#best distance learning graduate schools

[healthanddietblog]

The Bleriot XI

If you wanted to study aerodynamics, all you had to do was look at the very early aircraft designs like the Bleriot XI. There are no high bypass ratio turbofans, upper deck lounges, or global positioning systems. Instead, the aircraft is a pure expression of the design solutions required to overcome the four forces of flight: lift, weight, thrust and drag. One of these “studies” can be done at…

View On WordPress

#best distance learning graduate schools

[apomaro-mellow]

Sunshower

Read on AO3

Written for @slavicviking for the @steddieholidayexchange !

When Steve Harrington had graduated, Eddie thought he’d be pretty much done with him. Not that they had a lot of face time before. He just thought, in the true fashion of guys that peak in high school, he’d fade into the town, get married young, show his face at the 20 year reunion. Maybe he’d catch glimpses of him around Hawkins, but not for very long. Eddie was planning on hightailing it out of here the moment the diploma was in his hands. So what if it would take another year?

The positive was supposed to be that he was NOT going to see Steve’s face in the hallways. It was a great misfortune to see him walking up from the football field with some kid. Eddie had just finished a deal by the picnic tables. Why Harrington was hanging with what looked like a freshie, he didn’t know.

Eddie would’ve known if he had a brother. So who was the kid? Curiosity got the better of him and he trailed a good distance behind them. He was a little surprised when Steve took him through the cafeteria’s kitchen doors, which had a broken lock. It was the school’s worst kept secret, but he never imagined The Hair sneaking into school during summer vacation. 

So what could he do but follow? 

What he saw as he crept behind them was Steve Harrington giving what must be a future freshman a tour of the school.

“Here’s the cafeteria. Honestly the food’s not bad. Their creamed spinach isn’t the best, but really who’s is?”

Steve led the kid with the curly hair out of the cafeteria and into the greater part of the school. “Here’s all the lockers. No you don’t get to choose one, but once you get assigned you can always switch with someone who’s got better real estate.”

“Does the location of my locker really matter?”, the kid asked, nose scrunching up.

“Do you want one right next to the bathroom?”

“....Boy or girls?”

Steve smiled. “Good. You’re learning.”

Eddie shadowed them for the whole tour, which ended up being about twenty minutes. Harrington was really showing this kid everything. And yet was giving him the most skewed tunnel vision of high school. Great, just what he needed his third time around as a senior. A mini-Steve. Steve was telling him which teachers would let him get away with coming in late, the best spot to sit in the classroom, what teams it was worth going for.

“Steve, it’s like you don’t even know me. Have you ever seen me dribble a ball?”

“I’m just saying that it’s a fresh start. You could be someone new”, Steve reasoned.

“Did you become someone new in high school?”

Eddie thought back to the proto-Harrington he knew in middle school. The answer was clearly no. He’d been on the baseball team back then and was pretty much just as self absorbed as he would’ve been in high school. Steve gave a non-answer about how everyone had different experiences and pushed the kid on. Eddie decided he’d heard enough. Enough to know this kid was under Steve’s wing, but clearly they had different interests.

So come the first day of school, Eddie wore his Hellfire Club shirt loud and proud. The air was still warm, which meant he did so without his jacket. That just allowed the emblem to show even more. He’d told the other members to also wear theirs. Normally Eddie waited about a week, scoping out the freshies before figuring out who he’d approach to join. But he’d already had his sights set on at least one boy.

Imagine his delight and surprise when said boy had two others hanging around. Eddie was hanging outside the school, his cronies surrounding him as they caught up from what happened over summer. The trio was loud. Very obnoxiously arguing over something. Freshmen tended to be more self-conscious, wanting to keep their heads down at first. Eddie noted the Weird Al shirt one of them had. These boys were the opposite of timid. Perfect Hellfire material.

Eddie waited until lunch to make his move though. Give them a bit of time to get acclimated and at least half a day to see where everyone stood. But when Eddie did get to them, he was glad to see both excitement and relief in their eyes. They were looking for somewhere to belong. And he could give it to them.

Screw any influence Steve Harrington had on them. Which was why Eddie made careful measures not to even mention his name. The guy had graduated. His reign was over. Actually, it had kind of ended back in 84 but who was keeping record? Dustin, Mike, and Lucas were great additions to the club. They had a passion for the game and a never-back-down attitude. Honestly, it was so great, that Eddie almost forgot that these kids knew Steve.

That is until sports tryouts started.

“You can’t honestly be thinking out trying for a team”, Mike said, practically slamming his lunch tray onto the table as he sat down.

“I’m not just thinking. I’m already training”, Lucas replied.

“Ugh”, Mike retched. “Don’t get me started on that. You spend more time with your dad than us now.”

“His dad’s not the one teaching him”, Dustin said. “Steve keeps bailing on driving me places because he’s coaching Lucas.”

Mike had a look of utter betrayal and was definitely about to say something in response when Jeff cut him off.

“You’ve got Steve teaching you? As in Steve Harrington?”

“Yeah”, Lucas answered, much to the jeers of the rest of the table.

“Gentlemen, gentlemen”, Eddie said, holding his hands up in a calming gesture. “We must not bar Lucas from his own choices. And as for Steve, well, let’s just be glad young Sinclair didn’t go to him for academic assistance.”

The others laughed at that and the subject was quickly changed to something else. The rest of them didn’t really want to talk about any of the sports teams, lest that get Eddie really going and off on one of his rants. Sometimes it was nice to have just a stress free lunch.

“He said that?!”, Steve shouted indignantly as he dribbled the ball around on the court. He and Lucas were at a public court. Lucas was getting some practice in with his dad, but whenever he was busy, Steve stepped in.

“He’s not your biggest fan”, Lucas said with a shrug.

“Yeah, well he’s no prize either. Don’t let him get in your head. There’s nothing wrong with the sports programs.”

“But they’re right about there being cliques. If I get on the team, can I even be friends with Dustin and Mike anymore if they’re gonna be in Hellfire?”

“You should go for whatever you want. High school only happens once.” Steve dribbled the ball a few times before giving a bounce pass over to Lucas. “Alright, show me your handling.”

Lucas followed Steve’s advice. He officially joined up with Eddie’s club. He loved DnD and he enjoyed playing with his friends. But walking around with a Hellfire shirt didn’t do good things for their reputations at school. The others took it in stride, but Lucas was tired of being called names and girls looking at him weird.

So as soon as the sign-ups for try outs was out, Lucas put his name down. He didn’t really announce it but he didn’t hide it either the first time the guys wanted to do something and he was busy. The reception was not so good.

“You actually wanna be on the basketball team?”, Mike was incredulous.

Eddie was leaning against the lockers, arms crossed. “I get the feeling someone put this idea in your head. Was it Harrington?”

“He didn’t put any idea in my head he just..encouraged me”, Lucas confessed. “He said I should go for what I want. You only get one life.”

“One life indeed”, Eddie nodded.

“And you wanna use it shooting hoops with Jason and his cronies?”, Jeff asked.

“They’re probably not all that bad. Steve wasn’t”, Lucas defended.

The opinions were mixed on that. Dustin, Lucas, and Mike knew what Steve had done that they couldn’t tell others. He had stood between them and certain death more than once. But they couldn’t tell Hellfire that.

“You guys don’t know what Harrington was like”, Eddie said.

“Are you saying Steve bullied you?”, Mike asked with a raised brow.

“Bullied? Pfft, no. Harrington and I barely crossed paths. I just know his type. I know what he’s about. And he and I couldn’t be anymore different.”

At first it was just a conflicting of ideals. Whatever Steve told them about high school, Eddie told them the opposite. And there was no telling one what the other said.

“Harrington’s an idiot.”

“Munson’s a loser.”

It made talking to either of them hard. Most of their days involved hanging with Eddie and when they saw Steve it was all they wanted to talk about. Sort of difficult to talk about Eddie without talking about Eddie, but they managed for now. 

Well, at least they did until the party got super deep into Hellfire. The campaigns were really involved, to the point of needing rides home from Steve when they ran too late. It resulted in quite a bit of petty glaring across the parking lot. Mike and Lucas had resigned themselves to the status quo remaining, but Dustin wasn’t satisfied with that.

It took quite a bit of doing, but what else brought people together more than a missing child? Dustin didn’t actually go missing. He simply concocted a plan with his friends to make it seem like he did and only to Eddie and Steve. He wasn’t crazy enough to get the whole town looking for him. Steve wasn’t crazy about Eddie tagging along for the search but the priority was finding Dustin.

“Why do you need that to find Dustin?”, Eddie asked, reaching a hand out to touch the nails in the bat, just to see it they were real.

“Don’t ask”, Steve bit out as they entered the woods.

Dustin thought getting them to work together would ease the tension, and it did. But only after bickering like children for a little while longer. Steve didn’t like how Eddie was undermining everything he’d been saying about high school. Eddie didn’t like how Steve had been trying to lead his sheep in the wrong direction.

“Yeah well before they were your sheep they were my-”

“....They were your…”, Eddie urged him to continue.

“Nevermind.”

“You and Nancy must’ve been pretty tight when you dated to get so close to her brother and his friends.”

“Me and those guys bonded outside of Nancy.”

“Is there a story there?”, Eddie asked.

“Yeah-” Steve froze when he thought he heard a sound before continuing. The sun was still high in the sky, so they didn’t have much to fear just yet. It didn’t hurt to be cautious though. “I just…I guess I just know how high school can be for kids like that. I wanted to make it easy for them.”

Eddie shook his head. “Doesn’t matter what kind of cheat codes you give ‘em. There’s always gonna be someone who makes it harder than it needs to be.”

Steve thought about thanking Eddie for giving them a place right away, but didn’t. Eddie thought of saying how Steve seemed to have changed, but didn’t. When they finally found Dustin, they laid into him hard, especially because he wouldn’t stop smiling despite his lie being revealed. All Dustin cared about was the fact they weren’t arguing with each other.

Mission accomplished.

Mission accomplished a little too well.

Now instead of having two friends who hated each other’s guts, Dustin had two friends who reveled in being shitty older brothers to him. Any time Steve picked them up from Hellfire (which he did with a suspicious amount of willingness now) he and Eddie traded notes on whatever it was that Dustin did that week. It was like a Henderson Briefing and the main objective was to either embarrass him or annoy him, sometimes both.

“I regret ever forging this friendship”, Dustin said.

“I think it’s the best thing you’ve ever done”, Lucas beamed.

Mike was grinning too. “It’s definitely the funniest.”

It got to the point where sometimes Steve and Eddie would hang out on their own. And wasn’t that just bizarre? What did they even do together?? The answer was mostly smoking, drinking, and shootin’ the shit. Even though Steve wasn’t able to tell Eddie any of the grimier details of the past couple of years, he was still able to tell plenty. And Eddie had no NDAs to speak of. 

They were sitting out by Steve’s pool one day in March, the weather just starting to warm up to be able to relax there without freezing. Spring would officially come soon and with it, maybe a day or two where they could actually take a dip.

“I’m telling you, the lunch ladies changed the formula. Something’s different about the meatloaf”, Eddie said, fully reclined in a pool chair.

”You’re implying that they actually cook that stuff in the school.”

“I’ve seen the vats of mystery meat stew, Steve. But some of the food is made on-site. And the meatloaf is one of them.”

Steve smiled up at the clear sky. They talked like this, high or not. Just the most inane things that he never wanted to end. What did he care about the food at a school he no longer attended? He cared when Eddie was the one talking about it.

“So you’re done with the loaf then?”

“I don’t even think it’s the same meat anymore”, Eddie said. “Or maybe they changed the seasoning…?”

Steve continued gazing up at the sky as Eddie mused on that. Suddenly a drop of water hit his head. Then another, then a third. He wiped his face and looked to Eddie, who was also blinking through drops. Wordlessly, they got up from their seats and went under the porch awning as the rain began falling in earnest.

“How is it raining? The sun is still out”, Steve said, reaching a hand out just to be sure it was still rain.

Eddie snorted. “Never seen a sunshower, Harrington?”

“No”, he answered honestly.

“Don’t sweat it. I’ve still gotta knock ball lightning off my strange weather checklist.”

“It’s just weird seeing it rain with no clouds”, Steve said.

Eddie watched the droplets fall in the sunlight. It was like liquid gold falling from the sky. He watched Steve’s face, no hard lines or sarcasm, just awe at seeing something new and wonderful.

“You know, some folks back where I’m from have a name for this.”

“You mean something other than ‘sunshower’?”, Steve tore his eyes from the rain to look at him.

“They say the devil’s kissing his wife”, Eddie stuck his tongue out. “Give you any ideas?”

He had been a hundred percent teasing. Eddie had just been talking. Flapping his gums. Doing his usual friendly flirtation style. He had no plan in place for when Steve actually kissed him. But when it happened, there was only one choice: to kiss him back. The rain provided some pretty romantic ambience in his opinion.

“So are you the devil in question?”, Steve asked when he pulled back.

“Only if that makes you my sweet, lovely little wife”, Eddie teased and then made kissing noises.

“Fuck off, Munson”, Steve laughed.

Feeling like they were on the edge of something, Eddie took the plunge and kissed him again instead of cracking wise. Steve softened so beautifully that Eddie wished he could go to the past and kick himself in the pants. He probably could’ve been doing this months ago.

“You know we absolutely can’t tell Dustin about this?”, Steve said against his lips.

“It’s none of his business anyway.” Eddie didn’t feel the need to mention that no one could know. He just put his hands on Steve’s hips and for once was thankful for the privacy the backyard gave them.

Weeks later, during the spring break from his darkest nightmares and the stroll through actual hell, Eddie would have an epiphany.

“That’s why you have that bat!”

#apo writes #stranger things #fanfiction #steddie #dustin henderson #i hope ya like it! #steddie holiday exchange

[magics-neptunes-things]

Hi guys!

After the last one, I needed another with fluff and easy love, so this just come from my imagination. I hope you will like it ♥

Resume : Motherhood is hard, especially when your better half is in training camp far from you.

TW : Little Angst, but fluff :)

PART 2 IS HERE!

______________________________________________________________

Alexia and you met when she was going through one of the worst moments of her life. It was when the footballer made her ACL. For your part, you had graduated as a physiotherapist a few years ago and were looking for a new challenge. When you heard that FC Barcelona were looking for a new physio, you didn’t hesitate to apply. It was hard, but by some miracle, you got the job. The managers didn’t tell you that the job was for the women’s team, but it suited you even better.

A month after you arrived at your post, Alexia began to follow her treatment after her operation. You’ve been assigned as Miss Putellas' special physiotherapist, probably a bit of a probation. You’ve been warned that she might be difficult to handle, her injury having affected her otherwise than physically.

And it was true, in the first few sessions, she barely spoke. She was polite, said hello, thank you, and goodbye. For your part, you remained calm while being empathetic. As you were told, she seemed even more troubled psychologically than physically and you could feel her pain. So you searched about her favorite songs and you made a playlist for her during your massages or during her exercises.

Over time your relationships relaxed and you found yourself eagerly waiting for the time of day when you would have to take care of Alexia. You obviously noticed her beauty and the aura that reigned around her. A friendship and mutual trust was quickly created between you two and she gradually confided to you. On trivial things at first, before your discussions become deeper.

She told you about her father, her family, her fear of not being able to play again and the difficulties she was experiencing with the Spanish Federation. You were shocked to learn what was happening and immediately felt angry. And the first feeling you had was a vital desire to protect Alexia from all this. And the other girls you’re playing with at FC Barcelona as well of course, since you’re the one who plays nurses on the bench at all their matches. But Alexia was coming first.

The first time Alexia could start running on a machine now, you could have cried of joy and relief. She was recovering well, even faster than the best prognosis. And seeing such a sincere smile come back on her face was something really comforting for you. The embrace you exchanged that day gave you chills you still remember.

The day she returned to the team for her first training on the pitch, you were there too, but in the back. Her friends/teammates welcomed her with big smiles and hugs, but at the end of the training she came to you. She once again took you in her arms and whispered a thank you in your ear. No need for long speeches, you knew perfectly well how much this word meant to her.

While you expected this to signal a new distance between the two of you, Alexia surprised you by asking if you were free the same evening to go for a drink. It surprised you, Alexia having the habit of not changing her schedule meal, back to school or bedtime. But when she stuttered "For like, you know, a d- a date?" you couldn't say no.

The rest is history and here you are years later in an healthy, loving et happy relationship. You even got engaged last Christmas.

Alexia always wanted to start a family and your heart melt every time she was interacting with a baby or child. On your second date, she asked you if you wanted children, testifying to the importance she already attached to a future family life between you two. You answered positively, because yes, you wanted to have children and with Alexia would be amazing.

So, a month ago, you welcomed into your lives Santana Eli Putellas. A perfect photocopy of Alexia, even if you were the one pregnant. Thanks to modern methods, you were able to transfer her egg into your body. It was much easier for Alexia’s career, even though she was more attentive to you than ever.

The same eyes, the same mouth, the same hair, the same face, the same look. Even Eli couldn’t figure out which of the two photos was Alexia and Santana when faced with this plot. It’s almost disturbing, but the idea of having created a second perfection in this world suits you perfectly.

Except that even perfection has its difficulties and you realize it more than ever today. For some reason, Santana hasn’t stopped crying since her afternoon nap. Despite her clean diaper, her full stomach, her usual afternoon stroll or her favorite nursery rhymes, you were unable to calm her down. So much so that you couldn’t even answer Alexia’s messages, who went to training camps for the national team.

Even if this camp is held in Barcelona, the team lives in a hotel for a few days, before flying to Canada for their first match. Your lack of answer probably explains why you find yourself having to answer a call from your fiancée after 9pm. You hesitate before answering, your physical state must be scary and Santana is always sobbing on your shoulder. But knowing Alexia’s protective lioness instinct, you’d rather not worry her any longer.

"Hola mi Amor" you try a smile when a frowning Alexia appears on the screen.

"What happened? Why didn't you answer to my text? I was beginning to believe that something serious had happened to you"

"Don't worry, we are fine"

You were still rocking Santana on your shoulder, putting your phone on the counter of your kitchen. After bathing her, you put on her pajamas in the colors of FC Barcelona and she is currently digesting her second bottle of the evening. Whereas normally she takes only one before falling asleep to wake up at midnight and then around 6 am. This baby is really perfect. Except that today something seems wrong.

