know why he had said yes to this wedding. He doesn’t know what to expect when he finally gets to Kalokairi. Closure? Rekindling with an old flame? He huffed out, dismissing the idea. Only one thing is for certain: he wanted to see you. So bad.
Letting out a deep sigh, he placed the envelope back in his bag. His palms started growing sweaty at the thought of seeing you in a matter of hours.
—
A shrill scream echoed throughout the docks, catching the attention of the locals. Maiko ran at a fast pace, meeting her friends halfway, who had just got off the small motorboat from the mainland. She got to her friend Nana first,—who was the tallest in their friend group—picking up her tiny frame and spinning her in a hug. She turned to Eri—the toughest of the bunch—and gave her a hug so tight. When they parted, a soft glint on Maiko’s hand caught her friends’ eyes.
“Maiko-chan!” Nana gushed. She held Maiko’s left hand in hers and there, a small, elegant ring sat on her ring finger, shining under the strong rays of the sun.
“I’m jealous!” Eri pouted jokingly. “Now, I want one.”
Maiko blushed, trying to cover her face. “Stop it! I’m getting married in a few days!” She squealed in excitement. The three girls picked up the luggages and walked up the dock. Maiko wrapped her arms around both of her friends, feeling giddier than ever.
“I’m so glad you’re both here because…,” she paused, the smile on her face growing, “I have a secret.” Nana and Eri looked at each other. Their eyes grew wide in realization and knelt in front of Maiko.
“Maiko-chan! You’re already pregnant?!” Eri shrieked. Maiko laughed loudly and dismissed the thought.
“No, no, no! It’s not that.” She grew quiet for a moment, pulling her friends closer. “I invited my dad to the wedding.”
“You’re kidding!”
“You finally found him?”
“Uhh, not exactly.” Her friends were confused. She smiled and led them to a nearby rock by the end of the docks where they sat down. She breathed out a sigh, “You know what my mom says whenever I ask about my dad. They met in the summer, fell in love, but my dad left even before she realized she was pregnant with me. All these years, I’ve accepted that that’s all I’ll never know about him.
“But then,” she rummaged through the tote bag she brought with her, pulling out an old, worn journal. “I found this.” she said, proud.
“What is it?” Eri asked.
“It’s my mom’s old diary the year she was pregnant with me.”
“Oh my god!” Eri sat closer to Maiko as she opened the journal. “So we’re really gonna read Y/N-obasan’s journal?”
“Oh shush.” Nana dismissed, sitting on Maiko’s right side.
“July seventeenth,” Maiko started. “Kuroo—Tetsurou as he insisted to be called—rowed me over to the little island. That’s here, Kalokairi. He took me on a small picnic by the beach. We danced under the moonlight by the beach. He kissed me by the beach and…,” Maiko trailed off. Nana and Eri waited.
“And what?” Nana asked.
“That’s it. They did it.” Maiko wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. Nana and Eri burst out laughing. She smiled and continued reading, “Tetsurou’s the one for me. I just know it. I’ve never felt love like this before.”
“So, this Kuroo-san is your father?” Nana questioned. Maiko eyed her, silently telling her that there was more to the story.
“For the time that we’ve been together, Tetsurou has said he loves me, several times. But now, he’s announced that he’s actually engaged. He just left earlier this morning to get married and...I’m never gonna see him again.”
“Aww, poor obasan.” Nana pouted, sympathizing you.
The three of them continued their trek up the island, while Maiko continued to read out loud the contents of the journal.
“August fourth, what a night! I met someone. Bokuto Koutarou. He was vacationing around the mainland, visiting his aunt. I passed by and everything clicked. He rented a motorboat, so I took him to the little island. Even though I know that I’m still in love with Tetsurou, Kou is just so...WILD!” The trio widened their eyes at the comment. “One thing led to another and…”
“So there’s a Bokuto-san as well?” Maiko just grinned excitedly and continued.
“August eleventh, Oikawa Tooru appeared out of the blue. I saw him struggling to order food from a restaurant so I helped him out. He was on a layover for a flight to Buenos Aires that got delayed for a few days. So I said, why not show him the island. He was so sweet and understanding. And he’s so pretty too! Oh! I couldn’t help it! And…”
They’ve finally reached the top of the island where your villa was. You ran a small hotel on the island, which wasn’t as successful as you thought it would be seeing as there weren’t many tourists and not many people knew about the island itself. Nevertheless, you were able to care for Maiko and that was all that mattered.
“Oh my god!” Eri squealed. “Y/N-obasan was so adventurous wasn’t she?”
“I can’t blame her. I mean have you seen her? She looks good even now!” Nana sighed. A bustling sound was heard from the entrance of the villa, with you appearing not seconds later, a broom in hand. You glanced in their direction. You did a double-take when you saw your daughter’s friends, waving at you. Maiko quickly hid the journal behind her back.
“Oh! You’re here already!” You set the broom by the wall, wiping your hands down on your old overalls. “It’s been so long!”
Nana and Eri walked over to you. You engulfed them in tight hugs and sweet kisses on their cheeks. You held Eri’s face in your palms, brushing her hair away from her face. You turned to Nana, placing a hand on her cheek.
“Look at the both of you! You’re practically all grown up! I remember when you were all wreaking havoc around here.” You beamed at them, proud. “And you look like you’re already having fun!”
“We are!” Eri cheered. You hummed in response. Your mind went somewhere else for a quick moment—a memory—and you mumbled,
“I used to have fun, too.”
“Oh, we know.” Nana quipped. Maiko pinched her arm subtly. You eyed them suspiciously, not really hearing what Nana had said which Maiko was thankful for.
“Well, I better leave you all to it. I know you have some bridesmaids duties to get to. I’ll see you all later.” You picked up your broom again and disappeared further into the villa.
When they were sure you were gone, the trio breathed out a sigh of relief. Maiko led them to her room for the moment as her friends’ belongings were getting checked into their respective rooms. They rushed inside, away from listening ears and wandering eyes.
“So, who is it?” Nana asked. “Is it Tetsurou-san, Bokuto-san or Oikawa-san?”
Maiko just shrugged her shoulders, laying down on her bed. “I don’t know.”
“Well,” Eri interjected. “Who did you invite?”
Maiko just looked at them expressively. Her smile grew wider as her friends finally realized what she had done. Eri and Nana screamed. They jumped up and down in excitement—and disbelief—at their friend. They knew how impulsive Maiko was but this was just a bit too much, wasn’t it?
“Do they know?” Nana’s eyes had widened.
Maiko rolled her eyes at her. “Of course not. Do you think I can just write to them and say, ‘Please come to my wedding. You might be my father.’? No.” She shook her head. “They think that mom sent the invite. And with what we’ve learned today, they all said yes!”
—
Kuroo was panting heavily as he stared at the ferry not too far from the jetty, buzzing away to Kalokairi. He cursed under his breath kicking at the ground. A few seconds later, another man was beside him, panting just as he was, staring at the ferry.
“Shit.” Oikawa muttered. Kuroo scoffed and nodded in agreement.
“I know.” He said. Oikawa turned to look at Kuroo, eyeing him up and down. They trudged back to the ticketing booth and checked the schedule for the next available ferry.
“I don’t speak Greek.” Oikawa groaned, not understanding a single thing on the board.
“Deftera.” Kuroo read out loud. “Monday.”
“Ah, shit.” Oikawa cursed. He hastily opened his bag and pulled out the invitation, checking the date of the wedding. This catches Kuroo’s eyes.
So, he’s here for the wedding too, huh. He thought to himself. “Bride or groom?” He asked the man. Oikawa looked at him, startled. It took him a moment to realize that Kuroo was also going to Kalokairi for the wedding.
“Oh, bride’s.” Oikawa answered. “Although, I haven’t actually met her.”
“Hey, hey, hey!” A loud voice called. “Up here!” Bokuto called, as he was sitting atop of the mast of his boat which was docked near the jetty. Kuroo and Oikawa looked at him, confused.
“You guys need a ride to Kalokairi?”
taglist: @yikes-buddy / @ushi-please / @melodiamore / @akaashi-todoroki / @honeymoneyy / @minty-mangos-world /
a/n: thank you so much for all the support (despite me just posting the masterlist.) i’ve re-read and edited this first chapter a lot of times and i hope i’ve met your first expectations for this series. lemme tell you that first chapters are the hardest to do. i apologize if some characters seem out-of-character or weird, especially my OCs. i’m not used to OCs since i’ve only ever written reader inserts. stil, i hope you love them as much as i do!
i actually have no idea how i’m gonna steer this story so, here’s to winging it. haha! leave some comments! i love you all!
#b writes#mamma mia#haikyuu#haikyuu x reader#haikyuu imagine#kuroo#kuroo x reader#kuroo imagine#bokuto#bokuto x reader#bokuto imagine#oikawa#oikawa x reader#oikawa imagine#kuroo tetsurou#kuroo tetsurou x reader#kuroo tetsurou imagine#bokuto koutarou#bokuto koutarou x reader#bokuto koutarou imagine#oikawa tooru#oikawa tooru x reader#oikawa tooru imagine
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Maybe We Shouldn’t Get Married (Carli Lloyd x Reader)
Anonymous Request: reader n carli have been engaged for awhile and it’s a few months before their wedding. carli neglects her relationship w/ r (like missing dates and having r fall asleep by herself) bc she continues to train so she can squash the talk of her retirement. This lasts for about a month until r finally says something about it, leading into a major argument where she gives her back the ring bc she doesn’t want to be in a loveless marriage.
You can feel tears welling up in your eyes as you twist the engagement ring on your finger, pulled out of your trance by someone clearing their throat.
“Would you like to order miss?” The waiter asks and you shake your head.
“It looks like my date isn’t showing up, I’ll just uhhh, pay for my drinks.”
The man nods, giving you a small remorseful smile.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it.” He smiles, leaving before you can deny his offer, leaving you with no choice but to accept.
You sigh sadly, grabbing your purse before you slowly make your way out of the restaurant, deciding against getting an Uber, instead walking to the house.
She’d promised.
She’d promised she promised she’d be there, and yet again she wasn’t.
Your heart ached in your chest, a pit forming in your stomach.
This had been going on for a number of months, Carli missing a date here and there, staying out late at the gym training to quell any and ALL rumors that she was retiring, but in that mission, she had been neglecting your relationship.
You had yet to voice your complaints, but you knew you had to, it was the aftermath of that conversation you were worried about.
***
Tears in your eyes and an ache in your chest when your eyes flutter open the next morning, the sun peeking through the blinds.
Your hand rests on the empty side of the bed.
Cold.
She must’ve gotten up pretty early for the bed to feel so cold, if she even came to bed at all.
You close your eyes, attempting to swallow the lump in your throat.
You were watching your relationship crumble before your very eyes, helpless to the fact that a rift had started to form between the two of you, a rift that Carli had created.
You turn your head, your eyes falling to the engagement ring on the night stand beside you.
Were you REALLY ready to get married to someone who would so willingly neglect your relationship?
Were you REALLY ready to marry Carli Lloyd?
Was she REALLY ready to marry YOU?
Your mind was racing, racing with thoughts you would rather not entertain, but still, they were creeping in.
As per usual, when those thoughts creep in, you grab your phone, calling the first person who comes to mind, Julie Ertz.
***
After your conversation with Julie, you know now, more than ever that you can’t keep your feelings inside anymore.
You HAD to talk to Carli, no matter the outcome, you couldn’t keep hiding in secret, you had to tell her how you felt, no matter what.
That ‘what’ brought you a sense of ire, it wasn’t YOUR fault that things had come to this, YOU weren’t the one who tore a rift between the two of you, YOU weren’t the one who neglected your relationship for work, YOU weren’t the one who let rumors of retirement get to you.
You take a deep breath, trying to get a level head, trying to keep your emotions in check, but you couldn’t do it any longer, you couldn’t act like nothing was wrong.
Carli had to come home eventually.
That was when you would confront her.
That was when you would tell her you couldn’t take her neglecting your relationship anymore.
***
The second the front door opened you were on your feet, crossing your arms across your chest.
Carli sends you a soft smile.
“Hey.” She smiles, making her way towards you, reaching for you, the woman’s brows furrowing when you take a step back.
“What’s-
You scoff.
Screw keeping a level head.
“Are you really about to ask what’s wrong?” You ask, the veteran forward’s eyes widening.
“I-
You shake your head, your eyes welling with tears.
“You really haven’t noticed?” You whisper in disbelief.
“Y/N-
You take another step back.
“You can’t even call me to cancel dates anymore, I’m tired of waiters looking at me in pity. Fuck, you don’t even come to bed anymore!” You cry, Carli’s mouth agape, her brown orbs narrowing.
“Y/N, you know I have to make the roster, I can’t let people think I’m retiring-
You let out a humorless laugh.
“THAT’S ALL YOU CARE ABOUT!” You scream loudly, Carli taken aback by your outburst.
“Y/N you know how important this is to me...” She frowns.
You look at her in shock, shaking your head.
“When did work become more important than us?” You whisper, Carli’s gaze falling to the floor.
You swallow hard.
“Would you even notice if I was gone?” You ask, Carli advancing on you quickly, cupping your cheeks.
“Of course, I would-
You jerk out of her hold, the woman’s eyes filling with tears as you look down at your ring, spinning it on your finger before you pull it off, handing it to the woman who stares at you in shock, her complete and utter heart break reflected in her brown orbs.
“Y/N, please don’t do this.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t get married...” You shake your head. “I can’t marry someone who puts their work before me... I can’t be in a loveless marriage.”
Carli is stock still as you pack a bag, the woman staring at the ring in the palm of her hand.
You finish packing, rushing past the woman who’s still staring at the ring in her hand, tears streaming down her cheeks.
You stop at the front door, glancing at your fiancé, or was it, ex-fiancé, over your shoulder.
“I think you need time to figure out what’s more important in your life... I can’t be your second choice.”
Carli can only watch as the front door slams shut, the woman’s mouth agape.
She’s pulled from her shock moments later she’s sprinting towards the front door, jerking it open just in time to see you pulling out of the driveway, your car rolling down the street, your tail lights growing smaller and smaller until they’re eventually out of sight.
Carli drops to her knees.
“What have I done?”
***
The second your knuckles make contact with the door, it’s jerked open, Julie Ertz practically throwing herself at you, her arms wrapping around your neck as you bury your face in her chest, a sob pushing its way passed your parted lips.
“Shhhh.” Julie shushes, a gentle hand running down your back. “It’s going to be alright; I’ve got you.”
“I think it’s over JJ, I think we’re done I ju-
“Come on, you need rest sweetie, we’ll talk about this in the morning, okay?” She whispers in your ear.
You’re not sure HOW you end up in the guest bedroom, but you do, Julie at your side until you eventually fall asleep.
The blonde smiles sadly down at your sleeping form, the woman pulling the covers up over you before she moves to her feet.
Just as she’s about to shut the door behind her, Zach makes his way down the hallway.
“Plus one at breakfast tomorrow?” He asks, Julie pressing a chaste kiss to his lips, nodding.
“Maybe for longer than just tomorrow.”
He smiles.
“Well, good thing I always make too many pancakes.”
***
Carli sits on the practice field’s bleachers, her brown orbs locked on the ring in the middle of her palm, a ring she had yet to let go of.
“What happened between you and Y/N?!”
Carli jumps, turning abruptly towards the source of the voice, her eyes widening.
“What are you guys doing here?”
Megan crosses her arms across her chest, the woman glancing at Ashlyn, the blonde turning to Ali, who turns to Alex, Alex turning to Crystal who turns to the last member of their group, Sam, at least that’s what Carli thinks, because soon after the thought leaves her mind Allie, Adrianna, and Morgan join the group.
“You know why we’re here.” The aforementioned woman says as she crosses her arms across her chest.
Carli swallows hard, knowing full well by the look on each and every one of their faces that she’s about to get a verbal thrashing.
“Julie called.” Crystal’s eyes narrow, Carli heart clenching in her chest at the thought of you showing up to Julie Ertz’s home with your bags.
“I-
“Don’t talk, just listen.” Adrianna says, rather sternly, turning to Megan.
“What the hell are you thinking!?” The purple haired woman yells, the veteran forward swallowing hard as she clenches her fist around your engagement ring.
“I-
“Just listen.” Morgan puts an index finger to her own lips.
Carli nods, her lips forming at tight line.
“Y/N loves you Lloyd, and you’re screwing it up.” Allie huffs, the forward’s eyes downcast, staring at her cleats, cleats that had been almost glued to her feet for the entirety of the off season.
“We KNOW how sensitive the topic of retirement is for you, but you’re letting it ruin your relationship, if you even have that anymore.” Ashlyn shakes her head.
Carli’s head jerks up, her brown orbs filling with tears at the thought of losing you.
Ali place a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“You need to put her first.” She smiles softly.
“We ALL know how stressful the world of women’s soccer can be, but you can’t let that world ruin what you and Y/N have.”
Carli nods, attempting to swallow the lump in her throat, the prospect of losing you making her feel sick.
“Yeah, so get your head out of your ass Lloyd.” Ashlyn huffs, everyone turning to her with narrowed eyes.
Megan snorts.
“Hey, she’s right, go get her Lloyd, unless your career is more important than her.”
Carli’s bottom lip trembles.
“I can’t lose her.”
Alex makes her way towards her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.
“Marriage isn’t easy...” Alex starts, Ashlyn wrapping an arm around Carli while Ali cups her cheeks, making the woman look her in the eye.
“But it’s worth fighting for.”
***
Julie and Zach Ertz had been NOTHING but welcoming.
Zach was of course, a gigantic teddy bear, the man doing any and everything he could to make you smile, something you would be FOREVER grateful for.
Julie of course was exactly the same, it was seeing their dynamic that made you completely understand what the term ‘the perfect couple,’ meant.
The two complemented one another in a way you couldn’t imagine unless you saw it in person.
The sound of a ringing doorbell pulls you out of your trance, Julie and Zach sharing a glance, the man smiling.
“Must be the pizzaaaaa!” He sings, doing a silly dance as he makes his way to the front door.
You shake your head as Julie giggles.
“I like him, he’s a keeper.” You snort and Julie grins.
“I like him too.” She winks.
Zach comes back, moments later, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
“Well, it wasn’t pizza...”
Your eyes widen when Carli Lloyd steps into view, the woman’s brown orbs locking on you.
You swallow hard, averting your gaze.
“We were just..” Julie starts and Zach nods.
“Ye-Yeah, over there.”
Suddenly you’re alone in the Ertz’s kitchen with Carli Lloyd, the woman approaching you nervously.
“Y/N...” She starts, swallowing hard as the two of you come face to face for the first time in over a week.
You long to take her hand, but still, the ache of apprehension keeps you from doing so, the thought of long and lonely nights in bed, the ache in your heart when she didn’t show up for a date.
Carli clears her throat, stilling.
“There’s nothing I can ever say to make up for what I’ve done...” She swallows hard, her gaze dropping to the tiled floor beneath her feet.
You’re not used to seeing Carli Lloyd so vulnerable, not used to seeing this side of her, seeing her so emotionally bare.
Carli shakes her head, your eyes widening when you see a tear rolling down her cheek, followed by another, and another, soon they’re cascading down her face.
“I’m so sorry Y/N, I never meant to put soccer before you, because nothing could ever compare to you, nothing could ever be as important as you are to me.” She sniffles.
“I let the rumors get the best of me and I wanted to any and everything I can do silence the doubters, but all I did was break the heart of the woman I love.”
Carli makes her way towards you, cupping your cheeks, your hands moving to cover hers.
You open your mouth to speak, but Carli simply shakes her head.
“No Y/N, you deserve more than that.”
Carli’s eyes slam shut, the woman further shaking her head.
“I just got so caught up in the rumors that I forgot what mattered most, you matter the most to me, YOU.” She leans in, her forehead resting against yours.
“I would give up everything for you.” She whispers. “Even soccer.”
You cup her cheeks.
“I would NEVER ask you to give up something you love.”
Carli chuckles humorlessly.
“I almost lost the most important person in my life, the person I love more than anything in the world... I won’t let ANYTHING get in the way of that. Of us...” Carli swallows hard.
“If you’ll still have me.”
Carli pulls back, lowering herself to the floor, getting down on one knee, your engagement ring between her thumb and index finger.
***
The crowd cheers as you hide your face in Carli’s neck.
