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littledrummeraussie · 3 months

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hey now, you're an all-star | jack hughes

it took one month of watching hockey for me to write fic. lmao. classic. good vibes.

thank you @littledrummeraussie for proofreading, love you angie 💖

word count: 2.8k

Warnings: i don't think it needs any? just forgive my limited knowledge of hockey and canada i suppose? mentions of anxiety related to university? it's a bit angsty bc let's be real, do i ever know how to write anything else?

(This is a fem reader insert)

More writing here (soz that the masterlist is not up to date lol) | send thoughts/feedback/suggestions here

You’d known Jack Hughes for as long as you could remember. He stood up for you in the playground at kindergarten, when a bigger kid pushed you off the swings; you returned the favour by saving him from a spider on his backpack. Ever since, you’d always had each other’s backs.

And for as long as you’d known Jack, you’d been able to tell when he was upset about something. His lips did this thing, not quite a pout, but nowhere near the easy smile you were used to seeing. He’d pull his sleeves down over his hands, and his breathing would be… deeper, somehow. He could never meet your gaze, either.

You were scrolling through Instagram on your couch at home, where you were supposed to be studying, when you saw a video of Jack from the Devils fundraiser event, answering media questions about his injury and when he’d be back on the ice. He laughed and smiled for the cameras, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. They asked about the all-star game, and you could feel his hesitation in answering. Jack tried to be positive and assure everyone that he had a chance of playing, but you both knew that wasn’t very likely.

You sent the video to Jack with a comment bagging out his hairstyle, hoping to lift his mood a little, before dropping your phone onto the couch and drawing your attention back to the economics case study you were supposed to be analysing.

You’d stayed in Toronto for university, while Jack headed off to New Jersey after his draft year. Long distance friendship took a lot of getting used to, but at least you were still in the same timezone, and the NHL schedule meant that Jack was contractually obliged to visit you a few times each year. Quinn too, despite how much he complained about the intensity of hockey mania in Toronto. In fact, the entire Hughes family sometimes made the trek, which you knew your parents not-so-secretly loved. It reminded you of the warmth you felt growing up in each other’s homes, filled with laughter and joy.

The little focus you had for your economics homework was broken when your phone began to vibrate beside you, Jack’s name flashing on the screen. You rolled your eyes with a smile, before leaning over to answer the video call.

“Good morning, sunshine!” You greeted your best friend, who was already scowling at you.

“Is it a good morning, though? When all I do is get criticism from my supposed best friend?”

“It’s not criticism, more… encouragement, I’d say.” You teased back, Jack rolling his eyes at you.

“Encouraging what, exactly?”

“Encouraging you to make better personal style choices, especially related to hair. You are a millionaire, after all. Least you can do is get a decent haircut.”

“Oh, my apologies. Didn’t realise I was getting encouragement from the queen of high fashion. Is that a coffee stain on that shirt?” Jack’s eyes glanced down at what little he could see of your outfit in the video call, before poking his tongue out at you.

“Hey, I’m a university student. This is high fashion, I’ll have you know. Anyway, why aren’t you at training?” You asked, cocking your head to the side in curiosity.

Jack’s lips pressed together, and he looked away from his phone and you; you silently cursed yourself for asking the question. Even though Jack had been injured, he’d been pretty dedicated to his rehab and recovery, so it was a little odd for him to be calling you in the morning rather than be at a physio session.

“More scans this afternoon so no session this morning. Trying to decide if I can play next weekend or if I just have to show up and look pretty.” Jack tried to joke, but you could tell that it wasn’t something he found humour in.

“Good thing that looking pretty comes naturally to you, J.”

“Oh, so now I’m pretty? I thought I had shit hair?!”

“You can both be a pretty face and have shit hair, buddy. They’re not mutually exclusive.”

“Mutually exclusive? Is that a fancy term you learnt at school?”

You laughed at that, earning a Jack smile in return. You continued chatting back and forth for another 30 minutes or so, before Jack had to go to his scans.

You managed to get through the rest of your economics homework, but your mind kept wandering back to Jack and his frustration at being injured. He’d been an All-Star before, so it wasn’t that specifically he was frustrated about missing, you were certain. The difference this year was Quinn’s selection in the All-Star weekend, and the building anticipation around so-called “Team Hughes” that would see Jack and Quinn on the same team for the first time in their NHL careers. That’s probably what Jack was upset about, because as much as they chirp each other and are fiercely competitive, there’s nothing Jack Hughes loves more than his brothers. You knew that he’d be in his head overthinking everything and convincing himself that he was letting Quinn down, somehow, despite it being beyond his control.

The only further communication you got from Jack that day was a thumbs-down text message, which told you all you needed to know. You were sporadically in touch a few times throughout the week, and before you knew it, it was the day everyone was flying in for All-Star weekend.

You’d managed to persuade your parents that a full-blown neighbourhood party was not necessary, and instead convinced them to accept Quinn’s invitation to a lowkey but nice dinner downtown near the hotel where he and Jack were staying. The dinner was something you were looking forward to all week, but you hadn’t anticipated two things: accidentally deleting half your economics essay the night before it was due and having to stay up until 3am to finish it; and the butterflies that you were feeling when you were getting ready for dinner. Why on earth were you so nervous? Seeing Jack and Quinn after a while was usually something that excited you, not stressed you out.

You had just pulled on your dress and finished wrangling your hair when your phone pinged with a message from Jack.

Have you looked at the menu for this place? We need to order a side of the loaded mac n cheese pls and thx

I thought you were a high performance athlete? But of course, mac n cheese is a MUST

Correct, my body is a temple. A temple of mac n cheese. Mac is a carb, cheese is calcium for my bones. Winners all around. See ya soon x

It was freezing outside, so you took an Uber from your university apartment to the restaurant. You were running behind, thanks to traffic, and then you almost toppled over on the pavement outside due to the wet weather. Between that and your sleep deprivation, you honestly wanted nothing more than to go home, put your pyjamas on and cry; but you plastered a smile on your face and headed inside the restaurant.