"Are you sure? You look exausted mi vida"

The concern on Alexia's face is deep and you don't want to worry her. You don't want her to believe that you can't take care of your daughter for a day either. Alexia only left this morning after all.

"We are fine Ale, I pr-"

"Does the best goddaughter in the world make her Mama miserable?"

Mapi’s face suddenly sticks to Alexia's, certainly so that she can also have a glimpse of Santana. Choosing Mapi as godmother was the best idea, the tattooed one being the most adorable with Santana. A chaotic godmother certainly, but you know perfectly well that she too would be ready to take out her claws to defend Santana if necessary.

"Kind of, but everything is under control" you laugh, before realizing that she wasn't listening to you at all, cooing sweat words to Santana. "Did I suddenly become invisible?"

"Not for me" Alexia answer with tenderness in her voice. "I miss you both of you so much, I don't know how I will survive two weeks so far away"

"You will be perfect, as always mi Amor"

She smiles at you, Mapi having a side conversation with your daughter, and you see the concern coming back.

"Can you promise me that you are fine?"

You bite your lip and sight. It was not fair of her to play the sincerity card. She knows that you can't lie to her, even when you want to make her surprise, you have to ask the help of someone.

"Look, she's just having a bad day that's all. Tomorrow will be better."

Alexia opened her mouth to speak and most certainly contradict you, but noise next to her announces the arrival of other people. You smile when you see Ona and Ingrid appear on the screen, Mapi pulling the sleeve of the Norwegian to almost stick her face to the screen ("Look at her, how is she so cute?").

You greet them friendly and discuss with them a few more moments before feeling that Santana starts to agitate again. Before Alexia can see how bad, you tell them you’re going to put her to bed. After promising Alexia to write to her as soon as Santana sleeps, you hang up and gently lift your daughter to put her face up to yours.

"Now that you’ve heard Mama and your Godmother, maybe we can get some rest yeah?"

After a final diaper check, you enter your daughter’s room and sit on her rocking chair. His blanket between you two, a little melody and a lull, it should go well and quickly.

An hour and a half later, you must realize you’re not. Santana continues to struggle with sleep and has begun to cry again. Seeing her like this ended up making you cry. After walking around your house trying to put her to sleep, you went back to her room. You don’t know what to do anymore.

You were thinking about calling Eli or your mother for help when you hear noise on the ground floor. Which shouldn’t happen, since you’re alone in the house with Santana. You listen despite the cries of your daughter and your hear footsteps, making you shiver. Holding your daughter close to your heart, you rush to the kitchen to grab a knife. Putting Santana safely in her crib might have been smarter, but you can’t bring yourself to leave her alone while a danger lurks in the house. The baby stopped crying, like if she understood that something bad is happening.

The noises of footsteps approach the kitchen and panic fades to give way to a cold determination. You have to protect your daughter no matter what. Sticking your back in the fridge, you raise the knife you hold in your hand, ready to hit the figure that enters the room. But...

"Wow! It’s me Baby! It’s me!"

With both hands in the air, Alexia looks at you with wide eyes less than a meter from you.

"Alexia? Wha- what are you doing here?"

"You weren't answering my text again and I... Can you put this knife down please?"

"Oh... Yes, sorry."

You were shaking. The sound of metal that the knife makes when you put it on the marble of the worktop resonates in the room.

"I was too concerned to leave you both alone."

Alexia confesses with almost shyness, certainly fearing that you would take this information badly. You could have, a few hours before. Exhausted from this day, you carefully avoid your girlfriend’s gaze.

"I’m so sorry I scared you. Can I have her?"

Santana started to squirm in your arms and cry again and you gently reach her to Alexia. With a natural ability, the blonde forms a small nest with her arms to accommodate the little body of your daughter. She calms down almost instantly and only then do you realize you have tears in your eyes. After admiring Santana for a few moments, Alexia looks up at you and notices it too.

"Come here" she says, extending her free arm to you.

You cuddle against her, hiding your face in her neck. Her arm squeeze you thigh against her. Her smell helps you to relax and you mumble against her skin.

"I don’t understand what I did wrong today"

"Probably nothing mi Vida. Just like you said, she's just having a bad day. Let me take care of her and go take a hot shower and put on comfortable pajamas, alright?"

You hesitate for a few moments, but Alexia kisses you tenderly before gently pushing you towards your bathroom. You end up obeying, enjoying feeling your muscles relax under the hot water. When you get out, the condensation masked the mirror above the sink. After putting on Alexia’s shorts and t-shirt, you go looking for her in the calm of your home.

She delicately closes the door of Santana’s room when you appear in the corridor.

"Is she asleep?" you ask, incredulous.

Alexia answers with a simple smile and a nod, before taking you into the living room.

"How did you do it?"

"As usual"

Alexia shrugs while smiling and you sighs. That’s what you did, but you are still convinced that Santana simply miss Alexia. You’d rather not say it out loud, though, fearing it would prevent Alexia from focusing on her professional obligations.

"When do you have to go back?"

You try not to pout by asking her the question. It was the deal anyway, you knew very well what could happen when you decided to have a child.

"Not tonight, I informed the coach. I have to be in training tomorrow morning anyway."

The information makes you much too happy, you who promised not to prevent Alexia from following her professional ambitions. But you cannot hide your smile and you stick against her again, in search of affection and tenderness. Accepting your request, Alexia tightens her two arms around you, allowing you to feel perfectly safe.

You stay here for a while, simply taking advantage of the other’s presence. Alexia’s hands play with the tip of your hair while yours fondle her lower back tenderly.

"Did you eat?" you ask her after a few moments.

"No. What about you?"

You pout and Alexia doesn’t need any other words to answer. You just haven’t had time to swallow anything since your breakfast shared with the pretty blonde.

"Let me cook you something. It’s your turn to go put on your pajamas"

You let go of her arms and put a tender kiss on her lips, happy to have her with you when it was absolutely not planned. A few minutes later, you find yourself cooking a fideua, Alexia’s favorite.

Lost in your thoughts, still exhausted from this day, you don't hear Alexia’s steps coming in your direction. You’re too tired to jump when you feel her arms go around your waist, her lips kiss behind your ear making you smile.

"It smells very good mi Vida"

"That’s good because it’s ready"

You tiptoed to grab two plates, paying particular attention not to make too much noise to avoid waking Santana.

"Why don’t we sit on the couch and watch the television?"

Alexia’s proposal surprises you, but you willingly accept. You sit on the couch, letting Alexia settle against you this time. After all, she too is probably tired from her training. Seeing her eat your dish with enthusiasm makes you happy and you find yourself admiring it rather than feeding yourself.

"You're starring"

Alexia smiles and glances at you, making you smile back.

"Perhaps, but it's certainly by admiring you as soon as I have the opportunity that I was able to clone you" you joke softly.

Alexia laughs and puts her plate and cutlery on the coffee table, as you did a few minutes before her. She turns around abruptly before throwing herself into your arms, making you fall over on the couch. Seeing her so spontaneous with you while she tends to constantly master her image makes you melt. And when she puts dozens of kisses all over your face, you can’t help but giggle.

"I guess today’s not the day to tell you I want a big family?"

Her mischievous smile makes you roll your eyes.

"We’ll talk about it in like two years, if you don’t mind."

#woso x reader #woso imagine #alexia putellas imagine #alexia putellas x reader #alexia putellas

[dumbseee]

boyfriend!iwaizumi when you’re a famous idol.

iwaizumi hajime x fem!reader.

genre: fluff.

warnings: bad english/grammar :p /mention of the kpop industry (in here, dating someone is less taboo than it is in real life) / first work so it’s not that good.

_

after high school, you left japan for south korea, you always had this dream of becoming a kpop idol. during your time in seijoh, you were already known for being an amazing dancer but also for your angelic voice.

iwaizumi would always brag about you to the volleyball team, oikawa would tease him about you leaving him for a famous korean actor, after you became famous. to which, iwaizumi would respond with a kick in his friend’s back. truth be told, he was actually very scared of what the future had in store for you two after high school. he didn’t know if long distance would work for you, or if you even wanted it in the first place.

during your last school day, iwaizumi walked you back home, like he always did, but he seemed out of it and almost, sad? you asked him what was wrong and he told you that if you wanted to break up with him to focus on your dreams, he’d respect your decision and always support you. he couldn’t even look at you, tears starting to form in the corner of his eyes as he tried his best to keep a straight face. his words surprised you and broke your heart because you never knew that iwaizumi could be so dumb to think that you’d break up with him like that. "no matter the distance, it will never make me forget about how much i love you, hajime."

so you left for south korea and he left for america to study. you two called each other everyday, when you two were too busy, you’d try to call at least twice a week. iwaizumi was busy with school and finals took all his time while your trainee program took up yours. but somehow you two made it work. a few years later, you debuted as a soloist and sold millions with your first album whilst iwaizumi came back to japan after graduating, and became an athletic trainer for japan national volleyball team. you couldn’t be prouder of him, and you were his pride. he streamed all your songs, putting them on speaker while the boys would practice, he brought all your albums and watched the variety shows you were featured in. he was basically the president of your fanclub. and he wasn’t ashamed of it.

you two always made sure to go together on vacation in a foreign country, where kpop wasn’t really the thing. the distance actually strengthened your relationship since being apart of each other for so long, made the reunion better. you knew iwaizumi was it for you, and he was also your muse for your music. your fans often joked about how inspired and how deep your love songs were. it made you laugh to read all their theories about you being married to a farmer. if only they knew…

iwaizumi never minded being your secret boyfriend, he actually liked it that way. he didn’t know if he could bare being in the public eye every time. knowing that you were south korea’s sweetheart, being your public boyfriend would mean saying goodbye to his peaceful life, and iwaizumi wasn’t ready for that. well, he wasn’t ready yet. one day, he woke up to his phone being blown up by messages, actually tons of messages, from the groupchat he shared with the japan national team. he even had missed calls from oikawa, and all his close friends.

shoyo: IWAIZUMI-SENPAIIIIII

SID YOU SEE HHE NEWS???

kageyama: learn how to spell, idiot.

ushijima: blowing up his phone isn’t the best way to announce something like that.

bokuto: HAJI-SAN IT’S TERRIBLE ARE YOU OKAY??

atsumu: JUST SHUT UP

let the man wake up peacefully damn

shoyo: IT WAS TO BE A FAKE NEWS RIGHT??

bokuto: YEAH L/N-SAN WOULD NEVER DO THAT

iwaizumi: what the fuck?

ushijima: you should check twitter, hajime.

iwaizumi had frowned, but went on twitter, an app you forced him to subscribe to. apparently it was the genz’s newspaper. to his surprise, your face was all over his feed, it wasn’t surprising because he liked everything about you, followed dozens of fan account and basically became a fan account himself. but what surprised him was seeing those big account talking about your "relationship" with a famous korean actor.

"l/n y/n, the famous soloist who stole everyone’s heart with her heartfelt songs and beautiful looks, is dating a/l a/n!"

his eyes widened as he typed your name to call you immediately. his heart was beating so fast as he didn’t know how to feel about this. of course it was fake news, right? he knew you’d never cheat on him, you loved each other and iwaizumi couldn’t see his life without you in it. he quickly became aware of how much he loved you and how important you were in his life. without you, iwaizumi would be nothing but an empty shell. "hajime? thank god, i tried to call you!" your voice made him release a breath he didn’t know he was holding. "you saw, right?" your voice was small and for a second he thought that maybe you called him to announce your new relationship with this dumbass actor. "yeah, it’s not that fun to wakeup to your friends blowing up your phone and news outlets talking about your girlfriend’s relationship with that fucker." he rubbed his face with his free hand. "these idiots took pictures of us while we were in cabo and thought it was a/n. apparently you two look alike." he heard you chuckle which made him feel warm inside. he hated the fact that he doubted you for a second. suddenly, an idea popped up in his head, a crazy one but still. "you have an award show in a week right?" he asked you, a smile tugging at his lips. "yeah, why?"

well, iwaizumi’s idea was indeed crazy but you didn’t care, you were down for it. and as your name got called in the category, "best female artist", iwaizumi was next to you, he stood up before you could even understand what was going on, and he kissed you. showing to the world, that you were his as much as he was yours. it was a crazy way to launch your relationship to the world, but you didn’t care, because as long as you were together, nothing could happen.

#haikyuu #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu x you #haikyuu x y/n #iwaizumi hajime #iwaizumi x reader #haikyuu iwaizumi #iwaizumi fluff #hq iwaizumi #iwaizumi x you #iwaizumi x y/n #iwaizumi headcanons #fluff #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu fanfiction #haikyuu fandom #haikyuu fic #iwaizumi hajime x reader #iwaizumi hajime x you #iwaizumi hajime fluff

[teastyun]

Abigail Anderson headcanons ♡

-> non-apocalyptic setting, sfw!

childhood friend!Abby always annoys and picks on you, but protects you when mean girls pick on your insecurities

childhood friend!Abby always coming over after elementary school until her surgeon dad picks her up after his shifts

childhood friend!Abby sleeps over at your family's place when her dad has an overnight shift, you two always secretly stay up too late and regret it the morning after

high school crush!Abby and you always having sleepovers each Friday after basketball and your cheerleader training with late-night deep talk sessions (your friends and classmates start getting suspicious but you guys keep being oblivious)

high school crush!Abby loves when you braid her hair into a French braid, so she started learning how to do it herself in order to braid your hair as well (it became your favourite part before practice)

high school crush!Abby cries when you guys found out you won't attend the same university, so she confesses her feelings to you

girlfriend!Abby and you love each other so much, you two believe in a functioning long distance relationship and had your first kiss one night before your birthday, when she slept over

girlfriend!Abby always sending you updates including random pictures and memes and calling you whenever she knows you're free (your schedule is her phone screen, not that she already knows your schedule minute by minute) and ofc surprise visits, where you two also had your first time 🥺

girlfriend!Abby finishes her undergrad in human science and moves to your area to continue her studies, you two move into a shabby, old and sketchy apartment but save up for a future townhouse

fiance!Abby proposes to you when you accidentally found the proposal ring hidden between in your sock's drawer

fiance!Abby almost faints when you suddenly leave her on one knee to grab her ring, which you secretly bought a few months ago when you were on a trip with your besties

fiance!Abby and you waiting until you two saved up for a steady home before eloping, so you can marry and settle into your forever home as wifes

wife!Abby finally graduates and struggles with her time management after her new job as a surgeon, but you two always figure it out together

wife!Abby becoming the biggest mum of all times when you two became the godmothers of your best friend's son, at this point you two adapt to the thought of having your own little family

wife!Abby and you adopting the teenagers called Lev and Yara from your local foster care and having such a great time growing and learning what life is with them

wife!Abby and you also adopting a German shepherd puppy called Alice, protecting your little family from any dangers

a/n: thanks for reading habibis,, ily!!

#➶ jules' anthology #tlou x reader #abby anderson x reader #abby x fem!reader #abby x reader #tlou fanfiction #tlou #tlou2 #the last of us #abby headcanons #abby #abby x you #abigail anderson #tlou au #the last of us fanfiction #tlou fic #abby anderson tlou2 #abby anderson x you #abby anderson x female reader #abby the last of us #abby x y/n #tlou abby #abby tlou2 #tlou x you #tlou x y/n #abby tlou

[fuyuswifey]

|Shy Boy|

Pairing: Souya Kawata x fem! Reader

Cw: Oral (male receiving), handjob, cursing, top! Reader, bottom! Souya, established relationship, modern au, college au, 1.6k words

💫In which your boyfriend is too shy to ask you for help, but you know him better than anyone💫

You learned he wasn’t as mean as you thought, nowhere near it. He was the sweetest boy you had ever met. He ensured you always had lunch at school and stayed on top of your homework. If there was ever a day you seemed upset about something, he was quick to come to your rescue and support you the best he could. If he ever noticed someone bullying you, he quickly put them in their place (and in a hospital). Your days of avoiding him had come to an end, and you guys even went as far as hanging out with just the two of you. Your guy's friendship grew as the rest of your high school days went by. You would have been lying if you said you weren’t growing feelings because boy were you falling fast. But Souya... He was falling faster, and that’s why he made sure to make you his girlfriend on graduation day. The rest was history after that. Now here you are, your sophomore year of college with your boyfriend of a year and a half was amazing. You guys always went on study dates, picnics, or even just relaxing together in one of your dorms. Souya being your first boyfriend, and you being his first girlfriend, you guys experienced a lot of first together. First date, first kiss, first time. First, everything.

As of now, you were lying on his bed, both of you guys spooning as you watched a movie. Nahoya had been gone all day, so you both had the room to yourself. It was one of those days when you both wanted to be lazy, just relaxing in bed while basking in one another's company. You shuffled around the bed, trying to get comfortable after laying in the same position. Amid your moving, your ass rubbed against his crotch, but you paid it no mind, blaming it on the small twin xl bed that gave you minimized space. You could hear your boyfriend's breath hitch, looking over your shoulder to look at him. “Are you okay?” You asked him. He didn’t give you a verbal response, instead just nodding at you. Not thinking much of it, you returned your attention to the TV.

Over the next thirty minutes, Souya continuously shifted behind you, slowly creating as much space between the two of you guys as he could. You tried to ignore it at first, assuming that he was just trying to get more comfortable. After all, you were sharing a small bed. “I’ll be back” He announced suddenly, rolling off the bed and shuffling to the bathroom quickly. You furrowed your eyebrows, wondering what was wrong. You knew Souya well enough to know when he tried hiding something from you. He always would try to distance himself from you. You of course would always try to give him his space, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. However after what felt like forever, but was only 10 minutes you finally got up from the bed and walked over to the bathroom. You knocked on the door softly, not wanting to startle him. “Souya, are you okay?”. When you didn’t get an answer you slowly turned the door handle, opening the door as you peeked in. “Souya?” you called.