“And that’s how Carli REPROPOSED in my kitchen...” Julie says into the mic, your teammates cheering along with the rest of your wedding party.
“OUR KITCHEN.” Zach yells from the crowd and you snort.
“Fine, our kitchen.” Julie huffs.
You turn to your wife, the woman turning towards you with a grin as she leans in, your lips meeting in a tender, loving kiss.
“I love you Y/N.”
“I love you too Carli.”
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Drunk: Tom Holland
Drunk Tom, fluff of cause. requests are open
When tom came home drunk it was always… well an experience to say the least.
“Heeeeey cutie” Tom smiles slurring his words, stumbling over his shoes he had just taken off. He catches himself, barely, on the dining table. His hair was a mess, sticking up in all different directions, his shirt was soaked, he must have splint a drink down himself and his jeans were ripped on the knee from where he had just fallen out of the taxi.
“Hey handsome” you help him stand up straight, he sways slightly. “Do you wanna go to bed?”
“You’re very forward, I actually have a girlfriend and shes” he pauses, doing an exaggerated chiefs kiss. “beautiful”
“I have a boyfriend and he's an idiot who said he was going out only for a few pints” you reassure him, leading him through the kitchen to the stairs.
“Do you wanna know something?” he whispers in your ear, you could practically hear the cheesy grin on his face.
“Go on then” you encourage, eager to see what this ‘secret’ was. The last time he got this drunk he told you about how he had 17 snails in the garden, 17 exactly and named them all. He was apparently training them for the circus.
“You can't tell anyone but, I'm Spiderman” he whispers, pressing his fingers to his lip shushing you. “Its not a big deal or anything but i am a superhero” he shrugs.
“Really?” you gasp playing along. “Can you show me some of your superhero moves ?” you ask, biting your lip trying your hardest to contain your laughter. He pulls away from you and jumps up a single step, and then climbs over the banister falling onto the hardwood floor with a groan. This time you couldn't hold back your laughter as you kneel on the floor next to him, he pretends to shoot webs, making weird noises as he did, pointing all over the place
“Jesus tom how much did you drink?” you giggle, moving his hair out his eyes.
“Hey when did you get here?” he beams, a big grin on his face.
“So youre drunk drunk?”
“Drunk drunk drunk, im druuuunk” he sings, getting up, and wrapping his arms around you squeezing.
“You taking requests” you laugh, as he starts singing a random song, mumbling the words he didn't know as you guide him up the stairs, pointing at you encouraging you to sing with him.
“I've been drinking watermelon” he shouts, not even trying to hold a note anymore. “Druunk in love! We be all night in luuuuuuuh”
You put the toothpaste on his tooth brush and put it under the running water.
“Open” you tell him, brushing his teeth for him quickly as he continues to ‘sing’. You sit on the bed waiting for him to get undressed.
“I've been working out” he tells you, flexing his arms. “Feel! rock solid. Squeeze it you can't squeeze it, it's pure muscle. I didn't need any steroids for this” you roll your eyes at him as he continues to flex.
“Get in bed” you laugh pulling back the sheets.
“Baaaabe” he groans. “Do you like my muscles, I got them for you”
“They're wonderful Tommy, please get in bed. I'm tired” you admit turning off the light. You roll him over so you can get in and cuddle into his side.
“y/n” he whispers.
“Yes?”
“I-” he starts. “I love you”
“I know Tom” you whisper back. He sits up and looks at you with those big brown eyes.
“Do you love me?”
“I love you more than anything in the world, which is why i put up with your drunk ass”
“I have a nice ass” he admits.
“You do” you sigh fighting a smile. “Lie down”
“You have a nice ass too, like really nice”
“Tom!” you warn, closing you eyes.
“Are you asleep” you feel his minty breath hit your face.
“Yes”
“Oh” he lays back down. He runs his fingers up and down your arms.
“Can you wake up? I need to tell you something?”
“What tom?” you don't open your eyes.
“I want to marry you” he says confidently. “And have babies, 2 boys and a girl, Thomas, Matthew and Penelope. And a hamster and call it bruce like the shark from finding nemo” he rambles. “Ello my name's bruce!”
“When?” you couldn't hide your smile now and he could probably see it in the moonlight.
“Whenever you're ready” he brushes your hair out of your face. “Night” seconds later soft snores leave his lips. You push him onto his side and cuddle into him. Drunk tom is always an experience but tonight was something else.
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Operation Push Katniss Over the Cliff of Love
Author: @mega-aulover
Prompt: The crunch of frost when the mornings first start to become crisp ❄️❄️❄️ [submitted by anonymous]
Rating: T
A/N: There are no games. The districts won the war and the seat of power rested wherever the District Tribute won the candidacy for President. The current president is from District Eight. Katniss takes Peeta out to see nature on a dare or is it a dare? - special thanks to my beta and best friend @norbertsmom who is more than just a beta, she’s amazing.
KPKPKPKP
The light from the Everdeen front porch spilled outside, lighting the three figures that huddled together near some trees. It was safe enough for them to gather outside and talk about their important subject: getting Katniss Everdeen married. Each one had their own reason for being present. One other member, Delly Cartwright, had sent word she would be late. She was roped into planning a fall festival with Effie Trinket, the district liaison.
Delly wanted Peeta and Katniss to get together. She was the one who inadvertently brought the group together. Gale wanted to prove that Katniss was human, Rigel Everdeen, Katniss’ father, wanted Katniss to be happy, and Prim, her sister, had her own selfish reasons. She’d recently turned sixteen and she wanted her own room. Katniss was always in her business. Prim loved her sister and wanted her to be happy, so when Delly mentioned Peeta had the hots for Katniss, and that they should do something about it, it didn’t take Prim long to realize there was a way to satisfy everyone’s needs.
“It’s cold outside,” Prim whispered.
The chilly air indicated winter was finally on its way. They had had an unusually warm fall. It kept the trees from uniformly turning right away. Some trees in the district were now displaying the bright beautiful colors, while some of the trees toward the edge of the district were bare. It was as if nature was warring with itself.
“You sound like your sister,” Gale snickered.
Prim’s pale blue eyes gleamed in the darkness. “Mama always said never trifle with an Everdeen.”
“Careful Gale, Prim is sweet and lightness until provoked,” Rigel said, winking at his youngest. He leaned on his cane. “Now how are we, as Prim said, pushing Katniss off the cliff.”
All three of them had been trying to figure out how to get Katniss and her secret crush, Peeta Mellark together. Peeta worked everyday at the bakery from sunup to sundown since his sixteenth birthday. His father was slowing down. He had had a massive heart attack last year, and Peeta took on more responsibilities at the bakery.
Katniss not only traded the game she caught, but she also made it into jerky and sold it down at the Hob. Both she and Peeta were very busy people.
“If Prim hadn’t clued me toward the Merchants I wouldn’t have figured it out,” Gale said stuffing his hands in his pockets.
“I knew she liked someone in the Merchant quarter,” Prim rubbed her arms. “Whenever you guys go to Merchant quarter to sell, she always stops here to wash her hands and change. Katniss isn’t one for dressing up unless she has too.”
“I can’t believe I never picked up on that,” Gale rubbed the back of his neck.
“That’s because you, too, were getting gussied up for all of the ladies,” Prim said. “You take longer than Katniss to get ready. Also, let’s talk about your abuse of the orange extract in your aftershave.”
Gale turned bright red.
“That’s enough Prim,” Rigel admonished. “We’re getting off topic. How are we getting them together?”
A loud ruckus could be heard as Delly speedily walked toward the group. “Sorry I’m late!”
“Shhh…Katniss is a light sleeper. She’ll hear you and want to come downstairs and find out why you are here,” Prim admonished.
“Sorry,” Delly whispered, but in reality Delly didn’t know how to whisper. Her version of whispering was using her inside voice.
“Okay where were we, how to get those two together?”
Delly shot her hand up in the air. Her blue eyes sparkled and she hopped with barely contained excitement.
“What?” Prim rolled her eyes. She couldn’t understand why Gale was so smitten with Delly. She was like that annoying little lap dog Effie had. Delly was sweet, but sometimes her exuberance could be annoying. Though Delly was loyal and kind. And if anyone said anything about her, Prim would be the first to defend Delly.
“Well you know how Katniss hates the cold,” Delly said smiling.
“Yeah,” Rigel said.
“And you know last week Gale and Katniss were bickering about Katniss being late.”
“She claims she wasn’t late,” Gale said, taking his gloves out of his jacket pocket and putting them on Delly’s hands.
Delly smiled at Gale.
“I remember. She was spitting mad and she’s made it a point of going to bed early,” Rigel said.
“Well,” Delly said, looking at all three of them as if they understood where she was coming from. “You can use Katniss getting up late to get them together.”
Prim’s mind worked quickly. “Delly’s right, we can use this to our advantage. Delly, you said Peeta uses nature as one of his inspirations right?”
“Yeah,” Delly responded.
“Well, what if we make Katniss take Peeta into the woods.”
“She can take him by the lake. When it’s cold enough, the water condensation freezes and it latches onto the trees and leaves.” Rigel grinned. “I took your mom up there once when we were courting. She called it a winter wonderland.”
“Peeta would love that.” Delly sighed. “A romantic trip into the woods with the girl he’s had a crush on forever.”
“I can goad her in front of Peeta,” Gale said. “Make her angry enough to fall for a bet. She takes Mellark out to the forest if I win, and I have to do something dumb if I lose.”
“Yeah, you know how to push all of her buttons at once,” Prim snickered. She turned her focus onto Delly. “When is the best day for Katniss to take Peeta?”
“Sunday. Sometimes he closes down early or doesn’t open at all.”
“Okay, Gale do you think you can switch out one of your days off on Thursday?”
Gale gave Delly a look.
“Gale!” Delly exclaimed, and the others shushed her. “Sorry,” she whispered, then continued, “You can switch, it’s not like we’re going to do anything romantic other than hanging out with your mom. You can switch your Monday for a Thursday.”
Haymitch Abernathy from District 12 had won the Presidency after the explosion that Gale’s father caused. One of the things Haymitch did when he was President was make the working conditions in the mines better. He also ensured all miners got two days off, as well as yearly pay increases and a paid time off. They also had paid holidays off and they also promoted within. Gale was poised to move up in the mining company. He was pretty smart and had a lot of ideas.
“Fine,” Gale muttered.
“Thanks Gale, I am proud of you, son,” Rigel said, patting Gale on the shoulder.
Gale looked up to Mr. Everdeen. They had developed a bond, especially since Gale helped his mom raise his three younger siblings.
“Gale, you can use that you don’t get up early argument,” Prim said.
“Katniss will fall for that. When she gets angry she forgets about being shy,” Rigel chuckled.
“Right, but how are we going to make sure Katniss is late?” Gale asked, frowning.
“Easy,” Prim grinned like her cat Buttercup when he’d trapped his prey. “I put sleep syrup in her favorite drink.”
“I will distract her enough to make sure she’s really late,” Rigel said.
“Great, then next Thursday operation push Katniss over the cliff of love, begins.”
Thursday Morning Katniss was surprised when Gale showed up to hunt with her. He said he switched days with his buddy George, who needed the day off. His eldest was Toasting.
They were approaching one of their last trading stops. Katniss nervously tugged on her shirt sleeve.
“You like him,” Gale said out of nowhere.
Katniss nearly tripped on the stairs she was climbing up. “Woah…”
Gale easily reached out and caught her.
Katniss straightened up and firmly gripped her game bag. “What are you talking about?”
“You like him,” he pointed to the bakery back door right before he knocked.
Katniss was left speechless, her mouth hung open. Her face felt hot from all of the blood rushing to it. She wanted to refute it, but she didn’t have a chance. The ‘him’ Gale spoke of opened the door. Gah, Katniss thought as her heart thumped against her chest at the sight of his flour covered forearms, and sparkling blue eyes that rivaled the color of the lake in the woods.
There were no words to describe why Katniss found Peeta Mellark so appealing.
He was freakishly strong, with gorgeous blue eyes, broad shoulders, large hands. She shivered when she thought of those hands. Supple hands that were strong enough to rip apart timber and yet delicate enough to create the most intricate of frosting flowers for the cakes he decorated. Katniss recalled the day she caught him ripping wood in half by hand to take out his frustrations at something his mother did. She had stood by the fence staring at him, her mouth ajar and drooling.
“Hi, Gale and Katniss, here to trade?”
Even his voice did funny things to her. His voice was not soft or hard, it was smooth and she died a little when he said her name. Her palms became sweaty and her ability to think rationally went out of her head. Katniss couldn’t even formulate a ‘hello.’
Next to her, Gale cleared his throat. Glancing up at him, she saw his shoulders shake, and his lips formed a mocking grin. She realized what Gale said was a trick to get her to show her true emotions.
Katniss wanted to punch him in the arm.
“Yeah, Katniss caught some fat squirrels for you,” Gale’s voice taunted.
Katniss wished the ground would open up and swallow her. How in the hell did Gale know that she had a thing for the baker’s youngest son?
“Oh, great. You guys want to come inside? It’s getting chilly out.”
“Sure,” Gale said.
No sooner did Peeta turn his back than Katniss punched Gale in the arm, hard.
“Ow!” he grunted.
Katniss scowled at him.
“You didn’t have to hurt me,” Gale said with a grin while rubbing his arm.
“You deserved it, you big oaf!”
Ever since Katniss turned down Gale’s invitation to run away into the woods a few years back, he’d been trying to get her to admit that there was someone else she liked. Gale had been methodically trying to eliminate the possibilities. He tried several guys from the Seam, then he turned to their own group, the Covey.
The Covey lived on the outskirts of the district. When the war began the Covey, a group of traveling minstrels, settled in District Twelve. Katniss and Gale’s families were descendants. One of their own became the tenth President. During her brief stint as President she fell in love with a man from the Capitol and ran off. It caused a huge uproar, thankfully her vice president, Undersee stepped in and took the spot.
The Covey had a tradition of singing and dancing. They mostly lived on their own. Katniss had family that were touring throughout the other districts singing. Katniss had been invited because of her voice, but she turned it down. Firstly, her family needed her, and secondly, she didn’t want to leave because of him. She couldn’t leave Peeta behind. There was a bond between them, an electrical force that drew her to him.
It began with the bread.
When her father got hurt in the mine explosion, Peeta came over with a basket of bread for her family. The mining company’s compensation toward the injured miners ran out quick. The only source of income was from her mother’s healing business. But with her father’s medical bills, they were drowning and necessities became expensive. They were living off of meager rationings when Peeta brought them a basket of bread and canned goods.
Peeta must have done it behind his mother’s back because she hit him so hard he missed two days of school. It was this act that caused Mr. Mellark to petition to divorce his wife. Peeta had risked it all to help her family. Katniss could never forget what he did, nor could she repay him for the kindness he bestowed upon her family.
Through the years she looked for ways to repay him, but one day it dawned on her, she was keeping track of him for more than just the repayment of the food. The more she saw him interact with other people, the more she liked him. She nearly swooned when she saw him in those darned wrestling tights.
Katniss thought her secret was safe. Until her sister, the little traitor blabbed one New Year’s Eve that Katniss wasn’t into the Seam look. Gale was surprised, but then began trying to look at all of the men in the Merchant side, including the Peacekeepers. He often said Katniss had a hankering; someone she would give her eye-teeth for, like a miner lusting for a cool breeze in the mines.
Katniss wasn’t sure what he meant by eye-teeth, but using his analogy made her think it meant hungry for Peeta, which in a way she was.
“Look, just admit you like him,” Gale whispered, elbowing her.
“Grr,” Katniss growled with all of the fake venom she could muster.
“Why don’t you get all of those juicy squirrels you hunted for him.”
“Gale,” Katniss whispered. “Stop.”
She wanted to pummel him with her fist but he walked into the bakery.
“GALE,” she squeaked. “Come back here!”
Katniss wondered why the hell they were friends. He was annoying, angry, petty, and infuriating. His one redeeming quality was that he was a good hunting partner, and those were hard to come by. Before partnering with Gale, she had tried to hunt with another hunter named Jed, but it was disastrous. A lynx attacked her and Jed did nothing. He didn’t warn her nor did he try to stop the lynx from attacking her. Katniss was lucky she was such a good shot. She got it in the eye as it leapt in the air.
Gale saw her shoot the lynx and approached her about joining up with him. Leery, she wasn’t sure she should. His dad was the reason the mine collapsed. He drunkenly set some TNT on fire, blew himself up and caused many miners to be injured, including her dad.
Her dad told her that Gale’s family was hurting. Katniss didn’t want to give in, but then she saw one of his intricate traps and slowly they became friends. Now she wished she’d never accepted his request for friendship.
“Aren’t you coming? Your bread boy is waiting.” Gale winked at her.
Katniss stomped inside, furious at being found out. Gale was going to pay, she hadn’t decided how, but she was going to make him pay for his betrayal.
“So I know how much you like our nut and raisin bread,” Peeta said good naturedly.
“Yeah, she just loves your bread,” Gale said.
“Do you?” Peeta settled his eyes on her and Katniss didn’t know where to look. By the heat that was radiating off of her cheeks, she was sure she was redder than a ripened tomato.
“Yeah, she loves your buns,” Gale kept on talking and Katniss wondered if a court would convict her for killing him. “Your cheesy ones.”
“You mean my cheese buns?” Peeta’s eyes brightened. “I didn’t know. I’ll add some into the pack.”
“Delly told me you decorate all of the cakes.” Gale changed the subject and Katniss was grateful.
“I do.” Peeta was busily packing things. Katniss took the opportunity to take out the squirrels she shot for him, and then she added a rabbit.
His brothers moved away to other districts, leaving Peeta as the sole owner of the bakery. Since his parents were divorced, Peeta lived in the bakery with his dad. His father favored rabbit meat.
“Some of those cakes are complicated,” Gale said.
“Yeah, a cake can take me up to a week to decorate.”
“When are you and Delly going to toast?”
Gale hesitated, turning pale while looking at a dozen leaves in different shades of red, green, gold, and orange before changing the subject. “Do you get the inspiration for the cakes from nature?”
Katniss noticed Gale never answered the question. This was a bone of contention between Peeta’s best friend and her hunting partner. Gale wanted to marry, Delly wasn’t ready. She wanted to date a little bit more before settling down.
Gale and Delly were such an odd pair. She was this round faced plush girl. She wasn’t beautiful like Madge, who Katniss thought he would have gone for. Before Delly, Madge and Gale used to flirt. It was a little gross to witness. It’s so funny how life worked. When Gale and Delly were introduced Gale couldn’t stand Delly’s bubbly nature. He said she grated on him like a tone deaf canary. Though slowly her generosity won Gale over. Gale told Katniss Delly crept up on him.
“Yeah. I always walk around with my sketchpad and pencil. Though, as you can tell, ever since my brothers left I don’t have time to walk around and observe as much as I used to.”
“Man, you should go to the woods,” Gale said. “The woods get frosty. It’s unlike anything you’ll ever see.”
“Frosty?” Peeta said with wonder.
“Yeah, the frost in the woods is amazing, like a winter wonderland. Katniss here doesn’t appreciate it.” Gale shook his head. “It’s a struggle to get her up on cool mornings.”
“Gale, the animals are still sleeping when you want to go out there,” Katniss grumbled.
“You know that’s not true. The early bird gets the worm. Nature’s teeming with life. They get busy living while you’re all wrapped up warm in your blanket.”
“You know I get up plenty early to hunt and make ends meet for my family.” Katniss forgot for a moment she was in the bakery. She was still upset with Gale over his trick.
“Sure you do,” Gale said.
“I’m there before you are,” Katniss growled. Gale was a foot or more taller than her, but Katniss stood up to him.
“You want to make a bet?”
Katniss poked Gale’s chest, “I can handle anything you can dish.”
“Fine,” Gale said.
“If tomorrow I don’t get up on time,” Katniss wasn’t going to let Gale get the best of her. “I’ll…”
“Take Mellark out into the woods.”
“What!” Katniss sputtered, disbelieving what Gale was proposing in front of Peeta.
“What, you didn’t hear me?” Gale smirked.
“You guys don’t have to-” Peeta said.
“Mellark, wouldn’t you like to go out there in the woods, and see nature in its purest form?”
“Well,” Peeta said, sneaking a furtive glance at her.