The hostess greeted you warmly, and offered to take your coat once you established that your parents had already arrived and were seated on a table towards the back of the restaurant, and you could see the backs of Jack and Quinn as you approached them. Everyone stood up to greet you with hugs and kisses, and the butterflies sparked again when Jack pulled out the chair next to his for you to sit down. Jack and Quinn both had nice sweaters on with collared shirts, and you were quietly glad you’d decided to wear a dress rather than the jeans you’d initially picked out.

“How did your essay go, sweetheart? I know economics isn’t your favourite…” Your mother enquired, obviously unaware of your crisis the night before.

You gave her a tight-lipped smile and took a sip of the diet coke in front of you (that Jack must’ve ordered for you, no doubt) before mumbling something about getting it sorted and hoping for the best. Your dad swiftly changed the subject to the weekend’s festivities, excitedly asking Quinn about his plans for the All-Star draft, but you could feel Jack’s eyes on you. You met his gaze and subtly shook your head, silently asking for him to save his questions for later. Jack frowned at you, but complied.

The dinner felt like it went quickly, but also went for hours. Your stomach hurt from laughing (and probably too much mac and cheese), as Jack and Quinn regaled your parents with stories of their seasons and their plans for the next summer off in Michigan, where your two families would join each other for a month or so of adventures. You found yourself smiling as your dad and the Hughes brothers comically argued over who would pay the bill, before Jack excused himself to the bathroom and sneakily paid the bill on his way there.

Jack and Quinn’s hotel was walking distance from the restaurant, and they excitedly invited you and your parents to come and see the fancy suite they’d been gifted for the weekend. Your mother made some excuse about traffic on the drive home and promised to come and see it some other time, but nudged you in your side as she told you to go and check it out. You were so tired and ready for bed, but reluctantly agreed; your window of opportunity to spend time with Jack was closing, so you figured you may as well make the most of it.

The butterflies in your stomach flitted around as Jack helped you into your coat before you headed outside the restaurant and bid your parents farewell. You fell into step in between the brothers as they traipsed back toward the hotel, conversation flowing easily as Quinn asked about your college classes and you asked him about the latest book he was reading. Jack was silent as you walked the few blocks before arriving at the hotel, and he gently placed his hand onto your back as you were guided through the hotel front door and into the elevator.

Your jaw dropped when Quinn swiped his key card and you all entered the hotel suite. They weren’t joking about it being fancy, holy shit.

The floor to ceiling windows had incredible views of the city skyline, with a very comfortable looking couch in the living area facing the view. Two doors at either side of the living room lead to bedrooms with luxurious linens, and the marble bathrooms were impeccably finished.

Jack was grinning as he watched you take it all in, leaning up against the door frame to his bedroom as you stood near the window and gaped at the views. Quinn had flopped down on the couch and was texting on his phone.

“Can they gift this to you year-round? I’d like to live here…” You mused, shaking your head at how insane this hockey lifestyle could be.

“We could probably just buy it for you.” Jack said nonchalantly, as he wandered over to stand beside you at the window.

“Yeah, if you want. They’d probably charge us more because I’m a Canuck, though.” Quinn deadpanned, earning a laugh from you and an eye-roll from Jack.

“Speaking of, the guys are all catching up in Petey’s room, so I think I’ll head down there. See you tomorrow after the draft, sugar plum.” Quinn pulled you into a hug, and your heart burst at him using your childhood nickname (which came from one ill-fated ballet performance and you insisted you hated, but secretly loved being called).

You could’ve sworn you saw Quinn wink at Jack before he left the hotel room, but then again, the sleep deprivation could also be sending you loopy.

“Wanna watch a movie?” Jack asked, moving to stand behind you and loop his arms around your waist as you still faced the window. Your heart rate shot through the roof as he pulled you closer, and nestled his head in between your neck and shoulder. You cringed as you realised he could probably feel your pulse beating fast.

“Sure, but no blaming me if I fall asleep on you, sorryyyyy.” You awkwardly maneuvered yourself out of Jack’s embrace and walked over to the couch, sitting down on it and removing your shoes.

“The first time we’ve seen each other in MONTHS and you’re going to fall asleep? Am I that boring? Sheesh.” Jack drawled, watching you from where he stood.

“Yes.” You stuck your tongue out at him, but lost it to a yawn which made you both laugh.

“You know I love you, J. I would happily pull an all-nighter with you, but I don’t think two in a row is probably good for me.”

“Two in a row? What, where you out partying hard last night?” Jack’s voice trailed off as he wandered off into the bedroom, leaving the door open behind him. You heard a drawer open and a light thud onto the floor, and your throat tightened when you realised Jack was changing his clothes. God, you’d gotten changed in front of each other a million times. Why was your brain making everything so weird tonight?

“Not quite. Had a disaster that involved accidentally deleting my entire essay, sobbing for an hour, then staying up until 3am to write the whole thing. Living the dream, as per usual.” You rattled off, trying to sound nonchalant about, even though just thinking about last night made you nauseous with anxiety. Your nonchalance was clearly unconvincing, as Jack came back out of the bedroom clad in a hoodie and sweats and bee-lined for you, his face covered in concern.

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s fine, I promise. All part of the college experience.�� You weren’t sure if you were trying to convince yourself or Jack more. He couldn’t either, but instead of pushing the issue, he threw a hoodie at your head and laughed when you looked offended.

“I’m definitely falling asleep if I put this on, by the way. You know I love being cozy. Cozy is my natural state of being.” You pulled your hair up into a loose bun using the hair tie on your wrist, before pulling the black Devils hoodie over your head.

Jack slotted himself beside you on the couch and reached his arm over your shoulders, finding the remote with his other hand and navigating the ridiculously large TV onto Netflix.

“Fine by be, sugarplum. I’d rather know you’re getting sleep here than send you home to stress yourself out more.” Jack mused, his fingers absentmindedly stroking your arm while he found the latest season of a TV show you both loved to watch and pressed play.

“I’m not stres - it was just one essay - I promise I’m fine.” You sputtered, tripping over your words when Jack locked eyes with you, his gaze empathetic but all-knowing.

“Besides, I’m not the only one in the room worth worrying about.” You said softly, nudging Jack’s side gently. Jack rolled his lips between his teeth, and sighed; he put down the remote and pulled his hoodie sleeves over his hands.

“But we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. You’re not letting anyone down, though. Quinn doesn’t think that.” You continued, softly, not wanting to cause tension.

