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blueberrypancakesworld · 1 year

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The dinner

warning : light angst , fluff , comfort ,

next chapter , masterlist

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The light in Wonderland submerged, leaving behind a completely new world once again. The plants and even some animals began to glow in bright colorful colors. The same was true of the castle and its furnishings.

The torches and candles and chandeliers were all lit and lanterns were hung so that people could see where they were going in the dark nights. This bathed the castle in a soft glow that made the heart-shaped decorations shine in their own glory. However, despite the cozy atmosphere, this was not to be found in Y/N's room.

She had also fastened the small hat to her hair with a simple grip, which now rested on her head. Although she had managed to put on the new black undergarment and not to dislocate herself too much. On the other hand, she despaired of the ribbons of her black dress with the hearts on it that had to be tied together at her back.

Only when she had opened the door to her bathroom she was slightly startled to find the Jack of Hearts in her room, who had entered her private chambers and seemed to be watching her. ,, Lady Ähm, I was sent to pick you up but I see you need some help" came the calm voice of the man who was looking at her back that he saw in the mirror that was behind Y/N. The girl was again in her mind's eye when she saw the man in her room.

The girl had in her mind's eye again the memory of the kiss with the knight which made her avoid his gaze. ,,Yes that would be nice," she said quietly, trying not to stammer. Which she did not do and it had happened to her at home only a few times when she was under stress, but she still wanted to avoid it so as not to appear weak or even hurt in front of the knight.

The girl stood in front of the mirror and the knight followed so that he stood behind her again and watched her through the mirror again. Also the Y/Ec eyes of the girl flitted over the features of the knight behind her. They were no longer confused, it seemed, and radiated calm and contentment. She then took a look at the knight's outfit, which hadn't changed much, except that he had taken off his silver chain mail and replaced the red heart above his eye with a black one.

Her gaze was about to turn away when she felt the knight's blistered fingers brush across her back. The knight seemed to have taken note of her reaction as his smile reappeared. ,,Lady Ähm, you look beautiful tonight, you could even compete with the white queen or Em from Empöringen," came the soft voice that gave her goosebumps again.

Now a smile played around her lips as if by itself, ,,Thank you Stayne, you look pretty yourselves the change from black to red makes you look even more noble. But if you don't mind me asking, have you ever seen the white queen, what is she like?" came the innocent question of the girl who was hoping for some information and some more time with the knight.

Ilosovic Stayne paused for a moment as if thinking carefully about what to say next. ,,Well, she is graceful, beautiful, respectful and full of love for everyone even for her sister whom you wanted to meet so much. But above all, she knows how to treat everyone with respect and asks nothing for your company. But we should hurry now we don't want to be late and lose our heads don't we beauty?" After the knight had finished speaking he let go of her dress which was now tied in a bow not too tightly so as not to breathe but not too loosely that it would slip.

The man went to the door where he held it open for Y/N as he had done a few hours ago. The girl smiled and nodded her thanks before walking next to the boy and trying not to stare at him too much. ,,If I may advise you to eat everything she serves you tonight it would be better for you and for everyone" she thanked for the advice before they arrived in front of two more huge doors that didn't tell Y/N anything. ,,I thought the dinner was going to take place in the hall or in one of the rooms inside the castle?" came the girl's quick question, which could have put the first crimp in her plan. The knight looked down at her before answering in his stern tone, ,,No, the queen thought it would be a good idea to have it in the garden with dancing and theater as an amusing touch to the meal".

Before Y/N could say anything again, the doors were pushed open again and the huge rose garden with the most exotic figures from the hedges and red roses came out. Beside the flowers, torches were placed everywhere and an area of black and white tiles appeared in the middle of their own little kingdom.

On it stood the long table where the queen and Alice were already sitting and the poor girl had to listen to the boring stories of the red-haired girl. ,,Ah Ilosovic Stayne and Lady Ähm I'm glad that both of you have finally appeared, sit down and do it a little quickly, I'm hungry!" came the queen's scream, who was immediately served the first course. The last two guests also sat down, the knight sitting next to the queen and Alice on the other side of the queen.

Y/N, however, decided to seize the situation and sat down next to Stayne. She glanced at Stayne several times, but focused on the roasted frog's legs, which seemed to be more interesting than she was. ,,Your Majesty, how do we get this delicious meat, it is very interesting on the tongue" this was partly true, in fact it did not taste horrible as she feared. But since she had such a faint idea where the thighs came from, it rather spoiled her appetite.

The queen grinned furtively as she took another bite before taking a quick look at her subordinates, who just happened to be frogs and fish today. ,,Well my dear, I am glad to hear and see that you like it. You can thank this specimen for the delicious meat. This lowly creature had a few unnecessary relatives that took up too much space, so help yourself, there is more than enough supply" she finished her sentence with an inviting gesture to her subjects who were looking straight ahead with fear in their eyes.

The girl just smiled back before putting down her fork and silently drinking the red wine served by the queen. The only good thing about this table was sitting next to Stayne. The other reason was the wine tasted sweet just like fresh strawberries and smelled of roses. She took another sip but stopped when she felt cool fingers sliding up her legs. Not wanting to let on, she finished the rest of the wine before watching Stayne out of the corner of her eye.

Stayne, however, was sipping from his transparent glass of red liquid and gazing with his eye over the lighted garden. She gathered her courage and brought her own hand under the table, tapping Stayne's hand almost fearfully. Stayne seemed to understand before he put his big hand over her small one and made it look almost protective. ,,Well then, let's not postpone the meal until later, how about we dance a little now, or at best we dance while you amuse us, and we dance now!" came the queen's imperious tone. Y/N felt the knight pull his hand away and automatically go to his queen to lead her to the black dance floor.

Y/N looked at her cousin and scurried over to her before whispering in her ear, ,,We'll start the plan soon when she's either distracted or too drunk to notice. I'll try Stayne you start getting the others." Alice nodded and waited a few minutes before staggering over to the queen and telling her she felt sick. The queen gave her a disgusted look before Alice disappeared into the castle, leaving Y/N alone with the queen and Stayne.

The girl allowed herself another glass of wine which was only there to pass the time. To her surprise, some kind of program was actually taking place. Several servants were playing a play in which the queen was victorious over the white one and Alicehead were cut of. When the servants dropped a head of various fruits, which was supposed to represent the cause of death, it only made a squishy sound.

The queen then fell into a hearty laugh as she leaned on Stayne. Y/N nodded encouragingly to her before she also let out a laugh to lighten the mood. This continued for some time until a servant crept up to the queen and whispered something in her ear. ,,She has what, why isn't that miserable mutt with us and where is that miserable traitor. I want a meeting in the main hall and I want it now or heads will roll. Stayne, you stay here, we don't want our most precious ally to leave us!" the queen shouted at her servants and her boys before she disappeared into her own castle with a red head.

Now it was only Stayne and Y/N who were together in the garden as the rest of the company had left after the outburst. ,,May I have this dance Lady Ähm?" came the polite request before he bowed to the girl and held out his hand to her. With a slight curtsy, she accepted his hand with a shy smile and instantly later she was pulled towards him.

He looked down at the woman in front of him and stroked a strand of her hair behind her ear, ,,Tell me, have you ever danced a waltz?" he breathed to her as he bent down to her ear and almost shyly stroked it with his fingers. ,,Yes, I took lessons at home to be able to dance it at a ball or something like that," replied the girl born with Y/Ec eyes. She was about to get into position when the knight left her and went to the table where there were some candles before he came back.

He pressed the light into the hand of the girl in front of him, while he enclosed hers and both held the solid wax. ,,It is an old tradition in Wonderland that only if the candle does not go out during the dance are the two meant for each other. So says the tradition at least whether to believe it is up to you and me". This made Y/N sit up and take notice, and she thought she saw something red on the pale skin of the Jack of Hearts in the flickering of the candle. ,,Well, let's try it and make up our own minds about the tradition," came the girl's approving reply as she and Stayne got into position.

They didn't have any music but a gentle hum that sounded something like a buzzing would be intoned by Stayne while he danced with Y/N in the rhythm back and forth over the plates. It was the most beautiful moment Y/N had ever experienced in her life everything about it was perfect. The music playing softly from Stayne mixed with the wandering lighting and the scent of roses and other plants made it even better.

After gliding across the dance floor once again, after a few more steps and one last spin, they came to the end. Y/N was pressed closer to him by Stayne and she could clearly hear his heartbeat. This time she was sure that it was not her own but that of the knight who seemed to be as excited as she was.

Both looked at the same time at the flame that danced only lightly in the air, proving the tradition that the two were meant for each other. ,,Well, Lady Ähm, as you can see, even Wonderland seems to mean well with us," came the knight's statement before he bent down again and put his lips on Y/N's again. This time he did not withdraw immediately and Y/N could recognize the taste of the wine on one of his lips which made her smile.

After the kiss was over, Y/N spoke softly to her beloved, ..Wait for me here for a moment, I want to give you something too" and with that she ran into the big garden, leaving a confused Stayne behind. Her heart was beating wildly and her hands were trembling slightly with excitement and her mind was in complete chaos. Only Stayne was what she wanted at that moment nothing else but this man. She ran to the hedges she had seen out of the window, which did not have roses on them, but carnations growing there.

This was another pastime with her mother, who herself had started early with flower growing and what they mean and her daughter had taken over the interest. Fortunately for her, not only red carnations grew here, as they stood for passionate love and in some relationships eroticism. But Y/N and Stayne were still at the beginning of their relationship if you could call it a relationship at all or whether it was not just sweet between inside.

After a short search she found pink carnations that stood perfectly for what she felt. Pink carnations stand for intimate, sincere love as she found best suited to the kind of love she felt for him and he for her as well as she could interpret it.

She picked the flowers and made a crown of them in a few simple steps, keeping one for herself to give to Stayne personally. She walked as fast as she could back to the dance floor where Stayne was waiting with a smile when he saw her. ,,Here, bend down a little, please, or I can't give it to you," came the girl's request, which was immediately carried out, the other looking at her with a puzzled look.

The girl stood on her tiptoes and placed the flower crown on his black harr, giving it a certain cuteness. ,,What are you doing?" he asked after he had straightened up again and felt around with his hands on his head. ,,Now you look like a beautiful flower fairy" the girl laughed before she grinned at him with a hearty grin and the knight joined in this time and even a small laugh could be heard from him.

This made the girl pause and she just listened to the man for whom she felt deep love and far beyond.,,Has anyone ever told you that you are beautiful when you laugh and are sweet as you are now?" this made Stayne pause and the laughter disappeared and was replaced with a kind of sad realization in his eye that seemed to be carefully watching her. ,,If someone told me, it was too long ago for me to remember. Say, do you really think I'm pretty?" the way he spoke resembled a cornered animal carefully considering its answering options so as not to probably commit the same pain and thus mistake.

The girl nodded and slowly and carefully approached him for fear of hurting him. Carefully she put one hand on his pale cheek while gently stroking the scar with the other. At first the knight backed away out of fear or shame, but then he gave in and put his face back into her cheek.,, I didn't just say that, you are pretty and good enough for everything you do. Don't let it make you insecure you are good enough and loving the way you are and that's what you are to me.

So stop feeling bad when you haven't done anything wrong." With that Y/N put her lips on his which the knight lovingly accepted and kissed her back. It seemed that the knight was about to say something when a deafening scream echoed through the castle, ,,Stayne you are no good where are you come here now or heads will roll!" It seemed as if the man was changed, the candle that was still in his hand was dropped and broke on the floor and the flame went out.

With a last look, the man walked with quick steps into the castle, ,,Lady Ähm, go back to your room, I am needed by the queen, please forgive me," he called to her before disappearing into the castle and removing his flower crown from his head, which landed in the cold grass.

Now Y/N was left alone again it hurt she could not deny but something in her told her that she was on the right path with the knight. The confidence burned again in her heart that everything will still hat between them they would just have to have patience, nothing more. But she put the flower in her hair because the dress had no pockets and she had no other place to put it. Now she had to concentrate on her purpose and the plan that had not gone according to plan as she had noticed with the queen.

She ran through the corridors and encountered too many cards for her liking, but they seemed to ignore her, which meant that her cover had not been blown. She ran as fast as she could towards the courtyard where she finally stood in front of the two huge red doors. Something inside her told her that there was something wrong here, but she wouldn't know until she opened the door. With a slight effort, she braced herself against the doors until they opened, fearing her worry.

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#x reader #fluff #fem reader #male x female #comfort #dancing #ilosovic stayne x reader #ilosovic stayne #tim burton alice in wonderland #alice kingsleigh #love and hugs

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libidomechanica · 1 year

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Untitled (“With vases, to one Lady Adeline had”)

A curtal sonnet sequence

If Maud will weary sides ‘King, you aren’t. Thought, that she heard great; if stars blacke horror of the day. Last night, grave and groan, might be undecided, above, and the sheet until it scarce dare Say, may I never out of reasons I love means my way, and we thread-bare Penitence apieces shivered fair Orithea, whom Loue doth amaze the soft Sh! With vases, to one Lady Adeline had not be, but modesty with thee?

Been on Marlborough Street, blossomed and God- filled, it is whole and men should lord you. So the end of a poet. It is a mass of men, then the budded peaks out. Yon cloud of its clue? Tears, idle toys, amid the midnight, till I die, till we moderately, and there his motion of advice to die among her class,—aurora’s spirit wander: I though not timid, his rebellious Lust, upon Salámán how should fight to me?

I have but earth, doth wake, must I restraine. She knowes not, grew to find him in common in many thing and twists the fury of age now. To do it has used. Again the world, or else he brands were vex’d. Fair daughters of them all: a common: all those frequent rainy days, called him in their perfumed bed, the guests were erected, to one grand multiplication required she rose a hubbub—you and man’s fiery night with truffles.

Upon the girl! Mud and love her none, not ever wash away, what can with thee and prone she sank with agues in hope this rusty gowns, but missed us courted: wha spied I but my ain. It was na sae ye glinted by, when I do smell anise, the plank, and act is one sovereign of the fires of lofty claim their dancing fast and reel; frae tap to tae that he had stay’d still, and can with us to our veins fresh ornament doth hold.

The same. I trust my dizzy head. Thy tuneful voice with transfigured like a wisp along something much nobler agony to harp of Life to lead him, it is to unfold thy pure creeping clown and sighing and grinning by: struck the green snake coiled around the book and far beyond the bolts full many a sigh of pain which all ornament, itself adorns the World to cozen with their end, but watches him, still now had lasted.

For six hours alone, worn out so—now I know; and his death remaining, doth worship thy dear lady, Christabel stretch with you adjacent. Is the rest followed: and scatt’ring brain, I would tell; yet my father: let your world’s end. In their efforts should a creatures dear. Seven and strong as brains, how long, how long in day and night, and die, heart-shap’d and divorcing their story? Is twice or three. I have found, I will not care, and take the ring.

The barrier like a pear, or is it to my mind. Her sobs, melissa clamour, angry for bulls or don’t think I should have made me divine, must pray, ere yet in bed I lie. You are some old dull murder-spot. Had come down and feelings, fearing at her stood the pleasant science of a woman with chemic skill may time disgust, and pretty name just enough anchor and the peoples plunging thro’ the shape suggested summer eves.

Dozed, snored. Lettered, wins, though I was trying thighs so close his eyes were ready spears—and tender tone came out by the house no more— but pays his conundrum of armies of much reject, for the middle of twigs and the tear comes slowly away from that flashed a saucy boys brake on us at our booty, you should by time did Matthew stop; and fold mine will make up for a bell He found I a friends. Oh, the body. His tyranny.

Willie had, was just not matters to inflicted upon her thousand heard old dames I sing, and so she would show you rise, and the lashes o’er you look with a Swan. These words of nature to have sinn’d! Close of Gulistan shall mark you eyeing me so dearely, seeing what we could one tell me how—Good Saints! Stronger, darker ways. But do not know whence the moorland! Will yet be well as death, we bow’d our heart and frights in shame o’t.

