#Cecelia hates everyone there

[aglitchysylveon]

Have a dumb shitpost again.

Context - it's Cecelia and Libidonna watching a gameshow in my friends series of 5 people get thrown into a death mansion and get horribly murdered, Cecelia hates being there because Donna is there and Donna is just encouraging murder.

#my art #oc art #oc #shitpost #oc lore #tmc oc #the mandela catalogue #doodle #Donna probably caused a few of em to gang up on one character because she told em to #Cecelia hates everyone there #silly alternate gorl

[noellefan101]

Nick-Names - Genshin

Characters: Xiao, Scaramouche, Venti, Lyney, Albedo, Kaveh, Thoma, Diluc, Childe, Heizou, Kazuha x GN reader

Warnings: a lot of cheesy and weird nicknames, if you dont like some for a specific char you're welcome to send me your ideas, could be modern au, established relationship

(you can clearly see that i prob put in an OC, so im so sry, but some i just also really head-canon as the "would rather date a loving person than be loving" if you get what i mean)

Summary: both of your pet names for each other, some silly some sweet

Note: you can really tell where i had no ideas for nicknames. and ik i use both 'pet names' and 'nicknames' but im just kinda stupid and didnt care to change stuff when i was already done with it. also i may just have a problem but why does princess sound 10x better than prince, no matter your gender, anyway love youuuu

Xiao

He will always say what is on his mind, and he did the same thing when you brought up using pet names. he wasn't very fond of the idea, and sometimes he still isn't(depending on the situation). but he has gotten used to it more over time, like when you burst open his door and to talk to him while using the most absurd nicknames he´s ever heard of.

__

Pet names for you: lovely, qinxing, [shorter version of your name](sry people with short names, i fell ya)

Pet names for him: babe, baby, cutie, dove, birdy, my alatus

Scaramouche

Will never admit he likes being called weird things by you, EVER. if he did then he was drunk and he was totally lying. and that counts with calling you stuff as well, he would rather die than admit he doesn't just call you that bc you wanted him to.

__

Pet names for you: idiot, princess/prince, dear

Pet names for him: smoochi, love

Venti

He was probably the one who suggested the idea at first, like two days/weeks (seconds) into your relationship. i also think he already had at least one nickname for you when you were "just friends", in the crushing phase, and has some for all his other friends as well(prob also his teachers if school au, lul).

__

Pet names for you: windblume, cecilia, [insert the cheesiest thing you can think of], my love

Pet names for him: venni, my dear, sweetheart, my bard

Lyney

He would be over the moon if you gave him a nickname, and would instantly be looking like a tomato too. would increase its usage by tenfolds if you said you liked one of his nicknames. you cannot stop him even if you somehow got 'Father' involved.

__

Pet names for you: babe, mon trésor, mon amour, beautiful

Pet names for him: sweetie, amour, lyn

Albedo

He didn't really see a use for it at first, finding it kind of useless. but sooner or later realized how happy you looked when he had somehow slipped up and called you 'love' when he needed your assistance. and later just didn't bother to stop.

__

Pet names for you: love, my cecelia, my dear

Pet names for him: 'bedo, lovely, (my) genius

Kaveh

He LOVES nick-names, probably made one for everyone in the friend group(yk alhaitham, tighnari n cyno), and would be delighted to make some up for you.

__

Pet names for you: beloved, lovely

Pet names for him: baby,

Thoma

He really wanted to try using them, yes he calls Ayato and Ayaka my lord and my lady, but its just not the same as calling your lover something sweet. and good luck if you don't like it, he's keeping those names forever.

__

Pet names for you: babe, sweetheart, baby, sleepyhead, lovely

Pet names for him: babe, love

Diluc

He honestly wasn't a fan at first, he hated it even. but of course, you being you, insisted on using names for him, and encouraged him to at least try to use some for you. so he kinda got into routine with it.

__

Pet names for you: my love, my dear

Pet names for him: dear, red head, love, my hero

Childe

Of course, he would use nick-names and such, he uses nick-names for the traveler and paimon, so of course he would be using such with you. honestly how could he not, especially when you're looking all cute cuddled up in his hoodie.

__

Pet names for you: my love, beloved, cupcake

Pet names for him: ginger, ma strong man(only for teasing purposes), hubby

Heizou

He'll almost never call you by your actual name, he didnt even when you two were just friends, only in the most serious of times would he do that. so it was no surprise that when you actually started dating, they could only become sweeter and cheesier as time goes by.

__

Pet names for you: princess/prince, baby, beautiful, (my) sunshine

Pet names for him: hei, zou-zou, babe

Kazuha

He loves it bc no matter what you call him he'll be happy. and he makes sure you have "some" as well, and i guess he just can't stop coming up with more, and they're always more cheesy than the last. you don't know how he does it, but maybe its just his poetry skills coming through.

__

Pet names for you: dove, (my) love, sweetheart, sweetie, my dear

Pet names for him: kazu, dear

thank u for reading whatever this thing is(totally not a filler bc i habe been working on that streamer au for too long), luv ya-Masterlist

You are welcome to reblog and like any of my posts, but you CAN NOT translate, copy or hate on anybody for liking my posts

#kazuha x reader #childe x reader #heizou x reader #lyney x reader #xiao x reader #scaramouche x reader #albedo x reader #diluc x reader #kaveh x reader #thoma x reader #venti x reader #noelle´s maiden #noellefan101 #gn reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact

[littlediscoveredstars]

Alright I’m on my Yugioh shit, but I think what Pegasus did to Seto Kaiba was waaaay more personal than any other Yugioh villain.

None of my thoughts are organized, but I’ll try to get it out in some kind of way that makes sense.

Let me first start by saying that Seto Kaiba is a minor through the whole series. This is important to his character, almost more than the others, because it is exactly what he’s trying to erase about himself.

Kaiba dresses himself up in outfits that accent his masculine features similar to how an adult will. His shoulder pads make his shoulders seem broader. His coat goes inward to give a very triangular shape to his torso. He’s got belts everywhere (and while yes, this is just the style of Yugioh, I believe it cannot be completely written off as just that).

At the base of it, Kaiba wants to be seen as an adult. He NEEDS to be. He runs a company and is in near constant threat of being taken advantage of by others. We see this many times throughout the show, especially by Pegasus.

Now, to connect things once again. Kaiba is a minor who was thrust into adulthood far too early, yet, he engages in child-like activities. Duel Monsters, while used for their ancient shadow games, is still just a game. A game Kaiba is OBSESSED with, to the point he becomes the face of the Blue Eyes White Dragon.

(Which is his symbol of power and autonomy over others, which further proves why he so badly hates the ancient talk, but that’s another essay)

Pegasus is the created (re-created, technically) of Duel Monsters. He made the paintings, the cards, the rules. He shows in many tournaments (assumed based off episode 2) and given how much Kaiba has won? I’m guessing they met before becoming business partners.

In short, it makes sense that Pegasus would be an important figure to Kaiba. Maybe an idol, an inspiration, or whatever it might be. Kaiba saw Pegasus and saw a man who’s game kept him alive through his years with Gozaburo, who gave him a connection to his own brother.

Pegasus is powerful. Pegasus has full control of his own actions. He is everything Kaiba wants and changed KaibaCorp. to be.

A little ways down the line, Pegasus becomes his business partner. Kaiba gets to work a littler closer with him. We never see what exactly that entailed besides letting Kaiba use the Blue Eyes (and other cards) without copyright issues and Pegasus using the holographic stages, but even that is a significant exchange.

(Makes me wonder if things hadn’t turned out the way they did, would Kaiba and Duke Devlin view him the same way?)

Then, Pegasus starts Duelist Kingdom. He uses Kaibams vulnerability to his advantage and steps in to take over. He kidnaps Mokuba, then takes his soul and shows it off like a trophy.

Pegasus has not just betrayed Kaiba’s trust, but he turned into a real person for Kaiba. It shows him that, just like everyone else, Pegasus is greedy and selfish. He takes what Kaiba worked so hard for, what he loves, just because he can. And he does so with the same smiles and teasing as before.

It’s beyond disappointment. This is heating your favorite person side with your abusers. This is a childhood hero watching you get kicked and laughing as he kicks you alongside them.

So, naturally, Kaiba won’t forgive him. We see in Battle City how bruised Kaiba’s ego is. He’s mad at Yugi, he’s mad at Izushi, no one is saved from his ire. Even Mokuba gets the short stick every so often. He is compensating BIG TIME and it’s directly connected to how things went over last season.

Might I add that Duelist Kingdom takes place less than a year after Kaiba took over KaibaCorp? This is a still pretty fresh CEO with some very big trauma that he simply has not dig into yet.

I think in a world where Pegasus was not so disillusioned by his own desperation to revive Cecelia, he would’ve been a good mentor to Kaiba. They both have a love for games, for the visual experience (painting and holograms) and they’re both very particular. Honestly, their traits would work relatively well, all things considered.

But it didn’t and we see Kaiba go through cycle after cycle of trying to get better and stumbling every step of the way.

Anyway, that’s my TedTalk. As a Pegasus enjoyed and Kaiba analysis, I found this topic very fascinating.

#yugioh #seto kaiba #maximillion pegasus #pegasus j crawford #character analysis #duelist kingdom #not toonshipping! #essay #cycles of abuse

[ofstarsandvibranium]

Unexpectedly Yours: Part 1

Fandom: Ted Lasso (Regency AU)

Pairing: Roy Kent x F!Reader

Summary: Lord Roy Kent still has yet to marry. He hates the notion that marriage is a way to ensure your status in society. You have delayed your debut to society for years because of the same idea. So what happens when two people who hate the idea of marriage are constantly drawn to each other?

A/N: inspired by my post here. probably gonna be 2 or 3 parts max mini series.

You thought you'd have more time. You thought you'd be able to enjoy your youth for just a bit longer, but your time is up. Now five and twenty, your parents can no longer let you delay your debut to society any longer. Tonight, your debut ball, is probably going to be the worst night of your life.

__________________________

Lord Roy Kent wasn't too keen on moving from London to the small town of Richmond. However, after his brother-in-law's passing, he understood his sister's need for a change of scenery. So he bought an estate in Richmond for him, his sister, and his niece to live in.

Not long after their move, the Roy and his family were already being invited to take part in society, albeit, a small portion of it, but still a notable population of it.

"We should go," Lord Kent's sister, Clara, insists after viewing the invitation over her brother's shoulder.

"Why?"

"We should socialize, Roy. We didn't move here just to be holed up in the house all day. Come on, it could be good for us." Lord Kent groans, and Clara nudges him, "Fine. Don't go. Phoebe and I will go ourselves. I'm sure there will be some children there she could befriend."

Hating the idea of his sister and niece going by themselves gave Lord Kent the push he needed, "Fine. I'll go."

Clara beams at her older brother, "Wonderful!" she plucks the invitation from her brother's hand, "I'll send back a reply that the three of us will be attending."

_________________________

The day of the ball, your mother was fussing in a way you have never seen before. You and your young cousin, Cecelia, watch your mother flutter about ordering servants and cooks in a very frightening manner.

"I don't like who auntie is right now," your eight year old cousin whispers to you.

You snort, "Just wait until you debut, I'm sure it'll be just the same. Maybe worse."

Cecelia grimaces and then sighs, "Do you think other children will be attending? I've made sure all of my dolls look pretty if they do."

"I'm sure a few will come, Cece."

"Is Keeley coming? I like playing with her."

You softly smile at Cecelia, "Yes, but she won't be able to play with you, darling. She has to socialize with everyone and, most importantly, keep any potential suitors away from me," you give your cousin a joking nudge.

Your attention is suddenly on your mother as she starts scolding one of your handmaidens. You rush over to them and step in-between them, "Mother, what happened?"

"The flower arrangements are all wrong! They don't look how I want them to. They-"

"Mother," you place your hands on her shoulders, "Breathe." You then nod to your handmaiden and she scurries away. You guide her to a nearby bench and sit beside her, "I've never seen you so stressed before. You've planned balls prior to this."

"Yes, but this is especially important. This is your debut. The time for you to finally find a husband. Potential suitors will be here and everything needs to be perfect! Most importantly, Lord Kent and his family will be attending."

Your brows shoot up in surprise, "Really?"

You've heard news about the new lord and his family. They moved to the small town of Richmond due to Lord Kent's sister's husband passing away. She has a daughter around the same age as Cecelia.

Lady O'Sullivan, Lord Kent's sister, and her daughter, Phoebe, have been seen out, but there have been very few sightings of Lord Kent. He's, essentially, an anomaly, a mystery that everyone is trying to solve.

You? You have no particular interest in him at all, even if he is attending the ball held in your honor.

"Mother, I'm sure however the flower arrangements turn out, it'll be fine. Everything will be fine."

_____________________________

When Lord Kent, Lady O'Sullivan, and Phoebe arrive, there are already many guests present. As soon as they step foot into your home, your mother is rushing up to them.

"Lord Kent, it is an honor to be your host for tonight."

Clara steps forward, "Thank you so much for the invitation, Lady L/N," she thanks your mother with a curtsey. She then gestures to her brother, "This is my brother, Lord Kent and my daughter, Phoebe."

Your mother curtsies to Lord Kent and smiles at Phoebe, "Hello Phoebe. My niece is upstairs with other children. If you go to Jane," she points at the woman at the bottom of the stairs, "she can take you to them."

Phoebe looks up at her mother and when she receives a nod, she hastily rushes to Jane, ready to play with other children.

"I hope you enjoy the ball," your mother says, "My daughter, Y/N, is somewhere here, either mingling or hiding," she gives a sorry expression and then moves to greet other arriving guests.

Lord Kent groans as he enters the ballroom and Clara elbows him, "Behave. Go converse, mingle." Lord Kent slowly turns his head and glares at his sister, who then snorts, "Or stand in a corner and look menacing." She leaves her brother's side, heading for the h'orderves.

Lord Kent assumed his intimidating stature. His hands clasped behind his back as he walks around the ballroom. It was much smaller than ones he's been in when he lived in London. Still, it was impressive for a home in a small town.

"Sir?" a servant offers a tray of drinks and Lord Kent takes one. He sips the beverage, still wandering around the room, a looming and intimidating presence.

__________________

Your dance card had filled up quick. Left and right were you pulled around the dance floor by different prospects of men. They were all so...boring.

After another dance, you drag your body to the corner where Keeley and her fiancé, James, or Jamie as he liked to be referred to, stood in the corner talking and drinking.

"So?" your best friend asks with hopeful eyes.

"Just as boring as the last," you say as James offers you a drink, "Honestly, I don't understand how you dealt with this for years until this numpty finally turned himself around," you gesture to Jamie.

Jamie shrugs, "I'm just lucky she was willing to give me another chance," he kisses Keeley's cheek lovingly and you inwardly sigh. You always hoped to have a love like theirs. Yes, it was rocky at the start, but Jamie had changed himself around to be the man Keeley deserved.

"Yes, well," you lift your now empty glass, "I'm going to get another one of these." As soon as you turn around, you bump into a man, causing his drink to spill over him.

Your eyes widen, "I'm-"

"Watch where you're going," he rasps out.

You're taken aback, "Excuse me?"

"You need to be more aware of your surroundings," the man says with a frown.

You scoff, "Well I didn't know you were right behind me, so maybe it's you who needs to be aware of your surroundings and not stand so close to people!"

The man's brows furrow and just as he opens his mouth to retort, your mother appears by his side, "I am so sorry about this, Lord Kent. I'm sure this was an accident, right, Y/N?"

"Yes, an accident," you say, glaring at Lord Kent.

"We will happily pay for a new coat," you mother says and you roll your eyes.

"It's fine," Lord Kent mumbles and turns on his heel, going back in the direction he came.

Your mother turns to you with a stern expression, "You best hope you didn't upset Lord Kent too much."

"It was an accident, mother. Besides, he stood too close to me. How was I suppose to know he was right behind me?"

__________________________

After the ball ended, you were so exhausted. The dancing, the mingling, all of it was too much. Several men had asked to call upon you, but you had declined, to your mother's dismay.

A week later, you thought you would have a break from your mother's meddling in your future. However, you were very wrong.

Your mother had called you in and surprised you with a guest.

"Lord Kent?" you look at him confusedly and then give your mother a questioning stare.

"Lord Kent accompanied his niece, Phoebe, here so she can play with Cecelia."

"How...thoughtful," you clear your throat and smooth out your dress, "Well, I'll let you two talk while I go back to reading," you move to step out of the room, but your mother stops you.

"Wait, darling, can you keep Lord Kent company for a moment? I just need to check in with the kitchen for lunch. It'll be only for a moment." she looks at you expectantly. You know exactly what she's doing and you don't like it one bit. She's already been on you about rejecting several suitors. A part of you regrets that now because, maybe if you hadn't, you wouldn't be forced to sit here with Lord Kent.

"Very well," you slowly lower yourself onto the bench beside your mother.

Your mother jumps to her feet excitedly, "Lovely! I will be back shortly!" you watch her scurry out of the room but not before giving a nod to your handmaiden.

You sigh and turn your attention to Lord Kent whom is sitting up straight, face void of any expression. His dark brown eyes staring back at you.

You wiggle in your seat, slightly unnerved with his gaze, "So, are you enjoying our little town, Lord Kent?"

He gives you a grunt and after cocking a brow at him, he speaks, "As much as I can. It's very quiet. Society is still just as nosey here."

You snort, "You have no idea." You clear your throat again, "Have my parents bought you a new jacket to replace the one I ruined?"

"No."

"Oh? Why not?"

"I told them not to. The jacket wasn't very important to me to begin with."

"Seemed rather important enough for you to snap at me," you can't help but say the statement with a little disdain.

"I...apologize for my behavior. I had a distasteful encounter with someone prior that made me upset. I'm not excusing my behavior, but providing some context to what led to it."

You nod, accepting his behavior, "Who did you encounter? Was it Lady Radcliffe and her daughter, Lavinia?"

Lord Kent rises a brow at you, "How did you know?"

"They always stir trouble. I told mother not to invite them but she didn't want to look bad for not," you shake your head, your nose scrunched up, "All that family cares about it maintaining a higher status."

"Doesn't everybody?"

You shake your head, "Not me. I don't care about any of it. I dislike how dishonorable and ingenuine people become when they find out you have a high place in society. I know I'm privileged to have enough money to live comfortably, however, I don't like the theatrics of it all."

Lord Kent leans forward, resting his elbows over his knees, "You sound very passionate about this considering you just held a ball to do just that."

You scoff, "Please, as if that was truly what I wanted. I've pushed my debut back for years. I couldn't delay it anymore."

"No one caught your eye last night then?"

"Not anyone in the slightest," you sigh, "What about you then? I imagine many ladies throw themselves at your feet because of your status. Doesn't it get tiring? Doesn't it feel like you're being used?"

Before Lord Kent can answer, your cousin and Phoebe are rushing into the room, "Y/N, we need your help!"

"With?"

"We want to play princesses and dragons!" Cece answers excitedly.

"You want me to play the dragon?"

"No, you're playing the princess, we're playing the dragons, and Uncle Roy will play the knight that rescues you!" Phoebe replies, pointing to everyone and giving them their roles.

"Oh, um," you glance at Lord Kent, "I don't think your uncle-"

"Let's go," Lord Kent says as he stands to his feet.

"Really?!" Cece looks up at him with excitement.

"Really?" you ask him in surprise. He shrugs, causing you to then stand, "Alright. Let's go."

"Yes!" the two young girls cry out as they rush out of the room and up the stairs to Cece's play room.

You and Lord Kent follow at a much slower pace. Lord Kent, walking besides you, leans in and whispers, "Phoebe's been struggling to make friends since we've moved. I'm happy she found a friend in Cecelia."

"I can't imagine how hard it must've been. Losing her father and moving away."

"It hasn't been easy, but I've been doing my best to see to that her and my sister are well taken care of."

You place a hand on Lord Kent's arm, "You're a good brother and man, my Lord. I don't know many men who would do the same."

Lord Kent, glances at your hand and then you pull away, mumbling a 'sorry', before rushing to Cecelia's play room.

Lord Kent proceeds to follow you at the same slow pace. His fists clench behind his back where he clasps them. There's a fluttering in his chest that he's never felt before and he's sure he's going to have a heart attack.

#roy kent x reader #roy kent imagine #regency au #ted lasso au #ted lasso

[be-with-me-so-happily]

Chapter 7

Series Summary: Gemma is definitely Cassidy James' favourite Styles family member, considering they are best friends and all. And especially considering that Harry Styles is Gemma's smug and self-centered younger brother. Her life isn't perfect, and neither is she, but she hates how everyone thinks Harry is. Because she knows that's not the case.

Chapter Summary: Cassidy thought her friendship with Harry and her relationship with Derek could exist peacefully. But you can't always have what you want, and sometimes you can keep what you already have.

Chapter Warnings: Some explicit language, mention of sex, alcohol consumption, jealousy, argument, physical altercation, panic/anxiety attack

[ present - August 2020 ]

As the sunlight from outside peeks through the curtains, Cassidy stretches her body, her eyes still shut as she holds onto that peaceful feeling.

A stirring beside her opens her eyes, and she rolls over to see Derek slowly waking.

It wasn't planned that he would stay the night, but the relief from her completed work, a couple glasses of wine, and the feeling of his lips persistently grazing her neck sent them straight to the bedroom as soon as her laptop was shut.

"Mm. Good morning." Derek mumbles, turning onto his side and slowly blinking to clear his vision, smiling as they meet each other's gaze. "I definitely enjoy waking up like this."

Cassidy brings her shoulders up in shyness, a blush forming on her cheeks. He is the first man, in a very long time, that she has woken up next to in the bed. The man before him was, maybe unfortunately, her last sexual partner. The man before him is actually, in a way, the reason it's been so long. Because, the man before him is Cecelia's father.

[ flashback - January 2016 ]

"You had sex with Nathan?" Gemma squeals, bouncing in excitement.

Cassidy smiles at not only the question, or the memory of that night, but also at how silly yet normal it feels to be sitting on Gemma's bed and talking about boys, since now they are in their early twenties.

"You're acting like I'm some shy, little virgin, Gem! I've had sex before."

Her best friend swats her arm and Cassidy grabs it in dramatic fashion.

"I know you're not, CJ. I was at the party when that all changed." She winces in disgust, and Cassidy knows it is due to the reminder of that night. She was naive, and inexperienced, and it was just bad. "I know about everyone you've had sex with."

Cassidy clears her throat, desperately hoping that Gemma doesn't read anything into it, because there is actually one person that her best friend does not know about. That she can never know about. Gemma will never know that Cassidy had sex with Harry. Twice.

"Okay, now you're making me out to be a whore."

"Oh for fucks sake, CJ." Gemma rolls her eyes, pulling her knees to rest under her chin. "So… what was he like?"

"Gem!" Cassidy exclaims, tossing a nearby pillow in her friend's direction.

"What? I had to ask…"

"You really didn't…"

Gemma pouts, giving her best begging eyes, even though they both know that Cassidy will spill the beans anyway.

"It was good." She states, dropping her head down onto her own knees as she feels a pink hue rushing to her cheeks. "Really good."

"That's all I get?"

"I'm not going into detail about it, Gem, bloody hell!"

"Fine." Gemma's shoulders drop in disappointment, causing Cassidy to let out a loud laugh.

"It was hot and sweaty." She replies, suddenly wanting to give her friend just a little something to satisfy the curiosity. "And, he was good at it."

A buzz almost vibrates through the entire mattress, and both girls check their phones to see who was sent some form of communication. Cassidy holds hers up so the screen is on full view for her friend.

"Speaking of…"

🗨️Nathan: i had a really good time with you

Cassidy instantly feels the pink hue turn to a bright, hot red. She bites her bottom lip, and her gaze flickers up to her best friend, not speaking any words to clue her in on what was just said through the text.

🗨️Cassidy: i did too

🗨️Nathan: i'll let you know next time i'm in town

🗨️Nathan: if you wanna hang out again

"Well… what does it say? Are you gonna see him again?" Gemma asks, scooting across the bedding as if it gets her closer to the information she's about to receive.

"Ummm…" Cassidy begins to reply. She feels an almost giddiness begin to flutter in her stomach, but tries to reel it in. When they met, at that One Direction party, she figured he was nice, even though their interaction was cut short by a certain long-haired twat. And when Michal later mentioned Nathan had been asking about her, she must admit she was a little flattered, despite the awkward tension in the room between her and Harry. It's sort of ironic that she was so insistent that she and Nathan were not going on a date on New Year's Eve, yet here she is, talking to her best friend about how she just spent the night with him. She can almost hear Harry's disgustingly arrogant 'I was right' comment if he were also involved in this conversation. She hates that he was, coincidentally, correct. But her recent date with Nathan went really well, and even though it would cause Harry's already giant ego to grow, she's actually glad she got together with the guy.

"Yeah." She utters, looking down at the open messages on her phone, slight discouragement settling in.

"That doesn't sound convincing…"

"It's just that…" Cassidy looks up, her teeth toying with her bottom lip as she adjusts her posture. "He isn't always in town. I guess he's been traveling a bit for his job."

"What does he do?" Gemma asks. "I don't remember."

"Honestly? I don't either." She admits, pulling her lips inward with a little guilt. "Something with production, or marketing, I think."

"Hm." Her best friend hums, an expression of thought now embedded between her brows. "Well, it seems as if he likes you… he wants to see you again when he can… maybe just see where it goes?"

"See where it goes." Cassidy utters back, as if to let the words take root in her brain. She looks down to her phone again, her thumbs positioned over the keyboard as she begins to type.

🗨️Cassidy: yeah, let me know when you're back

[ present - August 2020 ]

Cassidy gives Derek one last kiss before rolling out of his arms and scooting close to the edge of the bed to retrieve her phone.

"I think we slept in…"

"That's good… right?" Derek chuckles, a humorously confused look across his still sleepy face.

"Yeah, it is, I guess. I just never get to do it. But it's good." She smiles back, unlocking her phone to check the time. As she opens it, her expression drops and she quickly sits up in the bed. "Nope… not good. Not good!"

"What? Why?" Derek asks, sitting up to match her posture and placing his hand on her back.

"Shit. Umm… okay, okay…" She stutters, looking around the room for something, though she isn't sure what she needs, since her mind has become a jumble. "The time! Harry is gonna be here in 15 minutes with Cece!"