Your eyes were immediately met with the sight of him. And oh was it an amazing sight. Souya was sitting on the edge of the tub, his eyes glossed over with tears. You could see the outline with his bulge along with a precum stain betraying his grey sweats. Now it all made sense to you. In the midst of you adjusting your position on the bed, he got turned on. You hadn’t realized the way you were rubbing against him so much, but seeing him now, all pathetic and wanting to be touched, was turning you on too. “Souya… oh baby. Why didn’t you say something?”.

“I-I didn’t want to bother you..” he said in a quiet voice. “M’ sorry”. Seeing him look so pathetic with his cock twitching in his bottoms always got to you. It made you want to take care of him. So that’s exactly what you planned on doing. “Come on Souya” You called as walked back towards the room. “Come out here baby”. He followed behind you and sat on the edge of the bed, his eyes wandering around the room before finally looking towards you. “U-Um… babe-”

You stopped his words by grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, pulling him in for a kiss. Souya let out a noise of surprise, but he didn’t fight against the kiss. It was something he had been craving. To be close to you, intimately. As you slowly retracted from the kiss he chased after your lips, causing a chuckle to escape from you. “A little eager huh? Don’t worry, I’m going to take care of you,” you said as you rested your hand on top of his prominent boner, palming him through his sweats. His breath hitched a bit as he watched your hand before returning his attention to you, leaning forward to connect your guy's lips once more. The kiss was messy as both of your tongues sought out dominance, which you so easily won. Your hand moved up to the waistband of his bottoms, tugging them down along with his boxers, releasing his dick that was begging for attention. It stood tall and erected, beads of precum spilling from the tip profoundly.

You used your thumb to smear the precum around the head of his dick, pulling a soft moan from him. Your boyfriend had always been sensitive, so it was never hard to pull any sound of pleasure from him. You slowly started to stroke his length, wanting to help out the boy who so desperately needed it. If it wasn’t for the fact that your guy's lips were still together, the room would have been filled with the sounds leaking from his mouth. His hips started to lift slightly, pushing up into your fist for more friction. “Baby..” he moaned out as he pulled away from the kiss. “I-I need more..”.

You cocked your head to the side slightly at his words. “Well, what do you want? You got to tell me for me to give it to you”. You knew Souya, so you know he always has difficulty telling you what he wants from you. Especially in the middle of sexual activities. It made him shy and nervous. He didn’t give you an answer. Instead, a blush was growing on his face. He opened his mouth to try and say words, but nothing came out. “Souya” You called out in a soft tone. “Come on. Use your words”. “I-I..” His face was flushed red and his eyes were looking everywhere but you. “I want your mouth..” he finally said, taking a peek at your face to see you were wearing a shit-eating grin. He hated how much you got off to seeing him like this. All shy and under your control. He couldn’t help but feel so right when things were this way though.

You slipped off the bed and onto your knees in front of him. You continued to stroke his dick as you placed soft kisses against his thighs, watching his reaction. He was letting out soft gasps and his thighs were quivering slightly. You took the tip into your mouth, swirling your tongue around it before taking more of his length in his mouth. Souya was in no way small, rather lengthy. You could never fully take him into your mouth, so you had to settle with stroking the remaining inches. You were sure if anyone were to walk in on you guys, they would think the sight was filthy. The way your boyfriend's hands were gripping at the sheets, his head tossed back as he filled the room with the sound of his moans and whimpers. You were on your knees, choking around Souya’s dick as drool started to drip down your chin.

“B-Baby..” Souya moaned out, his hips bucking. The feeling of his mushroom tip prodding at the back of your throat made you gag, tears forming in your eyes from both the pleasure and pressure. One of Souya’s hands let go of the sheets, grabbing onto your hair. His hips lifted off the bed more frantically, fucking into your mouth. He was chasing after his orgasm, his hips moving at a sloppy pace. “S-So close! I’m gonna cum!” He groaned, his eyes closing tightly and his hips stuttering as his orgasm washed over him, his cum filling your mouth. You slowly pulled away, swallowing everything in your mouth which earned a grown from him.

Souya panted softly from the orgasm he just experienced. “Thank you for that. You didn’t-” his words stopped when he opened his eyes, seeing the sight of you slowly unbuttoning your bottoms.

“Up for more?”

Networks: @enchantedforest-network | @planetonet

#souya kawata x reader #souya x reader #souya kawata smut #tokyo revengers x reader #tokyo rev smut #tokyo revengers smut #📝-Arrival

[yeonzzzn]

🌕luna nova: sim jake

a vampires bleeding series: three / seven

pairing: jake x afab!reader word count: 4.9k

synopsis: with dorian after jungwon and jay's mates, the boys and the humans travel to the countryside in hopes of laying low and figuring out what dorian actually wants. you and your twin brother take them into your family's spare house. after learning about their true reasons for leaving the city, more unfortunate events unfold causing the boys to seek help from another source.

genre: acquaintances to lovers, vampire!jake, half vampire!reader, angst, some spice.

warnings: mentions of blood and death, swearing, fire, cute jake ♡

☾ jungwon(1) | jay(2) | jake(3) | sunghoon(4) | sunoo(5) | niki(6) | heeseung(7) ☽

Jake hung his head back, legs slightly lifted and hands gripping the tree branch to keep his balance. 

The sky is a mixture of orange and red, the moon slowly lifting in the distance. 

“It’ll be a new moon soon,” Jake whispered to himself. 

Sunghoon sat beside him, an old Nikon camera held to his face. 

“Capturing it?” Jake asks, his best friend adjusting the camera angle. 

“Of course,” Sunghoon sassed, “Why wouldn’t I?” 

Jake chuckled, “Try getting the angle upside down, it’s still pretty this way.” 

Sunghoon glared down at him, “That’s stupid.” 

With a shrug of his shoulders, Jake teased, “You wouldn’t know unless you tried it.” 

Sunghoon rolled his eyes, flipping around into the same position as his friend, holding the camera back to his eye. 

“This isn’t actually that bad,” Sunghoon admitted, “Just need the perf-“

“YOI!!” 

Jungwon dropped down from the branch above, shoving his face into Sunghoon’s camera.

“Capture me instead, Hyung.” 

“When did you ever get here,” Sunghoon snapped, palming Jungwon’s forehead, and shoving him out of the way. 

“Just now,” Jungwon sang, connecting his feet back to the ground. 

Jake sat up, “Where’s the others?” 

“Should be here soon.” Jungwon hummed. 

“You’re more annoying, where’s __?” Sunghoon once again tried to capture a photo of the sunset, just for Jungwon’s face to get right back into the frame. 

“She’s with Jay and __,” he shrugged, “My mate is tired of me.” 

Jake rolled his eyes, “That’s impossible.” 

Jungwon’s eyes lit up, “she’s here!” 

Jake watched the younger runoff, his hands instantly locking onto his mate, embracing her close to him, their smiles ear to ear. 

Jay’s arm was also wrapped around his mate. Jake swears he’s never seen Jay smile as much as he has with her. Their stubborn Jay, is always so serious and self-hatred for what he is just to have folded so easily under her. 

Jake dropped his head in his hands, watching his brothers with their soulmates. A small pit of jealousy forms. 

“Jake, Sunghoon, come down,” Heeseung waved to the two of them, “We need to start this meeting.” 

—

“Wait, you want us to move?” Niki questioned, clearly not liking the idea. 

“It’s what will be best for our pack,” Jungwon crossed his arms, “We have more to protect besides just each other now.” 

Jake twirled his rings around his fingers, taking in the information.

Sunghoon sighed, “Where will we go now? What about our jobs here? School specifically for Niki?” 

“I’ll move if I don’t have to graduate high school again!” Niki raised his hand, “I’ll gladly move if so.” 

“Unfortunately for you,” Jay’s stubbornness at play, “You’re stuck in a seventeen-year-old body, if you don’t attend high school it’ll make it more suspicious.” 

“Not to mention he still acts seventeen,” Heeseung teased, “No one would ever guess that he’s almost two hundred and ten years old.” 

“Says you old man.” Niki teased back. 

Jake laughed along with the banter, happy that it’s been this peaceful. 

“Any other sightings of Lilly?” Sunoo brings back the topic, “Or any other that could be connected with Dorian?” 

Jay’s jaw clenched at the mention of their names, his mate also tensing at the mention, “No. I’ve searched everywhere. Asked around. It’s like both have disappeared.” 

“It’s been almost three months, but we can’t continue to peek over our shoulders,” Heeseung sighed, “Dorian knows where we work, where we all live, where the girls attend college…we need to do what’s best for the pack.” 

“And that’s leaving?” Sunghoon asked, “Again, where would we go?” 

“The countryside,” Jungwon nodded, “It’s away from the city, no one will know who we are.” 

“Or what we are,” Jake mumbled, still twisting the rings around his fingers. 

“Jay and I already found a clinic we will both work at and even a high school for Niki.” Heeseung teased the younger. 

Niki groaned, dropping his head into his hands, “This fucking sucks.” 

“The girls will have a good small community college to continue studies,” Jungwon wrapped his arms around his mate, “Gotta keep this pretty brain learning.” 

“Already smarter than you, Wonnie.” She teased. 

“Baby, I have so many years on you, don’t even.” 

“Anyways,” Jay ignored the lovebirds, “The countryside would be the best bet for us right now. There is also someone who has some knowledge about Dorian, she can keep us up to date.” 

“Another vampire?” Jay’s mate asked.

With a shake of his head, he answers, “No, she’s a dhampir.” 

Jake raised an eyebrow, “Who?” 

—

You pulled the string back, narrowing your vision down to the target, taking a deep breath in, releasing the string and your breath in one go. 

The arrow flew across the field with a quick snap, hitting the target dead in the center. 

You smirked, relaxing your arms. 

A snap of a twig caught your attention, quickly grabbed another arrow to the bow, string touching your cheek, and whipped around to the sound.

“Woah woah! Calm down there Y/N, Jesus.” 

“Archer, I swear to god!” You snapped at your twin brother, lowering your bow, “What if I took your head off!?”

“I’m way too quick, you’d miss.” 

You pointed a finger at the target, “I don’t miss.” 

Archer glared off at the target, ignoring your comment. 

“Anyways, they will be here tomorrow morning,” Archer says, “We need to clean out the spare house.” 

You turn and face the target again, pulling the string back, “Why don’t you go clean it? I’m busy.” 

Archer groaned, “No, you’re helping. You know who they are after all.”

You released the arrow, it once again hitting the middle, “I knew them,” you corrected, “It’s been like a hundred years, they are probably completely different people.” 

Archer sighed, “Y/N, please.” 

You couldn’t resist the pout your brother gave, “FINE!” 

He smiled wide, following behind you towards the spare house. 

“You’re lucky you have a good older sister like me.” You teased him. 

“You are literally five minutes older.” 

Cleaning the spare house took longer than you wanted, but alas it was done. 

“Why did you agree to have them stay here?” Archer asked, sweeping the last bit of dusk into the dusk pan. 

You shrug your shoulders, “The way Heeseung and Jay were talking, it seemed important, the least I could do.” 

Archer slumped onto the couch, “Why are they coming out here? City too much for them?” 

You shrugged again, “I didn’t ask.” 

Archer narrowed his eyes at you, trying to read your very good poker face, “You’re lying to me.”

You looked away from your brother, “I really don’t know.” 

Archer knew he couldn’t press anymore, and let it at that, excusing himself to go home and sleep. 

The boys arrived sooner than you expected that next morning. 

You leaned against the wooden post on the porch, crossing your arms as their car pulled up to the house. 

You caught two other scents with them, two you didn’t recognize…two that aren’t vampires. 

One by one, the seven of them trailed out of the van, two female humans following behind. 

“Lee Heeseung, you didn’t tell me you were carrying humans with you!” you snapped, your mood completely changing. 

Jungwon and Jay quickly pulled the females behind them, giving you glares. 

You notice immediately, your body and mood relaxing. 

“You didn’t say you had mates, I only prepared blood bags for you seven.” 

Jake held up two bags worth of food, “We went shopping when we got into town.” 

You studied him, his half smile sending flutters in your stomach. 

“Long time no see, Y/N.” His Aussie accent was as adorable as ever. 

You nodded, “Indeed it has been,” you looked between the other boys, stopping back at Jungwon, Jay, and their mates, “Please come inside.”

Everyone settled in one by one, the boys all drinking from the bags. 

Jungwon’s mate wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, her smile never once fading from the sight of seven vampires drinking blood from bags. 

Jay’s mate was even more unphased. She seems just as stubborn as Jay is. 

“Never thought I’d see you two with mates,” You said leaning against the dinner table, laying your head in the corner of your arm, “Mostly nice to know someone can tame that stubbornness of yours, Jongseong.” 

Jay shot daggers through you, “Don’t you have something better to be doing than hanging around here?”

You sat up, giving him a smug smile, “Nope! I want to know why you’ve come to me begging to help hide you here in my parents' spare house, along with your mates.” 

The room went quiet, you looked at each of them one by one. 

“Someone better speak up.” 

“It’s Dorian,” Heeseung finally answered. 

Your heart stopped at the name, “Why the fuck are you here!” You stood up from the table, staring Heeseung down, “What the fuck is going on?!” 

“He’s after my mate,” Jungwon was the first to speak up, “He tried to take her from me.”

“And he almost drowned and killed mine,” Jay spoke in the calmest voice you’ve ever heard. Pulling his mate's hair back, revealing two scars on her neck, “He drank every ounce she had and dropped her off a cliff.” 

You watched as Jay dropped his forehead to hers, his jaw clenched tightly. 

Jungwon also brought his mate closer to him, their hands intertwined. 

You sat back down, “Dorian wants your mates, and probably wants you all dead.” 

They all nodded. 

“He joined up with Lilly,” Sunghoon chimed in, “He must have something else planned besides tearing our pack apart.” 

“And you came to me, why?” You asked. 

Heeseung sighed, “We needed someplace safe, mostly for the girls. But for the safety of our pack. Y/N, you’re the only one who can help.” 

You crossed your arms, squeezing yourself tightly, “What if he finds you all here? He’ll kill us too!” You took a deep breath in, “I have Archer to protect.” 

“Please, Y/N,” Jungwon asked, with pure desperation on his face. 

“Ugh! Fine! If he shows up, I’m leaving you guys here alone.” You quickly stood up, heading for the door, “I apologize deeply for what Dorian has caused for you all, but if he’s planning something, we all need to discuss that soon.”

You stormed off to your house in a second, grabbing your own bag of blood from the fridge and dropping onto your couch, nearly scaring Archer to death. 

“Jesus Christ,” he mumbled, “Did they settle in fine?” 

You nodded, the iron liquid making its way into your system. 

Archer could sense how pissed off you were from the beginning, “Y/N, what is wrong? Why are they here?” 

You shrugged, not wanting to talk about it. 

Archer rolled his eyes, groaning, “I’ll go ask them myself.” 

“Dorian.” 

Archer laughed, “You’re joking, nice joke.” 

“I wish I was,” you sighed, “He’s after their mates and wants to kill them all. They are here to hide.” 

Archer stood to his feet, “What if Dorian follows their scent here?!” 

“Trust me Arch, I know!” You snapped back, “All we can do is pray the witches' spell they put on this town helps hide their scents.” 

Archer started pacing back and forth, “What else did they say?” 

“Lilly joined him.”

Archer groaned again, sitting down on the floor, “Y/N, we have lived peacefully…”

“Archer you don’t have to tell me this,” you rolled your eyes. 

“Do I need to remind you what Dorian did?!” 

You stood up quickly, your index finger dug into your twin's chest, “Shut up, Archer.”

“He killed our parents!!” 

You walked away from him, opening the front door ready to sprint away. 

“Dorian killed your mate!” 

You stopped in the doorway, staring down at the wooden steps, and a pair of shoes suddenly appeared. 

Your eyes followed up on who they belonged to.

“Y/N,” his soft Aussie voice whispered your name.

“Don’t, Jake.” you pushed past him, running as fast as you could. 

—

Jake found you by the pond, watching the fish swim in circles. 

“Y/N…” Jake whispered. 

You turned around and looked at him, “What do you want?” 

“We were friends once which seemed like a lifetime ago…I didn’t know about your parents or your mate.” 

You looked away from him, moving your knees to your chest, “It was after you guys found Niki and left that city to get away from Dorian. We moved out here to do the same. We weren’t so lucky.” 

Jake sat beside you, “Do Heeseung and Jay know?” 

You nodded, “That’s why they didn’t want to tell me over that phone call why they needed to come here.” 

Jake twisted his rings again, “What does it feel like? What did it feel like?” 

You looked over at him, “You mean having a mate, and what it felt like losing them?” 

Jake nodded.

You took a deep breath in, staring off at the water and its movement from the wind. 

“It’s exactly like they all described,” you hug your legs tighter, “Being a dhampir, I didn’t think I could even feel all the parts of having a mate.”

Jake also pulls his legs to his chest, leaning his head on his knees, putting his full attention on you. 

“My father, the vampire side, always talked about the knot that connects you. My mother, my human side, always talked about the warm feeling you get, how the butterflies flutter and your words jumbled together. That you’ll know you found your soulmate.” 

You looked at Jake, giving him a soft smile, “I didn’t think I would even have a soulmate, who could love something like me? Half monster, half human…”

“Okay Jay,” Jake teased, “Everyone is capable of love.” 

You rolled your eyes, “Thank you Captain Obvious!” 

He smiled, “It’s true!”

“Anyways,” you looked away from him, feeling your face slightly flushing, “When I met him, I knew immediately. That knot tied together, pulling me to him. But I also felt that warm feeling, the butterflies and I could barely speak.”

You looked down at your shoes, fighting hard to continue the story. 

“But Dorian came, wanting the witch's spells that my parents were protecting. Obviously, he didn’t get what he wanted and killed them. My mate happened to witness the murder and Dorian…”

Jake tucked his lips between his teeth, knowing exactly what happened without you even having to say it. 

“I was at the market with Archer, and we both felt the connection to our parents fade. But when Dorian took him from me…” 

You clenched the fabric over your heart, the pain resurfacing, “I felt that knot snap. I felt his last breath. And then there was nothing. My colorful world turned dark. My reason for living…gone.”

Jake tried to find the right words to say, knowing nothing could even help. 

