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buttercream-squad-imagines · 3 years

Text

Little Red Dress

Pairings: Harry Lewis x fem!Reader, Callux x sister!Reader Word Count: 1.8k Warnings: Swearing, some violence, maybe a few spelling mistakes Request: Idk if this is a request but like a secret relationship with Harry that you hide and you like calluxs sister or something like that and when he finds out he gets really mad or something

How you had gotten here you didn't know. It was a question you had continually asked yourself for the last five or so months. You hadn't long moved to London, where your older brother Callum lived. You had wanted to be closer to him, not that you were far anyway but you were very closer to your brother.

There were quite a few years between you and the older boy, you being born when the latter was 7 years old. Now at the ages of 22 and 29, the two could not be more inseparable. Despite having different fathers - both of whom hadn't stuck around long enough for the pair to remember them - you and Cal were like peas in a pod. With no father figure for you to look up to, you naturally clung to the boy growing up, and Cal being the only male in the house, quickly took on the protector figure for both you and your mum.

As awful as you felt leaving your mum back at home, you had been missing your brother desperately since he had moved to London so long ago, having spent the latter majority of your school years without him. Now after graduating from university, you finally felt free enough to move to the city with your brother and make your own way in life.

That was nearing a year ago, which led you to now. The situation that you were currently in, sneaking around with one of your brother's best friends.

You had met Harry before you could even have been introduced by Cal in one of the most cliche ways ever. Being the clumsy git he is, he had bumped into you in the hallway of your new apartment building and had spilled the contents of the box you were carrying all over the hardwood floor. Awkwardly the man had tried to pick up the contents in a hurry, spitting out apologies to you and once again dropping things from his arms in an attempt to put them back into the box. It was something you had found very endearing and is a quality of his that you adore.

In an attempt to apologise for both spilling the box full of stuff and then dropping the contents whilst trying to pick them back up, Harry had offered to help you bring up the rest of your boxes. It was there that you both ran into your brother, who was visibly confused as to how his cumbersome best friend was talking to his baby sister like they had known each other for years.

Cal would never actually admit it to you but witnessing that interacting had a large pit forming at the bottom of his stomach. He knew how Harry could be and knew from the look in his eye that he had quickly found an attraction in you.

Any spark found in Harry's eyes quickly distinguished when he learned of your relation to Cal, knowing how protective the older boy could be of his baby sister, but nothing could stop the fluttering feeling the boy got when he was around you. Not even Cal's warnings against dating his sister. Warnings that his other friends got, to his relief, all of which assured Cal that his sister was out of bounds. Pleased with the responses, Cal never had a second thought, something you were glad for.

Something you weren't glad for however, was the feeling of uneasiness you got whenever you were with Harry. You almost felt guilty for being with him, even more so for keeping it from your brother.

Your boyfriend of five months, however, was quick to chase away that feeling with his affection. You got to see another side to the boy that many of the people in his life never got to witness. It gave you a feeling of euphoria knowing that you were the object of Harry's affections, and affectionate he was.

When the two of you got to spend time at your apartment, the boy could not remove himself from you. Whether he was lying in bed editing a video, cuddled into your side, or sprawled out on the settee with his head nestled in your lap, he always had to have some body part touching you. His hand always found yours when he was particularly anxious, something that happened quite regularly, which was one of the traits you found most endearing. It warmed your heart to know that you were able to calm him down.

Something you did a lot was steal Harry's clothing. There was just something about those jumpers, especially the sidemen merch, that was just so comfortable. Even after insisting on getting you some sidemen clothing of your own, so he could continue to make use of his own wardrobe, you still wore his. You had told him very shyly that you liked wearing his clothes because they smelled like him, and it brought you comfort when he was away visiting his own family.

Harry thought he might have broken down then and there. Not that he would say it out loud, he secretly loved it when you wore his clothes but knowing that you would wear them when you missed him? He felt like he was on cloud nine.

Which is how you found yourself right now, snuggled on your sofa, drowning in Harry's jumper and a fleece blanket, watching the TV. Harry had been away visiting his family over the new year, and wasn't due back until the following day but you missed him dearly. Your phone had been forgotten in your bedroom, your only distraction was reruns of Grey's Anatomy, a show you had already watched religiously.

You hadn't realised how much time had passed as you easily lost track of time when you got into a show. You also hadn't realised that your brother had been trying to get hold of your for over an hour. Which is why you were startled when you heard the click of the lock turning.

"Y/N?" The sound of your brother's voice filled the small apartment. "Are you in here?"

"On the sofa." You called back with a yawn. He could easily hear the drowsiness in your voice, he would put his money on you falling asleep within the next hour.

"You didn't answer my calls or texts, I was worried." He scolded gently.

"I left it in my room to charge, sorry for worrying you." You stretched causing the blanket that covered you to drop to your lap.

"Whose? Whose jumper is that?" Cal inquired, suspicion laced in his tone.

"Oh, is it not yours?" You asked, trying to cover up the fact that his best friend's jumper adorned your body and was currently the reason that you were about to be outed.

"No. You know that's not my jumper Y/N. It's too small to be mine." You winced at the hardness in his voice.

"I must've picked it up thinking it was yours. Oops." You tried to play it off coolly, and your brother seemed to be coming around to the idea that it was just a misunderstanding. Thank God, you screamed internally.

"Right." He sprawled himself out next to you and let out a groan when he noticed what you were watching. "Really? Grey's Anatomy? You know I've experienced enough hospitals in my life without having to watch this garbage."

"How dare you?" You gasped playfully, whacking the older man on the arm. "I'm not turning it off, so either accept it or leave."

"Fine."

A week later, Cal was visiting Freezy and Harry's apartment to hang out with the boys. You were meant to be coming soon though as you and Cal were going out for lunch. Cal was sprawled on the sofa and Harry was on another, whilst Freezy was in the bathroom. Cal's suspicions once again peaked as he noticed Harry wearing the jumper you were wearing just a week ago.

"I'm sure that's the jumper Y/N was wearing last week." He muttered loud enough for the younger boy to hear.

"Is it? She must've picked it up by accident and thought it was yours." Harry spoke coolly although his stomach felt like it was doing backflips.

"Hmm. That's what she said." He grumbled. The two fell back into a comfortable silence scrolling through their phones, waiting for Freezy to arrive back from the bathroom.

"Harry, I'm sure you've got some secret girlfriend you're hiding from us or something." The loud voice of Freezy echoed through the apartment.

"What?" The boy in question stumbled over his words. "Why would you say that?"

"Well, if I had to guess, I wouldn't put you down as the type of person who used Sunkissed raspberry shampoo and conditioner." He cackled.

"So, what if I did?" Harry's heart was racing, trying to play the situation off. Even if the boys found out he was seeing someone, they still wouldn't know who. That's what he was trying to tell himself anyway.

"Right, so you're telling me this dress from the washing basket is yours too?"

Harry's face dropped as Freezy held up the little red dress that you had thrown in the washing basket after a night out. A night out with your brother and his friends.

"What the fuck Harry?!" Cal seethed, gripping him by the collar of his jumper and shoving him into the wall. "My fucking sister!"

"Oh." Was the only thing that come out of Freezy's mouth once he had realised the severity of the situation. Your brother on the other hand was seeing red. What they hadn't heard was you entering the flat, having heard the shouting from the hallway. Cal raised his fist, bringing it to meet the side of Harry's face, who hadn't said a word yet.

"What the hell Cal?!" You exclaimed, marching over and pushing him away from your boyfriend.

"When were you going to tell me?" He asked you through gritted teeth.

"I don't know what you're talking about." You honestly had no idea what was happening right now, but if you had to make a guess, you'd put your money on Cal having found out about your relationship. You could count on one hand how many times you had seen your brother as angry as this. Not ever had it been directed at you though.

"Stop lying Y/N!" He roared making you cower into Harry behind you and let out a small whimper. "Come on, we're leaving."

"No!" Your brother grabbed the top of your arm and began pulling you away. You tried to shrug his hand from your arm, but he held on tightly. "I'm not leaving."

"Fine." He spat, storming out of the apartment.

"Hey." Harry whispered softly, touching your arm gently.

"I'll just leave you two." Freezy muttered awkwardly, leaving to go to his room. Harry pulled you into his chest and wiped away the tears you hadn't realised had fallen.

"It's okay." He assured you. "It'll be okay."

#sidemen imagine #sidemen #Harry Lewis #Harry Lewis x reader #Harry Lewis x fem!reader #Wroetoshaw #Wroetoshaw x reader #Wroetoshaw x fem!reader #Wroetoshaw imagine #Sidemen x reader #Callux x reader #Callux x sister!reader #Callux x platonic!reader #Harry Lewis imagine #Sidemen fanfic #w2s x reader #w2s imagine #w2s

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wonderlandhatter · 3 years

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Angelic in my clothes.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x femReader

Summary: Spencer knew a lot about a lot of thing and topics, but he doesn't know a lot about relationships, but you help him understand them.

Word count: 3400

Warnings: none, just a whole lot of fluff, itsy tinny bit of angst for like half a paragraph.

Prompt 4: “Why do you like stealing my clothes so much?"

A/N: ok but this was supposed to be a short little blurb, oops. anyways thanks for the request I hope this is ok, pls tell me if it wasn't what you'd imagined or feel free to send in another request.

A/N2: My old account got deleted so I'm just reposting my fics I would appreciate if you could bust this so i could get back to where my account was thank you for your time.

Taglist: @pinkdiamond1016

Spencer did not like not knowing, he knew he was smart, and he knew a lot about different topics, one topic he didn’t know a lot about though were relationships. He wasn’t very experienced with them and there’s only so much you can learn from books and Derek honestly wasn’t a great insight.

Since you two had started dating he had begun to understand some of these thigs, one of which he understood fairly quickly. Which was why couples loved cuddling so much, he had never been a person that expressed affection through touch because it made him uncomfortable, and you were very understanding of this and waited for him to be comfortable and took baby steps. The first time you properly cuddled was while watching doctor who on his couch, and you fell asleep lying there with him, all the statistic and worries about germs left his head, they were the last thing in his head at that moment, they had been drowned by the beauty of your sleeping form, for another time in this relationship you had taken all his thoughts out of his head and you were the only thing that mattered. Emily was truly right, a pretty girl and his IQ is slashed to nothing, but you weren’t just any pretty girl you were the single most wonderful person he had ever met and he didn’t care about his IQ slashing, you were all that mattered mattered now.

And then he knew why people liked it, it was comforting and the most wonderful feeling in the world, hearing your cute little snores, that you flat out deny even exist, and seeing your hand keep a tight hold of his shirt. He liked holding you, it made him feel close to you in a more intimate way. That’s when he knew for sure he loved you, and he said it, you subconsciously smiled in your sleep at those words but had no knowledge of them when you woke up, but he didn’t care he would say them to you soon enough and he wasn’t sure but you would say them back with no hesitation.

Another thing he now understood about relationships was how good it felt to have someone to come home to, someone who you trust with your whole heart and who you can tell anything too, someone you love.

He understood this quite early into the relationship, you had been dating for a little over two months, you hadn’t had many dates because of his work but you talked on the phone all the time, and you were friends before for a while so it felt longer than it had actually been, but at the same time not long enough he wished you had met a long time before, but you’re together now and he wouldn’t waste any more time with you.

He understood this one night/very early morning after a case. He had missed you so much, the case was long, tiring and incredibly tough. He didn’t say anything, but you could hear it in his voice how tired and how mentally and physically exhausted he was. The truth is the victims looked a lot like you, the victimology fit you too perfectly for his comfort and it scared him, the thought of the unsub going after you terrified him, he couldn’t stand it so as soon as he got on the jet he called you, he just needed to hear you, to make sure you were still there alive and well, he however hadn’t realised how late it was until he heard a very groggy hello.

“Oh no Y/N I didn’t notice how late it is for you, I can call you when you wake up, I’m sorry I’ll let you go back to sleep” but just before he hung up you rushed out a response. “wait, no Spence wait a second, I want to talk to you”, you were definitely awake now, “are you sure, its ok if you want to sleep, it is very late and you had a long work shift and”, “Spencer, of course I want to talk to you, I missed you” he smiled at this and before he could reply you said something again, more quietly than before “I missed the sound of your voice Spencer”, god he loved you so much “I missed the sound of your voice too”, you sat there in comfortable silence relishing in the sound of each other’s breathing letting your words dance in the air.

After a minute you spoke again “how was the case”, Spencer sighed remembering the victims and your shared resemblance, “it was fine”, you knew it wasn’t “spencer talk to me I can tell it wasn’t”, how could you tell from just his voice.

“Well it was, agh it was just a lot, I don’t want to talk about murders though I missed you, can you just talk to me I want to hear your voice”. You didn’t push him any further with it, you knew he would talk to you if he needed to. “ok love, well………..” you talked for around an hour nothing of massive importance just pointless chit chat, but to him it was the most heavenly sound in the entire world, he was however fighting sleep from taking over, he didn’t want to stop talking to you, he felt like he needed you right now. He snapped back when he heard you calling his name “spencer…. Spence…. Love!!” “oh yeah, yeah I’m here, sorry what did you say”, “I’m going to hang up your falling asleep, I’ll talk to you later ok” “no I want to keep talking, I’m wide awake”, “Spencer I can hear your exhaustion its fine, go to sleep, I’ll go to sleep and we can talk later ok love”, he let the words sit for a minute before sighing “ok, bye bug, I’ll talk to you later, we are landing soon so I’ll call you then, ok bug?”, “ok love sleep well”.

And with that the two of you hung up, and even though he missed hearing your voice he was exhausted and sleep over took him, you however did not sleep you got out of bed, and made your way to your door and put shoes on, you were going to go see him, you didn’t bother to put clothes on he had seen you in pjs before, you were wearing sweats and one of his Cal-tech crew necks stylishly matched with lilac crocs, wow you were hot.

You were now making your way to his apartment, it was about a half hour drive, it took a little longer since you had decided to drink some coffee before leaving so you didn’t fall asleep at the wheel. You knew he needed somebody right now, you didn’t know why but you didn’t need to you could hear it when he first called you almost in a panic to hear you, plus you missed each other.

You arrived at his apartment and used your spare key to get in, once you were in you made your way to his kitchen to turn the kettle on to make some tea while you waited for him. He texted you while you made your tea that they had landed and was on his way home, you chose to send him a text saying “I’m waiting for you at yours <3” , you didn’t think it would be smart to surprise him and scare an FBI agent.