"Okay… I don't understand why that's bad."

Cassidy sighs. Not truly out of annoyance, but more so to regulate her breathing, also hoping she can take that second to gather her thoughts.

"She's going to see you here." That's all she can manage as her mind focuses on searching for her clothes.

"I'm… confused… I'm still not seeing the problem."

She can't blame him, really. He's never dated a single mum, so he's not accustomed to the dynamic of this sort of relationship. She really shouldn't blame herself for anything either, but she can't help picturing the face Cecelia will make seeing Derek there when she is brought back home. It doesn't sit right with Cassidy, not this early on.

"She's still getting used to us being together, Derek. I don't want to make it even more awkward for her."

"Cecelia is only 3 years ol-"

"Derek, please. Y-you... I need you to leave."

"Okay." He slides out of the bed, stopping his steps as he gets close enough to hold onto her shoulders. "I don't want you to stress out. I'll go."

Cassidy nods in response, closing her eyes as he kisses her forehead and releases his hold for them to both find their clothing.

She feels her breaths pick up their pace, hoping she can keep herself calm enough so that Derek doesn't pick up on her current fret.

As he finally finishes dressing, he comes up behind her, shuffling along with his hands on her waist as she exits the bedroom, walking to the hook by the front door where he placed his keys.

She spins around to find a wide, amused grin stretched across his face, causing a small amount of annoyance to bubble up.

"What's so entertaining about this?"

He pulls her closer, once again placing his lips on her forehead, then down onto her nose, and one on her own lips.

"This is the first time I've been kicked out." He utters. "But if it ended up happening, I would never have thought it would be because someone was coming back home. Well, not a kid, at least."

"It's just…" She begins to reply, not even sure of what she wants to convey, her mind is in too much of a frantic state.

"I was just trying to lighten the mood, I'm sorry."

He pulls back, lifting her chin to focus her gaze on his. "It'll be okay. I'll call you later, yes?"

"Yes." She quietly responds, receiving one last kiss, and watches as he exits through the front door.

She releases a few shallow breaths as she attempts to gather herself. Derek is gone, which wasn't the problem, but she does believe that having him there when Cecelia got home would just create an even more awkward dynamic between the two of them. She may be young, but she is observant and bright. Cassidy is sure she would pick up on the fact that something was different. Or, at the very least, feel upset because someone else is at their flat in the morning, despite her own absence. Even if Cassidy is completely wrong, she'd much rather be safe than sorry. Her daughter always comes first.

A knock on the door pulls her out of her daze, creating a frustration since it seems Derek is being a bit careless and disregarding her wishes.

She swings the door open, finding Harry standing on the other side, with Cecelia's little hand wrapped in one of his, and her belongings held in his other.

"Mummy!" She exclaims, releasing herself from Harry and wrapping her arms around her mum's leg.

"H-hey, Bug." Cassidy manages to reply, her gaze flickering down the corridor with worry beginning to build. Did they see him? Did they both see Derek? If they did, what might he have said to them?

She moves out of the way, ushering them both inside, and closes the door behind them.

Cecelia runs straight to her bedroom, and Harry turns around with a curious expression on his face.

"I see work went well…" He states, an unclear tone to his words. Cassidy feels her chest tighten at the realization that they did, in fact, run into the man who stayed the night. Not only did her daughter encounter him, but Harry too, and she can't determine why that bothers her almost as much, but assumes it is because of the tension they always seem to have. "Cass, are you alright?"

"Did… did he say anything?"

"Who? Derek?"

"Yeah."

Harry shakes his head, putting down the bag of Cecelia's things and placing one hand on Cassidy's arm.

"I spotted him in the parking lot. Cece didn't even notice." His response helps her to release a bit more of a shaky breath, and Harry gently squeezes her arm. "Hey. Inhale and exhale for me, yeah?"

Her eyes meet his, seeing the familiar concern that he has shown each time he's helped her through a panicked state. He begins to demonstrate what he's asked her to do, and she follows along, breathing in and out at the same pace, seeing his own worry diminish each time they do so together.

"There you go." He encourages, his focus fixed on her. "Better?"

"Yes." She replies, her lungs opening with her new regulated breathing. "Thank you."

"What's going on?" He asks, that concern seemingly turning from her panic and now to what may have caused it.

"I don't really know." She replies. Despite simply not wanting Derek's presence to create an uncomfortable environment for Cecelia, she isn't sure why that possible scenario caused such an intense reaction.

"Was it Derek?" He questions, his tone turning a lot more stern than it was just moments ago. "Did something happen with him?"

"No, no, no." She quickly responds, wanting to squash the negative assumption immediately. "No. I just… I didn't want Cece to see him here."

"Why's that?" He asks suddenly.

"I'm not sure." Her brow furrows, searching her mind for a satisfying answer. Not necessarily for Harry, but for herself. "I just thought it might be awkward for her. I'm sure I was just being ridiculous."

"That's not ridiculous, Cass." He gives her a small, yet reassuring smile. "She's your daughter. You want to do what feels right for her."

A warmth falls over her. A sudden relief through validation. She's a mother. She's allowed to be protective. Especially when allowing another person into their lives. And besides, this is all new territory for her.

Derek hasn't been in a situation like this either, so she can't expect him to understand. Oddly, Harry seems to get it, but many of his other friends have children too. He's probably been privy to a multitude of different parenting difficulties.

"I didn't… plan any of it, by the way."

"What do you mean?" He asks, confusion appearing on his features.

"I didn't know he was coming over last night. He showed up while I was working. He hung around while I was writing, and then we ended up-"

"I don't need the details." Harry interrupts, smiling yet wincing simultaneously, causing Cassidy to laugh.

"I just don't want you to think that I had you watch Cece so I could… have a date or something, and not tell you." She explains softly, and shyly.

"Cass… I know you're not that type of person." Harry chuckles. "And I suppose it doesn't matter anyway. I offered to help, there were no conditions."

She sighs out of relief. Mainly due to the reassurance of his willingness to help out. But also, mildly, she feels that relief because he doesn't seem to be uncomfortable with whatever potential reason she needed that help. Maybe that's a good sign, that they can all get along, and be around each other.

"Plus, I'll take any opportunity to spend time with the James girls…" He begins to add, and by the look being created in his face, Cassidy can tell he has something cheeky to say next. "Well, one of them. The other is a bit of a nuisance…"

"Oh you're one to talk, you wank-"

"But speaking of hanging out, are you free this weekend? My friends Sarah and Mitch want to meet you." He states, a shy blush forming on his cheeks, and an almost timidness to his tone.

"From your band? Why?" She asks, hoping the question didn't come across as snarky. Though, considering their usual banter, she wouldn't really care either way.

"Yeah." He chuckles, running a ring-free hand through his unclipped hair. "They want to meet the girl who tormented me as a kid."

"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" She exclaims, watching as a wide grin stretched across his face, and a dimple caves into his cheeks.

Harry throws up his hands, dramatically, in defense of his sarcastic statement.

"That's how I remember it…" He replies, the grin somehow getting wider. "It would be a small group of us, eating out or something. You can tell lies… I mean stories… from our childhood."

"Wow. You are really selling me on the idea of hanging out with you and your friends." She rolls her eyes, noticing Harry pulls his lips as he jokingly does the same.

"You'll have friends there too. Me…" He points to himself proudly, and arrogantly, as if that's all the reason she needs. To be fair, it is. She would hang out with him any time. But considering how Derek feels, it's probably best to include more people. At least for now.

"Wow. Convincing." She scoffs, lightheartedly.

"And Gem." He jokingly scowls back. "And Roxie, if you want to invite her."

"Well, in that case…" She teases, pretending to ponder all the information she's just been given. One thing she does actually wonder is if she should mention the man she's been dating. If she should include him, too. It's Harry's invitation. He doesn't seem to be the biggest fan of Derek, who seems to reciprocate the feeling, so it's probably best not to. Besides, she has seen a lot more of Derek lately than the others, and she can have a night out with just her friends if she wants. "Count me in!"

•••

Despite the new limited capacity inside, the pub seems to be filled with noise and laughter, and as she walks up to the secluded booth filled with her friends, Cassidy can't help but feel as if this is something she's been needing. Though, it's probably something that most people have been needing, ever since the world practically shut down.

There's probably not enough gratitude she can express for this venue allowing small groups of people, masked until they are seated, to get together and slowly get back a bit more freedom. And just as much, she is thankful for Harry's invitation to a night out.

"There she is!" Gemma exclaims, causing each person's head to swivel in her direction. "Is Roxie coming?"

"No, she couldn't make it."

"Well, nice of you to join us." Harry adds, instantly receiving a friendly glare from her.

"Hey! I had to try to explain to Cece why she couldn't come and hang out with us." She shakes her head, almost exhausted from the fifteen minute conversation she had with her 3 year old before she left.

"She just wants to be with her bestie…"

"Yeah and I still can't figure out why." She chuckles, sliding into the spot at the end of the seat, next to Gemma.

"You must be Cassidy then." She hears from the middle of the group, turning and meeting the gaze of the brunette smiling back at her.

"I am! You must be Sarah." She smiles, reaching across the table as best she can to shake hands. Her gaze moves over a few inches to see a quiet, brunette man, with the smallest of smiles on his face, barely detectable as he makes eye contact. "And you must be Mitch."

"Yep." He responds, reaching his own hand out for a quick shake.

"Nice to meet you both." She states, settling back down in her seat. As her gaze flickers over to Harry, she sees his lips pulled slightly to his left in a subtle smirk, as if proud that they've all finally met. Though, the funny thought crosses her mind that he might not be so happy about the situation if and when she corrects any ridiculously inaccurate stories he's already told them. "I hear I have some childhood memories I need to straighten out."

"That was a joke, Cass."

"They still deserve to know the truth." She smirks, seeing his grow a little wider with amusement. "But first, I need a drink."

•••

As Harry buries his face in his palms, the rest of the group erupts with laughter, unfortunately for him it's at his expense.

"My mum never intended for him to wear that dalmatian costume for two more years…" Gemma states, expanding on the story they've been engrossed in.

"It didn't even fit him anymore. The hem of the bottoms came halfway up his shins!" Cassidy adds, trying hard to catch her own breath.

"Alright. Alright." Harry lifts his head, giving it a shake as he gives his sister a glare.

"Sorry little brother." Gemma states.

"It's a fun memory!" Cassidy adds, regaining control of her breaths. As it settles, she focuses on him, seeing a sheepish smile on his face.

"Yes, yes. They've all been so fun." He proclaims sarcastically.

"Well, fun for us…" She responds, pointing between herself and her best friend. Harry purses his lips with a squint of his eyes, causing Cassidy to lift her almost empty glass for a sip, to fake some innocence. Though, she knows he's unbothered by it. He was the one to create this situation after all.

She feels a buzz under her hand, and she flips her palm over to unlock her phone, opening the new message she has just received.

🗨️Derek: hey beautiful, having fun?

🗨️Cassidy: yeah, loads!

"What about secrets? I'm sure you've got some good ones to share about this guy that most people don't know!" Sarah asks.

She closes out of the texts, turning off her screen to think over Sarah's question. For a second, Cassidy believes she doesn't have any, only funny stories to embarrass the guy. However, only a moment later, she is reminded of the one secret they share. The one no one else knows. The one where their bodies were entangled in a sweaty mess in his hotel room. Twice. The one that cannot and will not be shared with anyone else. Especially not at this table, with this crowd. Especially not with Gemma, her best friend and his sister, sitting right beside her.

Her eyes shoot up to his, noticing his lips pulled inward in anticipation. Or maybe worry. Clearly, though, he was reminded of the same thing as he stares at her with wide eyes.

"Umm…" She stalls, watching him squirm in place as she feels her heart begin to race. What can she even say? Her delayed response is only going to make things more uncomfortable, and maybe even begin to look suspicious. She has got to think of something to say, and thankfully, to her extreme relief, she thinks of one other thing to share. "I do know… one thing…"

"Ca-... Cass…" He utters nervously, and quietly, potentially hoping to be unheard by the others, and plead with her not to share their intimate secret. He shouldn't be worried, she wants to keep that locked away as much as he does. Maybe even more.

"When he was younger, Harry had a crush…" She begins in a teasing manner, noticing his eyes squeeze shut. "On his teacher, Mrs. Hamilton."

His eyes shoot open with surprise, and possibly even gratitude, despite her statement being of utter humiliation for him.

"How did you-"

"I overhead you singing some cutesy little made-up song about her one day."

"You did not!" Gemma squeals, a question rather than a defense for him.

"Most boys have a crush on a teach-"

"She was 50 years old, H!" His sister interrupts, causing his hands to return back into his palms as he growls in embarrassment.

"She had a nice smile." He whimpers, and Cassidy can just make out the red blush on his cheeks.

Despite it being a mild admission, she does feel bad for revealing the information, so she takes a deep breath and reaches towards him, placing the tips of her fingers on his for encouragement.

"I… had a crush on Mr. Peters…"

"Oh god!" Gemma exclaims, her palm hitting her forehead as fast as the words leave her lips. "That's just as appalling."

"He had a nice smile, too." She adds, watching Harry lift his head and chuckle, sending an almost appreciative glance with his glistening green eyes. She feels a tickle on her cheeks as a pink hue undoubtedly begins to surface, so she pulls her hands back and straightens herself. "And now I need another drink!"

"I'll get it." Sarah states, bumping Mitch on the arm, causing him to do the same to Harry. "My shout, I'll pay, as a thanks for giving up all those details about H!"

As Harry stands, he rolls his eyes and steps aside, letting his friend out of the booth. Sarah winks as she walks away, and Cassidy feels a nudge on her own arm.

"I need to use the toilet." Gemma utters, causing Cassidy to slide off from the seat and allow her friend to slide by.

Another vibration from her phone grabs Cassidy's attention as she reclaims her seat, and she opens it up to see a couple more messages have just come in.

🗨️Derek: how long will you be there?

🗨️Derek: was hoping to come by after

Cassidy rereads his question, unsure as to why it seems to suddenly, but only slightly, bother her. He knew she was going out with her friends tonight, and that the two of them didn't have any plans together. But nonetheless, she supposes it should be considered sweet that he still wants to see her.

🗨️Cassidy: not sure, maybe an hour or 2

🗨️Derek: oh, really? okay

She places her phone back down onto the table and sighs, thinking that maybe she should have actually included Derek in this get-together.

"You good?" She hears next to her, coming from that familiar and deep voice of her friend, apparently now sitting next to her. She looks up to find his curious, maybe even concerned, expression waiting for her answer.

"Yeah, I'm good." She nods, but it doesn't seem to ease the tension in his features.

"Is it Cece?" He asks, scooting just a little closer as his eyes float down to the device in front of them.

"No, no, she's fine. Our neighbor is over at our flat to watch her. And she's in bed anyway." She replies, inhaling a deep breath and feeling an odd, random sense of comfort as his cologne hits her senses. "It's actually Derek texting me."

Harry's body tenses, very apparent to her, but maybe not so much to his other friend Mitch who is now listening to something on his own phone. She wishes she knew exactly why Harry reacts that way every time she mentions the man she's seeing. If she knows what it is that bothers him, maybe she can fix it.

"Right. And, umm…" He unclamps the clip that has been holding his hair back, and runs his fingers through as he tussles it around. "Did he not want to come out tonight?"

"I didn't invite him." She unintentionally blurts out, no longer able to cultivate a better reply.

"Oh." He utters, and Cassidy catches a small upward tug of his lips, which he immediately attempts to retract. "Why's that?"

"I just wanted a night out with my friends." She shrugs, doing her best not to react to his true, yet subtle, expression of happiness at Derek's absence. "He can come to the next one."

"Sure." He nods, stretching his long, tattooed arm across to grab his glass, instantly bringing it to his lips for a taste of the contents. Cassidy rolls her eyes, though only internally, at the underlying tone to his statement, no matter how hard he's trying to cover it up.

Another notification buzzes through, and she hears an exhaled scoff from the man beside her, slightly muffled by the edge of the glass still pressed between his lips.

🗨️Derek: text me later then

🗨️Cassidy: i will

She relocks the screen once again, setting the phone into her bag to focus on the friends in front of her. She meets Harry's gaze to find him smiling, potentially the biggest smile of the whole night.

"What?"

"I'm just glad we all get to hang out." He shrugs, a timid innocence drawn with his words.

"Really? Even though I'm counteracting this alternative reality you seem to have created for your other friends?" She chuckles, nudging his side gently with her elbow.

"Yes. Despite that." Harry responds, running his thumb along his bottom lip. "It's fun to reminisce…"

"Yeah. You're right." She agrees. "Turns out not all of my childhood memories were so bad."

[ flashback - September 1999 ]

Sitting atop her fluffy pink quilt, her little fingers picking at the nails of each hand, Cassidy waits for someone to enter her bedroom. She doesn't know who it will be. She doesn't know who she wants it to be. But what she does know, even at the age of 6, is that whatever she just walked into was something she wasn't meant to see.

"CJ?" She hears spoken softly, accompanied by a gentle knocking on her door. Her shoulders drop, feeling a little calmer as to who is on the other side.

Her mother slowly opens the door, keeping that quiet, calm demeanor as she steps inside and closes it behind her, allowing it to be just the two of them in the conversation.

"I'm sorry if me and your dad scared you." Her mother states solemnly, taking a seat on the bed and stroking her daughter's hair in comfort. "We were… having a little disagreement…"

"You were yellin', and yellin' is bad." Cassidy responds quickly, and so matter-of-fact, showing off how well she really does know the rules of the house.

"I know, darling, I'm sorry."

"I didn't like it."

"I know, I'm sorry…" Her mother sighs, kissing the top of her daughter's head. "We shouldn't have been so loud."

Cassidy leans into her mother's chest, feeling warmth and comfort appear as she is wrapped up in the hug.

"Mummy?"

"Yes?"

Cassidy pulls her head back, innocently looking into her mother's eyes.

"Daddy shouldn't have hit you. Hittin' is bad, too." She furrows her brow, remembering her father's hand smack across her mother's face as Cassidy entered the kitchen earlier in the evening. "I didn't like that either."

"I know. I'm sorry, CJ." Her mother pulls Cassidy's body back to her, the hold a little tighter this time. "He was… upset. I made a mistake and… well, anyway, I'm alright. Okay? I'm alright."

"Okay." She nods, feeling a hot breath on her hair, causing another question to want to wiggle its way out. "Umm… Mummy…"

"Yes, darling?"

"Will… will he-... what if I make-"

"CJ." Her mother states, pushing back to stare into her daughter's eyes, showing such a sincerity that even the young girl can understand it. "You don't have to worry. No one will hurt you."

[ present day - August 2020 ]

As Cassidy enters through the doors to the lift of her building, she realizes she hadn't sent a text to the babysitter, letting her know that she was on her way.

"Damn it." She mumbles, reaching inside of her bag to retrieve her device, hoping she didn't miss any important messages.

As she unlocks the screen of her phone, she is met with multiple notifications, and feels guilt poke at her heart for not checking it sooner.

Her finger presses to open the app and her breath halts momentarily as she realizes that every message is from one particular person.

🗨️Derek: have you left the pub?

🗨️Derek: are you back yet?

🗨️Derek: can you please text me

🗨️Derek: when will you be home?

🗨️Derek: Cassidy where are you?

Eyes growing wide and the noise of the lift reaching her floor pulls her attention away as the doors begin to open.

She steps out, her gaze adjusting down the corridor towards her flat, and notices someone sitting by her door.

"What the…" She utters quietly, catching up with her thoughts as she catches the attention of the visitor. "Derek? What th-... what… are you doing here?"

The man scrambles to his feet and instantly stands tall, the expression on his face being one of concern. No, it's not one of concern, it's one that is concerning. To her.

"I told you that I wanted to come by."

"Right, but… Derek, I-... I was out with my friends…"

"I know. You said you'd be back in an hour or two, so I made my way over." He shrugs, as if this shouldn't be a surprise to her at all. As if this was always the plan for the night. "You took a bit longer than you said though."

"You've… you've just been… waiting out here?" She watches as Derek nods, swift and simple, yet not doing anything to subside the shock and confusion that's chaotically taken over her brain. "Umm… l-let's just… go inside."

She reaches into her bag and the quiet jingle of keys captures her focus enough to unlock the door and slowly push it open.

"We need to be quiet. Cece is asleep." She whispers over her shoulder, hearing a hum of acknowledgement behind her.

They both step through the doorway, and Cassidy's neighbor stands up from the sofa.

"How was she, Mrs. Clarkson?"

"She was great." The lady smiles. "Went down for bed pretty easily too.'

"Well, thank you so much for watching her tonight. I really appreciate it." Cassidy states, more than grateful to have finally gotten to know her neighbor a few weeks ago, and the woman's offer to take care of Cecelia whenever she was needed.

"It's no problem. Cece is so fun and so sweet. It was my pleasure." Mrs. Clarkson states and suddenly glances behind Cassidy, seemingly noticing the man standing a foot or two away. "Well… I suppose I better be off then."

Mrs. Clarkson nods at the both of them, grabbing a small bag and shuffling towards the door.

"Are you sure I can't give you some mon-" Cassidy tries to ask, despite their earlier conversation, before her night out even began.

"You are just as sweet as your daughter. But I'm sure." Her neighbor swivels around, one hand up in front, the other on the doorknob, and a smile on her face. "I'm here to help, if and when you need me. Enjoy your night."

"Thank you." Cassidy replies, watching the woman walk out, closing the door, and seeming to take the positive vibes with her. Her previous confusion and frustration reappear instantly as she turns her attention back to Derek. "What is going on? Why did you come over?"

"A guy can't just want to see his girl?" He asks, a sarcastic tone to his voice, and his arms across his chest.

"That's not what I'm saying. But tonight was about me spending time with my friends."

"And am I not good enough to hang out with them, too?"

"What? It's not that… you…" Cassidy exhales forcefully, confusion clouding her mind enough to prohibit any complete thought or sentence to be formed. She still has no grasp of an idea as to why he's there or what's going on. "I just… wanted to spend time with my friends."

"Right. Without me." Derek replies, his entire body becoming noticeably more tense as she sees his palms curl into fists.

Cassidy pulls her lips inward, not wanting to say something she may regret, though she isn't even sure what she would say anyway. This entire conversation, and situation in general, is throwing her for a loop.

Thankfully, a buzz from her phone gives her some relief, pulling it out and using the new message as a chance to momentarily reset herself.

🗨️Harry: did you get home safe?

Her thumbs touch the screen to respond, yet the word 'yes' becomes a jumbled array of extra letters as she feels her phone being snatched out from her grasp.

Her mouth drops open, unable to comprehend what has happened, and she shoots her gaze up to see Derek's scowl as he looks down at the device.

"Harry was there?" He growls.

"Derek, what the h-"

"I fucking get it now." He drops the phone back down into her still open hands and scoffs. "Now I see why I wasn't allowed to go."

"What?"

Derek steps closer, and a familiar feeling flows over Cassidy's body, though she doesn't have the speed and steadiness to determine what it is. But she knows it isn't a good one.

"You didn't want me there, because Harry was there."

"Why would that-"

"Because you love him! Don't you? You fucking love him and you lied to me!"

"Derek, Harry and I are just friends." Cassidy replies, quieting her volume in hopes that he will do the same, for the sake of Cecelia's sleep.

A few more steps and he is right in front of her, their toes almost touching. It's normally something that someone would want their significant other to do, but this is not one of the times, and an uneasiness courses through her veins.

"Are you fucking him?" He asks, his voice no more than a whisper, though the intensity in his tone has doubled.

"We've talked ab-"

"Answer the question, Cassidy." He growls, a darkness growing in his glare. "Are you fucking him?"

"No! I'm not!" She replies, her mind swirling in a daze, only providing the most inappropriate memory to manifest at this most inconvenient time. "It's been years since we-"

"Years? Years since… what? Since you two hooked up?" He groans, throwing his head back and running his hands over his face, scoffing at her unintended confession. "I knew it. I fucking knew it."

"It… it was a long… long time ago." She utters, surprising herself that any words came out considering the lump now lodged in her throat.

"Sure. And I'm supposed to believe that you two are 'just friends' now?" His body resets, and a hand suddenly flies forward to grip her arm, causing her body to stiffen, and as his other grabs her phone and throws it to the floor. "I call bullshit."

"Derek… please…" She whispers, her past beginning to surface in her thoughts and feelings.

"Please? Please what?" He mimics, bringing his free hand up to grab her jaw, and his face hovering right in front of hers. "Please forgive you? Please believe you?"

"P-please… let go…"

A little thud and shuffling of tiny feet grab the attention of both adults, sending worry down Cassidy's spine. She hoped it may have caused Derek to release his hold, but he tightens his grip and she whispers as a fear sets in.

"Mummy?" The sleepy little voice sounds out from the bedroom.

"I'll… I'll be r-right there, Bug." Cassidy manages to get out, tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"Mummy?" Cecelia utters again, clearly having not heard her mum's response, or not understanding it in her drowsy state.

"Stay in your room!" She shouts, shakiness and panic unavoidable at this point, as she hopes it goes unnoticed. Not just by her daughter. "Please, stay in there!"

She hears Cecelia shuffle back to bed, and her cheeks become wet, undoubtedly leaving long black marks as the tears drop.

"You… you need to leave." She mumbles, unsure if her words even left her lips, but desperately hoping they did.

"You think I'd want to stay?" Derek scoffs. He pushes against the arm he holds tightly, releasing it as she begins to stumble and falls to the floor, landing right where her phone did moments before. "No. It's over. I'm done with you."

She watches through blurred vision as he turns and exits the flat, shuddering as the door slams shut, and desperately hoping it doesn't draw her daughter out of her bed again.

With her legs out to her side, and her palms pressed against the floor to prop herself up, she feels anything but steady. How did she end up there? Obviously, she knows Derek pushed her down, but how did things get so bad, so quickly?

A single knock and the sound of the front door opening has her reaching for her phone and beginning to scramble to her feet.

"Cassidy, it's alright." She hears the soft voice of her next door neighbor try to reassure her, and she collapses back to the ground as Mrs. Clarkson's arms wrap around her shoulders, bringing her into a gentle embrace. "I heard the yelling, and the door slam shut."

"I'm… I'm sorr-"

"Sh. Sh. No need to be sorry. I wanted to make sure you're okay." A soft palm runs over Cassidy's hair and the peaceful gesture alerts her to her racing heart and labored breath.