Hardest fate, so do I my judgment of prey and poker-faced war has roused the more ingenuous wherewith the twilight, soft and soft and shout, my foemen’s ears, who probably presume to grieued, and an unwonted calm pervades his breast part of kill’d and vegetables, and in this purse, his spirit seem’d resting time our fashioned there be, will pique all my day is gone. And still, was content to bear the wealth Sudden blow: the grain that breathe.

Before his face, stood up and we shatter it were not so in Grecian house, and not like dinner ready, but follow shows; I seemed to love you the Princes past, sounds the court: right refections, but on my little Sail, and roll the vapour from his pleasure, our destiny, others—How blest wi’ contend. And sung to, when, approaching, when at first, but yet, like glittering, on the high to sore, and the fair in love division of love.

#poetry #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Markov chains #Markov chain length: 7 #215 texts #curtal sonnet sequence

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millennialdadinsights · 4 months

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Raising Sons to Be Gentlemen

Shaping the Next Generation of Productive Members of Society Introduction Are you a father looking for some tips on raising your son to be a true gentleman? Well, you've come to the right place! In this article, we'll explore how you can mold your son into a productive member of society, all while having a good laugh along the way. Now, let me share a delightful anecdote that perfectly encapsulates the joys and challenges of raising a young boy. Picture this: my son, all of five years old, out with dad piddling around, stopping at various man-type stores. As we approached a busy gas station, he let go of my hand and took off running across the lot to the door we were already headed for, and what happened next left me in stitches. With a determined look on his face, he held open the door for a young lady entering behind him, using his free arm to present the way into the store with a playful grin. The woman was taken aback, but a big smile spread across her face as she entered. It was a small act of chivalry that filled my heart with pride and made me wonder how my little one had become such a gentleman at such a tender age. So, whether you're dealing with teenage rebellion or the challenges of teaching manners, join us as we navigate the journey of fatherhood, providing you with insightful advice, hilarious anecdotes, and a shared sense of camaraderie. Let's raise these boys to be the best men they can be! The Importance of Raising Sons to Be Productive Members of Society As fathers, we play a crucial role in shaping our sons' characters. It is our responsibility to guide them towards becoming productive members of society. In a world that often emphasizes material success and individualism, it's important to instill values that prioritize empathy, kindness, and respect for others. By doing so, we are not only shaping the next generation but also ensuring a better future for everyone. To achieve this, we need to be intentional in our parenting. We must prioritize teaching our sons the importance of community involvement, embracing diversity, and working towards the greater good. By nurturing these qualities, we lay the foundation for them to grow into compassionate and responsible adults. It's not always an easy task, but the rewards are immeasurable. The Role of Fathers in Shaping Their Sons' Character As fathers, we have a unique influence on our sons' development. Our actions and behaviors serve as a model for them to follow. Therefore, it's crucial that we lead by example and demonstrate the values and behaviors we want our sons to adopt. Whether it's showing them how to treat others with kindness and respect or teaching them the importance of hard work, our role as fathers is pivotal in shaping their character. By actively engaging with our sons, spending quality time together, and discussing important topics, we create a safe space for them to learn and grow. Through open and honest communication, we can address their questions, concerns, and doubts, helping them navigate through the challenges of life. By being present and involved, we establish a strong bond that lays the foundation for a healthy and nurturing relationship. Teaching Values and Virtues to Sons One of the most important aspects of raising sons to be gentlemen is instilling in them a set of values and virtues that will guide them throughout their lives. These values serve as a moral compass, helping them make the right decisions and navigate the complexities of the world. One such value is integrity. Teaching our sons to be honest, trustworthy, and accountable for their actions helps them develop a strong sense of self and builds character. By emphasizing the importance of doing the right thing, even when it's difficult, we equip them with the tools to become principled individuals. Another crucial value is empathy. In a society that often emphasizes individualism, it's essential to teach our sons the importance of understanding and caring for others. Understanding with empathy, the plight of others does not mean that we should ignore the competitive undertones in society. One can care about how the other competitors feel while still winning the race. By encouraging them to put themselves in someone else's shoes and consider the feelings and perspectives of others, we cultivate empathy and compassion. These qualities not only make them better individuals but also contribute to a more inclusive and harmonious society. Nurturing Emotional Intelligence in Boys In addition to teaching values, it's crucial to nurture emotional intelligence in our sons. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand and manage one's own emotions, as well as recognize the emotions of others with empathy. By developing emotional intelligence, our sons can navigate relationships, handle stress, and make sound decisions. Encouraging open dialogue about feelings and emotions is a great way to foster emotional intelligence. Create a safe and non-judgmental space for our sons to express themselves. This way we enable them to develop a deeper understanding of their own emotions and those of others. This, in turn, allows them to build stronger connections with their peers, family members, and future partners. Encouraging Respectful Behavior Towards Women In today's society, it's more important than ever to teach our sons how to respect and value women. By modeling respectful behavior towards women and actively challenging gender stereotypes, we can help break the cycle of gender inequality. From a young age, we can encourage our sons to treat girls and women with kindness, respect, and equality. This includes teaching them about consent, boundaries, and the importance of enthusiastic and ongoing communication in relationships. This will contribute to a culture of respect and equality, ensuring that our sons grow up to be allies and advocates for gender justice. When My 5-Year-Old Son Held the Door Open for a Woman Let's take a moment to revisit the story that started this article. My son, all of five years old, held open the door for a woman with a playful grin. It was a small act of chivalry that left both the woman and myself pleasantly surprised. This humorous incident filled this dad with pride but also reminded me of the importance of teaching our sons about respectful behavior towards others. Fostering Independence and Responsibility in Sons As fathers, it's essential to foster independence and responsibility in our sons. By encouraging them to take on age-appropriate tasks and responsibilities, we empower them to become self-reliant individuals. From a young age, we can involve our sons in household chores. By doing so, we instill a sense of accountability. This will teach them the value of contributing to the well-being of the family. As they mature, we can gradually increase their responsibilities. This will allow them to develop essential life skills and a strong work ethic. Instilling a Strong Work Ethic in Boys A strong work ethic is key to success in any endeavor. As fathers, we can play a significant role in instilling this value in our sons. Teaching them the importance of hard work, perseverance, and dedication is how we equip them with their goal acheiving tools. Encouraging our sons to pursue their passions and set goals helps them develop a sense of purpose and motivation. By emphasizing the value of effort and resilience, we teach them that success is the result of hard work and determination. This mindset will serve them well throughout their lives, enabling them to overcome challenges and achieve their dreams. Teaching Boys About Empathy and Compassion Empathy and compassion are essential qualities that contribute to the well-being of individuals and society as a whole. As fathers, we have an opportunity to teach our sons the importance of these qualities and how to cultivate them. By exposing our sons to diverse experiences and perspectives, we broaden their understanding of the world and foster empathy. Encouraging them to engage in acts of kindness and volunteer work helps develop their compassion for others. Teach them to treat everyone with respect and dignity. This will instill a sense of empathy that will guide them throughout their lives. Conclusion: Raising Sons to Be Gentlemen and Productive Members of Society In conclusion, raising sons to be gentlemen and productive members of society is both a privilege and a responsibility. Prioritizing values, nurturing emotional intelligence, and teaching respect are how we can help shape a future generation of well-rounded gentlemen. Remember, fatherhood is a journey filled with ups and downs, laughter and tears. Cherish the humorous anecdotes along the way. Through shared experiences, we can navigate the challenges of raising sons while creating a community committed to the end goal. So, fathers, let's roll up our sleeves, equip ourselves with patience, and embark on this incredible adventure of fatherhood. Together, we can shape a better world, one gentleman at a time. Read the full article

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leonbloder · 8 months

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You Never Get Over It

My mom would have been 79 yesterday. It's been nearly six years since she passed away, and I miss her more than usual on milestones like those.

It's funny what you think about when your grief over the loss of someone dear returns to you (as if it ever really left, right?).

Yesterday I remembered when we forgot my mom's birthday, probably twelve years ago or more. We had stuff going on that day and were going a hundred miles an hour with our kids in tow, and the whole day passed before we realized it.

I felt like the worst son in the world.

Of course, she forgave me. She always did.

I'm embracing my grief. I want to feel it. The pang of loss and the ache of missing her are welcome within me. I'm discovering that those feelings help me remember her over time, so I let them in without question when they come knocking.

I spent about half an hour looking at her photos on her legacy Facebook page. She always took photos at family events that no one else thought to document very well.

I thanked her for all of the photos of my boys when they were small. The family photos with absurd matching hats. The videos with her voice speaking in the background because she was almost always behind the camera.

And I couldn't stop smiling.

Recently, I saw an interview with acclaimed actor Billy Bob Thornton where he was talking about grief. I transcribed it as best I could, and the text is below. What he said resonated with me deeply:

I've never been the same since my brother died. There's a melancholy in me that never goes away... And the only advice I can give people when you lose someone like that is you won't ever get over it. And the more you know that and embrace it, the better off you are. I don't want to forget my brother and I don't want to forget what it felt like when he died, because he deserves it that's how important he was to me. So if I have to suffer and if I have to be sad for the rest of my life and if I have to be lonely without him, without his particular thing, his sense of humor and what he brought to life. Then that's the way I honor him.

Thornton also said that at any given moment, he is "50% happy and 50% sad," which I think is an accurate way to describe how we feel when there is a hole in our life, shaped like the person we lost.

I think the percentages probably fluctuate for most of us, but there's some truth for all of us in Thornton's ratio.

It's good to miss the loved ones we've lost. The grief we feel doesn't need to overwhelm us. It shouldn't. Our loved ones would not want that for us.

But we can smile through our tears, can't we?

We can remember them well and hold their memory without spiraling into darkness. Because when we hold them in our hearts without letting grief take us to unhealthy places, we honor them.

So yesterday, I wished my mom a happy birthday. I imagined her with all her siblings, my grandmother who went before her, and her sister who followed this year.

In my imagination, they are somewhere in time where they are young again, and the grandchildren are playing as we are gathered at my uncle's house on a hot summer day.

The grill is churning out hot dogs and hamburgers, and the laughter is pealing out and lifting up to heaven, like praise, prayer, and joy.

Yesterday was a good day.

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and every day from this day. Amen.

#presbymusings #dailydevotion #leonbloder #dailydevo #dailydevotional #christian living #leon bloder #faith #spiritualgrowth #spirituality #grief #dealing with grief #grief/mourning #grieving #loss #heart break

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undercoveravenger · 2 years

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Grant Me A Wish (Or Just Your Time)

Pairing: Camilo Madrigal x Male!Reader

Requested: Yes

Request: “OK so, Camilo x male reader where male reader and Camilo have a game where reader tries to guess when Camilo is using his ability when outside the house. 2 points if he gets it right and Camilo gets one if he fails. They agreed that whoever scores 100 points gets a wish from the other. Whoever wins is entirely up to you."

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You laughed quietly as you noticed your best friend’s eyes shifting slightly toward you before snapping back to attention, the only sign that you weren’t actually looking at Abuela Madrigal. You approached the ‘old woman’ casually, grinning up at her, “Hola, Senora,” you said. “How are you today?”

“Quite well, my boy,” she smiled, happiness creasing her face. “How are you?”

You returned her smile, “Doing well. I just got two points in our little game.”

It took a second for your words to sink in before ‘Abuela’ let out a huff and Camilo shape-shifted back into himself. “Damn, I thought that I had you that time. How’d you know it was me?”

“That’s my little secret,” you laughed, reaching out to ruffle his springy curls teasingly. “If I tell you, you’ll change your ways.”

Camilo shrugged, smiling one of his little half-smiles at your fond actions and unknowingly making your heart squeeze in your chest. “Guess you’ve got a point there. This is what, fifty-eight to forty seven?”

“Just you wait, I’ll be the one making that wish,” you teased, nodding. With that, you heard someone calling your name and dismissed yourself, unaware of the way Camilo’s eyes followed you fondly as you walked away from him.

-----

Several Months Later

-----

“Mirabel!” you called, hurrying up to Camilo’s cousin and dragging her out of la Casita Madrigal, hoping to catch a word with her away from the crowds. Particularly away from any chance of your best friend overhearing. “Can I talk to you about something important, please?”

She cocked her head to the side, brows furrowing over brilliant brown eyes, “Is everything okay? Why aren’t you talking to Camilo about it?”

You shrugged sheepishly, eyes dropping to the ground in an effort to hide your embarrassment, “We’re friends, aren’t we?” Granted, you and Mirabel had never been quite as inseparable as you and Camilo, but you’d always been good friends, especially when you continued to make an effort to spend time with her and support her after she didn’t receive a Gift. The two of you still hung out together once in a while, though it was harder since Mirabel’s popularity had increased dramatically since the rebuilding of la Casita Madrigal. “Why shouldn’t I talk to you when I need advice? Especially if it’s about him…” your voice trailed off at the end, struggling to get yourself to continue.

Her eyebrows raised sharply, visibly shocked. If you had been looking, you might have noticed an odd look in her eyes, “This is about Camilo?”

You took a shaky breath, beginning to pace as you tried to get yourself to say the words you’d been denying to yourself for such a long time. “I think I’m in love with him,” you finally forced out.

Mirabel stayed quiet for a long moment as she thought about what you’d told her, “Hey, what was the score in you guys’ game?”

Your brows furrowed as you thought, “Ninety-eight to ninety-nine.”

“You’re wrong,” she said, and you stopped in your tracks, puzzled.

“No, that’s definitely what the score was,” you said, turning to look back at Mirabel in confusion.

Mirabel smiled at you, though the expression was a little different to her normal beaming smile. “No, I think you’ll find that you’ve got ninety-eight and Camilo,” her lips twist up into a familiar half grin, and then her features shift and change, resettling- to your horror- into those of your best friend, “has one hundred.”

“Mierda,” you swore under your breath, instinctually considering trying to run so you wouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of your confession.

Camilo looked at you thoughtfully for a few seconds and you could feel the anxiety building in the pit of your stomach, “I know what I want for my prize,” he said finally, dark eyes fixed firmly on you.

You sighed, resolving yourself. How could you have thought that you’d get away with not resolving the game before being rejected? “What is it?”

“I wish,” Camilo said, drawing it out to tease you further, “for you to kiss me.”

His words shocked you, forcing your eyes back to him. You hesitated, examining him for any hint that this was another of his practical jokes. He looked completely serious.

You swallowed hard before forcing yourself forward, one hand coming up to hold the side of his neck as you tugged him forward and up slightly, guiding him into a better position to press your lips to his in a sweet kiss. You could feel the way his lips shifted into a smile against yours before his hands came up to twist into your hair and pull you more firmly against him.

Camilo was still smiling widely when he finally released you, “I love you too, estúpido,” he teased, leaning up to press another quick kiss to your lips, like he still couldn’t believe that that was a thing he could do now. “Best prize ever,” he murmured to himself, taking one of your hands in his and intertwining your fingers. He started tugging you impatiently back toward the front doors of la Casita Madrigal.

“Where are we going?” you asked curiously, following easily behind your new boyfriend.

“We need to go see Isabella and Delores,” he said, “They need to know that they just lost a bet.”

You laughed, knowing that some people may have been upset at the fact that their romantic interest had been betting on whether or not they’d get together, but instead feeling nothing but fondness and amusement at your new novio’s antics. “Whatever you say, amore,” you said, and you knew it was true; anywhere Camilo asked you to go, you’d be happy to follow him.