Spencer made his way home quitter than he usually would after he saw your message, he didn’t bother replying just rushed there as soon as Hotch said they could go home. He’d never been in such a rush to get home after a case, sure he was always happy to go home and sleep but this felt different this felt like a scratch he hadn't been able to itch and once he could see you he would feel the relief.

Once he got to his apartment building he ran up the multitude of stair until he got to his floor, he might have had to take a couple brakes between stairs but what can he say, he isn’t used to doing the physical stuff on the field, Morgan normally takes care of that.

As soon as he got to the door, he stood there for a minute to calm down his breathing before putting the keys in and unlocking the door. He stepped in and your sent engulfed him in the most comforting way, as soon as that scent reached him, he could physically feel himself intense.

He took his shoes off and placed them beside your discarded crocs with a quiet laugh at your ridiculous shoe choice, he then hung up his satchel with his blazer, and walked to his room assuming you’d be there but on his way there he stopped at the sound of cute little snores and saw you sitting on his couch with a half empty cup of tea on the side table and a book laid open on your chest, he should have known you would try to stay up for him.

He kneels in front of you and leaned in to place a kiss on your forehead, you slowly opened your eyes as you were only in a light sleep. Once you could make out the blob of colour in front of you to be your boyfriend you smiled and wrapped your arms around him nearly knocking you both backwards onto the floor before he stabilised you both. "Spencer, I missed you" you said nuzzling your face into his neck. "I missed you too bug, so much" he said closing his eyes and holding you tight to him.

You stayed there, just like that enjoying each other for a minute before you heard him sniffling, “Spencer are you ok love", "I... I just... I just really needed to see you, and feel you, I needed to know you were still here" before you could reply he spoke again tears clear in his voice "thank you so much for coming here tonight", "Spencer look at me", he reluctantly looked at you tears streaming down his face, you wiped his tears with your thumbs while holding his face gently "any time you need me, I will be there for you ok. I don’t care if you just finished a case and its an ungodly time just call me and I'll be here ok, I miss you to when you’re gone and I love being with you, when I heard your voice over the phone I knew something wasn’t right and I needed to take that away, even if it's just for a little bit. You never need to thank me for being here for you ok" he decided the best way to reply, the best way to get all the words he needed to say to you was by kissing you, and so he did and you knew exactly what he meant by the kiss you understood every unsaid word that travelled through his lips to you.

It didn’t take long after that for Spencer to tell you why he was so upset and why he needed to see you so desperately, and you understood and held him and he felt safe. After you talked and held each other it was unspokenly decided you would spend the night, you went straight to bed while Spencer took a quick shower, if you could call it that he was in such a rush to get back to you he barely got wet. He got dried and dressed and then excited his bathroom to find you curled up on his bed, he loved the sight, it made all his worries from previously wash away, you had that effect on him, you seemed to be a source of good, and he loved it.

He got into bed and as soon as he got under the covers you were reaching for him, he welcomed the touch and held you back. So there lying with you he understood, while the worries of the past week washed away, he knew, he knew why people liked having someone to come home to so much. And he knew he would have to ask you to move in sooner than later.

At this point in your relationship spencer had come to understand many things, but there was still one he didn’t. He didn’t know why you enjoyed wearing his clothes so much, he wasn’t complaining not at all in fact he loved it when you wore them. It was a slightly possessive thing, he knew you were his and he was yours but when he saw you wearing his clothes it was just a visual reminder that you were in fact his and only his, but that’s why he loved it, so he didn’t know why you did, but boy was it irritating him.

You two had been living together for the past 5 months and it had been amazing, he had also seen a lot more of you in his clothes, as time went by he saw you sleep in his shirts and boxers many times, you were especially fond of his old Cal-tech sweatshirt and button ups. He loves you wearing them it’s one of his favourite looks on you, when you’re comfortable and cosy and simply adorable in the articles of clothing that are too big for you.

But if he’s being honest a very close second is when in the mornings after you have ‘exercised’ the previous night, when he wakes up to the smell of bacon and coffee and sees you in nothing but a pair of cotton panties and the button up he had discarded the previous night, he loved coming up behind you in those mornings and slipping his arms around your waist and holding you while whispering sweet nonsense to each other.

They had just gotten back from a case. It hadn't been long or a particularly hard one but boy did he miss you, he always did, he thanked whoever it was for it being a Friday night because it meant he would arrive home to you. In no time he was at the door of your shared apartment, you had both decided moving into his would be the best choice since it was bigger.

He opened the door and almost immediately heard your sock clad feet hitting the floor of your apartment, he quickly hung up his coat and satchel before opening his arms and catching his girlfriend in his arms "I missed you so much Spence" he laughed lightly in response and replied "I missed you too bug, it was only a week" you pulled away from the hug and leaned your forehead against his before whispering "a week without feeling you" he smiled at that and leaned in lighting bumping your noses together before connecting your lips together, god he’d never get tired of kissing you, it honestly felt like heaven.

You gasped into the kiss and pulled away abruptly, Spencer looked confused but you had the biggest smile on your face and all of a sudden he didn’t care you broke of the kiss, “what was that for?” he asked feign hurt, “I made something” you said sheepishly rocking back and forth on your heels, “what did you make?” spencer asked imitating your tone. “come and see” you replied excitedly while pulling him into the kitchen.

Once in the kitchen you very excitedly showed Spencer the cupcakes you had made, “I baked cupcake” you announced while placing him in front of said cupcakes, Spencer went to reach for one when you slapped his hand “no Spencer I still need to put the icing on them”, “but they look so good” he pouted giving you puppy eyes, “oh, you’re cute when you pout” you leaned in and when you were only a breath away from kissing his lips you spoke “but still no” and with that you kissed his pout and pulled away, you made your way to the counter were you were putting the icing into piping bags and piped up saying “but you can help me ice them and then you can eat one”, “can I only eat one?”, you turned back smiling and handed him one of the piping bags “you can have as many as you want love”.

You were currently both icing cupcakes in comfortable silence, Spencer had noticed you were wearing his Cal-tech crew neck and a pair of cotton shorts along with a mismatched pair of his socks, you looked adorable, he loved that you wore mismatched socks like him even before you’d met, the fact you were sporting his at the moment was just the cherry on top.

And so he thought no would be as great a time as any to ask “Hey love can I ask you something”, without looking up from what you were doing you hummed in agreement, you were concentrating so hard on making the cupcake look perfect you just barely registered what he said, god he thought you looked so cute when you concentrated so hard you had your tongue sticking out the side of your mouth.

He shook himself out of the trance you put him in and just asked "Why do you like stealing my clothes so much?", you looked up at his question with a worried expression on your face, you didn’t realise it could bother him, you never meant make him uncomfortable, should you have asked for permission before you took them?, Spencer saw your concerned expression and was going to clarify he didn’t mind when you rushed out first, “Spencer I’m really sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable, I should have asked I’m so sorry, oh god I’m wearing your clothes now I’ll go change”.

You put the piping bag down and passed Spencer when you were about to leave the kitchen but Spencer gently pulled your arm and pulled you into a hug, “Y/N, love, you just spiralled,” he pulled back from the hug and gently held your face in his hands, he could still see the sad and worried expression on your face and he hated that he had caused it, and needed to take it away, “I love that you steal my clothes, I absolutely adore seeing you swamped in my crewnecks and wearing my socks and specially in my button ups after certain events have taken place” he smirked at the blush that crept up your cheeks at the last part of his statement, he loved your shyness, “believe me I love it when you steal my clothes, you look angelic in them I just want to know why you like it, I know its dumb but I just can’t figure it out and not knowing is really bugging me”.

You smiled at this and all your previous worries washed away, you weren’t making him uncomfortable he was just being his usual curious self, you slid your hands up his chest and played with the collar of his shirt as his hands moved from your face you your waist and you began “well there’s a lot of reasons I like wearing your clothes, for one they’re really big on me so they are soooo comfy, they also smell like you so they remind me of you when you’re gone on cases”, he smiled at this and you looked down before continuing “and when you’re gone and I’m scared something will happen and I won’t see you again, it comforts me, it makes feel close to you when I can’t be” you looked up at him when you finished and he could see the glossiness in your eyes of the tears forming from your memories of all the times you were scared you wouldn’t see him again and he gave you a sad smile while he wiped a stray tear falling down your check.

“Honestly, they just make me feel warm and loved, when you’re gone”, his eyes were now glossed over too as he leaned in and kissed you, “I love you bug”, “I love you Spencer”.

And now Spencer knew, he knew why having a crew neck of his meant so much to you and how it could bring you comfort in a time when you needed it most.

#criminal minds #criminal minds fic #criminal minds fluff #spencer reid fic #spencer reid fluff #spencer reid #spencer x reader

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talkfastromance4 · 3 years

Text

Forever & a Night//michael clifford

Second NYE chronicles! This is some sweet and fluffy Michael with maybe a pinch of smut who knows🤷🏻‍♀️ I also got very carried away. Oops. reader insert but written as fem!reader

warnings: casual drinking, champagne, first time having sex, reminiscent memories

Masterlist

NYE Chronicles masterlist

Enjoy! feedback is always welcomed :)

• • • •

Michael’s holding your hand as he weaves through the New Year’s Eve traffic. The leftover snow glitters from the neon signs of bars and restaurants that are already flooded with New Year’s Eve celebrators. The radio station is playing the top forty song of the past year, Michael’s thumb rubs over your knuckles and circles the diamond ring that hasn’t left your finger since last New Year’s Eve.

“Remember our first kiss?” he asks you, his voice soft and soothing.

His voice was one of the many things you love about Michael. The soft timber was the only thing that can calm you down if you’re frantic over a busy schedule, and the scratch of it tickled your ears in the early mornings.

“Of course I do, it was also the first time we met,” you giggle resting your head on your seat to gaze lovingly at him. The lights on the street flickered over his face, accenting his pretty green eyes and perfectly pink lips. Lips you’ve kissed since you were fourteen years old.

“You missed my lips the first time,” he chuckles, eyes sliding over to you as he rolls to a stop at a light.

“I was nervous! You were my first kiss ever.”

It happened in the basement of your (at the time) best friend’s house, she was having a New Year’s Eve party and it was your first boy/girl party to attend. It was mainly kids from school so you knew everyone but stayed on the outskirts of the party taking it all in. You were at the snack table when a call for a game of Truth or Dare aroused and you scampered away as fast as you could.

On the other side of the stairs was the tv where Michael and his best friend Calum were playing video games. Michael had on his signature dark gray beanie, making his face appear more round but you could see his boyish charms were fading into a teenager. At first, you thought he was annoying because he was loud and interrupted the teachers. Then he made a joke that you laughed at during math class and you realized how funny he was. His humor is what attracted you to him in the first place.

“You got me with a blue turtle? Fuck you,” Michael shoved Calum with his shoulder and your ears rang at the cuss.

It’s weird hearing people you’ve known since you were six use swear words now. Growing up is weird.

“Hey, Y/N, you wanna play?” Michael asked and you stared dumbfounded that he asked and that he knew your name.

“I’m fine watching,” you shrugged, moving to the floor in front of him. You sit cross legged placing your plate of snacks in front of you and start to munch. Knowing your manners, you hold up the plate of goodies. “Want some?”

“Thanks,” he smiled and took a few pieces of popcorn.

“Is the pizza here yet?” Calum asked, his eyes focused on his character.

“I don’t think so. I think Casey’s mom just went to pick it up.”

So there you sat, watching them play Mario Kart ‘64 laughing at their banter and even shouting at Michael to pull away from the wall or to watch out for a banana that’s in his path. The pizza arrived and the three of you remained in the back corner of the basement enjoying your smaller party.

When midnight neared, Casey shut the lights off so you could watch the ball drop. Michael pulled you to the back away from everyone else and for some reason you had butterflies in your stomach.

Ten minutes until midnight and Michael moved closer to you so his bicep touched the top of your shoulder. He was very tall and your arm zinged from the contact.

Five minutes until midnight and he leaned down to your ear.

“Would you maybe wanna be my kiss at midnight?” goosebumps formed on your ear and you never knew that was even possible. You nodded your head, too scared to look at him because you’ve never kissed someone before. “Cool.”

Your nerves were heightened as it ticked closer and closer to midnight. The other kids were becoming louder in anticipation of the new year but you were worried about where to put your hands and how to turn your head so your noses don’t bump.

The twenty second countdown began and Michael took hold of your hands. His were cool and soft compared to your warm clammy ones. He moved you in front of him, holding you close as his thumbs ran over your skin. It calmed you down a little.

You stared at each other as it became ten seconds. Your heart was about to beat out of your chest but you were hypnotized by his eyes.

“FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!”

Party horns and silly string exploded behind you as you leaned up on your toes to give him a quick kiss. You ended up kissing below his lips a little and on his chin but you still felt a shock from the contact. Embarrassed, you buried your face in his hoodie, your face hot.

Michael hugged you back with his cheek resting on the top of your head.

“Could we try that again, maybe?” he asked politely.

“Now?!” you squeaked in shock.

“Or later,” he chuckled. “How about we go back and play video games?”

“Okay.”

He held your hand as he led you back to the tv area and you both sat a little closer to each other on the couch.

“Hey Y/N?”

“Yeah?” you’re concentrating really hard on the tv screen and your fingers on the controller. Then you feel Michael’s lips smoosh on your cheek in a kiss. You’re frozen. Frozen in shock and heightened senses.

“Happy New Year.”

Michael’s thumb is still rubbing your hand as you both walk into the lobby of the hotel. It’s still decorated from Christmas with a few blue and silver baubles for New Year’s. At the concierge desk stood Calum and his girlfriend who were dressed to the nines for a party they would be attending after the ceremony. Calum was in all black with a gold tie and a top hat to complete the look while his girlfriend had on a pretty silver dress that sparkled in the light.

“How did we beat you here when it’s your day?” Calum asks.

“Got stuck in party traffic,” Michale laughs. “Love the hat, man. Is the officiant here?”

“Yup, he’s all set. We just have to get you in your dress,” Calum’s girlfriend beams at you.

“Everything is in the room, right?” you ask, your voice shaking slightly from excitement and nerves.

“Yes, but you can’t see what it looks like until after the ceremony. Come on, time to primp and pamper you!”

“I’ll see you in about an hour,” Michael says, tugging you against his chest. His long finger pokes your nose before he leans in to give you a soft kiss. “Breathe, baby. This is our day.”

“What are you and Cal gonna do?”

“I’m going to buy him a drink while we wait for you ladies,” Calum grins.

“Okay,” you sigh heavily. “I’ll see you soon.”

You hold each other’s hand until the last possible second, until it’s just your pinkies linked together and then you’re walking towards the elevator and he’s headed to the bar.