“See, he doesn’t want to,” Katniss harrumphed. The prospect of having to take Peeta into the woods and talk to him was frightening as hell. Anyone who knew her knew she was awkward with people. District Twelve’s old President, Haymitch Abernathy, claimed she had the personality of a dead slug.
“I didn’t say no,” Peeta said, rubbing the back of his neck.
“He didn’t say no, so what’s it going to be, Everdeen. If you wake up early and are in the woods before me, I lose.”
“And you have to tell everyone we trade with I’m the better shot,” Katniss said, narrowing her eyes. She knew Gale hated to admit it. He liked to boast how handy he was with a bow.
She saw the nerve in his jaw tick right before he answered, “Fine! But if I’m right and you get to the woods late, you have to take Mellark here to the woods to observe the frost.”
Confident she wasn’t going to lose the bet, she came home from trading with Gale, convinced she was going to be fine. Yet out of an abundance of caution, she went to bed early after sharing a cup of tea with Prim. Katniss made sure she was dressed so all she had to do was slip on her boots and get out the door. But when she woke up the following morning, the sun was already in the sky.
“Crap,” Katniss said. She jumped out of her bed, grabbed her boots, quickly combed her hair with her fingers and put her cap over her head.
“Good morning, Katniss,” her father said from the table.
“Hi dad.” Katniss sat down briefly to put on her boots.
“You’re late today,” her father said as he wrote something in his plant book.
“Ugh, I don’t know how. I know I went to bed early.”
Her father coughed. “Maybe you were tired.”
“Ugh,” Katniss groaned. She didn’t catch her father’s smile.
“Don’t you want some toast, Katniss?” Her father asked.
“Sure,” Katniss said, taking a slice of bread from his plate. “Thanks daddy. I’ll see you in a little while.”
“Sure, Kitten,” her father laughed, shaking his head.
Katniss left and headed to the woods, not noticing her sister Primrose hiding in the corner laughing. Katniss was more concerned about beating Gale. She climbed over the gate to the fence. It had a sticky latch and she didn’t want to waste time fidgeting with it to open the gate. She ran to their spot in the woods, pausing only once to grab her hunting gear. She saw Gale sitting on the rock with a piece of grass in his mouth.
“Darn it!”
“You’re late, Everdeen,” Gale said in a singsong voice.
Katniss wished very much she hadn’t let her anger get the best of her yesterday. Now she had a date with the boy she’d fancied since the tender age of eleven.
KPKPKPKPKP
Sunday morning Peeta nervously slipped on his jacket. His hands shook. He was nervous about meeting Katniss this morning. He thought her to be the most beautiful girl in the district. Katniss was also the most courageous and strongest person in the district. When her father was injured, Katniss went out into the wilderness to hunt. There were a lot of qualities that he admired in her. It made him fall deeper for her.
This opportunity to actually have the time to speak to her was unforeseen. Peeta wanted to make an impression on her. He wasn’t sure what was out there in the woods and he didn’t want to act like a fool in front of her. Peeta didn’t consider himself a tough guy like Gale; he was more of a pacifist. He could fight if he had to, but he preferred to talk things out before resorting to hurting people. His mother had often called him soft.
There was a point in time he was bullied for being pudgy as a boy. Peeta learned how to talk his way out of situations, and in doing so he learned that a physical altercation wasn’t always the right course of action. He was worried he wasn’t good enough for someone as dynamic as Katniss Everdeen.
“Stop quakin’, chicken legs,” Delly said.
“Dell’s this is Katniss. What if I act like a total doofus and say something wrong and make her not like me>” Peeta said in one breath.
“Nonsense,” Delly said, packing up a thermos. “Believe me, you can’t screw this up.”
“It’s Katniss,” Peeta insisted.
“I know, I know. it’s the girl you’ve had a crush on since the Valley song way back in grade school.” Delly grinned, “Believe me Peet, Katniss has noticed you.”
“I don’t know,” Peeta doubted it. “She’s never talked to me.”
“What if she’s shy?” Delly asked.
Peeta blinked.
“Do you know how hard it is to walk up to a guy you like and say ‘I think you’re cute, do you want to go on a date’?”
“Well…”
“When was the last time you saw a girl do that?”
“Never.”
“Exactly.” Delly said triumphantly. “Now let’s look at the evidence. She went to all of your wrestling events.”
“Yeah, but those were mandatory.”
“You and I both know your brother’s matches were mandatory, and she skipped all of them. She also went with the Mayor’s daughter to see you practice. I’ve caught her hanging around the train station on delivery days.”
“She could be trading,” Peeta said.
“Nonsense,” Delly said. “You and I both know she shows up magically every time you have to unload the stuff from the train station. The girl doesn’t ogle every guy in the district.”
“Speaking of ogling.” Peeta turned to Delly. “What’s going on with you and Gale? I asked him when you and he were going to have a toasting. He looked wounded. He actually turned pale.”
Delly made a face. “He wants to get married.”
“So, isn’t that what you want?” Peeta was confused.
“It is, it’s just…” She sighed. “Gale is such a womanizer. I am the only girl who has refused to sleep with him. I want to make sure he loves me and is willing to settle into a committed relationship. It took me forever to make him understand that intimacy meant more than just sex.”
Peeta understood.
“Okay, so I packed a few blankets and the food you made. You are all set,” Delly said.
“Thanks Delly.”
“Go out there have a great time, and just be yourself.”
Delly watched him leave. She quickly ran over to the Hob where Gale was waiting.
“He just left,” Delly said, giddy.
“Great, then it’s all up to Prim and Rigel now.” Gale nodded.
KPKPKPKPKP
In her home Katniss slipped on her warmest jacket. She wasn’t sure if she looked alright. This meeting was more than just a scenic walk through the woods. She frowned and then it melted into a scowl. No thanks to Gale’s big mouth, she had to take Peeta into the woods.
What could she, Katniss Everdeen, talk to the most popular boy in school about? When they were in high school Peeta was always surrounded by his friends.
“It’s kind of late for you to be going out into the woods with Gale,” her baby sister said from the bed.
Katniss had hoped to avoid speaking to her sister. She knew Prim would have all sorts of questions Katniss wasn’t sure she had answers for. “I’m…”
Prim sat up, her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders. “You’re not wearing your normal smelly hunting shirt and pants to go out into the woods.”
“Prim, go back to bed,” Katniss said, turning around. She hoped that her sister would listen. At sixteen her sister was strong willed.
“What’s going on here?” Prim walked over to her, her eyebrow shot up.
“Ah,” Katniss said nervously.
Prim sniffed the air and gasped, ‘You’re wearing perfume!”
Katniss felt her cheeks burn. There was nowhere to hide.
Prim cornered her. “Katniss Everdeen, you tell me what’s going on this instant!”
Katniss sighed, “I’m meeting someone in the woods, okay.”
“You are?” Prim clapped her hands.
“Shhh,” Katniss said, grabbing her sisters hands. “You’ll wake mom and dad up.”
“Okay, okay,” Prim whispered. Then her face looked horrified. “Katniss you can’t go out into the woods looking like the bride of a sasquatch!” Prim turned to their dresser. “Let me see, what do you wear for a clandestine meeting in the woods. How does one look pretty in the woods?” She muttered to herself. Then began the questions, “What are they like? Are they tall, handsome? Where do they work? Are they young or is it someone older?” Her sister waggled her eyebrows.
Katniss groaned this was one of the things she was trying to avoid. “Prim. He won’t care what I look like. Look I’m showing him the wooda so that he can use it for the bakery.”
“Eeewww,” Prim exclaimed. “You’re going out on a date with Mr. Mellark?”
“What?” Katniss grabbed her sister before she flew off the handle. “No, that’s just ew, no. It’s Peeta. I’m going to show Peeta the forest. I’m ah…going to show him what the frost looks like.” Katniss let her sister go. She looked down. “He’s not, well, he’s a nice person and…”
“And?”
“And…he’s cute.”
“Cute?” Prim’s eyes danced. Her grin was wider than the lake in the woods.
“Okay, okay,” Katniss said, lifting her hands in the air. She might as well let Prim make her look pretty. Her sister did have a way with clothing. “What do you think I should wear?”
“Ohhh, this is going to be great. First off those pants are way too baggy. Lets get you into dark jeans, oh and one of mom’s grey sweaters…”
Katniss allowed her sister to dress her up. When she finished she was wearing one of their father’s old orange checkered shirts underneath their mother’s knit grey sweaters, dark jeans, and her boots. Prim gave Katniss her navy coat instead of her own. Prim was taller than Katniss and it hung loosely around her frame. She had to admit she looked nicer than before.
They both snuck to the door. Once outside Katniss looked to the path that led to the meadow.
“Okay remember, just let the conversation flow. Don’t try to force small talk. You’re not great at that. One more thing, he’s probably more nervous of you than you are of him.”
“Why would you say that?”
“Katniss, you do know you’re known as the huntress around here right?”
Prim words caused Katniss to take a moment and think about what she was saying. “What does that mean?”
“Besides the fact that you have the ability to shoot someone through the eyes?” Prim joked.
Katniss blanched at the idea of killing someone.
“It means you’re a legend in our district. Dad’s super proud of you. When he got hurt and couldn’t work, you stepped up and helped out our family. Believe me, he knows you’re not someone who can be easily swayed or impressed with dumb pick up lines. Peeta knows he’s got to work hard to get into your good graces. He probably has a crush on you but is too shy to tell you. Not to mention, you’re always with Gale and he’s pretty intimidating.”
Katniss hadn’t thought of that. “You think he likes me?”
“Oh Katniss, I know he does.” Prim smiled warmly. “You’re great.”
“Thanks Prim,” Katniss breathed.
“Now get out there and show him the forest.”
Katniss smiled and walked away.
“So did you plant the seed?” Rigel said quietly when Prim re-entered the house.
“Yup,” Prim sat down. “She’s going to meet him with the knowledge that he likes her. That should help Katniss warm up to him.”
Katniss reached the meadow in good time. She waited for Peeta to meet her by the gate. It was a cold morning outside. Her breath came out in puffy little clouds. Katniss gazed up at the heavens, the clouds were gathering, a storm was brewing.
Prim’s words circulated in her head. What if he did have a crush on her, but didn’t know how to articulate it? She could imagine how it looked to Peeta with Gale hanging around her all of the time.
She heard his heavy steps approaching before she saw him. The crunch of his boots set several sparrows into the air.
“Hi,” Peeta said.
She waved shyly.
He wore a dark orange knit hat. His wavy blond hair peeked out from the sides and he looked adorable. He also had a knapsack with him.
“There’s frost on the ground,” Peeta said, coming up to her.
“A sure sign winter’s on its way.” Katniss looked at the meadow. There was frost on the ground. It was pretty, but it was nothing compared to what lay in the woods. It was colder today than in the past days.
“Ready?”
“Sure,” Peeta said.
Opening up the gate they made their way inside. They stopped only once to get her bow and arrows from their hiding place.
As they walked deeper into the woods, she couldn’t help but smile. The woods was her home, she felt alive here. In the woods, Katniss did not have to worry about society’s demands. Often people found it strange that at the age of 20 she hadn’t married or had a boyfriend.
Her close-knit family and friends accepted her decision to stay alone. Those outside her circle often talked behind her back. Everyone was expected to have a companion. Everyone would be shocked to know Katniss did have someone in mind and he only walked a few feet away from her.
She snuck a quick look at him and her heart fluttered and her stomach flipped. There could very well be someone that Peeta Mellark was seeing and kept quiet about it. Yet even as she thought this, her sister’s words played in her head. People also gossiped about him. Katniss couldn’t understand why he wasn’t taken. Peeta was compassionate, smart, funny, and selfless. He was perfect, but none of the women in 12 wanted him, and that was okay by Katniss. Peeta never had a girlfriend and by the looks of it, he wasn’t going to get married anytime soon. Maybe he did like her in secret. She wished there was a way for her to know for sure.
“It is very cold out here. I can understand why you want to stay in bed a little bit longer.”
Katniss shrugged. she didn’t intend to talk to him, but then it dawned on her this was the perfect situation for her to get some answers about questions she had. “Gale is so over dramatic. I’m usually awake before he is and waiting for him. What about you, how early do you get up?”
“Well to be honest, I’m downstairs in the bakery before four in the morning. Ever since my dad had his heart attack, I’ve had to do the morning prep work.”
Katniss whistled. “Why don’t you take on someone, an apprentice?”
“Because it’s expensive. We were finally making a profit when my dad had his health scare. His medical bills cleaned us out.”
Katniss understood where he was coming from. “When my dad got injured we had the same thing. Thankfully my mom was his caretaker. I can’t imagine what you must have gone through.”
“I had to hire a nurse to help my dad recuperate. Thank goodness your mom helped out, with all of those free resources and the menu for a lower salt diet.”
“I’m glad my mom could help.”
“She did it for next to nothing, for that I’m eternally grateful.” Peeta stopped walking, he took a look around the forest.
“I’m glad to hear your dad is feeling better.” Katniss stopped moving. “It must get really hot in the bakery. How do you deal with the heat in the summertime?”
“I sleep with the windows open.”
“Oh,” she said. Katniss didn’t imagine it would be such a simple solution.
Peeta stopped walking. “Wow! Look at all of these colors.”
Katniss saw a tree with red, gold, and yellow leaves. It was warmer closer to town, and the woods that surrounded the perimeter still had some of their leaves. The heat from the mines and the factories warmed the area. The further they got away from the district the colder it got.
“I can see why you love it out here.”
They were having an unusually warm autumn.
“What’s your favorite color?” Peeta asked her.
“Green. Why, what’s yours?”
"Orange, not like an in-your-face-orange, but muted, like that leaf over there, or your orange checkered shirt.“
Katniss couldn’t help but smile. It occurred to her that talking with him was easy. She thought whoever Peeta dated was a lucky girl. Her curiosity about whether or not he was with someone grew. They walked some more. He asked various questions about how she knew the direction they were heading, and other things that to her came naturally, but that someone who had never been to the woods would be curious about.
“So,” Katniss was working up the courage to ask if he had a girlfriend.
“Yes?” Peeta asked.
“Ah…” Katniss closed her eyes momentarily before blurting out, “Do you have a girlfriend?”
She watched him turn red before answering, “I don’t.”
“Really?” The word slipped from her mouth before she could stop herself.
“You sound shocked.”
“It’s just that,” Katniss stopped to face him. “In high school you were so popular, I was sure there was a girl that you fancied.”
He rubbed the back of his neck, then shyly said, “There is this one girl I like.” He looked her in the eyes. “She’s amazing and I draw her constantly. But I’ve never had the courage to tell her anything. There was a time I thought she liked someone else, but it turned out they weren’t a thing. I guess I chickened out after that.” He shyly said, “I don’t think I’m good enough for her.”
Katniss felt like she was suddenly a fire that was doused with torrential rain. Of course there was a girl he liked, an amazing girl he held a torch for. “Oh. Okay.”
“What about you, is there anyone you like?”
Katniss couldn’t smile, she couldn’t even formulate words. Mutely, she nodded.
“Are you thirsty? I packed some hot chocolate for us.”
She looked toward the path. “We really should get going.” Moving was the only thing she could do. Katniss kicked herself the entire route. Of course there was someone special. Why did she have to listen to her sister? Prim was sixteen. Prim knew nothing about affairs of the heart. Katniss wanted to cry for the loss of hope. She held it together the rest of the trek.
When they came to the lake Katniss stopped walking and Peeta gasped.
Everything was coated in little ice particles. The cold breeze here was noticeable. The condensation from the lake had frozen and latched on to the areas surrounding the lake making it look like freshly fallen snow. Ice crystals hung from the branches, crawled up the tree bark, coated the tall grass. A mist floated up from the center of the lake making it look mystical.
“It’s beautiful, amazing.”
Katniss smiled watching Peeta get up close to a tall blade of grass. “It’s like they’ve been brushed with ice. It has little ice particles.”
“My dad calls it silver thaw.”
Peeta examined the fallen leaves on the forest floor. His face was flushed and his eyes glowed with excitement. “I never get to see this. I mean, I am sure this happens on the inside of the fence, but I’m inside the bakery most of the time.“
“My dad says no two snowflakes are alike.”
“Wow,” he said. Peeta whipped out his sketchpad and pencil, and quickly drew what he saw. Loose papers were sticking out between the pages of his sketchpad.
Katniss was amazed by how quickly and accurately he could draw. He was unrivaled; there was no one in the district like him, and she quietly mourned for the loss of what could be. His curiosity and childlike glee at the majestic picture nature presented him would be one of her favorite memories.
“Do you think we’ll get snow soon?”
“Possible,” Katniss shrugged looking up at the sky. “It’s getting colder out. When it gets really cold out here the lake makes snow. It gets pretty dangerous out here. The snow can accumulate quickly.”
As he stood up, pages fell from his book. Peeta tried to contain his sketchbook, but various pictures fell down. One of them floated over to her.
Peeta dived to get it, but was too late. The drawing fell at Katniss’ feet.
Picking it up, she was curious as to whom he had drawn. What she found drawn stole her breath away. The girl in the picture was gorgeous. Then Katniss saw the long braid, the cap she wore on her head. She looked to the other pictures and they were all of her. Peeta had drawn a picture of her, as if she was beautiful.
“You drew this?”
Peeta tucked his sketchbook under his arm and stuck his hands in his pockets and couldn’t look up at her. He shyly gave her a nod.
Her heart thundered in her chest. “Is this me?”
Peeta’s eyes widened and his mouth hung slightly open. He cleared his throat. “I ah…”
She picked up another one. There were pictures of her laughing, others of her eating, one of her sitting by Madge in school. Another showed her with Prim, another with her dad. It dawned on her he said he drew the girl he liked constantly. But she needed to be sure. She didn’t want to make assumptions. Maybe this girl looked a lot like her.
“Katniss,” Peeta said.
“Can I keep it?” she asked.
Her questions seem to baffle him because he gave her a look of wonderment and at the same time puzzlement. “You want to keep it?”
“I mean, if this isn’t me?”
Peeta walked up to Katniss and stared longingly into her silver eyes. As if he was looking for something. Finding it, his face broke out into one of his legendary smiles. “Of course this picture is you. You’re the only girl that I’ve…well…liked.”
“You like me?”
“Ever since we were in kindergarten, when you sang the Valley song. I was a goner then and I’m a goner now. You’re the girl I was describing. I just didn’t know if you felt the same way about me. I was afraid I was projecting what I feel on you. You don’t have to feel any which way about me. I’m okay with that, I just can’t help the way I feel.”
Katniss didn’t know whether she wanted to jump or laugh or run. Instead she took his hand, leaned up on tiptoe, and kissed him on the cheek.
His smile was crooked and his cheeks were flushed. “I think we better get you out of the cold.”
Katniss nodded. It wouldn’t have mattered to her if it was 30 degrees below zero outside. All she knew was she was on cloud nine.
Together, hand in hand, they made their way back to the bakery. They sat down in front of the fire to snack on the cheese buns and hot chocolate he packed for them. They talked and laughed, and for Katniss it was like finding a kindred spirit. It was the start of a beautiful relationship.
As she left the bakery Peeta held her hand, “When can I see you again?”
“Silly I’ll be back in the morning to trade with you.”
“No I mean,” he shyly gave her a smile, his fingers brushed over her knuckles and Katniss thought she would melt. “When can we spend more time together.”
“How about we have lunch tomorrow? We can meet here at the bakery.”
“Great, we can stroll in the meadow afterwards. It’ll be nice to see the daylight. I’m always stuck inside of the bakery.” He smiled and kissed the back of her hand, and Katniss knees wobbled at the contact of his warm lips brushing up against her skin. Katniss couldn’t wait to see him tomorrow.
When Katniss finally came home she was grinning from ear to ear. Her mother was out attending a birth with Prim.
“Hello,” her father said. “Where have you been?” He was carving a cane for one of her mother’s patients.
Katniss froze. She wasn’t sure what to say to her father.
“You look like Buttercup when he gets a bowl of cream.”
The heat rose to her face. There was no way she could keep this away from her father. “I was meeting with someone.”
“Oh,” her father said, putting his knife down.
She sat down. Katniss and her father were close and if she wanted to see Peeta, she needed to sit down and talk to her dad about the boy, no, scratch that, man, she’d had an unbreakable bond with since forever. Squaring her shoulders, she said, “Dad, I was with Peeta Mellark. I took him to the woods and we had a fine time.” Katniss sighed. “We spent the rest of the afternoon at the bakery talking. His dad was an earshot away.” Her eyes pleaded with her father’s matching silver eyes.