Jack sighed deeply again and pulled his arm away from you, leaning forward and rubbing his face with both hands.

“You don’t know what Quinny’s thinking, sugar. And it’s not just Quinn, it’s the fucking journalists, and Bratter’s vacation being ruined, and goddamn Michael Bublé being disappointed in me, and - just - fucking all of it.” Jack exhaled deeply, running his fingers through his hair in frustration.

You didn’t know what to say, because you could tell that Jack wasn’t in a mood that you could talk him down out of. But you could tell he needed comfort, needed reassurance, needed to know that you still had his back. Ever since kindergarten.

You grabbed the back of Jack’s hoodie and gently tugged it, and he leaned back against the couch. You tapped Jack’s legs next, and he moved them up onto the other side of the L-shaped couch, so he was properly reclining. You paused, trying to figure out how to position yourself without being literally on top of Jack, but while your brain was running a million miles a minute, Jack’s hand found yours and yanked you towards him gently. You closed your eyes and took a deep breath, before adjusting yourself between Jack’s body and the side of the couch. Jack’s arm found a home over your hips and settled gently on your stomach, pulling your back against his chest. You felt his breath on your neck as you both wriggled around, trying to get comfortable.

You rested your hand on top of Jack’s and gently squeezed, feeling yourself starting to lull to sleep. Despite the butterflies and your heart jumping out of your chest, you somehow had never felt more at peace, right in this moment.

“Is this okay, sugar?” Jack’s voice was barely a whisper, directly into your ear. You didn’t trust your voice not to squeak a response so you simply nodded, trying desperately to calm your fast beating heart.

This was safe, this was calm. This was home.

#NHL fic #we support out friends writing for their new fandoms #❤️#kara

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littledrummeraussie · 4 months

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Happy New Year my loves ❤️🎉

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littledrummeraussie · 4 months

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Fanfiction Readers and writers, Reblog this and tell in the notes your favorite fic from the person you Reblogged from, and if you’re feeling extra nice, why?

#i honestly think i've only read pas de deux #but i remember being obsessed with the idea when chapter 1 dropped #and then waited it out and then spent a whole day reading it #it's ballet and mashton fake dating and i loved every second #the world building and the characters and the museum bit lives rent free in my head #or how everyone considered michael as a friend after everything happened #and how i still want some domestic fluff between them on the same universe #because they would be extra cute

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littledrummeraussie · 4 months

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pas de deux

Pairing: Michael Clifford/Ashton Irwin Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Key Tags: Ballet, Fake/Pretend Relationship, The Nutcracker, Strangers to Lovers Word Count: around 50,140 Read on AO3

Summary:

Michael Clifford is an up and coming choreographer who has been brought to the Minneapolis Ballet to revamp their production of The Nutcracker. Ashton Irwin was a ballet prodigy who stepped out of the spotlight after a devastating injury five years ago and is now ready to return to dance. After they begin fake dating to protect a secret, they end up spending a lot more time together than either of them anticipated, both inside the rehearsal room and outside of it.

Now complete!

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5

#❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️#still thinking about it

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littledrummeraussie · 4 months

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How are our sweet levi and super dad ash doing?😊

Our lovely Levi and his Dad are always up to have some fun, and it was definitely the case during Christmas time. (Maybe a little late this time, but still.) You can read more about Levi and Ashton in the Super Dad ABC series.

masterlist. | want to be added to my taglist? | Christmas Blurb Fest 2022 / I want a blurb too!

Daddy Grinch. [a Levi and dad!Ashton blurb]

warnings: mostly just fluffy family cuteness. some naughtiness added for good measure at the end because Mommy and Daddy are, well, naughty.

word count: 1344

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“When will Santa come?”

“What makes you think he will stop by here?”

Levi’s lips formed a pout as he looked at Ashton, throwing a green rubber duck his way which Ashton caught quickly, putting it on his own head, smiling at his son. His arms were resting on the side of the bathtub, fingers dangling into the water before smearing some suds onto Levi’s nose, making the little boy finally huff out a giggle, trying to clean it off.

It was closing his bedtime, but Levi was too hyper to go to sleep, excited to meet Santa. You’ve tried to explain to him that Santa’s not going to visit the house until he’s not asleep, but he was stubborn and said he’s gonna wait for him anyway. You rolled your eyes and whispered to Ashton that Levi was definitely his son, and he just shrugged, flashing you a cheeky smile that he also knows someone who’s just as stubborn as the little blond boy currently munching on his gingerbread cookie.

“I was a good boy this year, Daddy,” Levi declared, reaching for the green duck which Ashton gave back to him, leaning closer to press a kiss onto the top of his head.

“Should we ask Mommy if she thinks you’ve made the Nice List this year?” Ashton reached for a towel when Levi nodded, quickly wrapping it around him when he lifted the little boy from the tub.

Ash took Levi back to his room to dry him off, helping him put on the new pyjamas his grandma from Australia sent him, the reindeers on it making it the perfect Christmas wear. Levi got hold of Mr. Wolfie before running down the stairs, Ashton trying to keep up with him and catching him at the bottom, throwing him over his shoulder.

“Gotcha!” he fell back onto the couch with his son, pulling him into his lap and blowing a raspberry onto his stomach, making him squeal with delight.

“Well, look at you! Aren’t you just the cutest little kid in town?” you leaned against the doorframe, smiling at your boys. “Come and show me your PJs!”

Levi quickly ran to you and wrapped his tiny arms around your legs, already babbling about Santa and all. Ashton watched the two of you from the couch, heart full as you sat on the floor, your son in your lap while you promised him that he definitely made the Nice List. He even took pictures of the two of you, wanting to set them as his background picture, just like he’d done it from the moment he found out you were pregnant.

“Come on Munchkin, let’s put some cookies out for Santa, okay?” you pressed another kiss on the top of Levi’s head, and he nodded, scurrying to the kitchen. “You’re coming, Ash?”

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he winked at you, helping you up and leading you towards the kitchen as well.