Calum’s girlfriend covered your eyes as you entered the honeymoon suite you and Michael reserved for after the ceremony. You’re sat in a glam chair as someone works on your hair, two other people work on your nails and toes and another does your make-up. They’re all a well oiled machine and you close your eyes, seeing past New Year’s with Michael behind your lids.

On another New Year’s Eve when you were nineteen, you were with Michael at a cabin his parents rented out for the two of you. It became a tradition of yours to order pizza and play video games. But this year...this year was going to be special. When he picked you up in his old car and he kissed you hello, you felt different.

The whole journey to the cabin was full of this energy you couldn’t quite place. It left you buzzing and in anticipation of what the night would bring. Sensing your feelings, Michael reached over and took your hand bringing it to his lips. You felt a surge of affection as you felt the shakiness of his breath on your knuckles. He was nervous too.

While you played video games and ate, you also had a drink or two as the night progressed. And as the night progressed, you became warm and filled with a burning you’ve never felt before. Michael was in the kitchen opening a bottle of champagne he brought and walked in with two gold flukes.

“For you my lady,” he handed you a glass then poured the bubbly in your glass. It simmered and fizzled the bubbles away while he poured his own. “This is called ‘34+35.’’

“What does that mean?” you asked while taking a sip then smack your lips together at the sweet taste.

“Probably the year? I don’t know,” he shrugged. “Hey! We need to toast first before you drink!”

“Sorry!”

“To our five year tradition and anniversary,” he smiled looping his arm around yours. “I love you, kitty.”

“I love you, too,” you smiled then you both took a drink.

Two glasses later, you were both laid out on the large couch with Michael nestled between your legs, your lips connected in drunken kisses. Both of you are in your underwear and Michael’s fingers are dipping under the strap of your bra. He pulled it off your shoulder and his lips moved to the free space above your breast.

The scruff of his beard tickled your skin, his lips so soft on your skin as he kissed it lower, lower, and lower until he pulled the cup of your bra down. Being exposed to the air and his hot breath made your nipple harden. Michael sucked it between his teeth and you gasped at the newfound sensation. His lips puckered around your mound while his tongue flicked and circled your nipple.

“Does this feel okay?” he asked, his voice a little raspy.

“Good...good,” you nodded squeezing his shoulders, “really good, Mikey.”

After a few more light suckles, he pulled your other cup down and used his mouth in the same fashion. You closed your eyes at the care he was taking with his mouth on you. He palmed your other breast, rolling your peaked nipple between his fingers and you rolled your hips against his trying to tame the heat between your legs.

Soon after, the rest of your clothes were discarded and you stared a little wide-eyed as he rolled a condom on his hardened dick. He pumped himself twice to make sure it was on properly, his lower lip caught between his teeth.

“You’re sure?” he asked and you shifted your eyes to his face.

There was so much love and care in those sea glass eyes. In answer to his question, you dragged him by his neck so he was on top of you.

“It’s you, Michael. I want you,” you mumbled on his lips.

It took some time because it was the first time for the both of you. Tears pricked in your eyes as he nudged himself inside you, even with the lube he brought it was forgein to your anatomy but each inch felt better.

You were both breathing heavily as he adjusted, he was very patient and his careful care made sweat form on his skin.

“You feel amazing,” he panted closing his eyes. His head drooped to your neck, hot breath fanning your skin and he began to rock.

Each pull and thrust the burn between your legs lessened and was replaced with a new sensation that made your toes curl. It was special, it was hot, it was all brand new but you loved every minute of it because you and Michael were perfect for each other.

Afterwards, he poured you both another glass of champagne as you snuggled under the large blanket watching the New Year’s celebration on tv. You hadn’t even realized it was the new year because you were so involved with each other.

“New Year’s Eve is my favorite holiday,” Michael said.

“You’re just saying that because you got lucky,” you teased taking the bottle from him.

“Yeah I got lucky. Lucky to have you as my best friend, my girlfriend, and now my lover. New Year’s Eve is our day, babe.”

“Forever?” you asked, holding out your pinky.

“Forever and a night,” he grinned, linking his pinky with yours.

You’re adjusting the flowers in your hand as you walk towards the small party room where Michael is waiting for you. About a year after that first time, Michael started off on his music career and with timing and being on different continents, that was the last New Year’s you spent with him until two years ago. You still were in each other’s orbits silently cheering the other on on social media.

You met up again on New Year’s Eve at a mutual friend’s party. You stuck by each other like glue, reminiscing and catching up on new adventures you’ve both had. Discussions of break-ups, stupid moments, and other memories occurred and when the ball dropped you were already kissing.

“It’s just you and him,” Calum’s girlfriend tells you quietly.

The music starts inside, the doors open and she walks down the small aisle laden with glitter paper and flowers. You adjusted your dress, a pretty champagne color and took a deep breath as you made your way to your best friend. Michael couldn’t keep his eyes off you.

The ceremony was short and simple since it was just the four of you. Michael’s vows made you cry because he brought up past New Year’s Eve moments. He held your pinky the whole time then when you were declared husband and wife, he cradled your face in his hands pressing a soft kiss to your lips.

Your first kiss as husband and wife.

Photos were taken shortly after, then Calum and his girlfriend were off to finish the rest of the evening at a party. They offered their congratulations and happiness before you and Michael were finally alone. When the elevator doors open, he lifts you in his arms and walks across the threshold into your honeymoon suite.

“I’ll do this again when we’re back home,” he says nuzzling your cheek.

The room is decorated with roses and candles. Near the window overlooking the city is a table with steak, shrimp, fruit, champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. The meal is delectable, the champagne is your favorite ‘34+35’ brand. Michael snapped pictures of you and you took some of him. Then you took one with your hands over the other capturing your wedding bands.

“How about we take a bath?” he asks, already scooting his chair from the table.

The bubbles are warm and so is the bubbly in your flukes. You share kisses that leave your lips tingling and soon you’re in his lap.

“I’m having deja vu here,” he mumbles moving his lips over your jaw.

“I hope that’s a good thing.”

“It’s a very good thing.” he sucks on your neck and you gasp.

Shortly after, you shift back into the suite and fall on top of the dark gold bedspread. Michael rocks into you and you’re filled with overwhelming sensations. He drags his tongue between the valley of your breasts and you gasp out his name when he hits a certain spot.

Your fingers link and your wedding bands clink together just as fireworks explode outside. It must be midnight.

“Happy New Year, wife,” he pants, his eyes glazed over as he looks down at you. He gives you a kiss.

“Happy New Year, husband,” you smile lazily then bite your lip as your toes curl.

“New Year’s Eve, it’s always been you,” he sighs, knocking his forehead to yours. His hips move at a slower pace. “My best friend, my girlfriend, my lover, my fiancé, and now my wife.”

“New Year’s is ours,” you smile stretching your lips to his in a gentle kiss. “Forever…”

“Forever and a night.”

He lifts your arms over your head, starting the new year the way you know best, connected.

Taglist: @calpalirwin @thecurlsofgod @myloverboyash @rotten-kandy @tea4sykes @jannimoeller3 @loveroflrh @iovehemmings @cxddlyash @princesslrh @katiaw2 @g-l-pierce @fairyintheglass @gosh-im-short @lukeisbaby @spicycal @mysticalhood @notinthesameguey @wastedheartcth @itjustkindahappenedreally @calumance @babylon-corgis @thew0rldneedsmcreycghurt @lanternlover2 @istaywithmyjonas @calteahood @sarcastically-defensive17 @another-lonely-heart @devilatmydoor @frontmanash @philthepegacorn @mantlereid @lukedorkyhemmings @addietagglikesbands @kikixfandoms @sanrioluke @mayve-hems @morguelth @haikucal @thatscooibaby @meghanrose05 @idontneedanyone @dinosaursandsocks @haveufoundwhaturlooking4 @suchalonelysunflower @burstintocolor @zhangyixingxing1 @dead-and-golden @mymindwide @everyscarisahealingplace @stardust-galaxies @blackbutterfliescal @redrattlers @lovelybonesetc @karajaynetoday @quasighost @i-like-5sos @creampiecashton @calpops @superbloomed-c @ophelia-enthusiast @iknowyouthinkimbulletproof @flaneurcth @dariangarcia

#nye chronicles #michael clifford oneshot #michael clifford smut #michael smut #micahel 5sos #michael 5sos writing #michael fluff #michael clifford fluff #5sos writing

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clumsyclifford · 3 years

Note

hi! idk if you're still doing the prompts but if you are #47? whatever pairing you're vibing with atm 😊 -🦥

HELLO! first of all, the pairing bot gave me malum after it gave me cashton twice but i didn’t feel like doing this for cashton so i wrote it malum, hope that’s cool. ALSO. one day i am going to write a real proper epistolary fic, mark my words, but for now this is all i have to offer you. i know it’s rather different from like. a Normal fic. but i had fun writing it so :)

read on ao3

Dear Calum,

My mum suggested I write you a letter because of the whole data thing in Brazil. I don’t know what that really means but apparently calling would be extremely expensive so I’m doing this now. Maybe it’s weird. Don’t really care. Deal with it.

So how is Brazil? I don’t know the time difference. Wait, I can look it up. Google says 13 hours. That means you’re a day behind me half the time. I’m in your future! It doesn’t look good for you, Cal. Future is pretty grim. If I were you I would stay in the past. Although by the time you get this it will be way in the future for both of us…oops. Oh well. I tried.

Anyway. What was I saying. Brazil? How is it? Hot, I bet. Probably playing loads of football. Luke and I have been playing FIFA but it’s so not the same. He sucks at it and he doesn’t even cheat because he’s boring I guess or has “morals” or whatever (his words not mine). I miss playing FIFA with you. Always beating Luke is not fun. Okay it’s a little fun. But I still miss you. As soon as you’re back you’re reclaiming the player 2 controller. Did I mention that I miss you? You probably get it.

What can I update you about here? There’s not a lot to say. Nothing has really happened. At least not in my life. Oh! I can tell you a secret but don’t tell Luke I told you because he will definitely kill me. Not that you have any way to reach Luke. Don’t go behind my back and write a letter to Luke telling him I told you this. Anyway: Luke fancies Ashton! I totally got him to admit it during one of the FIFA games I mentioned. It was almost cute if I’m honest. He turned really red and got all blushy and stammery. I am now wondering if I should meddle or not. On the one hand, Ashton must like him back, right? Have you seen the two of them? I don’t want to deal with intra-band sexual tension. Unless it’s ours. We’ve already claimed the “insufferable band boyfriends” role though, so do we really want this to happen? I don’t really know what I’m arguing anymore. I don’t think I’ll do anything for now. Will keep you updated in case anything dramatic happens. Then again I have no idea how long it’ll be before you receive this. Something very dramatic might happen while this is in the post. Let me ask my mum. Okay she says it could be two weeks. That’s fucking long. You might just have to come back and get the Luke/Ashton updates in real time.

Besides from that there isn’t much to report. Everything is the same. Except I’m a lot lonelier now. This is what you’ve done to me Calum. I’m returning to my natural introvert state. I need you here, Cal!! Otherwise I’ll just have to become a turtle and by the time you’re back it might be too late.

I’m joking by the way. I hope you’re having a good time at football camp. Making new friends and learning Brazilian(?) Portuguese and kicking everyone’s arse and showing them up. I’m sure you are. I just miss you lots. :( Counting down the days!

Sending you lots of kisses and cuddles through the post,

Mikey

Dear Michael,

I don’t care either! I think writing letters is cool. We’re like lovers at war. Except neither of us are going to die. Probably. (Some of these footballers are CRAZY good. You never know!)

Actually, Brazil is pretty nice. It’s winter so the days have actually been not too hot, thankfully. It’s exhausting enough playing as it is. If it got any hotter, I might actually pass out. Forever. They’d have to ship me home in a body bag. (Are those only for dead people? Maybe not a body bag.)

It’s been almost two weeks since you sent your letter (I assume you sent it soon after I left?) which means there’s a good chance this one won’t get to you until I do, but in case it does I’m going to write and post it anyway. I hope by now you’re getting on better with Luke. If I’ve said it once or a million times, you guys have a lot in common and I really think you could be best friends if you weren’t both such stubborn shitheads. Which I say in the nicest way possible!

Of course Luke fancies Ashton, he’s liked Ashton since…honestly I don’t know when. Months and months at least. And Ashton clearly likes him back. I’ve never seen two people less capable of hiding their feelings. I’m surprised you didn’t notice before. Please tell me you decided to meddle in the end. You’re right, we can’t handle more sexual tension in the band. Don’t worry, they can’t possibly be more insufferable than we are. We are the most annoying boyfriends on the planet. We’re writing each other letters. Basically, it’s best for everyone involved if they get over themselves. Suck it up and kiss already! My friend Gustavo agrees with me. Also he says hi. (Well he says “oi” but I translated for you. See, I can do stuff like that. Kinda cool, right?)

I miss you too, you know. Very much. This might sound weird, but I keep having dreams about you? Like…I’ll be dreaming about whatever (usually football these days) and then you’ll just be there. Clearly my subconscious also knows I miss you. You know Ashton says that when you dream about someone, it’s because they’re thinking about you, so I hope that’s true. It’s kind of a cute idea. I hope you’re thinking about me. I’m thinking about you. Obviously. A lot. A lot.

There is one thing I want to tell you, though. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about this, and the more I think about it the crazier it feels, but also more right. So…I think I’m gonna do the band. Not football. This is cool and all, but everyone here is so scary good, and…I don’t know. Maybe this is stupid but I don’t like the idea of a future without you when I could have a future with you. Like with the band, I mean. And I know it’s not the most practical dream, but imagine how cool it would be if it actually worked out. You know I like a challenge. So, anyway…that’s kind of where I’m at now. I’m going to keep thinking about it for the last two weeks here, but I don’t think I’ll change my mind. Don’t tell anyone, please. I just wanted to tell you as soon as I knew. My parents are going to be soooo mad. Not excited to tell them, but this feels like the right decision.

Anyway…this got weirdly deep. Sorry. Here’s something super not-deep to make up for it: one of the football coaches here has a dog whose name in English is pasta! PASTA! (It might be apple. Apparently they’re the same word just spelled differently and the Brazilians here can clearly tell the difference. I cannot. But I think it’s way funnier if the dog’s name is pasta so I’m going with that. Not that apple is much better? Imagine seeing any dog at all and thinking, “You know what this dog’s name should be? A common food item.” LOL.)

This letter is so long and I’m running out of space on the page and I also really need to go to sleep! The boys are telling me to turn off the lights. I miss you so much. Football camp is fun, but I can’t wait to be back. Counting down the days!