“You were with Buck Mellark’s youngest son?”
“Yes.”
“And do you like him?”
Katniss didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”
Her father smiled. “I have only one piece of advice Katniss. Just follow your heart as you take the metaphorical leap off the cliff of love. If your heart tells you to stop or you have doubts, just walk away. All I want is for you to be happy.”
“Thank you, dad,” Katniss smiled and walked away. She didn’t know her father gave her baby sister a detailed report on their conversation. Nor did she know Prim was determined to make sure her sister took that final leap and toasted with Peeta Mellark.
Prim and Gale were on chaperon duty, to make sure the lovebirds stayed in love. Katniss for her part went to lunch with Peeta. Each time she and him were together, she did just as her father said. She and Peeta took it slowly. As she and Peeta grew closer Katniss fell deeper in love with Peeta, while the relationship of others cooled.
Katniss stood with Peeta watching Delly slap Gale in the face.
“Delly, I swear I didn’t kiss her!” Gale ran after Delly.
“I saw you!” Delly cried and ran inside. Her brother stood by the door arms crossed not letting Gale enter the house.
“What can we do?” Katniss whispered.
“I don’t know Katniss,” Peeta answered back. Gale rushed past them in the direction of the meadow. Peeta held her closer. “What we can do is promise each other to be honest and talk to one another.”
Katniss nodded, what Peeta said was true. Delly and Gale weren’t communicating with one another. Her parents talked all of the time, even about trivial things. Communication, as Prim pointed out one time to her, was the key to a successful relationship. She vowed she would talk to Peeta. And so she did, when she got angry at him, she let him know why. When they didn’t agree, they still talked.
It helped them get to know the other. Adversity could do one of two things, draw couples apart or bring them together. The intimacy between their words caused her hunger for Peeta to grow. They abstained and strained from physical intimacy but it was getting harder for Katniss to walk away. Peeta always seemed to be able to hold himself in check, it was Katniss who craved more.
It was hard for her to keep her hands off of Peeta. It was during this time Katniss decided to take the leap. Though she waited for the right moment, it never came. So she contented herself with simple things like taking long walks. There were many trips to the lake. Many trips to behold the wonder of the woods and it’s majesty. When it got cold and the snow coated the earth they walked hand in hand together facing each new adventure together. Slowly, the cold air became warmer and spring kissed the earth. The snow melted and Katniss and Peeta’s relationship heated up.
They were at her father’s cabin, lying in each other’s arms.
“Are you okay?” Peeta asked.
Katniss was warm and blissful. Her body still coming down from the flight of pleasure she had within Peeta’s care. “Yes.”
Peeta pushed tendrils of hair away from her face. “I love you,” he whispered.
Words of love and adoration were no longer hard for her to express. “I love you, too.”
He sat up and reached into his pack. He took out a small necklace that had a silvery gem on it. “It’s a pearl.”
“It’s beautiful.” Katniss had never seen such a beautiful thing before in her life.
“It reminded me of your eyes.” Katniss sat up and he slipped it around her neck. As he fastened it he said, “Marry me, be my partner in life. I pledge my love and loyalty to you. I promise to honor, obey, and love you with my heart and soul. I know there will be hard times, but I’ve found that when faced with things together, the burden becomes easier.”
Tears streamed from her face. “Of course I’ll marry you!” She rushed at him and they fell back into bed, a tangle of arms and legs.”
On the day they married, Peeta made a cake that looked like the wintry wonderland of the forest.
It was as they toasted that Prim and Gale and her father were looking all too much like the cat that got the cream.
“What are you three grinning about?” Katniss asked.
Her father coughed, but said nothing. Gale avoided looking at her. It was Prim who spilled the beans.
“Katniss, don’t get mad at us, but we were tired of seeing you make moon eyes at Peeta. So we came up with a plan. Gale was supposed to get you to make a bet to take Peeta out into the woods. I was in charge of slipping you sleep syrup that night, and in case you woke up on time, dad was in charge of making sure you were late getting to the woods.”
Katniss couldn’t believe what Prim said. She wasn’t sure if she should be angry, but then a strong pair of arms wrapped around her middle and she didn’t care. This, after all, was the happiest day of her life.
When Gale walked away Katniss turned to Peeta and together they asked, “Okay Prim, how do we get Gale and Delly hitched?”
Prim grinned, “Well I have a plan…”
The End….well maybe?
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With My Life - Chapter Nine
masterlist - ao3 - last chapter - next chapter
warnings: (all graphic) violence, guns, blood, smut, implied PTSD
an: very interesting.....all i have to say
“Hellas, V, is this really where you live?”
Vaughan shushed Fenrys and ushered the twins into his shitty little apartment, suspiciously checking the hallway before closing the door. They waited as he bolted each lock, every deadbolt going click, click, click, click, click.
Rowan raised his eyebrows and looked at Lorcan, mouthing Five locks. Lorcan just shrugged, Vaughan had always been a private person. He was more interested in the pictures his brother had on his fridge - one of him, Lorcan, and their sisters, one of their mother, and one of him and Lorcan as children, both frowning as the photographer interrupted their game of Mario Kart.
Lorcan, like the others, had never set foot in Vaughan’s apartment. He was the only one - the sole person - in the world who knew where Vaughan lived, for emergencies, but he’d never been. Not even the agency knew where it was.
Lorcan, Rowan, and Nehemia were already there, sitting at his kitchen table with the decrypted list on Nehemia’s laptop.
Fenrys took the seat next to his wife and smiled at her, kissing her cheek in greeting. Connall sat next to Lorcan and nodded hello. “Nice place, Vaughan,” he commented, leaning back in his chair and putting his feet on the table.
Vaughan clicked his tongue as he too sat down, “Get your feet off my table. I eat here.”
Connall made a face, but did as he was ordered, becoming serious. “Why are we here?”
“Maeve is connected to Erawan. She’s helping him import Wyrd,” Lorcan said bluntly, turning the computer screen to show them. “Mia couldn’t figure out the codes, but just look.”
They all leaned in to read. Rowan sat upright first, voice hollow, “It’s our old missions.” He picked up the laptop and stood up, pacing as he read, “Sollemere, Mistward, Morath… fuck, even Perranth.” Perranth wasn’t supposed to be on record. The second they’d gotten home, it had been erased from history.
“Let me see,” Fenrys said, standing and grabbing the computer from Rowan. If it wasn’t such a serious moment, Lorcan might’ve laughed at the childishness of it all and their brotherly dynamic, still unable to share even after all these years. “It’s all here.”
“What happens now,” Connall asked, serious as he leaned forward to brace his forearms against the table.
“We leave,” Nehemia said, taking the computer back from Fenrys. “It’s not safe for any of us. I’m sure Maeve had someone watching her back and that they saw me in there yesterday while she was wiping the file. We can’t do any work here and she will put our family at risk, so we go.”
“Where?” Rowan asked, crossing his arms over his chest. “It has to be far enough from her, but we can’t just leave. People’s lives are in danger.”
Nehemia and Lorcan exchanged a glance and the former spoke up, “Terrasen. They have an alliance with Wendlyn, but their treaty forbids any foreign secret service working within its borders. We all have contacts there, we’ll be able to work out a deal once we figure out what she wants.”
Fenrys sighed and rubbed his eyes, sitting down heavily in a chair next to Nehemia. She absentmindedly rubbed his back, resting her chin on his shoulder. “We can’t all leave. Somebody needs to stay.”
Lorcan and Rowan protested immediately, “What are you talking about–” “Fen, it’s not the time to play hero–”
“I’m not playing hero, Ro,” Fenrys said, voice tired and strained. “She’ll go mad - you know she will, when we leave. She’s unpredictable, boys, and dangerous. We need someone on the inside, someone she trusts.” He glanced upwards at Connall, who nodded grimly.
Nehemia stiffened, turning to her husband. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she said, “You mean you and Con. Fen…”
“It’s the only option, sweetheart,” he whispered, his head hung low. “Maeve hasn’t trusted Ro since he married Ae. She looks at L like she’s waiting to kill him and you know she won’t let V live if L leaves. We’re the only option.”
Nehemia looked at the others as they all took their seats again. No one wanted it to happen, that much was obvious, but realistically… it was the only way.
+*+*+*+*+*+*
Elide looked up from the stack of essays she was grading for the undergraduate class when her phone started to ring.
She capped her purple pen and put it to the side before picking up her phone. The number was one she didn’t recognise, yet she still accepted the call, “Hello?”
“Princess, it’s me.”
A smitten smile pulled at her lips just at his voice and Elide leaned back in her chair, “Well, hello. I didn’t recognise the number.”
“I’m calling from a phone booth, my phone died,” Lorcan explained. “Listen, E, there’s something… something I gotta tell you and it’s going to seem crazy, alright?”
Apprehension seized her and she almost wished she hadn’t picked up the phone, “What is it?”
He hesitated on the other end of the line for a second or two. “An old client of mine… he’s made some enemies and… we need to leave the country.”
Elide laughed, relieved that it was all a joke. But Lorcan didn’t laugh and she froze, “You’re not joking.”
“No, I’m not. El, I- fuck, I know this really fucks everything up–”
“Yeah!” she cried, standing up to walk around the tiny space behind her desk. “It does, what the fuck, Lorcan? Am I going to be killed? Are you?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, how long do we have to leave for?”
“I don’t know.”
“Fine, where are we going?”
“Terrasen.”
Elide collapsed into her seat, rubbing her forehead, “I really hate your job.”
Lorcan chuckled and the sound had her perking up just a bit. “I know, princess. I’m sorry.”
She waved her hand dismissively and then asked, her voice small and quiet, “How much danger are we in?” He didn’t answer and after a few moments when the silence stretched on and on, Elide thought the call had ended. “L, are you still there?”
“I’m still here, E. We’re in… a lot of danger. They’re powerful people with too many connections. It’s why we need to leave.”
“When.”
“When, what?”
“When do we need to leave, Lorcan?”
“...tomorrow morning. Everyone else is packing.” When she didn’t say a thing, he spoke again, “El, baby?”
“Yeah,” she said, staring at the coffee ring on one of the student’s papers. “I have a thesis review tomorrow, Lor. I’ve been preparing for months, I need to be there. Can we go after, please?”
Elide waited as Lorcan contemplated, tears aching in her throat. This was not how her life was supposed to go. She didn’t want to be on the run. “We can do it. I’ll meet you after, and we’ll go, alright?”
She hesitated, not sure what she was agreeing to if she said yes. “I don’t know. I just- I don’t understand. What if something happens and- what am I supposed to do, I have things here, in Varese. Aelin is here, my friends are here. I don’t… I don’t know, L.”
“I know it doesn’t make any sense and I don’t know what you’re thinking, but do you trust me?”
Elide didn’t need to think before she answered, “Yes.”
There was a smile in his voice when Lorcan replied, “Then that’s all there is to it, for now. I’ll see you at home.”
“Ok, then. Love you,” she whispered, smiling softly to herself.
“Love you too, El.”
+*+*+*+*+*+*
Everyone else had left Vaughan’s, except for him and Nehemia. Lorcan stalked back into the living room and dropped onto the couch. He snapped the cheap burner phone it two and tossed both the pieces on the coffee table.
Nehemia was in the kitchen, making coffee for them both. “How’d it go?”
“Fine. She has a meeting tomorrow, so I’ll book the later flights,” he said, staring at the wall. “I checked the safe house in Orynth - it hasn’t been used in a decade and they’ve disabled the alarms.”
Nehemia padded over to him and passed him one of the coffees before sitting in the armchair, her legs curled beneath her. The kitchen light played off the golden cuffs in her Fulani braids as she tilted her head back against the chair. “We have to tell her, Lorcan.”
He didn’t say a word.
+*+*+*+*+*+*
When he got home, Elide was curled up on the couch, watching an animated movie on the flatscreen. It was warm and cozy, the fireplace lit and casting heat around the apartment.
His girlfriend paused the movie and turned to look at him, smiling brightly, “Hi.”
Lorcan hung up his jacket and loosened his tie before walking over to her. “What are you watching?”
“Atlantis: The Lost Empire,” she said, turning back to the movie and pressing pay. “Do you want to watch with me?”
“‘Course I do,” he scoffed, tipping her chin back with his fingers to kiss her deeply. She made a soft sound and smiled against his lips, causing him to pull back. “I’m gonna change, but I’ll be right back.”
Her gaze had already strayed to the screen and she nodded absentmindedly, waving him off, “Go, go.”
Lorcan chuckled and walked up to their room, swapping out his black suit and shirt for a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. When he walked back downstairs, Elide was on the phone, her voice chirping and bubbly.
He made a face at her phone voice and she flipped him off, narrowing her eyes in that way that said, Don’t you dare make me laugh right now. Laughing, he sauntered over to the couch and flopped onto it, stretching across it lengthwise.
Lorcan resumed the movie, making a note to thank Elide for the choice - he hadn’t watched this movie in ages. It reminded him of those rainy days, the only ones he spent inside during his childhood.
Their mother’s room was the only room with enough electricity to power their clunky and boxy television, so all four of them - Lorcan, Vaughan, Aneha, and Sadirah - would pile on Odette’s bed and watch the few VHS they owned.
A petite body joined his, fitting perfectly against his side. Lorcan dropped his arm to wrap it around Elide and she rested her head against his chest. “I ordered Chinese. They said it would take thirty minutes.”
He hummed, idly rubbing her arm. Without taking his eyes off the television, Lorcan asked her, “Do you want to talk about it?”
“About what?”
He sighed through his nose, “El.”
She rolled onto her side, burying her face in his shirt. “Don’t worry, I packed and told Darrow that I needed to take a leave. It’s… tomorrow, everything changes. I want one normal night. Just a boy and a girl, watching old Disney movies and eating shitty takeout, ok?”
Lorcan nodded, dipping to rest his chin on her head, “Ok.”
+*+*+*+*+*+*
They watched Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the movie just wrapping up when Malakai buzzed to say that their takeout had arrived.
When Malakai had found out that Lorcan was, in fact, very much alive, there had been a long hug, followed by a vicious beration. Lorcan had never looked smaller.
“Rock, paper, scissors,” said Elide. “Best of three and no cheating.”
Lorcan smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. He didn’t miss the way her gaze strayed to his ink-covered biceps and waggled his eyebrows at her, delighting in the blush she couldn’t stop. “Do we really need to resort to rock, paper, scissors to decide who has to go get the food?”
“Oh, are you volunteering?”
“Fuck no, let’s go, Lochan,” he said.
Forty-five seconds later, Elide was snickering as he grabbed his wallet and shook his head. “You cheated.”
She just shrugged and waved him off, already choosing a new movie. “The Princess Diaries or Clueless?”
“If it’s not The Princess Diaries: Two, I’ll cry,” he replied, putting his slides on before he ducked out to the elevator, her laughter following him.
Apparently, Elide had ordered enough to feed a small army, or he and the boys. Lorcan was carefully balancing it all as he kicked the door shut behind him.
Elide had opened a bottle of whiskey and there was a glass waiting for him on the island.
She turned to him and clapped her hands, popping off the couch to race over to him. Elide was humming as she took the bags and unpacked it all, eyes gleaming.
Lorcan leaned against the island and grabbed his glass, taking a sip and whistling, “Shit, you opened the good shit.”
Elide snorted, gesturing to the bottle on the coffee table, “I know my whiskey, Salvaterre.”
“You really are the perfect woman,” he said, meaning every word.
Her cheeks pinked prettily and she clicked her tongue as she opened the lids, stacking them on the side, “Charmer.” She grabbed the bamboo chopsticks and the hot sauce packets. “Do you want chopsticks or a fork?”
Lorcan drew back in offence, “I know how to use chopsticks, princess.” At her disbelieving look, he rolled his eyes, “I do, but maybe…” he took another sip of the amber liquor before putting the glass down, leaning close to her and whispering seductively, “you could teach me, hmm?”
She laughed, pushing him away and shaking her head. “That is the weirdest way you’ve ever tried to hit on me.”
“You’ve been hit on in weirder ways than chopstick lessons?”
“You’d be surprised,” Elide said dryly, rolling her eyes, “what a nice pair of tits will have men saying.”
Lorcan’s eyes dropped to her chest in her crop top and hummed, sucking on his teeth, “Mm, they are nice.”
“Pig,” she hissed, putting her hand over his face and shoving him back. “Play nice.”
“I always play nice with your tits, baby,” Lorcan purred, his lazy smile only growing when she shot him a glare that would have made Hellas’ fiery realm freeze over.
“Say one more thing and you’ll never get to play with them ever again.”
He chuckled and held his hands up in surrender, slowly backing away to the cabinets. Elide could barely hide her smile as he passed her a plate and they piled food on their plates before walking back to the couch.
Lorcan grabbed the whiskey bottle and sat down next to her, the pair quickly becoming lost in their own world of shitty takeout, Disney movies, and expensive alcohol.
After the Princess Diaries were done, they played rock, paper, scissors once more to decide between… Lorcan couldn’t remember.
The bottle lay empty on the carpet and his vision was blurred. Elide was giggling softly, her eyes bright, “Alrigh… alright, hol’ on, ok? We gotta… we gotta go on one, two, three!”
Lorcan laughed and shook his head, “No, no, we gotta sleep. Remember? We’re leaving tomorrow.”
“Oh, yeah,” Elide said, “‘cause someone wants to kill us.” She laughed, smiling brightly.
“I don’t even know why,” he complained, lying back on the floor. “We’re really nice.”
“And pretty.”
“The prettiest,” Lorcan confirmed. With a heavy sigh, he slowly got to his feet and hoisted Elide over his shoulder. She shrieked and wiggled until he smacked her ass, her cries of protest melting into an over-the-top, teasing moan.
“Oh, hit me harder,” she begged, voice high and breathy. “Please, sir.”
Lorcan shook his head at her, “Disgusting. No more talking from you.”
She giggled again and braced her elbow on his back, propping her chin up on her fist. “You got a nice ass, Salvaterre.”
He snorted, “Yours ain’t too bad either, princess.”
Elide hummed and stayed still for the rest of the trip, her thoughts becoming more mellow, as opposed to jumpy, wild things.
They were more like a fog now, settling heavy over her mind.
And then, there was the ugly thought, the one she had only thought of once, just one time before banishing it to the depths of her brain.
Lorcan placed Elide down and brushed her hair from her eyes.
She gave him a lazy smile, trailing her elegant fingertips over his full lips. “You know what, Lorcan?”
“What, Elide?”
“I have a secret,” she whispered, her eyes shining with something, he couldn’t place it. “It’s a… a doozy, as they say.”
Lorcan laughed, flopping down beside her. “Tell me.”
“Sometimes,” she murmured, now running a finger up and down the straight bridge of his nose, “I wish I never met you.”
The words, those horrible words, hit him like a blow to the gut and Lorcan breathed out slowly. “Hmm.” He shut his eyes to stop Elide from seeing the pain in them. “That’s…”
“It’s awful, isn’t it?” she hummed, glancing out the window to the moon beyond it.
Lorcan didn’t respond, but he was still awake as Elide fell into a deep, inebriated sleep.
I wish I never met me either, Elide.
+*+*+*+*+*+*
an: well.....looks like the gang is going on a road trip !
@mythicaitt @tinywolfofeyllwe @schmlip-scribble @the-regal-warrior @empire-of-wildfire @rhysands-highlady @ttakeitbacknoww @shyvioletcat @alifletcher2012 @tswaney17 @ourbooksuniverse e @flora-and-fae @thesirenwashere @queenofxhearts @maastrash @mynewdreamwasyou @cursebreaker29 @empress-ofbloodshed @b00kworm @hizqueen4life @silversprings98 @amren-courtofdreams @minaidss @superspiritfestival @lovemollywho @queen-of-glass @jlinez @sleeping-and-books @ireallyshouldsleeprn @verypaleninja @januarystears @magicalunicorngypsy @sis-it-dont-add-up
#with my life#wml chapter nine#elorcan#elide x lorcan#elide lochan#lorcan salvaterre#isa writes#nalgenewhore#......oops.#i mean i had to add a LIL something !