Jake clearly doesn’t have a mate. He doesn’t understand how it would feel to have one or lose one. 

But he fully understood now why Jay and Jungwon have gone to these measures to protect their own. 

“I obviously still have Archer,” you continued, “He was there to help keep me from going off in the deep end. It was Archer's idea to have the witches in the neighboring town conceal our scents here to protect us and the rest of the people living here.” 

Jake sat up straight, “Wait.”

You raised your eyebrows, “Yeah?”

Jake stood to his feet, “I know what Dorian could possibly be wanting.” 

—

Heeseung covered his mouth deep in thought, “Y/N, what other information can you gather about the witches?”

You shook your head, “I don’t know, we just grow the crops and take care of the land and send them herbs when they ask to keep them protecting us.” 

“He wants the spells for something,” Jake jumped in, “He clearly does. It would make sense why he’s been feeding as much as he has lately, to build strength.” 

“Then what would he want with me?” Jungwon’s mate spoke up, “He never met me before until that night.” 

“It must be our blood type,” Jay’s mate chimed in, “Jay said when we met that he can tell my blood type based on the smell, I’d assume it’s the same for you all?” 

Everyone except you nodded, you weren’t so blessed with that side of the vampireness. 

“So that clearly means, these witches spells that he wants,” Sunoo put the pieces together, “Needs a specific blood type for it to work. knowing Dorian, he has __ blood from when he almost killed her.” 

Jay’s mate looked away from the table. You could only imagine what she could have felt that night. 

Jake crossed his arms, rubbing his fingers on his chin, trying to put more puzzle pieces together. 

He looked over at you, studying your face as if looking at you would unlock all the secrets of the world. 

And then it actually did. 

Jake took a deep breath in, your scent flowing through him. 

“He also wants Y/N.” 

You look at him, confused, “What would he want with me?” 

Jake tilted his head, “You also have that blood type he needs, on top of where to find the witches for their spells. The only reason you’ve been safe is because of the protection spell.” 

Your body went still. Everything is connected. 

“That makes sense why he always disappeared for months at a time,” Jay tapped his finger on the table, “He is going back and forth between trying to take our girls and find Y/N.” 

“Good thing we came here then,” Jungwon leaned onto the table, “Now we know what he’s after, we have to find the witches before he does. He must know we skipped town by now.” 

“I can go tomorrow,” you said, “I know how to get there, but we all can’t go together.” 

“Why not?” Jay’s mate questioned, “Safety in numbers?”

“That’s not how witches work, babe.” Jay sighed. 

“Witches and vampires don’t get along,” Sunghoon explained, “They will notice seven full vampires and a dhampir, they will conceal themselves and either kill us when we get too close or flee.” 

You nodded, “They will more than likely flee due to the fact you all are in a pack, they won’t stand a chance if they fight you all. Which is why I need to go alone.” 

“No,” Jake protested, “you’re not going alone.” 

You glared at him, “They know me.” 

“And once you leave this town, Dorian could pick up your scent.”

You hated to admit that Jake was right. The witches only were protecting this town, and their town, not in between it. 

“I’m going with you.” Jake couldn’t let you do this alone. 

And you knew you couldn’t stop it from joining. 

“Okay,” Heeseung said, “we will come up with a more solid plan in the morning.” 

Everyone agreed. 

“Can I-“ Niki started. 

“No.” Heeseung and Jay said at the same time. 

Niki stood in silence, looking between the two of them, “What?”

“You start your first day of school tomorrow.” Heeseung teased the younger. 

Niki pouted, “Hyung, you’re joking?”

Heeseung gave him a smile, “Go to bed.” 

—

Jake sat against the wall on the bed, trying to go through his own game plan for the following day. 

He couldn’t explain it, but after seeing you after all these years was messing with his head. 

You've filled his every thought. It even surprised him that he was so quick to join you tomorrow. 

Jake ran his hands through his hair, his stomach doing flips. 

There was a knock on the door, startling Jake out of his thoughts. 

“Yeah?” 

You opened the door, peeking your head through, “You’re still awake?” 

“Obviously.” 

You slipped inside the room, slowly closing the door behind you. 

You leaned against the wall, studying him and his white t-shirt and plaid-designed boxers. 

“You look like you are getting ready for bed?” 

Jake shook his head, “Too deep in thought to sleep.” 

“Getting cold feet about tomorrow? Sim Jaeyun?” you teased him, your heart did a flip as he bit his lower lip with a small smirk. 

“Haven’t been called that in a while,” Jake looked down at his hands, his fingers once again twisting his rings. 

“I was one of the only ones who called you by your actual name.” you brought the memory back. 

Jake nodded, “We didn’t know each other very long then, did we?” 

“Yeah, it was a very short time in that town.”

“I guess one thing about being immortal is having to skip around because locals notice you aren’t aging,” Jake leaned his head against the wall, “You at least still age.” 

You softly giggled, “Yeah I guess I was blessed in that department, I still age but it’s just slower.”

“Gives you a better chance at living an actual life.” 

“How long were you guys in the city?” curiosity filled you.

“Oh shit, awhile,” Jake let out a small whistle, “We moved around a bit into different areas, but once Heeseung and Jay made their names at the hospital and clinic, it made it harder to move.” 

You nodded, “It’s good you were able to stay in one place for a bit longer, ya?” 

Jake softly smiled, “Yeah. Eventually, we were all able to leave what we ended up calling the safe house and got our own places. Heeseung and Jay had their own separate places. Sunghoon and I lived together. Niki was with Sunoo. Jungwon kinda just floated.” 

“I always forget that Jungwon is your pack leader.” You laughed. 

“Why? Is it so hard to believe?” Jake pulled his knees to his chest, waiting for your answer. 

“No, Jungwon is perfect for it,” you quickly spat out, “I don't think anyone else could corral you guys like him.” 

Jake nodded in agreement. 

The room fell silent. Jake could hear how fast your heart was beating. 

“Why is your heart beating so fast?” Jake tilted his head, his hair slowly falling from its part. 

You tucked your lip between your teeth, breaking eye contact with him. 

How do you admit to an old acquaintance that he’s been making your heart go crazy from the moment he stepped foot out of the van? That even all those years ago you may have had a small crush on him. 

Jake could see the blush on your skin, the goosebumps on your skin, and how your chest moved with your increased breathing. 

“Y/N.” 

You looked up at him, the look of want was on his face. 

“Come here.” 

And that’s all it took. You were on him in a second. 

Your fingers tangled in his hair, lips touching his as if your life depended on it. 

Jake’s hands squeezed your hips as he pulled your body even closer to his. 

The mutual pining that was between the two of you was driving Jake up a wall. 

Jake slowly snaked his hands under your shirt, resting them on your back, 

You didn’t know what came over you, you reached for the hem of Jake’s shirt, quickly sliding it up and off his body. 

Your hands slid back down his bare chest, fingers tracing his abs as you shoved your tongue down his mouth. 

Jake felt himself losing control, the mixture of the hormones and your blood was like a drug to him. 

He couldn’t get enough of you. 

Jake wrapped your legs around him, quickly changing positions, and laying you on your back. 

Chills went down your spine. You cling to his bare back, softly letting out a moan. 

“Fuck fuck fuck…” Jake groaned into the crease of your neck, leaving small kisses trailing up to your jawline. 

Jake wanted you. Oh, he wanted you. 

And you wanted him. 

But the thoughts of losing your mate came too, causing you to slide right from underneath Jake and back to the door. 

“I’m sorry…” Jake said, quickly pulling his shirt back over his head. 

“No it’s my fault,” you turned away from him, “I just…”

“It’s about your mate.”

You nodded, “I lost my soulmate, but you still have a chance to find yours, don’t waste any time on me.” 

That was the last thing you said, leaving Jake alone in his room. 

—

You’ve both been walking for hours. Jake’s hair stuck to his forehead from his sweat and the damp air. 

You’ve both been quiet. Barley saying a word to each other since last night. 

It was driving Jake crazy not being able to talk to you. 

Jake was stuck in his thoughts about last night. Scared of the possibility that maybe he doesn’t have a soulmate. That no one was made for him. 

Jake was hoping it’d be you, but not once did he feel this so-called knot. The string of fate. 

“Can we talk about last night, Y/N?” 

You sighed, “There isn’t anything to speak about with it.” 

Jake stepped in front of you, “Yes there is.” 

“Like what?” you scoffed, “We aren’t mates, Jake. I don’t owe you anything.” 

You walked around him, your heart pulling back to him, but continuing forward. 

Jake grabbed your arm, pulling you back towards him.

“Let yourself feel, Y/N.” 

All you could do was stare up at him, unable to speak. 

He took your face between his soft hands, his thumbs making circles on your cheeks, “Let yourself feel again. You are holding yourself back all because of your loss. Let yourself feel.” 

You wanted to open your heart up to him, but the fear of losing someone again, you couldn’t do it. 

“We have to keep going, night will fall soon.” 

Jake followed behind you, knowing he could only do so much to get you to reopen your heart again. 

The sky grew darker as the moon slowly made its appearance. 

Jake stopped, mouth forming into a small smile. 

You no longer heard Jake’s footsteps, turning around and seeing him just standing there. 

“Everything okay?” you asked him.

Jake nodded, his eyes not leaving the sky. 

You walked over to him, looking up at where he was. 

“I’m confused?”

“Luna Nova.” 

You look back at him, “what?”

“Latin for the new moon,” Jake’s smile grew even wider, “Beautiful Luna Nova.”

Jake meets your eyes. The new moon’s light brings out that beautiful cocoa color. 

You wanted to kiss him. To grab his hand and hold it so tightly. 

The gate to your heart has been locked. Jake was right, it was time to feel again. 

You broke the lock to your closed gate and let yourself feel. 

Your heart pulled to him, the beautiful string of fate twisting and knotting together. The familiar feeling of love and want and belonging. 

Tears filled Jake’s eyes, “Is that…is that what it feels like?” 

You nodded, your own tears filling your eyes. 

“Who knew it was still possible to find a soulmate.” You softly whispered. 

Jake kissed you. He kissed you with so much love and passion and with every ounce of lost time from the moment he was born, turned into a vampire, and lived all the lives he has until this moment. Those hundreds of years were now finally worth it. 

He was tied to you. 

Jake released his lips from yours, his sweaty forehead connecting to yours. Your breathing matches his in perfect sync. 

“You’re my Luna Nova, my new beginning…just like the moon phases,” Jake whispered. 

Hand in hand, you lead Jake the rest of the way towards the witch’s village. 

“What is this head witch like?” he asked. 

“She’s roughly our age?” you said, trying to calculate the math in your head. 

“That’s pretty old.” he teased. 

“Yeah, aren’t we all? She’s trapped in her twenties like the rest of us.” 

“Couldn’t be worse than Niki.”

You nodded in agreement, “Poor Niki.” 

Laughter filled you both, but only until you reached the village. 

To be met with despair. 

The land was burning. Young children witches and warlocks were covered in ash and dirt. 

People shouting and crying out for their loved ones who were caught in the fires. 

Homes were torn to pieces by flames and lifeless bodies spread throughout the land. 

“What the hell happened…” Jake was barely able to speak, too shocked at the sight before him. 

You ran as fast as you could towards the village. 

“Y/N! Wait!!” 

You didn’t listen to Jake and kept running. The witches' village was supposed to be hidden. Was supposed to be on the edge of the town, hidden from the world. 

You frantically searched for people to help while asking around for the head witch.

But no one has seen her. 

You panicked, giving Jake orders to help find her, describing her in detail. 

Jake searched all the while helping those in need. 

“Y/N,” Jake showed back up at your side, “The fire isn’t stopping, we need to go!” 

You shook your head, “We need to find her!” 

One of your few vampire gifts was your sense of hearing. You called your eyes and focused hard, searching everywhere, until you heard her breathing. 

“She’s alive!” 

She was found under some rumble from a fallen building. 

“Y/N…” she said barely above a whisper. 

Tears filled your eyes as you and Jake pulled out from the rumble. 

You held her in your arms, pushing her hair out of her face. 

“What happened here?” Jake asked, kneeling down beside you, “What caused this?” 

“Dorian.” She coughed out. 

Your heart stopped, and anger washed over Jake. 

“He came for the spells,” she breathed out, “he knew you were coming for them, you were too late.” 

You looked up at Jake, tears falling down your face, “What do we do now?” 

Jake bites down on his tongue, looking at the witch below him. 

“Get her back to the house, we need to know exactly what happened.” 

You nodded, “So much for a new beginning, huh?”

a/n: i hope everyone is enjoying my little vampire series so far! i have so many ideas planned for the rest of the members and hope everyone looks forward to it! thank you so much to everyone who is keeping up with this series and the continued support. It means everything!

#jake bby #sim jake #sim jaeyun #jake x reader #reader x jake #jaeyun x reader #reader x jaeyun #reader x enhypen #enhypen x reader #enhypen fanfiction #enhypen fanfic #enhypen imagines #enhypen scenarios #enhypen #acquaintance to lovers #vampiresbleeding #yeonzzzn writing

[tropes-and-tales]

Team Prime, Part One

CW:  Unrequited love; pining; heavy angst.

Word Count:  5349

Other pieces: This is part of a mini-series.

AN:  Not beta-read; barely proof-read. An angsty companion piece to @youvebeenlivingfictional's Jake Seresin piece (and upcoming Bradley Bradshaw piece).

When your sister, Hannah, gets engaged to her long-term boyfriend, she chooses you over your other sisters to be her maid of honor.

“Maid of horrors, more like,” you grumble, but you’re secretly touched by the trust she puts in you.  She and Eric have dated since high school, and they’ve been through a lot—mostly long-distance during the years as she went to college and graduate school and as he joined the Navy.  And yet here they are.  Still together.  Still in love.  Ready to make it official-official.

“Eric’s best friend from the Navy will be the best man,” Hannah tells you.  “I met him a few times.  Bob Floyd.  He’s nice.  You’ll like him.”

Bob Floyd.  Something about the name puts you in mind of a middle aged man with strong opinions about lawn maintenance and grilling meats, so when you finally meet the baby-faced Bob with his bright blue eyes and stammering flush at the engagement party, you find yourself surprised, knocked back on your heels.

-----

You were never the sort of girl who dreamt about her wedding day, but when Hannah foists much of the wedding planning onto you, you decide then and there to elope if you ever meet someone you want to marry.

The cake tasting wouldn’t be bad, but Hannah has an entire binder of ideas she gleaned from the internet. It’s difficult to enjoy the white cake with raspberry compote, for example, when you’re worried about how the pearl luster dust will hold up under the California sun.

The venue only rents out some things in-house, so you spend two entire weekends tracking down a dance floor, chairs, linens.  You pick the wrong linens (white instead of cream), and you have a minor breakdown that night, crying in the shower at the stress of planning a party that isn’t even for you.

It’s a moment of weakness.  At the engagement party, Bob gave you his number and mumbled shyly, “if you need help.  You know, with the planning or anything.”

You hadn’t thought of it originally, but you’re tired and figure, why not reach out?  He offered to help.  Worst he can say is ‘no.’

He doesn’t say no.  He says tell me what you need.

-----

What you need:  help with the menu.  Help with the seating arrangements.  Help with the joint bachelor and bachelorette party.  

For the menu, the two of you do a whirlwind tour of the local catering companies.  Two of the three companies confuse you and Bob as the bride and groom, and you laugh to see Bob’s face turn bright red, the way he stammers to correct them.

“I apologize,” one woman tells you.  “You make a really cute couple.”

Afterwards, pleasantly stuffed from peach and goat cheese crostini and tri-tip, you reach across the driver’s seat to where Bob sits to your right.  You poke him lightly on his still-flushed cheek, call him really cute…which makes his face burn even hotter.

For the seating arrangements, he spends an evening at your apartment in Monterey.  You split a pizza and a six-pack, and you pore over the massive guest list.  You list out the people who can’t sit together—old family grudges, friendly rivalries—and you get a rough chart pulled together for Hannah’s inspection.

For the joint party—by then, you and Bob work like a well-oiled machine.  You book hotel rooms in Vegas.  You book tickets to shows, reservations to restaurants.  You book dance lessons, since Hannah insists that everyone in the wedding party learn how to not stumble around the dance floor for the first dances.  You send out itineraries, details.  You collect money.  

When it’s done, you sit back on your couch and heave a sigh of relief.  Your head lolls back, and you turn to look at Bob.

“Team Prime strikes again,” he says with a soft smile, and you hold up a hand for a high five.  It’s an inside joke between the two of you, a dumb joke about how you’re the first bridesmaid and he’s the first groomsman, the best of the best, the chosen-above-all-others.  The Primes.

“Hell yeah we did,” you reply with an answering smile, and that’s when you first feel it:  the pleasant little dip in your stomach at the sight of his smile, his blue eyes.  The first little tremor of infatuation.  Of burgeoning love.

-----

Two months pass, and after the initial press of planning, things stabilize.  With Bob Floyd’s help, the wedding plans firm up, and you can breathe.

You stay in touch.  You trade daily texts, checking in on each other.  Sharing funny memes.  Talking about movies you’ve seen, books you’ve read.  Joking on the side about the main wedding party group chat.

Then the bachelor and bachelorette party in Vegas in upon you.  You text Bob about your fear of flying.

Reassure me that it’s safe, you plead via text.  Tell me I’m safer flying than driving.

You’re safer flying than driving.

You snort.  Funny, you type back.

He doesn’t text anything in reply.  Instead, he calls you.

Bob Floyd, graduate of Top Gun, walks you through the physics of flight.  His soft voice, his slight drawl that comes out when he’s comfortable….he soothes you with his matter-of-fact discussion of lift and thrust, of yaw and roll.  He tells you that planes are stringently designed to be safe, maintained for safety.  That pilots train rigorously while any dumbass can fumble their way into a driver’s license.

He talks to you for an hour.  He doesn’t quite talk you out of your fear; he doesn’t slay that dragon entirely, but he makes it smaller.  Less scary.

“We’re on the same flight out tomorrow,” he points out.  “We can try to switch seats and sit together.”

That first little dip in your stomach was nothing compared to the roiling now.  It’s such a damned cliché, yet here you are:  the maid of honor falling for the best man.  Like a stupid Hallmark movie, yet you can’t stop the wide grin from splitting your face.