"Cece… she woke… can you…"

"I'll go check on her." Mrs. Clarkson states, pushing herself up. "Is there someone you can call to come over?"

Cassidy nods, not having a specific person in mind, but giving the acknowledgement nonetheless. Her neighbor walks away, and as she hears the door quietly creak open, she turns her daze covered eyes to her device.

She sees her open messages, pressing the call button and holding the phone up to her ear.

"Uh oh. Is this a drunk dial? Or are you ringing to make more fun of me? Because I don't know if I can take much more tonight." Harry chuckles, and in any other situation, Cassidy knows she would be too.

"H-Harry…"

"Yes…?"

"I… I need…" She stutters, trying her hardest to voice any request, any thought, any comprehendible word to help him understand anything she's trying to say. Anything through the choked back wail that's threatening to push through.

"Cass… what is it? What's going on?" He asks, a concerned tone growing with each word.

"Derek… he…"

"What did he do? Where is he? Is he still there?" Shuffling can immediately be heard from the other end, and if Cassidy could put any extra thought into it, she would know he's putting shoes on.

"No." She whispers, feeling a mild amount of relief as she hears the beep of his car unlocking. But her breathing stays rapid and she clutches her chest with her free hand, as if to keep her heart in place.

"I'll be right there."

Her body begins to feel weak, her eyes begin to glaze over even more, and her hand drops down with a loose grasp on her phone. She hardly registers anything besides overwhelming dread and anxiety, though the feeling of her device leaving her hand can just barely be acknowledged. And then the faint sound of Harry's voice can ever so slightly be heard shouting through the speaker.

"Cass? Cass!"

"Hello?" Another voice speaks, gentle and calm, belonging to Mrs. Clarkson.

The muffled noise from their conversation fades into the background and Cassidy is left with the sound of her fast heartbeats and even faster breaths.

"It'll be alright. He's on his way." She hears beside her. "Harry's on his way."

[ flashback - May 2005 ]

Cassidy sits on her bed and giggles as she watches her best friend twirl around the room in one of the dresses they found in the closet.

"This one should work." Gemma asks, stopping her motions and posing in front of the full length mirror that is propped up against the wall. "You're sure you're okay with lending it to me?"

"Of course!" Cassidy exclaims. "That's what best friends are for."

"Exactly." Gemma winks in reflection, taking one last look at herself before turning around to face her friend. "I need to use the toilet, and I'll change in there too."

The noise of the bathroom door sounds out and Cassidy pushes herself off the mattress, bending down to begin tidying up the multitude of outfits that did not satisfy the specific look that Gemma was going for.

A sudden thud causes Cassidy to jump in place, and her happy, fun demeanor is replaced with anxiety as she hears two voices from the front of the house. From her mum and dad. That means, their happy, fun day is about to turn chaotic, and they need to get out of there. Fast.

"No, no, no."

She drops the clothes and bursts out of her bedroom to the door across the way, bringing her fist up to gently, but vigorously, knock on the wood.

"Gem." She whispers, keeping her words and actions as quiet as possible. "Gemma."

"Alright. Alright. Hold on." She hears in a response, an unknowingly chuckle accompanying the words.

"Gemma. We've… we've got to go."

The door swings open, and Cassidy sees her best friend's curious yet playful expression turn to one of concern as loud voices begin to fill the house.

"What's-"

She's not even sure what her main concern is at this moment, but what she does know is that she wants to get out of there. She needs to get out of there. They both do. She grabs her best friend's hand, motioning for her to keep quiet and begins to maneuver through the house to the back door, while the yelling only increases in volume and intensity.

As they arrive at their exit point, Cassidy's palm grips the doorknob, but she feels Gemma's hand squeeze her own as a sharp noise booms, quickly followed by quiet whimpers.

"You stupid cunt!" The deep voice of her father yells, accompanied by another sharp smack.

"Oh my god." Gemma whispers, and Cassidy's heart sinks as they sneak out of the house. She feels hurt, because she knows her mum is now in pain, and she feels embarrassed, because her best friend now knows it too.

They round the corner of the home, hands still gripped onto each other, and Cassidy lets out an exhausted, but relieved exhale as they reach the footpath out front.

"Umm, so…" She hears, turning to face her best friend, but unable to meet her gaze.

"That… that was awkward, right?" She chuckles, hoping to play it off as normal as possible. "Sorry you heard my parents… having a bit of a… a small disagreement…"

"That sounded like it was way more than a small disagreement, CJ." Gemma replies, her usual confidence taken over by compassionate caution.

"Oh, no. It was nothing."

"I heard him call her a… a cunt… and I heard him… hit her."

"It's… I mean, they just…" Cassidy sighs, choking back the tears in a last ditch effort to keep her composure, though she has the awareness that it's truly failing.

"CJ." Gemma mutters the statement of her name, and the dam breaks. Her hands fly up to her face, knowing her reaction has already been seen, yet still wanting to disappear into nothing. It's bad enough that those 'disagreements' even occur, but having her best friend hear it, know about it, makes it that much worse. And also, that much more real. When no one else knew, at least Cassidy could pretend it didn't happen at all, or that it was just a bad dream. But now? Now someone else knows, now she can't hide it, and now she has to face the truth.

"Please don't tell anyone."

"Well…" Gemma begins, grabbing her friend's shoulders. "I think we should… can I at least tell my parents? Maybe they'll, like, let you stay over."

Cassidy looks right at her best friend, practically her sister, and finds the sincerest and most compassionate of expressions she's ever come across. She can only imagine how much deeper they would be from Anne and Robin. Though the thought of anyone knowing her secret terrified her before, something about Gemma, Anne, and Robin knowing makes her feel at ease. If she wanted anyone to know, it would be them. The family she's basically growing up with now as her own.

"Okay." She agrees, feeling nervous yet comfortable with the decision. "Just, please, don't tell your brother."

[ present - August 2020 ]

Cassidy can't tell if it has felt like mere seconds, or a full hour since Derek had stormed out, so the new knock at the door sends a shiver over her body.

It creaks open, and Cassidy glances over from her spot on the sofa to see Mrs. Clarkson standing cautiously in the small gap she has made between the door and the frame.

"Hello." She states solemnly.

"Hi. I'm Harry." He replies quickly, almost an urgency to his greeting.

The neighbor nods and opens the space wide enough for him to enter the flat. As soon as Cassidy sees his short tousled curls, the small amount of sweat framing his face, and the terrified anger shooting through the greens of his eyes, her gaze immediately falls down to her pathetically shaky hands.

The fragrance of his cologne hits her first, swiftly followed by the warmth of his palms on her thighs.

"Cass." Harry exhales, lifting her chin with his finger, and she looks up to find his gaze flickering all over her face at a desperate speed. His fingers push her hair back on each side, and his thumbs brush over her skin as if searching for the answers. "Are you alright?"

Her brow furrows in uncertainty of how to answer. Sure, she is physically fine, despite the pending bruise that will most likely form from Derek's tight grip on her arm. But her heart, mind, and soul are in pieces. Not over Derek, per say. No, what hurts is the fact that this happened at all, that she let it happen, that she didn't see it coming in the first place. What hurts is that she has been in that situation before, years ago as a child, and still saw no signs in her most recent relationship. But what hurts the most, is the thought of what might have happened if her daughter had not stayed in her room.

"Cass. Breathe with me. Inhale for ten, remember?" His soft voice encourages, though the perceived gentle tone is wrapped with wavering confidence. "Cassidy… please, breathe with me."

Would Cecelia have seen what was happening, and understood? Would Derek have hurt her even more with her daughter present? Would he have hurt her daughter?

Pain and guilt strike every nerve in her body. She, of all people, should have seen signs. She, of all people, should have been able to avoid that situation. She, of all people, should have been able to keep that potential danger out of her child's life.

"C-... Cece…"

"Cece is fine. She's asleep. Mrs. Clarkson just checked on her before she left." She hears the words, though muffled by her racing thoughts. Warmth covers her cheeks again and her head begins to tilt by Harry's hand, raising her blurry gaze to find one of pure concern. "Cass, look at me. Cece is fine."

"I… let… let him… around her." She begins, eyes filling, unbelievably, with even more tears. "I let him… around my daughter!"

A silence fills the room, leaving only Harry's calm breaths left to encourage the regulation of her own. The heat on her cheeks travels to her hands, and she looks down to see them wrapped up in his.

"Inhale for ten." He whispers, taking a breath with her. "And let it out."

"I'm-"

"Please, love. Breathe." He demands in the most tender way, causing her gaze to shoot back up to his. "Breathe with me."

She nods, taking in air with Harry and holding it in as he holds her hands.

"I'm so… stupid." She states, releasing an exhale as she finally feels her lungs open and her chest release the tight hold it has around her heart.

"You're not stupid."

"I should have known." Her brow furrows, an anger towards herself rising to replace her panic as she catches more breaths. "And what's worse? I liked him. I mean… there were things that bugged me, things I questioned a little… but I kept seeing him!"

Harry's hands squeeze her own, so subtly, and she hears his throat clear as he pulls them away. His body moves around and takes a seat beside her, his elbows resting on his knees with his hands clasped together.

"You just… wanted someone… to share life with." He utters sombrely.

"The wrong someone."

"They're all 'the wrong someone' until we find the right one…" He states, a little chuckle following his words, clearly a little pleased with how philosophical his statement came across.

Cassidy releases an amused exhale and feels the tension of her body begin to loosen.

"And even then…" He adds, giving a small yet noticeable shrug. "Love is… complicated."

"I wasn't in love." She instantly replies, certain of that fact, even with the night's events aside. "I've… I've actually never been in love."

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Harry's posture straighten and his gaze shoot over to her.

"Really?"

She is unsure as to why, but his sudden reaction and the following question have her feeling embarrassment flood over her.

"Have you?"

"I think so." He replies, his hand reaching up and fingers readjusting the clip on his curls.

"Isn't that something you should know?" She asks, watching as his lips pull inward, and noticing something she has very rarely seen in him, if at all. Vulnerability.

"Is it really love if…" He releases a subtle sigh, and as she looks over, she sees him begin to twist his fingers of one hand around those of the other, as if his rings were still adorning them. "If… it's not reciprocated?"

Cassidy opens her mouth with nothing to say. She's never felt that way about somebody. Anybody. The relationship that should have been her example for love had all but destroyed the hopes she had for finding it. She may not even know how to do it properly. Then when Cecelia came along, there wasn't really a need for it. Though that is a different love. Nonetheless, she feels sad for Harry. Knowing how generous and caring he is with his friends and family, with her and Cecelia, she can only imagine how much more he would give to someone he felt that strongly for. And for it to not be returned? She's surprised he hasn't given up hope. She sure wants to, the little she even had to begin with.

"You… probably shouldn't ask me…" She utters, wrapping her arms around to hold herself, and staring down as her fingers gently run over the large red mark that's been left behind.

"Okay. I won't." He states suddenly, slapping his palms against his thighs and pushing himself off of the sofa. Cassidy looks up to him with surprise and curiosity, seeing the formation of a mischievous little smirk. "I'll make us some tea instead."

He walks into the kitchen, doing his best not to clang things around as he retrieves two tea cups from the cabinet and adds water to the kettle.

"You know what though? We're forgetting something…"

"And what's that?" Cassidy asks, repositioning herself to get him into view.

"We are married."

Her eyebrow instantly raises, and her eyes flicker all over the room in an attempt to gather some sort of clarification, though obviously unable to do so.

"I'm sorry… what?"

"Shit. I'm an idiot." He replies sheepishly, a pink hue evident under the kitchen lights. "Of course, you don't remember."

"Remember what?" She inquires, only to be met with a timid shake of his head as the colour on his cheeks grows brighter. "Clue me in, Harry."

"Nope, there's been too many trips down memory lane recently, most at my expense."

"No, you have to tell me! Please?" She asks, channeling the sweetest her daughter uses whenever she needs persuasion to tip the scales in her favour.

He closes his eyes and pulls his lips inward, and Cassidy can't help but giggle under her breath as she watches him prepare to respond.

"Alright. Well, one afternoon, when we were kids… you and Gem were playing fairies." He shares, followed by a sort of grunt as he takes in a breath to divulge more. "Gem wanted to have this elaborate fairy wedding, so she made you the princess… the bride… but you needed a groom. So she found me and-"

"Dressed you up to be the fairy prince!" Cassidy exclaims, immediately covering her mouth in an effort to quiet her new excitement. "I do remember now! Didn't she put glitter all over your face?"

"I was hoping you wouldn't remember that specific detail…" He gripes, pouring the hot water into the cups, and lifting them as he starts to walk back to the sofa. He hands the hot beverage to Cassidy, and carefully lowers himself back down next to her, taking a sip of his tea before resting it down on the table in front of him.

"Well, the wedding was pretty magical." She states. Harry lifts his head, turning it slightly towards her with a proud smile stretched across his face.

"Bit of a rocky marriage though." He points out, and Cassidy's jaw drops dramatically as she swats his arm, causing his hands to be thrown up in surrender.

"That's because the prince was, and still is, kind of a twat."

Harry mimics her offended reaction, his hand flying to this against his chest, as if physically pained by her insult.

"The princess is still kind of a pain in the ass herself."

"Well, thank goodness it wasn't official!"

"Umm, excuse me, but if I remember correctly, the ceremony was done with a magic wand." He states, so matter-of-fact. "That's binding."

"Oh bloody hell." She replies, pinching the bridge of her nose, annoyed but mostly amused by the declaration.

"You're stuck with me, Cass." Harry grins, most likely from his perceived triumph of the argument, yet Cassidy can't help but feel as if he is happy with the sentiment as well. With the notion that she has to put up with him and have him around, in some capacity, forever.

She wants to lean into her instincts and make some jab about how she regrets ever putting on the fairy tutu Gemma had made her wear. But as she focuses on the green of his eyes, she feels a heat run up her neck and hit the apples of her cheeks. She's flattered by his desire to continue to be friends throughout the rest of their lives, and she has to agree that she wants the same. Despite all of their childhood torment of each other, he truly has become one of her best friends, and she can't really envision him not being around. For her and for Cecelia.

A sudden thud from the corridor outside of her flat causes Cassidy's gaze to shoot over to the front door, her lungs to gasp, her arm to swiftly stretch out to her side, and her hand to latch right onto Harry's thigh.

"Hey, it's alright." She hears him say softly, her eyes unable to focus on anything but the front door. One strong, warm palm sets on top of hers, the other begins to run up and down her back, tearing her gaze away and back onto the man beside her. The friend beside her. "You're alright."

She feels her expression go from panicked to pained, and she feels hot tears trickling down her cheeks. Another feeling, an odd feeling, begins to overwhelm her, as if her body is being pulled between alarmed tension and settled ease. The noise outside has clearly triggered an unfortunately familiar response, and yet somehow it is also being so effortlessly drawn to a comforted state. By Harry.

"Would you like me to stay for a bit? We can watch a show or something."

Cassidy nods, still feeling the adrenaline coursing through her veins, though the intensity is decreasing as she watches Harry's caring gaze stay fixed on her, almost displaying relief with her unspoken response.

"Okay, then." He replies, pulling his lips inward, attempting to disguise a small smile that still manages to peek through by the corners of his mouth. He leans forward, grabbing the remote, and settling back into the cushions as he turns the television on.

Cassidy watches him while he scrolls, and something about such a mundane moment begins to bring her a slight amount of peace. She realizes that he seems to be one of the people, one of only a few people, who does that for her. Who actually can do that for her. And she needs all the peace she can get right now.

"Harry?" She practically whispers.

"Yes?" He replies, the light of the screen brightening his face and reflecting in his eyes as he scrolls through the viewing options.

"Would… would you… maybe, also…" She utters, clearing her throat to gain some volume, and confidence, for her next request. "Stay the night?"

His head immediately turns to her, his eyes wide, yet leaving her unable to determine what emotion is behind them. What thoughts could be causing them to react that way.

"Of course I will!" He exclaims, and more tears start to gather on her lash line at how quickly he answered, and how willing he is to do what she wants. What she needs.

He turns away, reaching to the other side of him, and twists back with one of her large blankets in hand. Cassidy scoots closer to Harry as he holds it up for her, allowing him to place the blanket on both of their laps. His arm stretches behind her on the back on the sofa, and without thinking, she leans into him, the movement of their adjustments causing her senses to be hit with his scent. It's the same as it's always been, but tonight it includes an increased, soothing element.

A few muffled noises outside momentarily grab her attention, her head slightly pointing in the direction of their origin on the other side of her front door. She lets out an exhale, louder than intended, and then feels the slightest squeeze around her shoulders.

"Are you alright? Comfortable?"

"As much as I can be, I suppose." She chuckles, accompanied by a scoff of disappointment and frustration, wishing she was able to truly calm down.

"You can… sit back up if you need to…" He utters, and she feels him begin to slowly pull away. "I can grab another blanket, or-"

She sits up, but only slightly, and only so she can meet the green eyes that are now filled with concern and uncertainty.

"No, it's not that. I just… I just don't know if I'll be able to relax fully here." She responds with a sigh, acknowledging that the events of the evening have taken their toll on her physical and mental state.

"Stay with me, then."

"What?"

"Come stay at my place."

"Harry, it's way too late." She states, confused as to his thought process behind the suggestion. "And Cece is sleeping."

"Not tonight." He replies, a bit of amusement to his tone. "Tomorrow. Pack up some things for the both of you, and just spend a few days there."

"I don't know. I don't want to impose-"

"You're not. I offered." He interrupts, seemingly annoyed yet entertained by her attempt to not inconvenience him, despite his constant reminders that she's not. This situation just feels a bit different for her. He's not responsible for making this situation any better. Yet, here he is, doing just that.

"And it's very sweet." She smiles, unintentionally, and feels a heat on her cheeks as he smiles back. "But also unnecessary. We'll be okay."

"Truth be told… I need it." He begins, bringing his balled up fist to his mouth as he clears his throat. "I won't be able to fully relax, unless I can see it… see that you're okay."

Cassidy is instantly hit with so many things at once. Her lips shut tight as she tries to swallow the lump that has instantly formed in her throat, her face tingles with the vibrant blush that has suddenly spread from her cheeks, and her abdomen tightens with something she can't quite understand.

"It would help me." He utters, a sudden timidity taking over the confidence he first used with his suggestion. "You don't have to."

"Well-" She tries to speak.

What is this feeling? What is going on in the pit of her stomach?

"But I'd like you to."

It's butterflies.

"Okay." She accepts, feeling her heart race with positivity, for the first time tonight. "If you insist."

Series Masterlist

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#harry styles #harry styles fanfic #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles fan fic #harry styles fic #harry styles series #harry styles imagine #harry styles angst #harry styles fluff #harry styles smut #harry styles x oc #famous!harry #harry styles enemies to lovers #harry styles friends to lovers #harry styles best friend #best friend!harry #bffrry #harry styles tour #harry styles album #harry angst #harry smut #harry fluff #harry fic #harry fanfic #harry fan fiction #laceleaf series

[jungle-angel]

Song Of The Misty Mountains (Rhett Abbott x Reader)

Summary: You and Rhett live for the nights in early spring when the family can be together

Warnings: Mentions of adoption, birth etc.

Tagging: @floydsmuse @attapullman @callmemana @withahappyrefrain @rhettabbotts @sebsxphia @bradleybeachbabe

"Good God I hate cleaning the kitchen," you muttered, scraping the last of the dinner scraps into the garbage can next to the sink.

"At least ya'll don't have to clean the bathroom," Cecelia chuckled. "I swear I have to call a NEST team to come and fumigate every time one or both of those idiots in the living room eats at the Bakshis' restaurant."

"Hah! Better than eating Dad's chili," Joy laughed as she collected the dishes.

You made a face and feigned a gagging noise. The last time you had Art Hawk's chili was at a summer cookoff at Amy and Rose's school during the summer fair and the upstairs bathroom had never been the same since, but damn was it good with a big hunk of cornbread.

You, Cecelia, Joy, Martha, Beth, Monica and the others cleared away and cleaned up the rest of the dishes from dinner, hoping to be able to finally relax as you all filled each other in on the goings on in each others lives.

"Literally cannot wait for summer," Martha Hawk laughed as she helped you scrub the dishes in the sink. "First year Rosie gets to dance in the powwows and my mom's coming down from Idaho."

"And to boot, you get the summer off," you told her.

Martha laughed, an excited squeak making its way in. She was more than excited to be joining you at the school as your teaching assistant in the lower grades and excited at the prospects of finally having summers off again. As soon as Amy's case had officially closed when she turned a year old, Martha had decided a change of field was more than needed.

"Alright, time for a game of fridge tetris," Beth laughed.

You and the girls laughed and chattered away with Amy and Rose popping in and out of the kitchen every couple of minutes. You couldn't believe that the two of them would be starting kindergarten in September. It had seemed like yesterday that you and Rhett had brought Amy home with Rosie arriving barely three days later. Four years had gone by a little too fast and at the beginning of July, the girls would both be turning five.

Once everything was done and settled, the dishes washed, dried and put away, into the living room you went where the men of the family had already gathered and had gotten the fire going in the fireplace. The logs crackled, hissed, spit and snapped as sparks and embers flew up the chimney but the living room was as warm and cozy as ever. The grass outside was coated in the thinnest layer of hoarfrost, a sign that March would soon give way to April and the promise of spring that would soon be coming.

Everyone chattered away, shooting the shit between each other while John disappeared and came back every so often with a drink of choice. "God I live for these nights," he said, taking his spot next to Royal. "Fire crackling away, wind blowing outside and Manhattan in one hand."

The front door creaked open and shut with Billy and Shania Tillerson kicking off their shoes near the rack and joining everybody in the living room. "S'f-f'f-fuckin cold out," Billy shuddered.

"Well here ya big knucklehead, take this!" Cecelia said, tossing the wooly throw blanket his way.

"Thanks Cece," Shania said as soon as she caught it and put it around her and Billy.

Everyone went about their business until Rose and Amy came barreling in, begging for Royal or someone to read them a story.

"Alright, alright, ya'll get on over here," Royal said, finally giving in to their request.

Rose and Amy took their places on the living room rug, the others listening eagerly as Amy handed Royal her copy of "The Hobbit", a story that Rhett had loved growing up, second only to "The Indian In The Cupboard" of course.

Royal began to read aloud, both the girls and everyone in the room listening intently. You and Rhett huddled close together as he read, mesmerized by how well Royal could do the character voices. You had all nearly lost track of the time when his mother's grandfather clock in the hallway rang in the hour of 8:30.

"Alright you two, upstairs," Royal told them. "C'mon, it's bedtime."

Amy and Rose hurried upstairs on his orders, rushing to their room and leaving the others downstairs.

Royal threw another log onto the fire, hissing as it split open and released its sharp scent throughout the room. He hummed as he placed another one in there, low and droning as John joined in along with Thomas, Mo and Art and the rest of them. It wasn't long before you heard those familiar words filling the room, words that spoke of far off mountains, wizards, dwarves and hidden treasure deep in lands unexplored.

"Far over the misty mountains cold To dungeons deep and caverns old We must away, ere break of day, To find our long-forgotten gold.

The pines were roaring on the height, The winds were moaning in the night. The fire was red, it flaming spread; The trees like torches blazed with light."

Their voices were almost like that of the dwarves themselves, deep and droning in the night as they sang. You and the girls all joined in as the fire crackled away and the sky outside was tinted deep shades of red and pink. When it had all gone silenced, you and Rhett heard a pair of giggles coming from the stairs.

"Alright you two, bed! Now!" Rhett ordered.

The girls ran back upstairs, the two of you hoping that would be the only time you would have to say something.

"Think they'll be back down again?" you asked him.

"Only time will tell darlin," Rhett chuckled as he kissed you.

#outer range #rhett abbott #rhett abbott x reader #royal abbott #cecelia abbott #royal x cecelia abbott #amy abbott #joy hawk #martha hawk #rose hawk

[gayuu-the-necromancer]

My thoughts on El's father...(Rant!)

TW - major spoilers

I hate him!

He's the fucking worst! Not only as a father but he's monster. I don't care if he's grieving the loss of his wife, he's also responsible for what happen to El.

El's mom, Cecelia (beautiful name btw) was r*ped by a monster and that's how El was born. No one knew this fact. I understand Cecelia having conflicted feelings for El. On one hand, she does seems to care about El but there was also a small amount of hatred because of how he was born. From El's point of view, his mom looked at him like he was like a caterpillar, which she hates.

Cecelia could no longer suffer the pain and killed herself after writing a suicide note that revealed everything. Hugh, El's dad and Cecelia's husband, was affected mentally and blamed it all on El after knowing all the truth. First of all, you're telling me, you loved and cared for El all this time, and the moment you realised that he was not your flesh and blood, you don't love him anymore? Are you telling me all the love you gave him before was only because you thought he was your actual son? If El can love you, who is not his biological father, even after knowing everything then why can't you love him back? Like you lost your wife, he too lost his mother. Now the only one he can rely on is you!

Also how is this all El's fault? He's 8 or 9 years old. What the hell did he do? How is this all his fault? It's not like he told that monster from heaven to go and SA Cecelia, so that he can come to earth, right? Use your brain you dumb bitch!

And not yet! I haven't even got to the worse part yet. After this, Hugh goes into complete depression, and his mental state was not good. He even wanted El out of his sight or otherwise, he would have panic attacks because El's face reminded him was his wife's death. Whatever! Fuck you anyways!

While this was happening, that mf Jeffery...yeah, Jeffery, everyone's fav character...Yayy! He manipulates the now defenseless 9 year old El so that he and the maids could SA him as much as they liked....

Just how much of a monster you have to be to do this to a child? That too a child who YOU watched growing up. I just really want to know what was going in their minds when they were doing such things.

This nightmare was happening everyday and one day, the doctor was visiting the mansion for Hugh's treatment, got a whiff of this and he was like "Oh, you can SA a beautiful looking child and you won't face any consequences? Plss let me in!"

Yeah! The doctor! A doctor, who's job is to save people, now wants to gang with these monsters to destroy what is left of El. I literally wanna skin these people alive, chop them and feed them to the dogs.