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maizumis · 3 years

Text

— HAIKYUU BOYS WHEN THEIR CHILD SAYS THEY ARE NOT THEIR FAVORITE PARENT

ft. timeskip!miya atsumu, suna rintarou, iwaizumi hajime, bokuro koutaro, osamu miya

note: reader refered as mom ‼️ not edited cos I'm sleepy </3 enjoy hotties 😽

•ATSUMU opened the door with his daughter in one hand while the other had a huge blue balloon she wanted, hearing the click of the door you turn around and see your little bundle of joy running with open arms to you "mommy! I missed you" event if the two of them went out for an hour and a half, you really missed her too "aww darling! I missed you too! I'm your favorite, right?" she gave your cheek a sweet kiss with his tiny hands in your jaw "yes! mommy the best" at this scene, atsumu was long forgotten on the door, amused about what his daughter just said "and what about papa? he bought you this balloon!" he moved his hand to make presence of it, slightly jealous of you "papa is very good too! it's just mommy is always the best" you let go of her embrace, tucking her brown hairs behind her ear "why don't you go and clean yourself? I can make a choco milk!" she didn't need to be told twice that was already running to the bathroom " ‘tsumu you know she doesn't mean it, right?" pouty atsumu came walking to you "a know but a want to be her favorite now!" chuckling at his childhood behavior, you make sure to peck him before going to the kitchen, even after all this year's you never failed to make him blush "you can be her favorite tomorrow ‘tsum, come hug me now"

• SUNA had his daughter on his lap, paw patrol playing softly on the TV in front of them, you always tease him about how he is more into the show than his own daughter but he is quickly to change the subject, everytime "how was your day at school baby?" the little girl raised her head from his chest, messy hairs blocking her sight " ‘t was okay, I missed mom" his hand was already on the hairs in front of her eyes, using the hair-band he always had on his wrist just in case something like this popped out "and you missed dad too I like to think" she hummed before resting her head on his torso again, little hands roaming around his body like she was caressing him "I did, but mommy is my favorite so I missed her more... I'm gonna go to sleep daddy, wake me up when mom ‘s home" and with that she was out, leaving suna with wide eyes and lots of questions filling his brain, the clack of the open door scares him, even knowing it's you coming home from work, he was deep in thought "a penny for your thoughts, rin?" he sighs before patting the place next to him on the couch, you gladly obey and lay your head on his broad shoulders "she told me you're her favorite" you interlaced your fingers with his, giving him a little squish "you know she is just a child, right? she lives you so much, everytime you're away she only talks about you" a little hope came back to his eyes "really, she talks about me?" you hummed, assuring him he is the one of the biggest thing in his daughters mind "lots, rin"

•IWAIZUMI was playing with his daughter in the backyard, his hands on both sides her waist while he throws her up and down the air "higher daddy! higher!" her little giggle brought life to his ears, this kid was gonna be the death of him "I wanna fly! like the birds we saw in the park!" "that's very high, sweetie" she was screaming her lungs out, non-stop laughing, toothy smile on her face that had a little of chocolate that Hajime gave her after lunch as a secret between the both of them. to lost in their own world, they didn't notice your arrival, they were having the times of their lifes "I'm home! where's my sweet girl and lovely husband?" her eyes got wider than they already were and her smile impossibly bigger "mama! you're home, put me down dad I wanna go hug mom!" he placed her down on the grass and her little legs were running as fast as they could "mommy! we had such a funny day! we saw lots of things outside?" you could tell hajimd was a proud dad, his daughter being talkative and smart, she sometimes reminds him of tooru "yeah? and what else" "I was telling daddy I wanted to be a bird but I missed you so much! you know you're my favorite, mom" hajime's lips were pressed into a thin line while his brows got a little down, you could tell he was feeling a little insecure so a little assurance wouldn't make him wrong "go inside and change your clothes then we can do something together, how does that sound?" she went inside the house screaming he was gonna wear her favorite blue dress, you giggled at her cute actions "hajime, the entire neighborhood can feel you, she doesn't mean it, she is just a child, we did the same when we were her age" he went towards you and placed his big arms around your waist, placing his head on the crook of your neck "I know, but we were having such a good time" your hands came to his face so you could make him see you "and we are gonna keep having a good time! we have to make sure you're her favorite by the end of the day, come on big boy! we are in this together" and with that you started running inside the house, holding his hand in the way in, the feeling of love and pride fulfilling his heart, happiness and love could be described like this exact moment, he thinks

•BOKUTO happily took his son out, ready to spend a little ‘daddy-son day’ as he called them, sometime they would go to his practice or to the aquarium! to learn everything they can about the infinity of animals the ocean has. today they decided they would be going for an ice-cream then straight to the park to play a little "okay bud! what flavors do you want? one or two?" the kiddo look up to the list of flavours that were in front of him ‘so many choises’ he thought before speaking "chocolate and vanilla please!" his choose of flavors made bokuto think about the old days, when you would wait for him in highschool after every practice to go on a date, you always, and he means always, wanted to eat vanilla ice-cream, I didn't matter the occasion "you know, your mom loves vanilla ice-cream! what if we buy a little for her?" his little golden eyes were shinning at the mention of his mom "yes! she's my favorite so she deserves ice-cream for being a good mommy" mid way taking his wallet out of his pocket, bokuto stops, looking directly to the floor "I'm sorry, your favorite what?" "my favorite parent! duh" he tried, he really tried not to have an episode in front of everyone but his deflated hair was exposing him "oh, that's good! your momma is perfect!" "she indeed is, dad!" the laugh of his son made him feel a little better, but ache on his heart was still there; after both of them has their ice-creams in hand, they started walking towards the park hand in hand "yummy! daddy this is delicious! you're absolutely my favorite!" like that? kids changes of opinion that fast? either way, his heart was pumping with joy "of course I'm your favorite! let's go play and the we can buy more ice- cream!" needless to say, you had a fridge full of icecream that night and two sugar rushed boys

•OSAMU has one twin in either side of him, his little girl with two pigtails while is beautiful boy had a green apron on "I know mommy will love this!" the little boy exclaimed, his daughter quickly following behind "uh-huh! mommy always love when we cook for her" osamu was happy he had this life, he didn't expect to have twins the first try but here he was, bragging about his perfect set of kids to his brother every chance he had "yer mommy loves both of ya so much" the kids were trying to make the onigiri shape with the rice while giggling "I know mommy love us! she is my favorite indeed" osamu's heart skipped a beat after hearing is daughters words "ugh she is my favorite too! I love it when mama let us sleep with her" but why is he saying this when he lets them sleep with him too? "that's right! we need to make this onigiri perfect so she is proud" nervously chuckling to erase a little the tension he was feeling "okay, daddy keeps going from here, go set the table and change yer smelly clothes!" the kids were racing to their respective bedrooms, yelling how they were gonna be prettier than the other one. the younger twin was so deep in thought leaning on the kitchen counter that he didn't acknowledge your presence "samu, baby, I'm here, everything okay?" his features relaxing when he saw you, gently placing one hand in your chin to kiss you "everything good sweetheart, the kids just told me yer their favorite parent so am just thinking a lil" you were laughing at his concern, those same kids told you this morning that his papa was their favorite "you want to know something fun ‘samu?" he raised a brow before his hands found home on your waist, gently pressing your chest to his "what, love" your hand came to play with the hairs he has on the forehead "this kids told me this morning you were his favorite, don't take to seriously what they said ‘samu, they love you unconditionally" taking your advice, he pecked you before hearing little steps coming to the room "our alone time has ended angel, a love ya" finishing his words with a sweet kiss

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stylistiquements · 3 years

Text

Day 9 : Scronch'love.

𐐪𐑂 Pairing : Sapnap x fem!reader {Playlist}

𐐪𐑂 Summary : a lovely afternoon and an ancestral question; when are you going to join the dream smp?

𐐪𐑂 Word count : 1.5k

𐐪𐑂 Warning : swearing

Masterlist | Previous | Next

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・　　 .・゜゜・　　・゜゜・

“Have you been here for a long time?”

Time bends and twists into unknowns shapes when well spent. So, you’re so not sure. Long enough for your fairy garden to start looking like at least a proper garden, long enough for your feet to start fidgeting, brushing against the soft fabric of the blanket ever so slightly and softly.

“Can you share your screen?”

“I’m just picking flowers, there’s nothing much to see,” you warn but it never does the proper job.

“That’s fine, I like watching you play.”

“Oh, do you now?”

“Yeah. You’ve been playing for years and you’re still dog water. It's almost soothing,” you hear him grin through the silkiness of his voice.

You smile evasively, palm gripping the mouse and executing on memory. Soon, Sapnap’s satisfied noises hovers and everything is just how it’s supposed to be. You spend a while humming the music of days and nights of the game while building your project. Sap helps from time to time, giving advice when his attention is there and leaving trails of compliments on his way. You don’t think the garden is necessarily that good, you don’t mind either.

“Do you think the tree should go on the left or the right of the pond?” You ask, fingers drumming back and forth between the two options. Right he says. "What about the roses, do I plant some or not?"

“It’s just a detail, don’t hurt your brain too much on that,” he says in a light tone, but you disagree.

“Details are what make things important. Like when you remember I prefer warm pillows so you give me yours, it’s just a detail but it makes me happy.”

“Of course I do; you’re a baby,” he murmurs teasingly.

With an arched eyebrow, you retort, “says you,” and silence follows for a second as you plant the tree on the right of the pond.

“Yeah, Dream already made sure I was aware of that.”

“Not sure why the piss baby thinks he’s qualified to have this conversation, buddy,” you note and Sap chuckles are as vivid as contagious. “Why would he call you a baby anyway? What have you done?”

“I-I’m not telling you.” As soon as the mumbles fades, your phone sends loud vibrations on your desk. You abandon your character to the night and the wildness, picking the phone as you murmur a low oh, okay. Whether it’s to your phone or Sapnap, that, isn’t really clear. Still, Sapnap’s words sound more distant, more of what wonders are made of. On the screen, a twitter notification of a certain Karl Jacobs.

“You’re not even listening to me anymore,” Sapnap whines.

“I don’t listen to whiny babies, sorry.”

“We’re on the verge of divorce, yn and it’s your fault.”

A scoff skitters out through teasing lips, “But you still talk about me all the time, don’t you?” Your voice drags through different lands, unknown and musky.

“So what?” He splutters all awkward like it’s some kind of confidence that shouldn’t have left his thoughts and, somehow, you’re surprised the almighty confidence has left the game. “Who said that?”

“Doesn��t matter. You’re obsessed with me, admit it,” you demand and though you don’t notice it, too tangled with the moment, the atmosphere is tinted with a different nuance like it’s suddenly dawn at the end of a summer party.

“So are you.”

Now, your heart drums a strange yet familiar rhythm. Something made of secrets and uncertainty, something you decided to leave unnamed a long time ago. Sapnap, you reason, can’t be lied to. He knows better than words half meant, half made up and it’s annoying, really, but he just does somehow. If you dare to lie, he would know and then it would be even more annoying.

“Yeah, you’re living in my head rent free but at least I’m not trying to hide it.” No answer. You peek at the game, you’ve been slain by a spider. “Karl said that,” you resign yourself. “He said he was about to join the vc by the way.”

Before the conversation can carry on, the sound of Karl joining the call resonates. Being in this Discord server is like living in a house with 10 siblings, that’s what you understand from the way Sap exhales heavily.

“Oh, I am interrupting something?” Karl says, struck by a peculiar energy.

“Besties time Karl, besties time,” Sapnap mumbles beneath his breath and it chimes a little like disappointment.

“Well, too bad I guess,” Karl exclaims. “It's about time I meet miss Bunnyshow.”

Karl is like that gif of a cat sitting in a tiny box with the caption “if it fits, I sit”.

“Does that mean our passive aggressive subweet arc is over?” You ask, faking the dejection when your smile grows wide.

“Oh god, I hope not. That’s my favorite part of the day.”

"It means a lot to me. Especially coming from my comfort streamer Karl Jacobs," you confess.

Satisfied, your attention gets back on the game; flowers rooting gracefully into the dirt and hives ready to host the beloved honey bugs as Karl and Sap catch up on time being apart. Everything is quiet and peaceful like the end of an afternoon well spent.

“I like your garden,” Karl points out and you hum a thank you beneath your breath.

“So you can take Karl’s compliments but not mine.”

“We’re besties you’re honor. Sapnap you can leave now, thank you,” Karl giggles and you follow along.

“Sorry Karl, there’s only room for one man in my heart and that has to be Sapnap.”

He fakes a cry to keep the theatrics before adding without transitions, “You know if you asked Dream he’d probably let you on the SMP.”

“No thanks,” you grin.

“Sapnap, your girl doesn’t want to play with us.”

“She’s already been whitelisted for months now,” Sapnap informs but fails to comment on the first part of the complaint.

He’s not lying, but you feel like it says more about Dream’s stubbornness than it says about you. As for your best friend, he understands better than anyone that wish for privacy and it’s something made of respect like yours for his career. You’d rather see him shaped by all the light than being touched by a glimpse of it. He does, after all, deserves it all. So, that’s the contract you made with yourself because it made sense; being a supportive shadow. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that you’ve never considered streaming before. It’s that it’s his world more than yours.

Karl, on the other hand, doesn’t seem to think the same way, “This is unacceptable, I gotta send a few texts.”

“Lost cause, dude, lost cause,” you grin but stubbornness seems to be a pre required trait for those mcyts.

Before you have time to find a suitable comment about the newborn group chat, a new person joins the call and Sapnap's annoyance is even more palpable, "No fucking way dude. We can't even have a second of peace on this server."

"Why would you be in a discord call if you want peace. You're just dumb," Quackity retorts with an energy he and he only can ever own.

Then George joins and Dream follows on his heels and soon your ears are filled with conversations that are as loud as scattered. Your shoulders sink in the back of your chair as soft fingers try to brush the upcoming migraine away. This is why you can't join the SMP; -not really but still- too much energy that has to be processed at all time. And you should know better, being friend with a very chaotic boy for the last 15 years, but you're not somehow.

"No, fuck that," Sapnap mutters. "I'm out."

"You can't leave now we have things to discuss," George exclaims. "Bunny, explain to me how Sapnap's proposition is more appealing than mine."

"Because I know her more than you do," he defends, and he's right. Money isn't of you interest. Love, on the other hand...

"Because she's like scronch'love," Karl giggles mindlessly.

"The fuck does scronch'love mean?" You ask, amused.

"It's very simple," Quackity intervenes. "If I offered you the same thing, would you even consider it?"

"Of course I would. What kind of question is that?"

"Fine. So, if Sapnap keeps his offer, here is mine; you become the president of Las Nevadas in addition to what he said."

"What?" Sapnap takes offense.

The call brims with an agitated confusion as you smile deviously, heels rooted into the floor to make your chair spin lightly and your fingers drum on your desk.

"I don't think you wanna do that," George corrects.

"Yeah, you absolutely don't," you confirm.

"Fine," he retorts. "So Sapnap's offer plus a Las Nevadas citizenship. How does that sound?"

"Like an offer I'll confider," you sigh. "So who's scronch'love now?"

"Still you," Dream answers. "Except you're also a big dummy."

.・゜゜・　　・゜゜・　　 .・゜゜・　　・゜゜・

A/N : helloooo,, how are you??? this part very self indulgent and I think this fic will be in general but I hope you liked it anyway. I love the idea of c!quackity always being too much and always having something to add to be even more over the top. I'm having more trouble than I thought about Bunny's and Sap's friendship because I want them to have a very special friendship but I hope it appears as such. idk. lmk what you think and thank you for reading it it makes me very happy <3 Until next time (ɔˆ ³(ˆ⌣ˆc)

Taglist : @open-minded-chip-101 ; @itsoakaa ; @gaysludge ; @tinyegg ; @qnfdnf ; @paintingpetalsforyou ; @notjennaleigh ; @victoria-a567 ; @washy-washy ; @moneybagmarvel ;

#129 days #Sapnap smau #sapnap x reader #smau #social media au #sapnap x you #sapnap x y/n #mcyt smau #sapnap series #sapnap fluff #mcyt x reader

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ohheyitsokay · 3 years

Text

to date a single father (1/2)

Pairing: Francisco Morales (Frankie) x (f) reader

Warnings: mentions of trauma, drugs, and violence. a little angst? mostly fluff

Wordcount: 2.8k (I haven’t even gotten to the scene that inspired this thought process, guys...)

Part 2/2!

Summary: Frankie has a little girl in kindergarten and you’re the prettiest school teacher he’s ever seen. Being a single dad makes navigating relationships hard, that’s all.

Notes: I don’t really want kids but his baby is a part of his character so I thought it would be interesting to explore. I didn’t know how to put this in the warnings but obviously this topic can be a loaded one for some people, please be kind to yourself.

You first met Frankie outside the elementary school where you worked. You taught older kids, and they got let out a few minutes earlier to get their little siblings and to spread out traffic.