The next morning, you are able to switch seats after all, and for the entire short flight to Vegas, Bob holds your clammy hand in his, twists himself in his seat so that he can talk to you, low and soft, explaining each bump and lurch of the plane, making them seem like nothing scary at all.

-----

“You’re more sure on your feet than I would have expected,” you tease, and Bob gifts you a shy smile as he turns you gracefully across the dance floor.

“I guess I’m full of surprises.”

You hum in agreement, then look around the studio at the other coupled-off bridesmaids and groomsmen. After an hour-long lesson in ballroom dancing, few people other than you and Bob have grasped the steps of the easy waltz.

Two couples have given up altogether and are standing haplessly where they stopped on the dance floor.  One couple is sorta doing their own thing, that awkward swaying shuffle that kids used to do at middle school dances.

Hannah and Eric are giving it an honest shot, but even from where you and Bob are, you can hear them bickering over who needs to lead, over which step is next.  You glance at your own partner and see him watching them too.  There’s a faint frown on his face.

“I think we’re the best dancers of the bunch,” he whispers, conspiratorial.  

“I think you’re right,” you whisper back.

He turns his gaze back to you, and his returning smile makes his blue eyes crinkle at the corners.  “Do you think if we show them up, they’ll kick us out of the wedding party?” he jokes.

“Oh, please,” you groan.  “If there’s even a chance, I say we go for it.  I’m so damned tired of earnest, late-night discussions about freesias and cake toppers.”

He laughs, and he squeezes your hand lightly as he turns you, an advanced move the instructor showed you earlier.  “It can’t be that bad.”

You settle back into his hold and look at him.  He’s been the most surprising part of the entire miserable wedding planning, this buddy of the groom that you’ve been paired with.  Not a typical military guy at all.  Bob is too sweet, too kind, too polite to be a complete dork…but even if he was, you’d still like him.  He’s an easy guy to like.  An easy guy to fall for.

“Nah,” you reply.  “It’s not that bad at all.”

-----

The first day in Vegas is dance lessons and a nice dinner.  The second day is a helicopter tour, which you politely skip, and then dinner and then dancing at a club.  You and Bob had managed to book a VIP space, and you both volunteered to stay sober to help wrangle the drunks at the end of the night.

So for the first day and much of the second, you remain ignorant.  You lean into all the feelings of your growing infatuation, but it doesn’t feel like your usual harmless crush.  You like Bob Floyd.  You really like him.  There’s not a single ounce of artifice to him—he is genuinely just himself.  Smart.  Driven, in a quiet, steady way.  Kind and funny.  Despite his outwardly nerdy appearance, he seems fairly comfortable with who he is.  He possesses a quiet confidence that you’ve never noticed in a man before.

You’ve dated in the past.  You even had a semi-serious boyfriend, dated him for three years and talked vaguely of getting engaged, getting married.  But nothing ever came of it; neither of you felt that elusive tug on the heartstrings that the other person was the one.  So you broke it off amicably, and a month later, he met his would-be wife.

You remain single, and it rarely bothers you.  You’re alone but not lonely, and you like your own company.  You have your sisters.  You have your coworkers and friends.  

But in meeting Bob Floyd, you start to see the possibilities of finding someone and building a life with them…as long as that someone is…well…Bob Floyd.

For the first day and much of the second, you lean into the burgeoning fantasy.  You play out how the wedding day will be.  The reception.  You wonder if Hannah will aim her bouquet toss at you, and if Eric will aim the garter at Bob.  You wonder if there will be a moment on the dance floor, or maybe somewhere quieter.  If Bob doesn’t make a move, you decide, you will.  

The night at the club starts out great.  The VIP area is elevated and set apart, so you can watch the dance floor but still have space to yourself.  The champagne flows, then everyone switches to liquor.  You and Bob are like hovering parents, easing glasses of water into people’s hands, checking in with them to make sure they are still coherent, cognizant.

It’s so damned easy to fall into the fantasy for these last few moments.  There’s a sort of fraternity among the sober people in the club or bar:  the clear, alert eyes that find each other.  The knowing head nod, the little shrugs as if to say, “what can you do?” as you corral and tend to your drunken charges.  

You and Bob—you catch each other’s eyes as you get a fresh pitcher of water.  You smile at each other in the dim club lights.  He rolls his eyes once, elaborate, and you laugh.

And when he wants to talk to you, he stands close, dips his head.  Puts his mouth right near your ear so he doesn’t have to shout over the bassline, and that sets a low, licking flame of desire deep in your core, his warm breath fanning over you as he gently makes fun of your sisters, the other groomsmen.  You wonder what he would do if you kissed him, if you took his hand after everyone was tucked in their beds and drew him into your room.  Maybe you could kiss him, you think, you could press even a soft kiss to his cheek and see how he reacts.  Maybe you could—

“I told Eric I don’t want any of this,” Bob says.  You turn and look at him, and he gestures broadly with his hand.  At the bridal party, half-debauched and fully drunk.  At the wider space of the dark, loud club.

“Sorry?” 

He dips his head near your ear again.  “I said, I already told Eric I don’t want a big production.”

“For what?” you ask, but you already know—your body already knows, even if your brain hasn’t quite caught up.  The flickering heat of your nascent arousal is doused, and your stomach flips like you might throw up.

“For my bachelor’s party.  I just want a beer and poker night.  Nothing wild.  My fiancée would kill me anyway, but laid-back is more my scene.”

“For your…” you start to say, and then your brain catches up.  “Oh.  Oh.”

And then sweet, unassuming Bob Floyd tells you all about her:  the high school sweetheart, the long-distance fiancée who is finishing up grad school.  The woman finally ready to set a date and make it official-official after all these years.

The woman who will be Bob Floyd’s wife someday soon.

“Congratulations,” you manage to say, and you manage to make it sound convincing, and then you manage to make it to the restroom where you clutch the edge of the sink in a white-knuckle grip.  You manage to take deep, gulping breaths as you choke down your sudden, bitter disappointment.

-----

Bob, Eric, most of the bridal party…they don’t really know you, so it’s easy to mask how you’re feeling.

Your sisters?  Hannah?  They recognize your poor acting performance from the start.

They must have conferred together, and they must have elected Hannah as their spokeswoman because on the second to last morning, she comes to your room, links her arm through yours, and says, “let’s grab breakfast, just you and me.”  Her voice has that artificial cheeriness to it, so you guess what’s up.

“I’m not hungry.”  You tug your arm from hers, turn away from her.  You walk over to the window and peek out around the curtains to see the sun about to rise, the sky a pink wash of color.

“Bullshit.  You’re always hungry.”  Hannah follows you into the room, and at the window, she wraps an arm around your waist, hugs you from behind.  A few inches taller than you, she hooks her chin on your shoulder and gazes out the window too.

“My stomach is off,” you lie.  “I think I ate a bad oyster at that buffet.”

She hums, doesn’t reply for a long moment.  The two of you watch the sun break the line of the horizon, washing the cityscape in a bright yellow light.  

“You know you can always talk to me, right?” Hannah asks.  “I know I’ve been a lot the past few months, but I’m always here for you.  Always.”

You swallow thickly against the lump in your throat.  “I know.”

“You like him, don’t you?”

You don’t bother to deny it.  You nod.

“You love him?”

You shrug, jostle her where she’s perched on your shoulder.  “I thought I did.”

Another hum, another beat of silence.  “Probably wouldn’t hurt so bad if you didn’t love him.”

“What makes you think I’m hurting?”

“You’re my little sister.  I know when you’re in pain.”

You huff out a quiet breath, a near-laugh.  “When did you get so damned wise?”

She chuckles, squeezes her arms comfortingly around your waist.  “I was born wise.”

You sigh, lean your head against hers.  “That makes one of us.”

Hannah squeezes you again, then lays a smacking kiss on your cheek before releasing you.  “C’mon,” she says.  “Seriously, let me take you out for breakfast.  Everything seems easier on a full stomach.”

“Hannah—”

She’s a few inches taller than you, and she’s much stronger.  She man-handles you away from the window, turns you around to face her.

“I’m the bride-to-be.  You can’t tell me no,” she teases, but then her expression turns serious as she studies you closer.

“You know there’s someone out there just waiting for you,” she adds, somber, and she gazes at you so earnestly that tears prickle in your eyes, and before you can stop yourself, you start to cry.

-----

It’s dumb, you decide.  A dumb crush.

You’ve known the man a handful of months.  He was helpful, and you were stressed, so maybe the help seemed outsized.  Bob Floyd is just a regular guy, you decide, and you got wrapped up in his orbit because he seemed nice and kind and helpful and funny.  Which he is all of those things, but to fall in love over it?

Dumb.  Dumb, dumb, dumb.

You make the decision over breakfast with Hannah.  Your wise older sister.  She’s right, you think:  life seems a little less unbearable when your stomach is full of eggs benedict and mimosa.

The rest of the day is sightseeing before another group dinner that evening.  It’s your last day and night in Vegas; you fly out in the morning.  You and Bob are on the same flight home, and you think—you honestly think—that you can get through it.  

It’s just a crush.  It will die off soon enough.

But over the course of the day, once the group has reconvened, Bob sticks close to you.  He’s always right there.  He’s in your line of sight, or right at your shoulder, close enough that you can hear his quiet breathing, or when he chuckles under his breath.  Close enough to smell the cleanly masculine scent of him.

You aren’t sure why he never mentioned being engaged before.  You suppose it never came up naturally, even though the two of you did the bulk of the wedding planning together.  There were a hundred opportunities, you guess, for him to say, “oh, I’ll have to keep this in mind for my own wedding” or “I should tell my fiancée about this.”

Over the course of the day, and now that the fact of his own engagement is out, Bob chats with you about it. You get the entire fucking story.  High school sweethearts who broke up briefly when they went to college in separate states.   How they reconnected over summer vacation their sophomore year.  How they’ve been together ever since.  

How Bob proposed once and was rejected.  “It was too soon,” he tells you with a rueful shake of his head, and you bite your tongue to stop yourself from pointing out that when he proposed, the two of them had been dating for years.

How Bob joined the Navy.  How he kept his budget tight to save up for a better ring.  How his fiancée—Jessica, her name is—finally said yes.  

And now, he tells you how the engagement has stretched on and on, so much so that his parents stopped teasing him and started asking when the hell he and Jessica are going to finish the thing.

“Eric and Hannah,” he says, jerking his chin in their direction.  “They were the kick in the ass we needed.  Once they got engaged, we finally set a date.”

“Yeah?”  Your voice comes out a rough croak, and you’re grateful for the huge sunglasses hiding your eyes from him.

“Next June.  A little more than a year from now.”

You force a smile.  “That sounds lovely.”

Bob nods, then grins at you.  “All this planning, it was good practice for me.  Now I know what to look for in a caterer and a linen-rental company.”

“I’m glad.”  You try to keep your voice light, conversational, but something in your tone must clue him in that something is off.  His grin fades, and he peers at you closer through his thick glasses, his blue eyes swimming behind the lenses.

“Everything okay?  You seem…off.”

You force the smile back on your face, and you swallow back the shakiness in your voice.  Of course Bob would notice that you aren’t yourself.  Any other guy wouldn’t even register your more taciturn nature over the past few days, but Bob seems to miss very little, and he’s kind enough to care, to ask after you.

“Just tired.  I never sleep well in a hotel room.”

He peers at you a moment longer, then nods, but his expression looks doubtful.  “You should head back to the room early and rest,” he advises.  

It’s a good idea.  It would get you away from him, at least.  You nod, and then you go to find Hannah, tell her you’re dipping out early and will meet back up for dinner.

-----

It’s the final dinner when you finally snap.  You reach the end of your ability to sit and smile and nod your head, and your earlier bravado melts away.

Of course Bob sits beside you.  Of course Hannah and Eric are the picture of true, enduring love.  Of course you’re feeling sorry for yourself, positively maudlin, and then Bob—between bites of steak—tells you that Jessica can make it to the wedding after all, and not to worry because Hannah was able to find space for her at the reception.

“No need to redo those seating charts,” he chuckles, and then he tells you how excited he is for you to meet Jessica, how much he’s told her about the wedding planning, how much he’s learned, how much he can’t wait to get started on his own wedding planning.

It’s too much.  Too much to take.  You nod weakly at him, push your own meal around your plate with the tines of your fork.  You keep your head bent, and you miss the looks people start to shoot at each other as they finally notice that the usually-chatty, usually-chipper maid of honor has gone sullen and silent.

It’s Hannah who gets up, makes a show of saying she needs to use the restroom.  When you lift your head to look at her, she makes a “come along” gesture, and you stand up and follow her.

In the bathroom, she cups your face and stares at you, frowns.  

“You look like shit,” she declares after a beat.  “Seriously, are you okay?”

“’m fine,” you lie.

“I know you’re not.  Why don’t we get out of here, huh?  Get some air?”

You shake your head.  “It’s the last night here.  Please don’t…don’t let me ruin it.”

She laughs, then smushes your cheeks together.  “You couldn’t ruin it if you tried.  C’mon…you did all the shit-work for me, planning this wedding.  The least I can do is get you out of here.”

You shake your head again, more emphatic.  “No.  Why don’t I just go?  You can make up an excuse that I’m not feeling well.”  You bite your lip, swallow hard against the lump in your throat.  “I just can’t be around him anymore right now.  I just need space to get my head right.”

“Oof, you got it bad,” she says with a sympathetic cluck of her tongue, but then she nods.  “Why don’t I go grab your purse, and then I’ll make something up.”

You offer her a shaky smile.  “Thank you.”

She nods again, then kisses your forehead, more motherly than sisterly.  Hannah always had a maternal streak to her as the eldest sister, always was the first to tend to you and your sisters’ scraped knees and bruised hearts.  She’ll be the family’s matriarch someday, you realize:  the person who will hold you all together, who will gather you up for holidays and celebrations and moments of grief long after your parents are gone.

“A little distance from Bob Floyd will cure what ails you,” she jokes, and you have to agree.  Tomorrow you’re supposed to fly out with Bob, and the thought of his hand in yours, his reassuring voice right by your ear…you can’t do it.  You’ll snap and say something you won’t be able to take back.

That evening, in the hotel room, you call the airline and cancel your ticket.  You book a rental car instead.

-----

You don’t see Bob Floyd again.  The two of you are supposed to meet in the lobby the next morning to share a ride to the airport, but you wake up earlier and leave alone, bound for the rental car part of the airport.

Decided to drive back, you text Bob.  Enjoy your flight and thanks for all your help!

He doesn’t text you back.  He calls.

“Is everything okay?” he asks, and for the first time since you’ve met him, his voice is deeper, edged in real concern.  “You’re driving back to California?  It’s eight hours or more.”

“I just wanted to clear my head.”  It’s not a lie, and the reason falls easily from your lips.

“But you’ve not been sleeping well, and you were sick last night,” he points out.  “Should you even be driving?  Flying is safer anyway, and it’s only a two hour flight—”

You cut him off gently.  You tell him that you’ve already cancelled your ticket, that an eight-hour drive is nothing.  That you want a little alone time to think.  That a road trip through the desert with the music blasting is sometimes just the cure for what ails.

“I promise I’m okay to drive.”  You’re touched by his concern, and you realize that your bravado was false, that it isn’t just a dumb crush.  Bob Floyd is a genuinely good man.  Of course you fell for him.

And if it isn’t just a dumb crush, then the only way to handle it is to endure it.  There’s no cure but time.

“Well, let me know when you make it home,” he finally concedes.  “Team Prime looks out for its own.”

You smile in spite of your crushing self-pity.  “Team Prime.  I’ll text you when I’m back.”

You end the call, and you situate yourself in your rental car.  Challenging situations always make you want to flee, but you were right too:  a road trip is a good time to think, to turn over your muddle thoughts and sort them out.  To clear the head, ease the heart.  

You pull out into the Nevada sunshine and turn towards home:  the sun rising at your back in the east, and maybe the possibility of finding love, as Hannah said, to the west.

*****

Bob frowns when you cut that call, and for the entire plane ride home (the seat beside him still empty; there were no standbys), he mulls it over.

You had been so gregarious, so funny and sweet in the months since he’s met you.  Despite the overwhelming pressure of the wedding planning, you were level-headed.  Managed to joke about it all.  When he stepped in to help, you thanked him profusely, called him a life-saver, called him your hero.  

It was easy to let it get to his head, a little.  People rarely noticed Lieutenant Robert Floyd, and it made him feel good to be seen by such a sweetly cheerful woman.

Something happened in Vegas, and he couldn’t put his finger on it.  It’s like a switch was thrown.  The chipper demeanor disappeared, but it wasn’t like you were sullen or angry.  You seemed pained, almost, on the verge of tears a few times that he noticed.  You tried to pretend you were okay, and that made it sadder, more perplexing.  Whatever you were going through, you were trying to power through it, hide it.

He tried to draw you out by talking about his own impending wedding, talking about Jessica…but after a while, something about that line of conversation made his stomach dip and twist unpleasantly.  

He had been looking forward to the flight home.  That got to his head too, the way you clung to his hand the entire flight to Vegas, the way you needed him to get through it.  The shaky exhale you gave when the plane finally touched down.  The shaky, embarrassed laugh, then the half-hug in your seats, the two of you twisted towards each other, as you wrapped your arm around his shoulders and thanked him profusely.

He likes being needed, he finds.  Not in an extreme way, or an unhealthy codependent way.  He just likes being needed by someone once in a while, for little things like that—sketching out a seating chart, being a bulwark against a fear of flying.  Jessica never seems to need him, and it—

Bob pushes the thought out of his head.  He won’t compare the two of you.  He won’t.

The entire flight home, he mulls you over.  The drive back to base too.  He calls Jessica to hear her voice and he gives her the abridged version of the Vegas trip.  He runs errands:  restocks his refrigerator, does laundry, presses his uniform shirts and pants.  He goes for a jog, then hits the gym on base, lifts until his arms burn.

He goes home and showers, and then he settles in front of the TV.  He dozes off and wakes in the middle of the night with a start, his heart hammering in his chest and the taste of pennies in his mouth.