Of course El kills the doctor by stabbing him with the scissors, because he's mentally broken at this point. Jeffery and the maid, just entirely brainwashed and manipulated him into thinking that what they're doing to him is an act of love and they love him unlike his father and mother. El thought that if he killed the doctor, maybe then Hugh will be happy and smile at him. He goes to see his father and his father killed himself. Good! Otherwise I would have killed him myself! His father told him that he knew what Jeffery and the maids were doing to him but he decided to let it happen because he wanted El to feel the same pain as he does. This statement, made my blood BOIL! This fucking selfish ASSHOLE!! Just how can you watch a child's innocence being stolen and take the side of these monsters? Even if he's not your biological child, he's still a child! A human being that has feelings!! Just how can you? A parent should be protecting their children. Even if you're not a parent, as a human being, don't you think you should protect that child? I'm sorry, I'm being so emotional! It just hurts me more when I see a parent doing this.

You know, when I was child, my grandma used to tell me that in hell, people are thrown into a large boiling cooking pots filled with oil and are roasted by Yamaraj (god of death in Hinduism) for their sins. I'm not a religious person, but I feel like that's one of the best punishment suited for monsters who attack children.

I...just...hate him more than Liam's dad.

#ikemen series #otome #cybird ikemen #cybird otome #ikemen villain #cybird #ikemen villains #ikemen villains elbert

[starlightandetherealshadows]

What is love?

Xa’eks/Xa’veed went around asking each Memento Mori character what love is. There is no word for it in their alien language, no ways to articulate platonic or romantic affection. The concept of love is foreign to them, but intriguing.

Here are each of their answers:

Cecelia/Chase:

“What is love?”

C looks up from where they were engrossed in their video game.

“People are obsessed with longevity. Everyone want to live till 80, 90, 100. I don’t think I want to live that long. 60 or 70, I think that’s enough for me, you know? But love, love is waking up next to your best friend and realizing that you wouldn’t mind living till 100. Not if you got to spend every day with that person.”

Delphine:

“What is love?”

Delphine’s expression goes thoughtful..and sad.

“I don’t know. People don’t love me; they love parts of me. They love taking, and I was born to give. Sometimes sex makes my stomach turn, but I can’t live without it. How fucked up is that? A succubus that sometimes hates sex.”

Veronica/Vincent:

“What is love?”

V turns their intense gaze to Zero, who is laughing at something C said. Their laughter rings out like church bells, melodic and captivating.

V’s face softens.

“It’s pain. Excruciating fucking pain.”

Ayana/Adriel:

“What is love?”

A’s jaw clenches.

“Love is losing everything you’ve ever wanted before you could realize that you had it. It’s your heart and soul falling through your fingers. You can pick up the shattered pieces or move on, but you can’t get it back.”

Zero:

“What is love?”

Zero doesn’t stop painting, each brush stroke purposeful.

“Love is real, even if the things in my head aren’t.”

#memento mori

[slyandthefamilybook]

okay here are my... face canons ? is that a thing? for the Wolf 359 main cast

Eiffel: Kinda goofy looking. Not conventionally attractive, but he grows on you. I imagine that the only care he puts towards his physical appearance is for sensory reasons (he shaves daily because he hates the feeling of stubble). Medium skin tone, soft eyes, long hair. Pretty much the generally accepted fanon appearance

Minkowski: I think Minkowski is actually fairly attractive, but in a subtle way. When she's on the Hephaestus she doesn't wear makeup and has her hair in a severe bun. But one day Eiffel finds one of her wedding photos and damn, she cleans up nice. She has a tattoo on her left forearm, but it's always covered by her jumpsuit. I think she's also the shortest of the cast

Hilbert: Obviously, Hilbert is canonically bald, so I'm not gonna mess with that. I think he has a short goatee which he grew for Hephaestus 2.0. I also like to imagine that Eiffel finds an old picture of Hilbert posing with his team in a lab in Russia, and while he's not conventionally attractive, he does have a certain magnatism. His eyes are cold and sharp as flint and his face is carved out of flat planes. He's also the tallest of the cast. Real beanpole of a man

Hera: I know everyone draws Hera with a face on a screen or as a hologram, but I don't think she has an appearance (beyond the hull of the Hephaestus). When we go into her mind, I think she's just a glowing featureless mannequin, or a ball of light

Lovelace: Lovelace looks like Cecelia Lynn-Jacobs. She just does. Look at her and tell me she doesn't

Kepler: Kepler is short. Well-muscled, but in a slim, athletic way. He's also the most conventionally attractive. I know there isn't a lot of competition for that title, but Kepler... he's a head-turner. He's always wearing a big smile, and he emotes primarily with his eyebrows.

Jacobi: Okay, hot take incoming. Jacobi... [🥁] is a fat, middle-aged man with a pate you could land a helicopter on. He has a dark, scraggly beard, and small but intelligent eyes. He's a bear. He's a bear. Bear Jacobi rights. He's always got a big smile, though, and seems warm and inviting (until you hear his lame sense of dad humor). Big man. Jacobi. Yeah..

Maxwell: Okay here's another hot take: Maxwell is alt. She has partially dyed hair in a side-shave, tons of piercings, permanent raccoon-eye eyeshadow. Her SI-5 uniform is black with red piping. She looks like a gamer girl. Kepler thinks she looks childish, but she's rocking it

Cutter: Cutter's face is entirely forgettable. Completely indistinct features. The second he leaves you forget what he looked like. He's just a guy

Pryce: With Pryce's obsession with "improving" herself, I think she's had so many botox injections she barely has a square inch of motile skin on her face left. Looks like a stretched balloon. It's really unsettling.

#atlas entry #wolf 359 #wolf359 #w359

[virtuouswhitehatorganization]

Miss Heed: A Woman Who Could Only See The Flaws With Her True Self

Seriously, I remember that line from "Mean Seasons" and that episode really shows how someone's self-esteem can be wrecked when they feel they can't live up to a standard set by society and be driven crazy by it. In the case of Miss Heed she at first didn't fit in the villains due to her demeanor, which probably contributed to why she eventually joined the heroes because she felt she could be accepted by them. However, as shown in the show that wasn't enough for her she gradually used whatever means to validate herself to the point she would brainwash entire masses to just worship her. I think a girl with that kind of menta issues would probably be a good Batman villain due to how her obsession with popularity makes cross ethical lines to do so.

Miss Heed's heroic persona is basically her ideal self while Cecelia (which she refuses to call by) is just a reminder of what she used to be as a teenager. The girl has never moved past her high school mentality and carries into adulthood with big consequences for everyone around her. Cecelia was unloved, but Miss Heed wasn't. However, due to what she did to force people to love her, she basically had both of her identities hated and that is probably devastating for her because now she's back to square one which is no one will validate her anymore and she still realizes she still doesn't love the true version of herself. Like with Calendar Girl, she can hide the mask but the so-called flaws she's trying to hide are just imaginary and she can't see the true beauty within which is very tragic.

#villainous #villanos #miss heed #batman the animated series #batman #incorrect quotes

[bluejaysandblackbats]

To Touch Fate

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason attempts to settle down in Southern Italy and live a civilian life.

Chapters: 14/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Original Character(s), Bruce Wayne, Terry McGinnis, Matt McGinnis

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Angst, Jason Todd-centric, Jason Todd is a Father, Terry McGinnis is Batman, Retirement, Future Fic, Major Original Character(s)

Chapter Fourteen: Morning

Domenico woke the children for school while Jason finally drifted off. He dressed Dario and washed his face. “Ah! Look at you, Darius! You’re so handsome,” Domenico complimented as he held Dario to the mirror. Dario giggled, and Domenico held him on his hip. “Let me see your teeth.”

Dario smiled at him with teeth, and Domenico smelled his breath. “Coccolone? Where’s Papi?” Dario asked. Domenico showered him in kisses like Jason would’ve done.

“With Angel. Angel’s sick, so I’ll walk you to class. Papá’s staying home,” Domenico answered. He knocked on the twins’ door. “Hurry. We have to leave early, so we can stop at Nonno’s after we drop Darius off.” Cecelia slipped out of their room in red shorts, navy knee-high socks, and a short-sleeved yellow button-up with a navy collar. 

“Can I wear this?” Cecelia asked. Domenico smiled and nodded.

“You look nice,” Domenico replied, “We’ll grab a snack at Nonno’s. Okay? Do you have everything you need?” Cecelia nodded. 

“Katerina’s almost dressed. Did you want us to wake Claudia?” Cecelia asked. Domenico shook his head. 

“Don’t wake her. It’s alright. I made their breakfast and left a note on the fridge. I called the community center and told them Papá wasn’t coming today. Can you write Papá a note telling him?” Domenico asked. Cecelia nodded and ran to the kitchen to write it on their family announcements notepad. 

Domenico let Dario run off to grab his backpack while he sank to the ground in front of the twins’ room and covered his face. He blinked his tears away and crossed his arms. “Kitty, what’s wrong?” Domenico asked. 

“Nothing. I’m buckling my shoes,” Katerina answered, “Do you want to come in?” 

“No, thank you,” Domenico replied. Katerina opened the door and stood over him. 

“What’s the matter?” Katerina asked.

Domenico sniffed and stood up, wrapping his arms around Katerina. “Nothing’s wrong,” Domenico lied, “I like your dress. You always look pretty in green.” 

“You hate when I wear dresses because I can’t go to the gym with you. Why aren’t you irritated?” Katerina asked. 

“No. We gotta come straight home anyway,” Domenico whispered, “And to answer your first question, I’m tired.”

“Is Papá okay?” Katerina asked. Domenico nodded. 

“He’s better now,” Domenico answered, “Come on. Let’s go.” 

Noemi stepped out of her room, half-asleep, and reached out blindly for a hug. Cecelia and Dario got to her first. “Good, you’re all ready,” Noemi smiled, “Who woke you?” 

“Domonic,” Cecelia answered. 

“Did you eat?” Noemi asked. Dario shook his head. 

“Dom said we have to stop by Nonno Giorgio’s,” Cecelia explained. Katerina ran and hugged Noemi. 

“Have a good day at school. I love you,” Noemi whispered, “I have to talk to Dom alone for a moment. Okay?” She gestured for him to come close. 

Domenico approached with a bowed head. “ Yes, Mamma,” Domenico mumbled. Noemi smiled and lifted his chin with her knuckle. 

“There’s no shame here. Look at me,” Noemi whispered. Domenico obeyed. “You aren’t in trouble. I wanted to thank you for being so responsible. I’m so proud of you.” Domenico smiled. 

“Thank you, Mamma. It was nothing,” Domenico answered. Noemi wrapped her arms around him. 

“I love you, and I know you’re a very busy man, so I’ll let you go,” Noemi smiled. Domenico nodded and led his siblings to school. Noemi went to the kitchen to make breakfast. She smiled when she noticed the note on the fridge. Jason crept out of his room and kissed Noemi’s cheek. 

“Dom made breakfast. He must’ve gotten up two hours earlier than everyone else,” Noemi announced. 

“Do you have time after breakfast to talk?” Jason asked. 

“I have some time while the kids are asleep… Wait. You want to talk. Don’t you?” Noemi replied. Jason wrapped his arms around her. 

“Yes. I mean talk,” Jason whispered, “It’s about Angelo.” 

“Are his grades slipping?” Noemi asked.

“No. His grades are fine. I don’t know how to say this, but—.” Jason took a deep breath and explained what Angelo told him the night before. Noemi chewed her lip and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I was thinking—. Well, I wanna meet with the kid’s parents by myself… Gauge what kind of people they are—.” 

“And then what?” Noemi interrupted. 

“Easy. I wanna speak to the parents so I know how to handle them,” Jason explained, “And I promised Giorgio I’d keep you out of trouble.” Jason lifted her chin and gave her a single peck on the lips. 

“Why don’t you want me to go with you?” Noemi asked in a sing-song voice. 

“Because I’ve seen you angry, and it’s distracting,” Jason replied in a sing-song voice. Noemi crossed her arms. “Don’t look at me like that.” Jason picked her up and sat her on the counter. 

Noemi chewed her lip. “Don’t be cute right now. Giasone—.” Jason kissed her neck, eliciting a giggle from her. She grabbed Jason by his shirt as he kissed her neck and chin, stopping before he could kiss her lips. Noemi shut her eyes and smiled. “What was I saying?” 

“Do you wanna—?”

“Papi! Where’s DomDom?” Claudia cried as she ran down the hall. Jason took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair. 

“Can we revisit this?” Jason whispered as he gestured from himself to Noemi. Noemi patted his cheek before hopping down from the counter. Jason scooped Claudia up, holding her above his head. “Dom had to go to school, but he probably left you a note. Did you check?” Claudia stopped crying and shook her head. 

Noemi ripped the note from the pad. “Dom called the gym and said you won’t be in today… Oh! Here’s the note for Claudia,” Noemi cleared her throat. “Dearest biscottina, I made breakfast for you. Sorry. I didn’t wake you. Don’t be mad. Check under your pillow. I left some clues for you today. Try to find the surprise I left behind. Your big brother, Domenico.”

Jason set Claudia down, and she ran to her room, giggling. “Do you think—?” 

“Giasone. I have to heat up breakfast… And Claudia has to brush her teeth,” Noemi replied, “And I have to check on Angelo… Tomorrow morning.”

Jason kissed her cheek. “Tomorrow morning it is,” Jason whispered. 

“Claudia! I have to brush your teeth!” Jason called. Claudia gave Jason a handwritten note. “I left a note where the tooth fairy looks. Can you find the next clue where you take care of her treasure? (Sorry, I couldn’t make these rhyme).” 

“What’s the answer, Papi?” Claudia asked. Jason took her to the bathroom and smiled at the note on the mirror. 

“The bathroom. You have to brush your teeth. Isn’t it so nice of Dom to give you a game to play while he’s gone?” Jason smiled. He brushed her teeth, and washed her face. He gently applied face cream to her face and took the note off the mirror. Jason took her through her morning routine while they picked up clues. He dressed her in the outfit Domenico picked out and smiled at her building excitement. They stopped for breakfast, and Jason carefully tucked a handkerchief into Claudia’s collar. 

“How’s Angel?” Jason asked. Claudia sat on Jason’s knee, eating her eggs. 

“Angelo has the chills, but I made him drink some tea and have oranges with his medicine. He ate half his orange… Maybe you can get him to eat more later,” Noemi answered. 

Jason nodded. “I’ll stop by Giorgio’s with Claudia and get him something he likes. Do you think he can stomach a melon gazpacho?” Jason asked. 

“It’s his favorite. He’ll try,” Noemi replied, “How many clues do you have left, Claudia?” 

“One more,” Claudia answered. 

“Hm… I wonder what it is,” Jason whispered. Noemi cocked her head. 

“You didn’t know about this?” Noemi asked. Jason shook his head.

“I haven’t talked to him since last night… Speaking of which, I need to talk to Angel later,” Jason mumbled. 

“What does that—? Oh… No… Tell me he didn’t—.” 

“We’ll talk later,” Jason interrupted. Noemi frowned and nodded.

#fic #batfam #batman beyond au #to touch fate fic #Jason Todd #Original Character(s) #Bruce Wayne #Terry McGinnis #Matt McGinnis #Jason Todd/Original Character(s) #Angst #Jason Todd-centric #Jason Todd is a Father #Terry McGinnis is Batman #Retirement #Future Fic #Major Original Character(s)

[muttbrainmaxwell]

Here's to the Night (MJF x Raile Cole)

Chapter 1

It popped up on her Facebook feed one night, while she was scrolling through and reading the updates from various groups she had joined.

Plainview JFK High School, 10 year reunion. Food and drink provided, plus ones encouraged!

Raile Jackson-Cole hadn’t thought about anyone from her old alma mater in the past eight years, ever since she’d moved to . She had been far too busy doing absolutely nothing with her life, aside from smoking pot and wishing that there was something she actually wanted to do. Being almost thirty with no plans for her future was starting to kind of scare her, even with her mom’s reassurances that the 27 year old was completely secure with or without plans.

It was one of the perks of being grossly wealthy, and Raile was thankful for it as she read through the comments on the post, taking note that it was to happen in a few days’ time.

Various people she started to recognize had already commented. Cecelia Harper, Michael Jansen, even Blair Aldrich had RSVP'd to the event, evidently the second it went up.

Raile was about to click out of the post, rolling her eyes at all of the popular people who were sure to be there, when another name caught her attention.

Her heart rate stuttered briefly, and her lips curled into an unintentional smile.

Maxwell Friedman: I’m coming just to show the rest of you up, because I’m better than you and you’re going to find that out.

Maxwell Friedman was a name that Raile hadn’t thought about until that very moment. She had no idea what had gone on with him for the last near-decade, but if he was going to the reunion then she needed to go as well.

Whether or not she would know what to say to him was a completely separate matter, but she threw caution to the wind and replied under his comment.

Raile Jackson-Cole: I’ve been wondering what happened to you, Max. All good things I hope?

Three dots flickered in the comment section, and she chewed her lip ring as she waited for him to respond. When he did, she inhaled sharply and felt that her face was flushed red.

Maxwell Friedman: You’ll see if you come to this thing. I’ve been wondering the same about you, Raile Cole.

He remembered her name. He remembered her.

She was going to faint.

Raile Jackson-Cole: Are you asking me to come to the reunion, Maxwell?

Raile imagined he was on his phone in bed, looking at her comments with a face as red as hers.

She hoped his heart was pounding like hers was too.

No comment came after that; as often as Raile checked the thread there was no witty reply to her comment, and after a few hours she decided that maybe he wasn’t really interested in bantering with her after all.

That was fine with her though. Her head was full enough of memories of the short but sturdy boy in her sophomore class that had ensnared and infuriated her with his smile and his wit.

The two of them had hated each other from the first moment they’d met. She couldn’t stand that he always had to have the last word, the last jab in a verbal sparring session. Even when she’d had perfectly reasonable counterarguments and insults of her own, Max always acted like he was getting one over on her.

Their rivalry culminated at Homecoming, when they were nominated King and Queen. Raile had taken Max’s crown and placed it graciously upon his head, but he’d taken her tiara and held it high above his own head with an evil smirk.

“Jump for it, Cole,” he teased, and even in her heels she was at least four inches shorter than him. Raile’s cheeks burned with humiliation as she tried to get her crown without causing too much of a fuss. When she stretched up and stumbled, catching herself on him with fingers that clutched at his tuxedo, he grinned down at her and set the crown on her head.

“Easy there, Princess Cole. No need to throw yourself at me for it,” he mocked, and everyone chuckled at her expense. Being mocked was nothing new for her,  but this was Homecoming. Raile hadn’t even wanted to come, but she’d done so in order for her mother to have a memory of it.

She certainly hadn’t come with anyone, especially Maxwell Friedman. It was awful enough that she’d agreed to wear a dress and attend the dance to begin with. And now here was Max, trying and succeeding in humiliating her in front of all their classmates.

It was enough to set her off, and she met Max’s eyes with such a look of loathing that both aroused and amused him, before she reared back and socked him across the jaw. When he hit the floor, stunned, she grabbed the tiara out of his hand and glared down at him with a blaze in her eyes that belied the fire in her blood, her anger and humiliation.

“Never in a million years, Friedman. Not even if you were the last man on the fucking planet,” she sneered as she turned and stormed off the stage, feeling hot tears burn her eyes.

She would not let them see her cry. Especially not him.

That was the last time she spoke to Maxwell until graduation, when she gave him a stiff hug and a canned ‘good-bye’ after throwing their caps in the air. After the photos were taken and memories made, she turned her back on her graduating classmates and resolved to never think about them again.

The ringing of her phone startled her out of her reverie, and as she grabbed it and looked at the area code her heart started to race.

Max was calling her out of the blue.

Taking a deep breath, she answered the phone and closed her laptop.

“Hello Maxwell. I was just remembering the last time we talked,” she told him. “How’d you get my number?”

“I called your mother,” Max said as he relaxed on the couch with Piper,  watching reruns of some Law and Order episodes but not really paying attention to them. “I told her that I needed to talk to you about the reunion party, that you’d volunteered. She seemed to fall for it.”

“She didn’t fall for shit, she just wants to see what’s going to happen,” Raile huffed as she realized Janice’s angle. “But anyway, what do you want, Max? I’m kind of busy.”

“Oh really? Too busy to talk to me, your old friend?”, he goaded playfully. “Whatever could be so important? I do need to talk to you though, if you don’t mind.”

“You’re already talking to me, and you’re not my old friend. No matter how much I laughed at your jokes,” Raile muttered, sighing heavily. “Fine. What do you want?”

“I’d like to take you to the reunion. I’ll pick you up and we can take a road trip,” he said baldly, and she let out a snort of disbelief and irritation.

“Immediately, no,” she said, shutting him down instantly. “Absolutely not. You can go fuck yourself. Besides, are you even in California right now?”

“Yes, actually, I am. I’d like to apologize, properly, for what I did to you at Homecoming. You didn’t deserve to be humiliated like that. No matter how much I disliked you, I took it too far,” he admitted quietly. “Please allow me to make it up to you by taking you to the reunion.”

“Why now?”, she asked in exasperation as the old anger clawed at her throat and threatened to choke her. The humiliation burned under her skin, and she inhaled sharply and tightened her hold on the phone as she tried to bring herself under control. “Why are you trying to reach out now? It was a long time ago.”

“Because what I did to you wasn’t okay,” he replied evenly. “If you don’t want to go, just tell me and I won’t bother you again. I...I’m trying this thing called turning over a new leaf; trying to become a better person. And that starts with making apologies to everyone I hurt.”

That piqued her curiosity. Max had been an unapologetic asshole the entirety of high school. What could have happened to change that about him? A fact so entwined in him that any deviation from him being a standard, world class douchebag was both welcoming and terrifying?

“Pick me up at 6:30,” she heard herself saying, only aware of the words once it was too late to take them back. “I’ll wear a...a dress.”

“Later tonight then?”, he offered, and she checked the clock. Fuck, it was already 3:45 and she was still laying on the couch.

“What about tomorrow?”, she bargained, and she heard his quiet chuckle on the other end of the phone.

“What’s the difference between now and later, Raile?”

“I’m not...I don’t have anything to wear,” she told him, knowing that even to herself it sounded stupid. His answering laugh was proof of that, and she huffed and groaned quietly. “Don’t laugh at me!”

“I’m not laughing, I swear,” Max said as he took a sip of his drink and got himself under control. "I'm not laughing at you. I just, that’s not something I ever imagined you saying. You were always fashionably dressed, you and Jamie both.”

“Well maybe I wouldn’t be so wary of putting a dress on if someone hadn’t humiliated me at Homecoming,” Raile hissed back acidly, listening to the sharp inhale and feeling an acrid pleasure.

Good. Fuck him and his self-absorbed bullshit.

The silence at the end of the line made her feel better, and she settled into the couch with a mean laugh of her own. “Cat got your tongue, Maxwell?”

“I never should have said that to you,” he mumbled, feeling worthless.  “You...I’m so sorry that I always made you feel like shit. I know how that feels, and I...I am so sorry that I ever made you feel that way. Can you ever forgive me?”

His throat felt tight, and he swallowed thickly and closed his eyes, gripping the phone tighter. “I’ll do anything to make it up to you. I promise that I’m trying to change, I’m...”

“Max,” Raile said as she screwed her eyes shut and mouthed a few choice words before continuing, “you’ll do anything?”

“Yes. Anything you want, whatever I can do to make it up to you.”

“Pick me up at 6:30,” she reiterated.  I’m not wearing a dress.”

“Jeans are also acceptable,” Max chuckled over the phone. “I’m not going to yell at you for wearing jeans. Don’t worry about packing a bag, I’ve got a black card and money that I’d like to spend on someone other than me for a change.”

“Good, because you’re wearing jeans too,” she told him. “Jeans and a sweatshirt. No suits, no expensive shoes.”

Max was smirking at her gall, and he laughed aloud before answering her again.

“I’ll wear jeans and a sweatshirt,” he chuckled. “This one time.”

“I just want you to be comfortable while I murder you,” Raile smirked. “I’ll see you soon.”

“See you soon, Princess Cole.”

6:30 arrived a lot faster than Raile had planned, but she was on the stoop in her Harley Quinn hoodie and jeans regardless. Her nerves were making her fidget with the rings on her hands as she waited, impatiently, for him to pull up.

A loud engine caught her attention and her eyes widened as she realized he was pulling up in an ocean-blue Ford truck. And there was a title belt in the front passenger seat that made her perk up immediately.

Max was a champion, an accomplishment that she knew he had been chasing for years, even before they graduated. He wanted to be a professional wrestler, and she was proud to see that his dreams had been realized.

“Raile!”, he called through the window, his smug grin in place. “Hop on in, baby, let’s go for a drive.”

She rolled her eyes playfully and slung her purse over her shoulder, blushing as she walked to the truck and he reached over to open the door.

“Does your mom know you’re leaving?”, he asked, taking her purse and setting it in the center console. “Or does she not want me in the house because she wants to kill me?”

“She knows I’m leaving, she even suggested I pack a bag just in case,” Raile huffed as she rolled her eyes.

“Did you?”, he asked with a smirk. “I know I told you not to.”

“I didn’t,” she answered with a shake of her head. “I decided to listen to you. Did I make a bad call? Should I grab one anyway?”

“Nah,” Max said as she shut the door and he put the truck in drive. “Anything you need this weekend, I got it. Don’t worry,” he smirked at her, causing an eyebrow to raise.

“Okay,” she nodded warily as she relaxed into the seat. “I trust you, Max. But I carry a knife at all times and I’m pretty decent at fighting, so don’t try any bullshit,” she joked.

“Don’t worry, I wouldn’t do that to you,” he reassured her as he pulled out of the driveway, heading for the highway. “It’s going to take us about two days to get there, with breaks to sleep and all that shit. So, I figure we’ll switch driving shifts every six hours? Sleep at night so there’s less chance of crashing?”

“That’s fine with me,” she nodded, thankful that she’d prepped in advance by having extra cigarettes and some joints. “But can we eat first? I’m fucking starving.”

“Yeah, absolutely,” he nodded. “And I’ll get us a hotel room later, two single beds. Don’t worry, this is strictly just…friends,” he flushed as she looked at him. “Just friends.”

“Well, thank you for clearing that up I suppose,” she shrugged as she leaned her seat back and relaxed. "Although I kind of figured that was the case, I wouldn't have come with you otherwise."