A good 20 minutes later there was a plate set on the coffee table next to the Christmas tree, along with a glass full of milk. Ashton’s been whispering funny remarks to you all through your set up, making it hard not to laugh out loud. Even though you both knew that Santa didn’t exist and that you’ll be the ones who will eventually eat the cookies and all, you still wanted to give the whole experience to Levi, not wanting to ruin the wonder and magic of Christmas. Now Levi was trying to put everything on the plate, not wanting the cookies and the carrots he insisted on for the reindeers to touch each other. He was a very generous little boy as he did pile six or seven gingerbread cookies onto each other, making sure Santa didn’t leave the house too hungry.

Ashton was sitting next to him, pretending to help but in reality he was taking a video of his son, commenting through the whole thing as Levi either asked him to help or made his own comments at his daddy. He was holding a cookie in his hand as he contemplated where to put it, and Ashton couldn’t help himself as he leaned forward, playfully biting off the head of a snowman.

“Noooo, Daddy! That’s for Santa!” the little boy gave him a pout and an offended look, something that looked cuter than it should have.

“Sorry kiddo,” Ash giggled, pecking his cheek. “Let me bring another!”

“You’re the Grinch, Daddy,” Levi still pouted when Ashton brought back some more cookies as a peace offering. “You don’t want Santa to bring me my presents because you’re on the Naughty List and you’re not getting any!”

“I’m sorry, Levi,” he cooed at the little boy, pulling him into his lap and hugging him. “I’ll promise I’ll behave. I don’t want to scare Santa away.”

You watched the interaction from the kitchen, hiding your own giggles at your two loves bickering back and forth. If only Levi knew how high on the Naughty List his dad was…

In the end Levi couldn’t keep being upset as he cuddled up with Ashton, intending to watch Christmas movies until Santa finally arrived. He only made it 30 minutes into the new Grinch movie before he fell asleep on his daddy’s shoulder, wrapped in a blanket and a hug. Ashton opened his arm for you so you could snuggle in there too for a little bit, a content sound leaving his lips as you buried your face in his neck.

“I’m the luckiest man on Earth,” he whispered, resting his head on top of yours. “I love you two, so much.”

“We love you too, Daddy Grinch,” you giggled, pressing a kiss where you could reach him. “We should put the little monkey to bed. We still have a lot to do.”

“Like eating all those cookies left for Santa?” he wiggled his eyebrows, smiling down at you.

“Don’t forget the carrots,” you poked his side, both of you exchanging another laugh.

Ashton took Levi upstairs, tucking him and Mr. Wolfie into bed, before taking a few minutes to write him a little note in the name of Santa, thanking him for the treats left for him. He left the card next to the plate which soon became empty, the two of you munching on the cookies and the carrots as you put the presents under the tree, stuffing the stockings and cleaning up any remaining wrapping papers that would give away the whole game.

You were finishing the last of the dishes when Ashton wrapped his arms around your waist, kissing your cheek sweetly. You felt something soft bumping against your head, and as you turned around you saw your husband with a Santa hat on top of his head, the pompom swinging around as he shook his head to give you a show.

“You’re so silly,” you muffled your giggle against his chest, his hands slowly sliding down your hips to your ass, squeezing it lightly. “You know, I do prefer Santa Daddy.”

“Hmm, but if I’m Santa Daddy, then I cannot be on the Naughty List,” he gave you a cheeky smile. “But I can definitely put you on top of it.”

“And if I wanna be on top of Santa Daddy?” you pushed yourself up on your tiptoes, brushing your lips against his. “Where does that put me, huh?”

“Oh, that puts you on Santa’s special list…” Ashton nipped your bottom lip in return, stifling your moan with his own lips. “Santa’s very special list for the hottest, naughtiest, sexiest Mommy on Earth…”

“Shall we check this Naughty List out? Just to be sure I’m on it?” you tugged on the pompom of Ashton’s hat, at which he quickly picked you up, shutting off the lights as he left the kitchen and the living room, moving to the bedroom with you.

“It is my pleasure, baby. Santa Daddy’s gonna make sure you’re punished or rewarded accordingly.”

It never felt this satisfying, making the top of the Naughty List.

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@mymindwide @fuckyeah5sostakemehome @suchalonelysunflower @talkfastromance4 @ashtonsunflower @in-superbloom @wiiildflowerrr @lovelywordsblog @heyitskelseaj

#selfreblog #lemme reblog my xmas stories

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littledrummeraussie · 4 months

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Am I too late? 😂🥰 Hi Angie! I hope youre well! Been a while and I miss yoooou! Gimmie some soft holiday magic with Ashton maybe? 👀🥹

My dear Sky 💜 this one ran away with me, and I really do hope this is everything you dreamed of. To be honest, I plan on revisiting this one later this year because I had so much fun building the characters and their story. 💜

masterlist. | want to be added to my taglist? | Christmas Blurb Fest 2022

just fall in love with me this Christmas. [a fake dating story with Ashton]

warnings: boss!Ashton. personal assistant!reader. fake relationship. just general cuteness and feels and confessions and such.

word count: 4350

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“It’s one more hour and then you’re free to go.”

“Are you kicking me out of your Mom’s house? My own boyfriend?”

Ashton giggled at your offended face, holding onto the plate he was drying, and you were quick to join him, trying to stay as quiet as possible. You flicked some water at him as you finished the dishes, an offer you made to his mother after she so generously welcomed you to her home and let you be part of their Christmas preparation and the holiday itself. To be honest, it wasn’t such big of a surprise – after all, you were dating her really lovely and really handsome son, Ashton.

Fake dating her son, Ashton. Ashton, who was your boss. Your boss, who somehow made his whole family believe that he did go on dates which he was able to fit into his really tight schedule. A tight schedule which usually took up his whole day, and which you were responsible for – after all, you were his personal assistant, so it was perfectly normal for him to talk about you in the most random contexts, right?

Apparently his family thought otherwise.

Ashton approached you after a long Friday night back in November and offered to take you home, saying it was too late and too dark to wait for a cab or an Uber, and that it was the least he could do after you stayed overtime because of his meeting running too long. You were chatting about the upcoming Monday and what you needed to prepare for with the holiday season coming up when he let out a little cough, slowing down at a red light.

“If the holidays have already come up…”

“I did schedule your two-week vacation for December,” you smiled at him, tapping away on your tablet to pull up your notes, ready to jot down any other things he wanted you to add. “You just need to confirm when exactly you want to go home and I’ll buy your ticket as well.”