He has no idea what’s wrong until he checks his phone, notes the time…and notes that you haven’t called or texted.

Bob scrubs his face with his hands.  He makes his way to the bathroom, splashes himself with water.  He studies his own reflection, and even with his glasses off, he can see the worry writ all over his expression.

Maybe she got tired and pulled off for the night, he thinks.  Or maybe she just forgot to let me know she’s home.

That’s what he imagines when he moves to his bed and tries to fall back asleep—he imagines you home in your own apartment, the cozy little space that is so perfectly you.  He imagines you returning the rental car, showering off the road dust, then turning in for a long, well-earned sleep.

When he finally drifts off, his dreams are unsettling, and he wakes early, coated in a thin sheen of sweat despite the AC running at top capacity.

“Something’s wrong,” he mutters aloud to the empty bedroom.  He can feel it in his gut.  Something is off, and just as he makes up his mind to call you, to check in on you, even if it’s rude and even if he wakes you up, his phone lights up with an incoming call.

From Eric.

Eric, his best friend, his oldest friend.  Eric, who rarely calls and who prefers to text.  Eric, who only calls—especially at four-thirty in the morning—when there’s bad news.  

Eric, the most unflappable man that Bob has ever known, openly, obviously trying to hide the tears in his voice.  In the background, Bob can hear a woman crying—Hannah—as Eric relays the news:  the only other member of Team Prime, the best of the best like him, was struck in a head-on collision by a speeding driver.  

That you were life-flighted to the nearest trauma center, but that the prospects for your survival are so bleak that the attending surgeon told your father over the phone to not entertain much hope.  That the doctor asked if you had a religion, if there was perhaps a priest or pastor or rabbi…someone who might come and offer final blessing, last rites, whatever.

“We’re trying to get everyone here,” Eric says.  “Dude, what do I…I mean, what can I even do?  If a doctor says…fuck, Bob, I don’t know what to do—”

Bob says the only thing he can think of, an echo of what he texted to you all those months ago.

“Tell me what you need,” he says, and he keeps his voice level despite the emotion—shock, sorrow, burgeoning guilt—coursing through him like electricity.  “Tell me what you need and I’ll do it.”

#bob floyd #bob floyd x reader #bob floyd imagine #robert floyd #robert floyd x reader #robert floyd imagine #top gun maverick #tropes and tales

[healthanddietblog]

Top 5 Most Popular NGOs in India

Top 5 Most Popular NGOs in India

TOP FIVE NGOS IN INDIA 1. Servant of the people’s society 2. SMILE FOUNDATION 3. NANHI KALI 4. GIVEINDIA FOUNDATION 5. HELP INDIA SERVANT OF HUMAN COMPANY 1. Servant of the people’s society The cornerstone of our company was laid in 1956 by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first President of India. The Delhi office is located in the same complex opposite Moolchand Metro Station, Lajpat Nagar-IV, New…

View On WordPress

#best distance learning graduate schools

[crypticslytherin]

Moonlight Confessions || Ominis Gaunt

————————————

Pairings: Ominis Gaunt x Fem Reader

Summary: At the end of Seventh Year, you decide it's time to finally confess your feelings to Ominis, who had distanced himself from you at the end of Fifth Year.

Word Count: 4247

Hope you enjoy! C:

⚯͛▕⃝⃤ ⚯͛▕⃝⃤ ⚯͛▕⃝⃤ ⚯͛▕⃝⃤ ⚯͛▕⃝⃤ ⚯͛▕⃝⃤

Seventh Year at Hogwarts was drawing to a close, and despite only spending three years at the magical school, you found yourself wishing for more time. However, a glimmer of excitement about the future and life after Hogwarts tempered you. Madam Howin had recognized your passion for magical beasts and recommended you for a post-graduation program. You would shadow a Creature Control Officer for a few months, an opportunity that filled you with hope for the future. The prospect of capturing and rehabilitating dangerous beasts seemed like a rewarding career path, and it made saying goodbye to Hogwarts bittersweet.

Since Fifth Year, things had changed. You had settled into the routine of being a regular student, no longer tasked with saving the Wizarding World from evil wizards and goblins. While relaxing, it also felt somewhat dull. Most of your free time was spent with Poppy, your best friend, still defeating poachers and rescuing beasts. Sebastian remained a friend, though not as close as before. After the events that unfolded, Sebastian, Ominis, and you had grown apart, a fact that weighed heavily on your heart as you reminisced about the good times shared among the three of you.

Ominis had become a lone wolf, withdrawing from others and keeping to himself. Despite your attempts to reconnect during Sixth Year, he brushed you off each time, always preoccupied or in a hurry. It pained you, but you understood his feelings. He harbored resentment towards you for siding with Sebastian after he killed his uncle, and learning about your use of unforgivable curses only widened the divide. You never had the chance to fully explain yourself to him.

It was difficult not to speak to him, especially in classes and shared spaces at Hogwarts. Your eyes would often linger on him, and many nights were spent silently crying behind the curtains of your bed. Yet, as time passed, you realized you had to accept the reality of the situation. Despite classmates whispering about him being a Gaunt and untrustworthy, you always defended Ominis, knowing his true character and the kindness within his heart, regardless of his past.

As the final days at Hogwarts approached, the uncertainty of whether you would ever see Ominis again weighed heavily on your mind.

All Seventh Year students had completed their NEWTs yesterday, and tonight marked the Year End Celebration, a special event exclusively for the graduating class. It was a final celebration before departing from Hogwarts and venturing into the world as graduates. As you woke up in the morning, you stretched beneath your sheets, taking in a deep breath followed by a yawn.

"Good morning, Y/N," Natty greeted from the next bed over. "I was worried you'd never wake up."

You glanced at your friend with one eye, the other still pressed against your pillow. Chuckling softly, you rolled over. The morning sun streamed through the windows of your shared dorm room, casting a warm glow against the red and gold decor. Natty was already dressed in her Gryffindor robes, her legs dangling off the side of her bed as she giggled at you.

Today, you were headed to Gladrags to pick up your dress for tonight's celebration. Graduating from Hogwarts was a momentous occasion, and you wanted to be sure you looked your best. Throwing off your bed quilt, you climbed out of bed and swiftly changed into a grey skirt and white blouse. Robes felt unnecessary now that exams were over, and classes had ended. All that remained was to await your NEWT results and enjoy the festivities.

With a quick goodbye, you apparated from your dorm room to the center of Hogsmeade. Floo Flames seemed pointless now that you had mastered apparition. It was surprising that they waited until Seventh Year to teach this charm; its convenience would have been valuable in the past. Despite its risks, the benefits outweighed them.

Entering Gladrags, the bell on the door chimed, announcing your arrival. Augustus Hill greeted you with a wide smile, his hands clapping together with excitement as you smiled back at him.

"Ahh, Y/N!" he exclaimed, as if he had been eagerly awaiting your arrival all day. "I'm so pleased to see you. Come, come," he motioned with his hand for you to join him behind the counter. You nearly skipped over, the anticipation of seeing your dress making your heart beat a little faster. The two of you made your way into the back room, which was filled with rolls of fabrics, enchanted sewing machines, and nearly anything else you could wish for to create any type of garment.

Augustus retrieved a hanger from a rack in the far end of the room, the dress hidden under a protective paper barrier. He returned to you, carefully beginning to remove the covering.

"Prepare to be amazed," he said with a smile. With one swift movement, the paper was pulled away from the hanger, and you gasped softly as you laid your eyes on your dress for the first time.

The dress was a floor-length gown, flowing and elegant. Made of deep red silk, it was adorned with intricate patterns and details, intercepted with hints of shimmering gold, adding a touch of luxury. The silhouette was graceful and flowing, cascading down into gentle folds. The neckline was modest yet elegant, catching the light and shimmering subtly as the sun poured in through the shuttered windows. It was mesmerizing, more beautiful than you had imagined.

"Merlin," you whispered, approaching it slowly, your fingers tracing along the luxurious material. "This is incredible."

"I know!" Augustus exclaimed. With a flick of his wand, a brown box floated out from one of the shelves and rested on a nearby table. The dress folded neatly into its package, which was then sealed up with a ribbon. "Ta-da," he spoke with a laugh.

"Thank you so much, Augustus. I can't thank you enough," you said, gently lifting the box from the table and clutching it to your chest.

"It was a pleasure, Y/N. That boy is sure to turn his head when he sees you tonight," Augustus said, winking at you.

"What boy?" you responded with a chuckle, warmth spreading through your cheeks, turning them a shade of pink. Augustus crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"You know what boy," he replied, his eyes rolling as he laughed softly. "Take care, my dear."

If only he knew that boy would never see this dress.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With Poppy's assistance, you slipped into your gown. She used her wand to cinch up the back, causing you to feel a momentary tightness around your chest. She giggled softly and adjusted the ties, giving you some much-needed breathing room. Standing before the mirror, your hair elegantly braided, wisps framing your face, you couldn't help but smile at your reflection. You looked stunning.

Once both of you were ready, you made your way to the Great Hall. Other Seventh Years, accompanied by their friends, were also heading there, all dressed in their finest attire. As you approached the doors, the sounds of excitement from within grew louder.

Upon entering the Great Hall, you were greeted by a magical transformation. Enchanted decorations, ice sculptures, and elegant decor adorned the room, creating a magical atmosphere. The floating candles cast a warm glow, illuminating the festivities below. Students were already dancing to the music of enchanted instruments that played on their own. You exchanged a smile with Poppy before turning your attention back to the celebration.

Your eyes scanned the room, reminiscing about Augustus's earlier mention of "that boy." You kept an eye out for a familiar blonde head and hazy blue eyes. There were only so many opportunities to speak with Ominis, even if it was just to say goodbye or wish him luck. This time, you were determined not to let him slip away.

Sebastian stood proudly with the Slytherin Quidditch Team, his boisterous demeanor as familiar as ever. Having been a Chaser for the past two years, he now held the position of team captain. Despite not being a Slytherin yourself, you faithfully attended every game to cheer him on. Sebastian had dreams of becoming a professional Quidditch player, his talent evident with every match. As he told his friends exaggerated tales, his gaze found yours, and he called you over with an enthusiastic wave.

Poppy had already left your side, whisked away by a Ravenclaw companion she had grown close to. Making your way to Sebastian, a sudden wave of self-consciousness washed over you. You had never presented yourself like this in front of your friends, particularly not Sebastian. Your usual encounters with him involved being covered in dirt and blood, clothes torn and tattered from your escapades.

"Y/N!" Sebastian exclaimed, enveloping you in a tight hug as you reciprocated, offering a gentle pat on his back. The scent of liquor lingered on his breath, a clear sign that he had already indulged in the evening's festivities. Chuckling, you pulled away, noticing the short glass in his hand filled with a brown liquid.

"You're really letting loose, huh?" you teased, a playful smile gracing your lips. Sebastian rolled his eyes, his smile unwavering as he swirled the drink in his hand.

"Got to make it a night to remember," he replied, taking a quick sip. His gaze drifted over you, a subtle widening of his eyes betraying his surprise. "Merlin, Y/N... you look... different."

"That's very charming of you, Sallow," you responded, your eyebrows furrowing slightly but still maintaining a smile. "I'm sure you'll make some lucky witch very happy one day."

Sebastian's eyes widened, color draining from his face as he held his hands out defensively. "No, no, no. That's not what I meant. You look... beautiful."

"Only teasing," you reassured, lightly hitting his arm. The color returned to his cheeks as he placed a hand over his heart with relief.

"You... that's evil, Y/N," he joked, laughter filling the air as you glanced around the room once more.

Across the room, leaning against the wall, was Ominis. One foot propped against the wall, arms crossed, his demeanor soft as he gazed around the room. You found yourself staring at him, lost in thought until Sebastian's whisper snapped you out of your gaze.

"Go," he urged, his head near your shoulder as he nodded towards Ominis. "And Y/N... tell him I wish him the best. And that I miss him dearly."

You nodded softly, offering Sebastian a farewell kiss on the cheek. His words resonated deeply; Sebastian had truly missed Ominis. They had been each other's rock, experiencing so much together over the years. Sebastian's devastation at the loss of their friendship, along with Anne's departure, had led to a period of spiraling. Thankfully, you had been there to help pick up the pieces and support him until Quidditch consumed his life in Sixth Year.

Swiftly, you crossed the room, making your way to Ominis. Stopping a few steps away from him, you took a deep breath, trying to calm your nerves.

Ominis had undergone changes over the years. Older and taller, he retained his slender frame. His blonde hair remained unchanged, but his face had matured, his features becoming more defined. His jawline was strong, his cheeks angular, and his eyebrows sharply arched. His skin seemed like marble, chiseled to perfection by the Gods, and his milky blue eyes appeared even more mesmerizing. Despite his blindness, there was an intensity to his gaze that seemed to see beyond mere sight, delving into the depths of perception. He remained mysterious to those who didn't know him well.

Grateful that he couldn't see you admiring him, you mustered the courage to approach him. His head turned slowly in your direction as the sound of your heels echoed against the floor. Though his arms remained crossed over his chest, his foot gently dropped to the floor.

"Hello?" he asked quietly, awaiting a response.

"Hi, Ominis," you replied, now only a foot away from him. His eyebrows raised slowly, blinking in response as his arms dropped to his sides, his expression unchanged.

"Oh. Hello, Y/N," he responded, turning his head back towards the music.

"Are you... enjoying yourself?" you asked tentatively, unsure how to break the ice. You internally kicked yourself for attempting small talk, knowing Ominis hated it.

"Is that why you came over here? To see if I was enjoying myself?" he asked, still facing the music. Embarrassment washed over you. This wasn't going as smoothly as you had hoped. But at least he wasn't trying to escape.

"No," you responded quietly.

"Well then, what is it?" he asked softly.

"Would you..." you began, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear, "...dance with me?"

Ominis turned his head to face you, his eyes widening ever so slightly. Taking a small step closer, you gently placed your hand in his, bracing for his reaction. To your surprise, he gently gripped your hand in return. Relief flooded over you at the gesture. Without a word, you slowly led Ominis onto the dance floor, feeling his thumb caress your skin as you moved together.

As the slow, melodic notes filled the air, you and Ominis began to sway together on the dance floor. His hand rested gently on your waist, while your other hand was clasped in his. With each gentle movement, you felt a sense of calm wash over you, as if all the worries of the world had faded away. Lost in the moment, you moved in perfect harmony, savoring the closeness between you. The world around you seemed to disappear as you danced without speaking. As the song came to an end, you both slowed your movements, lingering in each other's embrace, cherishing the intimacy of the dance.

"I've missed you," you said softly, your gaze lingering on his features, each one familiar and dear to you. His smile, as warm as ever, mirrored your sentiment, softening his expression in a way that felt like coming home.

"I've missed you too," he replied, his voice carrying a weight of longing that matched yours. The shared moment between you felt timeless, and for a fleeting instant, you wished you could freeze time and remain in this embrace forever, his hands on you, his smile a beacon of comfort.

But as if on cue, the warmth of the moment began to fade, slipping away like sand through your fingers. His smile vanished, and he withdrew his hand from your waist, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I... I have to go."

With a suddenness that left you reeling, Ominis hurried past you, his wand casting a red glow to guide his way. You watched him disappear through the Great Hall doors, a sense of urgency propelling him forward, leaving you standing there, suspended in the wake of his departure.

Sebastian's eyes met yours, his silent gesture urging you to follow. With a determined nod, you maneuvered through the crowd, pushing past students until you burst through the doors into the Viaduct Courtyard. The red light of Ominis's wand beckoned from across the bridge, seemingly motionless.

Heart pounding, you raced across the bridge, the echo of your footsteps filling the air. The cool summer breeze brushed against your skin, sending a shiver down your spine as you closed the distance between you and Ominis.

As you reached him, he sat on a bench, his head bowed, hands cradling his face. Breathless, you came to a halt before him, determination coursing through you.

"No," you spoke firmly, your voice cutting through the silence. "You are not running away. Not this time."

Ominis lifted his head, tears staining his cheeks, his eyes red and swollen. Confusion flickered across your features as you met his gaze.

"You're crying?" you asked softly, a mixture of concern and frustration coloring your tone. How could he cry now, when you had shed tears over him for years?

He stood, wiping his eyes roughly. "Yes, Y/N. I am. Now, leave me alone," he demanded.

"No!" you exclaimed, your frustration boiling over. "I'm not leaving you alone. I've spent two years doing that, Ominis. I'm not going anywhere." Stepping closer, you grasped his hands in yours, refusing to let him push you away.

"Y/N," he began, but you cut him off, the floodgates of emotion breaking open.

"Two years, Ominis. Two years of wishing I could share my days with you, of longing for your presence, of needing you by my side," you confessed, your voice trembling with emotion. Tears welled up in your eyes, blurring your vision as you poured out your heart.

"I needed you, Ominis. And I think you needed me too," you said, the weight of your words hanging heavily in the air between you. Ominis raised his head, his breath brushing against your face. His breathing was shaky, fingers trembling. "At least let me say goodbye," you whispered.

Ominis swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing as he blinked slowly. "Y/N," he started, his eyes flickering down before returning to your direction, "After everything that happened at the end of Fifth Year... I was horrified. It all began when Sebastian cast Crucio on you. I couldn't bear hearing you in so much pain." He squeezed your hands a little too tightly.

"But that was my choice," you responded quietly.

"That's not the point. When Sebastian... killed Soloman, I realized the path he had taken. And knowing you were by his side changed things," Ominis said, pain evident in his voice. "As long as you were with Sebastian, you weren't safe. I couldn't stand by and watch you become like him."

"You don't understand, Ominis. After that, things did change. Not the way you might think. Sebastian fell apart without you, without Anne. I was the only person he had left, and I helped put him back together. There's no more dark magic, no more curses, no more dangerous escapades in the middle of the night," you told him, squeezing his hands tightly. His expression softened, and you noticed him biting the inside of his lip. "At the beginning of Sixth Year, Sebastian and I... drifted apart. Just as you and I had. I tried to tell you so many times... but you kept running, refusing to speak to me. I had to give up, give you what you wanted."

"And what is it that you think I wanted?" Ominis asked quietly, his voice firm and unwavering.