Thank you for the cuddles and kisses I am sending them right back to you,

Cal

“Oh my God,” Michael mumbles into Calum’s shoulder, “you smell.”

Calum laughs, but he doesn’t loosen his grip on Michael. “Seriously? I haven’t seen you in a whole month and that’s the first thing you say?”

“Ugh, I missed you so much, but that’s boring to say, you already knew it,” Michael says, drawing back to kiss Calum for a second. Then he buries his face in Calum’s neck. “Seriously, I’m not joking, if you ever leave me alone for that long again, I will die.”

“You had Luke. And Ashton.”

Michael groans loudly and overdramatically. “Ashton is busy with family stuff all the time and don’t you dare compare yourself to Luke.”

“We’re going to talk about this,” Calum says. “You’re going to be friends with him if it kills me.”

“Then prepare to die,” Michael says. Calum laughs, pressing a kiss to the slope of Michael’s neck. “I tried, okay? I promise I did. I said in my letter we were playing FIFA! Did you get my letter? I didn’t know how to check if it ever actually arrived.”

“I got it,” Calum says, stomach lurching with nerves. Ignoring them for the moment, he squeezes Michael and then steps back to give him a full once-over. “I loved it. It made me laugh. God, I really missed you, you know?”

“Join the fucking club,” Michael says, smiling. He’s been smiling this whole time, Calum realises; he’s just good at sounding like he’s whining even when he’s smiling. That’s probably the most Michael thing Michael can do.

“Alright, boys,” Mali says from a ways away. “Come on. Let’s go. And seriously, Calum? You hug Michael but not me?”

Calum throws his arms around Mali, and Mali wraps him in a hug. “Missed you,” Calum says sweetly in her ear. “Thank you for coming to get me. And for bringing Michael.”

“You’re welcome,” Mali says drily. They separate and Mali just gives him a small smile. “And I missed you too, you punk. Come on, you both. Baggage claim awaits.”

Mali takes off and Calum lingers behind until he can throw an arm over Michael’s shoulder. Michael leans heavily into him. It’s been so long since the last time Calum had Michael in his arms, but it’s so immediately familiar that it almost knocks Calum off his feet.

“So…” Calum bites his lip. “Did you get my letter? I sent it just after yours arrived, but I don’t know if it got here before me.”

Michael shakes his head. “Nope, nothing.” Something in his voice tells Calum he’s making no mistake. He’d probably checked the mail every day, just to see. There’s a pang in Calum’s chest, all mixed up with the anxiety flitting out to his fingertips from inside his rib cage.

“Oh,” Calum says. “Well, there was something in there that I wanted to tell you, but I guess I’ll just tell you now. Um.” He drops his voice to a half-whisper, clears his throat. “I don’t want to tell Mali or anyone yet, but…I decided I’m not going to do football.”

Michael jerks. “What?”

“I want to be in the band,” Calum says quietly. His heart is racing, but at least it’s racing towards the finish line instead of away. This is the right decision. He’s…ninety-five percent sure. That’s enough to know. It has to be enough to know. “I just, you know, football is fun, but music is more fun. To me. And anyway, um.” He rubs the back of his neck. “If I have a choice between a career that has you in it or one that doesn’t, I choose you. Obviously.”

“You’re gonna be in the band?” Michael repeats lowly, looking over at Calum like he’s seeing something he’s never seen before. “Seriously? You’d give up football?”

Calum shrugs, nods. “Yeah. I know my parents are going to kill me, but I don’t care. This is what I want.”

Michael stares at him. “I love you,” he says, and then kisses Calum too fiercely to give Calum adequate time to process that.

By the time they break apart, he’s processed it. And as he inhales to catch his breath, licking his lips, he knows with one-hundred-percent certainty that this is the right choice.

“I love you too,” Calum says, like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Where Michael is concerned, it usually is.

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pinkbubbles-and-bigtroubles · 4 years

Text

The Sweetest Taste

AU Ice Cream Shop Featuring Cake for the 5sos fic event sponsored by @maluminspace and @h0tsos

Word Count: 5,979 (I’m a long winded bitch, oops)

CW: this is smut so 18+, NSFW etc. M/M and M/F oral as well as sexual situations and strong language from the outset and throughout.

Special thanks to @adoring-lrh for helping me edit this monstrosity.

Event Masterlist

"I'm so bored," Calum complained, leaning back against the counter.

"Me too, but I have to train you how to close so you're not leaving early," you told him but you were just as bored as him.

Your parents had recently expanded the family business by opening up a second Cali-Cone Dream location in the touristy "historic district" downtown. Your dad's grandparents started the ice cream shop after moving to California from Missouri after World War 2. They'd invested their life savings in the shop and helped build the boardwalk. You’d grown up in this shop, and since it was early in the season and still slow, it was up to you to train the new hires. It was a pain in the ass, but at least your parents weren't breathing down your neck.

"If you keep complaining I'll make you clean the freezer. You'll have shrinkage for a week," you teased him.

"Like you wouldn't find a way to fix that," he shot back, wiggling his dark eyebrows at you.

Calum was the only new hire you liked. Jeremy was a kiss ass to your parents, Rico was boring, and Amanda was dumber than a bag of hammers. The smartest thing to come out of that girl's mouth was her boyfriend's dick. You'd already told your Mom it wasn't going to work out when you'd asked her to cut lemons for tea and she came back with oranges. Calum, however, was funny, a quick learner, and great with customers, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous.

"How is it only 3 o clock? Can we play cards or something? If I stand here much longer I'm gonna keep eating ice cream, and this is supposed to be my hot girl summer," he pouted before giving you a saucy wink. He was a total flirt and you weren't complaining. Three weeks ago he'd barely said a word, but you two had become fast friends and he'd really come out of his shell.

"I don't think you have to worry about that," you laughed.

The dark blue, slightly too tight, uniform t-shirt accentuated his bulging biceps, broad chest, and golden brown tan. The Cali-Cone slogan, "The Thrill of the Taste" scrawled across his back in bright red letters kept giving you dirty thoughts.

"We could close early, maybe show me another of your secret spots." Calum leaned towards you with a smirk and you rolled your eyes.

A week ago you'd gotten tired of him whining that there was nothing to do now that the college bars were dead since most students went home for the summer. You'd taken him out with you after you closed up shop. You'd avoided the popular rowdy country bar, and the dark thumping underground hip hop club, choosing instead to head for the beach. You took him to a spot under the boardwalk past the large boulders known as "The Breakers" where the local police patrols usually stopped.

You brought your beach bag and a popup tent you could both lounge in so bugs wouldn't eat you alive. He'd managed to sweet talk a bottle of wine out of his landlady, who knew he was only 20. It wasn't very strong, but it made you giggly and warm. Perhaps Calum lounging next to you on the blanket had something to do with that. After a few rosé flavored kisses his hands began to wander, and you had to put an end to it. Calum started to apologize, but you told him that the only reason you stopped was that your cycle hadn’t ended yet.

After that, Calum laid back on the blanket and began to talk.

He told you he was in his second year studying music composition and theory at the Strozzi Conservatory. He'd recently broken up with his high school sweetheart, and it had been painful. As a result Cal decided to not go home for the summer, deciding instead to take a workshop on-campus teaching local teens. He was a bit lonely but looking forward to the tourist season.

"This is the first time I've had time to myself where I don't have to worry about what anyone else thinks about me or what I do," he told you, taking a gulp before handing you the wine to finish off. You were sitting up and he was laying across your outstretched legs looking up at you.

"Ooh the wild college years," you laughed. You had seen many sheltered middle-class suburban kids get the first taste of freedom away from their helicopter parents and lose their minds. "If you're trying to get fucked up don't buy anything on the boardwalk. I've got a friend so at least you know it's clean."

"Nah not like that, but good to know." Calum took a deep breath, looked up at you, and then away. The shadows from the small camp lantern made him look mysterious and brooding. "Can I tell you something? I feel like I can trust you." His voice was soft and he rolled on his side concentrating on tracing lines along the skin on your legs.

"You can tell me anything," you assured him.

"I want to--uh I guess experiment with different sorts of types of experiences with something new. I mean, obviously new. What I mean is, not what you'd expect maybe. Shit!" Calum rubbed his eyes and you held back a smile. "What I'm trying to say is that," he paused again.

"Calum, are you into guys?" You ask, not wanting to rush, but you were running out of time. You only had about half an hour before the tide would start coming in and you had to leave.

"Is it obvious?" He asked, his eyes wide.

"Nope, I wouldn't have guessed at all, but I've had this conversation with a friend before. I'm glad you trusted me enough to tell me, but we have to leave here in a bit." You checked your phone.

“So that’s it?” he asked.

“Dude, it’s not that serious. Tell me who you’re scoping out and I’ll let you know what’s up. That doesn’t mean we can’t have fun as well,” you told him.

He looked so relieved, and you could only imagine what it took for him to tell you that.

Calum sat up and you started rolling up the blanket. You packed up your beach bag and Calum held the lantern as you twisted and folded the tent in three quick fluid motions before sliding it into its bag.

"How did you do that so quickly in the dark?" Calum looked impressed.

"Practice, now come on, follow me, watch your step. It's slippery," you cautioned him.

It had gotten chilly and you were both shivering as you ran back to your car.

"You won't tell anyone at work will you? I know it's not a big deal but I don't want everyone in my business." Calum bit his lip and you could tell he was questioning his decision.

"Dude you're fine, but what made you decide to tell me?" The question slipped out before you realized it.

He looked embarrassed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I was hoping maybe you could help me out. I don't know how to read people and I don't want to make an idiot out of myself."

"Of course," you replied, reaching over to squeeze his hand. “Did you have anyone in mind?”

“Well there’s this lifeguard. He’s blonde and has a bird tattoo on his arm,” Calum told you.

You cringed, knowing exactly who he was talking about. “Sorry sweetie,” you replied, “ that’s Cody and he’s not only straight, he’s a complete jackass.”

Calum slumped and looked defeated. “Don’t worry sweetie,” you reassured him. “The summer is just getting started”

A clap of thunder pulled you from your daydream. If it was going to rain there was no chance business would pick up. You glanced over at Calum perched on the stool behind the cash register playing on his phone. His dark curls were falling across his forehead and your fingers itched to play with his hair. Being bored and horny was never fun and you were willing to bet Calum could take care of both. As if he could read your mind Cal looked up and caught your eye. The smirk that spread across his face let you know you were being too obvious, but you didn't care.

"If you keep looking at me like that I might forget I'm on the clock," Calum licked his lips and looked you over. "You're lucky there are cameras."

"Oh yeah? What did you have in mind? It just so happens I know all the spots the cameras can't see," you raise your eyebrows at him, challenging him to take it further.

The loud jingle of the bells hanging from the door startled both of you. You look up to see a familiar figure ducking through the door just before the sky opened up and began pouring rain.

"What's up Luke? Since when are you afraid to get wet," you teased the tall blonde walking towards the counter. You'd known Luke Hemmings for years, his dad was on the city council with yours and his mom taught sixth grade. He'd been a year ahead of you in school, and you'd both played varsity basketball in high school. He'd dated several of your friends, and before that, your older sister had a tumultuous relationship with his brother Ben several years back.

"Maybe I'm sick of the pool and want my old job back," Luke shot back. He'd worked three summers scooping ice cream next to you until he turned 18 and could work as a lifeguard on the beach.

"Sorry, dollface, I've managed to replace you, I even found someone better looking," you replied.

The Hemmings brothers were gorgeous and always had girls falling at their feet, but you'd never been that impressed. Not that it stopped y'all from hooking up on occasion, including once in the walk-in cooler after closing the summer before your senior year. It was a small town and you'd dated, hated, or hooked up with most of the guys your age. Luke's history was more extensive than yours. He'd not only hooked up with you and many of your female friends, but you'd kissed many of the same boys.

He looked from you to Calum who was standing to your right suddenly engrossed in the patterns on the tile floor. You could see the flush on his cheeks and his leg was jiggling nervously. Luke looked Calum up and down, his blue eyes lingering on the younger man before shooting you an approving grin.

"I see you found a college boy. Can't say I blame you, much better looking than that ginger from last year," Luke snickered.

"I'm gonna go check the cooler," Calum told you, barely audibly before ducking in the back.

You looked at Luke who was as confused as you were before excusing yourself to follow Calum.

You barely made it around the corner before Calum popped out at you nearly scaring you to death.

"What the hell," you squealed as he pulled you into the freezer.

"That's the guy I was telling you about," he hissed as the door shut behind you.

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember when you drove me home the other night? You asked if I had anyone in mind so you could find out which team they played for," his voice was a panicked whisper, and his dark eyes were wide as saucers.

Then it clicked. "You were talking about Luke?" I asked, my voice louder than I meant for it to be.

"Why are you yelling? Yes, obviously that's him, except you told me his name was Dylan."

"You said tall, curly hair, with a bird tattooed on his arm. Luke doesn't have any tattoos, his mom

hates them," I replied, but doubted myself now. I hadn't seen Luke in ages, he'd always been a spoiled Mama's boy and maybe Liz finally caved.

"That tall drink of water has a hummingbird tattooed on his arm, but that's not important right now. Have y'all hooked up?" You nodded and Calum scowled. "Figures he would be straight," he sighed.

Your brain finally caught up to the situation at hand, and you had an idea.

"Listen to me Calum, you're gonna wait on him. Offer him a strawberry waffle cone, it's his favorite," you pushed him out of the cooler and back towards the front.

You popped your head around the corner and whistled making Luke look up from his phone. "I'll be out in a second. I keep telling Dad this freezer needs replaced, have one on the house, but try not to scare off my new employee please," you shoot him a stern look as Calum came around the corner behind you.

"I'll try not to bite, but I make no promises," Luke laughed before turning his attention to Calum.

You moved just out of their sight, but still within earshot to see if your little plan worked.

"So uh, yeah, the boss said you could have a free waffle cone. She said you like strawberry ice cream," Calum started out a squeak but he cleared his throat and continued, in a deep rough tone that gave you the shivers.

"Did she now?" Luke's voice dripped honey and you could hear him smiling. "I'm surprised she remembered, but she's good like that."

"That's why she's the boss," Calum was cautious, and you stifled a laugh. "Have y'all known each other long? Are you close?"

"Oh we know each other very well, and we've been close, very close sometimes. She's easy to talk to, I'm sure you know how it is," Luke answered and you had to put your hand over your mouth to hold back a laugh. You'd recognize that syrupy flirtatious tone anywhere, it was obvious Luke was seducing your new employee. You peeked around the counter to see Calum handing Luke his ice cream cone. A double scoop, perfectly dipped, pink and creamy, just barely starting to drip around the edge you watched Luke begin to lap it up while keeping his eyes on Calum.