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(An RP excerpt with @pocketfox)
It wasn't that Matthias minded the fact that it was a strip club. It wasn't that he minded it was for gay men. It wasn't even that he minded he was paying for his own damn drinks because Ricky's best man was a cheapskate. What drove Mat up the damned wall about the whole thing was that every damn man in their little bachelor party group had someone to go home to that night. Mat was the only one who'd have a terminal case of blue-balls after it was all over. Resigning himself to another date with Missus Palmer, Mat slouched in his chair and tried not to stare too long at the lush bubble butts and rippling abs.
At first glance, one might not peg Mat for ex-military. His wavy auburn hair would probably have brushed his shoulders if he let it out of its ponytail and the three-day-old beard on his face made him look more rugged than scruffy. His snug jeans were dark-washed to hide any potential grease stains and his heavy boots said 'work' more than 'march.' But the way his biceps strained the sleeves of his black t-shirt and his shoulders filled out the rest might've lent one cause to think he was at least a fighter of some kind. In short, Matthias Silverton was built like a brick shithouse and looked like a common laborer.
"Heeey," shouted Henry - Ricky's best man - over the din of the music. "Figured we'd celebrate up right, yeah?" He produced a box of cigars with a flourish and passed them around. Mat grimaced - Cheap-ass drugstore shit. - but took one anyway. Everyone knew he liked them, but few understood that he liked good ones.
-
"It's a party and you're making them smoke that junk?" an impish voice piped up.
Next to the table, appearing as if by magic, stood a young man who looked like he had been shaped by some divine Creator for just this kind of place. He couldn't have been more than five and a half feet, dressed in acid wash jeans and a black v-neck fishnet t-shirt that both look like they'd been lovingly painted on his lean, athletic frame. He stood with one hand braced on a curvy, cocked hip and the other balancing a tray loaded with drinks of varying kinds, his head tilted and a coy smile on his plush lips.
Setting the tray down near at hand, the boy began passing out each man's chosen libations, and oh yes, you know he leaned over the table far more than necessary, his pert backside popped up to show off the sexy curves he could make from shoulders to ass. With a wink towards Matthias, he straightened up again, tucking back a loose strand of impossibly red hair that had escaped from his messy ponytail. "If you're not careful, I'll tell my boss somebody's trying to have a good time with cheap cigars in his club," he teased.
-
Christ... Mat was an atheist, but some days even the godless need some way to swear. He swallowed compulsively as his gaze swept over the young man exactly as that pose demanded it do. Even reminding himself that these guys trained for that special look didn't keep the jolt of lust from waking his dick. And here he'd told himself he could manage not to look much...
He took his mimosa with a grateful nod. Nobody gave a big man like him shit for his drink choices; one clenched fist put stop to that. "Tell him," Mat spoke up, his voice a smooth, easy baritone with a hint of Georgia in it. "Maybe he'll feel challenged and send out somethin' better." The other men at the table snorted and waved Mat off to a chorus of 'whatever, man' and 'snob.'
-
Straightening up, Fisher gave the big man a thoughtful look, one tinged with impish amusement that lit up his eyes. In the muted light of the club, they were a deep forest green, but one had to imagine they glowed like new leaves in decent lighting. Then he laughed and tossed his ponytail back over his shoulder. "Or maybe he'll come out looking for the guy who besmirched his honor," he chuckled. "And believe me, you don't want Lucian Redding thinking you besmirched what little honor he's got left; he's even bigger than you, sweet thing." His gaze raked over Mat, and yes, he was absolutely undressing the man with his eyes and making no secret of it.
Then, abruptly, the boy spun in one fluid movement and sauntered away with just the right amount of sway in his hips to give a man ideas. He made his way back to the bar, expertly dodging tables and grabby patrons both, to share a few words with the scruffy-haired young man currently behind it. Both of them glanced towards the party, and then Fisher was gone, probably through some staff only door.
Thankfully when he reappeared a few minutes later, it wasn't with his reportedly gigantic boss in tow. No, it was with a wooden box, one he presented with a flourish to the table. "Lucian was appalled," he explained, "and he demanded I rectify the situation right this instant. His words, so enjoy, boys."
-
For a single irrational moment, Mat wanted to know what those gorgeous green eyes looked like in the throes of passion. It was absolutely imperative to his brain for a good few seconds before he got finally ahold of himself somewhere in the middle of the word 'besmirched.' A faint blush touched Mat's cheeks at having it pointed out that he was the biggest of the men at the table; it was something he tried not to make a fuss over, but he lifted motorcycles while most of his buddies did lighter work or surfed desks. Not that he was all that close to any one of these men. He'd served with Ricky, which meant he got invited to things like weddings, but he wasn't exactly a drinking buddy with any of them.
These thoughts kept him distracted enough to not notice how the young man undressed him so blatantly, but not so distracted he couldn't watch those hips on the way out. "Damn," he muttered. So did two other people at the table (including Ricky, whose soon-to-be-husband Chase would have been very jealous to see that dazed look on Ricky's face). Mat's palms itched to hold those hips and he goddamn knew better than to daydream.
He was in the midst of stuffing all that attraction back into the mental trash bin when Fisher returned with some much better cigars in a proper wooden box. "If I didn't know Henry's already set us up on separate tabs, I'd hope you put this on his. How much?" he asked, fingers hovering already. It was an expense he could probably swing tonight. Just the once.
-
"This one's on the house, honey. Our treat." Fisher gave this 'Henry' guy such a look. It was the sort of look that made a guy feel like he'd just kicked a puppy and tripped Mother Theresa, because separate tabs at a guy's bachelor party? Really? C'mon, Hank.
Sliding up onto the edge of the table, Fisher took a seat like he belonged there, his long legs crossed at the knee. He knew just how to pose himself to give just about every guy at the table a delicious view, but one brawny, Georgia-flavored man in particular was getting the real feast: smooth lines, warm eyes, soft lips, and a teasing slice of tight, flat belly when Fisher's shirt rode up just so. "So who's the special guy tonight?" he cooed. "Wait, no, let me guess... You. Right?" He winked at Ricky. "I know that look... You keep telling yourself you're a bad, bad man for eating the eye candy."
Slyly Fisher cast a glance at Mat. But not you, right? that look said. You want to eat me up until there's nothing left...
-
Before he could spend any time questioning it, Mat leapt on the good fortune of not smoking dollar cigars and plucked up one of the Good Shit (tm) instead. He had his cigar clipper in his chest pocket, but instead he pulled out a very sharp pocket knife to clip the end. Last thing he needed was some asshole not returning it; easier to lend a pocket knife 'round the table instead. He almost laughed aloud at the look Fisher shot the best man. Somehow, he instead kept his mirth to chewing the inside corners of his lips.
While Fisher talked up Ricky, Matthias kept telling himself to stop looking - and kept failing his own orders spectacularly. The boy was an absolutely delicious creation and God help him, did he ever want a taste. His steely grey eyes never once stopped roaming those smooth lines - but for the one moment when he locked gazes with Fisher and his perusal froze. There was that impulse to see passion in his face again, not just to fuck the boy but to see real ecstasy on his elfin features. Ricky blathered something about getting married in three days but Mat heard none of it.
-
Flirting with the customers was part of the job, and Fisher had it down to a science. He could even rightfully be accused of mentally checking out during some of the longer nights, particularly when he had to deal with parties just like... no, not like this one. Because now he couldn't tear his eyes away from the quiet, almost grim man next to him. The man -- Fisher thought he'd heard him called Mat -- had barely spoken to him, and yet something about him had sunk its claws into the boy and refused to let go.
Fisher swallowed thickly and realized Ricky was still talking to him. He laughed and wagged a finger at the groom-to-be. "Naughty, naughty. But what happens in these walls stays here, right? Don't worry, we won't tell." He then pressed that finger to his own lips in a shushing gesture. And yet even as he flirted, his attention kept slipping back to Matthias, and suddenly he was aware of... Christ Almighty, was he hard? At work? Just from a customer staring at him? It would have been enough to make Fisher blush if he hadn't had that particular reflex numbed out of him years ago.
"So hey," he said suddenly, "I'm not scheduled on stage tonight, so how about I take care of you boys instead? Make sure you have a good time before reality tries to remind us it exists?"
-
A pang of disappointment hit him like a knife to the chest, inexplicably strong dismay at the thought that this beautiful boy a.) was a dancer, holy fuck, and b.) wasn't going to be dancing, goddammit. Rather than give his emotions any sway (and really, when did he ever?), Mat picked up his mimosa and took a sip. "Cigars and the hottest little thing in the club? And here I was all fixin' to be pissed off tonight," he drawled softly. When his gaze met Fisher's again, the hint of mirth was there warming the steel of his eyes long before it came anywhere near his lips.
A second later, the emotion was gone as he turned back to the party of six men. "Hell yeah," one answered. "Gonna get our Ricky-boy a lap dance?" asked another. Mat's growl cut in, "He said he'd take care of us, not that he's gonna perform. Pay a dancer for your lap dances." Why did the thought of this delicate young man dancing on the lap of someone like Ricky make him want to murder his friend with his bare hands? Homicide was not a good look on him, so he picked up his drink again and downed a good portion of it.
-
Fisher only barely stopped himself from blinking at Mat in open shock. With any other customer, his first instinct would have been to assume the guy wasn't into the idea of strip clubs and lap dancers, but he'd seen the way this one looked at him... Something fluttered in Fisher's belly when he realized Mat had sounded almost... possessive. Normally the little redhead detested that sort of behavior so why...
Giving his head a shake to clear it, and disguising it as a gesture of regret, Fisher flashed Ricky and his companions an apologetic smile. "Afraid your grumpy friend here has it right, boys. I'd hate to take money out of another boy's g-string... but how about I make it up to you?" Without waiting for an answer, he hopped off the table and headed off in search of both a drink and something to appease the party, because even if all he wanted right now was to snug himself up into Mat's lap and offer him his own private dance, he still had to consider just how much a half dozen drunk, horny partiers were going to bring in if they were finessed just right.
When Fisher returned, it was with a bright orange drink in his hand and a gorgeous young Asian man, built much like himself, in tow. "Boys," Fisher said, "meet Minh. I'd warn you to play nice, because his bite is much worse than his bark... but I get the feeling you'd like that, right?" Minh winked at the table and rolled his body from shoulders to hips. And while his fellow dancer worked on distracting the rest of Mat's friends, Fisher took it upon himself to slide in next to the man. "Hey, handsome. Hope your night's lookin' up."
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A Boy Like That
Summary: In which teenage Lan Xichen dotes on Nie Huaisang to flirt with Nie Mingjue.
Word Count: 4,016
Warnings: implied separation anxiety
ao3
Nie Huaisang quite liked Gusu.
There were many more things to see with many more colors than in the Unclean Realm. That was all gray and boring, but the Cloud Recesses were all pretty blues and pure whites and tons of plants. The men inside were all stunning and, although he couldn’t see them, he had to assume the women were as well. Everything was endlessly beautiful.
Including the very important person Da-ge was speaking to.
Lan Xichen stood tall and thin, his hands behind his back and his smile easy. He looked at Da-ge in the exact opposite way that he was looking at him with his shoulders back and his face permanently angry. It always was when there were others around to see. The only thing that made Nie Huaisang sure his brother wasn’t all stone was the fact he didn’t let go of his hand even when clutched his saber in the other.
“I can help you study,” Lan Xichen offered, voice just as pretty as he was, “I understand not everyone can learn by reading.”
“I learn just fine,” Da-ge said, but even he couldn’t keep his angry voice around Lan Xichen. Nie Huaisang couldn’t stop staring at him. Nothing in the Unclean Realm was like him; he was a character in a storybook who was the definition of elegance.
“I don’t mean to insult you, Nie-gongzi,” he said, “One future sect leader to another, I think we need to work together if we want to be better than our predecessors, don’t you? Especially if it means surviving the elder sect leaders we’ll inevitably have to work with. Sect Leader Yao is going to outlive us all out of spite, I’m sure of it.”
Da-ge let out a slow breath and looked to the side for a moment. Lan Xichen never once looked bothered. He was all patience. Nie Huaisang studied his face anyway, the smile that gave away nothing. Every single time he saw him, he had that smile. Nie Huaisang tucked it in the back of his mind for later.
“It isn’t that I can’t study, it’s that I can’t focus with my secret weapon,” Da-ge said, lifting his arm and lifting Nie Huaisang off the ground with ease. He giggled quietly and smiled at his brother. Lan Xichen’s expression changed just enough to show his complete fondness.
“Ah, I’d say he could play with A-Zhan, but A-Zhan doesn’t really play,” he said, crouching down just a little to get on eye level with Nie Huaisang, “But you’re in luck because I do.”
Nie Huaisang smiled shyly and pressed into his brother’s side.
“Xichen, you don’t need to‒”
“Let me help you, Da-ge,” Lan Xichen said, raising to his full height again. Nie Huaisang noticed the way his smile changed with his voice into something teasing. When he looked up to his brother, he saw him softening up just a little.
“If he gets to be too much, bring him back,” Da-ge said, “And he will get too much.”
“Nonsense,” Lan Xichen said, holding out his hand, “Come, A-Sang, let Da-ge study.”
Nie Huaisang checked with Da-ge first before reluctantly grabbing Lan Xichen’s hand, but he kept a hold on his brother. He wanted to make sure this was actually what they were going to do. He didn’t really like leaving Da-ge’s side. It was always a bad idea. But Da-ge nodded and released his hand.
“Don’t cause trouble, do you understand?”
“A-Sang is not trouble, Da-ge is trouble,” he said. Da-ge glared at him until Nie Huaisang’s laughter made it go away. Lan Xichen chuckled.
“We’ll be just fine,” he promised.
Da-ge gave Nie Huaisang a once over before he reluctantly headed towards the library. He looked over his shoulder to him just once before he disappeared into the room that was full of things that Nie Huaisang could make a mess with. He felt a little nervous when he could no longer see his brother and he really thought about running after him and promising to be quiet. Lan Xichen was pretty and nice, but it wasn’t the same. What if something bad happened?
“Don’t worry, A-Sang, we’ll have a lot of fun,” Lan Xichen said, his voice calm and reassuring. Nie Huaisang nodded and leaned into Lan Xichen’s leg. He was taller than Da-ge by just a little.
He led the way as they headed away from the buildings and into some of the pretty trees. Nie Huaisang reached out to touch the grass and leaves as he passed them, careful not to pull on any of them even when he really wanted to. Lan Xichen, oddly enough, had a much firmer grip on his hand than Da-ge. He was pretty and elegant like in storybooks, but he was strong. Maybe that’s why he’s the only one Da-ge didn’t hate.
They eventually came to a stop when they got to a small clearing with a stream nearby. Bunnies hopped around freely and Nie Huaisang watched them with wide, intrigued eyes. Lan Xichen loosened his grip on his hand.
“Now, you can play, but this is still a quiet place, A-Sang,” Lan Xichen said softly, couching down to look at him in the eye so he would understand, “This is A-Zhan’s favorite space, but I don’t think he’ll mind us playing here as long as we take care of it.”
“Yes, Lan-gongzi.”
Lan Xichen laughed softly, “That’s too formal, call me Er-ge.”
Nie Huaisang thought about telling him that was too informal, but if he told him it was okay then it must be. He nodded.
Lan Xichen let him to the middle of the small clearing and gestured for him to sit down. Nie Huaisang watched all the bunnies hop around and he just wanted to chase them and grab them and hug them, but he knew that was wrong. So he sat and watched Lan Xichen intently, watching for what to do next.
“If you’re very nice, they’ll be your friend,” Lan Xichen said softly, reaching out to pick up one of the braver bunnies. He put it on Nie Huaisang’s lap. “Be very gentle.”
He nodded, petting the bunny as softly as possible. It took a lot of self-control, but he tried really hard. He didn’t want to scare the bunny away.
“A-Zhan loves these rabbits. One time, I couldn’t find him anywhere I went, even here, but then it turns out he’d just been so still they’d all piled on him while he took a nap,” Lan Xichen said. Nie Huaisang looked up at him with wide eyes. He couldn’t imagine staying that still for so long. Da-ge said he kicked in his sleep, too.
“Wow,” Nie Huaisang said. Lan Xichen smiled, reaching his hand out to some of the shy bunnies. They sniffed his fingertips before hopping a little closer. “I can’t do that.”
“It’s alright. Everyone is different and they like different things,” he said, tilting his head, “What do you like?”
“I like…” Nie Huaisang said, watching Lan Xichen for a moment. He knew that he was supposed to say swordplay. He had gotten in trouble because he didn’t like swords. But Lan Xichen seemed like he might not get mad at him for that. “I like stories.”
“Stories? What kind of stories?”
“Like… Like the one where the big strong warrior saves the fair maiden and they, they fall in love and, and they get married. Or the one where the Sect Leader who was the strongest cultivator ever reached immortality and, and he fell in love with a lesser cultivator, but he spent years helping her so they could be immortal together and, and then he left his Sect to be a rogue cultivator with her forever!” Nie Huaisong said, getting a little too excited that the bunnies ran off. Lan Xichen didn’t seem bothered by it as he smiled. “Da-ge read me that one, he said it was his favorite.”
“Da-ge has a favorite love story?” Lan Xichen asked. Nie Huaisang’s eyes widened and he gasped, switching to his knees as he shushed him.
“Shhh, Da-ge said it’s a secret,” he said. It took him a few seconds before he realized he’d just shushed the heir to the Lan Sect. He was about to apologize, but Lan Xichen was smiling so maybe it was okay.
“So Da-ge’s favorite story is of a Sect Leader and his love becoming immortal and running away together?” Lan Xichen said, smiling, “That’s very romantic.”
“Romantic,” Nie Huaisang repeated, dropping his shoulder and nodded insistently.
“I read one about a female cultivator who was so strong and wise, but she fell in love with a common man and gave up everything for him. I’ll have to find the book for you,” Lan Xichen offered. Nie Huaisang smiled wide and nodded.
“Yes, thank you, Er-ge.”
Lan Xichen smiled to the point his eyes got all crinkly. Da-ge never did that. It made him look even more handsome, Nie Huaisang thought. He wondered how many female cultivators pictured him when they dreamed of their future husband. Probably too many to count.
“What else does A-Sang like? Poetry? Music? Drawing?” Lan Xichen. He didn’t even once mention swordplay. Nie Huaisang really liked him.
“Yes! Da-ge lets me skip calligraphy practice to draw sometimes,” Nie Huaisang said, but he soon realized what he said and his eyes went wide, “But, but don’t say anything because Da-ge got in trouble.”
“I won’t, I promise,” Lan Xichen said, still smiling, “Da-ge is a very good big brother to you.”
“He’s the best,” Nie Huaisang said. Lan Xichen smiled and looked down for a moment. He almost looked a little sad. Before Nie Huaisang could say anything to make him feel better, though, he looked back up.
“Would you like to see something?” he asked. Nie Huaisang nodded instantly. Lan Xichen reached into his sleeve and pulled out a xiao. “Its name is Liebing.”
Nie Huaisang leaned perhaps a bit too close, eyes wide with intrigue. There weren’t really instruments in the Unclean Realm. They weren’t valued unless they were used in battle, which was a skill typically only used in the Lan Sect‒anything that wasn’t useful in battle wasn’t valued. He only got to see them when he ventured outside which wasn’t often. He’d never seen one so up close.
“And you use it to fight?” Nie Huaisang asked.
“I could, but the Lan Sect has many other uses for their instruments. We have songs to communicate with ghosts and songs to purify someone’s golden core and songs to help heal someone‒almost anything you can think of,” Lan Xichen said. Nie Huaisang nodded easily. Then Lan Xichen smiled and leaned a little closer. “But, if you can keep a secret, I quite like playing for fun.”
“A-Sang can keep a secret,” he promised. Lan Xichen nodded.
“I bet you can.”
He brought Liebing to his lips and played a couple of notes. Nie Huaisang was entranced. He scooted close and tried to see all the things Lan Xichen was doing. It sounded so pretty and it was so cool. Lan Xichen laughed.
“Here, look,” he said. He handed Liebing to Nie Huaisang and it felt like the biggest privilege in the world. He held it very carefully as Lan Xichen showed him where to hold it near his mouth and adjusted his fingers over the holes. “Now blow just a little bit. Not too hard. Gentle, like you were with the bunnies.”
Nie Huaisang nodded and a soft, pretty sound came from it. He nearly jumped out of his body with joy. He wanted to run around and make as much noise with it as he could, but he couldn’t because that was against the rules. So, instead, he smiled and tried to keep calm even though he was already moving. Lan Xichen didn’t seem bothered as he moved his fingers to show him another note.