“I’m glad you did,” he said as he pulled into the drive thru of a Chik Fil A, ordering himself a couple orders of grilled nuggets with Polynesian sauce as well as the two grilled chicken club sandwiches Raile ordered for herself. When Raile moved to hand her card through the window he took it, setting it in the center console and shaking his head.

“I told you, I’ve got it covered. Whatever you want.”

“I can buy my dinner,” Raile protested, and he turned and stared at her with a raised eyebrow.

“Why won’t you let me buy you food?”, he asked petulantly, pouting heavily at her and making her roll her eyes.

“Okay, jeez. Fine, just stop looking at me like that,” she sighed playfully, taking her card back and putting it in her wallet as he passed his card to the drive thru worker, taking the bags from him when he set them in her lap. “But I’m buying gas and snacks at the next stop. Thank you,” she smiled, remembering to be polite at the last second.

“You’re not buying anything,” he reiterated, pulling into a parking spot and turning to face her. “I am buying everything on this excursion, and you are going to be the passenger princess when I’m in the driver’s seat, toots.”

Raile’s eyebrow raised again, and she slowly licked her lips and leaned in to grab his shirt.

“Don’t. Call. Me. Toots,” she growled threateningly, forcing him to look her in the eyes. “You want to kidnap me for longer than the next ten minutes? Fine. But I’m only doing this because you said you changed,” she reminded him, watching his eyes soften and shut tightly.

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” he said quietly, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed heavily. “I’m sorry, Raile. I didn’t mean that.”

Stupid fucking asshole, can’t you keep your shit together for five fucking minutes? Now she hates me and I’ll never get another chance, and I-

Wait, she’s talking to me still.

“Max,” Raile said again, lightly grabbing his chin and squeezing. “Maxwell!”

“Sorry!”, he blurted, feeling shame and embarrassment wash over him and pulling away from her as much as he could in the truck.

He didn’t look at her. He wouldn’t look at her, not until he could control the sudden feeling of tears that were choking him.

“Max, look at me,” she ordered gently, using her grip on his chin to turn him back to her. “Just stop, okay? Let me buy shit for you too, alright? I’m not someone you need to impress. Don’t you know that? Have I ever been impressed by you, to the point you need to pull this douchey bullshit on me?”, she asked him seriously, though she let go of his chin and lightly tapped his cheek. “Just take a deep breath, let go of the douche that you put up as a front, and be vulnerable with me. I want to be your friend, I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

He considered telling her, just for a moment, about his RSD. Considered overexplaining himself and risking even more vulnerability. But then, he realized that doing so would only make her pity him. That was worse than however he felt at the moment, the potential of having her see him differently. Pity was the worst.

So he took a deep breath, opened his eyes, and met her gaze steadily, letting her see the wetness of his eyes but hesitantly smiling.

“I’m sorry,” he finally said as he cleared his throat, wiping his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose with a quiet laugh. “I’ve got some hangups. I’m alright though, I’m fine. We should drive if we’re gonna do anything,” he said, looking at her with a real smile. “I’m sorry. Let’s have fun? I’ll…I don’t have to impress you,” he told her, though she knew he was more so telling himself. “You’re my friend.”

“I’m your friend,” she nodded, giving him a smile in return and plugging her phone into his charger. “And as your friend, I’m going to steal your speakers for some of this trip.”

“Go for it,” Max chuckled as he pulled out of the parking lot and got back on the road, now completely focused on getting to Long Island.

Raile plugged in her phone and opened her Spotify playlist, not realizing that the last song she played hadn’t fully finished. The title of the song showed on the truck display, but she was faster than Max, who wasn’t wearing his glasses.

However, his truck speakers were designed to tell him what was playing, and revealed the song’s title was about addiction.

“It doesn’t mean anything,” she said quickly, finding a more suitable song in Tiny Dancer and sitting back in her seat. She opened a sandwich and quickly bit into it, using the distraction to eliminate the possibility of answering questions.

But Max wasn’t going to let it go, turning the radio down and keeping his eyes on the road as he talked.

“Whatever you can relate to in that song…I hope you’re okay now,” he started. “I hope that you’re well, and…you don’t have to tell me anything that you don’t want to tell me.”

He saw her shift slightly as he reached down to shift gears, saw her fingers clench lightly around her sandwich as she looked out the window and never said a word. And the silence hung thick between them, like a fog that threatened to choke him as he stopped talking and focused on driving.

If Raile didn’t want to talk, he wasn’t going to either.

As the next song ended, Raile reached over and turned it back, increasing the volume and singing along to the haunting vocals of the song that she’d previously skipped.

It was a song that, to her, represented her struggle with addiction perfectly. And though it was hard to verbalize, the song’s lyrics made it easier for others to understand.

When Raile spoke, it was quiet and almost unheard.

“You know I was a foster kid,” she said almost matter of factly, and it surprised her that Max actually nodded in remembrance. She was struck by the way his hands wrapped around the wheel, almost as if he were gripping it tightly in anticipation of hearing the worst shit that ever happened to her.

When he nodded again, she continued.

“They just wanted to make money off of me,” she told him, her eyes focusing on the display screen in the truck. “Without actually taking care of me at all. When they weren’t beating me, they locked me in a shed full of spiders so they didn’t have to feed me. And when that got boring, my foster dad and his son would come visit me. Those were the worst times,” she revealed, and her voice carried through the small enclosed space despite the way her bottom lip trembled. “When I was adopted, I was finally safe to deal and process everything that I’d gone through, and I couldn’t cope with it. I started doing cocaine, and when I almost killed myself my parents forced me into rehab. I was sixteen.”

“You missed the end of sophomore year and the beginning of junior year,” he frowned, remembering. “You left in April, came back in January, and you looked… I knew you looked different.”

“Rehab,” she shrugged, picking her nails as if it didn’t affect her, though inside she was wondering why exactly she’d opened up to him that much. “I got sober, and then I was fine. I still am,” she reassured him, glancing at him and gently reaching over to rest her hand on one of his. “Stop strangling the wheel, would you? I promise, I’m fine.”

Max let one hand remain on the wheel, and the other turned to wrap around her fingers gently.

“You didn’t deserve that,” he muttered, almost angrily. “What happened after? To the people that did that to you? Did they end up in prison?”

“Yeah, they did,” she nodded as she allowed herself to hold his hand. “They’re in prison now, and I’m better, so much better. You don’t need to worry, okay? Although I don’t really know why you would be worried.”

“Because you didn’t deserve to be abused and develop a drug addiction? Am I really so horrible that you think I wouldn’t be upset about that?”, he asked her flatly, and she swallowed thickly and avoided his eyes. “Jesus, Raile, I’m not a fucking monster. I’ve done some things that I’m not proud of, but I’m not a monster. Only a heartless asshole wouldn’t be upset about that.”

He was right, although she resisted the urge to point out that up until that very moment, he’d been a heartless asshole. How was she supposed to know?

“I’m…sorry,” she finally said, feeling as though it was a hollow and stupid apology. “This is why I don’t talk about it, because I’m so fucking sick of making people upset. I’d rather make them pissed off about things that aren’t actually all that important,” she joked, pulling her hand away to her lap again.

“My fiance left me,” Max revealed, fidgeting slightly. Only the nervous tapping of his fingers and the subtle tic of his jaw showed how upset he still was over it. “It was devastating, and the only thing that kept me going was the AEW title. Everything else just felt unnecessary. She was my dream girl, or at least I thought she was. But she was just the next in a long line of people who said they loved me and ended up leaving. I wanted everything with her, and she left me. She left me because I’m unlovable, and now the only thing I have in this world that makes me feel unconditional love is the title you moved to the back seat.”

Almost as if on cue, the song changed. Now it was one of her favorite 90s songs, and Raile almost laughed at how cliche and movie-worthy the moment was.

But she didn’t. Instead, she chewed her lip ring, using the stoplight as a chance to look over at him while he could pay attention to her.

“She wasn’t the love of your life,” she told Max boldly, admitting to both of them the thing that she’d been hiding ever since her tender high school years. “Not if she’d leave you when you were struggling. Even when I hated you, I would have stayed if you needed me.”

“No you wouldn’t have,” he scoffed quietly. “I was incredibly cruel to you, especially during Homecoming. I don’t even know why I did it, Raile,” he admitted. “I don’t remember why I did that to you. I slut shamed you and ruined your night, and for no apparent reason. I deserved to get punched in the jaw.”

“I was in love with you.”

He stalled, glancing at her for just too long as the light turned green and cars blared their horns behind him. Max jumped, stuck his middle finger out the window, and Raile laughed as she did the same while they pulled away and kept driving.

When he’d recovered, he relaxed more in his seat and licked his lips.

“You were in love with me?”, he repeated, as if unsure of what he’d just heard. “How come you never said anything?”

“After what happened at Homecoming? You think I was just going to confess my soul to you?”, she asked him, and he dipped his head slightly to acknowledge her point.

“I…I wouldn’t have done that to you. Not after what happened with us before. I wouldn’t have humiliated you again,” he tried to protest, but he knew it was hollow as she stared at him, her eyes narrowed and beginning to water.

“How was I supposed to know that?”, she asked, and he stayed silent instead of answering her.

After a moment he replied, the hard set of his jaw prominent in the setting sun.

“You weren’t. You couldn’t have, and I know that’s my fault. Thank you, for admitting that you were in love with me during the worst thing I ever did in my life. That makes me feel so much better about it,” he sneered, and she rolled her eyes and threw her hands up.

“You’re fucking hopeless, Max. I’m trying to open up to you here and all you keep doing is rehashing shit that upsets both of us. Pull over and let me out,” she said, grabbing her purse and her phone. “I’ll call my mom.”

“You really want me to pull over on the highway and kick you out of my truck?”, he asked, calling her bluff and pulling to the side of the highway, flicking his hazards on. “Get out then.”

Raile opened the door and carefully jumped out of the truck, slamming the door shut and starting to jog away from him. She heard him honk behind her but kept going, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible.

“For fuck’s sake,” he snarled, pulling up beside her and slowing down to keep pace. “Raile, please. Why do we have to argue? I don’t want to argue,” he called through the window. “Look, just get in the truck, smoke a blunt and finish eating. We’ll only drive for a few more hours, then we can find a motel and avoid each other for the rest of the night. Please? Just get in the truck?”

“No,” she snapped back at him angrily. “Not until you prove to me that you’re gonna stop feeling fucking sorry for yourself, because you’re not sexy when you fucking mope!”

He stopped short, letting out a chuckle that developed into a full blown laugh. That quick wit was still inside her, the fire that had always burned bright between them back then.

Max suddenly realized that he liked that about her.

Fuck.

“You’re right,” he told her placatingly, pulling the truck to a stop and opening the passenger door. “I’ll stop, I promise. I don’t want to ruin this trip, so I’ll quit being a mopey dickhead. Please just get in the truck. I really just want to have a good time, and I’ve wanted to kiss you since I picked you up, and I’m feeling ashamed and stupid because you’re mad at me. I keep fucking it up,’ he told her, taking responsibility for the fight and pleading her with his eyes. “Please get in the truck.”

“You promise you’ll stop?”, she asked him, walking over and touching the door handle as she looked up at him. When he nodded and offered her a hand, she took it and allowed him to pull her up into the truck. She shut the door and buckled back into her seat, connecting her phone to the speaker again and skipping ahead a few songs.

When an even older song came on, by Tom Petty, she turned it up and pulled out a joint. Then, she rolled the window down, slid her sneakers off and put her feet on the dashboard as she lit the joint and inhaled deeply.

Tipping her head back to exhale, she looked over at Max with a smile and a coughing laugh.

“Don’t worry, handsome, I kept it a secret for both our sakes. You don’t have to do anything about it, I just thought you should know I had a crush on you back then,” she shrugged. “I don’t want anything from you.”

He allowed himself to chuckle, falling back on the safety net of his gimmick and a seat-selling smile.

“If you’re looking to make a deal with the devil, baby, I hope you think really hard about what you want in return,” he warned her playfully. He was rewarded with a flush that made her pull her hood over her eyes and got him to laugh.

“Why so red, huh? I’m just messing with you, I promise,” he told her, reaching over to grab her knee, and she gasped harder and fixed her hood, taking another hit.

“Dude, I’m gonna drop it if you keep doing that,” she protested. “I’m ticklish there.”

“Oh are you?”, he teased, doing it again. “Good to know. I’ll keep that for future use.”

“Stop,” she half-laughed, moving her knee and breathing in relief when he put his hand back on the wheel. “If you find a hotel or something we can share this.”

“You’d share with me?”, he gasped as if shocked, immediately pulling onto the off ramp that proclaimed there was a Marriott at the next exit and looking at her with a grin.

“No take backs.”

“No take backs,” she grinned back at him helplessly, seeing the way his eyes sparkled and feeling her heart skip a beat. That was exactly what she’d fallen so head over heels for in the first place, the genuine bright smile that she rarely saw. “I’ll share this with you as long as they don’t care.”

“I’ll pay damages if I have to,” he told her with a wave of his hand. “I’m not worried about it. I’d rather smoke now and pay later.”

“That’s sound logic, I guess,” she laughed. “So we’ll smoke. It’s only a quarter past seven, and I need to check in with my mom. We’ll get a room and relax for the rest of the night,” she suggested, and he nodded.

“Yeah. Tell your mom we’re at the JW Anaheim Marriott,” he told her, pulling into the parking lot when they got close enough and parking. “I’ll go get us a room with two single beds.”

He walked in and told the concierge his name, asking for two single beds. When she offered him the presidential suite he took it, even when she mentioned that it only had one California King bed.

“My guest and I will be fine,” he reassured her, smiling at her and watching as the woman flushed. Once he had the keys, he made his way back out to the truck, opening the door for Raile.

By this time, Raile had already called Janice and sprayed herself to get rid of the smell. She was still on the phone when he came back out.

“Mom, it’s not like that. We’re just friends, going to the reunion. You wanted me to go,” she pointed out. “You never said it outright, but you wanted me to go. Otherwise you wouldn’t have given Max my number.”

“You’re right, Raile. I’m tired of you moping around that pool house and doing nothing good for yourself, so I gave Max your number and told him to come get you. I know you can take care of yourself,” Janice told her daughter. “I want you to have fun, sweet girl, you’ve lost too much time to your issues. I want you to be happy.”

“I told him I had a crush on him back then,” she revealed to her mother, who gasped on the other end just as Max opened the door and scared the shit out of Raile. Her yelp quickly devolved into a cough, and she gave him the finger with a narrow eyed smirk. “And he said we should get a hotel and get stoned.”

“I know that suits you just fine,” Janice teased playfully. “Go on and have fun, honey. Thank you for calling to check in, and please tell Max that I’m the parent he should be scared of.”

“I will,” Raile giggled to herself. “I’m gonna go now, I’ll call you after I eat breakfast tomorrow.”

“Okay honey. Goodnight, we love you.”

“I love you too, Momma,” Raile smiled softly, ending the call and looking at Max. “So, did you get the room situated?”

“I did, I got us a presidential suite with a wonderful giant bed,” he said with a grin, hoping to slip that past her.

“Only one bed?”, she replied with a raised eyebrow, smirking when he flushed and looked away from her.

“Apparently everyone in the fucking county decided to stay here tonight,” he muttered. “So, we got the presidential suite. It only has one big bed. I’ll make a wall of pillows or something,” he offered. “Or sleep on the couch.”

“Well if you’re paying for the room it would be rude of me to take the whole bed by myself,” she pointed out. “So we’ll sleep back to back or something. We’re grown adults, for fuck’s sake, and I’m not kicking you out of your bed. You’ll just have to get over yourself,” she told him, and he laughed.

“Well alright then. I’ll get over myself,” he chuckled. “I’m ready to get high anyway, so I really don’t give a shit about the bed situation. Can we go inside now?”

“Yes,” she grinned back at him as she slipped her shoes on, playfully reaching a hand out as if she were a queen and feeling a thrill shoot down her spine as he took it with an overly exaggerated bow after he put the title on his shoulder. It made her stomach flip as she reached back to grab the bag of food before letting him help her climb down, allowing him to lead her through the doors to the elevator.

Her hood was on but people still recognized Max. They swarmed him the moment the doors opened and if he hadn’t been gripping her hand to pull her in closer then the crowd would have separated them. But Max was holding her tightly, even when he let go to physically wrap his arm around her while steering her toward the elevator. She glanced up at him under the hoodie and noticed that his jaw was set tight again, and he was exuding a stony silence as he took the open elevator and repeatedly jabbed the ‘close door’ button.

When the crowd got cut off by the doors finally sliding shut, she leaned into his hold.

“Is it going to be like this everywhere?”, she asked him with a laugh. “They’re obsessed with you. You're the champion and your adoring public are just showing their appreciation? Do you get this all the time?“

“Of course I do,” he smirked down at her, his fingers tightening briefly on her hip before letting go again. “I’m the best of all time, baby. I’m the top talent in one of the best wrestling companies in the world. My devil worshippers love me.”

“Devil worshippers?”, she snickered. “Is that what you call them?”

“That’s what they named themselves,” he shrugged as they climbed higher and higher until they reached the presidential suite on the 12th floor. “I just showed up in a mask as a reference to a guy that I felt abandoned me."

"You'll have to show me," she told him as he swept her off the elevator jokingly, opening the presidential suite doors.

"We'll watch my greatest hits," he teased back, setting his travel bag on the floor. "I'm going to take a shower, I'll leave my card on the table. If you need anything, feel free to use it.”

“You know I have my own card, right?”, she teased him, flopping back on the bed and stretching out. It was a luxurious mattress, and it felt as though she were sinking into a cloud as she closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh.

This was a nice bed, and she could feel all of the muscles in her body relax at once as she allowed herself to de-stress with another deep sigh.

She’d never felt so relaxed in her life, but her body was screaming at her that she needed to use the bathroom.

And the fact that the water was running let her know that Max had already started the shower, so now she was going to make it awkward by walking in there and using the bathroom.

“Fuck it,” she shrugged, rolling out of the bed and walking over to the bathroom. When she heard him start to sing to himself, she giggled quietly and opened the door.

“Hey, I have to pee. Mind if I come in?”, she called over the running water, and he opened the shower door just enough to be heard.

“Don’t stare at my dick,” he joked, going back to his shower and ignoring the fact that she was there.

She finished and made to leave the bathroom, but the little devil on her shoulder was fully awake and ready to cause mischief.

Just take a peek. He’ll never know.

When she turned, Raile allowed her eyes to drop to the lower part of the steamy glass door in hopes to just take a glance, only to jump when he snapped his fingers and not even getting to look properly.

“My eyes are up here, Raile,” he laughed as he shut the water off and opened the door. “You’re not nearly as slick as you think you are. Can you hand me a towel?”

The scarlet that painted her cheeks made Max’s heart race as she grabbed the towel for him, handing it over and averting her eyes from his.

“Here. Sorry,” she squeaked out, clearing her throat and steadfastly locking her gaze on his face. “I uh…it was an accident.”

“No it wasn’t,” he chuckled, wrapping the towel around his waist and stepping out of the tub. “It was you trying to catch a glimpse of the Maximum Ride. Nothing to be ashamed of, I wear tight trunks for a reason,” he leered.

“You need to cool off,” she teased as she filled up one of the cups with cold water, throwing it at him and running out of the bathroom as he sputtered in shock.

“Raile!”, he yelled, storming out of the bathroom to find the hotel room empty, no sign of the blonde anywhere.

But Max wasn’t as stupid as Raile seemed to think he was, and he slowly walked over to his bag to grab his clothes while scanning the room for her.

If he was smart about it, he’d find her eventually. But if he were even smarter about it, he’d make her come to him.

So that’s what he did. He focused on pulling his pants on, then his shirt, before sitting on the bed to towel dry his hair while he waited.

And when he saw her peek out from under the bed, he reached down to grab her hand and pulled her out.

“Very funny,” he huffed at her, glaring daggers at her embarrassed grin.

“You caught me,” she blushed as she climbed onto the bed, keeping away from him in case he decided to come after her. “What are you gonna do to me?”

“I was considering dumping you in a cold bathtub,” he smirked dangerously, throwing the towel at her. “I might still do that, because that was mean of you. But I just want to finish my dinner, so you’re safe. For now,” he replied with a shark-toothed grin. “Later, I’ll remember this.”

“What are you going to do? Spank me?”, she shot back, throwing the towel back at him and smirking. “Is that what you’re into, Maxwell, when you’ve got a woman all by herself in your presidential suite?”

Max’s cheeks warmed slightly, but he laughed off her question and grabbed his food, shaking his head.

“Are you flirting with me, Raile Cole?”, he asked, turning the tables on her. “You want me to spank you? Throw you over my lap maybe?”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she choked after he flustered her, her cheeks darkening as he focused on his meal. “I wouldn’t let you. I’m stronger than you.”

“Princess, I’m a professional wrestler,” he snorted. “I’m the peak physical athlete in one of the top companies in the world. I could take you with one hand behind my back. But I’m hungry, so I’m going to eat my chicken and you’re going to sit there looking pretty and eating your sandwich, and then I’ll deal with you. Got it?”

“But it was just a joke,” she pouted, batting her eyelashes at him even though he clearly wasn’t buying it. “I was just having fun, you can’t be mad at me for that. I just wanted to have fun.”

“Do you really think you’re cute like that?”, Max asked as he ate one of his nuggets. “You’re adorable, really, but not adorable enough to avoid a spanking from Daddy.”

“Daddy? Is that what you call yourself?”, she giggled, stretching out across his lap on her back. “Do you really think you’re actually Daddy material, Friedman?”

“I guess we’ll have to find out together, huh?”, he flirted, looking down at her with smoldering brown eyes while he ate. “You know if you don’t get out of my lap I’m just going to stare at you like this.”

“You’re so weird!”, she whined up at him while her face burned red. “Why did I agree to this? I never should have let you kidnap me.”

“It’s not kidnap if your mom knows where you are,” he pointed out teasingly. “She knows what hotel you’re in, and you have your phone. I am simply spending time with you, giving you a free ride to a reunion across the country and only asking for your company in return. That’s not kidnap, that’s…that’s me being nice, honestly,” he shrugged, smirking at her. “Again, I will keep staring at you if you don’t want to get out of my lap.”

“Oh come on, I’m comfortable,” Raile grumbled as she tried to avoid having to move. When he raised an eyebrow at her, she sighed and rolled out of his lap to stretch out next to him.

“You’re such a dick, do you know that? Do you know you’re a dick?”

“I do, but I also know that you’ve had a massive crush on me for years and years, so clearly that doesn’t bother you as much as you’re saying it does,” he grinned smugly. “Because if it really bothered you, you’d have left by now.”

“Fuck, you have a point,” she chuckled, looking up at him before she rolled on her side. “Do you want to smoke a joint with me? Will you, Maxwell Friedman, smoke a joint with me?”, she asked solemnly, though the grin cracked through a few times. “Please?”

Max rolled his eyes and gave her a put-upon sigh, rolling onto his side and looking at her.

“Fine, I’ll smoke a joint with you,” he told her. “But only if we play a game. Strip blackjack, perhaps? Make it interesting? You already glanced at my dick, it seems only fair.” he leered playfully. “Did you like what you saw?”

“I will neither confirm or deny,” she laughed, shaking her head. “Do you even have cards to play blackjack?”

“I can definitely get some,” he told her. “All I have to do is text an assistant, or go down to the concierge. Even a casino would probably give us a deck.”

“There’s a casino near here?”, she asked him excitedly. “Can we go? I’d rather play real blackjack.”

“I don’t think they’ll let us check out just to switch hotels,” he pointed out as he reached over to move some of her bangs out of her face. “Do you have a deck of cards in your purse?”

“Why the fuck would I have cards in my purse?”, she laughed even as she grabbed her bag and pulled out a deck of cards. “I mean I do have cards in my purse, but it’s scary that you knew that.”

“You kept a deck of cards on you in high school so that you could challenge people to poker at lunchtime,” he shrugged, taking the cards from her and shuffling them. “I remember some things about you, Raile. I was paying attention to you too.”

He dealt them both two cards each, and the game progressed until it was Max with most of the cards. Every time Raile went bust, she took off an article of clothing until she was left sitting in nothing but her bra and panties.

“I’d say I won that round,” Max grinned at her as he sat cross–legged, still wearing his pajama bottoms. “That’s a hot outfit, by the way, I love the color red on you. Did you pick that out for me? You know my favorite colors are red and blue, don’t you? You do that on purpose?”

“It was an accident, but a happy one,” she shrugged, though she was ducking her head to hide the flush in her cheeks as she passed him the joint and he took a hit. The blend was smooth, and he didn’t even cough when he exhaled and passed it back to her. “I like red too, I think it looks great on me.”

“I think it would look better on the floor with me between your legs,” he smirked at her as she took another hit. “I know you’d taste like fucking heaven. And flan.”

“Flan?”, she snickered as she exhaled, stealing another hit and passing it back. “Is flan like your favorite dessert or something? Also, don’t you have like a thousand girls in this city you could be sleeping with? Why are you hitting on me?”

“If I had girls in this city that I wanted to sleep with instead of you, you definitely wouldn’t be here right now. You would still be at home and I’d be here banging some rat that I allowed to come with me,” he chuckled, taking another hit and pausing for a few moments before he exhaled again. “But I’m not trying to sleep with you right now. Maybe later at some point in time, but not right now. I genuinely, truly just want your company."

Hearing him say that out loud made her realize that this wasn’t just about having someone to take to the reunion. This wasn’t a date for him, it was a real attempt at trying to prove that he had indeed changed, and she was just taking him at face value without attempting to figure out if he was being real or not.

That was her fatal flaw, and she took the joint back and took one last hit as she moved close, exhaling the smoke inches from his lips and watching his eyes darken considerably.

The sudden intensity in his gaze caused a violent swooping sensation in her stomach that made her feel like a rabbit, caught in the eyes of a wolf or a lion. But it also turned her on way too much for her own good, and she gulped audibly.

“What do you want me to do?”

He took the joint back from her and moved to sit up against the headboard, looking her up and down carelessly as she climbed off the bed and stood at the end of it, chewing her lip.

“You still owe me for the cold water,” he smirked darkly. “But if you dance for Daddy, I won’t spank you until your ass turns red. All you gotta do is make it real hot for me, Princess, alright? Fucking dazzle me, make my cock hard,” he purred as she fumbled to put music on, face getting redder with every word out of his mouth.