“What are you doing for Christmas?”

“Uhm… nothing?” you shook your head a little, his question taking you off-guard. “Why?”

“You’re not going home for the holidays?” Ashton looked at you, teeth sinking into his bottom lip, something you were not used to; he was always so confident and put together.

“No, my family is currently not talking to each other, and I really don’t want to deal with that if I can help it,” you explained, shrugging a little. “I would rather spend Christmas on my own and in peace.”

“What would you say if I asked you to come and spend Christmas with my family?” he parked the car in front of your building, finally turning towards you.

“I’m not sure I understand…” you raised an eyebrow at him, looking at him expectantly. “What is going on?”

“I– might have told them that we’re dating and that you’re coming with me?” Ashton said the whole thing in one breath, face twisting into an apologetic grimace. “I’m– sorry?”

“You did what?” you blinked at him, not even questioningly – you just felt confused. Really confused. You were sure your boss just lost his mind.

Ashton let out a loud groan, head banging on the steering wheel as he mumbled a few colourful curses, before falling back against his seat, fingers running through his perfectly styled hair, messing it up in a second. In any other situation this would have been a hilarious sight for you – your extremely talented and influential, well-dressed and well-spoken boss falling apart in his car, all but making a fool out of himself with the dramatic way he acted. But you knew Ashton. You’ve been working with him for more than two years now, first as a junior assistant, then promoted to be his personal assistant once he fired your predecessor. He rarely freaked out over things, especially minor ones. But this seemed like a problem he was not ready for.

“I’m sorry, I–” he sighed, rubbing at his face tiredly. “It was a misunderstanding and now I can’t get out of it.”

“What kind of misunderstanding? Ashton, come on, you’re not helping!”

“I was talking to my Mom and I was telling her about an event we did and then a dinner and then another thing, just… casually dropping your name in the conversation every 2 minutes or so because obviously it’s perfectly normal for me to talk about my PA when we’re working so closely together, but…” he took another deep breath, hanging his head low before glancing over at you again, red splotches appearing on his face from how frustrated he felt. “She didn’t know I fired Melody in January… and that you’re my PA now… and she thought that this new girl I’m suddenly talking about is actually my new girlfriend whom I did not introduce yet.”

“And you did not correct her on that…” you concluded, and Ashton shook his head, staring at the dashboard.

“Nooope. And she asked me if you would be able to join us for the holidays and before I knew it I’d already said yes…”

“Ash–”

“I just… I just wanted them to finally leave me alone!” he massaged his temple, a headache certainly starting to flare up from all the frustration he carried. “Every time I call home they are always, always asking me about my love life and I just– I hated how I always tell them that I don’t have anyone, how I don’t have time to date, and then… and then I panicked and I just said–”

“Ashton!” you raised your voice and that finally made him look at you, eyes big and maybe a little nervous, still chewing on his bottom lip. “I’m in, it’s fine.”

“It is? Yeah?” he perked up at your answer, desperation still lacing his voice. “You would do that?”

“Sure. After all, I’m your PA. It’s my job to sort out your things,” you took a little jab at him, and that made Ashton laugh a little, letting out the breath he was holding back.

“Thank you, Y/N. You really are saving my ass,” Ashton started pulling himself together, like he didn’t just have a nervous breakdown in front of you. “And of course you’ll be compensated for giving up your holiday for my sake.”

“We can talk about details later. I’ll schedule in a dinner for us, because we definitely need to talk about a lot of things…” you were already making a few notes for yourself before smiling at Ashton, opening the car door. “Do you feel like Italian or maybe something Asian-style for our first official date?”

“Really funny, Y/N,” a laugh hid in his voice as he rolled his eyes. “Surprise me?”

“Of course you would say that,” you shook your head, grabbing your things; after all, this was a weekly exchange between the two of you. “Alright, then I’ll see you on Monday if nothing comes up during the weekend.”

“Thank you again, really,” he gave you a little nod as you climbed out of the car, rolling the window down to call after you. “Have a good night, darling!”

You laughed at his attempt and waved him away, promising yourself that you’ll come up with a nickname for him as well so you can tease him in front of his family. If Ashton dragged you into this whole thing, the least you could do was to have some fun while fake dating your boss.

“Are you sure you don’t want to spend the night?” Ashton’s mother fussed with the lapels of his coat, not yet ready to let go of her son.

“We would really love to, but we both have early flights and the hotel is closer to the airport,” Ashton smiled at her, stopping her hands and instead holding them in his own. “It’s still a good hour until we arrive, and honestly, Y/N is not a morning person. Like, at all. And I really don’t want her to miss her flight now that we were able to get a last minute ticket.”

“It was really lovely spending time with you, Mrs. Irwin. Thank you for inviting me, truly, it was a pleasure,” you stepped next to them, letting her hug you as well as Ashton started saying goodbye to the rest of his family. “I really wish we could stay, but we really don’t have any other options.”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m grateful you’ve spent your holiday with us instead of your family, so I understand you want to be with them as well,” Anne Marie gave you another sweet smile, squeezing your hands just like Ashton did with her. “I’m so glad he found you. You complement each other perfectly. I’ve never seen my Ashton this happy, and I wanted to thank you for it.”

“Oh it’s… it’s nothing, really…” you stuttered at her words, suddenly feeling a little awkward; if only she knew that the whole thing was just a well-orchestrated show the two of you put together…

“Please, he looks at you with such adoration. Now I kinda understand why he was so nervous to bring you back home – he’s smitten with you, and there’s no way he would let anyone know that there is someone who has Mr. Big Boss wrapped around their finger,” she continued in a whisper, a twinkle in her eyes, like she was sharing a secret with you.

“Mom, please, don’t scare her away,” Ashton turned back to the two of you, laughing, his arm slipping around your waist. “We should go, darling. We still need to check in and all.”

“Sure, boo. Once again, thank you for everything. These last two weeks were incredible!”

“Please come back soon, both of you,” Anne Marie bid you goodbye one more time before you grabbed your bags and luggage, loading them into the car Ashton rented, then you were on your way back to the city.