They did that for a while until Nie Huaisang was struggling to stay still and Lan Xichen indulged him just a little, letting him chase around the bunnies for a few minutes. He knew it was against the rules to run inside the Cloud Recesses, but Lan Xichen urged him to get it out of his system. A-Zhan never felt the need, he’d said, but he understood wanting to.
“A-Sang should find things to entertain his hands when his body can’t run around or draw,” Lan Xichen said, “It will help.”
Nie Huaisang eyed him for a moment. It seemed like he was slowly leading in to tell him to practice swordplay, to keep him entertained. He wouldn’t know what to say to that. Lan Xichen didn’t seem like the type to particularly enjoy swordplay in the same way most disciples were expected to. He played music and read romantic stories. Was he really going to suggest swordplay?
“Does A-Sang know how to braid?” Lan Xichen asked. Nie Huaisang stared at him.
“No.”
“It keeps your hands busy. Perhaps it will help you allow Da-ge to focus a bit more when he’s studying, it’s a very important skill,” Lan Xichen suggested. Nie Huaisang nodded and walked a bit closer to him. He sat down beside him again and stared up at him.
“Okay.”
Lan Xichen smiled and pulled some of his own hair over his shoulder, separating it into three separate strands. He showed him the proper way to cross them slowly and didn’t say a word when Nie Huaisang leaned in super close to get a better look. When Nie Huaisang took his own hair and tried to copy him, Lan Xichen offered him ample amounts of patience even as he messed up over and over. He never once got frustrated when he was playing his xiao or chasing rabbits or braiding hair. Nie Huaisang considered asking to stay here with him forever.
“In a few years, you’ll come to study at the Cloud Recesses with other disciples your age,” Lan Xichen said softly, smiling and nodding in approval as Nie Huaisang finally got the hang of the braids, “It will be very beneficial if A-Sang finds tasks that keep his hands occupied and his mind free. You have all the makings of a very strong cultivator. You learn very quickly.”
Nie Huaisang didn’t have the right words for that. He had no real interest in being a strong cultivator. He’d much rather live a life full of stories and spending time with pretty people like Lan Xichen who played music for him and helped him break the rules. But he couldn’t say that.
He had to follow the rules and he had to do as he was told.
Nie Huaisang smiled, doing his best to copy the way that he’d seen Lan Xichen smile. “Thank you, Er-ge.”
“Nie Mingjue, your Da-ge, is a very strong cultivator,” Lan Xichen went on, “One of the strongest of all the junior disciples here, but he has a bit of a temper. If A-Sang studies and practices and keeps his smile and his wits, I think the two of you could make a rather unstoppable team.”
“Like the brothers in that story Da-ge read where they fought all the bad guys all by themselves?” Nie Huaisang asked. Lan Xichen nodded firmly and smiled.
“Brotherhood is very important and so is balance. A-Sang balances Da-ge very well. The Nie Sect has had many fearsome and angry warriors‒it seems all of the light has been saved for you,” Lan Xichen said fondly. Nie Huaisang felt his cheeks grow a bit warm at the praise. “And you bring out the light in your Da-ge. One day, the two of you could be legendary leaders together. A-Sang must take care of Da-ge the way Da-ge takes care of A-Sang.”
Nie Huaisang nodded, never breaking eye contact. It seemed important not to. He never saw Da-ge as someone that needed to be taken care of, but Lan Xichen maybe knew more than him. Maybe they could.
As fun and smart as Lan Xichen was, Nie Huaisang felt infinitely more at ease when they got to the room he and Da-ge shared. He immediately barrelled into his brother for a hug and clutched him tight. Da-ge, for all his angry stares, pet his head and put a hand on his back to hold him in place.
“Did A-Sang have fun with Xichen?” Da-ge asked. Nie Huaisang nodded against his stomach.
“He taught me his xiao,” he said, “And he taught me how to braid. He said it was a very important skill.”
“Important?”
“Yes, he said so,” Nie Huaisang argued.
“I did say so,” Lan Xichen’s soft voice said. Nie Huaisang twisted his head just enough to see him politely standing in the doorway.
“Thank you, Xichen,” Da-ge said, taking his hands off Nie Huaisang just long enough to bow. They went back to his hair and his back once he was done.
“My pleasure,” Lan Xichen said, “I take great pride in being entrusted with Nie-gongzi’s most sacred of weapons.”
Da-ge hummed in a noncommittal fashion, petting Nie Huaisang’s head perhaps a little too rough. He didn’t mind as he hugged his brother a little tighter in retaliation. Da-ge never asked for hugs, but when he did things like that it usually meant he wanted one. Or, at least, wouldn’t reject one.
“Both Nie-gongzi and A-Sang should attend dinner with Grandmaster tomorrow evening,” Lan Xichen suggested, “It would be good for Grandmaster to meet you both.”
“Would it?” Da-ge asked, his tone of voice suggesting a little more than Nie Huaisang could put together. He tilted his head up to see if there was anything on his face giving it away.
Then, he remembered the way their father screamed and sent them both to punishment for little things and instilled fear in so many and yet still got praised with ‘at least he’s nicer than the previous Sect Leader’. That and Lan Xichen’s mention of Da-ge having a bad temper. Maybe that’s what it was.
“It would,” Lan Xichen said calmly, “Because then this disciple would not have to explain when I ask to attend with Nie-gongzi on my own.”
Da-ge was quiet for a very, very long time. So Nie Huaisang spoke for him.
“A-Sang thinks that’s very important,” he said, echoing the way Lan Xichen had spoken earlier in the day. The smile he got in return from the storybook-like man made it worth every effort.
“Okay,” Da-ge said, “Okay.”
“Okay,” Lan Xichen replied, “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Er-ge!”
“A-Sang.”
“Goodnight, Nie-er-gongzi,” Lan Xichen said, amusement in his voice even though he gave him a stern face and bowed deeply for Nie Huaisang to earn a laugh. He stood up straight with a smile and looked over his head to Da-ge. “Goodnight, Mingjue.”
“Goodnight, Xichen.”
Lan Xichen exited with that same ease he always carried. He seemed to float. Had A-Sang not felt his strength with his own hand, he might’ve thought he was simply air itself. The moment he was gone out of sight, though, Da-ge grabbed Nie Huaisang’s wrists and pulled him off his feet. Nie Huaisang laughed as he wrapped his arms around his brother’s neck and got a proper hug.
Da-ge breathed in deep as he squeezed him tight and breathed out. Nie Huaisang suddenly understood what Lan Xichen meant about taking care of his brother a little bit better.
“A-Sang missed Da-ge,” he said. Da-ge didn’t respond as he just held him for a little while. He wondered just how big he would have to get before he stopped lifting him in the air liked that.
He hoped he never got too big.
After they retrieved their dinner for the night and brought it back to their room, Nie Huaisang was finally allowed a bit of freedom. He ate while he talked and ate while he wandered around the room, looking at all the little things the Lan Sect put in their dormitories. He’d already looked at most of them, but they were usually too interested to ignore.
Eventually, Da-ge let him get a hold of his hair and he started adding braids everywhere he could. He didn’t fight him about or even look at him like he was angry, he just let him do whatever he wanted. He was his favorite person in the world.
“Did Da-ge study?” Nie Huaisang asked, again remembering what Lan Xichen had said as he took a bite off the spoon that Da-ge held out to him.
“I did,” Da-ge said, “There’s too many rules and logistics here and not enough real-world application. I think I would’ve gotten as much knowledge with you asking what everything was the whole time.”
“A-Sang can do that tomorrow.”
Da-ge nodded in agreement.
After a bath and getting into their Lan-white night robes, Nie Huaisang lingered by the cot that had been set up for him when Da-ge had shown up with him attached to his side. It wasn’t usual for disciples to bring siblings too young to study inside the Cloud Recesses, but they’d made an exception after he promised to be on his best behavior. It usually meant sleeping in past Da-ge’s classes and then hanging onto his side after that.
“Sleep, A-Sang,” Da-ge said, lifting him onto the cot. He draped the blanket over him and pet his head.
Da-ge made it all the way to his bed and laid all the way down and extinguished all of the candles before Nie Huaisang slid off of the cot. He tip-toed over and crawled under the blanket, his head popping out of the top beside his brother’s. He didn’t yell at him or tell him to go back to bed, he just gave a tiny little smile and nodded.
“Er-ge looks like the cultivator from the love stories,” Nie Huaisang told him softly. Da-ge breathed in slowly.
“Does he?”
“Er-ge is pretty like them,” he explained. Da-ge didn’t answer, but Nie Huaisang reached out to put his palm on his cheek. He felt warm. “Da-ge thinks Er-ge is pretty.”
“I don’t think anyone is pretty.”
“A-Sang is pretty,” he refuted. Da-ge turned his head to look at him, smiling in that way he only did when there was no one around to say anything. Nie Huaisang smiled wide enough to make up for them both.
“You’re right, A-Sang is very pretty.”
The next morning, it only took a little persuasion to get Da-ge to keep the braids that hung around to frame his face. Nie Huaisang put a handful of random ones in his hair as well so he wouldn’t be embarrassed. It felt fair and Da-ge looked pretty.
By the time they ran into Lan Xichen, it was nearing midday. His eyes lit up and he stepped close, touching one of the braids in Da-ge’s hair.
“Da-ge, your braids! They’re so pretty!” It was the most vibrant Nie Huaisang had ever heard from any Lan disciple, even if it was teasing, and he felt the excitement grow in his chest in response.
“I blame you for this,” Da-ge grumbled, still managing that angry stare even when someone who looked like Lan Xichen was being so friendly. Nie Huaisang bounced onto his toes, laughing slightly.
“This disciple accepts responsibility,” Lan Xichen said, bowing slightly. His playful expression didn’t fade as he looked to Nie Huaisang. “A-Sang did such a good job.”
“Thank you, Er-ge.”
Lan Xichen nodded and stood up a bit straighter. He looked at Da-ge and Da-ge looked at him and they seemed to have a whole conversation without saying a word of it. It ended with Da-ge nodding twice.
“Would A-Sang like to draw while Da-ge studies?” Lan Xichen asked. Nie Huaisang’s eyes widened with excitement and he nodded, accepting Lan Xichen’s hand when he held it out.
The three of them walked to the library together and if he deliberately stayed on his best behavior when Lan Xichen leaned a bit closer to help Da-ge with his calligraphy, they would be none the wiser.
#the untamed#mdzs#nie huaisang#nie mingjue#lan xichen#the untamed fic#mdzs fic#my fic#i love how easy it ease to write flirty scenes when there's so many titles#you call someone bro in modern america and its casual af#but call this guy you only know kinda well da-ge????#the tension#also i just love the idea of NMJ being soft for 2 people and 2 people only
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Mini Para: My Train Could Take You Home
Rating: PG.
Pairing: Seblaine.
Blaine: @andersoncharm
Sebastian: @smythesm
When: (Three month time skip.) Friday, August 13, 2021
Location: Marblehead, Massachusetts- Blaine’s gifted magical beach cottage.
Notes: Sebastian talks with Blaine about their future.
Warnings: None for this particular Para. However, this RP in general includes; Mentions of death. Parental Death (Blaine’s Mom), Mentions of toxic past relationships. Mentions of brief past Klaine. Depression. Anxiety.
Extra Warnings: (This RP is not Kurt Hummel friendly. You’ve all been warned.)
Para Title Taken From: Willow by Taylor Swift
Extra Information: We will be doing a series of little mini’s to progress over the next few years of this RP. Things might get a little confusing but we promise to date them accordingly.
Under Cut to keep it uniform. Work is mostly unedited as usual.
Sebastian’s POV:
Salt air ghosted across Sebastian’s skin in the small cottage bedroom. Blaine was asleep on his chest still and he could see the moon perched perfectly above the dark ocean through the window they always left open. He wasn’t sure what had woken him up, he just sort of gently fell out of a dream and was looking out at the sea as he listened to the other man breathe. He noticed a large dark figure poke its head up and dive back into the water-it was Flotsam. The past few months had been a whirlwind of hopping back and forth between the apartment and the cottage, an ever-growing sea monster and work for the both of them. Sometimes it was long hours at the office for Sebastian, other times Blaine would spend hours making draughts and tea blends for Hunter and Tony or leaving before the sun rose to start baking at the Snowed In.
Seb’s mind was wandering in the fuzzy way they often did when you were in between dreams and being fully awake. He would still be able to fall asleep if he just rolled over and let his eyes flutter closed. Instead, he was thinking about time and how much had passed which turned into him thinking about how long he and Blaine had been together which snowballed into the fact that they had spent all this time in an apartment that only one of them had picked out. Seb wondered how Blaine would feel about maybe, possibly moving. They could afford it and more space might be nice.
Sebastian felt Blaine stir against his chest, “Hey, B? Are you up?” He twirled his fingers playfully in his boyfriend’s messy bed head of curls. He waited until the other man groggily muttered. “I was wondering….how would you feel about moving? The two of us, I mean.” The words were out before he could stop himself, it was probably the anxiety and excitement of the thought. “You know what? This can wait until morning.”
Blaine’s POV:
The night had been an ordinary yet perfect night, filled with things they did weekly- Seb working through cases on the sofa, books spread across the table, the little line of concentration that lived between his eyes in place while Blaine made a fresh batch of energy and sleep draughts for his friends in the open kitchen. He wasn’t supposed to make them, they had other Witches that were assigned to that, but he’d always help them- The elders could exile him from his world, but it would always be a part of him and he always did what he could. Plus, it helped ground him and connect him to his magic more. Ras and Freya were somewhere out in the sand taunting Flotsam to the shore. The night ended in a tangle of limbs and lips and yet another whisper of let’s just sleep here tonight. The waxing moon sat low and lazy in her sky palace over the quiet sea. Her bright, thin crescent was the last image Blaine had before he’d slipped off into a satisfied and peaceful sleep, his cheek resting against Sebastian’s chest, his boyfriend's sure and steady heartbeat, and the gentle ripple of waves shushing him to dreams better than any lullaby.
Blaine had never been happier.
He sensed Sebastian awake more than heard him, his connection to the other man prickling in the back of his skull and tingling his skin like an electric charge. He could tell nothing was wrong, but at the same time, something was different in the air around them. He lifted his head and pressed it back into Seb’s hand, enjoying the feeling of his fingers in his hair- his eyes meeting the green-blue of Seb’s as he listened to his boyfriend talk. It took a moment for the words to catch up to his brain. Seb wanted to move?
“Hey, now, no waiting, I’m awake. Talk to me, baby. What’s all this?” He propped himself up on the bed, his face still hovering over Seb’s chest, his thumb slowly stroking over his skin soothingly. “I mean it’s technically morning now anyway. ” He paused and kept his tone light, his curiosity and even excitement creeping upon him. They had so many memories in that apartment, what could make Seb want to up and leave it?
Their three year anniversary was coming up, not to mention Sebastian’s twenty-seventh birthday and Blaine had spent weeks bothering his boyfriend about what they’d do for each thing, and what he might want. But the bothering always turned into teasing about how Seb had everything he needed and the teasing turned into forgetting that Blaine had even asked at all, but it didn’t matter anyway, they’d be together for whatever they picked, Blaine was sure he’d make it perfect for his guy.
He had never been more sure and more confident about the direction his life was going than he was right now. Sure, he still had days where he ached for his old world and his mom and now his dad who was just out of reach, and he wasn’t chasing his musical therapy dream, the one he was free to pursue now- he’d wanted it so long even though he’d known he’d be stuck being Headmaster of LeFay, but now it seemed wrong for him. And working at the Snowed In was the most therapeutic thing in the world to him. He got to bake and be around people and he got to lead them and it made him stupidly happy. He was even managing to do freelance tutoring on the side, teaching people to play whatever instrument they wanted to. He was in such a good place right now. They both were. Could a move possibly make that better? Gods, they could build a home together… Blaine had inherited a great deal of money that he had no clue what to do with. He was from a world where he could make anything he wanted. He bit his lip and went on.
“What brought thought on? You’re excited by the thought, aren’t you? I can sense it. Have you been thinking about it a lot and it’s serious or are these the thoughts of a content, sleepy man? I’m not saying no, I mean, I’d go anywhere with you. But, what’s this about?”
Sebastian’s POV:
Sebastian could feel Blaine lean into his touch, he was looking up at him with sleepy but present eyes. He wasn’t surprised that Blaine wanted to talk now, he knew that the other man could sense emotions as he primarily worked with those.
“I just think it might be time, you know? I picked that apartment out intending to only be there during school and I never really pictured making it into a home. I just never imagined that for myself. It’s the only thing I see now. We should find a place together that we...could see ourselves staying in for a while.”
He bit his bottom lip, sort of embarrassed at how cheesy his words felt. But, all of it was true. Seb wanted a home with the other man, wanted a yard for Enjolras, windows for Freya to perch on.
“I know that your stuff is there and I know you have this cottage but, I think starting together from scratch and having our stuff just sort of naturally blend together would be nice. I know that this is a pretty big step but, I don’t know, I’m ready to start taking...big….steps. “
Sebastian wanted to crawl into himself. Being open and honest was so scary and still felt fresh and the burn of blush on his cheeks always tore his icy façade down, which was hard for him. He had no protection when he was vulnerable but, if he wanted to keep moving forward, it was what needed to be done.
“What do you think?”
Blaine’s POV:
Blaine let his fingers trace lightly over Seb’s chest and then over to his arms and slowly back again, able to tell that the things his beautiful boyfriend was saying were incredibly difficult for him to articulate. I love you had once been hard for Seb, and now it was as easy as breathing for them to say, but this was different. Sebastian had always struggled with saying a lot, he showed how he felt every day, of course, but for him to be this open with Blaine, to put into this many words what he wanted showed Blaine that Sebastian was serious. He could feel Seb’s embarrassment and he wanted to soothe it away, but his own emotions were too busy wiggling with excitement.
Sebastian wanted to buy a house, no- a home, with Blaine. Wanted to live there for a long time, maybe forever… Blaine couldn’t stop the smile that attacked his face. This shouldn’t be a shock, they loved each other, they were soulmates, they were meant to be and both had suffered losses for it. But, it mattered to him that Seb had voiced the want out loud in such a sweet way. Blaine let out a breathy little laugh and gave his boyfriend's arm a squeeze to show him he agreed. Seb’s lingering words about big steps echoed in his ears and his heart thudded and flipped and the butterflies that had lived in his belly since the day he’d met this man flittered to life. What did that mean? Would they get to travel the world one day? Maybe adopt another pet and grow old holding hands on a porch swing with no worries in the world like some perfect book ending… Did that mean that maybe Sebastian would want to marry him even though doing that came with more secrets and baggage? His heart pounded harder.
Blaine knew Seb was his, knew that he had him and they'd always be together. He’d thought about marriage to Seb, of course, and he'd thought of children with him, which was a loss he had to carry and yes, it was a heavy loss and sometimes it got to him. But he'd known they’d be together no matter what and assumed they’d stay just like this because it was safe. They’d live in that apartment and magic travel to the beach cottage to get away from reminders of the trial and other bad memories. He never thought he’d get anything more. He didn’t need anything more, he was happy and content and still so in love… And yet here he was being offered a new home, a home that he got to build with his person and a promise of something more.
“I w-,” he tried to speak, his voice again too breathy and small to take up much space in the room. “I want that, too.” He laughed again, a strange elation falling over his whole being and suddenly he couldn’t stop talking.
“Yes, yes, a thousand times yes I think we should do it. As I said, I’d go anywhere with you or to be with you.” He pulled himself up, forgetting how naked he still was, and pressed his smiling lips to his boyfriend’s and giggled again. He wondered if decorating this place had led him to think about this or if it had always been there in his mind, either way, he was happy for it.
“We could get all new stuff, pick everything out together and build a home. Of course we’d keep some older stuff and memories too. And I could have a little space for magic in the new house, and you could have an office and oh, yes we’d keep the beach cottage- we still have to have a getaway. But, yes, we could have a home together. Would we stay in the state- oh! We could buy a house with a huge kitchen, I could cook so much better for you-” He was talking fast, hardly breathing as he spoke. He paused and shook his head, his smile a little bashful.
“Gods, I’m sorry, I’m just so happy right now. I never thought… I-I’m just happy, Seb. You have no idea.” He leaned down and kissed Seb once more. “It makes me want to get online and look at the market right now.” His cheeks flared in a blush and he had to hide his face in Seb’s neck to hide it.