“You’re the fucking worst, please stop talking,” she begged as Mary Jane’s Last Dance started to play on her phone and the timing was all messed up. “Damn it! Start that over and shut the fuck up if you want me to dance so fuckin’ bad!”

He snorted and started the music over, waiting for her to get ready and raising an eyebrow at her as she nodded for him to hit play.

And his jaw dropped as Princess Cole moved her hips, undoing the front of her bra and slowly sliding it down her shoulders while her body swayed and thrusted to the music.

Max watched as she seemed to turn off her thoughts and self consciousness, eyes closed as she focused on the timing of the music and the movements of her body.

But when she opened one eye and tossed the bra at him, he could see the playfulness in her attitude and knew that she was having fun.

And he was definitely having fun watching her.

When she turned and slid her panties down, bending over in front of him and slowly pulling them down her legs, he let out an incredibly loud growl that would have embarrassed him if he gave a shit about anything but cumming.

“Jesus Christ, Raile,” he groaned, pulling his cock out of his pants and shamelessly stroking it in front of her. “You’re an incredible dancer, do you know how much money you’d make as a stripper?”

“I like dancing for free,” she joked, turning her head to look at him over her shoulder before she turned all the way back to him and slowly sank to her knees to do floorwork. “I’ve been practicing since graduation. Do you think I dance well?”

She watched him stroke himself as he watched her, and when she came back up to her feet she turned, bending backwards to look at him and shamelessly opening her mouth to stick her tongue out at him.

“Like what you see, Princess?”, he smirked at her as he stopped, pulling his hand away to let her see the full length of his cock. “A lot of women do, you know. I wouldn’t blame you if you like it.”

“Fuck,” she breathed while climbing onto the bed, straddling his hips and tucking him back into his pants as she circled her hips above him. “I don’t want the whole thing yet, Max. I like a slow tease, you know?”

She continued to grind against him, feeling just how hard he was under her. and pinning his hands above his head as he tried to touch her.

“No touching the dancers,” she purred, seeing the dark desire in his eyes skyrocket as his fingers locked around hers and he allowed her to hold him in place. “Touching is against the rules here.”

“I bought the room,” he protested, licking his lips as he rocked his hips upward against her and she moaned loudly. “I want to touch you, Princess.”

“Not yet,” she panted, rocking down harder against him and feeling her core throb with want. “I don’t want to ruin the moment yet, baby.”

“Raile, just let me taste you,” he bargained with her while loosely pushing against her restraining hands. “Please, I won’t do anything else. Just let me taste you. I’ll behave.”

“You don’t know how to behave,” she giggled as she tightened her grip and leaned forward, allowing him to catch one of her nipples between his teeth. When he bit down and tugged it, ever so lightly, she moaned louder.

“Fuck, Max, don’t stop. Don’t…fuck,” she whimpered, and he looked up at her to watch as he did it again.

Her face was flushed red, chest heaving under his mouth, but her eyes were closed tightly. Almost as if by keeping them shut she was hiding herself from him.

And for Max, that wouldn’t do at all.

“Open your eyes,” he growled against her skin, watching as her green eyes flew open and locked on him immediately. They were wide and apprehensive, and he tugged harder on her nipple with a playful wink.

“Better,” he purred, swirling his tongue around the hard peak and feeling her shiver as he pulled away to do the same to the other. “You have such pretty eyes, baby. Don’t hide from me.”

“Max,” she choked out uneasily, feeling too exposed and vulnerable for her own peace of mind. “I can’t keep my eyes open, I…it’s too much.”

“It’s okay,” he told her, and she let go of his hands and let him roll her onto her back as her eyes closed again. “I’ll take care of you, baby, I’ve got you. Just take a deep breath and relax,” he soothed, brushing his lips against hers and feeling victorious when she shuddered and allowed him to slip his tongue into her mouth.

She tasted like pot and he found himself getting dizzy, as if the flavor itself was getting him stoned all over again. Underneath that was a sharp, tangy flavor that reminded him of sour candy; blue raspberry or sour cherry, or something like that.

When his head started to spin, he pulled back to give them both a chance to breathe, watching as she licked her lips and opened her eyes to look at him.

“That was…really nice,” she said with a blush at how lame she sounded. “I enjoyed that quite a lot, actually. Can we do it again?”

He chuckled and kissed her again, feeling her respond and sliding his hands down to her hips to hold onto them. She was kissing him back in earnest now, her teeth sinking into his bottom lip as if, like everything else in their lives, this moment wasn’t complete without a little bit of pain and blood.

But he didn’t mind at all, if that’s what it took to make her happy. As long as she wanted to kiss him back he’d let her sink her teeth into any part of him she chose.

“Fuck, Raile,” he panted as her head fell back against the pillows and she let out a shaky exhale. “You taste like Halloween, and weed.”

“Do you like how I taste?”, she purred, smirking up at him impishly. He smirked back and kissed her a third time, trailing the kiss down over her jawline.

Raile’s head was spinning faster than it ever had with all of Max’s intoxicating kisses, down her jawline and her throat until it stopped at her belly button and her body tensed sharply.

And as Max's tongue trailed from her navel, upward between her breasts and into the hollow of her throat, over the defined contour of her collarbone, Raile's entire definition of euphoria was shattered. It was then subsequently changed and rebuilt under the sharpness of Max's teeth, which bit gently at her collarbone and all the way back down until he reached his goal: the soft, wet heat that rested between her splayed thighs.

He looked up at her from between her legs and she saw exactly what he wanted: to make her come undone completely.

She was already halfway there, chest heaving and thighs shaking with the effort of trying to keep control over herself. But he wanted all of it, and she wanted more than anything to give in.

“Please,” he groaned quietly, harder than he’d ever been in his life as he looked up at her. “May I taste you? Please let me taste you, Princess.”

“How bad do you want it?”she asked with a wicked grin, feeling suddenly bold at the way he looked at her like he wanted to eat her whole. “What will you do for it?”

“Anything you want, babydoll,” he pleaded with her, kissing her inner thigh softly. “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it happily. Just let me taste you?”, he begged, his eyes never leaving hers. “Please.”

“Anything?”

“Yes,” he growled, nipping at her inner thigh and glaring up at her without any real heat. “But only if you stop fucking teasing me.”

“Aw, are you getting mad?”, she smirked, and he narrowed his eyes and nipped her again, causing her to gasp. “Hey!”

“I hate being patient,” he smirked back at her, tongue tracing over the small red mark on her skin. “Yes or no, baby?”

“Yes, obviously I want you to-oh fuck!”, she yelped as he tugged her flush against him and trailed his tongue over her flesh, ending at her clit which he sucked into his mouth while he pinned her hips against the bed. “Oh God, Max!”

He pulled away just briefly, looking up at her with a dark grin as he licked his lips.

“No, Princess, I’m the devil,” he purred in response. “God’s got nothing to do with what’s happening to you right now. You belong to me.”

Her chest was heaving and all she could hear was her blood pounding in her ears. Her nerves were shot, and all she could feel was the way that her core throbbed every time her heart pounded.

“Max,” she choked out around the dryness in her mouth while reaching for him. “Don’t stop, you’re too fucking good at this and it’s been ages since anyone’s made me feel like this.”

“Poor thing,” he cooed at her, lowering his head and making her arch off the bed as he slid his tongue deep into her again.

He could feel her trembling under him, and he moaned loudly at the taste of her; sweet on his tongue like a dessert that could only be eaten with slow and determined licks.

Like flan, he thought to himself with a mental grin. The irony was funnier than he thought it would be, but he couldn’t exactly laugh while he was face deep in the woman of his dreams.

He felt her wind her fingers through his hair, nails scraping his scalp in a way that made him feel soothed when nothing else had. As her fingers tugged roughly on his curls he groaned into her skin and his cock twitched as she stopped, seemingly hesitant, before pulling hard enough to make him moan her name and rock against the bed.

“Keep doing that,” he ordered with a little more of a whine in his voice than he planned. “I love that.”

“Okay,” she nodded breathlessly as she watched him seemingly melt under her fingers. She pulled slowly, methodically while he kept going, both of them getting closer to the peak before cumming together.

Max’s eyes shut tight, just in time to see stars explode behind his eyelids as he came all over the edge of the bed and felt Raile cum in his mouth.

He didn’t know if he was dreaming or not. He didn’t care either way as he swallowed the thick sweetness on his tongue and prayed for more.

Raile’s mind melted in her skull and traveled all the way through her body, where it came out of her pussy and dripped onto Max’s waiting tongue.

She felt dizzy, and halfway blacked out at the combination of pleasure and weed that was in her system. But then, Max sank his teeth deep into her thigh to remind her that he was there with her, between her legs where reality took place and where he’d just given her the best orgasm of her life. It got her to scream his name and look down at him with a minute amount of attentiveness.

Her blood was on his lips, and he was staring at her in a way that made something claw at the back of her skull violently. A primal urge that was engraved deep in her bones; that had been dormant nearly her entire life.

“Kiss me,” she breathed out shakily and he surged forward, pinning her to the bed with his hands tight on her hips as he kissed her like he’d never kissed anyone in his life.

She moaned as he forced his tongue deep into her mouth, the cocktail of blood, cum and spit swirling between the two of them as each one refused to break the moment.

Max felt his throat burning from lack of oxygen and reluctantly pulled away to breathe. His eyes met hers and he licked his lips, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand before he looked down at her thigh and saw the bloody bite mark he’d left there.

“Did I hurt you?”, he asked her gently, looking at her face and swallowing heavily. “You didn’t say anything. I’m sorry, I got caught up in the moment and-”

“Shut up,” she panted, sitting up and using the ruined sheets to try and dab the excess blood away while giving him a reassuring smile. “I’m fine, Max, you didn’t hurt me. Honestly it was incredibly hot and you’re welcome to do it again. I really liked it,” she admitted with a flush, leaning forward to kiss him again. “Feel free to do it again sometime, Daddy.”

He chuckled and tucked himself back into his pants before kissing her, heading for the bathroom to grab a first aid kit.

“So it just looks worse than it is?”, he joked with her, coming out and opening the kit. “Maybe don’t wear short shorts for a while, huh Princess? Although I won’t say no to you flashing my bite mark at our former high school classmates. It could be incredibly sexy.”

“Absolutely not,” Raile laughed as she watched him pour antiseptic on a gauze pad and gently wipe the excess blood away, cleaning the wound carefully. “That’s our secret. They don’t need to know who gave me the best head I’ve ever had.”

Max nearly dropped the kit out of embarrassment, but caught it at the last second and put a large cloth bandage on her inner thigh.

“It wasn’t only my pleasure, it was my honor,” he chuckled, reaching into his bag and grabbing a pair of lounge pants to hand to her. “Here. My assistant shrunk these, I can’t wear them anymore. You can have them, to cover your…you know.”

“Thank you,” she blushed, pulling the pants on and tying them tight around her waist while he put the kit back in the bathroom and brushed his teeth.

She was still slightly intoxicated, and she stole his shirt and slipped it over her head before following him into the bathroom to wrap her arms around his waist, resting her head on his back.

“I’ve never been taken care of like this after,” she admitted softly while watching him do his nightly routine, sitting on the closed lid of the toilet and feeling slightly out of place. “Then again, I don’t usually stick around after so I suppose that’s my fault.”

“Are you going to stick around?”, he asked after spitting the toothpaste out and rinsing his mouth. “Or should I call you a cab and we say our goodbyes now?”

He half expected her to leave since both of them had gotten what they wanted. He didn’t think she’d stick around to actually go to the reunion with him no matter how much he wanted her to.

“I know I said I wanted a date to the reunion and all but it’s okay if you want to-mmph!”, he cried out as he turned and she kissed him forcefully. She was kneeling on the toilet lid to get eye level with him, hands gripping the waistband of his pants and dragging him closer to her.

He kissed her back deeply, grabbing her ass and lifting her up to set her on the counter as they made out.

Raile quite enjoyed the flavor of his toothpaste. It was a fruity flavor, with hints of orange and a slightly cinnamon aftertaste. He tasted a lot better without her blood in his mouth.

The edge of the counter dug into her thighs a bit but it wasn’t even near the list of things that currently mattered to her.

Max’s tongue. His lips. His fingers clenching on her ass and the feeling of his warm skin under her fingertips as she held onto his shoulders and kissed him back with an intensity that anyone else might have called ‘overkill’.

Max wasn’t just anyone else though, so she knew he could appreciate her efforts and return them tenfold.

“I don’t want to go anywhere,” she purred into his mouth while she swiped her tongue across his bottom lip, getting rid of the toothpaste staining it before she nibbled it lightly. “I want to stay here with you, and go to the reunion, and fuck endlessly everytime we take a break from driving. It doesn’t have to mean anything if you don’t want it to, as long as I’m the girl you think of when you come to Cali.”

“Well, when you put it like that it seems like I should really keep you on speed dial,” he joked, gently cupping her cheeks and kissing her forehead. “You’re adorable, Princess. I would be happy to call you the next time I’m in town. But for right now, I’d really just like to hold you and pass the hell out.”

He lifted her off of the counter and carried her to the bed again, laying her down on the mattress. He laid down next to her and wrapped her arms around her while pulling her close.

“You’re driving tomorrow morning,” he yawned as they both closed their eyes. “I want coffee.”

“Okay,” Raile whispered back as she hid her face in his chest, arms wrapping around his waist as she sank into the warmth of his body and fell asleep.

It was the first time she’d felt comfortable sleeping next to anyone, but with Max she felt completely protected. She normally slept alone, and was prone to waking up in the middle of the night out of fear that the memories she was reliving were real, but the way he held her close kept her night terrors at bay, and she slept through the night without fear.

And just as the sun bathed their suite in its soft, golden light, she cracked her eyes open, rolled over, and studied Max’s sleeping face silently. Her eyes tracked the way the light crept over his forehead, then his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, before it swept down over his mouth and chest, his shoulders, even the sheets they were wrapped in. It made all the lighter strands of hair stand out, framing him in a soft, warm halo and making her heart beat just a little faster.

Max felt someone staring at him, and he cracked one sleeping eye open to see the blonde flush as he caught her.

“Morning, baby,” he yawned as he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead gently. “You sleep okay? How long have you been awake?”

“Not long,” Raile reassured him as she tilted her head up to rub their noses together. “Only about five minutes. I slept wonderfully, thank you,” she smiled at him. “We should check out and get back on the road, or at least get something to eat.”

“We really should,” he nodded as he made no move to get up. “I’m starving. And I need a coffee.”

“So then you have to get up,” she giggled quietly, reaching over to brush a curl out of his eyes and cupping his warm stubbled cheek in her palm. “We can’t lay here all day, Max. Not if you want to actually go to the reunion.”

“And what if I don’t want to go anymore?”, he asked sleepily, pulling her down on top of him and nuzzling his face into her neck. “We could skip it and just drive until we run out of gas. Just spend time together without worrying about anyone else.”

That did sound appealing now that he said it, and she chewed her lip ring and ran her fingers through his hair.

“What if we just went somewhere else? Back to Long Island for a few days?”, she offered. “You could take me to meet your parents.”

“No,” he said as he pulled away and looked into her eyes. “I don’t want to go home, I’ll take you anywhere else but there.”

“Why?”, she asked him curiously as her chest suddenly felt like it was caving in. “You don’t want me to meet them?”

“No,” he muttered, shaking his head before he realized how shitty he sounded and reached up to cup her face with his hands. “I don’t want to take you home. My mother, she’s…she’s a bitch to every girl I bring home. Even the one I was supposed to marry wasn’t good enough for her. I wouldn’t put you through that,” he said firmly. “You deserve better than for that old hag to pick you apart to your face.”

“So it’s not about me, but her reaction to me,” she nodded, wanting to make sure she had it right. “I’m not…you’re not afraid to be seen with me or something.”

“A smoking hot babe like you? Absolutely not,” he purred, kissing her deeply. “You’re a smokeshow and I’m incredibly lucky to be here with you right now. There’s nothing wrong with you, Raile, and I’m not embarrassed to be seen with you”

“And if we were actually together and this wasn’t just a casual sex thing?”, she asked him, wanting to know how public he’d be if they ever really ended up together. “What would that mean?”

“I’d plaster your name everywhere,” he chuckled quietly. “You’re an incredible woman and I’d want everyone to know exactly who has my heart.”

That soothed her, and she smiled brightly at him and leaned down to kiss him again as he rolled her onto her back in the sheets.

Forty-five minutes later, he was changed and busy packing his clothes away while Raile raided the bathroom and took all of the complimentary soaps and shampoos.

His phone vibrated next to him and he answered it without really looking at the caller ID only to feel his heart skip a beat as his ex’s voice came over the speaker.

"Max? It's Noelle, how are you?"

"I was fine until you called," he shrugged, not bothering to hide his irritation. "What can I do for you, Noelle? I'm out of town right now."

"I know. Your mom told me you're going to a reunion. I was hoping you hadn't actually left yet, so that we could go together. Maybe talk afterward," she said, attempting nonchalance and failing miserably. "I've been thinking a lot about you lately."

"That makes one of us," he muttered under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Listen, Noelle. In the interest of complete and total honesty, I have zero aspirations of getting back together with you. I'm much happier now, and you can let my mother know I said that."

"Are you seeing someone?", Noelle asked him, feeling put out and annoyed. "I bet she's nothing like me in bed. She's probably a boring fuck, right?"

Max chuckled to himself as he got hard at the memory of last night.

"Actually, you're completely and totally wrong," he smirked, purring a little. "She's insanely hot, and an incredible dancer. Funny chick, excellent taste in pot and better taste in men. Do us both a favor, don't call this number again. Ever."

He hung up as Raile came out of the bathroom with a little bag full of soaps and other toiletries.

"Who was that?", she asked while stuffing the bag in her purse and leaning down to kiss his cheek.

"My ex-girlfriend. Apparently she went to my mom's to find out where I am," he shrugged, pulling her into his lap and kissing her deeply. "I told her I was seeing some insanely hot chick with incredible taste in men."

Raile giggled against his lips and kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I thought this was just casual," she purred at him. "No strings, just friends who can fuck?"

"Between us? Absolutely," he nodded. "If you want to date other people and fuck me on the side, go for it. But please, please get my mother and Noelle off my back. I'll owe you."

"Is she pretty, your ex-girlfriend?"

"Not as pretty as you," he smirked, kissing her nose. "Incredibly annoying, and she can't dance for shit. I'd much rather have you here with me."

"Did you love her?"

He sighed heavily, laying back on the bed and pulling her on top to hold her close.

"I'm not gonna lie to you and say no, because at one point I thought I was going to marry her," he said carefully. "But I have no lingering feelings for her currently. It didn't work between us and I'm fine with that. You're the only woman I'm thinking about right now, okay? I’m not interested in her or anyone else.”

“I know, it’s okay,” she reassured him, laying her head on his shoulder and letting him hold her. “We’re just friends, Max, I wouldn’t care if you still have feelings for her.”

Just friends seemed to simplify their current situation too much, but it was the only thing that made sense to her. She didn't want to risk baring too much of her soul to him, after all. No matter what they’d done she was going to keep him at somewhat of a distance, because it was the only way to keep from getting hurt.

“Right, just friends,” he nodded as his hand rubbed up and down her spine and he took a deep breath. “Can we go get breakfast now?”

He felt her roll off of him and sat up to run his hands through his hair, watching as she grabbed her bag and pulled it onto her shoulder.

“Thank you for being here, Raile,” he said quietly as he looked up at her. “It means a lot that you’re doing this for me, and I really appreciate it.”

“You’re my friend, Max, and you conspired with my mom,” she smiled as she reached a hand out. “I appreciate you getting me out of Cali for a little while, really. I couldn’t spend another minute just cooped up in my room or I would have lost my mind. It’s way too Twilight-esque for me,” she grinned as he took her hand and pulled himself up off the bed. “Don’t worry, it’ll all work itself out. And I’m here for as long as you need me.”

Max pulled her into his arms and took her bag, slinging it over his shoulder and kissing the top of her head.

“Thank you, Raile. It’s been a long time since I had anyone around that I could count on, and it means a lot to me that it’s you.”

She let out a soft sigh and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his chest.

“I’m glad it’s me too, Max. You and I deserve to rub our success in their fucking faces,” she smirked. “So let’s go do that.”

“Right after we get a latte?”, he asked.

“Right after we get a latte,” she grinned.

#mjf fanfiction #here's to the night #iggy's fics

[lumiconic]

" clouds "

✧ cw: scaramouche ; angst ; blood ; [name] death ; not proofread

✧ a/n: have some angst bc yes!! i hope everyone likes the new theme too :)

  the sky is pelting grayish blue raindrops all around the scene, forming puddles that rivulet through the grass and ripple down the slope. there is a puddle settling underneath you, an indentation in the ground that fills and almost looks like glass; almost, if not for the trickle of inky, blooming color that stains it an unmistakable, bloody scarlet.

  "[name]," heaves the boy kneeling above you as you take rattling breaths in, like tiny knives on your windpipe, "[name]." glittering black and gold ashes of corrupted samurai wisp into the air, buoyed by pale green breezes before they disappear in the downpour. "[name], can you -- can you -- "

  "scaramouche," you say, and he barely even stiffens. you try to breathe, and your lips twist, just slightly, into a smile. "scaramouche ... kunikuzushi ... look at the clouds."

  he doesn't move his head, and he's trembling just a bit; his bloody, scraped knees are shaking, clothes plastered in freezing rain to his thin frame. "who cares about clouds? can – ” 

  you don’t seem to hear him, your eyes glazed with joy as you look up. “they’re so pretty,” you breathe.

  “stop talking about the clouds, can you breathe? are you -- " he gulps. "what's the pain feel like?"

  "ah," you suck in a breath, "it's not so bad, really, it's just -- like a dull ache."

  he is not cruel enough to test this, but he can hear the lie ringing through your quiet words like the toll of a bell. "stop," he grits his teeth, "don't say that. you don't get to do that. i know it hurts, so don't lie to me." 

  "okay," you whisper. and with that word, you come apart, your body going limp. it hurts. blood flows faster, and he presses his hands harder on your stomach. 

  a few beats pass. there is silence, broken by your labored breathing and the endless rain. you can feel your life ebbing. 

  "kuni," you say, shivering painfully, waves of icy, pointy cold crashing over you with every moment, "is this it?"

  "no!" he shouts, and his normally commanding and unquestionable voice is tremulous and just as he knows the sound of your lies you know his. "don't say that! you're gonna be fine, just stop talking already and save your strength."

  "i don't want to stop talking," you whisper. "i don't wanna stop. kuni -- i haven't even done anything, i -- there's so much i still haven't seen -- this can't be the end, this -- "

  you cough, and blood comes out. "this isn't the end," he bites, and tries not to rock back on his heels when a fresh wave of blood pools against his calloused palms. he hates the feeling of your life trickling out and his hands on the wound like he's trying to press it back in. "it's gonna be fine. i told you ... i'd take you to mondstadt for your birthday. we're gonna go to starsnatch peak. the cecelias smell just like -- "

  "honey," you finish, smiling breathlessly. your eyes are shimmering. "this is wrong."

  "this is wrong," he repeats. neither of you really know what the other means.

  you swallow. he blinks rapidly. there are glassy drops collecting on the ends of his eyelashes. you reach up to wipe his eyes with one unsteady hand. "honey," you say again, "i love you, kuni," and then your hand falls, and your eyes turn, almost in a single moment, to unseeing mirrors. 

  "hey." his voice is quiet. "hey, [name], what the hell?" 

  there is no response.

  "hey, [name]," he presses harder on your stomach, "say something. look at me." he's shaking now, tears welling in those impenetrable eyes, like sea glass in their vivid color. "[name], look at me! look at me!"

  but you are looking at nothing but the clouds; and he refuses to turn his eyes skyward to take those traitorous clouds in; that thundering, eternal reminder of his infinite failure, over and over and over again. and now, you are looking up at the clouds, and his hands are staunching a slowing bloodflow, a stopped heart.

  he groans, pitifully quiet, the sound snatched away from him in the gathering winds. he sounds like a lost child. "[name]." his body twitches, shuddering with grief; and then he is sobbing, fists clenching handfuls of your sodden shirt as he tries to shake you, as if he can rouse you from your sleep. "stop it, stop," he whispers, “stop messing with me. just look at me, i – i’m sorry – i’m sorry i didn’t – i couldn’t – ”

  he remembers that you can’t hear him – remembers he is crying over a body – and he cries harder, almost hyperventilating. he can’t breathe. the rain is whipping into a frenzied storm, swirling faster every time he remembers that the air he is wasting with his half broken gasps is air you no longer breathe. he is weeping, painful, stabbing heartache ripping into his chest every new second, and he thinks maybe it would be better if he was gone too just so he didn’t feel this anymore

  and then a strange feeling ghosts over his shoulder. a familiar feeling, like the hand of –

  of someone he loves –

  and all at once, the heavens clear; he whirls, and there is nothing there. just clear blue sky and ripples of smooth wind, breezing over the grass and flattening it in waves. he looks back, tears still welling in his eyes and running down his cheeks, but you are still there. still dead. 

  “[name],” he whispers, voice choked. “i’m looking. i’m looking.” the sky is empty. “the clouds – they’re – ” they’re gone; everything is gone. “i – i got it, so – can you – ”

  to whatever he was going to say, there is no answer.

© lumiconic ; please reblog and follow if enjoyed

#<3.writing #scaramouche x reader #kunikuzushi x reader #scaramouche imagines #kunikuzushi imagines #this boy has so many names

[rottentiger-art]

In my head I’ve always imagined Logan as a girl dad and I have named their kids Hayley Cecelia Reese and Isadora Marie Reese in my head idk why, their middle names are female scientists though ofc

I love that everyone's telling me he would be a girl dad, because I actually agree and will elaborate a bit.

It's a trope a normally dislike, that the sexist man ends up being father to a girl becoming a girldad, and then ,and only then, do they see women as actual human beings.

Like I said, I hate that trope, but it would be different with Logan, it would be cute with him, and it's because he had that "oh women aren't just objects" change in personality in the show, with no need of having a daughter of his own to start thinking like that (thankfully since he was just a teen lol), it wasn't even after dating Quinn that he had this change, he progressively got there as the episodes went by, he outgrew that thought by coexist and interact with the girls around him, by becoming their friends. Obviously by the show's finale he still had more to learn and change about himself, but the direction he was going was very positive. It was the best character development of the show in my opinion.