You looked into his eyes, searching his face for a hint of emotion. He was hard to read at times, and you began to feel hopeless. You gave your head the smallest shake, slowly releasing his hands from your grasp.

"To be alone," you responded, biting the inside of your cheek, tears welling in your eyes.

"No, Y/N," he responded, shaking his head, a strand of hair falling from his head and draping in front of his eyes. "No one wants to be alone. However, it is best for me. I'm a Gaunt. It's not realistic for me to care so deeply for another. I had to distance myself."

Your heart fluttered softly at his words, a glimmer of hope emerging within you. Maybe there was a chance to turn things around, or so you hoped. "Why?" you asked, your voice barely more than a whisper.

"I know my duty to my family, to our bloodline," he explained, his voice still quiet. "I was never supposed to find love, to care so deeply for another being. I'm to be married after we leave Hogwarts." He scratched at the back of his neck, avoiding your gaze. His confession left you feeling sick to your stomach, regret gnawing at you for not speaking up sooner, though you wondered if it would have made any difference given the circumstances. "Y/N, my love for you ran deep. I was terrified. I couldn't allow myself to be in that position. I knew nothing could ever come of it. And I was aware of how strongly you cared for Sebastian."

You ran your hands over your face, stepping back from him as you struggled to process his words. Silent tears streaked down your cheeks, a mixture of sorrow and frustration consuming you. A part of you wanted to kiss him, while another part wanted to lash out. "What do you mean I cared so strongly for Sebastian?" you asked, your voice rising, the echo of your heels against the stone floor punctuating your words. Halting your movements, you returned to him, gripping the sides of his biceps. "It was never Sebastian. It was always you. Do you know how devastated I was when you pushed me away? How many nights I spent crying myself to sleep?"

Ominis remained silent, appearing uncomfortable and taken aback by your outburst. You scoffed softly, releasing your hold on him once again. "I'm sorry," he finally murmured, his voice barely audible. You placed your hands on your hips, turning away from him.

 "I'm sorry," Ominis repeated, his voice carrying a weight of regret. "I didn't realize... I didn't understand the depth of your feelings."

You shook your head, wiping away tears with the back of your hand. "It doesn't matter now," you said, your voice choked with emotion.

"But it does matter," Ominis responded firmly, stepping forward and gently grasping your arm, turning you around to face him.

"No, it doesn't. You're to be married, Ominis. There's nothing more I can say," you replied, attempting to pull your arm from his grip. He held on tighter, refusing to let go, his expression softening as he searched your eyes.

"Tell me that you love me," he said strongly, pulling you closer until you were mere inches apart. "Tell me that you want me. Tell me to run away with you, that you're willing to sacrifice everything for me. Tell me that regardless of everything that has happened, you long for me." His breath brushed against your face, and you couldn't help but feel a surge of unexpected emotion at his words. They were earnest, serious, and it caught you off guard. With a small whimper, you spoke.

"I love you, Ominis," you admitted, reaching up to run your hand through his blonde strands, causing him to shiver at the unexpected touch. "I have always loved you."

Ominis moved swiftly, his hand finding the back of your neck as he pulled you into a longing kiss. A soft moan escaped your lips at the sensation, his hunger and passion evident as he drew you closer to him. His other arm wrapped around you, holding you tightly as your lips met in a fervent dance. Lost in the moment, you tangled your fingers in the hair at the back of his head, feeling butterflies fluttering in your stomach as warmth enveloped you. It felt like the world was spinning, the taste of mint and desire on his lips overwhelming your senses. He smelled of clean linen and old book pages, a comforting scent that made you feel safe in his embrace as your other hand traveled up his side.

As Ominis pulled back, the two of you quietly gasped for breath, foreheads pressed together. "Continue," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

You released his hair, running your hand along the side of his head until it rested on his cheek. "I want you. I want to be with you," you confessed, pressing your forehead against his a little more. "I don't want to say goodbye, Ominis. I'd run away with you, sacrifice everything, if that's what it takes."

Ominis moved his hand from the back of your neck, gently tracing his fingers along your jawline before cupping your chin between his fingers. Leaning in, he placed a tender kiss on your lips, and you found yourself leaning further into him, relishing every sensation.

As he pulled back, the space between you small enough for whispered words, he spoke softly, his gaze intense. "I love you, Y/N. More than anything. More than what my family expects of me. More than what is considered safe or practical."

You felt your heart swell at his confession, the weight of his words washing over you like a warm embrace. It was a moment you had longed for, a moment of vulnerability and honesty that deepened the connection between you. "If you're serious, Y/N, I will leave with you. I'd follow you to the ends of the earth if you truly love me."

Your eyes shimmered with emotion as you gazed at him, wondering if he meant every word, afraid that this opportunity might slip away. "I mean it. I can't bear the thought of never seeing you again. I don't want to be without you, especially now."

Ominis smiled, his expression tender as he nodded in understanding. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to your forehead, trailing soft kisses down your temple and cheek before capturing your lips in a long, tender kiss. "Then you won't," he murmured against your lips, sealing the promise with his embrace.

And in that moment, as you stood entwined in each other's arms, you knew that no matter what the future held, as long as you had each other, you could overcome anything. With renewed hope and boundless love, you were ready to embark on this journey together, hand in hand, into the unknown.

#ominis gaunt #ominis x mc #hogwarts legacy ominis #ominis x y/n #ominis imagine #ominis x you #hogwarts legacy #hogwarts #fanfic #ominis gaunt imagine #Ominis gaunt one shot #ominis gaunt x mc #ominis gaunt fanfiction #sebastian sallow #harry potter

[topguncortez]

Not Dead Until You're Warm and Dead || Whumptober day 7 - R. Abbott

whumtpober masterlist || whumtpober taglist form

synopsis: Your and Rhett's relationship had been anything but easy between bull riding and lies. But you had hoped that you would be enough for him to come back alive.

word count: 2.8k

@ailesswhumptober prompt: flatline

warnings: cursing, mentions of cheating, mentions of sex, mentions of drug and alcohol abuse, death, character death, allusion of suicide.

When Rhett first laid eyes on Y/N, he knew she was the one for him. He had missed his chance with Maria, holding back on his feelings and letting her walk out of his life. But when he saw her standing on the fence line as he lowered himself onto his bull, he knew that she was going to be his wife. He held on for his life, lasting the whole eight seconds, and impressing her. The boost of confidence from the ride was what he needed to go over and talk to her. Her cheeks turned red as he invited her for a dance, telling him that she couldn’t dance to save her life, but he assured her that it was okay. He had kissed her that night. 

After that night, Y/N basically disappeared. She was nowhere to be found and it seemed like no one really knew who she was. Rhett had asked around town, asking pretty much everyone where the y/h/c girl went and who she was. It had dawned on Rhett, he never got her name. When Rhett was ready to give up, throwing in the towel that she was just a one-night stand sort of girl (even though they didn’t hook up) he received a call from an unknown number. 

“Hello?” He asked, creasing his eyebrows. 

“Rhett Abbott,” Her voice was like honey, and Rhett chuckled to himself. 

“How did you get my number but I never even got your name?” 

“I asked a friend,” She smiled. 

“I asked a friend about you, but it seems like you are just some figure of my imagination.” 

“I can assure you that I am not.”

They had talked for hours on the phone after Y/N had explained who she was. She was originally from Amelia County, but as soon as she graduated high school, she packed her bags and went to the coast. She would occasionally fly back to Wyoming, the last time she flew back was to watch her little brother ride against Rhett. Neither one had noticed the sunset, the moon rising in the sky, or the first strands of the orange morning sun. Rhett woke up to his alarm clock and looked down at his phone to notice that he was still on the line with her. He smiled to himself and whispered ‘sweet dreams darlin’’ before hanging up. 

And that’s how it went for weeks. He would call Y/N after dinner and they would talk for hours about everything under the sun. He learned that she was studying to be a nurse, in her third year at USC. Y/N learned that Rhett had made it to the finals, and she was already looking at flights to come watch him. Rhett rode one of his best rides when he noticed her smile in the stands during the finals. He focused on her the whole time, and the second he heard that buzzer go off, his mind was locked on finding her. The next morning they found themselves wrapped up in each other's arms. 

They continued their relationship long distance for about two years until she graduated college. Rhett had saved up his rodeo money packed up his truck and headed out west. He stuck out like a sore thumb as he walked around campus in his levis and blue flannel. He was going over in his head what he was going to say to her. The last time he had seen her was over six months ago when she had flown home for Thanksgiving. Rhett was going to propose to her, he had already asked her dad for her hand in marriage. He easily found her dorm room and waited on the bench until she came out. 

“Why look at what we have here? You lost Cowboy?” Y/N asked as she walked out the door. Rhett stood up, holding the bouquet of carnations in his hands.

“Slightly,” Rhett said with his usual half smile, “For you,” 

“Thank you, love,” Y/N took the flowers, and then placed her hand on his face and brought him in for a kiss. 

Their date went off without a hitch, Rhett taking her to a lookout spot that he had heard about. He laid some blankets down in the back of his truck and shared the sandwiches and stuff he had prepared. She talked about her final days at university and how she got a good job at the children’s hospital nearby. Rhett told her about how he had finally gotten away from his family, and Y/N was shocked. She never thought she’d see the day when Rhett Abbott left his family’s ranch, but here he was. He took her to the one-bedroom apartment he got which was covered in boxes. He tucked his shaking hands in his pockets as Y/N walked around the small place and explored. 

“Rhett this place is- what are you doing?” 

“I’m proposing,” Rhett said, as he was down on one knee with the ring box in his hand. 

“I know, why?” 

“Because I love you enough that I want to be with you forever.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, really,” 

“Yeah, yes! Yes!” 

Rhett placed the ring on her finger and held her tightly in his arms. He made love to her for hours that night, trying to make their bodies as close as possible. They felt as if they had truly become one, their hearts, minds, and souls. 

Their wedding was small, held back home in Wabang. Perry and Royal had worked hard to clean up one of the barns so they could have a reception out there. It was no secret to Royal that he wasn’t thrilled about the wedding and his youngest son fleeing out west. He had hoped that Rhett would take over the ranch when Royal couldn’t do it anymore. Perry was happy to see his brother finally settle down and had hoped that this would stick. Cecilia was also happy to have another daughter in the family. The two of them seemed very fairytale-like as Rhett held his new wife close to his chest as they swayed on the dance floor. But the honeymoon feeling came crashing down quickly. 

Their first fight had been an ugly one, over Rhett’s drinking. Years of riding bulls and popping painkillers had become a second nature to him, something he quite couldn’t let go of. Rhett had found a farm to work as an extra hand, but it was quite enough for him. He thought when he left Wabang and chased after the woman he loved that it would be enough. Having her be his, his own Mrs. Abbott, would be everything he had ever dreamed of, and it was. But he fell back into his old ways. Y/N would get pissed as he’d stumble in at odd hours of the night as she was trying to sleep before her early morning shifts. She had finally had enough of it. 

“Jesus Christ Rhett,” Y/N cursed under her breath as she looked at the drunk man who had just knocked over something, “Why do you constantly do this shit.” 

“Do what? I’m too fucking drunk to do this shit with you right now.” Rhett slurred. 

“Well Rhett! The hell do you expect!? This is the fourth night in a row you have come home completely trashed. You keep doing this shit, enough is enough,” Y/N yelled. 

“What do you mean?” Rhett sobered up as she climbed out of bed, and grabbed a bag from her closet, “What are you doing?” 

“I’m leaving.” 

“No, baby please, I’m sorry,” Rhett grabbed her hands to try and stop her, “Please, you can’t leave me,” Rhett’s voice cracked, “You’re all I have. I left everything behind to be with you. I have nothing.”  

“I never asked you to do that,” She bit back tears. 

“I know, baby, please don’t leave me.” 

And she didn’t. She stayed by his side, even when he told her that he was going back to riding. She was actually proud of him for getting back on the bull. He had done his best to stay away from the temptation of the old life; the booze, the pills, the pussy. But old habits die hard. His body was older now, taking rougher beatings when he would get bucked off. He would have a simple celebratory drink with the guys after the rodeos. Rhett found himself out later at night, coming home to a quiet house with his wife at work. Their schedules hardly ever matched up. He got bored of using his hand in the shower, and he could hardly remember the last time he and his wife made love. 

He didn’t fuck them at first. He’d only let them suck him off before a ride, releasing the tension. But that only did so much. The rodeo hands seemed to look the other way when it came to his infidelity. He’d fuck the no-name buckle bunny before the ride, not bothering to learn their names or even show them an ounce of respect. He saw them as playthings to fill the void he was missing from his wife. He thought he was good at hiding it, but Y/N had always been smart. 

She knew that he was hiding something from him. She could tell in the way he wouldn’t touch her, his kisses were just pecks, and he avoided looking into her eyes. Y/N had even seen it with her own eyes at one of his rides. She had gotten the night off of work last minute and decided to surprise him. The whole crew seemed to act weird and barely paid her any attention as she walked through the trailers to find him. The smile ran away from her face the second she saw him walk out of his trailer, fixing his belt, and a bombshell blonde walking out behind him. Y/N felt her heart break as she leaned against the side of the trailer away from his eyes. 

Y/N felt bile rising in her throat as she emptied the contents of her stomach. Rhett heard the sounds of someone retching and walked around the side to see his wife. His eyes widened as he ran over to her, and moved her hair back. 

“No!” Y/N cried and pushed his hands off of her. 

“Baby, you’re sick, let me-” 

“Get the fuck away from me!” She yelled and Rhett stepped back in shock, “Fuck you, Rhett! I saw you! How could you?” 

“Babe I’m-” 

“Your shit will be in the driveway.” 

Rhett had come home that night to exactly what she said, his stuff in the driveway, but he wasn’t ready to throw in the towel just yet. So he sat outside the front door and waited for her. Y/N felt bad when she saw him in the morning and let him in. She ignored him the best she possibly could, but it was hard to do. Rhett could hear her break down while she was in the bathroom and it made him shed a tear himself. He sat on their bed and waited for her to come out of the shower, he could see the dried tear stains on her cheeks. 

“I promise you, I’ll never ride again. I never wanted to hurt you.” 

And he had stayed true to his word. He had told his dad over the phone that he had officially given up riding. That he and Y/N had decided to start trying for a family. Rhett didn’t want to spend his time away from his family or worse, like some of the legends in Bull Riding, dead or gravely injured. Rhett had stayed away from the rodeo life for about six months. And in those six months, Y/N and he worked on their marriage. They went to therapy, talking out their transgression and disagreements. They got back to the basics, bringing back romance into their lives; going on dates and trips. They had some of the best sex they had in years. They had both seemed to forget what had happened six months ago until he got that call from Royal. 

“I told her I wasn’t going to ride,” Rhett whispered as he stood in the kitchen. He was making breakfast for Y/N, after a busy night of lovemaking. 

“We’re in danger of going bankrupt, we need this,” Royal said, “We can’t lose the farm.” 

“There’s nothing you can do?” Rhett ran a hand down his face. 

“You know I wouldn’t have asked you to do this if there was,” 

“Fine,” Rhett said, “When is the ride?” 

“Three days.” 

“Three fucking days?! That’s our anniversary.” 

“I’m sorry Rhett.” 

“I gotta go, she’ll be up soon.” 

Rhett had gone to the rodeo by himself, it didn’t bother him, he was used to going by himself. It did make him a little upset that she didn’t even bother to come with him. He stood in the waiting area as he waited for the name of the bull he would be riding. The second he was given the bull, he knew it was a lost cause. The bull was impossible, no one had been successful in completing a ride. His team gave him a pat on the back and Rhett gave them a shy smile. The first person he had called was her. 

“Is there anything you can do?” Y/N asked. She was sitting on the back porch of their house, looking out at the waves as they crashed on the sand. 

“You know how these things go,” Rhett said as he leaned up against the side of his trailer. 

“I don’t like this Rhett,” She said honestly. Silent tears were running down her face. 

Rhett could hear the sadness in her voice, and could only picture the tears running down her face as she looked out at the setting sun, “I know you don’t. But I promise, I’ll come home to you.” 

“You fucking better Mr. Abbott,” She sniffed and wiped her tears away. 

“I will, Mrs. Abbott,” He smiled back, “I gotta go okay, I promise I’ll call you right after.” 

“I love you Rhett.” 

“I love you Y/N.” 

She had watched the clock, as she settled down in a chair in front of the fireplace. The class of whisky was cold in her hands as she counted down the seconds until Rhett’s ride. Rhett said a small prayer as he walked up the metal steps towards the bullpen. The crowd was going wild as he waved his hand and greeted his team. They helped him down on the bull, and it already was bucking the second Rhett put his weight on the animal. Once it settled, Rhett tied the rope around his hand, making sure he had a tight grip on it. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath, seeing glimpses of his future life with Y/N, a few kids, and a beautiful house back home on the Abbott Ranch. Rhett opened his eyes the second they opened the gate. It didn’t last long until a consuming darkness filled his eyes once again. 

Time seemed to tick on slowly, and her eyes never left the clock as she waited for the call from Rhett. Assuming from the time it had taken from the ride until now, that it hadn’t gone well. Everyone in the community knew that the bull Rhett had was a troublesome one. It was known for bucking off its riders in the first couple seconds. The second her phone rang, she picked it up. His name hadn’t even slipped past her lips when his team manager told her what had happened. Her heart was shattered in her chest as she dropped the phone on the carpet. Her knees shook as she collapsed to the ground screaming out his name. 

Her eyes were blurred with tears and her head was spinning as she pushed herself up from the carpet. Her phone was still on the line and they could hear her screaming for him. She walked out into the sand, her chest felt on fire as she let out loud sobs. She didn’t stop as her feet hit the wet sand from the waves. The further she walked into the water, her clothing felt heavier and heavier. The waves would crash and pull her underwater. She fought to keep herself above the surface, keeping her lungs inflated with air. The saltiness of water strung her eyes as the waves hit her. She looked up at the sky, looking at the stars and feeling the heaviness in her heart. She felt her feet leave the ground and she took a deep breath, as she felt a wave pull her completely under. 