Sebastian’s POV:
Sebastian loved the look of elation that fell over Blaine’s features. He could practically feel his happiness thrum against him under the covers. Seb kissed his boyfriend despite the smile on his face and wished they could go buy a house right then and there.
“I’d love all of that and don’t be sorry, I’m happy that you’re into this.”
He rubbed circles over Blaine’s strong shoulders, “We can start looking whenever you want but, maybe we should sleep a little bit more and then eat breakfast first?” Sebastian’s face slowly spread into a sly grin. He knew that B would have his laptop out and logged onto Zillow as soon as they stepped back into the apartment.
“I’m happy, too. This will be good for us.” Seb cuddled in closer to his boyfriend. “You’ll get to pick out paint swatches and furniture to match.” He knew that Blaine’s stomach would flip at the idea.
Sebastian wanted to spend his whole life making Blaine smile that infectious smile.
Blaine’s POV:
“I’m just happy.” He said the words with a grin and nuzzled his nose into Seb’s neck again after accepting his kiss. He traced over his mother’s protective crystal that still lived over Sebastian’s heart before leaning down and pressing a kiss to Seb’s chest. He could feel the rhythm of his boyfriend’s heart and it told Blaine that Seb was just as happy as he was. This was one of those moments where he wanted to take the memory and scoop it up into a snow globe so he could take it down and rewatch it again later. The scars around his wrists and the ones on his mind seemed all the more worth it in moments like this.
“I suppose you’re right, we can wait until we’re rested.” Blaine could have easily gotten up and given them both an energy potion so they could work through it all right now. Blaine could have them moved in a week if he used magic, he could speed up the process. But, one look at Seb’s hopeful face basked in the soft glow of the magical candles that permanently lit the whole beach cottage told him that he needed to do this all naturally. They needed to do it the hard way to get the full experience of building it together. Blaine could share some of his magic with Seb, but for the most part, it was his. This needed to be theirs.
“Don’t you dare tease me with that right now, I’ll never sleep.” He openly laughed, his voice causing Ras and Freya both to come shambling into the bedroom. Freya gave him a look and Blaine knew she approved without her having to tell him. Enjolras hopped up onto the bed and promptly snuggled at the foot of their bed, exhausted from playing one the shore with Freya and Flotsam. Freya got herself comfortable by snuggling into Ras and before long the two of them were asleep. Blaine loved that they were all together.
“We can sleep, I can wait.” He snuggled down into the covers, his arms pulling Sebastian close to him, whispers of I love you were exchanged and his boyfriend was fast asleep in minutes. Blaine held him close, relishing in the feeling of sleepy, hopefully, contentedness. He felt safe, not just because an actual magical sea creature was watching over them, but because they were all together. He finally let himself relax and drifted off to sleep with an itch in his fingertips- not for magic this time, but with the urge to pick up his phone and begin the search for their perfect home. Luckily Seb’s gentle breathing in his ear and Ras’ soft snores guided him away and into a deep slumber.
/fin.
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The Third time Sirius Black felt his heart stop.
The Third time Sirius Black felt his heart stop, he was newly 17, and it was the summer before his last year at Hogwarts. Everything was starting to settle down. He had moved into the Potters and it was truly amazing, he had bagged him self a really fucking beautiful girlfriend. like a veela-beautiful-unexplainably-pretty-like-everybody-wants-her-like-really-fucking-beautiful girlfriend, and everything was generally going really well. And he didn't want to screw it up. And he was beginning to think what he was about to do would screw it up.
You had been staying at the Potters with Sirius, Just to make sure he had gotten settled and was having a good time. You only planned to stay there few days, but it had eventually turned into staying for the whole summer, but you didn't mind. Staying at a huge summer house with your favourite boys (minus Remus, but he was off on holiday somewhere. Lucky git.). Of course Euphemia and Fleamont Potter were there, but they where honestly lovely, and they praised you for how much you ‘calmed Sirius down’ as they put it. This summer had been amazing. You guys had spent the majority of the time at the beach, or in places no one could imagine. You went on Ferris wheels, to libraries (Your idea of course), went swimming. It was honestly one of the best summers of your life. But now Sirius was acting strange, and James was acting secretive, and you where determined to find out why.
“I think he's going to propose” Marlene stated, her arm firmly wrapped around Dorcas’ shoulder. Lily and Mary squealed in response. Everyone had got together for a day at the beach since school was about to start.
“He's not going to proposeeee, don't be silly.” You groaned.
“I think he is!” Lily piped up and you gave her a look. “Im serious! In all the muggle books, the men get all distant before they propose” She stated while you just stared at her. Sirius couldn't propose. He just couldn't. You had a timeline. Finish school, secure a job, get an apartment then think about kids. You where only 16, there was no way he would propose. You gave them all a glare.
“Think what you want, I know Sirius, and I know he wont” You smiled and began to walk towards the boys.
“Its been 3 years (Y/N)! He's bound to put a ring on it soon!” Mary shouted as you waved your arms to shush her, getting closer to the boys.
You had gotten to were the boys where situated on the sand, All of them in nothing but swimming trunks. You had been wearing a small swimsuit that Sirius had got you for your birthday.
“Hey Remmy?” You sat down next to him on his beach towel, and smiled sweetly.
“Yes (Y/N/N)?” He immediately knew you wanted something by your sweet tone.
“Do you thinkkkkkkk...” You dragged out you words. “You could give me a piggy back in the water?” You have you sweetest smile and layed your head on his shoulder. He groaned.
“Why cant your BOYFRIEND do it?” he asked and you huffed.
“Your stronger, no offence Sirius. And he doesn't like to get his hair wet.”
“Fineeeeeeee” He said, an underlying blush on his cheeks. He bent down so you could climb onto his back and he immediately rushed you both over to the water. Water splashed everywhere and you and Remus laughed.
Sirius and James sat on the beach, staring out into the water.
“You better put a ring on it before he does mate” James laughed. Sirius knew you and Remus where strictly platonic, as much as Remus didn't want it to be, he wouldn't make a move on his best friends girl.
“You know the plan, ass hole” Sirius said. Right. The Plan. The Plan was taking place tonight actually. Everyone knew the plan, well everyone meaning the boys. They where going to come back to the Potter mansion (The Potters where out of town, as Sirius had already told them the plan), James and Remus had decorated the Garden with lights and stuff (Remus was a little bit, very fucking crushed), They'd have a barbecue going, Sirius would ask you to go for a walk around the pool, next to James’ Sakura tree, like all those years ago when he asked you to the ball. He just hoped nothing went wrong.
So after a long day at the beach, they all headed to the Potters, The boys in James VW bug, and the girl in Lily's Chevy Bel Air. It was a great ride, music blaring warm air passing across your face as the sun set, you where truly happy. You all arrived at the house around an hour later, it was decorated beautifully. All the girls gasped at the beautiful garden.
The little party you guys had going was going swell, everyone was a little tipsy, and James was on the barbecue, before Remus took over. (Side Note: Never let James on the barbecue). Sirius felt the ring box in his pocket, then looked towards you, he saw you smile and giggle at something Lily said. Its now or never. He walked up to you and tapped you on the shoulder.
“Hey” He said softly. “ Wanna go for a walk around the Sakura trees” He watched a smile instantly light up your face as you jumped up. You grabbed his hand and began to walk, mirroring all those years ago. You talked, about everything, about the summer, about what the next year would bring. Then he stopped at your favourite Sakura tree, and watched as you looked around in happiness.
“So, (Y/N)” He grabbed your hand as you looked at him, still smiling. “You know we've been together for 3 years now, and I couldn't be happier” Your face fell as you realised what was going on, lily had been right, he was about to propose wasn't he? “These past few years you've made me the happiest Ive veer been, from the day i saw you, you made my heart stop. And to this day you still do. Every time I see your smile, and hear your voice, I know everything will be alright.” You began to tear up.
“Sirius..”You tried to stop him.
“Please, I know what you gonna say ‘were too young Sirius’ ‘im only 16 Sirius’ “He mimicked in your voice, he was right, that's exactly what you where about to say.
“But I don't care. I don't care that were too young. I don't care what people say. That we’ll never last. I don't care because I know we will. I know we can last. I want to wake up everyday and see your face. I want to call you mine forever.” He dropped to one knee, puling the ring out of his pocket.
“(Y/F/N), Will you marry me?” In that moment, he felt his heart stop again, for the third time in his life. The pause before you gave your answer was perhaps the longest wait he'd ever endured, or at least that's what it felt like. It felt like there was no air left to breath, time felt slowed. Until finally…
“Yes” You breathed out. AND, immediately, Everything sped up, he breathed out, all the noises resumed, and he could feel his heartbeat in his ear.
“Yes?” He asked incredulously.
“Yes!” He stood up and you immediately jumped towards him and rapped your legs around him. “Of course ill marry you!” He hugged you so tightly, like he thought you would slip away if he let go. You stood back up and he slipped the ring onto your finger, it was perfect. You where perfect.
#sirius black#sirius#sirius black x reader#sirius black x y/n#sirius black x you#sirius black fanfiction#marauders#marauder#marauders era#marauder era#harry potter#harry potter fanfiction
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Friday Night Dinner: the Best Episodes
https://ift.tt/3urFJpq
Friday Night Dinner is ten.
That’s ten years of crimble-crumble, humble bumbling, manic misunderstandings, and more lovely bits of squirrel than you could shake a dead fox at. For thirty-seven Friday nights across six glorious seasons the Goodman family – shirtless dad, Martin (Paul Ritter); long-suffering but ever hopeful mum, Jackie (Tamsin Greig), and their visiting prank-wanker sons Adam (Simon Bird) and Jonny (Tom Rosenthal) – served up a banquet of laughs to a hungry nation, ably assisted by chronically persistent, reality-adjacent next-door-neighbour, Jim (Mark Heap) and his faithful dog, Wilson, and a host of other regulars and monstrously memorable one-offs besides.
In celebration, then, of one of the most smartly-observed, perfectly-cast comedies of recent years, in chronological order, we count down ten of the show’s best.
The Sofabed
Series 1, Episode 1
Most first episodes – nay entire first series – of new comedies can be scattergun. Maybe the characters haven’t quite coalesced, or their fictional universe doesn’t feel ‘lived in’ yet. Not so with Friday Night Dinner. The show arrived fully-formed, with the Goodmans seeming as real as any family in your street; perhaps even your own family.
All of the gags, rituals and dynamics destined to run and grow and fold back in upon themselves throughout the series’ run are here: Martin’s secrets, conspiracies and hearing difficulties; Jim’s constant interruptions; Adam and Johnny’s brutal one-upmanship; the salt-in-the-water prank; Martin’s fondness for shouting ‘shit on it’.
The first episode revolves around the selling of a sofabed (with a brief sojourn into conspiracy when Martin inveigles his children into helping him hide the old magazines Jackie has ordered him to destroy), a simple enough transaction that turns to tragedy when death comes (quite literally) calling. Martin’s mis-hearing and misunderstanding of a crucial piece of information whilst standing at the bottom of a stair-and-couch-based conga line brings the series first proper belly-laugh, and with it the realisation that Friday Night Dinner is going to be something special.
Mr Morris
Series 2, Episode 2
Mr Morris, played by Harry Landis, is a marvellous comic creation. With his predilection for getting topless and dressing people down at the dinner table, he’s like a malignant, mirror-universe version of Martin. With the eyes of Mr Magoo and the moustache of Adolf Hitler – and something of the bearing of both – Mr Morris, Granny’s new and very married boyfriend, quickly establishes himself as the dinner guest from Hell.
After crashing into their house and blaming them for the damage, the pugilistic, preening, proud, petty, and pretty much certifiably insane pensioner goes on to engage in horrendously public displays of affection with Granny; shout angrily over the phone at his 95-year-old wife; make Adam and Johnny pay for the, well, johnnies he later planned to use on their grandma; accuse Adam of sexual assault, and then challenge the whole household to a half-naked fist fight. Just another Friday night at the Goodman’s.
The Mouse
Series 2, Episode 6
‘Mouse’ marks the first time that Jim manages to get his feet under the dinner table of the Goodman home, and it’s everything you could have hoped for. And more.
Normally the family manufactures its own chaos during the weekly meal – with extra helpings of misunderstandings, feuds, schadenfreude, embarrassment and horror – but here the Goodmans are cast as the straight men to Jim’s one-man reality-wrecking crew. While interpersonal connections and rituals are alien to Jim, the Goodmans’ set of mannerisms and catchphrases are his greatest challenge yet. His interpretation of their Jewish faith is equal parts sweet to absolutely bonkers, and only Jim’s anxiety, eagerness to please, incomprehension, and molten naivety keeps things from becoming insulting.
All of the Goodman rituals to which the viewer has become accustomed rain down on Jim in a hail of friendly fire, leading him to gargle on ‘Jewish water’ and scrutinise his dinner plate for hints of squirrel. The moment where Jim briefly considers whether he should eat the episode’s eponymous mouse as it scurries onto his dinner plate is pure comedy gold.
Christmas
Series 2, Episode 7
This episode features the first appearance of Rosalind Knight as Martin’s mother, or ‘Horrible Grandma’ as she’s known to the family. Christmas is supposed to be a time of peace and celebration, but that’s not an easy ask when your guest of dishonour is a terrifying little lady who’s equal parts Livia Soprano to the Shushing Library Spook from Ghostbusters. Very few Christmases contain the line, ‘Thanks for raping our grandma’s dog on Christmas day’, fewer still see a grandson sharing his grandma’s dog’s oxygen mask, but then nobody does Christmas like the Goodmans. And they’re not even supposed to be doing it.
There’s a surprisingly beautiful moment at the end of this episode, courtesy of resident oddball, Jim, that – like all of the other rare occasions on which the show veers towards sentimentality – is quickly undercut by a well-timed, and very welcome, gag.
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The Girlfriend
Series 3, Episode 1
Adam finally meets his match: an eight-year-old girl who blackmails him into a chaste but never-the-less irritating and inappropriate ‘relationship’ following the discovery of a racy, unsolicited picture of his girlfriend’s sister on his phone, while his girlfriend is there at the Goodman house for dinner. Thus unfolds an evening of unusual foot-washing, forced transvestism, secrets, lies, panic, and a stunning coup de grace from Jonny, who helps put the final nail into the coffin of his brother’s fledgling relationship.
The Fox
Series 3, Episode 2
Martin likes to squirrel away a great many things, many of them ridiculous, most of them out of sight of his wife. But Johnny and Adam probably weren’t expecting to discover a dead fox in their father’s chest freezer, much less find themselves enlisted to help move it around town like a hitman’s hairy bounty until the heat died down long enough for their father to have it stuffed. The funniest thing about Martin’s many hare-brained (or, in this case, fox-brained) schemes is the energy he throws at them, the sort of logistical chicanery seldom seen this side of the CIA. Watching the men of the family toddle around hither and thither with a dead fox, hiding it in the dining room, hurling it in cupboards, wedging it through windows, is exactly as funny as it sounds, and – as always – just when you think Martin’s got away with it… he hasn’t.
The Two Tonys
Series 4, Episode 1
Martin is an exceptionally quick-thinker. Unfortunately, his speed of thought is seldom married with precision, and he usually finds himself blurting something out at the start of an evening and spending the rest of that evening teetering on the edge of oblivion, with his long-suffering wife ready to push him off. His blurt-out in ‘The Two Tonys’, though, is perhaps his most desperate and ill-considered. In a bid to encourage Jason Watkins’ Tony – a loathed associate from years ago Martin had invited to dinner believing him to be another, better Tony – to leave the Goodman home, he forces Jackie to go along with the ruse that her mother has just died. This gambit, like all Goodman gambits, backfires spectacularly, and what follows is a farce worthy of Frasier, everything culminating in a desperate chase and the furious weaponisation of a pineapple.
The Funeral
Series 4, Episode 5
Friday Night Dinner deals with death incredibly often, and incredibly well, wringing joyous laughter from that most terrifying and inevitable of our shared fates. Here we have another delicious dose of Horrible Grandma, who’s in town to lay to rest her dear departed brother, Saul. Martin is pressured into giving Saul’s eulogy, even though he never really knew or liked his uncle all that much. Cue a day of stress, arrests, tense stand-offs and tantrums, ending with an uninvited Jim appearing at Saul’s graveside clutching four black balloons, while Martin proceeds to recite Saul’s death certificate in lieu of a proper farewell. Immediately following a Grand Prix-inspired coffin malfunction, Jim’s dog Wilson enters stage-left to put a necro-quasi-cannibalistic spin on the ending of Todd Solondz‘s Happiness.
Dad’s Birthday
Series 6, Episode 4
Horrible Grandma might make for a terrible dinner guest, but she makes for a perfect guest star. This time, we bid her goodbye for good, but not before a great deal of caustic put-downs, cathartic showdowns and perhaps the funniest, most macabre magic trick of all time, courtesy of resident ‘magician’ Jim.
Females
Series 6, Episode 6
‘Females’ wasn’t intended to be the final episode of the series, at least according to comments made by series’ creator Robert Popper immediately following its transmission. And it still might not be the end. But it’s hard to imagine a better, funnier or more touching swan-song for the show, with or without the tragic death of Paul Ritter.
Adam and Jonny finally have ‘females’ (as their progressive dad has always called their prospective girlfriends) in their lives at the same time, and Jackie is overjoyed to be welcoming them into her home. She thinks the evening is going to be perfect, which is rather naïve of her considering that she’s married to Martin.
Sure enough, Martin manages to contaminate every course of the meal with shards of broken glass, a calamity he’s forced to reveal to everyone but Jackie, going on to enlist their help in somehow preventing the matriarch from choking to death, while simultaneously preventing her from discovering the depths of his dangerous ineptitude. Martin is, of course, thoroughly rumbled, but before Jackie can strike him down with great anger and furious vengeance, two pregnancies are announced in quick and joyous succession.
‘Females’ is solidly, classically funny, but it’s the episode’s smaller, more intimate moments that will linger longest in the imagination: the brothers’ new-found, prank-less affection for each other; the subdued but sincere affection between Jackie and Martin as they discuss their new roles and the future; and the now suddenly larger Goodman family dancing as one in the living room. As codas go, it’s a damn near perfect one.
If Friday Night Dinner comes back, let it be in twenty years when Adam and Jonny are middle-aged. For now, I hope Martin gets to enjoy many long years as a granddad.
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Friday Night Dinner series 1-6 are available to stream in the UK on All4 and Netflix.
The post Friday Night Dinner: the Best Episodes appeared first on Den of Geek.
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Loki owns every single ounce of soul and my body radiates an overwhelming amount of uwu energy every time I see him it’s unhealthy. In other words, i wanna marry him oeriodt
good news babe, now you can ;)
here it is folks, the wedding of you and Loki.
it’s just the ceremony, i might do something about a reception later and will definitely be doing some honeymoon stuff !! but for now…here’s a very long piece about your wedding! ENJOY.
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Loki Laufeyson is not a simple man.
Hell, he’s barely a man.
Everything concerning Loki is complicated; his past, his present, his future, his heritage, his family, his species, his abilities, his ambitions, his reasoning…
The list goes on.
You knew this. You know this, and yet here you are, stepping out from behind an oak tree, giggling and barefoot and arm in arm with your best friend, coming to greet him at the alter.
Nothing has ever been simple. Not when you met him and you each tried your respective times to kill each other, not when he spent a couple years convincing himself he hated you and that’s why you were in his head all the time, not when he had to somehow win your trust.
It’s been complicated. Complicated fights, complicated dates, complicated forgiveness.
A complicated wedding, too, which is why you’d agreed to just have a tiny little wedding in an Asgardian forest, miles out from the border, with barely ten people invited to attend.
The bigger ceremony can happen later. Right now, with the setting sun glowing off Loki’s pale skin, all that matters is making him yours.
It’s surprisingly simple, actually. Loki’s surprised. A couple chairs were set up in a little clearing of trees, shrouded by the oak branches with only a few rays of evening sunlight seeping through, and a walkway of smooth stones had been laid as a kind of alter.
No giant centrepieces to decide on, no music to choose, no kingdoms you have to invite so they don’t get offended, no sacrificial goat to find. Tonight, all you have to worry about is that Thor doesn’t cry too much while he officiates, thus setting the wedding back an hour.