Most parents were in their minivan’s, on their phones, honking, or chatting through open windows. The sun was shining, sinking into your skin, and the kids were trickling out of the school.

He caught your eye, because he was standing nearby, hovering nervously, looking a touch lost. And maybe in small part because his hair was curling out from under his hat in soft tufts and his eyes were warm and bright.

“Can I help you, sir?” You asked cautiously, eyes still dutifully scanning the pick up area, making sure the students were safe.

He looked startled, then sheepish.

“My daughter’s in kindergarten,” he said, taking off his baseball cap to rake his hair to the side before replacing it. “It’s her first day.”

Ah. That explains his mother hen mannerisms.

“She'll be out in just a moment,” you said smiling at him. You explained the staggered release and noted how the crease between his brows smoothed a little bit.

You got to see parents with their kids often, and you were no stranger to the occasional handsome dad, but when his little girl came running towards him, nothing could have prepared you. His face lit up and she jumped straight into his arms yelling happily. As he spun her around for some wild reason your heart threatened to hammer right out of your chest.

He put her down and she chattered about her first day. As they walked away, he waved at you, and you smiled weakly before tearing your eyes away.

The kindergarten teacher appeared at your side. Her arm casually shot out, causing a running kid to almost crash into it, but effectively stopping him from sprinting somewhere more dangerous. She gave him a look before turning to grin at you.

“What?” you asked, trying to play off your odd behavior the best you could. You definitely weren’t staring at the most handsome dad you’d ever seen being adorable with his daughter. And by no means had you been neglecting your supervising duties to do so. She raised an eyebrow and against your will, your face was flushed.

“I’ve never seen you like this!” she said gleefully, laughing at you.

“There’s nothing to see!” you flapped your hand at her, knowing you were lying through your teeth.

“Isn’t there?” she knew you a little better than would be best in this circumstance. “Hon, I’ve worked with you five years and I haven’t seen a single person - real or from your stories – make you so flustered.”

You shook your head and started to walk back towards the school, calling behind you, “I wasn’t!”

“Would it help to know he’s single?” she chirped after you.

And you hated yourself because you stopped dead, heart pounding, before you walked away just about as quickly as you could.

That night, Frankie hated himself a little bit too, because he couldn’t get the pretty school teacher out of his head.

Over the first few weeks of the fall semester, this because normal for the two of you. Frankie kept coming early, and so when your let your class out, you would go stand and talk to him, both falling in love a little bit, and you would then get teased mercilessly by the other teachers. He would go home and day dream about seeing you outside of school, holding your hand, meeting your eyes and not having to look away.

He told the boys about you and accepted their bad advice and excited teasing with stride. You also gave up trying to deny it from your closest friends and they had the best time playing matchmaker for you, even if it was horribly embarrassing.

Every couple of days, your friend would keep his daughter inside extra long to help clean up or something, so you’d have more time to talk. On top of that, the older teachers made of habit of floating by and announcing how pretty you looked or how talented you were, and mentioning you were single with broad winks.

“Our sweet girl is just such a good teacher!” one man said. “I’d love it if she would marry my son one day. If she runs a household like her classroom, I could die happy!”

You felt like you could melt into the concrete. Frankie was grinning, his eyes alight with laughter as they met yours. He tried to ignore the feelings bubbling inside of him at the thought.

The next day, an older woman was apparently feeling protective over you, approaching Frankie and him a hard stare down. He fidgeted, shooting you a panicked look before she began asking him questions rapid fire.

When she was satisfied and moved on you finally turned to him saying, “I’m so sorry about this, Mr. Morales,” and he shrugged.

“I don’t mind,” he turned away from you, eyes searching for his daughter, and you almost didn’t hear him add, “It’s worth it.”

Silently you agreed, but before you could say anything, you saw his little one incoming. Instead of her dotting father, she hugged your legs, catching you entirely off guard. Frankie made a choking sound, his heart having leapt into his throat at the sight of you with his kid. The sky was cloudy that day – but he was feeling warm inside.

You talked to her for a bit before she moved on to him and they walked off waving, leaving you standing there in confusion.

Her teacher, on cue, slid up to your side.

“She’s been talking about you in class recently.”

“What? Why?” you were panicking. Never in your life did you picture yourself hoping a tiny little girl liked you, but here you were.

Her smile was soft as she said, “She thinks you’re nice and likes very much that her daddy has a girlfriend that is pretty because she thinks that means she’s going to become a princess.”

This was overwhelming. “I’m not his girlfriend!” you wailed, “I don’t even know what I’m doing!”

She hugged you tight, and whispered that you would figure it out. She promised you were doing just fine, and despite your anxiety, you half believed her.

Weeks later, you still weren’t his girlfriend, but you and him were just about the only people who didn’t think so. You let out class as early as you could most days, and he was always there to greet you as soon as you stepped outside. Sometimes he would have an “extra" drink for you from a nearby coffee shop, and he always got your order right. (He did remember his daughter’s teacher's, and well as hot chocolate for the little matchmaker.) Once, it was raining and the two of your shared an umbrella.

Now, your school was getting a new vice principal, and there was a social evening planned for parents and students to come and meet him. You were jittery with nerves, the thought of seeing Frankie in a new setting putting you on edge. You’d even put on a prettier than average outfit as if it were a date, and your coworkers were beyond excited.

Streamers were hung, pitchers were filled with lemonade, and you settled in a seat along the edge, hoping beyond hope that Frankie would find you and everyone else would leave you alone.

You had no such luck. After the new vice principal had been introduced to the staff, he made his rounds, greeting everyone personally before stopping on you. You made polite small talk, but he didn’t seem the slightest bit interested in moving on, settling next to you.

He began leaning close, mentioning how many good things he’d heard about you and you realized he was flirting with you. There was a sinking feeling in your stomach. He wasn’t a bad guy, and maybe a few months ago you wouldn’t have minded so much, but now you just felt weird and uncomfortable. Politeness and politics were part of the job, but you scooted your chair away from his, unable to stop yourself.

When Frankie walked in with the other parents and students, his daughter pointed excitedly at you, tugging his hand. His eyes found you, but jealousy reared inside of him, along with a touch of hurt. There was a new man by your side, and he wasn’t being shy about his interest in you. Frankie didn’t know what do so he pulled his little one in the opposite direction, saying, “Snacks first, yeah?” knowing it would buy him some time.

He watched you out of the corner of his eye, thankful when other teachers seemed to approach the two of you to pull the man’s attention away. There was another roar of jealousy, though, as the man tapped the microphone and introduced himself. Looking at him on the small stage, in a suit and tie, Frankie felt scruffy.

He couldn’t be bothered to listen to him, his mind running. Would you prefer a guy like this? Successful and suave? Baggage free?

He followed his daughter, her attention short, as she ran to play with her friends. He hovered close to keep an eye on them, unable to shake the habit. Some other parents were talking to him, and he tried his best to be polite but he couldn’t keep his eyes away from the man, who was making his way back towards you.

It didn’t take long, however, for Frankie to see how uncomfortable you were, and a small, warm feeling bloomed in his chest in place of the jealousy. He kept the little one in his line of sight as he moved carefully through the crowds and behind the man. He caught your eye, and the warm feeling grew when your eyes widened and you visibly relaxed. Spurred on, he made a little symbol with his fingers over his chest - something Santi often did jokingly. It was an “S" shape, similar to the one Superman wore.

Do you need saving? he mouthed and you grinned, nodding slighting, so as not to betray him to your captor.

He didn’t need to hear more, butting into the conversation politely, but with determination. When the vice principal protested, Frankie confidently wrapped an arm around your shoulders and leveled his eyes at the other man. For all he was a sweetheart in a baseball cap, Francisco Morales could still gaze with the same intensity he had in the military.

The rest of your rescue went smoothly. He guided you back towards where the younger students were playing, and you were still grinning at him.

“Thanks you, Mr. Morales,” your heart was happy, you felt like you were flying. “You really are m- a hero.”

In that moment, Frankie knew he was a goner. To be your hero, and his daughter’s? That was maybe all he ever wanted.

“How can I repay you?” you asked, earnestly, the request and it’s potential making him weak in the knees.

He squeezed you gently.

“How about you call me Frankie?” he said, before taking a shaky breath. “And maybe consider going out to dinner with me tomorrow night?”

You froze, your heart beat filling your whole body. He went to pull his arm away, but your hand caught his on your shoulder, keeping it around you.

“I’d love to, Frankie,” you managed.

Frankie found himself in a similar state of speechlessness, happiness flowing off of him, unable to make his mouth stop smiling. He settled for squeezing you again, both of you glowing and too overwhelmed to notice the high fives and quiet cheers from the staff around you.

The next 24 hours, Frankie was a bundle of nerves and excitement. He had spent weeks adoring you, seeing how wonderful you were, sharing as much of himself as he could. Now that he finally had the opportunity to take you on a date, he was terrified of blowing it. Calling Santi was almost a waste of time, the other man was too excited and gave him advice that required flirting skills he knew he didn’t have. He wanted to put his best foot forward, after all. He even left his hat home, cursing himself because the little pink brush he tried to use only made his curls fluffier.

But when he picked you up, time slowed down.

The two of you climbing into his truck, making small talk before you said, “I’m sorry you had to get a sitter for tonight, by the way.”

And he was forced to pause, looking at you. Beautiful, in the passenger seat, somehow thinking of him and his life. His mind was running as fast as his heart, and he didn’t have the slightest clue what to do.

“Frankie? Is everything okay?” his eyes met yours, and they were so earnest you knew to wait.

Gently, you put your hand on the middle console, palm up, offering. His hand fit into yours immediately, clinging to it like a lifeline.

“I… I gotta be honest with you,” he said, in a way that made you sure each word was thought out. “I think you’re really something special. But… I’m really afraid of this. I’m afraid of how much I like you. I had this whole dinner planned … but I can’t. I have all this baggage and I like you too much. I’m not trying to scare you off but … but I guess now is better than later?” his mind vaguely realized he self sabotaged, but it was all true. He was in too deep.

You took a breath, waiting a moment to make sure it was your turn. You felt the cool upholstery, the evening sun, and a tremble in his hand.

“Frankie… I can’t promise you I’ll want to stay, once I know it. But I really like you too,” his eyes met yours and you ran your thumb over his knuckles. “Please, just give it chance? Give me a chance to make that choice? I promise I’m in this just as deep as you are and I’m not perfect either but maybe we can get burgers, and just… just talk? Figure it out together, now?”

He would have squeezed your hand but he realized he was already gripping it too tightly. You knew he agreed though, because his eyes told you, and the two of you drove off.

You ordered bunches of extra fries along with your meals, and he parked a bit outside of town, where the two of you could see the sun beginning to set.

And he told you all of it as the two of you ate. The breeze was warm, running its fingers through the fields as he talked. He hadn’t expected his secrets to pour out of him but once he started, it felt as though a dam had broken.

He told you about his missions, the Delta Force, his friends. The drugs, the rehab, the back slides. The other woman, his baby, the heart break. Even the trauma, the therapy, and being a single dad.

You listened and in turn, told him about your life. Your hardships, your secrets, as forthcoming and he was. You were honest about how scared you were at the prospect of becoming a mother figure for his daughter. About how unprepared you felt for those hurdles. And when you were done, the two of you sat in silence, looking at the rising stars. Eventually, you spoke again.

“Francisco Morales, I still really like you,” you smiled at him, shrugging a bit. “If you’re okay with it, I’d really like to try this thing, with you.”

There was nothing more wonderful than the hope in his eyes at that moment.

“Yes, please,” his voice was a bit raspy. He took a couple of slow breaths. “I have to get home soon but can I be honest with you for just a little bit longer?”

“Of course,” you said, confused.

He hopped out of the truck, jogging over to your side and helping you step down. The door closed behind you but he moved closer instead of backing up.

“I had all these plans to take this slow, do everything right,” his voice was soft, and he was gently pushing into your space, allowing you to stop him at any time. “You deserved it, and I wanted to show you I could do it. But,” his hands found your body, one of them tugging your hips into his and the other settling on the back of your neck, half in your hair. “But I’d really like to skip some steps,” his forehead was on yours, gaze steady, his voice deep and warm.

“Can we skip to the part where I can kiss you? The part where I can tell you how much you mean to me, and hold you?”

You aren’t sure if you managed to say yes before his mouth was pressing against yours, kissing you for all he was worth.

#francisco morales #francisco morales x reader #francisco morales x you #frankie x you #frankie x reader #triple frontier #maybe i don't know people #I'm not gonna lie this is a whole new animal for me #I hope he's mostly in character?#this was supposed to be a fic about making out on the couch like teenagers and then having to play it off #oops #here we are i guess hope yall enjoy!#maybe I don't know people

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clarissalance · 3 years

Text

Wolves

Pairing: Kaeya x fem!Reader, Diluc, Crepus

Warning: minor swearing, cheesy flirt, dry humour

Summary: All men are wolves.

A/N: Muahaha I have came back and brought you the blatant cheesy flirt. Welcome to the first lesson of flirting with Kaeya. Lol, guess who is coming next?

Also, I’m planning to write a wind-trace fic because the game is so fun. (p/s: I waste 3 hours playing it) Guess who is in it?

Okay, the first fic for my lover boy. Please give Kaeya a lot of love!! (*￣3￣)╭

Another beautiful day, another day of wasting the lovely weather to stay inside the study room, bury your head into the pile of books next to you. You let your eyes wander to the window again, gazing rays of light fleeting through the window, golden hues on the wooden floor. Tiny specks of dust accumulate overnight, fluttering around the curtain. Outside, the chirping birds bathing under the sun, casually chilling on the window. Oh, how you wish you would be able to relax like those carefree animals.

“You might burn the birds crips the longer you stare at it.” Startled by the quiet voice, your head snaps toward the blue-haired teenage direction, and you can’t help but scowl at his statement. You can’t be the only person in the room who wants to go out and play. Knowing Kaeya, he’s definitely trying to find an excuse to end the class early.

The only person who is diligent, hard-working, and does not have thought about leaving this room is the young master Diluc. The young man is sitting opposite you, eyes burning holes on the thick textbook.

Archon, how can a 16 years old overly enthusiastic person like him enjoy the excitement of reading Descartes philosophy? Maybe he is the only child in Mondstadt, no, maybe in the whole Teyvat who enjoys something torturous like that. Shivering at your own thought, you shift your chair closer to Kaeya, giving Diluc a terror gaze.

“Aren’t you going to finish the essay?” Pointing at the half-full parchment on the table, you ask. “ Diluc and I already finish it.”

“ Oh, how do I know? How am I suppose to understand Kant and Descartes theories, and then link them to deductive and inductive reasoning?" Kaeya lets his finger running through the silky blue hair and pulls them out of frustration. On the other side, Diluc shoots him a glare, annoyed by his brother complaint.

“How did you guys do it?” Kaeya asks boredly, his finger pokes the quill.

You put your hand under your chin, beaming him charmingly. “ You know Kaeya, it is something I call improvisation. Words just flow out of my tip.” Under your lashes, you can see his cheek dusting pink. Cute!

“ Just read the books, and you will get it.” Diluc unhelpful adds.

Both of you stare at red-head incredulously. Is he being serious?

Like always, Kaeya knows he can not take your advice to heart. One is a genius, and the other is just pure luck.

Suddenly, the door is burst open, and you quickly shove your feet into the shoes, eyes darting to see the intruder. Internally, you hope that person is not lady Elizabeth, your etiquette teacher. Your blood runs cold at the thought. You can already imagine her sharp tones commenting how horrendous and un-ladylike your act is.

“How is your study going?” A deep, strong voice booming from the back, and finally, you get let out a breath. Diluc looks up from his book, beams brightly at the man.

“ We are done with homework, father. These are just extra reading.” Well, for the record, these are his extra readings, not yours. And Kaeya hasn’t finished his 2 feet scrolls of essay yet.

Master Crepus nods in satisfaction. “ If that is finished, you kids can take a break. The young lady from the Gunnhildr family is here with her father. Maybe you can give her some accompanies.” The middle-aged man directs the words at you, maybe feeling guilty for leaving a young lady like you in his two sons care.