In the black abyss she had fallen into, she could see the man she had always wanted. Rhett stood there waiting for her, his hand outstretched. She smiled at him as she placed her hand in his. He placed a hand on her cheek, brushing the tear from her cheek. He leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips. 

“I told you I would come home,” Rhett said. 

“I know you did,” She spoke to him.

taglist: @els-marvelvsp @sarahsmi13s @topgun-imagines @cassiemitchell @xoxabs88xox @seitmai @a-reader-and-a-writer @bradleybeachbabe @kmc1989 @senawashere @beautifulandvoid @ohtobeleah @rogersbarnesxx @oatmealisweird @dempy @devil-angel-winchester @gillybear17 @cornylovers

#outer range #outer range fan fic #outer range imagine #outer range fan fiction #outer range angst #Rhett abbott #Rhett abbott fan fic #Rhett abbott fan fiction #Rhett abbott imagine #Rhett abbott x reader #Rhett abbott x you #Rhett abbott x y/n #Rhett abbott angst #ailesswhumptober #g's whumptober

[jaundicesenator]

i'm bored on a road trip so more headcanons but this time not richie

-peter used to carry a fannypack full of sweets but stopped after the sweets kept getting stolen, he now hides them in his locker

-he has alternating times where he staysbwith his brother and his parents.

-after he started dating steph, ted started making very loud cringey jokes whenever he would drop peter off on his dates to try to embarrass him.

-peter started dressing more like a librarian whenever steph complimented his sweater(he proceeded to buy at least 5 identical sweaters with only the color different)

-Steph has dyslexia and she struggles in English and biology the most.

-She only realized that she might've had it whenever peter mentioned it and she went to go get tested(rich kid money)

-she was happy to learn that she wasn't stupid and couldn't read

-peter and steph now meet up after school almost everyday just to work on hw

-steph now goes to school almost everyday because of pete and doesn't skip anymore

-peter bought both of them promise rings after they reached the 1 year mark

-after they graduated they went to separate colleges but call each other constantly and do long distance (they are in love, if only i could have this)

-peter memorized steph's order at beanie's and would buy her order randomly as a gift

-peters love language is gift giving

-stephs love language is quality time and physical touch

ok now time for max and grace

-max used to be great at school but then his dad turned into an alcoholic

-he and richie used to be best friends befire he started self-isolating

-he has some guilt for ditching and bullying richie but he drowns it out with the power he feels from bullying

-he is surprisingly progressive and supports queer people

-he gets mad whenever people are homophobic and transphobic (he is a shitty person but not that shitty)

-he enjoys horror movies and thats why he enjoyed the nerds prank so much

-he secretly collects trinkets of his favorite slasher/horror characters

-grace felt a twinge of guilt after max died but it was short lived

-during the summoning grace felt a weird pulling to the black book and snuck it away after the whole ritual

-when she opens the book she can hear the lords in black laughing in her head

-when she opened the book for the first time after max's death the lords in black showed her a small glimpse of max's torture

-her parents thought grace had a demon in her after she came back home and called the priest to exorcize her

-she stayed in her room for a week after her parents did that to her

-she grew to hate her parents after using the black book

-her whole religion was shattered in front of her eyes whenever the lords in black were summoned

ok i think thats it for now. also if you see spelling mistakes or random capitalization just ignore it

#npmd spoilers #nerdy prudes must die #npmd headcanons #grace chasity #peter spankoffski #stephanie lauter #max jagerman #npmd #starkid #ted spankoffski

[lupuslikethewolf]

marauders!au where the war never happened and they all got to go on and live happy lives :) its set years later, when Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna and Hermione are going into their first year.

I haven’t come up with an actual plot yet :/ but this is the setting, and they are all around their early-to-mid-thirties at this point. it's likely just domestic fluff and slice-of-life type shit, with Harry still getting into impossible amounts of fuckery whilst stressing at least 10 different adults (as he should tbh)

i can't decide whether this is set in the 90s or in the modern!era so i left it ambiguous

Barty Crouch Jr, now Professor Barty (just Barty, Crouch is my father), teaches DADA and his fiancé, Evan Rosier, is a Magizoologist who travels during the school year, comes back home for the holidays and weekends to spend with Barty, either on Hogwarts grounds or at their own home. Barty has a close friendship with McGonagall, who is Headmistress, and Poppy (who are married, but no one figured it out).

Dorcas and Marlene play International-Level Quidditch: Dorcas for England, and Marlene for Wales or Ireland (undecided). Everyone thinks they hate each other from the way they treat each other during games. They played for the Holyhead Harpies until they got recruited, and their wedding was basically the biggest, most dramatic and over-the-top graduation party Hogwarts had ever seen, hosted in the Potter Manor. everyone was hungover for days afterwards

Lily and Snape are best-friends-turned-rivals, who achieved a Mastery in Potions at the same time, and are both the youngest people to ever do so. Sev specialises in theoretical potions, and Lily specialises in experimental work, altering old potions and creating new ones. She commandeered the entire basement for her own potions lab, and Remus helps her research in his spare time.

Pandora started publishing with Xenophillius (the definition of gender-fuckery; no-one knows how they identify, not even Xeno), and they publish the most outlandish work they can, alongside Pandora’s books!! They also run Xeno's Quibbler and a couple other independent newspapers. They live out in the countryside w/ Luna. Barty & Evan are their only walking-distance neighbours, but they floo to their friends houses semi-regularly

MaryLily and StarChaser are co-parenting Harry, and being godparents/family friends of Draco, Blaise Zabini, Ron, Neville and Luna. When Harry is at pre-school, he makes friends with Hermione, and the four of them introduce Dr and Dr Granger to the magical world over the years, instead of the two month crash-course Hogwarts gives

Mary is an artist, and since she was raised half-blood, absolutely adores the technique and process of muggle painting, later enchanting it to move and learn and talk. She doesn't own anything that isn't stained with paint, bleach or hair dye. She is famous for her work, in Magical and Muggle circles, but is almost completely anonymous, and they only know what she looks like because of a group portrait she painted

Regulus is an independent researcher of old Pagan traditions and 'Muggle' magic, how different solstices and days (like All Hallows Eve) affect the Magical community, etc. He visits Barty at Hogwarts with Harry every few weeks, and later with Hermione as well, so they grew up learning about the secrets at Hogwarts, in the library, and with the teachers. Also friendly house rivalry, and the adults completely split on which houses they will go into at Hogwarts. Evan started a betting pool.

James and Sirius are the wizarding private investigators. They work everywhere, for everyone (no matter what. they don't need to charge more than what people can afford), and love it. James absolutely adores the 'Sherlock Holmes' vibes, but they are both Sherlock Holmes b/c they are simply too baddass not to be!

Remus opened a bookstore-cafe, and him and Sirius live in the flat above it. It’s really popular and became the place for students and young queer people. The bookstore stocks everything from really popular and really unknown books and authors of every genre. The regulars also notice all these really famous but really mysterious friends of Remus who come-and-go (artist!mary, author!pandora, athletes!dorlene, etc). And then, of course, is the “private” investigator boyfriend, who couldn’t be less subtle at anything if he tried.

Alice is still an Auror, and the Best of the Best, but she is so fucking fed up of the politics, DMLE, and Ministry in general. She is starting a revolution/reformation from the inside- and if that doesn’t work, quit her job and do the same thing from the outside! Frank ended up in law and becoming a Lawyer, and is glad he did, because it might be the only thing that will keep his partner out of jail if she decides to commit treason. They love Neville to bits, and would do anything for him!! They built a whole-ass greenhouse when he discovered his talent.

Peter Pettigrew works part-time with Remus at his place, but is currently training with Gringotts/other cursebreakers to become a professional cursebreaker! it is taking a long ass time with a lot of testing and work to put in, but Peter finds it interesting and it meant that he always has more stories to tell the kids when he sees them, which is a bonus because children are hard to entertain.

#i just want to imagine them happy and less traumatised and living past their twenties okay #they deserve that much #im far too emotionally attached to them #marauders fandom #marauders era #the marauders era #dead gay wizards #dead gay wizards from the 70s #rosekiller #evan x barty #barty x evan #marylily #mary x lily #lily x mary #dorlene #dorcas x marlene #marlene x dorcas #pandora x xenophilius #starchaster #jegulus #james x regulus #regulus x james #wolfstar #sirius x remus #remus x sirius #fralice #frank x alice #alice x frank #slytherin skittles

[chrollohearttags]

BEYOND FACT OR FICTION: the boy who wanted to see the ocean • armin artlert

In this world, there are two types of people born into it. Those that live and those that experience it. The average and the exceptional..to say that Armin Artlert was on the latter of both sides would be an understatement. From the day of his birth to the early years of his childhood, it was blatantly obvious that he was not like the others around him. Considered a frail and sickly child, despite growing up in more modern times with access to the best healthcare, Armin found himself confined to his room most days. Fortunately, he did come from a rather affluent background so he had all sorts of materials and resources at his disposal to keep him occupied. He didn’t feel he was ever missing out on much because the rare times that he was able to even attend school, he was bullied by his peers. So he felt much more comfortable and safer in the essence of his own company. Especially since he had become rather infatuated with one topic in particular: the ocean. Next to the hospital where he often found himself a resident was a beach with the most crystalline of waters flowing over bright, beige sands. Palm trees swaying in the distance and resembling that of a screensaver, it was so perfect. It was a beautiful scene and one he had come to admire. To say the least! Some would even say that Armin was enamored..obsessed even. So much so, he dedicated his entire life to researching and learning all he could about aquatic life.

he was utterly fascinated with all things marine life and the functions of the waters. Granted, as humans, we’ve barely scraped the surface with only a 5% discovery rate of our vast waterways. The open seas were a mystery but being the inquisitive, determined mind he was, Armin wanted to unearth all of it. He would stop at nothing until he achieved his answers. Once he graduated from high school, college was next in the docket and as everyone suspected, the overachiever sought out his degrees in marine biology..he wanted nothing more than to solve the mysteries of our world’s waterfront. He took several courses in aquatic science, marine studies and by the time his academic journey came to an end, Armin Artlert had taken on the title of doctor by earning his PhD. Needless to say, he was super successful and living his dreams.

But around late 2017, things began to shift for the young scholar..friends, family and colleagues alike began to notice a change in him. As if his devotion to work wasn’t already enough, he became completely enamored with the topic of finding the ocean’s origin point!..discovering where they originated from and was there a precise point. Absolutely absurd but nothing was out of reach for Mr. Artlert. There wasn’t a thing going to stand in the way of his research. Not the government, the academic board or even money..at all costs, he had to make it happen. He was becoming erratic, spouting ramblings and nonsense about things beyond anyone’s comprehension. Staying up all hours of the night, plastered to his computer screen and reading texts from long ago.

“Please, just front me the ten grand and I’ll pay it back with interest, you know I’m good for it.”

“Just five thousand until the end of the month and I’ll get it back, I swear. Just trust me, please..”

Empty promises never fulfilled by either end because the people around felt that this was all going too far. He was doing good work and had written many theses on his findings. He had a high rise condo, nice car and even a beautiful lady..so why wasn’t it enough? Why did he have to surpass mankind and exceed his limitations? Curiosity was one thing but toying with mother nature was another level of insanity. So as you could imagine, on the night of April 11, 2017, when his girlfriend and fellow researcher, (y/n) (l/n), came home from work to find their condo completely empty. And not just silent..COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY BARE! Stripped of all furniture, decorations and most importantly, any trace of Armin! You were completely taken aback but the worst of this mystery was yet to come. Not wanting to alert anyone, you’d call around and ask if anyone had seen or heard from him, thinking that something could have happened to him. Not only that, if someone had come and cleared this apartment out in the span of a 12 hour duration, taking him along with them, who knew what..or who else they’d come after? Frightened, you rounded up all of your mutual friends and decided to assemble a search party. Because he was now 25 and very much a legal adult with the reserved right to go missing at any time, the police gave you all the typical runaround about having to wait twenty four hours to file a police report. Even so, time was of the essence and 24 hours was something you didn’t have to waste. So once everyone came over to the condo, you’d put your heads and all of the information together to hopefully reach a consensus about where he could have gone..you’d send a group out to scour the local coffee shops and libraries he frequented, even some of his favorite stores. Hoping to find a trace of him somewhere. His ‘Find my iPhone’ feature was disabled and the phone was going straight to voicemail.

“When’s the last time you saw him, (Y/N)?” his best friend and the person who knew him best, would question. If anyone had an inkling of the mental state he was in, it was most certainly the person who had known him since they were born. “This morning, in the cafeteria at the research center..he was grabbing breakfast and heading back up to his office. We were supposed to have lunch but I had few conference calls and studies so I couldn’t make it.”

You didn’t want to leave any stone unturned..and the first clue may have appeared a lot closer than anyone thought. Just down the hallway from the master bedroom was a small guest room where Armin conducted a lot of experiments. Sometimes late into the night and early mornings..and under absolutely no circumstances, was anyone allowed in. Not even you. He’d ensure so by installing a state of the art lock that was fingerprint and rigged with a series of intricate puzzles and questions that only he knew the answer. It was brilliant. A regular padlock wouldn’t suffice because what lay behind the door was something not only baffling but downright terrifying….

You worked for hours to hack the system and get it unlocked but to no avail. You even resorted to brute force by kicking and trying to hack it open with tools but no dice.

“Damn you, Armin. This is so like you…making everything difficult and mysterious. Where the hell did you go?”

It was around one in the morning and you were exhausted, from both work, the strenuous search efforts and just the long day in general. But a bit of good news would peer through this bleak situation..it was just as you were sitting on the floor, knees to your chest and your face buried in your hands, you’d hear a loud cackle.

“Ha! Finally..we got it.”

Just then, you’d hear a faint beeping noise and watch the padlock omit a green light. Signaling that it had been hacked successfully. Courtesy of one of your other scholar colleagues who worked in IT. For a mystery like this, you guys were going to need all of the man and brain power you could get. Upon unlocking it, you’d be the first to enter and once you pushed the door open, nothing could prepare you for what was inside…

“Oh my God!” a loud shriek left your mouth, only to be cupped by your hands seconds later. You were bewildered by the sight in front of you, as was everyone else…every wall, every inch of the space was littered with writing! Equations, secret codes and countless words were everywhere. Not only that, it was dimly lit with only select areas being illuminated..but perhaps the most frightening part were the makeshift pillars. Carved from marble and constructed six feet high, it was insanely creepy. How had he managed to do this? And by himself nonetheless because no one here had a clue what Armin was up to. What you thought would lead you all closer to answers had only left you even more confused. Not even the most brilliant of minds could decipher the messages or figure out what he was into. When it came to his personal research, he was very tight lipped about it.

days, weeks and eventually months went by without an answer or trace of Armin. Not a single clue, lead or anything brought you any closer to figuring out this mystery. Once the police finally got involved, they conducted routine searches, put out BOLO’s for his Mercedes and even brought the case to the news. But all of it was a waste.

it was all a waste until the day of October 11, 2017. Six months EXACTLY to the day he first went missing. You were at work, trying to power through the day as you had been doing. You were in the middle of typing up some findings from your earlier experiment when your phone rang and saw that it was the police department. Your heart and stomach sank immediately, expecting the worst. Had they found Armin? Was he okay? What was going on?! But the only instruction you received was to come down to the hospital because they needed to speak with you. Halting all else, you snatched up your car keys and coat, making a beeline for your vehicle in the parking garage. You didn’t hang up the entire time, even as you got buckled in. Because there was something else they told you, that had you racing toward him.

“He’s alive. He desperately needs medical attention but he’s alive, miss (L/N).”

so you placed it in reverse and peeled out there like a bat from hell! You refused to hang up until you laid eyes on him and knew for certain this wasn’t a prank. Fortunately, the hospital was only ten minutes away and in no time, you were pulling into the parking lot, rushing inside to see him. You’d reach the receptionist and ask if someone by the name of Armin Artlert had been brought in and at first, she was a bit hesitant, despite you showing ID, because after all, his case had gained national media attention so people were gathering to be in the know of if he was okay or not. But suddenly, a detective in a button down would come and scoop you up, giving a quick escort to the back area where he was being treated. Once you two arrived, the detective would ask you one simple question:

“Are you certain you’re ready to see him? He looks a bit different…”

but you didn’t care! You’d love him regardless and would be happy no matter the outcome. As long as he lived.

“Armie..oh my gosh..” whispering in a shrill cry because he looked really bruised and battered. His pale arms littered with red and purple bruises, head wrapped in bandages, arms stuck with needles and IV’s and an oxygen mask on his face. He was so fragile; dropping a staggering thirty pounds since his disappearance. He was severely dehydrated, flush and so weak. You couldn’t believe the condition he was in. You were even more surprised to find that he had wandered up to the police station, disoriented and talking out of character with nothing more than a thin loin cloth type thing on. He remembered his name but didn’t know what day it was, why he disappeared or where he had come from. It was as if whoever was keeping him, had put him in pretty bad shape. When asked about what happened whilst he was gone, he froze up and even began crying…that led all of you to believe that some very powerful people had gotten ahold of him. But what followed would send you into utter shock. The detective would pull you aside and ask to speak privately. It was there that he’d inform you that they suspected that Armin had not only gone missing of his own volition but that he staged the disappearance as an attempt to either evade the government for his findings or to garner more money for his research. People tended to shell out hundreds, even thousands when someone went missing so he figured he could swipe some of the funds from the GoFundMe to fuel his projects. It didn’t matter though, because your baby was back home and that was all that mattered.

to this day, no one knows what occurred on that night and what prompted Armin’s strange disappearance. Some still speculate that it was all a ruse and a ploy to get money. Others think that his research went entirely too far and landed him in hot water with the wrong people. But what do you think?

is there truth to this tale of the seas or a watered down lie?

#armin artlert #aot au #armin angst #armin x reader #armin #armin imagine #armin aot #armin arlet x black reader #stranger than fiction #beyond fact or fiction #horror series #interactive fiction #murder mystery #mystery au #anthology series #halloween fic #anthology #aot fic #armin snk #armin x black reader #snk armin #black fem reader #poll fic #snk au #halloween fics #aot x black reader #aot #attack on titan #cherry’s October fest 🍒 #black reader