Leaving two days earlier wasn’t in your plans, but right in the middle of your stay with Ashton’s family your mother called you up, asking if maybe you would be able to still visit them, even if it was just for a few days. You were ready to tell her that it was a really last minute invitation, and that you were kind of in the middle of something that actually involved your job and your boss, and really, you didn’t want to go and hear the latest family drama. But then that night when you told Ashton about it he was quick to realize that maybe you did want to go and see your family, and he pulled every possible string he could to get you a ticket.

“I’ll change your contact info to Mr. Big Boss,” you giggled, your head resting back against your seat as you looked at Ashton. “Though I kinda like Ashton Bear with the red heart.”

“You’re terrible. Was that really the best name you could come up with?” he groaned, sending you a quick smile as he drove down the road.

“Because Baby Shortcake and the cake emoji were so much better, you’re right,” your eyes rolled at the memory when you were both looking for his phone in your shared bedroom, finding it under the presents you’ve brought, your caller ID flashing across the screen. “How did I even become that?”

“It’s what you ordered for dessert on our third date,” he shrugged, his cheeks flushing pink. “I mean, on our date, when we were discussing everything and all.”

“When we were talking about coffee orders, and I might have confessed that I have a whole chart based on your moods and what kind of coffee you usually drink at that time? Because that was definitely a really good work date, and the absolute best strawberry shortcake I’ve ever had,” you smiled, a twinkle in your eyes. “You should definitely take me back for another dinner or something, I think I deserve it.”

“Only for the strawberry shortcake?” Ashton chuckled, but there was something else laced in his voice, something flirty and maybe hopeful.

“Definitely for the cake. But maybe for something else as well…” you let your answer linger between the two of you, not missing how Ashton tried to hide his smile in his scarf, mumbling a quiet ‘okay’ to you.

After two weeks of sharing the same bed it was a nice change that you were able to have one just for yourself, even though you were still sharing a room with Ashton. He told you to go ahead and take a shower while he sorted out some things, and you happily wrapped the robe around your body once you were done with your nightly routine. By that time Ashton had also come back and went to freshen up after you were finished, settling down next to you on the couch in his own robe. Before any of you could say a word someone knocked on the door and he quickly went to open it, appearing a moment later with a tray and two mugs.

“What’s this?” you smiled as you accepted the steaming cup, looking at your boss over the rim.

“Hot chocolate,” Ashton returned your smile, taking a small sip of his drink, licking the whipped cream off of his top lip. “I’m still in a Christmassy mood.”

“Yeah, me too. And our room definitely helps with that,” you nodded at the small tree in the corner along with the artificial fireplace in front of you, everything settling the mood for a perfect, quiet night you still had together – the very last one. “Though I really liked your Mom’s living room. It was really nice and cozy.”

“Yeah, it was… it was nice. Back at home. Thank you for coming with me once again,” Ashton stumbled through his words a little before looking at his phone, his lips twitching into a thin line before quickly shaking his head.

“You’re okay?” you did not miss his mood changing, and you thought something might have happened which caused it.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good,” he gave you a forced smile, looking back at his mug, not really drinking it anymore. “Uhm… it’s midnight. You’re officially off duty, and no longer my girlfriend.”

“Oh,” you blinked at him a few times, realizing why his demeanour changed for a second to his usual boss one. “Yeah, of course. Thank you.”

Silence settled over the two of you as you both returned your attention to your hot chocolates, sipping on them quietly. You imagined that this moment would pass without any other thoughts, that once Ashton told you that your agreement has come to an end you would just fall back into your usual roles and act like nothing has happened in the last few weeks. But the truth was that you couldn’t forget about them: the dates you went on, the kisses you’ve shared, the vulnerable, intimate moments you witnessed from each other while you pretended to be lovers.

“You know…” you finally spoke after a few minutes. “I had so much fun during these two weeks with you. It was really lovely and it actually felt like… like something that Christmas with family really should be.”

“I really had so much fun with you too. Can’t remember the last time I felt like this,” Ashton’s mouth pulled into a little smile, nostalgia lacing his voice. “It was the first time that I– that I really wished I could stay a little longer.”

“I’m sorry you needed to leave because of me. You should have told me, I could have found a way to get here and catch my flight in the morning…”

“No, I– I wished that I could stay there… with you,” the confession finally slipped out of Ashton’s mouth, his eyes settling on you. “That you didn’t need to go home, and neither do I. That we would stay and just be together. Just a little longer.”

“I don’t have to go home if you don’t want me to,” you answered in a whisper, almost like you were scared that if you were any louder it would ruin the magic of the moment.

Ashton slowly put his mug down on the table in front of you before scooting closer and taking your cup as well, placing it next to his, eyes still trained on you. His palm curled around your jaw, your own hand sliding over his as he tipped your head forward, nose tracing yours for a moment before you felt his lips slowly press against your lips, soft and tasting so sweet. It was more than just the quick pecks you’ve exchanged in front of his family; a little moan escaped you at the kiss, and Ashton took that as a sign to tease his tongue against your bottom lip, taking your breath away for a second. Your free hand slipped onto his shoulder and up to the nape of his neck, fingers brushing through his curling hair to pull him closer, wanting to get lost in the kiss you’ve shared.

It was long minutes later when he finally pulled back a little, forehead resting against yours as he breathed deeply, the hot puffs of air tickling your skin. You felt a smile tug at the corner of your mouth, eyes still closed, the words softly falling from your lips:

“Hmm, a real kiss?”

“I would like to think they were all real,” Ashton chuckled, heat radiating from his cheeks, but the cheeky smile on his face gave him away.

“That’s why I needed to tell you to kiss me that very first time?” your fingers combed into his hair, tugging on his curls a little while pulling him back again, lips pressing together for another second.

“I’m not a damn fool…” Ashton mumbled against your skin, nuzzling his nose with yours. “Well, not anymore.”

His honesty made you laugh and you buried your face against his neck, stifling your giggles. Ashton wrapped his arms around you, keeping you close to his chest, palm rubbing up and down your back, something that he picked up during your time at his Mom’s house when you were cuddled up on the couch, watching Christmas movies together. You still remembered the first time you were forced to act like lovers and be all touchy with each other, and now it warmed your heart how naturally it came for the two of you.