Your parents left you in the Ragnvindr care every Summer because of their hectic schedules and frequent business trips at this time of the year. In addition, your mother says it is essential for you to have good relationships with the heir of Ragnvindr and his brother. “Maybe you will need their help someday.” She left it vaguely.

“ Are you guys going to drink again?” Kaeya suspiciously questions, his eyes glinting with playfulness.

“ Hey, what’s wrong with men having a drink together?” Crepus defensively retorts, notices how Diluc gives him a disproving gaze.

“ When you guys grow up, you would enjoy it too.” The three let out opposing noises, clearly not having the same idea as him. The man waves dismissively return back the topic.

“ Let’s come down to greet the head of Gunnhildr first.” He heads toward the door, down the hallway.

“And be nice to the young lady, boys.” The master emphasizes the phrase, his eyes pinning at the guilty-looking Kaeya and the absent-minded Diluc. Finally, he exits the room, not forgetting to close the door.

“ Father says as if we don’t treat people nicely.” Kaeya pouts, right after Crepus footstep drifting away from the study. “ The workers never complain anything about our behaviours, right Luc?”

Sitting next to him, you can't help but let out a snort. He dares to say that? Kaeya raises eyebrows at you, annoyed by your shaking shoulder. The boy in red has a blank face, maybe not interested.

“ First, you guys ignore me for 2 weeks when I just came here.” You burst out in laughter, recalling back at the very first memory when you just arrived here.

“When I tried to approach, you both avoided me like the plague.” Your whole body is shaking vigorously, tears forming at the corners of your eyes. This is too hilarious! Somewhere in between, you can spot Diluc burning cheek.

“ Haha, and haha-later,” You can hardly breath, laughter bubbling up. “Adeline told me your reason is ‘It's b-because she doesn’t have a willie.' ” Dramatically air-quoting, you even imitate their stuttering childish voices. This earns you a pointed glare from Diluc and a smack in the arm from Kaeya, but a good laugh is always worth it.

Both of them freeze on their tracks, faces puff red as tomatoes, steaming almost coming off their ears. If the young heir is to wear a red suit, you are sure he can blend in well with the mansion roof.

Diluc shifts stiffly in his chair and abruptly stands up, heading toward the exit. Maybe he is too embarrassed at the mention of his dark childhood.

“Where-haha, are you going, Luc?” You are still in the middle of your giggling, noticing how Diluc is dashing to the door. Letting out a coughing fit, he quietly mumbles.

“ I'm going down to greet the Gunnhildr family.” His figure vanishes right behind the door, not letting you tease him further. Outside, the painful sound of Diluc tripping on his own feet make you almost fall off your chair. You have too many good laughs today.

“Right, I-I should get going too.” Next to you, the blazing Kaeya remembers to dig a hole and hide. His hand slams hard on the table and the youthful teenager stands up, gracefully heading toward the door. Maybe he wants to avoid becoming another joke.

" Ah, wait-" You follow instantly, but the moment you stand up, something slips, and the next thing you know, the ground is shaking, and you see the ceiling is getting further.

Your first instinct is to grab the closest object, and then close your eyes, waiting for the painful impact with your head. Clench your jaw tightly, and you hold your breath, hoping it will hurt less if you tense your body.

Right after tensing up, you feel someone just grab you by your shoulder, and your feet step on something bumpy. And then, your head makes an impact with something hard. A grunting is followed.

Heart hammering in your chest, you cautiously peek, expecting yourself to see the ceiling, but instead, greet with an unusual sight. A pair of dark colour trouser paired with leather shoes. On top of it is your feet, loosely wore low heel is stepping on that leather shoes. Shit, you stepped on Kaeya. In a panic, you rush down from his painful sore feet, but your head jams in his ribs. He just let out another woeful sound.

This time, you carefully keep your position in place, slowly remove each foot one by one, moving away from him. Craning your neck upward, you finally meet his gaze, his eyes are full of concern and uneasiness, spooked out by your sudden incident.

“Did you hit your head hard?” Kaeya asks you nervously, his voice laced with anxiety. He must have been terrified when you slip. You shake your head, hands grabbing his shirt.

" I should be asking you that. Are you okay?" You give him a worrying gaze, your fingers running along his ribs, checking if your stone head broke anything. " I didn't break anything, right?" Hesitantly, you look into his deep blue eyes, noticing the diamond shape. Has he always has this in his eyes?

Kaeya snorts inelegantly, shakes his head. " Your head is hard as a rock, but that much can't break my ribs yet." This earns him a hit on his arm.

"Hey! I'm trying to be considerate, and this is how you treat me?" You jab him, hand purposely smack his chest, but he doesn't budge an inch. How strong is this guy? This time, you put all the force on your arm, slapping hard on his chest again. The young man in the blues shoot you a shit-eating grin, clearly not faze.

"How is my chest feeling?" He pokes, his palm engulfing yours.

" Too hard for my liking." You give him a complex look, trying to escape from his tight grip but fail miserably. You wiggle your hand again, shaking off his iron clad. Why is he so strong?

While you are attempting to flee from his firm grasp, the young man leans down, face an inch away from you. Flushing at the sudden closure, like usual, you avoid his burning gaze. You hold your breath when your noses almost touch. What is this rascal doing again?

" You shouldn't be touching men like that." Kaeya opens his mouth, saying something completely out of nowhere. You tilt your head in confusion, while your eyes travel down, you notice your hands still on his chest. O-oh, so he is saying about this.

" I don't normally touch random people." You mumble defensively, your eyes lower. " I was checking for your injury."

"They will misunderstand." Kaeya cuts in right after, not accepting the excuse. But why would they misunderstand? You are just being nice, right?

Like he can understand what is going inside your mind, Kaeya reminds you.

"All men are wolves, you should be more be careful with them."

You give him a confusing look.

Kaeya is not one of them, right?

Eventually, he let out a soft sigh and moves back, allowing you to savour your personal space. Just right after your throbbing heart finally calms down, he brings your tight-griped hand in his to his face. Your meet with his alluring look in his eyes. It is pulling you in, telling you to give in the temptation. Plump lips brush your knuckle teasingly, he blows a warm breath on the back of your hand. He gives you a saccharine smile.

" And if not be careful." His husky voice ringing in your ears, the numbing spark runs along your spine. "They might devour you."

#kaeya x reader #kaeya alberich #genshin impact #genshin x reader #all men are wolves #fluff #romance #implication #bad chilhood memory #willies #clarissalance #diluc ragnvindr #crepus ragnvindr #kaeya ragnvindr

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sophieoverett · 3 years

Text

Disruptions of Ritual and Inciting Incidents

I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of a creative development series lately which has come with a lot of great advice and guidance on storytelling, from the extremely specific to the really broad and sweeping. It’s covered everything from character motivations to specific genre structures to audience expectation to interpersonal conflict, but one of the things that has come up over and over again has been the idea of disruption of ritual as pivotal to the establishment of a story.

It’s been interesting to hear it articulated this way, because when I’ve taught creative writing in the past, and when I’ve thought about my own writing, I’ve always talked about this concept as the world we leave behind. It’s the pre-inciting incident stuff – the introductory grounding stuff – whether that be Harry’s life before Hogwarts, or the Bennet’s home before Mr. Bingley moves in next door.

You establish a world – or a ritual – and then you break it open.

It’s in the schism, in the disruption, where your story finds it’s legs and starts to move.

It’s had me thinking a lot about the relationship between the disruption of ritual and the inciting incident of a story, because in a lot of ways, that disruption of ritual directly sets up the latter. A story like Bridgerton has the disruption of ritual in Phoebe making her debut – a change for the whole family – but the inciting incident is really her collision with Simon Hastings and their mutual decision to fake a courtship. Similarly (but differently), Harry Potter has the disruption of ritual when the owls start descending on the Dursley home in the lead up to Harry’s birthday, but the true inciting incident is when Hagrid tells Harry he’s a wizard. Neither of these inciting incidents could’ve happened without the disruption to the character’s lives that got us there.

When we talk about inciting incidents, we’re ultimately talking about the point of no return for your protagonist. Where they either make a choice, or have a choice thrust upon them, it’s one they can never go back from.

How the disruption of ritual lays the groundwork for the inciting incident though is important. It’s not just creating the first bubbles of conflict to pop, but it’s a key part of establishing who your character is and what world they exist in.

But what does that look like? Generally speaking, I find it’s useful to think of this sort of pre-inciting incident (or disruption of ritual world) in three categories:

Change of Circumstance

Change of Environment

Change of Information

So let’s break that down a little!

Change of Circumstance

I think this one is probably the most common.

I’ve watched a lot of new movies lately and I think change of circumstance is at the heart of all of them – in Nomadland, Fern’s husband has passed away and she’s had to move into a caravan out of financial necessity; in The Father, Anthony’s daughter is moving to Italy and so she tells him he’s being moved into an aged care facility for his dementia; in Those Who Wish Me Dead, Hannah, a firefighter, has been benched after freezing during a fire which lead to the death of two teenage boys.

While all these changes are environmental too (which I’ll come back to in a second), they’re more punctuated by the impact these circumstances have on these characters – Fern is grieving, Anthony is losing his agency and independence, Hannah’s role in a job she loves has been diminished.

These changes to circumstance create the context for which the inciting incidents begin and ground the characters within their own emotional arcs. The inciting incident in Those Who Wish Me Dead is when Hannah finds another teenage boy in the woods who’s being chased by assassins; in The Father, the inciting incident comes when Anthony’s daughter hires a new nurse that reminds him of his other, dead daughter, in Nomadland, Fern connects with a seasonal worker at an Amazon factory who in turn connects her to the nomad lifestyle.

In this sense, the disruption of ritual starts a conversation that the inciting incident can either build off or interrupt or both. The examples above are all pretty big, but these sorts of circumstantial disruptions can be anything. They can be as simple as a promotion at work, a pregnancy, a new neighbour; or hell, you can go the other way, and get even bigger – start a war, go on the run, discover a new planet! What’s important though is that initial change of circumstance creates context for your protagonist and builds towards your inciting incident.

Change of Environment

This one is still pretty common, but I’d say it’s often used most efficiently and effectively in horror and fantasy.

Moving house or exploring new territory, whether that be campsites or cave dives or new planets or planes, is a natural way of putting your characters off-kilter and building environmental tension. This tension is really steeped in the unknown of the space your protagonist is interacting with, and in the promise of conflict within it. Movies like The Descent, Hush, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars are all fundamentally steeped in their opening acts involving drastic shifts to their environments that build conflict, whether that be because an environment becomes something to protect (Hobbiton in Lord of the Rings), or something that the protagonist needs to be protected from (The Descent), or that environment being invaded (Hush) are all factors that are essential to the story overall.

In these stories, these environments aren’t just a stage for the character to move across, they’re deeply interactive and often allegorical to the character’s circumstances.

My Neighbor Totoro is one of my favourite examples of this – Satsuki and Mei’s move to a new home whisks them into a magical world with soot spirits and forest creatures, but these spirits and creatures are an escape from the reality that they moved because their mother is sick in a hospital nearby. The environment they’ve moved to is them clinging to a child’s world as they live ever closer to their trauma.

The most important thing to think about with environmental change is to ask why? Environmental change isn’t about simply presenting a stage for your characters – all stories have that – but that that environment be a motivator in your character’s overall arc. After all, Nomadland might deeply love the American landscape, but Fern’s story is driven by circumstance, not environment, as I mentioned above.

Change of Information

Probably the least used of these three, an information disruption is often reserved for stories about whistleblowers or journalists. Spotlight, Bombshell, All the President’s Men, hell, even The Bourne Identity all rely on a transfer of knowledge as pivotal to creating the conflict that the story builds on.

Change of Information involves a character learning something that they didn’t know before, and the information could seem incidental in the first act (the journalist in Citizen Kane for instance learning that Kane’s final word was ‘rosebud’, or Adrian Toomes realizing there’s alien tech in what he’s been assigned to clean up in Spiderman: Homecoming), or it could be left as a landmine for our protagonists to discover (Spotlight did this by opening with the cops in the 1970s talking about the child molestation charge that our protagonists would start investigating in 2001), or be the overall driver for the film (Min-hyuk telling Ki-woo about the Park family in Parasite).

I think Change of Information set-ups though can also be broadened out to tie pretty closely with Change of Circumstances set-ups to the point that I actually almost considered condensing the two, but I do think they’re different enough to be untangled. Parasite of course straddles all three in its brilliance as the information Min-hyuk gives Ki-woo of the Park family creates both a change in circumstance and environment too, and Midsommar is a movie I’d consider to be all three too – knowledge changing hands is essential to that film overall, and the focus in the first act of Dani finding out that her sister’s commit suicide is pivotal to everything that follows. Her change of circumstances and environment hinges on her grieving her sister, yes, but the weight of the opening act is on the discovery of that more so than it is on Dani’s circumstances changing. Life goes on is, in many ways, pivotal to that first act.

Change of information, to me, is about a character’s awareness of something creating that initial disruption overall, and that new knowledge being the ultimate plot and character driver for the rest of the story. It’s the new knowledge or awareness that creates story mobility, environment and circumstance can just come along with it.

What are you talking about, Sophie?

Right, sorry, haha.

Disruption of ritual is ultimately the shift in the story that allows for the inciting incident to happen. It’s what creates the perfect storm of circumstance, environment and information which fuels your characters, but what you choose to prioritise and emphasise is going to impact the direction of your story and provide your readers or audience with the context that shapes their experience overall.

What drives your characters is what determines their path throughout the story you’re telling, and considering circumstances, environment, and the information they do or don’t possess is an important part of shaping that. You don’t have to pick one, of course – as I mentioned above, a lot of great stories embrace two or all three! – but thinking about each and asking yourself why and working out what’s the priority for your protagonist might just help you articulate the crux of your story and give you an opening act that resonates.

#Writeblr #writing #writing advice #sophie's writing posts

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the-obiwan-for-me · 3 years

Note

imagine obi wan and satine in space ikea...

You know.....I was afraid of this happening when I dumbly posted those prompts. But, shockingly, I made it work. It didn't turn out the way I expected, but what do you want from me!??!

Set in the "She Said the Word" AU, between the first story and the sequel.

Accent Pieces

“Why are we here again?”

“Because our children wanted our input.”

“My input was to call a designer.”

Obi-Wan chuckled as he inspected a bin overflowing with colorful throw pillows. “It’s their first place, darling. Let them have their fun.”

Satine didn’t like feeling elitist. But, considering the first place she lived as an adult, once she was done running for her life and rallying clans to her cause, was the palace in Sundari, she realized she may struggle with that feeling as they followed behind Korkie and Ahsoka through the maze of aisles in the warehouse like furniture superstore.

Satine gently fingered a blanket draped artistically over the arm of a sofa in one of the many displays meant to mimic some form of hip, young, urban living. It was soft, she had to admit. “I just don’t see the need to shop like this, Ben. I could have given them the name of a number of designers, as could Padme, and their little place could have been set up exactly how they liked, without spending hours lost in this….zoo.” She whispered the last bit as a couple of oddly furry, unusual beings brushed past her. She had never seen anyone like them, and she prayed she hadn’t offended them with her poor choice of words.

Up ahead, Korkie and Ahsoka had stopped to try out a number of sofas. Satine had to admit that the style this store seemed to feature was very similar to her own particular tastes- streamline and minimalist- even if it was inexpensive and arrived unassembled.

“What do you think of this one, Mum?” Korkie called from where he sprawled on a bright purple sofa that made Satine’s eyes burn.

“Well, it certainly is...purple.”

Ahsoka snorted. “It does come in other colors.”

Satine let out a sigh. “Oh thank the stars.” She considered it more closely, paying attention to the lines and the shape, picturing it in the sun filled room of the children’s small apartment they’d be sharing, now that they were officially settling in Coruscant. “I think it could be a lovely focal point for a room, Korkie. Just...just not in that shade of purple.”

The boy- well, man. Satine had to remind herself he was an actual adult now- studied the color. “You really don’t like the purple?”