The power flickered as Luke leaned back against one of the tables in the dining area, half sitting half standing, his long legs crossed at the ankle. He was wearing the black swim trunks trimmed in bright red every lifeguard wore on duty and a thin white reflective windbreaker unzipped almost all the way to his waist revealing his broad bare chest. You could see Calum fidgeting nervously with the ice cream scoop while trying not to stare. Luke was not making that easy, his lips and tongue working obscenely in a way that was starting to make you horny, and you knew what he was doing and why. Poor Calum didn't stand a chance. It didn't help that he'd worn basketball shorts to work and the clingy fabric made his arousal obvious even where you were standing.

You stepped back trying to figure out your next step. Your intention had been to introduce Luke and Calum but watching them together made your thoughts wander places they shouldn't. The rain was really coming down, sheeting the windows and sounding like pebbles being hurled against the roof. Daylight had turned dark as the storm really kicked up. You could hear the guys talking as you checked the weather on your phone. You were stuck here at least another 30 minutes as a big blob of red on the radar moved through your area.

"She said I dare you to kiss the person on either side of you, and I didn't know if I wanted to kill her or kiss her." You heard Luke's voice and realized you'd zoned out and you headed back towards the front.

You stepped through the swinging doors just in time to hear Calum ask, "why was that?"

"Because the girl to his left was my friend who was absolutely gagging for Luke's cock," you answered as Calum jumped and Luke laughed.

"What was her name? Crystal? Kristen?" Luke bit the tip of the waffle cone off and sucked the remainder of the ice cream out of the bottom, glancing at you before his eyes returned to Calum.

"Kirsten, you did end up sleeping with her, " you reminded him. "Tell him who was on the other side."

Luke licked his lips and grinned. "Keeeerstin, that's right, and that 4th of July we all did crazy things if I remember correctly. To my right however was the hottest soccer player in school who I'd had a crush on for ages."

Calum nodded and Luke's gaze flickered your way once again, his blue eyes bright and mischievous, before he continued, "I was freaking out when we kissed but then he ended up taking me back to his house and we fooled around on his sister's swing set."

You laughed along with Luke as you watched Calum realize what Luke said. His head snapped up, blinking rapidly and his mouth opened and closed refusing to find words before you saw him look at you, then Luke, and then back to you as everything clicked into place.

"Is that what strawberry ice cream meant? Were you setting me up?" Calum asked.

"Not a setup, but wanted to see if Luke remembered the code. Turns out there's not as dumb as he looks," you walked up to Calum stopping just inches from his chest looking up at him. "And you did say you were bored."

"What did you have in mind?" He raised his eyebrows at you, still unable to look at Luke.

“I mean, Luke likes strawberry ice cream, and so do you. I doubt we’re going to have many customers with this rain,” you told him.

“They closed down the beach because of lightning so no one is coming out,” Luke chimed in.

“That’s what I was thinking, so it sounds to me like the three of us have some time on our hands,” you replied. You looked at Calum and he nodded but his eyes burned into you.

“Are you sure you’re up for that?” he asked apparently reading your thoughts.

“I can handle anything,” you puffed your chest out and heard Luke snicker, but you didn’t dare take your eyes off Calum.

“I’m down if y’all are,” he challenged, finally looking at Luke.

Am I really going to do this? Your thoughts were racing and your heart was pounding as hard as the rain. CAMERAS you thought before remembering you'd been the one who updated the security system and there was a workaround.

Thunder crashed so loudly you felt it shake your bones. No one would come around today, and it made no sense to stay open or send Luke home in this storm.

"Calum, go make sure the back door is locked, Luke if you could flip the bolt and get the blinds," you told them before you ran back into the office where money was counted. Behind the desk was the breaker box and you flipped the switch that shut off the security cameras and half the lights.

You poked your head out at Luke and motioned for him to follow you towards the back. You bumped into Calum as he came back towards the front.

"Where are you going?" He asked

"Break room, even with this storm I'm worried about someone peeking in," you reply.

"Really?" Calum was skeptical.

"Around here you never know," Luke told him.

You flipped the light switch, but only two bulbs lit up casting the room in soft blue light with long shadows.

"So I hear you got a tattoo, Hemmings," you said, trying to break the ice. Calum looked even more nervous than you felt, and you silently asked Luke to take charge.

He winked at you unzipping his jacket and shrugging it off his shoulders. You noticed he was still lean and lanky but he'd definitely filled out, added some muscle definition. Sure enough, there on his right bicep was a small hummingbird.

"I can't believe Liz finally caved," you teased.

"Honestly I just went and did it, and then dealt with the consequences. She's still mad, but nothing I can't handle," he replied. Luke looked over towards Calum. "You have way more than I ever will, can I see them?"

Calum nodded and came up beside you. He started off nervous, but as he explained his tattoos starting with his parents’ initials on his hands, working up past his wrists, to the lovely bird with his sister's name, he explained when and where he'd gotten them. Some, like the thistle on his left bicep, had special meaning relating to friends and family. While others, like the spade and the horseshoe, were aesthetic choices.

"Is that it?" Luke raised his eyebrows and bit his lip.

"Nope," Calum smirked, warming to the other's man's attention. He reached behind his neck and in one swift motion pulled his shirt off over his head. You felt your pulse quicken and heard Luke suck in his breath next to you. Calum was brawnier, broad-chested with black ink on brown skin. Without realizing it you reached out to touch him, trailing a fingertip along what looked like a feather etched underneath his collarbone.

"What's this?" You asked, feeling your insides quiver when he turned his brown eyes towards you.

"It's a silver fern, my mom's Maori from New Zealand," Calum's voice was a sultry whisper.

"And this?" Your fingers slide down to the "Choose Life" on his chest.

"It's from Trainspotting and- OH," Calum moaned as you absentmindedly tugged his nipple.

"Do that again," Luke told you, his hand sliding down over his dick now a bulge in his black and red lifeguard trunks.

You tugged, harder this time, and were rewarded with a sound somewhere between a moan and a hiss. Calum licked his lips before his mouth hung slightly open as your fingers traveled to the other one, repeating the motion. Both men moaned in response and Calum noticed Luke palming himself through his shorts.

"Enjoying the show?" He asked with a slight smirk.

"Oh my God yes," Luke responded, squeezing his cock slightly. "All I can think about is the two of you sucking me off."

"I'm down for that," you reply. "What do you say Cal."

Uncertainty crept into his expression and he paused, "I want to but I've never done that before."

"If you want I can show you," you offered, the idea had you excited like never before.

"Is that ok?" Calum asked.

Luke's blue eyes went wide. "Fuck yes, please," he whispered.

You untied the drawstring on Luke's shorts and tugged them down past his hips letting his long cock spring free. Rock hard and leaking as you wrapped your hand around the shaft, you could feel his body react to your touch. You stood on your tiptoes and playfully kissed his lips before you sank to your knees in front of him.

You looked up at Calum who was watching your intently, lips pursed in concentration.

"You know what you like so start there. Personally I like to tease a bit to start off," you tell him, flicking your tongue around the tip. "You wanna keep it wet and keep it moving. I think spitting is gross but if you gag a little it gets everything nice and sloppy." You took Luke's cock in your mouth getting it slick and shiny as you bobbed your head, taking him further down your throat each time until your nose was almost touching his belly.

"Oh shit," you heard Luke's growl above you as you came back up for air. You continued pumping him with your hand as you looked up at Calum.

"Come on, you try," you beckoned to him.

Calum was eager now, as he kneeled next to you, looked up at Luke, and wrapped his hand around your much smaller one as you stroked Luke's cock together.

"Oh God," Luke moaned, the sight almost sending him over the edge.

Calum leaned forward and brushed his lips against the taut skin before his tongue darted out to get his first taste. Luke's knees started to buckle and he leaned back against the break table which was inches behind his thighs. Calum hesitated, eyeing the table before glancing at you, but both you and Luke knew the table could easily hold his weight.

"It's fine, keep going," you pulled back and gave his arm a nudge.

"Are you sure? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have no idea what I’m doing. I almost never do,” he replied.

"You're sucking a dick not disarming a bomb, just don't bite and you'll be fine," you told him with a giggle.

Calum swirled his tongue around the tip and you saw Luke grip the table's edge, his knuckles white. Calum began sucking, softly, and slowly before gaining confidence he built up a rhythm. Luke grunted, his eyes screwed shut and his chest heaved.

"Stop," he pleaded, "you're gonna make me cum too fast."

Calum pulled back with a pop. "I thought that was the point," he smirked up at the older man.

"God what I wouldn't give to let you both take turns riding me," Luke moaned, grasping his cock tightly, fighting for control.

"What's wrong Luke?" You reached up and ran your thumb along Calum's plump bottom lip. "His pretty mouth got you all excited. Thinking about how you're the first guy he's ever sucked off? About how lucky you are?

"You keep talking like that and you're gonna make me cum in my pants," Calum warned you.

"Not yet, I wanna help with that," Luke growled.

"We gotta finish you first," Calum grinned and got back to work. Luke cursed loudly as his cock disappeared down the other man's throat. Calum stopped and almost pulled back but kept going.

You looked up at Luke, he was staring down at the two of you with half-open eyes. You reached up and cupped his balls, giving them a gentle tug. That sent him over the edge.

"Oh shit I'm gonna come," Luke yelled, bucking his hips. Calum tried to swallow but he started coughing so he leaned back, cum dripping from his chin and splattering on his chest. You watched Luke fight to keep his eyes on Calum before they rolled back in his head as his knees shook and his breath escaped him in ragged gasps.

He sank to the floor next to the two of you watching as you pulled Calum in for a kiss tasting Luke on his lips. When you broke away, Luke was there kissing you first and then Calum.

"That was so good, let us take care of you now. I bet you're ready to burst. Let's see what we're working with here," he said as he reached into Calum's shorts. You both smiled as Luke pulled out a cock that was a bit shorter but thicker than Luke's.

"Damn Cal, you've been holding out on me," you purred in his ear as you moved behind him.

"I would've fucked you that night on the beach if you'd let me," he admitted.

"I was indisposed, but we'll have to make up for that," you tell him before you kissed your way up his neck.

"Raise up a bit," Luke told him as he pulled his shorts up before laying on the carpet. He positioned his head just under Calum's balls blowing on them as you reached around and massaged Calum's cock. "This is gonna be all I think about tomorrow at work. I'm gonna be rock hard sitting up in that chair just thinking about what I wanna do to the two of you."

A huge thunderclap seems to shake the building and the lights flickered as your lips found Calum's neck as you nipped at his skin. You'd been fantasizing about marking up his throat and couldn't resist leaving a mark. He whined in response and pushed back into you before moaning as Luke's mouth went to work getting Calum's cock nice and wet before sucking and humming on his balls. You continued to suck tiny bruises on Calum's flesh as Luke's mouth stayed busy alternating between working over Calum and talking dirty.

"I'd love to watch you fuck her before I come up behind you and take that ass. Imagine being between us, having your cock buried in her pussy while you're stretched and full," Luke told him and the idea gave you the most delicious thrill. The idea of Luke fucking Calum into you had you aching for your own release, but right now you wanted to make Calum feel good. You twisted your hand slightly as you stroked his cock. Calum's head rolled back resting on your shoulder, moaning over and over as you kept one hand on his dick and the other tugged his nipples. You couldn't see what Luke was doing but you heard sucking noises between Calum's moans.

"I'm getting close," Calum warned you. "Oh God keep doing that," he gasped and you could hear Luke humming as he sucked.

You jerked him faster, concentrating on the tip, tugging his nipples harder as your teeth grazed along his shoulder.

He erupted onto Luke's chest with an "Oh God" that was both a prayer and an exultation. Luke quickly moved so he was sucking the tip and the two of you worked together to drain every drop.

Calum slumped back against you and you peppered his skin with kisses as you felt him shudder as he came down from his high.

"That was incredible, I don't think I can feel my legs," Calum said as he shifted so he was no longer kneeling.

"I bet," Luke laughed as he got up. He walked over to the sink in the corner by the refrigerator and grabbed some paper towels. He got himself cleaned up before bringing some back for you and Calum.

"Are you ok?" Luke asked when he noticed you were breathing heavily. "Do you need your inhaler?"

You reached out your hand so he could help you up. "I'm fine, that was just intense and I got excited," you winked at him as you stood up. He pulled on your arm and caused you to stumble and fall into his chest. He wrapped you in a cuddle and bent his lips closer to your ear.

"I haven't forgotten about you princess," Luke's words made you shiver with the anticipation. You could tell your panties were soaked and your core throbbed as Luke gripped your hips and lifted you on to the break table. He stepped between your legs and put this hand under your chin and pulled you in for a kiss. Calum was still on his tongue as it tangled with yours and you tasted his essence which was sweeter than Luke's. His hands tugged at your shirt and you broke away to let him lift it over your head. He kissed you again as you fumbled with your bra, unhooking it before you tossed it across the room. Luke's mouth moved to your breasts and you saw Calum still seated on the floor as he watched you with Luke, his eyes glazed over with lust.

When your eyes met Calum jolted out of his gaze and scrambled to his feet. You almost laughed as he tripped over his own feet as he readjusted his shorts, but at that moment Luke's mouth closed over your stiff nipple and the laugh became a moan.

Luke's fingers were clawing at your waistband and you lifted your hips as he pulled your shorts and panties down at the same time.

The rain was beating against the roof in sheets now, but you could barely hear it over the sound of your own heartbeat.

Luke spread your legs and stepped back to show Calum. "She how pretty and wet she is for us. We gotta give her something special as a thank you. Want me to show you how to make her squirm," Luke teased, running a finger in between your soaked folds, and you pushed your hips up with a frustrated grunt.

"Nah," Calum looked you dead in the eye with the cockiest smirk you'd ever seen in your life.

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing. I've been fantasizing about this for weeks," he was talking to Luke but his eyes were on you. "Tell me princess, do you taste as good as you look. I bet you're as sweet and juicy as a pink Starburst."

You don't even recognize the sound that escaped your lips when Calum's mouth moved between your thighs. His tongue danced and moved in ways you'd never experienced, curling inside you before swooping up between your lips and lapping up your nectar. His pillowy lips sucked on your clit alternating with soft cool puffs of air over your fevered skin.

Luke buried you in a flurry of kisses and you didn't know where each one was going to land, your mouth, breasts, neck, belly, shoulders, along your hairline or on your fingertips.