“I’ve thought that the only reason why I asked you to come with me and pretend to be my girlfriend was simply because you’re my assistant, and you’re used to dealing with my shit,” Ashton sighed against your hair, his voice close to a whisper, and you held your breath as you listened to him. “I’ve told myself that whatever I was feeling during our dinner dates or quick post-work discussions was because it’s been a while since I had someone I could share anything with. Because I needed to pretend we’re together, and I needed to believe I have feelings for you. I told myself I’m not falling for you, that I cannot fall for you. But by the time we have arrived it was already too late…”

You pulled back just enough to look up at him again, foreheads touching, wanting to ask him something, but Ashton continued talking, his eyes sparkling in the colourful lights twinkling in the corner of the room.

“I think… I think I always had feelings for you. Maybe not as strong as now, but they were there. And every time we needed to act like a couple I just froze for a moment because I was fighting so hard to keep my feelings in check. And every time I just felt myself falling even more for you…” a little smile pulled at the corner of his mouth at his own confession, and you ran your fingers down his cheek, softly caressing it. “After those first few times… it was so easy, so comfortable – I liked that feeling with you, being comfortable. I’m not used to that with people.”

It wasn’t a question; it was a statement. And you did remember, every little moment from the past two weeks: all those times when you needed to face a new situation that required the both of you to put your boss–assistant relationship behind yourselves, get out of your comfort zones, and act like the loving couple you pretended to be. It made sense now, how Ashton always hesitated first, but then warmed up to you as time passed by. The long looks, the lingering touches, the unprompted little cuddles, the quiet moments shared in the morning. You could have acted like you always did, just two people having a work relationship. But somehow you always found yourselves close to the other.

“I was telling myself that I’m only feeling this because we’re pretending that we’re in love. That these things will pass soon, especially as we’re coming to the end of our agreement. Funny how I realized what I was really feeling by the time you have decided that you’ll go home to your parents. It made me realize that I might just lose my chance to tell you how I feel.”

“Well, that was… quite the confession,” you let out a little laugh, your own cheeks feeling warm as you cupped Ashton’s face in your hands. “Am I allowed to speak now?”

“Oh, shit, yeah! Of course,” Ashton groaned, trying to hide his blush from you, his dimples appearing as he smiled. “Sorry.”

“That’s okay. I know you’re good at motivational speeches,” you teased him, making him roll his eyes before looking back at you. “I liked whatever we had before we started fake dating. I love our work relationship, I love our dynamic. But truth to be told… it was really easy to fall in love with you. I always thought you were… decent and… handsome… definitely great humour. But I quickly told myself that I can either ruin this by having a crush on you, or you know… keep my job. And then you fired Melody…”

“…and you decided to keep your job,” he concluded, his voice sounding a little more quiet.

“I also knew that pursuing a relationship with you would be really difficult, seeing as you didn’t really have any breaks in the last few years. And I wasn’t sure how it could work out… PA by day, girlfriend by night? And anyway, I wasn’t even sure if you would like me like that.”

“Well, I wasn’t sure either… not until recently,” he said, nodding for you to continue.

“When you asked me to go on this trip with you, I– I told myself you were crazy. Then I realized I was also crazy for even just thinking about saying yes to your offer. But I thought it could be a fun way to spend Christmas if I’m not with my family, and it also kinda gave me the chance to pretend that you… that you like me. And I was gone from the moment I saw you at the airport, wearing your glasses and waiting for me with coffee… and it broke my heart that this would be only for two weeks.”

“That’s why you ended up saying yes to visiting your family, even though you didn’t want to do it before?” Ashton asked, brushing a few strands of hair away from your face.

“I had a moment when I felt really close to you, where I believed that this thing between us… it was real,” you confessed, eyes looking down. “And I felt that I might need a few days alone to sort out my feelings before going back to work with you, acting like nothing happened while we were here. Like we didn’t share the bed, we didn’t hold each other, and we definitely didn’t kiss.”

“Well, I don’t want to pretend that these two weeks never happened,” you felt him curl his arms around your waist, pulling you into his lap before tipping your chin up, making you look into his eyes. “It’s the happiest I’ve been for a long time now. And I really want to hold onto this feeling. I really want this to be real, you and me.”

“What about our jobs?” you sighed, fingers tangling into his hair and brushing it back from his forehead. “Cause I want this, I want you, more than anything. But I don’t want to give up on you, not as my boss, and definitely not as Ashton.”

“We’ll just try and work it out when we’re back, okay?” he cupped your cheek, leaning closer to press his lips softly against yours. “We’ll schedule a work dinner at that restaurant you liked and talk about it over a strawberry shortcake.”

“You’re terrible,” you scoffed, pressing a smiley kiss back onto his lips. “Do I have to make the reservation?”

“Hey now, I know I’m bad at scheduling, and that’s why I have you, but I’m taking you on that date myself,” Ashton giggled, mumbling his words between more kisses. “It’s what a real girlfriend deserves.”

“Can I keep your contact info as Ashton Bear? With the heart?” you nudged your nose against his as you kissed, his fingers tightening on your hips. “If you’re my real boyfriend now?”

“Surprise me?” his voice turned into a moan, locking his arms around you, your body pressed against his chest.

“Of course you would say that.”

His giggle filled the air, hearty and full of happiness before picking you up in his lap and taking you to the bedroom. There were a lot of things forgotten that night: setting an alarm for the next day. Your robes and the other bed. Staying on your sides as you fell asleep. You both forgot who you were pretending to be and who you were supposed to be.

That night you were finally just two people who fell in love during Christmas.

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@mymindwide @fuckyeah5sostakemehome @suchalonelysunflower @talkfastromance4 @ashtonsunflower @in-superbloom @wiiildflowerrr @lovelywordsblog @heyitskelseaj @sadistmichael

#selfreblog #lemme reblog my xmas stories

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littledrummeraussie · 4 months

Note

Little Xmas blurb

Ashton sneaks in a present the reader didn't know about.