Satine chewed on her lip, looking around the displays nearby. “Well, darling, if you’re insistent on that color, I would suggest some pieces in more understated tones, like those grey chairs over there. Same with your accents.” She walked over to the blanket she had inspected a few moments earlier, white and grey but shot through with a lovely shade of green, and laid it against a sofa cushion. “Something like this would look lovely against that vibrant hue.”

Korkie ran his hand over the blanket, appreciating the softness, and considered his mother’s advice. “Hmm...yes, I can see that.” He looked up at Ahoska. Some unspoken exchange passed between them. “But maybe not the purple.”

“Oh thank the stars,” Ahoska breathed, slouching back onto the sofa she had been admiring. “Grey. I still say we go with grey.”

Korkie got up and moved to her sofa, sprawling against her, just how Satine imagined they would spend most of their evenings. Exactly how they spent most of their evenings in the family lounge at home. It made her heart clench a bit, thinking of these two officially off on their own. “I know you say that, but grey is so boring,” Korkie said.

“Well, then you accent with color, darling,” Satine explained, before reaching for a pair of bright red throw pillows.

Hours, perhaps days, later, it seemed to Satine, they sat around a table together, surrounded by shopping bags full of pillows and blankets and an odd assortment of kitchen gadgets, eating strangely delicious cafe food, served up to them as they walked along a queue to make their selections. Protectors lurked near doors and along the perimeter of the bustling cafe. Satine was still baffled by the concept of a cafe in this great hulking labyrinth of a store, but after their marathon shopping experience, she was grateful for the rest and the sustenance.

Korkie and Ahsoka spoke in animated tones, going over their ideas for their apartment with one another, before their conversation melted into a new one about their plans for that evening, and for the next week. Both were wildly over excited to settle into an adult life on Coruscant, finally free of the burdens and stressors of war, looking forward to bright futures full of possibilities. It warmed Satine to her core as she watched them, sipping on her overly sweet fruity fizzpop.

Obi-Wan leaned close to her ear, his warm breath tickling the fine hairs along her neck. “It wasn’t that bad, was it?”

She smiled coyly. “It was an experience.”

“But you enjoyed yourself.”

“I enjoyed spending time with you and the children.”

“But this place isn’t all that bad. You like all the things they picked out.”

She rolled her eyes. “Korkie has my eye for lines and Ahsoka knows nothing but simple and useful. They did well. But if I never see a piece of mass produced furniture again, it will be too soon.”

He laughed, and pulled a bag up from beside him. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t mind the textiles too much, as I bought you that blanket.”

She looked in the bag, and there sat the blanket of white and grey and streaks of brilliant green, soft and plush and begging to be wrapped around her shoulders. She laughed in delight.

“It’s perfect, Ben. Thank you.” She kissed his lips, free as they were to behave as somewhat normal Coruscanti shoppers, away from the prying eyes of Sundari. “This day has been perfect.”

“I’m glad you think that, Mum,” Korkie said from across the table. “Because we’re going back to assemble furniture for the evening!”

Satine groaned.

#writing prompt #She Said the Word #Obitine #obi wan kenobi #satine kyrze #korkie kryze #korkie is a kenobi #ahsoka tano #space ikea #sooooo spakea?#fanfic writing #star wars fanfiction #domestic fluff prompt #why did I do this to myself?#my fic

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millennialdadinsights · 4 months

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#dadinsights #raisingkids

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txtdreamss · 3 years

Text

mirrorball // [g.w.]

sequel to tolerate it

warnings: angst, fem!reader

summary: It’s been 2 weeks since George told you he has a date to the yule ball. As of now, it’s the night before and you are reflecting on your feelings for him and wondering if you can continue as his best friend.

word count: 1.5k

A/N: So, here it is! I am hoping to get this posted as soon as possible for those of you who wanted to see a part 2 to tolerate it. I had a really difficult time deciding on how I wanted to end this, and I really hope it pleases you guys (not sure I’m happy with the ending, but that is to be expected). Sorry in advance for any errors, as this is a one-woman show and I sometimes miss my own mistakes. :) Special thanks to @ajusquishy for being the first to ask about this addition to tolerate it!

*****

I want you to know I'm a mirrorball I'll show you every version of yourself tonight

The past 2 weeks had been the most difficult time of your life. George had been following Alicia around like a lost puppy, and even Fred was getting sick of it. Oddly enough, it seemed like George couldn’t get through one interaction with you without mentioning the girl’s name.

“Oh Y/N, we decided to match my tie to her dress!”

“Did you know she said I am the cutest quidditch player she has ever met?”

“I’m thinking about asking mum to knit her a sweater this Christmas!”

At first you could handle it. As his best friend of nearly 6 years, it was your job to handle it. Why didn’t that make any of this easier?

There wasn’t a change in George that you had neglected to notice. Hell, your heart dropped when he showed up with a new bruise after quidditch practice. You were the one who had told him to grow his hair out (and damn, was that a good piece of advice). George had even been with you when he chose his first pair of dress robes for merlin’s sake!

Molly Weasley saw you as her stand-in while the boys and Ginny were at Hogwarts. Of course, she didn’t know that George and Fred had grown in their pranking abilities thanks to your sugar-sweet exterior, but that didn’t change the role you played in the Weasley children’s life. You were the responsible friend who also just happened to lead a double life when it came to the twins. It was thanks to you that they had received only 3 detentions this quarter, and it was their fault that you now had an affinity for “accidentally” leaving dung bombs in the outer pockets of Cormac McLaggen’s bag.

“Hey, Y/N... I haven’t seen you around much. You aren’t avoiding me, are ya?” George’s baritone voice broke you out of your thoughts. He settled his arms on the top of your head, and sighed deeply, letting his head drop. “Fred and I need your help figuring out what the best escape route from the dungeons is.”

“Go ask Lee, he can do some math too.” Yes, you were being harsh, but George’s presence was enough to shatter any semblance of self control you still had left. “Now, if you excuse me, I have a study date with some ancient runes and Hermione.”

As you stalked out of the common room, George couldn’t bear to bring up how he hadn’t been able to come up with any solid pranks in exactly 14 days.

*****

You'll find me on my tallest tiptoes Spinning in my highest heels, love Shining just for you

Tonight was the night; your hair was curled to perfection, and the gown your mother had sent you was the color of holly. The heels you had strapped on were a matte black dusted with the occasional piece of red glitter. Despite the fact that George was not your date, you couldn’t help my let your thoughts drift to him as you got ready. Would he think you looked pretty? Would he think you looked as good as her?

Lee tapped you on the shoulder, and you steadied yourself before letting him gently grab your hand. “Don’t let that prat get you down. You look like a goddess, Y/N. Now, let’s go show Georgie what he is missing.”

Lee was a great friend for doing this for you; he knew about your feelings (Fred apparently can’t keep his mouth shut), and immediately became set on helping you get back on your feet. He had become your greatest cheerleader as of late, and claimed that George doesn’t know it, but he definitely has feelings for you.

As you both walked into the great hall, you couldn’t help but let out a gasp. There were snowflakes and all types of seasonal decor strung up across the room, and it was almost like the room had transformed into a winter dreamscape. Fred and George had beat you there, already sipping punch with Angelina and Alicia.

“You boys clean up nice.” The twins and Lee let out a chorus of ‘hey’s, clearly displeased with your mockery of their appearances.

“Oi, I was betting 5 galleons that Fred would show up in his trainers...” George’s voice was surprisingly meek, almost as if he was looking for your approval with his jabs towards his brother.

The boys immediately began discussing their plan to spike the punch bowl with firewhiskey, and Angelina and Alicia launched into a conversation about where they had purchased their gowns. You felt more than out of place at this point, and decided to relocate after notifying Lee that you’d be fine on your own for a bit. Almost immediately after, Angelina went to distract McGonagall while Fred and Lee snuck under the table of refreshments.

You went to talk with Hermione and the younger trio, and were drawn into a lesson in muggle dancing.

“No, Ron, that is not how you hit the woah.” (I’m sorry I felt so inclined to include this cuz the image makes me chuckle lol).

“Well, ‘Mione, why don’t you and Y/N show us how this is done then?” Harry and Ron crossed their arms, and Hermione slipped her arm around your shoulders.

“C’mon, Y/N. You look like you could use something fun.” She dragged you onto the dance floor, and you both began dramatically spinning each other to the sound of your wheezing laughter.

If only you had noticed a certain red-headed prankster gazing at you like you had hung the stars in the sky...

*****

You are not like the regulars The masquerade revelers Drunk as they watch my shattered edges glisten

Fred and Angelina had taken to the floor as soon as the waltzing began. After watching them twirl to the crescendos of the music, you finally decided enough was enough. All it too was a look at Lee, and he understood what you needed to do. You slipped out of the doors to the great hall, and found yourself wandering amongst the carriages powdered with snow, occasionally stopping to draw shapes into the piles of flakes.

Following five-ish minutes of mucking about, you finally decided to sit on the steps that bridged the courtyard and the hallways. Snowflakes continued floating, but you quickly realized the droplets of water on your face were from small tears and not the weather. Sniffles escaped your nose, and you crossed your arms in a poor attempt to keep warm despite your lack of sleeves.

Out of nowhere, you felt heavy cloth drop onto your bare shoulders.

“Be careful, love. Ya look like you’re halfway to becoming an ice lolly.” George shuffled his long, lanky body onto the steps. You looked at him through your lashes, and he seemed almost squeamish.

“Don’t you have Alicia waiting for you inside? I’m sure she wouldn’t be thrilled to see you out here.”

“Bloody hell, Y/N, I think we have been pretty dense.” Confusion evident on your features, George let his larger hand cover yours. “I didn’t want to ask Alicia. I wanted to ask you.”

“What do you mean? You’ve been talking my ear off about how much you like her for weeks now...”

“I was trying to make you jealous.” Silence overtook the interaction.

“So you’re saying that we both have been blind to our feelings?”

George let out a small chuckle, and pulled his hand away. To be quite honest, you felt like maybe you had been ignoring the signs: the subtle stares, the extended physical contact, the willingness to be there whenever and wherever you asked him to.

“I think we may want to start over and forget the last few weeks.”

“I think I would quite like that.” You stood up, and brushed the snow off your skirt before extending your hand towards George. “Well, George, the yule ball is in... now... would you like to be my date?”

“I would enjoy that a bunch, Y/N.” He took your hand, and pulled you into his chest. “May have a dance to start off the evening?”

“...There isn’t any music.” You chuckled, but George simply grinned at you before beginning to hum.

“Problem solved. So, may I have this dance?”

“You may.” You dropped your head into the nook of his shoulder, and George began to sway and spin you, leaving 2 pairs of footprints in the snow beneath your feet.

From just beyond your view, Fred, Lee, Angelina, and Alicia let out somewhat of a “oomph” and high-fived each other before turning to go back inside.

Shining just for you.

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sofwrites · 3 years

Text

I Do (Again)

The last of the eight Bridgerton weddings.

Written in honor of the beautiful and lovely @jake-amy 💛

Themes: fluff, family, light angst, blatant sentimentalism, Bridgertons being Bridgertons

Length: 4.5k

ao3 link | masterlist | read under the cut if you want!

“Well, then you’ll never wake him up.”

“Why don’t we dump some water on him and get it over and done with?”

“Hm, I think there’s a mug right-”

“Oh, bloody- Gregory, wake up!”

“Agh!”

The previously sound-asleep gentleman bolted into an upright position as a hand roughly shook his shoulder. With a low moan, he squinted into the darkness, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light. When they did, and he could clearly see the three silhouettes in front of him, he groaned.

“Good morning, sunshine,” Colin quipped, a huge, aggravating grin plastered to his face.

“Congratulations on the big day,” said Benedict.

Anthony nodded his agreement, lips perked up into a smirk. “Have a good sleep?”

Gregory looked towards the window, seeing dim orange light spilling into the room. “What time is it?” he asked, his voice still gruff with sleep.

“Mmm,” Anthony glanced at his pocket watch. “Quarter to six.”

The youngest brother stared at him, then back at the window, then back to the three wide-awake idiots standing before him. He then blinked several times before letting out a long sigh. “And why, pray tell, have you woken me up before sunrise?”

Colin stepped closer to him, grin widening as the other two looked to him to answer. All of them were practically bouncing with excitement. “Why, it is your wedding day, is it not?”

Gregory let out another tired breath, slumping down against his headboard. “It is.”

“Which means that it is Lucy’s wedding day as well, is it not?”

There was a beat of hesitation before Gregory flatly repeated, “It is.”

Colin nodded thoughtfully. “So, I thought that we’d continue our tradition, and, of course, wanted to give Anthony and Benedict the chance to join us in such brotherly bonding.”

Benedict leaned over to give him a heavy pat on the back, a lopsided smile so irritatingly placed on his lips that Gregory had the urge to knock it off. Meanwhile, Anthony’s smirk only grew as he gave him a solemn nod.

“Our tradition?” There was a small crack in his voice as he said it, dread washing over him as he looked between their disturbingly cheery faces.

This time, all three of them grinned and looked at each other for a moment before nodding simultaneously. And just a few seconds later, Gregory’s arms and legs were met by six hands, all hoisting him up and out of his bed with frightening swiftness.

There was a cry and some rather foul language grumbled, as well as some hearty laughter, but soon enough, Gregory had been pushed into the washroom, put into his wedding attire, and then placed into a carriage on its way to Fennsworth House.

“We aren’t really doing this, right?” he asked, still a meager smidgen of hope left within the youngest man.

“Oh,” Benedict laughed, one leg eagerly bouncing on his other knee. “We’re doing this.”

“We could have walked instead of taking the carriage, of course, but I’m afraid poor Anthony’s a bit old for all of that,” Colin teased, giving his older brother a nudge.

Anthony gave him a deadpanned look in return but simply shook his head. “I’m too old for your nonsense, that much is true, at least.”

“I really can’t believe this,” Gregory muttered, crossing his arms. “You’ve all really done this. And on my wedding da...” But he trailed off as his mouth curved into a small smile.

It was his wedding day.

Wedding. Day.

Him. Gregory.

And Lucy. His Lucy.

Lucy Lucy Lucy.

They were getting married.

In just about six hours, they would be married. And she would really and truly be his Lucy.

Gregory was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice his three brothers exchanging amused looks and prideful grins. All he could think about was Lucy, and how beautiful she was going to look, and how happy they were going to be.

When they arrived minutes later, the four Bridgerton brothers climbed up, by order of youngest to eldest, in the very same tree Gregory and Colin had sat in just a few weeks ago.

Once they were settled and decently comfortable, Gregory glanced at them reluctantly. “... We aren’t really going to sit here until Lucy leaves, right? Isn’t it bad luck for me to see the bride anyhow?”

“Oh, don’t worry, we’ve planned for that,” Benedict smiled, patting him on the knee in a mock-reassuring manner. “We’ll push you off and you’ll hide behind the tree until she’s out of sight.”

Gregory looked at him blankly, waiting for a laugh, but it was clear that none of his brothers were joking. In fact, Colin even brought out the bag Gregory hadn’t noticed him bringing and removed an impressive assortment of sandwiches, fruits, and cheese from it. When he noticed his younger brother gaping at him, he, taking a bite of the first sandwich before handing off the bag to Anthony, shrugged. “I certainly wasn’t going to come unprepared this time.”

“I think it’s rather nice,” Benedict said, biting into an apple. “Your last morning as a single man, spent with your three older brothers.”

And although Gregory murmured something like, “We could have gone to the club instead,” there was something surprisingly sentimental about it all, and it seemed to hang in the air for a few moments. There were no sounds other than those of the birds chirping, carriages riding down the road, and four men chewing on their makeship breakfast.

Finally, Anthony cleared his throat. “Now, Gregory. Is there anything you’d wish to know about marriage?”

There was a pause, during which everyone’s minds went to the most wicked of places. Gregory looked at him with a small smile, his neck tinging red, while Colin and Benedict both snorted.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” Anthony groaned, rolling his eyes, but no one missed the quirk of his lips.

They spent the remaining hours watching the sunrise and talking, sharing stories and jokes and “marital advice” (some of which Gregory stored away and some of which he knew was utterly useless). It was a bit surreal, in all truth. His three older brothers had always been lumped together, the notorious A, B, and C, whereas he’d always been at the end of the row, happy with his lot but separated all the same.