Calum was relentless, barely coming up for air as he buried his face in your pleasure. You felt like a live wire as your nerves danced under your skin while Calum's tongue found every pleasure spot. Your heels beat the table in time with the storm raging outside as your orgasm started to build. You wanted to praise him or cry out but Luke covered your mouth with his.

You arched your back almost slamming your head back on the table as Calum furiously worked on achieving your high. He wasn't going to let up until you were screaming for him, and you gladly obliged. Your climax hit you hard enough to see stars and your whole body let go.

"Damn baby," Luke's voice was in your ear but sounded very far away.

You tried to close your legs but Calum wouldn't let you. He held them open still sucking your clit his fingers buried inside you as he coaxed another orgasm out of you. He moaned into your skin as you drenched his face, your thighs, and the table as you came undone. He didn't stop until you were whimpering from being overstimulated, and only then did he finally pro back.

He stood up and grabbed Luke for a kiss leaving the tall blonde as breathless as you were. The storm was still raging but your heartbeat was returning to normal. You sat up, a bit embarrassed by the mess.

"Sorry about that, can one of y'all get some towels?" You ask even though you hated to interrupt them.

"Don't apologize," Luke stroked your thigh, and Calum did as you asked. "That was the hottest thing I've ever seen." He looked over at Calum, "will you teach me how to make her squirt like that."

"Hell yeah," Calum answered as he gently cleaned you up. He landed a tiny kiss on your nose. "Thank you," he whispered, almost too softly to be heard. You reached down and squeezed his hand as you shared a smile.

"How about I help y'all close up and we head back to my apartment?" Luke asked.

"Great idea, we'll order pizza and see where the night goes." You slid off the table, wobbled a bit but Calum wouldn't let you fall.

"Sounds like a plan, boss," Calum grinned. "Can we get ice cream too?"

"Sure, what flavor?" You asked as you pulled your shorts up and Luke tossed your bra to you.

"Strawberry," they answered in unison before you all cracked up.

"Oh this is gonna be a great summer," you called over your shoulder as you walked out of the room.

@kiiiimberlyriiiicker1995 @ghostofmashton @sexgodashton @sublimehood @ihatetigers @calteahood @5-secondsofcolor @tea4sykes @wildmichaelflower @noshamenion @punkrockpreferences @rosecolouredash @cal-pal-cuddles @damselindistressanu

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notanacousticsetcal · 4 years

Text

the way i loved you - calum hood

summary - based off of the song “the way I loved you” by taylor swift.

warnings - none

word count - 2.6k (oops)

a/n - I have some of these planned for luke too tehe. go check out my other two in the song series “begin again” and “broken pieces” also, this is not in chronological order. there are 2 calum flashbacks during the first two choruses looking back at 2 moments in their relationship.

He is sensible and so incredible and all my single friends are jealous. He says everything I need to hear and it's like I couldn't ask for anything better.

“Damn.” You shook your head in disappointment at the marked percentage atop the crumpled white paper. He glanced up at you with a look of concern.

“What’s up?”

“I got an 82 on this math test and I thought I aced it.” Grabbing a nearby pillow and shoving it in your face, you fell back against your bed as he laughed at your dramatic gesture from his seat on the floor.

He sighed softly. “An 82 is still a great score. I’m sorry. I know you worked hard studying for that test. How can I make you feel better?” He asked sweetly.

“Hmm,” you ran your pointer finger and thumb along your chin like you were pondering a big decision. “You could... grab me a chocolate bar from the kitchen?” You smiled innocently up at him and he returned it.

“It would be my honor.” As he left to grab your candy, you opened your phone to a new message from your friend, Katie.

She had just received the picture you sent her a few hours ago of the beautiful, expensive, bracelet James had just bought for you.

Katie: holy SHIT! that must’ve cost an arm and a leg. what I would give to have a boyfriend who cares enough to get me gifts. hold onto that one, he’s a keeper.

Katie was right. He was a keeper. A total gentlemen -- smart, kind and gentle. He always knew exactly what to say to make you feel better. But when you looked at him, directly into his sparkling blue eyes… you felt absolutely nothing. And it killed you. Because you really, really wanted to feel something.

He opens up my door and I get into his car and he says “you look beautiful tonight.” And I feel perfectly fine.

“Hey! How are you?” You said, approaching the brunette leaning against the white SUV.

“I’m great now.” He smiled. He reached over and popped the passenger door open, gesturing for you to step inside and you quickly thanked him, sliding into your seat.

He sat down next to you, starting up the car.

“You look beautiful tonight.”

You wished you could even conjure up a small blush but you just looked down and let out a meek “thank you.” Where were the damn butterflies? Weren't you supposed to be feeling those right about now?

All you wanted was to feel something -- anything -- when you looked at him. You wanted to dream about him, miss him when he was gone, long for him to hold you.

But you think all that is still reserved for one person.

The one you haven’t quite gotten over.

But I miss screamin' and fightin' and kissin' in the rain and it's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name. You're so in love that you act insane and that's the way I loved you. Breakin' down and comin' undone, It's a roller-coaster kinda rush and I never knew I could feel that much and that's the way I loved you.

“Cal, pull over.” You sat up from your seat in the car, tugging off your seat belt and laying a hand on the door handle.

“What? Why, are you alright?” Calum grabbed your thigh and gave it a squeeze. His brown eyes looked clouded with concern.

“I’m fine, Cal, just pull over. Please?” You gave him your best puppy dog face and watched him give in like he does every time and you smiled, laying a kiss on his cheek.

As soon as the car was securely in park on the side of the road, you started to get out.

Calum wasn’t sure what he expected you to do, but it wasn’t that.

“(Y/n)? What the hell are you doing, baby, it's pouring outside!” He called after you but you shut the door before he could protest further and ran out into the street. It was a warm summer night around 1:00am and you wanted nothing more than to run around in the rain with your favorite person in the world.

Calum got out of the car and chased after you, wrapping his hands around your waist and spinning you when you tried to run away.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Shivers traveled up your spine at the sound of his voice in your ear. You could barely hear him above the sheets of rain bucketing down onto the street.

The street light above you illuminated him slightly and you shifted in his arms to look at him.

Your hand reached up to move his damp hair off his forehead.

“Dance with me?” The question leaves your mouth before you can stop it.

“I’d jump off a cliff as long as it was with you.” His eyes never left your lips.

Before you knew what you were doing, you were leaning into him and catching his lips over your own. It's like you were built for each other. Crafted to fit together perfectly. Like he was your missing puzzle piece. You pulled away feeling tingly and filled with butterflies like it was the very first time.

His smile said it all.

He pulled you into his chest and you swayed together, feeling the cool water on every inch of your skin. You were appreciative of the rain in that moment because without it, you were sure you would’ve burst up in flames.

He respects my space and never makes me wait and he calls exactly when he says he will. He's close to my mother, talks business with my father. He's charming and endearing, and I'm comfortable.

You sat in your parents’ living room next to James, awkwardly silent and letting him do the talking. Your parents gave you questioning looks but honestly, you were just sitting there trying not to scream at him for always being so goddamn perfect.

Calum always pushed you past your breaking point. He constantly poked the bear and didn’t give two shits about how much he annoyed you. He would slip up on dates and cancel plans and forget to call. He wasn’t perfect. Far from it.

James, he backed off when you were tense and never forgot a single date. He always asked about your day. He made an effort to be there whenever he felt like you needed him. He was sitting here with your parents carrying a pleasant conversation.

You should be in love with him right?

“I’m working under my father right now, actually. It's fantastic experience and he has a lot of great connections already which is super, super helpful,” James said. But you didn’t really hear it at all. Your hand was in his but there weren’t those tingles. It didn’t make you giddy.

You felt bored.

“That’s wonderful. Being in a sturdy, reliable position that young is rare in the industry,” Your father responded, looking extremely impressed.

“Thank you, sir. And Mrs. (y/l/n), how’s that garden you started been going?” He turned to your mother as an appreciative smile bloomed on her face. It made you happy to see them happy.

You should be in love with him.

But you weren’t.

Your heart still belonged to that stupid boy with the big brown eyes and the even bigger heart.

“Don’t walk away from me, (y/n), goddamnit!” Calum shouted as you stormed out into torrential downpour, outside of Calum’s apartment building. The street lamps were the only source of light this late in the evening.

“Don’t tell me what to do, Calum!” You tugged harshly on your hair, groaning in anger and frustration. “Leave me the fuck alone, I’m walking home.” You continued to walk down the sidewalk but Calum was persistent.

“(Y/n) stop! Why the hell are you so fucking stubborn all the time?” Calum called after you. His shirt was clinging to him tightly and his hair was stuck to his forehead. How did he always look good?

You whip around at his insult, wagging your finger at him in fiery disapproval. “Oh I’m the stubborn one? Don’t act like you care about me, Calum. If you did, you would actually spend time with me. You wouldn’t forget the little things. You would be there.” You admit you were being harsh, but he always found a way to push you. Every. Single. Button. You had.

He made you want to slap him and kiss him at the same time. He made your stomach heat up and your heart rate quicken and your mouth dry.

He made your head spin and your heart hurt and your knees weak. He made you a mess and you didn’t know if you loved it or hated it.

“Do you actually think I don’t care about you?” Calum asked. You noticed his bottom lip quiver slightly and wondered if the dampness on his face was tears or the rain.

“Sometimes it feels that way, yeah.” You cross your arms over your chest, feeling soaked to the bone and so cold you couldn’t feel your toes anymore. You looked down at your feet, trying to hide the fact that you were really hurting. You hoped the hot tears streaming down your face could be concealed by the cool rain.

Calum noticed and stepped closer to you, pulling you into him. You attempted to resist but he started moving the hair out of your face and you were putty in his hands, like always. It felt like that first time on that summer night, dancing in the street. That felt like a lifetime away.

“You know I care about you. More than anything.” He looks broken.

“I know, Cal. But I don’t know if that's enough anymore.”

He can't see the smile I'm fakin' and my heart's not breakin' 'cause I'm not feelin' anything at all.

You welcomed James inside and he went in for a quick hello peck on the lips but you felt yourself awkwardly turning your head so he only caught your cheek. He pulled away, clear confusion written across his face but you just gave him a small apologetic smile and tugged him towards the couch. “I think we should talk.”

James was perfect in every way. He was perfect when he bought you flowers. He was perfect when he remembered your coffee order. He was perfect when he remembered your sister's birthday.

But he wasn’t perfect for you.

You wanted him to be.

Fuck, did you want him to be.

But you couldn’t do anything to change the fact that when he kissed you, you felt nothing.

When he hugged you, you felt nothing.

When he called you baby, you felt absolutely nothing.

You wanted it to hurt when you broke things off with him. Truth be told, neither of you took it very hard. He wasn’t the one for you and you both knew it.

And you had a feeling you knew who was.

And you were wild and crazy just so frustrating, intoxicating, complicated, got away by some mistake and now I miss screamin' and fightin' and kissin' in the rain. It's two a.m. and I'm cursin' your name. I'm so in love that I acted insane and that's the way I loved you. Breakin' down and comin' undone, It's a roller-coaster kinda rush and I never knew I could feel that much and that's the way I loved you

“Ash, what if he doesn’t want to try again?” You bit at your nails anxiously while you talked to the drummer. Your phone was tucked securely between your cheek and your shoulder.

“(Y/n), I’ve seen him every day since you two ended things and I can say with utmost certainty, he’s a mess. He finds a way to bring you up in every conversation and he regrets how much he let you down. He tells me literally every single day. It's getting really annoying, actually. My point is, if you gave him another chance, he would absolutely take it.” Ash finished his point with a sigh. “I have to go, (y/n). I’ll talk to you later, alright? Hang in there, kid.”

You smiled. “Alright, Ash. See you later.” You hung up the phone and laid on the plushy couch for a few moments longer, contemplating as you stared at the ceiling.

“Fuck it.” You sat up and pulled on your shoes, tugging a jacket over your pajamas, bolting out the door before you had a chance to change your mind.

Hands fumbling in nerves and eyes darting all around, you found yourself standing outside Calum’s apartment. You reached up hesitantly and made two, crisp knocks on the door. You stepped back in anticipation, concerned you might vomit any second.

You heard some commotion from the other side of the door. “Coming!” Calum called. You hadn’t heard his voice in so long.

The door swung open revealing Calum, shirtless and in a pair of sweats. His hair was longer and shaggier, like he hadn’t cared much to maintain it.

You could see the moment of realization in Cal’s face. His eyebrows scrunched in surprise and confusion. “(Y/n)?”

You cleared your throat. “Um. Hi Cal.” You gave him a small apologetic smile.

“Are you alright? What’s going on?” Calum’s face became concerned as the reasons why you might be here circled his brain. He wondered if you might be in trouble.

“I.. I um. I don’t really know why I’m here.” You shook your head in frustration as all your thoughts jumbled together and you found it hard to explain what you were doing at his front door. “Alright. I’m just going to say what’s on my mind and I want you to listen, alright?”

Calum opened his mouth to protest but you continued on rambling before he got the chance. “I’ve been with James these past few months, as you probably know.” Calum’s expression turned sour but you kept going. “I broke things off between him. Like 2 days ago.” You almost wanted to laugh at how quickly Calum’s face lit up. “He was perfect in every way for me. Like, perfect. And you and I are so not perfect…” There's that sour expression again. “But when I was with him… When I was with him… I wished I was with you. I missed the way I got butterflies when you held my hand and the adventures we had together and I missed your stupid dumb brown eyes and your lips and no matter what I tried, I couldn’t stop missing you. I wanted to love James. I really, really did. But loving someone is not the same as wanting to love someone. I couldn’t love him… I couldn’t because I-- well, I… I’m still in love with you.” You huffed and began fumbling with your fingers again. You couldn’t bring yourself to look at him.

“Are you saying you want to try again?” Calum asked, stepping past the threshold and closer to you.

You bit your lip as you pondered the thought. You didn’t really think about much past telling him how you felt. “I… I think I do, yeah.”

You felt Calum’s hand tuck itself under your chin and pull your face up to look at him. He ran his thumb softly over your cheek and you found yourself leaning into his touch.

“I love you, too. I never stopped.”

I never knew I could feel that much and that's the way I loved you.