And that you don’t completely lose your shit.
He looks so good.
You’ve never seen Loki looking so…so relaxed, so casual, so sure of himself. He looks confident, for once, genuinely confident in what he’s doing—or about to do.
On the inside, though, he’s a wreck. A nervous, giddy wreck, positive that you’re going to turn on your heel and run away, going to look once at him and find him disgusting, just as you should have since the moment he fell for you, just as you did the moment you met.
His hands shake and he shoves them in his pockets, swallowing hard when you step out from behind the tree.
Your friend insisted on that—“you still need a grand entrance, I wanna see if he cries”—and since there’s only an archway of tree branches tied together with fairy lights for you to walk through, the tree trunk will have to do as a cover.
You’re just as nervous as Loki, if you’re being completely honest. Just…marrying him.
This is kind of a big deal.
A little bit life changing, really, and when you think back to all that had to happen to get you to this point, the nervousness just multiples.
But, the smile that paints your face is in every way childish. Ridden by giggles, a nervous, anxious, excited mess of emotions and then you see him, waiting for you, and the space between you seems infinite and nonexistent at the same time.
Loki’s breath catches.
A sniffle is heard from the make-shift alter—not from the groom. Thor rubs his eyes and stands up straighter, trying his absolute hardest not to pull his brother into a bone-crushing hug.
Loki looks different.
Different than when you first met him. His hair is different, a little longer, cleaner, not so messy and untamed, tied half-up with a couple braids hidden in his almost curls. The thin gold cuffs at the ends of each braid glint in the sun when he moves.
He’s not covered in blood and rubble like he was when you met him, either. He’s not so pale, not so thin, so gaunt, and his eyes are much closer to green than blue when you meet his gaze and give him an excited, scrunched-up little smile.
Loki smiles back and that’s when it hits him: his eyes are swimming in seconds and he chews his lip, casting his gaze to the trees above and praying the tears don’t fall.
Things like this…don’t happen to Loki Laufeyson.
He doesn’t get the girl, doesn’t get to have a beautiful wife. An intimate, beautiful wedding is just something he dreamt of as a child, something that helped him fall asleep, just like that immature dream of having someone to hold close every night, lured to sleep by their warmth.
A few steps closer, he has to swipe a hurried hand over his cheek, and you bite back another excited laugh—there. You got him to cry.
You never thought you’d be the person to make someone cry tears of joy on their wedding day, much less someone who cries so beautifully.
This isn’t the first time you’ve seen Loki cry, but it’s definitely your favourite.
Your hands meet before you’ve even noticed covering the distance. The coldness of his skin is normal now, for whatever the reason you’ve stopped caring, and you wind your fingers through his and grin at his teary face before turning to Thor.
“Hey,” Thor chokes out with a smile, “are you two ready?”
You nod, Loki wonders if no is even an option.
He’s not ready at all, because as soon as this starts, it’ll be over, and this beautiful little ceremony is an end he doesn’t want to face. He’s not done marvelling at you, his soon-to-be wife, he hasn’t fully memorised what you look like this evening, he isn’t ready to let it end and lose this dreamlike trance where no past can intrude.
But Thor starts talking anyways, interrupted by an occasional sniff, and Loki’s left grasping at the moment.
He hasn’t even gotten to look at you, to truly ingrain your image in his mind, so as Thor begins to recite the service he’s read over time after time again, Loki’s gaze turns to you and everything else seems to fall silent.
Blue.
He’d expected green, to be completely honest, you know what you do to him when you wear his colour, but you’d surprised him with the pale blue dress.
A wonderful decision he could never thank you enough for.
You’re…a dream. You could be a light elf, with the way the setting sun beams down on you, but no, actually, no light elf could even come close to comparing with your beauty.
The dress floats over you, thin straps keeping it secured over your shoulders, that pale blue fabric softer than silk when his hand slips helplessly to the small of your back.
You’re real, solid flesh and bone under his hand. Breathing, living, a bouquet of white roses and sparse, leafy twigs in one hand, the other finding its way to his back and rubbing soothing little circles.
He’s staring and doesn’t plan on stopping. You catch his eye and send him a comforting wink.
It’s a simple dress, nothing to distract from the wearer. His gaze travels the length of it, from your bare feet to the thin gold chains around your ankles, to the smile dusting your lips, to the crown of olive branches and tiny white flowers his brother just placed on your head.
You nudge him in the side.
“Hm?”
Your crown, you mouth, nodding at Thor. You okay?
Shaking himself out of his daze, Loki blinks and looks back at Thor.
“…sorry. Where are we?”
“I’m crowning you,” Thor whispers, holding up the other crown of olive leaves and flowers, the connecting satin ribbon tugging on yours as he does. “Remember? ‘With these crowns, your power becomes shared, and with these crowns, your rule becomes one, to grow only in unity and to prosper as—’”
“Alright, yes, yes, I remember.”
You bite back a laugh as Loki runs an exasperated hand over his face, then bows his head to allow Thor to place the other crown over his head.
“Hey, sunshine,” you whisper when you duck your head as well, taking his hand between the two of you. “Are you okay?”
“Never better.” He squeezes your hand, a sideways smile flashing your way. “You look beautiful.”
“So do you,” you laugh quietly. “Now shush, this is important.”
“No, it’s not.” He knows he’s not necessarily supposed to touch you more than just holding your hand, but he strokes the backs of his fingers along your cheek anyways, smiling softly at you. “It’s not.”
“Shh.”
With a teasing roll of his eyes he turns his gaze back to the ground, hand dropping from your cheek back to hold your hand tightly between the two of you.
You do look beautiful in blue. Absolutely breathtaking, jaw dropping, stunning.
The longer he stands there, slowly forgetting who he is and focusing on who he’s going to become for you, the more he wishes he had told you his only secret.
Half of him thinks you might already know about his true heritage—the blue dress, the fact that you don’t ask why he’s so cold anymore. But…if you knew, you wouldn’t be standing next to him today, marrying him.
He wishes he had told you from the beginning.
“No good marriages begin with secrets.”
Frigga was an absolute hypocrite for telling him that, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
He’ll tell you soon. He knows he will, or, honestly, he might just bury that monstrous part of himself so deep that you never have to know. It wouldn’t be living a lie if he forgets it’s part of his truth, right?
“I will.”
Damn it, he missed it.
“Wait—no, can you repeat that part?” He quickly blinks back to reality, cursing himself for being so consumed in his thoughts that he’s missing his actual wedding. “Sorry, sorry.”
Thor gives a knowing smile. “Of course. Will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to have and to hold, to cherish and honour, to treasure and love until death do you part?”
“I will,” you repeat, the grin evident in your voice. “I will.”
Loki swallows thickly, eyes burning. You accepted him again. To have him, to keep him, to love him and allow him to be your husband.
People don’t…want him, Loki knows that.
Not his birth parents, not even his adoptive parents, not your world nor his own, everywhere he’s gone has rejected him. No one wants Loki.
You, though, seemed to have skipped right over wanting him and decided to love him.
Husband.
He likes the title more than he ever liked prince, and much more than he ever liked king.
“And will you, Loki, have this woman to be your wedded wife, to have and to hold, to cherish and honour, to treasure and love until death do you part?”
A couple birds chirp overhead.
“Loki?”
His eyes have glazed over, dewy skin glowing in the rays of sunlight, a strand of hair fluttering over his face every time the wind blows.
“Loki.” You nudge him in the arm, an amused smile playing at your lips. “Can you answer him? I’d really like to kiss you already.”
He chokes out a laugh at that, rubbing his eyes with the heel of his hand, sheepishly trying to get a hold of himself. “Of course I will,” he laughs, looking up at the trees and letting out a long breath. “I will.”
Beaming at him, you give his hand another reassuring squeeze and nudge him again.
“I will,” he whispers once more, staring at you. “For all eternity.”
Ohhhh goodness.
Why does his softness make your heart ache like this, how did he become so gentle??
“Hurry up and finish,” you laugh to Thor, heart pounding. “I’m not gonna last much longer, he’s…god, he’s just…hurry.”
Loki’s heart sinks a little, he can’t help it. This is nice, standing here with you, his brother bringing you together, your closest friends and family sharing the moment. It’s nice and warm, and Loki feels surrounded by a strange sense of home, for once.
Don’t hurry. He closes his eyes to focus in on the feeling of your hand in his. Don’t hurry, don’t end this moment.
Warm skin, soft skin, gentle fingers. Only one ring on your ring finger so far, bringing him back to reality right as Thor hands him the small box holding the rings.
He lets out a shaky breath and you turn to him—this time, it’s your breath that catches.
You hadn’t quite fully taken in all of…him.
Loki smiles, turning to face you and holding out the rings in an open palm. “Shall we?”
“Wait,” you breathe, clutching his ring in a tight fist. “Give me a second, I-I need to memorise how…perfect my life is right now.”
His heart twists as you look around, an uncontrollable smile growing over your face as you take in the little clearing amidst the trees, the sun rays cutting through their canopies, the couple people watching, until your gaze lands back on Loki.
Your eyes burn as you look at him, your husband, with his anxious little shrug of did I do alright? in his navy trousers and loose white shirt, top buttons undone and sleeves rolled to his elbows; a perfectly informal ensemble to hoist a middle finger to the attire the other wedding wanted him to wear.
He looks comfortable here. A little nervous, maybe, a little anxious and kind of like he’s worried you’ll run away any second, but it’s an endearing, comfortable look.
“Perfect,” you whisper again, smile damp with tears, and you grab his left hand. “Perfect, okay, let’s finish this, I can’t wait anymore…”
The ring slips easily onto his ring finger, somehow still warm against his skin, the gold band glinting in the remaining sunlight as he looks at it.
There. He grins, that little gold ring changing everything.
He’s yours.
Loki Laufeyson belongs to someone.
Someone who actually wants him, someone who loves him.
Taking your left hand in his, his eyes flit up to meet your grin as he brings it to his lips; a royal gesture for the only queen he’ll ever know. He guides the wedding ring onto your finger, caressing your hand with a gentleness you remember knowing he didn’t possess when you met.
His slender fingers close around your hand, cool as always and promising to never let you go.
Breathe.
Once he moves his hand, you look at the ring, shining against your skin—oh god…now you belong to someone, too.
And it’s someone who wants you, and—
“No,” Loki whispers, shaking you out of your thoughts, “I love you.”
Damn, you were doing so good with not crying.
Your husband—yeah, let’s say that again, your husband—starts chuckling, that beautiful rolling laughter cutting right over Thor’s recitations and prayers.
Hand in hand under the trees, Loki laughs, you try to stop the tears rolling down your grinning cheeks, and Thor skips over a few lines, his own laughter starting to cut through the recitations.
He’s speeding up the ceremony, clearly, mumbling through probably important prayers and vows, but you figure that’s probably best—if it lasts any longer, you’re going to combust.
Your husband’s lips seem to be in need of a good kissing.
Finally, finally, after what felt like an eternity of not being able to wrap your husband in your arms, Thor closes his giant old ceremonial book with a snap.
You glance at Loki, then to Thor.
The two arguably strongest men you know, and both of them have tears pooling in their beautiful eyes.
“Thank you,” Thor whispers, laying his hand over you and Loki’s entwined hands and giving them both a reassuring squeeze. “Thank you for letting me be a part of this, brother.”
Loki just nods, bottom lip disappearing between his teeth in an attempt to keep the tears from falling.
“Never doubt—” his voice cracks. “—th-that I love you.”
“I won’t.”
You can’t help but grin at them, the two brothers in their rare moments of softness, when all the warrior-guises, murky bloodlines, and pressures over a throne have worn away.
It’s…refreshing.
And to Loki, more than he ever could have hoped for.
“Alright,” Thor laughs, rubbing his damp eyes with two fingers. “Enough of that. You have a wife to tend to, brother, I’ve made you wait long enough.”
Loki’s hand tightens around yours and he catches your eye, an inevitable smile spreading over his face at the sight of you.
“I pronounce you husband and wife,” Thor announces, smiling broadly. “Now get on with it and kiss.”
It takes barely a single second before you’re dipped backwards, Loki’s arm around your waist as the other trails up to cradle your cheek, kissing you with the fervour of a man starved.
Kissing you like it’s the last thing in his life that he’ll ever, ever do, kissing you as if he just got to make you his and his alone.
Like he’s yours.
People have warned you about Loki’s “possessiveness.”
But right here, right now, with your fingers tangled in his hair, gently tugging to keep him from completely frenching you in front of his brother and your couple friends and family, you know you were right; he was never really a possessive lover.
He’s terrified, and you know this. Not possessive, just scared. And if any possession is playing a part in your relationship—no, marriage…
It’ll be the fact that Loki gets to consider himself officially, undeniably, forever yours.
See, Loki never needed a second chance.
You weren’t his redemption story, weren’t the kind one who “gave him a chance.”
You just…love the right parts of him.
It’s a beautiful thing, really.
To see someone grow from a pure, innocent child into a tortured soul who’s been beaten by the universe, convinced they have no place in this life, then to transform into the person of your dreams?
It’s simple.
Just find the bit of love that everyone holds somewhere in them, no matter how deeply buried it might be, and love that part of them until someday, they can love it, too.
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hope you enjoyed, please reblog and feel free to send me ideas!
loki tags: @bluediamond007 @himitoshi @drakesfiance @destiel1597 @dangertoozmanykids101 @archy3001 @jcalpha1 @yzssie @skullvieplu @forthesnakeofdragons @skulliebythesea @wegingerangelica @storiesfrommirkwood @agarwaeneth @adaliamalfoy @laurfangirl424 @paradisaicsam @fitzsimmons-is-forever @ladylokimischief @katelinwrites @tarynkauai @polaristrange @loavesofmeat @canadian-ravenpuff-multishipper @lou-makes-me-strong @holyn0vak @chocolatealmondmillk @swtnrholland @kenzieam @jessiejunebug @catticas @the-republic-and-face-of-texas @doralupin01 @whitewitchdown @atomiccharmer @falconfeather23435 @babygirlicecream @avengrcs @vethrvolnir2 @bookgirlunicorn @wabisabigrl @myhealingstar @khaleesi-marvel @ei77777 @spacecrumbs @scarlettghost13 @rocks-are-pretty-odd @confessionsofastrugglingteen @easilydistractedwriter @arttasticgreatnessoftheawesome77 @fluffyllamaswearinghats @milktearose @lcyouinhell @h0tshotholland @dontmesswithmemundane @southsidesarcasticwriter @helnik-s @lilith-akemi @fire-in-her-veinz @unlikelysamwinchesteronahunt @mischievousbellerina @kcd15 @mellowgirl01 @lokislilcaribbeanprincess @allthingzhiddleston @scorpionchild81 @lokixme @blue-automne @galaxycharmed @devilbat @kangaroobunny @end-up-well @planetariumx @sarcsep @mrfandomtastic @amaru163 @im-way-too-many-fandoms @caswinchester2000 @kybaeza @wester-than-west @vintagesunshinebitch @adefectivedetective @poetic-nikolai @moonduhsted @kerri-masson @iamverity @innaminitus @spnbarnes @narcissxblack @woohoney @anxiousamandapanda @padmeisgay @authordreaming13 @lokisironthrone @theunknowinglys @highfuncti0ningfangirl @epicfallenismine
#loki x reader#loki reader insert#loki imagine#loki requests#loki x reader fluff#husband!loki#loki's wedding#romantic loki#boyfriend!loki#loki fluff#loki drabbles#loki fanfiction#loki laufeyson#loki slowburn#loki series#loki
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Spy’s Secret (2)
Part 1
Request: Hi! Could you please do a Maria Hill one where reader is an agent who got back from a mission and is assigned to work around Maria and the avengers. Maria and reader are secretly married. Reader flirts with Maria and everyone is kinda shocked because who would risk their lives to flirt with Maria. Reader keeps flirting and the avengers try to convince Maria that reader likes her. Maria's response is something like "She kind of has too". Thank you! Still love you're writing! ☺
A/N: today’s current mood is lying down on the floor while listening to my favorite song and saying ‘i have too much bs to deal with’ but here’s the next part of Spy’s Secret.
Everything was going far better than you or Maria had expected it to go. The Avengers seemed to welcome you faster than they have any other recruits. The best part was they still thought you and Maria were simply crushing on each other, not a married couple.
“Well, I’m going to go to bed,” You sighed, getting off the couch after movie night. “Goodnight everyone,” you left after winking at Maria.
No one missed the wink, or Maria’s slight blush and eye roll. They still sent a chorus of goodbye’s and goodnights your way though.
“She is definitely into you.” Tony stated once you were out of earshot range, or at least he thought you were out of earshot range.
Steve shushed him almost immediately, he looked up and saw you with a small smirk on your face as the elevator doors closed. You heard a last curse before the doors fully closed.
As much as you loved the whole idea of fooling the Avengers, then coming out as a couple at the last minute, it was starting to take its toll on you. You’d missed your wife terrible over the last few weeks when she had been assigned to the Avengers.
Now, when finally the two of you were in the same state, even the same building, you couldn’t be close to her. Sighing at your misfortune, you got out of the elevator and started walking towards your room.
You were lost in thought about Maria and didn’t notice Wanda heading out of her room for something. She noticed you almost immediately, and was a bit shocked by your thoughts but said nothing and headed downstairs where she knew everyone else was.
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After slamming the off button on your alarm clock, you got out of bed, tousling your already messy hair. You put on an oversized hoodie over your t-shirt and leggings and headed outside, throwing your hair into a messy bun to get coffee.
It took you a few seconds to register where exactly you were, not in the SHIELD compound, the Avengers compound. You yawned and poured coffee from the already full pot into a mug and sat down at the counter, sipping grimly.
You wanted to make a plan with Maria about this whole… situation, but neither of you had the time anymore. Sighing as you sipped your coffee you heard someone walk in.
“Someone’s not an early riser.” Maria commented, walking in.
She had somehow already gotten ready for the day at 7:30 in the morning. She wore a sleek, body-con navy blue short sleeved dress and had her hair tied up into a neat bun.
“Here I was thinking I’d gotten up early.” You commented, gesturing for Maria to take some coffee. “Ms. Hill.” you added, sneering at the words.
“Lighten up,” Maria groaned, taking out her Tumbler to take her coffee. “It won’t be too long until we tell everyone.”
“Your definition of too long is months,” You remarked, then added to it. “My definition is a few days.”
“Patience is a virtue.” Maria retorted and sipped her coffee.
“Virtue my ass.” You muttered, sipping your coffee.
“Seriously though, how long until,” Tony walked in for coffee, causing you to quickly change your sentence. “Until we get a starbucks around here.”
Maria mouthed ‘smooth save’ at you before turning around to face Tony. He looked like he just woke up, he wore a tight, quarter sleeved lucky brand t shirt and navy jeans.
“My coffee isn’t good enough for you ms. y/l/n?” Tony joked, pouring himself a mug in a Stark Labs mug. You winced slightly at the Ms again, you could barely help it at this point.
“It’s good, I just prefer having a coffee shop to take someone out to.” You answered, smirking at Maria who turned to glare at you.
“Well we’re trying to keep the Compound away from the city for now.” Steve commented, walking in behind tony.
“Still,” you said, finishing your coffee and getting up from your seat. “Well I’m gonna go train, see you later.” You said, winking at Maria before leaving.
After they were sure you’d left, and you had this time, Steve and Tony turned to Maria.
“If you don’t ask her out to the currently nonexistent Starbucks I’ll make you.” Tony jokingly threatened.
“What?” Maria asked, surprised and raisin an eyebrow at him. Tony raised his hands in defeat and backed off from Maria.
“I’m just saying,” Tony said, “the girl is into you.”
“Tony’s right, for once.” Steve commented, earning him a slap on the arm from Tony. “You should ask her out.”
“She definitely likes you.” Natasha said, walking into the kitchen.
“I mean she kind of has to.” Maria said with a smirk.
“What?” All of them asked at once.
There goes her plan.
Part 3
A/N: I’m so so so sorry about the wait with this, I forgot about this for the longest time. Anyway, feedback is amazing, comments and feedback is honestly the best.
#Marvel#marvel x reader#marvel x you#marvel x female reader#marvel one shot#marvel imagine#Maria hill#Maria hill x you#Maria hill x reader#Maria hill x female reader#Maria hill x y/n#Maria hill imagine#Maria hill one shot
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