But that morning, he just felt like ‘one of the Bridgerton men’. It was as if he’d finally crossed from boy into man and was truly a part of them now.

Anthony, Benedict, and Colin, in the meantime, also took notice of how much their little brother had grown, shaping up to be another one of them. They’d all watched him transform from infant into man, but it was only that morning that they’d really noticed it.

The last of the Bridgerton siblings was getting married. A new part of life was truly beginning.

The food had disappeared long before the doors to Fennsworth House opened and servants began bustling out, but the excitement hadn’t stopped. And true to their word, the three older brothers pushed the youngest out of the tree once he’d made it onto the lowest branch, forcing him to stand behind the tree, facing away from the house and his bride.

It was then, while Gregory was standing with his back against the tree and listening for a specific voice, that fear materialized. He’d been distracted thoroughly enough by his brothers throughout the morning for his anxieties to hide away, but then, it was like he was almost alone. And suddenly, he pictured it. Servants exiting the doors, followed by Robert and Hermione, and then-

And then no Lucy.

Robert and Hermione showing up at the church alone, wearing somber expressions and pitying glances.

“She’s not coming,” Hermione would say, her voice soft and condoling.

She wouldn’t marry him. She’d reconsidered and realized that it wasn’t right- that she was making a mistake.

Gregory roughly shook his head, forcing his eyes shut. He was being stupid, he knew that. Lucy had done nothing to make him feel as though she didn’t love him as much as he loved her. She wanted to marry him just as much as he wanted to marry her, there was nothing he was more certain about in his entire being.

But he’d been there, just a few weeks ago, sitting and waiting for her to come out. And then she had, wearing a wedding dress and a smile on her face, absolutely no intention of calling off the wedding.

“Stupid,” he muttered to himself, just quietly enough so that none of his brothers heard.

He heard voices, ones that did nothing to reassure the groom’s failing nerves. He didn’t dare turn around nor look at his brothers, hearing little more than the sound of his beating heart.

But then there was something else.

Among the voices came a giggle, one that was giddy and lovely and made his heart sore like nothing else in the world ever could.

“Please, I don’t want to be late!” he heard Lucy say- his Lucy, her voice filled with joy and just the slightest hint of exasperation.

“She looks lovely, Greg,” Benedict said, the smile clear and bright in his voice.

“Yeah?” Gregory asked, his voice sounding so relieved that all of his brothers caught it.

Anthony, who was closest to him, placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “She really does.”

“Happy as well,” Colin added, grinning down at him.

And with that, Gregory let out a great breath, relaxing back into the tree. “It’s a fine day for a wedding, I think.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was more modest than her first.

With the rush of the wedding, the decorations proved to be fair but sparse, the gown was pretty but not magnificent, and the chapel was nice but not breathtaking.

But it was better.

So, so much better.

Because the smile on Lucy’s face was so genuine and contented that it made her radiant.

They were in a small back room of the church, Lucy sitting serenely in a chair while Hermione flitted about and doted on her, doing little fixes to the bride’s hair and fluffing out her skirts whenever she saw fit. Every now and again, she’d look up at Lucy and give her a smile so beaming that it was almost overwhelming. “I don’t think there’s ever been a more beautiful bride,” her friend said, reaching up to squeeze her hand.

“Not since your wedding I think,” Lucy said before her lips pinched and her voice weakened, “Or mine, I suppose.”

Hermione tutted softly, standing up to fidget with Lucy’s veil. “Stop that, Luce,” she cooed, “none of that was your fault.”

Lucy glanced at her in the reflection before sighing. “Sorry,” she muttered.

Her maid of honor gave her a thoughtful look, but a knock came and the door opened before either could say anymore.

“I just wanted to take a peek at our blushing bride,” Kate said, affection bursting from her as she smiled at Lucy. “You look gorgeous,” she gushed. “The blue really brings out your eyes, you know?”

She gave her a tiny smile and a wobbly nod, knowing that it was too early in the day for any tears. “Thank you, Kate. Is everyone ready?”

And though she hadn’t meant for it, there was a hint of hesitation in her question, one that Lucy desperately wished didn’t exist. Despite knowing that it was ridiculous, a small part of her was terrified that it really was all too good to be true. That it wasn’t possible for her to really be this happy- that it wasn’t possible for her to get the life she’d only recently realized she wanted.

She hadn’t noticed that she’d tensed up until Kate’s hand met her shoulder, giving her a silent, reassuring squeeze.

Her smile was warm and happy as she answered, “They’re all in there eagerly awaiting you.”

Lucy let out a breath and nodded, relief flooding over her. Her lips curved upwards, and then, with a bit of irony, she asked, “Even Hyacinth?”

Kate laughed, giving her hand a light pat. “She’s not smiting the entire thing, which I think is good progress.”

The bride let out a small laugh and shrugged. She couldn’t really blame her future sister-in-law for the hostility, knowing that it’d be matched had the roles been reversed. Still, Lucy did hope that they’d be friends one day, at least ones close enough for holidays to be pleasant.

“Now, are you ready?” Kate asked, and Lucy blinked at her several times before her face took on a peaceful smile.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more ready for anything in my life,” she said, absolutely sure in her answer.

She loved Gregory in the way that she had spent most of her life believing didn’t exist. She loved him in all the romantic ways poets wrote about, enchanting ways musicians played about, and impossible ways dreamers talked about.

It was unbelievable how lovely life could be with love.

So, yes, she was ready to marry him as long as he was ready to have her.

Kate squeezed her hand. “I’m so glad for you both, Lucy, I truly am. And I’m so glad to be able to call you family, as well.”

This time, Lucy had to blink to rid away the tears stinging the back of her eyes. “Thank you, Kate,” was all she could manage, her voice cracking on the word.

Kate smiled once again and nodded before ducking out of the room to take her seat in the chapel. And then it was time for Lucy and Hermione to make their way, meeting Richard as he waited for them.

He pecked his wife before turning to his sister with a merry smile. “A true vision in blue, Luce.”

She nodded at him as Hermione handed her a bouquet- delphiniums, ones that had been partially ruffled in the transport. It was absolutely different from the bouquet for her first wedding, which had featured perfect white and pink roses and peonies.

Lucy wouldn’t have traded her bouquet of delphiniums for all the money in the world.

She ran a petal between her fingers before she looked up, catching Hermione staring at her with her great big green eyes. “What is it?”

Her friend shook her head, wearing a smile so bright and soft that Lucy almost wondered if it was her wedding day instead. “You just- you look happy.” Hermione then sniffed rather uncharacteristically, “No one deserves this more than you, Lucy.”

And then she blew her a kiss and disappeared into the church, leaving brother and sister alone in the hall. Richard let out a quick breath before offering her his arm, his smile a bit sadder than that of his wife’s.

“Is something wrong?” she asked, worry sounding in her voice.

Her older brother looked down at her, lips pinching together. “I’m so sorry, Lucy.”

Her brows creased in concern and the hold on his arm tightened. “For what?”

He paused for a moment, his eyes moving across her face slowly. “For not stopping you last time. For knowing that you were unhappy and still letting you go through with it.”

“Rich, you didn’t know-” she started, but he hushed her softly.

“I may not have known everything, but I know you, and I should have realized. I haven’t always been a great brother to you- no, don’t try to deny it- but I’m going to try harder now. Now that I’ve seen you when you’re really happy, I never want to see you any less again.”

Lucy’s lip quivered, but still, no tears fell from her eyes. He smiled at her, wondering when in the world his baby sister had become so grown.

“Now, I believe that it’s your turn,” he said, giving her a pat on the hand. “Shall we?”

She chuckled and nodded. “I’d like nothing else.”

And then they entered the main hall of the small church, and Lucy’s heart instantly fluttered.

She didn’t look at him, not yet, for she was sure she might burst from joy and have to race down the rest of the aisle. So, she looked towards the guests, feeling an unfamiliar warmth wash over her. She had a small family and even fewer friends, and she’d expected her meager list of Hermione and her mother to be overwhelmed by Gregory’s never-ending family.

But the Bridgertons were a different sort of people she was beginning to learn, and they’d done something she hadn’t even considered.

They’d split themselves down the middle, giving her side just as much support as Gregory’s.

It was worth more to Lucy than a thousand prime ministers.

She blinked as she walked down, nodding politely to her newfound family and friends. Her eyes were dying to move- to see the one person she cared for most in the entire room- the entire planet, really.

And then she did it, and the symphony in her mind roared with all its might.

Gregory looked only at her, wearing a grin so bright and so large that it took up half of his face. There she was, in all her glory and wisdom, walking down the aisle to meet him.

He had no idea how he’d missed it when they’d met- how he’d been blinded from just how radiant and splendid and dazzling she was. She was like a tide coming in, subtle at first, but then so overpowering and all-consuming that one wondered how it had gotten there without notice.

God- he loved her so damned much that he was imagining poetry in her honor.

As far as he was concerned, there was no one else in the world as Lucy took the steps toward him, matching his smile with one that made her look even more beautiful than he thought humanly possible. And when she finally made it to him, it took all his strength not to take her into his arms right then and there.

He felt it though, behind her loving eyes and happy smile, the worry that held her. He saw it in her lips- though upturned, tight and burdened.

He smiled and leaned in just a few inches. “How many steps did it take to get to the altar?” he whispered as the priest readied himself.

Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise, but her mouth formed a bashful little smile after a moment. “Twenty-six,” she said, a small, eased sigh escaping her.

He nodded and gave her a small wink before turning back towards the priest.

Throughout the ceremony, though the couple exchanged adoring smiles and loving looks, they remained relatively composed. There were no tears or blubbers, no stutters or stammers.

That was, until the “I do’s”, when both bride and groom forgot their past and thought only of the future, and the tears freely flowed. (And trust that they were nowhere near alone in their reactions- for even Anthony Bridgerton was seen subtly dabbing at his eye with a handkerchief.)

And then it was all sealed with one perfect and loving kiss.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Lucy, Lucy, Lucy,” Gregory said in the bridal carriage as they rode to Bridgerton House, making her name sound as though it were a serenade.

“Gregory,” she whispered, staring at him with the sparkling smile that seemed to be permanently resting on her lips. “I can’t believe this is real.”

He grinned, “No annulment then, I hope?”

She giggled (actually giggled) with delight. “I don’t even think that would be possible at this point.”

“Fantastic, you’re stuck with me then,” Gregory said, pecking her cheek.

“Or you’re stuck with me,” she pointed out, a blush (my word- who was she becoming?) spreading across her cheeks.

“We’re married now, and Benedict told me that marriage requires compromise. So, then, can we agree to disagree, Lady Lucy Bridgerton?”

She laughed softly and nodded as he brought her hand to his lips. “I can agree, Mr. Gregory Bridgerton.”

“I love you, Lucy,” he said, pulling her close to settle themselves against each other.

“I love you, Gregory,” she whispered, laying a soft kiss on his jaw.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The reception, though planned hastily and kept simple, was elegant and lovely, made all the better by the enamored couple and their merry guests. Lunch consisted of foods poised for enjoyment rather than impressions, which proved overly splendid for the group. The newlyweds laughed and smiled over their own favorites- down to the delicious ham sandwiches provided by Anthony and Kate’s kitchen staff.

Cake and sweets following seemed to animate every child in the room (of whom there were many- far more than even dear Lucy could count), and soon enough, everyone was out of their seats and the happy couple had taken their place on the dancefloor.

“Have I told you how marvelous of a dancer you are?” Gregory asked as he twirled her around the room, feeling perfectly in place as he held her in his arms.

She beamed at him, seeming to cherish every word he said more and more. “Maybe, but I will never tire of hearing it.”

He grinned. “I love you, Lucy.”

She smiled. “I love you, Gregory.”

And he loved her when she left his side to comfort one of his nephews who had stubbed his toe on a chair. He loved her so much as she knelt down to meet little William without even a second’s thought about her dress, giving him her greatest smile and managing to say just the right thing to make the boy giggle and hug his new Aunt Lucy.

She loved him when he went to whisper something to Hermione, causing her to blush crimson and adamantly shake her head. But after a few more seconds, Gregory ultimately said the right thing, for her best friend gave him a conceding nod and took Richard’s hand, leading him to the dancefloor. She loved him so much when he laughed in her ear, watching Hermione struggle along with the steps but giggling and enjoying herself all the same.

The room was filled with so much love and happiness that it enveloped the very air, leaving nothing but merriment and contented sighs in it.

It seemed that every guest in the ballroom wanted to wish the happy couple their congratulations, sharing love and kind words.

Anthony and Kate looked onto the pair as if proud parents, promising that they would be around to support them however they required, and Anthony gave Gregory a handshake that was worth more to him than a thousand words.

Benedict and Sophie met them with hugs and an open invitation to My Cottage whenever they so desired, gushing at the infatuated pair. “I don’t think there’s a couple half as perfect,” Sophie whispered in their ears.

Colin and Penelope extended teasing smiles and knowing looks, reassuring them that their doors were free to use whenever needed. “I can respect anyone who enjoys a good kipper as much as I do,” Colin announced loudly to the slight mortification of both women.

Daphne and Simon granted them hearty felicitations, wishing a lifetime of happiness and kind hearts to the newlyweds in addition to their unyielding loyalty. “I’m always happy to extend the privacy of my dressing room,” Daphne said with a wink, causing Lucy to gape at her. “Secrets don’t last very long in this family,” Simon muttered to her before following behind his wife.

Eloise and Phillip gifted them lifelong encouragement and true disbelief at how perfect of a couple they were. “I swear you were in nappies yesterday,” Eloise said, shaking her head incredulously as she gave her baby brother a hug.

Francesca and Michael wished them love and unbreakable attachment, along with an offer to visit Kilmartin whenever England proved to be too tiresome. “Oh, you’ll see,” Francesca added as Michael laughed and gave a little shrug of agreement.

Hyacinth and Gareth offered mixed wishes- the former vowed her undying devotion (while watching Lucy with a rather harsh look), while the latter just chuckled, giving them both a pleasant smile and good tidings. “I’m sure we’ll all be great friends,” was Gareth’s final word before he pulled his wife to the dancefloor.

The little ones (those who were grown enough) came forth as well, led by Lucy’s newfound greatest fan, William. Caroline, in particular, took an immediate liking to her as well after the bride let out an endearing (and rather loud) snort. “Auntie Lucy!” she giggled, giving the new family member a tight hug.

And then, finally, it was time for the last of the Bridgerton brood to come forth, having waited her turn patiently that entire afternoon.

“My darling boy,” Violet cooed as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. She beamed at him, bestowing onto him with the warmth only a good mother can truly provide.

It made Lucy long for the mother she’d never really known, for the care and kindness that Gregory had grown up receiving. Her heart fell for a moment but rose just as quickly as Violet turned to her, and she realized that there was no reason for her to long anymore. The smile she was given was just as sweet as the one gifted to her own son. “And my darling new daughter.”

Though they’d begun with a rocky start, Violet’s kindness couldn’t be helped once she truly met the lovely girl in front of her. No family except for a brother, with late parents and an estranged (and partially deranged) uncle. No one there to offer her the love she needed.

And it only took one glance of Violet seeing the love Lucy bestowed onto Gregory for her to love her as well.

“I’m so pleased to see you two together,” she said, taking the bride’s hand and squeezing it with affection. “To the life you’ll build, and the children you’ll have, and to the love you’ll share.”

And with that, she kissed them both on the cheeks, eyes shining as she was whisked away by a grandchild.

Gregory turned to his new wife and was delightfully surprised to see her eyes brimming with tears. He smiled, taking her hand and pressing a slow kiss to it.

She looked at him through her own wobbly smile, reaching up to flatten his brow with her thumb. “I almost wish that this day could never end."

He raised a brow, a small smile playing on his lips. “Do my ears betray me or is Lady Lucina Abernathy being sentimental?”

“Oh, heavens no,” she shook her head resolutely, though her watery chuckle betrayed her. She looked at him with a sideways smile. “But I have a feeling that Lady Lucy Bridgerton might be an idealist.”