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tirednotflirting · 4 years

Text

and we'd both stay out until the morning light

realizing i never posted this to tumblr. oops. ~vaguely~ inspired by 1973 by james blunt, an absolutely bitchin song i must say. and this piece was for miss helen aka @calumcest‘s bday approx one week and change ago. i went off a lil about my love and appreciation for her and our friendship in the ao3 a/n but the gist of it all is that helen is so so full of love and light and beautiful beautiful words and i’m so stupid thankful that this mess of a world brought us together. helen, if u see this, i love you to absolute pieces and i hope u are well x

you can find this here on ao3 if you wanna read there

Michael doesn’t consider himself to be great at much. He’s young, and making mistakes and having to try again is still his standard. He kind of likes that, though. He likes that his practicality in most things is seen as maturity and not a necessary default setting. He likes how his mom is proud when he learns how to cook a new vegetable or how to get a stain out of something. But he’s also comforted by the idea that it’s not irresponsible (or too much so, at least) when he throws caution to the wind and goes on some wild adventure with his friends or on his own. That it’s okay if he doesn’t know the word for something or has to google how to fill out a form because he’s still learning. Michael likes observing, learning about how he should be moving about the world.

That evening, something in the air feels electric. What exactly it is, Michael isn’t really sure, but it has him buzzing with anticipation for something. There’s a humming in the air around his apartment weaving around him like a ribbon but it’s moving too fast for him to latch onto. But for some reason, he doesn’t find it unsettling. He’s finishing up the dishes from dinner when the soft music playing from the speaker in his kitchen is interrupted with his ringtone.

He wipes his wet hands off before reaching into his back pocket. The screen shows a familiar picture, one always guaranteed to bring a smile to his face. He swipes his thumb across the glass and hits the speaker button. “Hi, Calum.”

“Come out with me tonight.”

His smile widens as he sets the phone on the island behind him so he can return to his drying rack. “Are we celebrating something?”

“Just being young and alive and in this gorgeous place and in love.” He can hear a dreamy tone to Calum’s words, evidence that he’s already begun a solo pregame.

“All about the dramatics tonight, are we?”

Calum huffs in a mock frustration. “We can’t let this place eat us alive, Mikey. Come out and dance with me.”

Michael sighs with a smile still pulling at his lips. He can practically hear the twinkle in Calum’s eyes that he tends to get when batting his eyes at Michael as he begs him to live a little. He thinks of the lunch he’s meant to attend with his advisor the following afternoon, of the novel and glass of wine sitting on his coffee table that he had set out for his quiet Saturday night in. But then he hears a quiet please, babe? across the line and rolls his eyes affectionately while placing the measuring cups back into their drawer.

Maybe he’s meant to go on an adventure tonight. To observe, to see something new.

“I’ll be at yours in half an hour.”

Michael has never really liked clubs. He’s always found the environment to be one that bounces his brain between a place of numbness and overstimulation like his mind is a ping-pong ball. The duality of cocktails filled to the brim with liquor but also sugar only heightens the feeling. He prefers bright lights and sounds in a more controlled environment, like his computer screen or a movie theatre.

But Michael really likes Calum. And Calum likes clubs. So it’s fairly often that he finds himself with some brightly-colored drink in one hand and Calum grasping his other as he gets dragged through one of the night clubs near Calum’s new place.

The electric feeling in the air shifts with Michael’s change in setting. As Calum pulls him across the dance floor toward the bar for another drink, he senses it again, but in a different tone than he had felt in his apartment. Now it’s the beams of light passing between each of the bright, flashing bulbs high above their heads. It’s the energy swerving between the chattering, glittery people at the bar and the bass pumping below his feet. It’s Calum’s breathy laugh in his ear and the touch of his lips against Michael’s neck as he asks him if he wants something new to hold in his free hand.

Calum jumps up onto a stool at the bar as they wait for their next round and he pulls Michael to stand between his legs, his arms thrown lazily around his neck as he babbles through some story about some band that came into the studio that day. Michael loves watching Calum tell a story, his expressions adding their own layer of humor to the tale as Michael catches the rolling or widening of his eyes between flashes of colored light. Soon enough a couple more glasses are placed in front of them and Calum is reaching into his pocket for a few bills to pass back to the bartender before sliding down to the floor and pulling Michael back into the crowd.

Neither of them can dance to save their lives but that never stops Calum. He bounces around as Michael laughs and copies the movement. The liquid in their cups threatens to slosh to the floor or onto their shirts with each incredibly ungraceful swing of their hips.

“How is it,” Calum says between pants into Michael’s ear while wrapping an arm around his waist to pull him close, “that we’re out nearly every weekend and we still look like dads trying to dance every time we get out here?”

Michael shakes his head, the liquor in his cup starting to take its effects as he giggles against Calum’s cheek. “We’re musicians. One day when we make it big we’ll be too busy playing our instruments on stage to dance around. It would be a waste of time to learn to move any different than this.”

Calum’s smile shines bright through a laugh as he spins them around following Michael’s comment. “God, what are we going to do when our friends start getting married? We’ll be a disaster.” He pauses to take a sip of the concoction he’s ordered most recently. “Luke and Ashton are probably gonna threaten to kick us out if we move from our seats at their reception some day.”

“That’s how we’ll convince Ashton’s cheap ass to get the open bar. We’re far more agreeable when drunk.”

“Cheers to that.” Calum mockingly raises his cup and knocks it against Michael’s.

The song changes then, the volume of the crowd rising with the song as the familiarity hits everyone’s ears and minds. Calum’s face bursts into a grin and his arms tighten around Michael’s neck to pull him closer to his chest. “Mm, love this song.” Calum pauses to sing along to the chorus. “Think I love you also.”

Michael blinks his eyes open, not having realized that they were closed. He watches light bounce around them and a drunken blush paint across Calum’s cheeks and nose. He’s had too much to drink to think too hard about it but really he’s never not questioning how he got so lucky. He lets his lips press against Calum’s nose, the rosiness in his own cheeks surely spreading when he catches Calum’s giggle through the music. “Love you too, Cal.”

They dance and sing for what feels like both hours and seconds. The mix of light and sound and those damn cocktails Calum keeps buying make Michael feel light like the confetti that starts flying around the room at some point in the night. He lost track of the number of nights they’ve had like this a long time ago, the center of glittering, happy chaos being a place Calum loves to frequent. He’d follow Calum anywhere, including to a mindless and seemingly pointless celebration like tonight. Michael knows he’ll go anywhere so long as he gets to keep watching the way Calum’s eyes and smile sparkle when even the faintest light hits his face.

He’s watching it then, practically being blinded by it all, he thinks, when Calum catches Michael’s hand and pulls him back in for another dance.

They end up at the beach.

Their phones died ages ago but as the sun just barely begins to peek out from the ocean horizon, Michael figures it’s around 6am. They’re both still giggling and blushing at each other like mad as they strip off their socks and shoes and stumble toward the ocean. Michael isn’t even sure what he’s drunk off of anymore but whether it's Calum or the cocktails, he doesn’t really seem to care.

Calum gasps at the temperature of the water as they let the little waves crash against their ankles, and he shuffles closer to Michael. He leans into Michael’s shoulder, lips pressing gently against his neck as Michael wraps an arm around his waist.

The morning sunlight is just barely beginning to ripple over the dark water as they stand in silence, their breaths just barely audible over the waves. Normally seeing the ocean without the sun high up in the sky scares the hell out of Michael; hell, the ocean in general usually frightens him. It’s so unknown, and Michael doesn’t like being so close to something so vast and mysterious. It’s why he can’t think about space too hard most of the time either. He feels safe, though, and secure, standing there with Calum. He’s always wondering if it’s too early to think that way about the boy standing pressed against his side.

Eventually Calum lifts his head and grabs Michael’s hand, weaving their fingers together as he walks them back from the water just a bit before planting himself in the sand. “We’re watching the sunrise from here,” Calum explains to Michael’s confused eyes. Michael nods his understanding and drops down beside him.

“This city scares the hell out of me sometimes,” Calum says with a sigh, his fingers still dancing with Michael’s. “Like it always feels like I’m doing too much and not enough all at the same time. And then I get so stuck on figuring that out that I do nothing. There’s so many creatives here that the air feels like it’s filled with thoughts and ideas and dreams all the time. It’s so damn loud, you know?”

Michael nods, though the way Calum speaks he can’t really tell if he’s actually speaking to him or not. He considers asking but then Calum starts up speaking again, his crinkling eyes still facing out toward the water.

“But then I come here and it’s like the tide kind of pulls all of that away. This is the only place where LA gets quiet, I think. It’s why I like to come out here.”

Michael sticks his legs out in front of him and digs his bare feet into the sand as he ponders how to respond to Calum. “I get what you mean,” he starts as he drops his free hand against the cool sand and draws swirls with his finger. “I think this is the first time I haven’t been surrounded by people in a while.”

Calum’s head drops to Michael’s shoulder again and turns away from the water as he nestles his face into his neck. “Mali suggested coming out here after I’d had a bad day at the studio and you and the guys were all busy or something. Said it was her favorite place to gather up her own thoughts when she was trying out living here.”

As he drops Calum’s hand to let his hand reach up to tangle with the dark curls at the back of his neck, Michael lets the importance of this place, of Calum bringing him here settle over them. There are very few things that Calum keeps to himself, this spot apparently having been one until that morning. “Thank you for sharing this place with me. It’s a beautiful spot.”

He feels Calum shake his head just a little, his arm moving to wrap around Michael’s waist as his fingers play with the hem of his shirt. “Of course. I wanna share everything with you.”

The electric buzz Michael has felt around him the whole night settles with him and Calum out on the beach. Now it skips across the gentle waves that grow bluer with each passing minute as the sun rises. It blinks with the light from the street lamps back at the road as they go back and forth on whether or not it is time for them to say their daily goodbye as dawn turns to morning. Its final act, Michael senses, is the shock he gets as Calum straightens up and gently lifts his hand to the back of Michael's neck, causing him to turn as brown eyes meet green for just the briefest moment before their eyes flutter shut while their lips meet.

“And that’s when I knew that he was my soulmate, ya know?” Michael says, his smile widening as he watches Calum’s eyes sparkle, tears threatening to fall from his dark lashes. “Because we should have been falling over ourselves with exhaustion at that point but I had never felt so awake in my life. I never wanted to sleep again because I never wanted to stop looking at him.”

A single tear does fall, racing down Calum’s cheek, and Michael lifts his hand from Calum’s grasp to gently wipe it away. “Anyway,” he laughs with a sniffle, his eyes pulling from Calum’s to face the room filled with their family and friends. “Thank you all for putting up with my nostalgia and thank you for coming to help us celebrate today. Enjoy the reception.”

The music picks up once people finish their brief clapping and Michael sits down again while he watches people around the room begin to rise and walk in the direction of the cakes and the bar. His eyes follow Luke and Ashton as they wander in the direction of Calum’s parents and sister, presumably to say hello again. Ashton’s eyes briefly meet his own and Michael laughs quietly as he watches Ashton’s left eye drop into a wink. They share the look for only a moment because then Luke is dragging him along and a hand dropping to Michael’s thigh pulls him back.

“I really liked that night,” Calum mumbles against Michael’s neck, his lips pressing just below his ear. “Liked hearing you tell the story of it even more.”

Michael can’t help his laughter as a smile pulls at his cheeks. “Listen, there are very few stories of nights out that I can tell in front of our parents. Had to go digging through my journals to really settle on one.”

“You were journaling about me already back in the day? That’s so sweet.”

“Back in the day?” Michael questions as he sits up to meet his husband’s (the thought of the word alone bringing butterflies swarming into his stomach) eyes. “That was like four years ago, Cal. We’re too young for anything to be ‘back in the day’ yet.”

Calum’s face softens at his words, his hand lifting from Michael’s lap to cup his cheek, his thumb running across his cheekbone. “I can’t wait to grow old with you.”

He lets out a sigh while Michael blushes at him in response to the declaration. Calum leans forward to brush their lips together before rising, his empty glass in hand in need of a refill. Michael watches him wander through the crowd, shaking hands and exchanging smiles and kind words with every guest he passes while approaching the bar. None of it feels real yet, Michael thinks. Though it’s been less than two hours since they said I do so he figures he’s allowed a little longer to just be in awe of the fact that he’s got someone to spend the rest of forever traipsing through life with and that that someone is Calum.

And Michael still doesn’t consider himself to be great at much. He’s still young and can’t hold his liquor and can only really cook maybe three vegetables. But Michael is great at loving Calum and being loved by Calum. And maybe, for now, that’s enough. Michael finds himself thinking on that as he takes another sip from his own glass and gazes out to where Calum stands speaking to a friend and their partner. His cheeks warm as the three of them turn to look at him, a fond look resting against Calum’s face as their eyes meet. The ring on his left hand glitters in the light as he lifts it to gesture for Michael to join him.

Yeah, this is definitely enough.

#malum #malum fic #sorry im posting this so late oh my god #i am a dummy but im real proud of this lil piece so i am taking the time to post this here as well while a bit drunk #so

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isaketeven · 4 years

Text

“Holding everything in doesn’t help, you know.”

so i did a thing... i dunno? even though my degree is in creative writing the only creative writing i’ve done in the last year is shared writes with my lovely year 5 class, so forgive me if it’s rusty (or just not very good lol!) but yeah, feedback welcome!! i based it off of the prompt ‘holding everything in doesn’t help, you know’ :)

“Holding everything in doesn’t help, you know.”

As Ben entered the house, the fresh smell of chicken pasta hit his nose, overpowering all of his senses at once. He smiled softly, remembering it was Callum’s turn to make tea tonight. They usually alternated between Callum, Ben and getting a takeaway, as neither of them were particularly talented in the kitchen (though Callum would always argue otherwise, of course).

“Of course he’s gone for chicken pasta. What else would he make?” Ben thought to himself, shaking his head fondly.

Attempting to sneak through the hallway into the kitchen unnoticed, Ben tried to keep his footsteps light, wanting to surprise his boyfriend as he had managed to get a flyer from the car lot. Nearing the kitchen, he slowly opened the door, making sure it didn’t make any unforgiving creaks that would give him away. He expected to see Callum with the radio on (radio two, of course, which Ben would swiftly change once he was in the house because ‘radio two is for old people, Cal’) dancing to a Rod Stewart classic.

The scene that greeted him, however, was a one very different to the one Ben had expected: Callum was stood, statue-still, staring blankly at the bubbling pan in front of him, which appeared to be threatening to overflow at any moment. Before Ben could register what he was looking at, the pan let off a shriek, and suddenly boiling water was everywhere: all over the stove, all over the floor and, most terrifyingly, all over Callum.

“Jesus Christ! Cal, wake up! What the fuck are you playing at?!” Ben questioned, exasperated. Jumping into action, he swiftly turned the stove off to stop the pan dead in its tracks.

Callum, who was now wearing a dazed expression of bemusement, shook his head. The man, who appeared to be catching up to what had just happened, suddenly clutched his left hand tightly, agony slowly taking over his face.

“I…. I don’t know what just happened..” Callum replied, his blinking becoming erratic as he attempted to process the scene in front of him. “Shit, are you okay?!”