Or soft Ashton hours is always fun to read

Hi my lovely! ❤️ I think I was able to do both the Christmas present one and soft Ashton thing in one, and I do hope you’ll enjoy it! ❤️

masterlist. | want to be added to my taglist? | Christmas Blurb Fest 2022

a Christmas surprise. [an Ashton blurb]

warnings: some angsty feels and a lot of cuteness. I don’t want to say much because that would give away most of it and that would ruin the story :)

word count: 1318

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“Look, Zoe, look! Look at the teddy Ashton got you!”

The little girl in your lap giggled, tugging on the teddy bear’s ear that Ashton was holding in front of her. He looked at her with a bright smile, babbling and giggling as well, a conversation only the two of them understood. It warmed your heart, the way they’ve been loving each other from that very first moment – he made it so easy to pretend that the three of you were a happy little family.

But Zoe wasn’t Ashton’s daughter, and you were still unsure how serious your relationship was. If someone would ask you about how you ended up in this situation, your only answer would be: it’s complicated. Because how do you explain to people that after you found yourself alone and pregnant, your best guy friend let you stay with him while you were expecting your daughter, and made sure all your needs were met, turned one of his guest bedrooms into a nursery, and even took you to the hospital when you went into labour?

How do you tell people that he was the one who held you when you cried and was there to clean you up when you were sick in the morning, who sang songs to your unborn child and bought you ice cream in the middle of the night when you woke up craving it? How would they react if you told them that Ashton held your hand when Zoe was born, tears in his eyes when he first looked at the little baby bundled into her blankets? What would they say when they learned that he kissed you right then and there, mumbling how proud he was of you and how he might have fallen in love with you while you were living with him.

“Everything’s okay?” Ashton reached for your hand, lacing your fingers together, and you nodded, squeezing his hand in yours.

“Yeah,” you smiled at him, eyes moving between his face and the pile of presents under the tree. “You’re spoiling her.”

“I’m pretty sure there are some stuff for you as well,” he winked at you, tickling Zoe’s foot to make her giggle again.

You were all sitting in the living room, wearing a matching set of Christmas pyjamas, differing in colour, but all having the same pattern. It was Ashton’s idea, and you couldn’t say no to it, not when it was so cute and domestic. Sometimes you let yourself believe that this could be your life, that you and Ashton would be together for many more years.

But if you wanted to be honest with yourself, you didn’t think it was a real possibility – sure, he let you stay with him when you had almost nowhere else to go, and he somehow fell for you during those months, but was this really something that could be a long term thing? What if one day he meets someone who doesn’t have baggage like you? And certainly not a kid.

“Alright, come on, give her to me!” you didn’t realize that you were lost in thoughts again, only when Ashton reached over and took Zoe out of your lap, letting her sit in his own instead. “The thin package, that one. That’s for both of you.”

“You shouldn’t have, I told you,” you shook your head with a smile, already starting to tear the wrapping paper. “I thought we agreed on not doing presents for each other this year.”

“I’m allowed to surprise you,” he bumped his knee against yours, cradling the little girl in his arms. “It’s the boyfriend privilege.”

“Okay, let’s see what did you get us, Mr. Boyfriend,” you pulled out a manila envelope from the wrapping paper, opening it carefully. “I hope you did not buy us anything…”

Ashton only hummed in response, playing with Zoe as you started reading the document in your hands. After the first few rows your eyes went wide, slowly looking back at your boyfriend.

“Ashton… these are… are these adoption papers?”

“They are,” his voice was warm and steady, scooting next to you so your shoulders touched, hand resting on your knee. “I’ve had them for a while.”

“But…” your eyes were going back and forth between him and the papers in your hand. “You wanna adopt Zoe? Really?”

“And not just that,” he gave Zoe back to you before he reached for one of the ornaments on the Christmas tree, a beautiful red orb covered in velvet.

You didn’t have time to process what was happening, because the next thing you knew was that Ashton was sitting across from you, the red ornament popped open in his palm, holding a beautiful ring in front of you.

“Ash–”

“I know you hate clichés. God knows I’ve tried to come up with something else, but nothing seemed as honest as this one. There is a reason why Christmas is the season of love, and I want you to know that I love you, Y/N. I know that sometimes it’s hard for you to believe and accept it. That you sometimes think I only care about you and Zoe because I offered you to stay here and now I don’t have the heart to send you away.”

There was no reason to deny those words – they were things you’ve talked about before, when you confessed to Ashton that at times you did not feel good enough – neither as a mother, nor as a girlfriend. That you thought he could do better, that you did not want to burden his already busy life with a child that wasn’t his own. But Ashton always told you that his feelings were real, and he was happy the two of you were part of his life.

“I don’t want any of you to leave, not ever,” he continued, eyes boring into yours, so beautiful and honest, and you felt tears starting to gather in the corner of your eye. “I know that what we have is not your regular love story and not your traditional family. But I don’t care. I love the both of you with all my heart, and I would love to call Zoe my daughter. I want to give her everything in life, because she deserves to be loved. And you, Y/N, I have no idea what you’ve done to me, but I cannot imagine my life without you now. So I need to ask you: would you let me become Zoe’s dad, officially, and at the same time, would you accept me to be in your life from now on, and marry me?”

Zoe let out a series of giggles at Ashton’s words, and you felt your heart bursting with love, a teary chuckle escaping you as you tried to wipe away your tears. Ashton leaned closer and knocked his forehead against yours, helping you brush away the tears from under your eyes.

“I think she would love to call you Daddy,” you hiccuped a little, making Ashton smile as well as he cupped your cheek.

“And what do you say? Would you like to call me–”

“Hell no!” you scrunched up your face with a laugh, already knowing the joke he wanted to make. “But I would love to marry you, Ash, yes. I love you.”

“I love you too,” he sighed, pressing his lips against yours in a kiss, one full of love and promises. “And I love you too, little Miss Zoe.”

He bent down to kiss her cheek, and Zoe tried to imitate him more or less successfully. You knew you’ll always remember this Christmas, and not because of the ring that was now on your finger, a promise from Ashton to build a life together. It was the love he had for Zoe, and the gift of giving her a real family – blended or not: it was your own.

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@mymindwide @fuckyeah5sostakemehome @suchalonelysunflower @talkfastromance4 @ashtonsunflower @in-superbloom @wiiildflowerrr @lovelywordsblog @heyitskelseaj

#selreblog #lemme reblog my xmas stories

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