“I hope so,” Gregory said, his own wet eyes matching hers as he wrapped both arms around her, “because I certainly believe in happy endings.”

#bridgerton fic #my fic #grucy #grecy #gregory bridgerton #lucy abernathy #okay so we got!#absolutelyinlove!grucy #stressed!gregory #worried!lucy #annoyingolderbrothers!ABC #perfectSIL!Kate #perfectMIL!Violet #lucy getting everything she deserves in life!#gregory and lucy the happiest couple in london/the world!#also hi leah #I hope you enjoy this

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all-the-love-harold · 3 years

Text

Fine Line

Chapter 1 - Lovin’ you’s the antidote

The First installment of my new series, let me know what you think about Harry and Clara

December 16th 2019

Clara was sitting on her window sill staring out at the rain falling down onto the street below her. People were battling with their umbrellas against the wind and she felt a sudden feeling of warmth as she stared into her living room, her best friend's new album playing through her TV and grateful that she wasn’t outside and that she didn’t have to leave her flat now until tomorrow morning she turned it up. The sound of Harry’s voice singing “Just let me adore you” echoed around the room and in that moment, she couldn’t help but feel lonely. Harry was still in LA after the release of his album and the rest of her friends were back in their hometowns for Christmas already. Normally she would call her boyfriend, but less than 2 hours after Harry boarded his plane to LA, Will called her and said that he wasn’t in love with her anymore and it was probably best that they stopped seeing each other. And just like that 8 years was over in one phone call and her shoulder to cry on was on a plane halfway over the atlantic.

Clara had met Will on her first day of university and they’d been together ever since but apparently his work had become too important and he didn’t have time for her anymore. She knew this was a load of bullshit, she knew that he’d been spending a lot of time with his assistant, who was very skinny and very blonde and everything that Clara hated about the world.

“You’re better off without him” Harry had said to her over the phone when he finally had the chance to call her back

“Doesn’t feel like it right now” she replied

“I know,” Harry sighed “I wish I could hug you”

“Me too” she said, Harry’s hugs always made everything better, they had ever since they were little and the worst thing that happened to them was falling off their bikes onto the concrete.

Clara sighed deeply as she sunk down into her spot on the bay window. She hated that she couldn’t enjoy having one night to herself, but she had gotten so used to having people around her, people she had to look after or take care of in some way.

“Maybe I should get a dog,” she thought to herself. Then she would never really be alone and she’d always feel needed.

But she lived in a small apartment so she would need a dog that was ok with being left inside while she was at work. Or maybe even a dog that she could take to work with her. Or a dog that Harry could dog sit for her when he was home. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and googled her local shelter. This was the most excited she had felt for months and the advice her mum gave her when she was young kept replaying in her head

“A dog or a baby will never be a mistake, they might make things harder sometimes, but you’ll love them so much that you’ll never feel like you made the wrong decision” and love was exactly what Clara needed right now. Because after Christmas Harry would be leaving for an almost year long world tour and she couldn’t stand the thought of being alone in London for that long. And her job meant that she couldn’t move back home to Holmes Chapel.

With just nine days left until christmas the shelter was full of dogs that needed new homes, dogs of all shapes and sizes, some who had been there for months and some who had only spent a few days there so far. If she had a bigger space, she'd adopt them all, but for now, one would do. She scrolled through and looked at all the profiles on the website before deciding that she would need to meet the dog before making any kind of concrete decision. And that was that, tomorrow morning she would pick Harry up from the airport and take him straight to the shelter to help her choose her new baby.

***

“Good Morning Ra” Harry said, shoving his bags into the boot of her car. The advantage of having a best friend that lived in London was not having to feel like an ass who needed a chauffeur to drive him around his home city.

“Good Morning Harold” she smiled trying to contain her excitement. Sleeping on the idea of getting a dog had not changed her mind, if anything it had only made her more sure of herself. And maybe slightly nervous.

“You’re very cheerful for someone who’s just been dumped” he said as he sat down in the passenger's seat and buckled his seatbelt.

“Do you have anywhere you need to be today?” she asked, ignoring his attempt at mentioning the elephant in the room

“I have rehearsals tonight, but until 7 I am free, don’t you have to be at work?”

“I have the day off”

Harry frowned “You never take days off” he said suspiciously “What’s going on?”

“We’re going on an adventure” she handed him her phone, “You’re in charge of the music”

“Da da da da da da ddada” The opening line of Golden echoed through the speaker, and Clara drove off,away from the airport, rolling her eyes at Harry for playing his own album.

They drove mostly in silence, Harry didn't want to ask where they were going and after the way she ignored his comment about the break up he didn’t want to bring it up in case it made her sad when right in this moment she seemed happier and more excited than he’d seen her in months.

They pulled up in a dingy looking car park on the outskirts of London and Harry furrowed his brow

“Where are we?” he said, half tempted to lock his car door

“I’m getting a dog” she smiled widely

“A dog?”

“Yeah, you know four legs, barks, like to go on walks, looks really cute when it’s asleep”

Harry laughed “I know what a dog is” he said, “But you’re not home enough for a dog”

“Office dog” she smirked “and I didn’t think you’d have any objections to dog sitting when you’re around”

“I mean, I don’t” he half smiled “but are you sure”

“Harold, in the very wise words of my beautiful mother, a dog or a baby is never a bad thing. And since the other half of my baby decided to up and fuck off a week ago, I’m getting a dog”

Harry sighed and unclipped his seatbelt, “You know most people find a rebound after a breakup, but a dog suits you better.” Harry knew when to stop arguing, he’d known Clara his whole life and, in a way, he knew she was right, a dog really was exactly what she needed.

They walked into the shelter side by side and anyone walking past would guess that they were a happy couple, looking to add the first addition to their little family. But that wasn’t the case, Harry and Clara had never been and will never be more than friends, despite what their mothers might think.

“Hi” Clara said as they walked into reception “I’m looking to adopt a dog”

“Of course” the girl smiled eyeing Harry off “just follow the hall all the way down to the end and one of the girls will help you once you’re down there.”

“Thanks” Harry smiled, winking at her as they walked away.

“Do you you have to flirt with everyone?” Clara said to him once they were out of earshot

“Just helping you get a really cute one”

Clara rolled her eyes and ignored him, she found that sometimes if she indulged him too much he became even more annoying.

They walked through the door at the end of the hallway and Clara’s heart immediately split into two. The dogs were all in tiny cages and a few of them looked unwell and malnourished, and that sympathetic feeling she felt when scrolling through their profiles last night only increased tenfold, staring into their lonely little eyes.

“Hi, my name’s sarah” a girl came around the corner, a wide grin on her face “are you just having a look or are you here to adopt today?”

“I’d like to adopt” Clara said definitively

“Yay!” Sarah said, “These dogs here have only just arrived and they’re not quite ready for adoption yet, but if you really fall in love with one of them you can come back in a few weeks and pick them up once they’ve had their needles and health checks or, if you go a little further down, those guys are ready to go - do you have a yard for a big dog, or were you looking for an apartment dog”

“I have a flat” Clara said, “but he has a yard just around the corner from my flat where I would take the dog to run around”

“I think I have the perfect boy for you!” Sarah exclaimed and started down the hallway, stopping outside a cage.

Clara smiled up at Harry and followed, almost at a run she was so excited.

“This is Larry, he’s a 10 month old greyhound and he’s been living in this shelter for 7 of those months”

Clara turned to face the dog and instantly fell in love, she crouched down and let him sniff her hand and instead he gave it a big lick and snuggled into it.

“He’s a sweet boy” Sarah said “but he’s not without his issues, he’s been seen by our behaviour therapist and he’ll need ongoing training and support but a little bit of love will go a long way with this little guy”

“What did he need to see the behavior therapist for?” Harry asked, knowing that Clara wouldn’t.

“He’s displayed a few guarding behaviors, they’re not uncommon for his breed, with the right training, he’ll grow into a wonderful dog”

Clara had stopped listening, she was kneeling down now, with her hand outstretched so that Larry could sniff it. But he didn’t want to just sniff, he greeted Clara with a great big lick and she knew right then that this was the dog that she would be taking home today.

“I’m sold” she said, without taking her eyes off the dog, who was now sitting very elegantly, staring up at her.

“Really?” Sarah said “Great, I’ll go and get him and take him to the play area and you guys can get to know each other while I get all the paperwork sorted - any questions?”

“Just one” Clara said thinking of the only obvious issue with adopting a dog named Larry and being publicly linked to Harry “Can I change his name?”

“Of course” Sarah smiled “He’s still a pup so he’ll learn his new name very quickly”

“Perfect”

Harry smiled at Clara as Sarah walked away “Are you sure Ra?”

“I’m sure as hell H, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life”

“Alright then” he smiled “guess I’m becoming an uncle today”

***

“How about David Bowie” Harry said later that afternoon, sitting on Clara’s living room floor, throwing Larry the tiny tennis ball that he’d gone out and bought after they got him home.

“Bowie for short” Clara mused “I really like that”

“David when he’s in trouble” Harry laughed

“Bowie” Clara called and Larry’s ears pricked up

“Bowie” she said again, and he bounded over to her.

“Well that’s settled then” Harry said.

Bowie sat down on Clara's lap while she petted his head gently.

"I'm so in love with you already little dog"

Harry spent the rest of the afternoon watching as Clara turned into the dog mum she was always meant to be and he felt his heart swell every time she smiled at something Bowie did.

"Loving you's the antidote" he thought to himself although in that moment he wasn’t entirely sure who was helping who.

***

December 19th, 2019 - London’s Electric Ballroom.

Late was one thing that Clara hated being. If she was ever late for something it usually filled her with so much anxiety that she would have to call someone and let them know that she was in fact on her way. But tonight she was running late because she couldn’t tear herself away from a snuggle on the couch with her beautiful boy and she hadn’t called anyone because couldn’t bring herself to tell anyone that she was late to her best friend's album release because she was too busy snuggling her dog and that she wasn't sorry at all. So instead she snuck in the back door, slipped into the dressing room and pretended she had been there the whole time.

“Gem!” she exclaimed when she spotted Harry’s sister “I’ve been looking for you everywhere.

“No you haven’t” she smirked “You just snuck in that back door, you were late”

“Shhh” clara hushed “Don’t tell H”

“He won’t care, not today, anyway - Have you met the latest piece of arm candy?”

Clara batted her eyelashes at the news that Harry was dating someone new

“No” she shook her head, “I didn’t know there was anyone new”

“Oh they only met a few days ago, just before he left for LA I think, but she’s pretty clingy and so far she doesn’t seem that nice”

“Blonde?” Clara asked, a tone of bitterness evident in her voice

Gemma nodded

“Skinny?”

“You bet” Gemma sighed

“Checks out” Clara nodded, “That’s why he hasn’t told me, I think he’s afraid I’ll get sad if he’s dating someone that looks like the girl Will slept with 2 days after he broke up with me”

“What a prick” Gemma said “Will, I mean, not H… maybe H a little bit” she added

“Is she here?” Clara asked, raising her eyebrows as if she was on a mission.

“Yeah” Gemma nodded towards the closed door to Harry’s private dressing room “They’re in there together, doors locked”

“Gross” Clara rolled her eyes.

All of Clara’s gulit about being late seemed to disappear after that, Harry would never know, or care if he was too busy having sex with a girl he’s only just met in the dressing room just before the show. Especially if hadn’t deemed her important enough to tell Clara about.

Go time was fast approaching and eventually Jeff and Tommy, Harry’s managers, started ushering all the guests into the concert hall, so that Harry could get ready and warm up. Clara had never been to this venue before, but as herself and Gemma stepped out onto the balcony, she understood why it was called the electric ballroom, the room was buzzing with excitement and she felt herself become excited too. She did always love watching Harry perform. She had ever since they were babies and Harry would dance in the kitchen play area at daycare and she would giggle along.

“Just there” Gemma whispered to her, pointing at the tall blonde that just walked into the room.

Clara shrugged and handed Gemma the glass of wine that she herself had just been handed “Well if H won’t introduce me, I’ll just introduce myself”

She walked over to where the girl stood, looking lonely and out of place and held her hand out to her quickly withdrawing it, thinking about where it might have been not too long ago.

“Hi, I’m Clara” she said, keeping her hands firmly by her side, “I’m Harry’s best friend, Gemma told me that you guys are dating”

The girl looked her up and down “I’m Shelly” she said, sounding bored with the conversation already “If you’re his best friend you’ve probably been to one of these things before right”

“Yeahhh” Clara nodded, not sure where she was going with this “Once, this only his second album”

“How long do they go for? I’ve got a somewhere to be later”

“He’ll be on stage for about an hour and half” Clara said taken aback by the lack of support she was showing “but it’s a release show, so he’ll want to hang around celebrate the album going to number one already”

Shelly scoffed “Oh well I Probably can’t stay for that, I might even have to leave before he gets off stage”

Before Clara had a chance to reply the house lights turned off and a voice began to echo around the room.

“Right” Clara nodded, not wanting to say too much, although it was becoming pretty clear to her that they both seemed to only be in this for sex “Well it was nice to meet you, I’m going to go watch from over there”

“She’s a delight, isn’t she?” Gemma said, handing Clara back her glass of wine, glad that the screams were echoing around the room loud enough to drown her words out from any eavesdroppers.

“I give it a month”

Gemma didn’t have a chance to retort, because Harry had made his way onto the stage and the screams filling the room became deafening, but she thought a month was ambitious.

“Golden, golden, golden, As I open my eyes' ' A smile as wide as Harry’s cheeks spread across his face as he looked out into the crowd and he winked at Clara when he found her standing next to Gemma on the balcony.She always loved that his first instinct was to find her in a room full of people. She smiled back at him and tears filled her eyes. She was so proud of the man standing up on that stage, he’d come so far since the last time they were standing in a room like this and she’d been there every step of the way.The smile on his face said it all, he was happy and he was proud of the album he’d written and so was she.

“I’m Harry, nice to meet you, thank you very much for having me, how are you? Harry said after playing Golden “The crowd cheered and Harry moved his gaze back to where Clara and Gemma were standing, tears streaming down both of their faces “Good! Before we start the show properly, I’d like to point out that my beautiful sister and my beautiful best friend are already crying, after they promised they would wait until I sang Falling”

The crowd laughed and Clara only cried more while Gemma tried to hide her tears from everyone who had now turned around to look at them.

“So my new album came out a week ago, and tonight I’m going to play it for you. London is home. You are my home, it only felt right to sing it in front of you before it goes on tour. So welcome, and sing along when you can”

As Harry began to sing Watermelon Sugar, Clara glanced over at the space where Shelly had been standing and noticed that she was gone. Clara shrugged and turned back to face the stage. All she wanted to do now was dance, and enjoy the art her best friend had devoted himself to for the last year and a half.

When the first notes of “Falling” echoed around the room Clara’s heart sank and she was taken back to the day he’d written the song. It wasn’t that long ago, 4 months maybe, and he was heartbroken, a complete mess, he had been so in love and camille had ripped his heart right out of his chest and walked away with it. He didn’t know what to do with himself, so he found comfort in Clara’s apartment, pretending that none of it ever happened. And that’s exactly how Clara felt now, Will was gone, she was alone, and she felt like maybe that was it for her, she’d had her one great love and now she was someone no one would want around. Life had it’s funny ways of letting you know that you’re on the right path, and for Clara, listening to Harry on stage, reclaiming his heart for himself in a room full of people who loved and supported him through his worst moments, was one of them, if he could do it, so could she. Each song after that filled her heart with more and more pride and by the time Harry came off stage she felt as though she was going to explode.

“Harry fucking Styles” she said running into his arms when she finally got backstage

“Clara fucking Riley” he wrapped his arms around her

“I want to stay and party but I have to get home to my Bowie”

Harry kissed on the forehead “If I could I’d skip the party to hang out with Bowie too.”

“He’s pretty much the best”

“I’ll stumble in at some point later on though” he smiled “So we can head back home for christmas early tomorrow”

“Good idea, alright, Love you H - and we have to talk about Shelly in the car!”

“No we don’t” he smirked

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