The reason I think he would be a girldad it's because I personally headcanon he would love to have a mini Quinn. I think he would dote on her and spoil her a lot, like he's seen very keen in doing to Quinn (I mean, five lobsters, really??). I think he would do the same if he had a little boy too though. I think a little boy would be special for him too, get to do the things he never got to do with his own dad (although he could also do those things with a girl).

It would also fit the stereotype/trope I talked about, that seems to go very well for his character, but this time making it cute instead of harmful.

I once read a fic where that had like six or five kids, it was very funny, but excessive for me personally lol, my personal headcanon was always that they were more the childfree type, but lately I've been liking the idea of them being parents, and now I'm setting on three kids max (I just love the number three lol. seems like an okay amount)

Whatever it is that they'd have (if they do), I'm sure he would try to spoil those kids constantly and Quinn would have to get him to hold on a bit and be less indulgent, reminding him of his own past brattiness.

They'd also make a great team as parents, I think they would try to balance the other and communicate a lot about their kids needs and stuff, like I don't think Logan would be the kind of dad that makes the mom look like the mean one, I think he would listen and understand when he's being too over the top with his gifts and pamperings. And she would do the same if there's something she should also be more careful about, like maybe don't teach their kids to build laser blasters just yet or something.

I really love those names they're so cute. I'm not very good at names, but I also agree Quinn would want to name them in honor of famous scientifics (meanwhile Logan's like "Logan jr or Quinn jr idk but we're not naming them Alfred" hahaha)

#ask box #anon #quogan #quogan babies #logan x quinn #quinn x logan #zoey 101 #zoey 102 #logan reese #quinn pensky

[wtfuckevenknows]

Top 9 Books

thanks for the tag and the crisis @liminalmemories21... I'm cheating because of course I am 🙈

Y'all knew there would be pictures, right?! I do live my life in pictures (theres a reason I studied photography) after all 🤷🏻‍♀️

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston

Obviously....

2. A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

I've read the whole trilogy but this is by far my favorite (isn't the first one always the best?). Every now and then I need a break from all the romance and then I'll pick up a ya thriller or whatever and this was the perfect quarantine read tbh.

3. Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Used to be my favorite book until rwrb came along. Also didn't hate the movie...

4. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Unlike here, where the movie kinda ruined the book for me. Read it like 5 times, bawled my eyes out every time and haven't read it since I watched the movie (which also means I've never read it in English). It's on my list actually, to get over the trauma and to finally read it in its original version.

5. Off Campus Series by Elle Kennedy

It's hockey... Do I need to say more?! Some of the best book boyfriends are found in these books 💖

6. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

I read this in my lunch breaks at work years and years ago and I bawled my eyes out so much that even the kids asked me if I was okay. 🤣 Haven't read it since but loved it very much!!!

7. hush hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Once again and the first and best book of a trilogy. The only book of my fantasy phase that I would still read again today.

8. What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli & Adam Silvera

I loved the first one so much and I was sooooo disappointed by the beginning of the second one I still haven't finished it.

9. Rules for Being a Girl by Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno

Such a powerful book. Just read it. I yelled at everyone I knew to read it after I finished. 😂

There could be soooo many more books on this list 😩 I'll just leave you my Goodreads, where you can check out all my 5 Star books if you want to 🙃

Now (don't kill me Lim)...

Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar

Don't ask how many times I used to read them as a teenager...

Harry Potter

I know, believe me I know! But 7 year old me didn't know and has fond memories of her mom reading to her before bed, before she started reading it herself from Book 3, Book 5 came out while I was hospitalized and I read it in a day... (I own them in English but I've never read them in English 😬)

My three absolute favorite books as a kid/pre-teen:

Flight of the Albatross Der Gesang der Orcas Der Wunschplanet

Honorable mention to these three cook books because I love them very very very much and use them (or recipes from their websites) often!!!

I'm gonna shut up now 😂

No pressure tagging @heartstringsduet @strandnreyes @beautifulhigh @three-drink-amy :)))

#tag game #thanks for the tag #books #book recs

[be-with-me-so-happily]

Chapter 5

Series Summary: Gemma is definitely Cassidy James' favourite Styles family member, considering they are best friends and all. And especially considering that Harry Styles is Gemma's smug and self-centered younger brother. Her life isn't perfect, and neither is she, but she knows for a fact that anything involving Harry gets messy.

Chapter Summary: Things are changing, for the entire world, so Harry and Cassidy navigate their friendship through the new situation that everyone now finds themselves in. Will things ever be the same as they were?

Chapter Warnings: Some explicit language, Covid-19, lockdowns & quarantines, mild injury, potential jealousy, wine consumption

[ present - March 2020 ]

With her phone held in front of her face, Cassidy quickly scans the vicinity of the room, through the door frame, making sure Cecelia is not within earshot.

"At least half of the country is on edge." She states quietly, eyes still glancing around to look out for her toddler. The little one doesn't need to hear or sense any concern that is present in their current conversation.

"It's the same here. The new travel ban isn't helping." Harry replies, sighing as he dips his head down. "It's the uncertainty of things. No one knows what's going to happen. It's as if the future is hazy."

"Hopefully it's nothing to be too concerned with." She responds, yet feeling a mild tightness in her chest. Just like Harry said, it's the uncertainty that worries her.

"On to a more positive subject, if things settle down, are you doing anything for Mother's Day? It's in a few weeks, yeah?"

Cassidy's shoulders raise in a shrug, an odd and solemn feeling rushing over her. She's never truly celebrated the holiday. When she was younger, her father obviously never did anything for her mum. Not anything good, anyway. Cassidy tried to do fun things with her, but it wasn't much. When she became a mum herself, there wasn't another person in the home besides her baby girl, so no one else was there to share in the traditional festivities of the day. Not that she wanted a big fuss anyway. Besides, this is the first year that Cecelia is even remotely aware that there is anything special about it. Needless to say, it has yet to be anything but another day of the week up until this point, so she hasn't thought to do anything specific.

"I don't know. It's like Valentine's Day, we'll probably just keep it simple."

"Nope." Harry states with a strong shake of his head. "I'm texting my mum."

"Don't you dare, Harry!" Cassidy exclaims, wishing she could reach through the screen to stop his plan from going any further, whatever it may be.

"You can't just do nothing for Mother's Day, Cass! You're a good mum! You should do something!"

"Harry, I swear to god-"

"Too late!" He proclaims triumphantly, that smug little smirk appearing immediately. Cassidy gives him the most intense glare she possibly can, hoping he can feel it somehow on the other end of the video chat.

"I hate you."

"That's not very nice…" He pouts, causing him to receive an eye roll of an unamused nature. "May I please talk to Cece? She's much more pleasant."

"Yeah, well, that's because she actually likes you." Cassidy quips, mimicking his mischievous smirk to add to her sarcastic insult.

"Hey…" Harry states. "Bloody hell. You're a grump today…"

Cassidy chews on the corner of her bottom lip. She knows she's being a bit too snappy. She isn't meaning to. All the talk, and worry, about this new virus that is spreading rapidly, it's getting to her a bit more than she expected. It doesn't help that she just started her menstrual cycle, and that Cecelia woke up multiple times during the night with a sudden onset of bad dreams.

"Sorry about that." She sighs, looking up to her phone, finding Harry's eyes attempting to flicker over her features through the video call. "It's just that things aren't really going very well today."

"Do you… you don't have to… but do you want to talk about it?"

Much to her annoyance, Cassidy cannot help the small flutter in her stomach at his concern and willingness to help. It hasn't even been that long but he really has become one of her closest friends.

"It's…" She chuckles, feeling just slightly awkward enough to stop herself before talking to him about her physical female issues. "Woman stuff."

"Ah. Okay." Harry responds, nodding as if he understands exactly what she means. Though, he might. He grew up with two women in the household, and has obviously dated a number of them too. Even still, it's not something she's willing to go into detail about.

"Also, Cece didn't sleep well last night." Her lips tense together in an awkward smile, and Harry presents a more sincere pout at the new information.

"That's no good." He replies, a slightly sad tone to his words.

"I'm sure she really would love to talk to you, actually." She admits, no longer with her comical demeanor.

"Alright. Send me over to her." He smiles, causing Cassidy to do the same.

She gets up from the edge of her bed, walking into the living room where she, of course, finds her daughter colouring across multiple pages of paper.

"Hey Bug, Harry wants to say hi."

Cecelia immediately drops her crayons and bounces in her place on the floor, waiting for her mum to bring over the phone. Cassidy giggles at her daughter's excitement and looks at her phone to switch the camera view for Harry to see the little girl's anticipation.

Suddenly, she is halted and instantly feels a shooting pain through her foot, originating from her pinky toe. Her hands fly up and she turns around to watch in agony as her phone lifts into the air and then falls onto the floor, smacking down against the tile in the kitchen.

"Oh for fu-... for crying out loud!" She shouts, holding back the true words she wants to release, for the sake of setting a good example for her daughter.

"Umm… hello? What happened? It's dark over here." She hears Harry say as she wobbles over and retrieves her device. "Are… are you alright?"

"I stubbed my damn toe." She growls, turning it over to find the back camera cracked all the way through. Shattered would be a better description. "And the camera is broken."

"Is it salvageable?"

"I doubt it. I can't do much about it anyway. I don't have the time right now to get a new one. Figures." She sighs, grinding her teeth down enough to feel pain in her jaw. She is usually better at handling or at least hiding her frustration, but her hormones and lack of sleep, as well as everything going on in the world, have just built up inside and this was the thing to tip her over. "Nothing is going my way today."

For some reason, she brushes off the phone, as if the dusting off would solve her problems, and then walks back over to Cecelia, whose eyes are wide open, clearly trying to use her three year old brain power to understand what just unfolded in front of her.

"Is Harry still on da phone?" Cecelia asks, her face changing to one ready for disappointment.

"Yes he is." Her mum replies, flipping the camera view back to face her, handing the device over to her daughter, and plopping down onto the sofa behind her.

"Harry!"

"Hello Cece!" He exclaims back, with just as much enthusiasm as he received. "What are you doing today?"

As Cecelia lifts up each of her drawings to proudly show them off, Cassidy examines her now throbbing toe, discovering the nail half snapped off, and she grimaces at the pain.

She leans forward and rests her elbows on her thighs, pinching her nose between her finger and thumb, squeezing her eyes shut. This isn't the worst thing to happen to her, and it isn't the worst day she's ever had. Not even close. Quite a few from her childhood could easily win that title. But, the sense of feeling overwhelmed still manages to hit her hard, and tears begin to sit on her lower lash line.

"Yeah, but Mummy helped-ed me when I had da bad d'eams."

"You have a very good mum." Harry states, causing Cassidy's head to snap up, seeing his gaze switch between her and Cecelia. His subtle smile pulls her out from the downward spiral of negativity, just enough to straighten her posture.

"She's da best mummy ever!" Her daughter exclaims, and Cassidy's eyes begin to water again, forming out of gratitude now instead of helplessness.

"Could you give the phone back to your mum, please?"

"Yeah, 'kay. Buh-bye Harry!" Cecelia waves to the forward facing camera, thankfully still working for this interaction, and hands the phone back to Cassidy. She quickly swipes a finger over each cheek, clears her throat, and lifts up the device to be in full view of the man on the other end.

"Cass, are you sure you're okay?" He asks, so much compassion in his voice that even the hardest of hearts would not be able to reject it. She's almost positive that statement would have changed her mind about him when they were younger. Possibly.

"I'll be alright." She replies, unsure of the honesty behind her answer, but certain that she does not want to burden him with any of these minimal problems.

"I'm here to help if you need me, okay? Well, I'm here, in Los Angeles, but the sentiment still remains." He chuckles, and Cassidy cannot hold back the small laugh she instinctively lets out.

"Thank you." She replies, knowing his generous heart, and not being one to hold back from doing what he can for a friend.

"No problem. But I should get going, and get a bit of sleep."

"Wait… what time is it there…?"

Harry pulls his lips inward, tightly, and closes his eyes, being accompanied by a subtle shake of his head.

"Harry…"

"It's 1 in the morning." He utters, scrunching up his face with the admission.

"Oh my god, Harry! We wouldn't have rung if we knew what time it was there! Why did you answer the phone in the middle of the night?"

"I couldn't ignore a call from one of my best friends, and her mum!"

"Piss off. You're horrible!"

"And you're still a grump. G'night!"

Cassidy rolls her eyes and watches Harry give a quick wink before reaching in front of him and ending the call. She locks the screen and reaches to place it in her pocket when she feels a notification cause her phone to buzz. She brings it back around and opens her messages to see a couple of texts from Anne.

🗨️ Anne: come over on mother's day

🗨️ Anne: and that's non-negotiable

"Oh for fucks sake." She whispers. "I'm going to kill him."

•••

Curled up on the couch in a blanket, fingers tapping away on the laptop sitting on her thighs, Cassidy groans at the sudden rapping at the front door. The thought crosses her mind to ignore the stranger on the other side, but the knocking continues, so she figures an answer to their persistence will shut it down sooner.

She angrily swings the door open, ready to scowl at the intrusion, when she is halted by the sight of her best friend.

"Bloody hell, CJ!" Gemma exclaims, her eyes wide. "Why weren't you answering the door?"

"I was trying to avoid the annoying person who was interrupting my day." Cassidy chuckles, feeling thankful it was simply her friend, and slightly guilty that she didn't respond to her sooner.

"Annoying?" Her friend drops her jaw in disbelief. "Bit rude considering I brought you some coffee!"

Cassidy's eyes travel down to the to-go cups in her friend's hands, and can already feel the warmth of the drink inside.

"Just let me in and then drink this immediately, for fucks sake." Gemma adds, bringing Cassidy's eyes back up as she opens the door.

Gemma makes her way in and directly over to the sofa, instantly settling herself in as Cassidy takes a seat to the side of her.

"So, what's up?" She asks, taking a sip of beverage she has just been handed.

"I can't just visit my best friend?" Gemma replies.

Cassidy immediately lets out a laugh. Despite loving to spend as much time together as they can, and do, she knows her friend too well to ignore the expression all over her features.

"Not when your face looks like that!" Cassidy points out. Gemma opens her mouth in dramatic fashion, attempting to portray offense at Cassidy's assumption of ulterior motives.

"Fine. I heard that you're spending Mother's Day with me and Mum…" Gemma states. Cassidy subtly grumbles at Harry's sneaky plan to get her to celebrate the holiday. She definitely plans to give him a few words about inconveniencing his own family, just to get her out of the house. "I was hoping you could help me figure out what I can get for her."

"Shit." She responds, thankful that her daughter is currently at daycare and not within earshot of the curse words that just have, and will most likely continue, to be uttered during their conversation.

"Right? Why is she so difficult to buy for?" Gemma whines, pouting as if she were a toddler herself, again.

"She's just always so fucking generous that she never wants or asks for anything for herself."

The pair laugh at the notion of complaining about how selfless Anne is, though they love her for it. Cassidy likes to think that Cecelia's contentment for anything and everything she receives has come from the influence of that wonderful woman. Neither Anne nor Cecelia care too much about what they have or are doing, as long as it's with the people closest to them, which sparks a small idea.

"Why don't we treat her to a fancy afternoon tea time somewhere?" Cassidy perks up with excitement, one she can actually get on board with if the celebration must include herself. "She's always wanted to go to Claridge's, right?"

"Yes! That's perfect!" Gemma exclaims, pulling her phone out swiftly and bringing it in front of her. "I'm going to tell Harry so he can pitch in."

"You're making him contribute? He's not even here." Cassidy chuckles.

"So? She is his mum too… and I'm pretty sure his bank account can handle it."

Her statement is true, and Cassidy is once again reminded of just how big a star her friend Harry is. It boggles her mind that she grew up with him, that she actually grew up with the now famous Harry Styles, because she still doesn't really think of him that way unless and until it's brought to her attention in certain situations. But, she realizes that as his career continues growing, his celebrity status is a fact that is becoming more and more prominent to her.

Cassidy takes another sip of her coffee and a sudden knock at the door causes both of them to immediately snap their attention towards that direction.

"I have no idea who that could be…" She states, turning back to her friend as if Gemma would have more of a clue.

"So then answer the bloody door, CJ." Gemma chuckles, rolling her eyes as her thumbs type out a message on her phone.

She gets up, hastily making her way over, and opens the door to find a man standing in front of her with a decent sized box in his hands.

"Miss James? Miss Cassidy James?" The man asks, and as she looks over his attire, she notices that he doesn't appear as someone who usually makes deliveries.

"Umm… yes, that's me…" She responds timidly, only leaving the door open enough to view the stranger on the other side.

"Excellent. I have a package here for you from Mr. Styles." He explains, lifting the box in full view with a pleased smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, what?"

The man looks down to the object in his hands, glancing over the information typed out on the printed label.

"Mr. Styles asked me to deliver this to you as soon as it arrived." The man clears his throat, which causes Cassidy to shift in place. "He said that he didn't want just anyone to bring it to you and to personally make sure you received it."

Her mouth opens slightly but her brain seems to be unable to form words. Without her ability to function normally, she gives the man a simple nod to thank him, retrieving the box through the doorway.

"Have a good day, miss." He states, responding with his own nod and a smile as he walks away, and Cassidy closes the door behind him.

As she makes her way back to the sofa, her expression immediately turns into confusion, and her curiosity begins to heighten. She is completely unsure as to what Harry could have sent her way, especially considering he is held up in an entirely different country.

"What in the-?"

"Just open it! I want to know what's inside!" Gemma squeals, bouncing in her spot much like something Cecelia does quite often when she is excited.

"You don't know?"

A simple head shake from her friend gives her the boost of interest to grab the mysterious package and pull it into her lap.

She looks to the small table to the side of the couch, quickly finding a pair of scissors that are just sharp enough to cut the tape. A few snips and the box is free to reveal what's inside. Cassidy gives a quick look to her friend, finding comedy in the giddiness they both suddenly begin to feel.

She pries open the top, reaching in and pulling out a box of chocolates. It's not something that needed to be sent to her or delivered by a man in a nice coat, but nonetheless, she won't complain.

The sweets are set next to her as she brings her attention to something else she seems to have been gifted. As her eyes meet the item inside, shock takes over the function of her body, as well as inhibiting any words to leave her lips, yet again.

"Well…?" Gemma asks impatiently, leaning forward and peering to get a view for herself. "A phone? Why did he send you a phone?"

Cassidy's focus shoots over to a paper flush against the side and pulls it out to find a note from the man in question.

CHOCOLATES TO FIX THE ATTITUDE PROBLEM AND A NEW PHONE TO FIX THE CAMERA ISSUE.

- H

"I'm seriously going to kill him." She whispers to herself, not knowing if Gemma was aware of the sentence she just spoke.

"I agree with the attitude problem. You've been quite moody. I suppose that's understandable though." Gemma jokes, pushing her shoulder against Cassidy. "But what's wrong with your phone?"

She lifts herself enough to pull the device out of her pocket, handing it over as she continues to glance over the new one now in her hands, removing the plastic from the outside container.

"Yeah, this camera is done for." Gemma states, placing the broken phone into the box in replace of the updated version. "How did Harry know that you needed a new one?"

Cassidy suddenly feels a miniscule version of something she experienced a long time ago. Something she felt after both times that she and Harry had sex. Nerves. And a dose of guilt. Yet, it's a ridiculous thing to be feeling. This is not the same situation in the slightest. She and Harry are friends, and that's all. And what's more, Gemma knows they are friends. Unlike her lack of awareness of the other incidents. It has to be residual effects from the past, because there is absolutely nothing for her to be worried about.

"We were on a video call when it happened." She replies, finally taking her eyes from her gift and landing them on her best friend, being met with a mildly inquisitive, raised brow.

"Oh, okay." Gemma plainly responds, her simple answer reassuring Cassidy.

"Yeah, me and Cece. I hurt my foot and dropped my phone." She shakes her head in remembrance of the event that felt so tragic when she was in the middle of it. "I told him I couldn't get a new one yet. Apparently he took it upon himself to do just that."

"He's that kind of guy." Her friend explains with a shrug, as if it's something Cassidy should automatically know. But then again, that's all she has been experiencing from him since their friendship started, so she truthfully shouldn't be surprised.

"He didn't need to do this." She utters, still having the instinct to turn down the kind gesture.

"He knows that. But it's not going to stop him. He takes care of his friends and family."

"I'm becoming very aware of that fact." Cassidy exhales with a single, subtle sound of a laugh.

"I'm just glad you two are finally getting along."

The surprise of the comment causes Cassidy's heart to stop along with her breath.

"What?"

Gemma turns her body towards her, rolling her eyes at the question she was just asked, as if the answer should be obvious.

"You two were insufferable around each other when we were kids."

"Well, I mean, he-"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Harry was definitely a major pest, still is at times to be honest. But, come on, you were exactly the nicest to him either." Gemma explains, and Cassidy can all but keep from readjusting in her seat. "I guess I just thought you both would grow up and grow out of it, and end up… ummm, you know, being friends. Eventually. Or at least not hating each other!"

Flashbacks flood Cassidy's mind as she remembers back to their childhood. Not once did she think that her friend felt anything but the same annoyance that she herself felt.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Gem."

Her friend raises a hand to wave off the apology, as if it wasn't needed, though Cassidy feels otherwise.

"Yeah, well. It was only torture for me, for about twenty years…" She thankfully giggles, helping Cassidy's sudden guilt to lessen in intensity. "So just stay friends for an equal amount of time, at least, and we will call it even."

The thought of being Harry's friend for that long causes Cassidy's stomach to tighten and her lungs to inhale a deep breath. It's a reaction she wasn't prepared for, and one that's indiscernible at the moment. Although, she can acknowledge that it isn't of a negative nature.

"Be around Harry for that long?" She smirks, looking back down to the new phone just gifted to her by the man himself. "I can't make any promises. I already want to clobber him for this!"

•••

The bouncing of her leg does not help the impatience she feels as she waits for the call to be answered from the other end. She double checks the time, hoping that her calculations are correct, and that she can catch Harry as his morning begins.

Suddenly, the ringtone from the video call disappears and her gaze is met by a tousle-haired Harry.

"Oh my god. Did I wake you up?" She immediately questions, her heart racing with worry that she may have disrupted his sleep.

"No. Not at all." He chuckles, a coffee mug being brought up to his lips, covering up the small smile that has appeared at her exasperated question. "And good morning…"

"Good morning." She replies with a sigh of relief, and she notices the smile still stuck on his face when it is revealed to her again. "Umm… I wanted to give you a quick ring to thank you."

"No problem." He quickly states, with a raise of his eyebrow immediately following his words. "Wait, thank me for what?"

Cassidy can't tell if he truly doesn't understand what she is referring to, or if he is arrogantly playing dumb to get her to elaborate, but either way she feels a mild sense of embarrassment creep out onto her cheeks.

"For the chocolates, of course." She jokes, holding up the box that already has half of it's contents consumed. "But mostly for the phone. Harry, you-"

"I'm going to stop you right there." He interrupts, sternly but somehow also sweetly.

"Right. I know. You like doing things for your friends. But come on, Harry. This is not the same as just cooking dinner for us…"

"You needed a new phone, Cass." He states, with a sincere yet still stern tone. "How else was I going to talk to Cece?"

"It was only that back camera that was broken."

"Not just that. Your phone was like one thousand years old. You needed an upgrade." He exclaims with a smirk.

"Coming from the guy who doesn't even use emojis." She jokingly scoffs, drawing out a loud laugh from the man on the other side of her screen.

"Fair enough." He simply replies, being followed by a poking out of his tongue. "Does it work, though? Do you like it?"

Cassidy blinks her eyes as if in disbelief at herself, truly realizing that she has only questioned his generosity, despite ringing to express her gratitude. But also disbelief due to his apparent insecurity about the gesture. Not only does he want to do this for her, but he also wants to make sure she's happy with it, and it's fully taken care of.

"It's great, Harry. Truly. Thank you so much." She responds, a warmth traveling up her neck. "The camera on this one is really good! I've taken so many photos of Cece already!"

Harry's expression brightens at her answer and the heat creeps further up to her face. It's the fact that he helped her, and her thankfulness, that are creating this reaction. As much as she's working on accepting all of this, it's still all new to them.

"You'll have to send me some." He mutters.

"Sure."

A silence falls upon them for a moment, a bit of flickering of their gazes from each person.

"So… do you have anything planned for the day?" Cassidy asks.

She notices him play with his bottom lip, and a more serious expression rapidly displaying across his face.

"Harry…?"

"Umm… yeah, I've got a meeting." He quietly states, and Cassidy senses a sadness in his tone. "Bit worried that I won't be able to tour this year…"

"Oh shit." Cassidy instantly feels her heart hurt for him. She's always known how much he loves that part of his job, and to potentially not be able to do it must be painting him more than he is showing. "I'm so sorry. I know how much touring means to you."

"It's not-..." He sighs, his fingers combing through his hair more than once. "It's not even about me. It's all the people who buy tickets… and flights… and hotel rooms to come see me. It's not fair to them."

Cassidy stays silent as she watches his gaze drop down in a preemptive defeat. She knows there is nothing she can really say to ease his worries. But he's there for her, and she'll be there for him. And if that means sitting in silence on the other end of a video call, that's what she will do. She'll be there for her friend.

•••

She doesn't know if she's ever been more grateful to have a new phone. With the new nationwide, and seemingly worldwide, lockdowns now in place due to the coronavirus, Cassidy has never felt more alone. Besides Cecelia, but there's only so much she can talk about with a 3 year old.

Needless to say, she has already used her phone more than ever before, especially for video chats with her friends. Particularly Harry. Because it seems that not even miles of separation nor a pandemic can break the bond he and Cecelia share.

"I wan' say g'night to Harry…" Cecelia pouts, as she nuzzles into her bed and under her quilt. Her little hands lift up to rub her eyes, deceitfully reassuring Cassidy of her daughter's need for slumber.

"I know, Bug. But it's very late at night for him. He's sleeping."

"M'kay…" The little girl mumbles, the sadness so evident in her tone that it tugs at her mother's heart.

"How about we send him a message, yeah? So he can wake up to it in the morning."

Cecelia's eyes light up as much as possible with the heaviness of the day, and Cassidy props herself up against the headboard.

🗨️ Cassidy: sorry about this being so late… cece wanted to ring you before bed but i told her we would message you to say goodnight… so, goodnight from cece.

"Okay. I told him." Cassidy simply states, locking her screen as she looks down to her daughter, stroking the girl's long locks.

"I miss Harry."

Cassidy's eyes instantly widen at Cecelia's words. She knows the bond they have, but it still manages to catch her off guard at random moments. Not in a negative way, just in how tight that bond is.

"I know you do. He's your friend." Cassidy replies.

"He's my best friend!" She explains, even with her sweetly sleepy voice. "Well, you first. And Emily at school. Harry is after. But… don' say dat part!"

Cassidy can't help but chuckle.

"Okay." She smiles, giving Cecelia one final kiss on her forehead and moving towards the bedroom door. "I won't. Goodnight Bug."

"G'night Mummy. Love you." A little, relaxed sigh leaves her lips.

"I love you, too."

Cassidy closes the door and makes her way back to the living room. She plops down and grabs the remote, letting her body sink into the couch cushions. She smiles as a thought crosses her mind. Despite the horrible things happening in the world, and the chaos that quarantine creates, she still has things to be thankful for. Things that aren't seeming to be affected by any of that negativity. Those things bring her comfort, which is more than welcome these days.

•••

With the sound from a rerun of 'The Great British Bake-off' playing in the background, Cassidy scrolls mindlessly on her phone, attempting to wind down from the day. A sudden buzz causes the device to drop into her lap from surprise, and as she picks it up, she is even more shocked to see that the vibrations are due to a phone call from Harry.

"Good morning!" He states as soon as she answers, not even waiting for her to speak. "Oh. Wait… guess it should be more of a 'good evening' greeting for you…"

"Yes." She quickly pulls the phone back from her ear and checks the time. "It's 9pm here.

"Shit. I'm sorry. Were you asleep?" He asks, his voice going quiet, as if he isn't thousands of miles away in a different country.

"No, no. Just watching the telly." She replies, swearing she can hear his relieved exhale on the other end of the line. "What time is it there?"

"Umm… let me see… it's 5 in the morning."

"Since when do you get up that early?" Cassidy laughs, covering her mouth immediately in hopes that she didn't wake Cecelia. She skipped her nap and really needs her sleep.

There's a pause in the conversation, and Cassidy looks at her screen once again, checking if the call has disconnected, only to find that he is still on the line.

"I haven't been sleeping the best, to be honest. Lockdown has that all out of whack." He mumbles, and it squeezes her chest tight. Everyone has been out of sorts these days. Quarantine is hard on each person in their own way.

"Hey, it's your X-Factor audition anniversary today, isn't it?" She asks, hoping to take him out of the negativity she can tell that he is sitting in. Maybe a good memory will do the trick.

"Umm... yes, it is... how do you remember that?"

Cassidy unintentionally lets out another loud laugh, bending over at her waist at the amount of comedy behind Harry's question, and the certainty of her impending answer.

"Are you joking?" She asks, doing her best to regain control of her breathing, and stay quiet for the sleeping toddler in the other room. "I think that date is ingrained in my brain forever! You wouldn't shut up about it after Anne signed you up!"

[ flashback - March 2010 ]

For the past several years of her childhood, Cassidy has been subjected to Harry's increasing levels of annoyingness. However, today she feels as if he may have reached his peak.

If she hadn't already heard the news from Gemma herself, it wouldn't have taken long for the information of Harry's upcoming X-Factor audition to be brought to her attention. It felt as if the entire school knew within a matter of minutes.

"Hey, Cass!" Harry shouts out from behind her, causing her to internally cringe at the sound of her name coming from his mouth. It can't mean anything good, at least not for her. It never does.

She stops in her tracks and twists around to find the young lad jogging up to her with a wide grin stretching across his face.

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" She asks, playing dumb, though quickly realizing it just creates the opportunity for him to brag, and she internally scolds herself.

"I'm gonna be famous!" He exclaims, and the arrogant statement causes Cassidy to unintentionally scoff. "Hey…"

"You don't even know if you'll be on camera." She replies, knowing full well that the crew will inevitably be drawn to his irritating charm that everyone seems to fall for.

"So you did hear…" His grin widens. "I don't care. I get to sing!"

"You sing all the bloody time!" She reminds him.

"Right. Exactly. People seem to like it. So, I want to see if the judges do too."

"I don't like your singing." She blurts out, not meaning to let her annoyance with him get the best of her and her words. Especially considering the statement wasn't exactly true, though she'd never openly admit that to him.

"That's rubbish… you sing along any time White Eskimo plays..."

"That's because I like the actual songs."

"You can come along… if you want…"

"What?"

"To my audition. You can come along if you want. Robin, Mum, and Gemma will be there."

Cassidy opens her mouth to speak, but no words come out. Is he really inviting her? There's absolutely no reason for her to go, and definitely no reason for him to want her there. Unless it's to feed his growing ego. Maybe even use it as a way to 'prove' to his schoolmates that she 'loves' him, like he continues to lie about. The realization hits and manifests into a strong furrow of her brow.

"March 27th? I think I'll be busy that day."

"Marked it on your calendar already, did you?" His arrogant smirk immediately pulls his left dimple inward. "Might be the last time you get to see me…"

Cassidy cannot help the rolling of her eyes, even if the idea is quite shocking to think about. As her gaze focuses back on him, and sees his smug face, her desire to sass him back quickly reappears.

"Don't get my hopes up Harry."

[ present - March 2020 ]

"Hey, I was excited!" Harry exclaims, almost as if to verbally pout, as Cassidy chuckles at the memory.

"But I'm pretty sure you weren't supposed to tell anyone at that point. At least not the whole town!" Cassidy pulls her lips inward to hold back another loud laugh threatening to push out.

"I didn't ring you to be teased." He responds, a clear lightness to his tone.

"You should know better by now…" She teases again. "Why did you ring then?"

"I was told someone wanted to talk to me. But… I didn't realize what time it was for you."

Cassidy feels a little smile form with her mouth at the fact that he is so thoughtful to call Cecelia back, yet missing the slightly important detail of what time it is on the other side of the world.

"She just wanted to say goodnight to you."

"I miss that little one." He confesses, and she feels a warmth build up inside her chest. "I miss both of you, I suppose. When you aren't being a bully."

"First off…" Cassidy begins, letting out an amused exhale. "No, that's fair… but you're not missing anything. It's only been a couple of days since we've all talked."

"I'm aware. But I enjoy our chats. They're keeping me sane." Harry replies, and she can practically feel the sincerity to his statement.

"You don't feel sane?" She asks with a small laugh, though genuinely understanding his meaning.

"I just miss everyone. I miss home. Feels a bit lonely over here."

"Aren't you living with a bunch of people right now?"

"That's… yes. But that's not what I mean." He sighs, and she can hear a mild pain in his exhale. "Los Angeles isn't home. Not truly."

"Right. It will be nice to have you around again." Cassidy admits, sensing the mild desire to have had this be a video call, for the sake of displaying a reassuring expression to ease him.

"Did I just hear that correctly? You actually like having me around?"

"Shut up, you twit." Cassidy scolds with a chuckle. "But, it's honestly not the same without you here."

There's a silence that falls between, and Cassidy feels that light comfortability she is becoming accustomed to feeling when she dwells on the good things she still has to keep her going. These talks, and this friendship with Harry, are definitely one of them.

Her attention turns back to him as she hears the clearing of his throat, and she reverts back to being grateful that this call is not a video, as she senses a pink hue rushing to her cheeks.

"I just think that, when I'm finally home in London again, it'll feel like things are getting back to normal."

•••

[ present - June 2020 ]

As nice as it's been to work completely from home for the past few months, and spend more quality time with Cecelia, there is only a certain amount of sanity that someone can maintain while quarantining in general, let alone with an energetic toddler. So, Cassidy jumped at the chance to accept Anne's invite to her home, especially giving her daughter some freedom to go off and play while she chats face to face with another adult.

However, as she sits across from the woman who basically helped raise her, she can sense an awkward nervousness coming from Anne as she strums her fingers on the tea cup.

"I'm still sorry about Mother's Day being canceled." Anne expresses, slightly throwing Cassidy off that her anxiousness seems to be based off of the uncontrollable situation.

"It's not your fault. We went into lockdown!" She giggles, hoping her easy going demeanor helps to ease the unnecessary guilt Anne seems to be feeling.

"I know. It just would've been nice to have one last outing before everything shut down." Anne smiles, small but sweet.

Cassidy stays silent, gazing down to her beverage, the two seemingly understanding the nonverbal agreement. It hasn't been easy, for anyone, despite the rules of lockdown beginning to ease up. She's never been more grateful for open coffee shops and food delivery services, even if masks are required.

"Have you been out much now that we can, you know, go out a bit?" Anne asks.

Cassidy shakes her head slightly and she swallows her sip of tea.

"Haven't had much of a reason to go anywhere, besides the shops, for groceries."

"Oh." Cassidy hears the short reply.

As her eyes gaze back up to Anne, she is met with an unexpected expression, though one she had just been witnessing. The anxiousness has returned, or is still there, she isn't sure which one.

"Is… is there something else bothering you?"

"No, no. Not bothering…"

"But there is something." Cassidy replies, her eyebrow raising immediately.

"Well… it's just that, if you did want a reason to go out… there's this very nice guy, the son of a friend I have, and I thought-"

"Oh, so this was an ambush!" Cassidy states with amusement, but also a little frustration. She knows Anne means well, but she isn't even sure if she's ready for anything like a set up, and certainly wasn't expecting it to come from Anne.

"No, darling! No. I just… you're just a wonderful girl. And from what I know, he seems like a good guy. I just thought you two would have a nice time together…"

"I just don't know if I'm ready to date." Cassidy replies, the truth to her answer apparent to her in the way the thought of such a thing chaotically swirls around in her mind.

"Not ready? I can't even remember the last time you went on one! You definitely haven't since Cece was born!" Anne exclaims, snapping her mouth shut once the words come out, her features filled with regret. "I'm sorry. It's not my place."

"It's okay, Anne." Cassidy places her own hand over Anne's, waiting until their gazes meet.

"I just want you to be happy, CJ."

"I am happy." She reassures her.

"But you deserve to be loved. You deserve someone who absolutely adores you. Who, umm, who thinks the world of you, and never stops feeling that way. Who loves you through anything and everything life has and will put you through."

"Well, I have Cece…" Cassidy giggles, trying to divert the conversation to a more comfortable topic of discussion.

"You deserve someone who will love you both that way." Anne states, and Cassidy can see the emotion manifesting itself as tears form in the corners of her eyes. "I'm surprised you're still single, to be honest. But, if nobody… has tried… that's their loss. It's not as though you need it. A woman doesn't have to have a man to be happy. But, darling, you both deserve all the love in the world."

Anne's beautiful words and pure-hearted expression cause Cassidy's heart to melt. There isn't a sneaky or malicious bone in that woman's body, and she knows Anne is only doing it out of genuine love of her own.

"It doesn't have to be a commitment. Just a date. Or even just a… hang out of sorts." Anne adds, and Cassidy realizes she doesn't think she can reject Anne's offer. Or suggestion. Or whatever it is. She sighs, partially from gratitude but also defeat, and squeezes the hand she's holding.

"Alright." She agrees, watching as Anne tries to hide the way her face wants to light up.

"Alright?"

"I'll meet him." She concedes, every fiber of her body pricked with anxiety.

"Are you sure?" Anne asks, suddenly displaying more timidity than moments before.

Cassidy nods, mostly out of instinct. Anne has the best intentions, but bringing a guy into her life is not as simple as a casual 'hang out'. She has Cecelia. Not every man is open to being in a relationship with someone who already has a child. And Cassidy is more than a little cautious about who she brings into their dynamic. However, she knows that Anne is onto something. Even though she is perfectly content with it being her and Cecelia together, she can admit to herself that having someone else join their little unit wouldn't be the worst thing ever. As long as it's the right person. And she can't know if someone is the right person unless she gets to know them. So she might as well start somewhere, with someone. And if Anne knows this man, that's certainly not a bad place to begin.

•••

Derek is nice.

As planned by Anne, he and Cassidy first met up outside a small cafe, taking caution by social distancing from others, and enjoying the company together outdoors.

He is nice. Smart, successful, good looking, and seemingly uncomplicated.

The last part could be most important, considering that, as a single mother, her life can be the opposite at times.

Though, he seems to be very fond of her. He immediately made his intentions known that he won't see anyone else while they get to know each other. Again, uncomplicated. And any free moment she has, he wants to spend with her.

Which is why they are walking down the corridor to her flat, after he treated her to a very posh picnic in the park.

He guides her to the front door, a warm and strong palm placed on the small of her back, and stops behind her as they reach it.

She spins around, causing his hand to glide to her hip, and she swallows the lump in the throat that developed from the motion. It's been quite a long time since she's been touched like that, in that way.

"Thank you for today." She states quietly, some nerves seemingly getting the best of her.

"I'd like to do something with you tomorrow." He replies, a subtle squeeze of her hip accompanying his statement.

"Oh. I… I have some work to do, unfortunately." Her gaze drops out of unexpected shyness. It's not a lie, she does need to complete a few things, but she always finds herself in a daze after being with him. Dating feels new to her, all over again, and she always feels as if she needs to process their time together. Process the feelings.

His disappointed sigh is halted as the sound of the elevator rings out. They both turn their heads to see the doors open, and watch as Harry walks through them, his head down and his hands behind his back.

His pace slows as he gets halfway down, gazing up to meet the eyes of Cassidy, then shooting them over to the man beside her.

She looks over to Derek, whose expression matches that of her friend's.

"Harry? Harry Styles?"

"Yes…" Harry answers with hesitancy, and Cassidy concludes that he may be nervous about an awkward interaction with a fan.

"It's Derek. Derek Mills." He exclaims, raising his hand to his chest as if to provide visual proof of who he is. As if his identity should be obvious to the other man. "Holmes Chapel Comprehensive!"

Cassidy watches as Harry's eyes widen, flickering between her and the man he has now, apparently, been reintroduced to.

"Derek. Right. How's it going mate?" He asks, giving a blank stare and similarly neutral tone.

"It's going well. Yeah, I'm doing really, really well." Derek replies, giving a smile as his gaze moves to Cassidy before returning to her friend. Potentially his own old friend, though she can't quite be sure.

"Wonderful." Harry states, providing no emotion in his statement. He looks down to his hands after bringing them in front of him, showcasing a beautiful arrangement of flowers that she had somehow missed when the interaction began.

"I didn't realize you two knew each other. Especially considering, you know…" Derek points in Harry's direction. "He's famous."

"Oh, well-"

"We're good friends." Harry interjects. "We've known each other since we were kids."

An uncomfortable silence falls between the three of them, with only the jingling of Cassidy's keys sounding down the corridor.

"Those are nice." Derek states plainly, pointing to the bouquet, matching the tone he has been receiving thus far.

"Oh, right. I, umm, brought these over… for Cece." Harry replies, now keeping his gaze fixated on Cassidy. "Can I give them-"

"Oh." She responds quietly, suddenly feeling a tidal wave of tension filing the space around her. "She's having a little afternoon nap."

"Of course." Harry nods, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I should've remembered it was her nap time. I'm sorry."

"That's okay!" She instantly responds. She waves her finger between herself and the other man beside her. "We were just… saying goodbye. So I can take them inside."

She turns to Derek, being met with pure confusion. Not that it wasn't clear he wasn't being invited inside. That's something Cassidy put a boundary on as soon as he asked to see her again after that first date. So the confusion is most likely regarding this uncomfortable interaction between the three of them.

He gives Cassidy a nod and a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Message me tonight." He states, turning away from her and moving closer to Harry. "Nice to see you again, Harry."

"You too." He utters in reply, not giving the man much acknowledgement as he walks closer to Cassidy, and Derek walks further away.

Harry looks back at the now empty hall, and turns around to meet her stare.

"I didn't know you were… dating anyone…" He states softly, with a familiar timidity that she hasn't heard in a while.

"We've been on a few dates. Nothing too serious right now." She shrugs, rummaging through the bag she has hanging from her shoulder.

"Right. Well, that's… nice..."

"What's with the tone?" She asks, a sternness beginning to attach to her own tone. What reason can he have to be snarky with her?

"I'm a bit surprised that you didn't tell me about this."

As much as Cassidy was just questioning his current, negative demeanor, she didn't expect a real answer. Certainly not that answer.

"I didn't realize it's something you would even want to know…"

"I'm your friend! Of course I want-... I mean… we talked a lot while I was away. Seems like this would be something that came up in conversation…"

She studies his face, watching with uncertainty as he expresses the same sentiment.

"Your mum only introduced us a couple of weeks ago and-"

"My mum set this up?" Harry's eyes widen, just enough for Cassidy to pick up on the movement of his features.

"Yeah…" She replies, still sensing a sliver of the snarky tone he had used moments before. "She thinks I'm not happy. Or… wants me to be happier, at least. She wants me to have more love in my life."

"Love?" Harry immediately straightens his posture and his eyes widen with, what looks like, a curious shock.

"Well, god, one step at a time please…"

"So, do you like him?" He utters, a volume that almost caused Cassidy to miss his question.

"I suppose so." She shrugs. Her answer would truthfully be that she does, but that suddenly feels as if it would be a troublesome response to give at this moment.

"You suppose so?"

"He's a nice guy."

"Did you even know him in school?" He asks, passive aggressively at best.

"No… he was in the year ahead of mine. What's that got to do with-"

"I just don't remember him being a nice guy."

"In school? Harry, that was ages ago." She chuckles, trying to ignore the once familiar frustration making itself known. "I don't particularly remember you being at your best back then either."

"Yes, but that's-... it's just that, I-" He stutters, swallowing harshly and running his fingers through his hair as he clears his throat. "You're right. I wasn't."

"And look at you now. Bloody hell, look at us both now! I hang out with the biggest pop star in the world!" Cassidy exclaims, delighting in the comedic truth to the statement, even if it's not the real heart of their reconciliation. "But, moreso, I'm your friend. We are friends. People change, Harry."

"True." He utters in response. "I just… I'm looking out for you."

"I appreciate it. But you don't need to worry about me, I can handle myself." She smiles, standing up straighter to further display her confidence. "I'd like to think I have a good judge of character."

Harry opens his mouth, but quickly closes it, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand.

"So… did you only come over to bring Cece some flowers?" Cassidy gives a small smile, still feeling an odd, mild tension in the air, but hoping the change of subject eases it away.

"Well, no. Since I just got back into town, I was going to invite you both over to my place." He returns her smile with one of his own, but the attempt still doesn't give her the reassurance she needs. "But since Cece's asleep, maybe another day then."

"Sure! Tomorrow?"

He hands over the bouquet and brings one hand up to fiddle with his lower lip, crossing the other around his waist, and furrowing his brow in thought.

"Yes. Tomorrow afternoon will work just fine."

Harry gives her a slight nod, along with a matching smile, and turns back to walk down the corridor. Cassidy watches as he gets back on the lift, his expression still seeming to be one of deep concentration on whatever his mind is dwelling on, and she begins to feel an uneasiness in her chest that she wasn't expecting to materialize between the two of them.

[ flashback - July 2014 ]

Dragged to yet another One Direction concert in London. That's where Cassidy finds herself with Gemma. It's annoying, at this point, that she so easily caves to her best friend's request of joining her, when she never wants to attend any of their shows. Not fully anyway.

And this time is worse, because Gemma managed to convince Cassidy to hang out backstage before the show, rather than after when she can use exhaustion as an excuse to get out of there quickly.

"So, what's new?" Niall asks her, scooting closer to her as they both lean against one of the dressing room walls.

"Not much really." She shrugs, considering the fact that her life is nowhere near as exciting as the one they lead.

"She's being modest." She hears coming from her right, feeling her friend nudge her with an elbow as Gemma walks up beside her. "She's finishing up at uni and then doing an internship for a place in Manchester!"

"That's amazing, Cassidy!" Niall exclaims, giving her a cheeky wink.

She simply shrugs, still highly aware of the company this news is being given to, knowing that this megastar's reaction is out of politeness.

"And she started seeing someone…" Gemma adds, causing Cassidy to shoot a strong, scolding glare in that direction.

"You're dating? Who are you dating?" A voice asks, and Cassidy turns her gaze to see Harry walking over from the other side of Niall, leaning one shoulder against the wall with his arms crossed over his body.

Who does he think he is to assume he has the right to even know the details of the new relationship she is in?

"You don't know him." She growls through her teeth.

"I might…"

"You don't."

She watches Harry look over to his sister, and out of the corner of her eye, sees the confirmation Gemma gives him. As if Cassidy's answer wasn't enough, or wasn't the truth. As if he knew better than to take her word for it. That arrogant prick.

"Does he know you know me?" His annoyingly famous smirk immediately appears after his words come out.

"Why would I tell him that?"

"Just don't want him to get jealous." He states, tapping Niall on the shoulder, obviously looking for someone to agree with his comedic statement, but only, and thankfully for Cassidy, receiving a shake of Niall's head.

"There's nothing to be jealous of."

[ present - June 2020 ]

The sound of chopping can instantly be heard as Cassidy and Cecelia enter through the front doors to Harry's house.

"In here!" They hear coming from the kitchen, and as they turn the corner, Cassidy is met with the view of Harry busying himself around the room.

"Can I go ou'side?" Cecelia asks, looking between her mother and their host.

"Of course!" Harry immediately exclaims, not bothering to check with Cassidy, even though her answer would be the same. She smiles at the comfort and normality of it all now, and realizes that it may never cease to cause her heart to fill up with so many good feelings. Happiness qand gratitude being the main emotions. "I could use your help picking some pretty flowers to put on the center of my dining table…"

The little girl's eyes light up, nodding at the suggestion and skipping her way outside.

"What have you got going on over here?" Cassidy asks as she turns back to Harry and moves into the kitchen, finding different foods sprawled out across the counter.

"Just… a small charcuterie selection…" He replies, laying cheese slices on the middle of the board.

"You didn't hav-... it looks delicious, Harry!" She states. Clearly she is still learning to accept his generous gestures, though that is one thing she may never get used to. She has spent so many years having to do anything and everything herself, that it is still doesn't feel entirely normal for her to have someone else do something for her.

"I have some wine over there if you'd like to pour yourself a glass." He gestures behind him, not taking his focus away from the food in front of him.

Cassidy walks over to the opposite counter of where he stands, picking up the one bottle he has pulled from his collection, and reading over the very intricate label.

"Are you sure you want to open this one? It looks pretty fancy."

"It's just a bottle of red wine, Cass."

"It's a 1982. That's older than me! And it says 'rouge'… I consider that pretty fancy. But then again, I'm not the famous Harry Styles. I usually just go for the cheap Zinfandel or a pink Moscato." Cassidy giggles, looking up from the bottle in her hand to find Harry lacking the amusement that she herself is finding in her statement.

"Oh I'm aware." He replies, rolling his eyes in a very sarcastic nature.

"But maybe this pinot will wash away your 'grumpy old man' mood…"

Harry's gaze shoots up from his task, displaying wide eyes, as if he hadn't been clueless of his previous, serious expression, or the sourness in his tone. Although, she is almost positive that he knows.

"What?"

Cassidy scoffs out a laugh and shakes her head, choosing to move past his clear pout over her beverage commentary.

"Nothing. I just think you should save this one for another time. A better occasion."

He shrugs. Simply shrugs, and arranges the final few strawberries with the other fruits, as Cassidy finds a less extravagant wine for the both of them to consume. One that is more relatable to her more normal lifestyle.

"Shall we?" He asks, nodding in the direction of beautiful back doors, leading out to an even more beautiful backyard.

Cassidy grabs the glasses and they exit, each finding a comfortable spot on his patio furniture, both close enough to the outside table and within reach of the lovely food spread he has created.

"So, catch me up. What's… what's new in your life?" Harry asks, taking his glass and then a sip of wine, seemingly hiding his expectant expression, though failing to keep it from Cassidy.

"Well, considering we saw each other yesterday…" She giggles mildy. "Nothing."

"Right." He scoffs within a chuckle of his own. "But it wasn't much of a conversation, and I have been away…"

"We also talked multiple times a week, you pest. Besides not actually being around, and considering we couldn't do much anyway, you didn't miss anything."

"Don't know, it feels like I did." He mumbles. "With… with everyone."

Her gaze flickers over to him, noticing the way he has begun to run his teeth along his bottom lip, staring out to the backyard view.

"I bet it feels good to finally be back home then, yeah?"

"It does. Yes." He utters in response, a quietness that feels a little surprising to Cassidy, considering how desperate he seemed to leave Los Angeles and return to London. "I won't be able to settle in too much though."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I'm… I'm actually headed to Italy soon."

"That sounds amazing! How soon?"

"Umm…" He runs his fingers through his hair and his gaze drops as he swirls the beverage around in his glass. "I'm leaving next week."

"Next week?" She exclaims, turning to face him completely. "Wow. I feel like you just got back home."

"I know." He softly states, giving nothing more than that simple response.

"What are you going for?" She feels her brow furrow slightly, the expression caused by the confusion she feels throughout herself. However, she lightens her features, even if just to ease her own mind. "Finding even more pretentious wine?"

"Of course." He replies with a simple smile, very unlike his usual grin, or smirk. "And, umm, I guess to also figure out what I want to do next. Maybe write a song or two, if inspiration strikes."

"And you can't do that here? At home?"

"I need a clear head. Free from distractions."

The confusion grows and a worry begins to build alongside it, though she isn't quite sure why. He's a grown man. He can do whatever and go wherever he wants to, it doesn't affect or involve her in any way. Except that, to an extent, it does.

She looks over to Cecelia, who is completely comfortable at Harry's home, and completely content digging around in the garden outside.

Her gaze quickly shoots down to her fingers as they begin to fidget with the stem of her wine glass, then slowly moves back over to him.

A realization falls over her. She's a bit sad. For Cecelia, who just got her best friend back, but also for herself. She just got her friend back too. Her other best friend. Now he's headed off again, and another realization hits her. Their lives are so different. As much as she sees him as the Harry she knew as a kid, he is not just that. And for the first time since they became friends, she worries that it could change things. Change what they now have.

"Right." She utters, still caught up in her thoughts. "Free from distractions."

Series Masterlist

•••

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