Callum lunged forward, an alarmed look on his face as he hysterically searched for some type of injury on Ben’s body.

“Cal… I’m fine. I just got here… You, on the other hand…” Ben said, slowly. “You’ve just burnt your hand pretty bad, Cal. Does it hurt?”

Ben carefully lifted Callum’s hand up, assessing it.

“It hurts a little, not too much, actually,” Callum shrugged, feigning calmness while his head was spinning with pain and confusion, questioning what the fuck had just happened.

“You sure?” Ben replied, not convinced as he stared at Callum’s hand, red raw. Looking closer, however, he realised the burn appeared superficial. “Looks like you’re lucky, the water must have mostly hit the floor,” He said, making his way to the first aid drawer (Kathy’s idea, of course) to look for something, anything to make this situation better.

“Go and put your hand under the warm water, Cal, I’ve heard that makes it better,” Ben advised, attempting to stay calm and defuse the situation, for Callum’s sake.

As he searched for a plaster or something to put over the burn, however, his mind was going a hundred miles an hour as he wondered what had just happened. It’s not that Callum had been ‘weird’ the last few weeks, so to speak. It’s that he definitely hasn’t been ‘normal’, either. There have been more than a few nights where Ben has woken up to an empty bed at 6, 5, 4 o’clock in the morning; Callum has been distant. Not distant enough that Ben had thought anything drastic was happening, but distant enough that he’d vowed to keep an eye on him.

Once they had sorted Callum out and bandaged his hand up, Callum went to get the mop out, wanting to start on the kitchen.

“What are you doing, Cal? Come on, that can wait… c’mere.” Ben said, taking Callum’s hand in his and leading him to the friendlier living room atmosphere.

As the two men sat on the couch, the awkward atmosphere stifling the two of them completely, Ben could see Callum gradually becoming tenser and tenser; clearly anticipating what Ben was about to say.

“So… what exactly happened there, Cal?” Ben questioned, softly, not wanting to overpower Callum, however knowing there was something more going on here.

“What do you mean? The pan overflowed… No big deal,” Callum replied, shrugging nonchalantly as he searched for the TV remote, desperate for some type of distraction from the conversation that lay ahead of them.

“Come on Cal, we both know that’s not true. I know you better than that.” Ben replied, cautiously. Though he didn’t want to pressure Callum into talking to him, it stung that his boyfriend felt he couldn’t confide in him, especially considering everything they’d been through recently.

“Look, it’s nothing! Can we just leave it?” Callum snapped.

“No, Cal. We can’t. I’m sorry, but you’re the one who’s always encouraging me to talk about how I feel, what’s bothering me, all that shit. And even though it’s annoying most of the time…” Callum shook his head fondly as Ben smirked, “it really has helped. So now, it’s your turn. It was you who said it: holding everything in doesn’t help, you know?”

“I… It’s…” Callum tripped over his words as he tried to comprehend what had been taking over his mind recently. “It’s… The kidnapping… Keanu… It all just… Brought it all back, you know? The army, I mean.” Callum chanced a look at Ben’s face, nervously, which was etched with painful understanding.

“The fighting. The pain. All of it. And I… I’ve been struggling to sleep. Well, to be honest, I’ve been struggling to do anything recently, Ben. I can’t stop… Thinking about it. Sometimes I wake up, and I’m there, you know? I’m back, sometimes in the warehouse, screaming out for help; other times in the war… I just can’t get it out of my head. All of it. The feeling: of danger, of impending doom, of something bad being about to happen at any moment. And it’s like I can’t sleep… I can’t think… Sometimes, I can’t- I can’t breathe, Ben.” As he finished, blinking back tears, breathing shallow, Callum let out a sigh: partly of relief, partly of something entirely different.

“I… I had no idea, Cal. Shit. I knew you’d been distant, but I just thought it was because the anniversary of the wedding was coming up. Shit…” Ben shook his head, exasperated with himself that he hadn’t noticed something so big, so important, sooner.

“It’s not… it’s not your fault, Ben. You have enough going on, I know that, it’s why I haven’t said anything,” Callum replied, giving Ben a sad, knowing smile as he played nervously with a loose thread on his jeans. “I just… I’ve been struggling, you know?”

“I do have shit going on, Cal, it’s true. But that doesn’t mean your shit isn’t important too. God… I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about this because you thought I have too much going on. I want to be there for you, halfwit, don’t you get that?” Ben said, smiling, half mocking, half deadly serious, trying to get Callum to understand.

“Ya right, I know ya right, Ben. It’s just hard, to talk about, as it is. Without everything else, you know? But ya right. From now on, I’ll try. I’ll try to talk to you about it. I can’t promise I’ll be perfect, but I’ll try. That OK?” Callum questioned, finally turning to face Ben and look him in the eyes.

“That’s OK, Cal. Neither of us are ever going to be perfect at the ‘talking about our feelings’ shit, are we? But, as long as we try… that’s all that counts, yeah?” Ben replied.

A moment of contentment washed over the two men as they sat, hand in hand, taking in the conversation they’d just had. A small smile appeared on the two lover’s faces.

“I love you, you know?” Callum declared, tenderly planting a kiss on Ben’s flushed cheek.

“I know. Me too. You know that, don’t you?” Ben responded, nervously, searching Callum’s face for validation.

“I do,” Callum replied, gently cupping his hands around Ben’s face, willing him to understand what he was trying to say, “I promise, I know.” Callum leaned in, slowly planting his lips on Ben’s, kissing his boyfriend with such compassion, such devotion that Ben understood: this hadn’t been about him. Callum hadn’t kept quiet because of him, because he felt unloved, misunderstood. He’d kept quiet because of the exact opposite.

Before the kiss threatened to become deeper than was appropriate for a living room couch with a 7-year-old daughter due any minute, Ben stopped the two with one final, loving peck, getting up from the couch and heading to the kitchen.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough. Stop trying to have your wicked way with me, would ya?” Turning around, winking slyly at his boyfriend.

Callum shook his head fondly, pulling a face at his boyfriend as he followed him into the kitchen.

“So, tea… Fancy a takeaway? Don’t think that chicken pasta’s up to much, d’you?” Callum questioned, pulling a face that read ‘oops.’

“Doesn’t look like it, does it? Unless we’re eating off of the kitchen floor?” Ben responded, shooting a sarcastic look in his boyfriend’s direction.

“Better than some of the stuff you cook up, I suppose, init?” Callum retorted with ease, winking arrogantly at the Mitchell.

Ben feigned hurt, spluttering retorts as the two found their way to each other’s arms once again.

As the two bickered over which takeaway to get, the two men, in this moment, felt happy. It was never going to be easy; it was never going to be perfect.

But the one thing it was?

Worth it.

#my writing #lol sorry i don't know if this is any good but hey... i enjoyed writing it soooo!!#thanks if you give it a read :D #ballum #eastenders #ballum fanfiction

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cakesunflower · 4 years

Note

First let me just start this off by saying: I’ve worked 50+ hours this week and finally have a day off tomorrow. So the night has consisted of quite a few Shirley Temples (spiked with tequila… oops) and maybe smoking a bowl to really just top off the feeling of relaxed. Anyways, all of this to say sometimes I like to think I’m a writer when I am in fact not. So without further rambling. I present: Drunkenly Eloping With Calum. It was no secret that Calum T. Hood was not overly emotional.

But then again, neither were you to be honest. It was the main reason you two worked so well. You told each other exactly what came to mind, right when it needed to be said. Not that either of you had anything against the couples who were gushy and mushy like rom coms, it just wasn’t your relationship. Which is why it will always go down as the greatest chapter in the story of your relationship, how you two spontaneously drunkenly eloped on an island vacation. It had been about a week and a half

of waking up to the smell of coffee and morning breath kisses, then hitting the pillows at night with rum giggles and sloppy kisses. You had just finished dinner for the night and were walking along the beach watching the last bit of the sun fade away into the never ending ocean. Both of you already well on you way to being drunk, feeling the whole body warmth of drinks from dinner, you speak out, “I love it here. Everything just feels so right and relaxing. Perfect boyfriend. Perfect place.

Perfect vacation.” Taking your hand in his as an agreement Cal speaks up, “You’re right. Everything is so perfect...Almost. Fuck. The only way this would be better would be us being here as a honeymoon or something.” Not that you hadn’t spoken of marriage before it just never felt like the right time. “Well you gotta pop the question first, Hood. You expect me to just marry you right here, right now or something?” He just blankly stared at you for a few seconds before slowly answering, “Why not?

Marry me. Tonight. Right here in our perfect place.” “Calum, you’re drunk.” “And so are you. But not drunk enough to not know I wanna spend the rest of my forever with you, so it’s our forever.” Obviously there were so many reasons you could’ve said ‘let’s just wait until we’re home and with everyone’ but conventional was the last thing you’d ever use to describe your relationship. Which is how you can fast forward to standing in the sand, buzzing from both the excitement and extra drinks you

you had in the room while getting ready. Calum in swim trunks and a button up. You in a bathing suit with white cover up. You had expected to just say the standard vows but this fucker surprised you by coming up with his on the spot, but the best line being, “I may make some regrets when I drink, but this will never be one. You’re my favorite person to wake up next to in the morning. I love coming home from a shit day of work and just hearing you singing somewhere in the house instantly makes it

better. You’re my best friend and favorite person to do everything and nothing with. Our story has always been a mess, but it’s ours and that’s all I’m ever going to want. For forever. Forever I’m going to want you.” You didn’t have rings, because spur of the moment, so you each got a small single band tattooed on your ring finger. The next morning you rolled over, remembering the events from the night before. Calum woke up beside you and before you could even ask he just answered, “Nope. I

I don’t regret it. Only regret we didn’t do it sooner.” Anyways. Idk how to end it. But yes. That’s what I want in my life pls and thanks. @Calum Hood. I’m single and ready to mingle with only you. -🧜🏽‍♀️

shut up sdcfdsncf this is the cutest thing ever??? a spontaneous elopement with Calum??? sounds like a dream?? like yeah y’all could redo it later when you’re back home with all your friends and family but it being just the two of you on a gorgeous island makes it so much more intimate and beautiful. wow. i’m upset. i want this in life

come talk to me about Calum

#🧜🏽‍♀️ anon #come talk to me about calum #calum hood #calum hood blurb #calum hood blurbs #5sos #5sos blurb #5sos blurbs

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clansayeed · 4 years

Text

Bound by Circumstance ― Chapter 17: The Show Must Go On

PAIRING: Nik Ryder x trans*M!MC (Taylor Hunter) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Circumstance ⥽

Taylor Hunter (MC) has made it good for himself in New Orleans; turns out moving to a new city fresh out of college to reinvent yourself isn’t as hard as people make it out to be. Things only start to get confusing when he finds himself the target of a malevolent wraith. Good thing someone’s looking out for him though — because without Nighthunter Nik Ryder as his bodyguard he definitely won’t survive long in the twisting darkness of the supernatural underworld he’s tripped into.

Bound by Circumstance and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing dramatic retelling project of the book Nightbound and the rest of the Bloodbound series. Find out more [HERE].

Note: Circumstance only loosely follows the events and plotline of Nightbound, and features a separate antagonist, different character motivations, and further worldbuilding.

*Let me know if you would like to be added to the Circumstance/series tag list!

⥼ Chapter Summary ⥽

Because tomorrow is no longer guaranteed the gang decides to spend a night at the theatre. In which Cal despises Shakespeare, Garrus and Krom go on an unofficial first date, and Taylor confronts his father.

[READ IT ON AO3]

He’s honestly surprised the director even bothers reaching out to him.

“Given everything your cousin has told me about the problems you have going on right now, I’m sure this isn’t really a surprise. I’ve taken the liberty of filing a personal leave of absence for you.” And Taylor just knows that was the happiest day of Antoni’s life…

“Even though you can’t be in the show, though, you’re still welcome to come Sunday. Hoping that, obviously, things have cleared up on your end by then. Just text me your head count before noon day-of, okay?”

It’s the first real and true good thing to happen without immediate consequence so far. And of course he tries to blow it off, tries to tell everyone he has absolutely no plans to put anyone else at risk just for the selfish sake of seeing a play he’s worked on for months and doesn’t even get to be in.

Not that anyone lets him finish before they straight-up tell him he’s wrong, he’s going, and if all hell breaks loose then they’ll deal with it when it happens.

“But the wards —”

“The wards have proven themselves useless,” Garrus interrupts with no small level of frustration; accepting the vulnerability of his sanctuary hasn’t been easy on the man, “we’re just as exposed here as you would be there. And I refuse to cower in fear. If they were going to attack they would have by now — don’t stop living your life because of what might happen.”

Surprisingly, too, Katherine makes a good point; “We might actually be safer surrounded by all those mundanes. A high fatality rate isn’t what the Elders are after, that much is certain.”

It’s about the only thing any of them are certain of.

So there’s really no way around it.

Sunday morning he tries to take a head count. Doesn’t argue when Vera, despite the dark circles of exhaustion under her eyes, insists that of course she wants to come. She doesn’t say it but its obvious she could use time away from the hospital and her mother’s bedside.

Nik’s phone vibrates on the table and Taylor glances just because he’s nearby. On really good timing the man chooses then to wander out from the bedroom — rubbing his hair vigorously with his towel.

“Kathy said she and Cade are down if we don’t mind.” One look and Taylor regrets it so bad. He’s not certain, but there’s absolutely no way all of his shirts have miraculously shrunk, right?

He totally has to buy them just shy of too tight.

Not that Taylor’s complaining. Nope. No complaining here.

Ryder gives a noncommittal grunt and shrug as he passes. “Your shindig, your choice.”

“I mean they’re our friends, so…”

There’s a pause; a lag in the matrix if you will, between when Nik stops in front of the fridge and actually opens it. Keeps his back turned as he replies, “Then the more the merrier.”

He doesn’t need to be part fae to know what that’s about — but it doesn’t hurt.

The concept of friends is plural and consistent. And just as weird for him as it is for the loner Nik is accustomed to being.

Yesterday was hard and heavy.

Today is no better from a cosmic point of view.

But its softer around the edges; the difference between being stabbed with a wicked sharp dagger and being punched in the face.

Nik all but flops down on the couch beside him; pushes the open guide on reading and interpreting tarot that Taylor’s been pouring over away with a socked foot.

“I was reading that.”

“Oops.” The only unapologetic apology he’s getting, too, so he takes it.

Its been nearly twenty-four hours since his emotional breakdown and in that time he’s learned more about Ryder — and vice versa — than would have been shared on five, six dates tops. Things that wouldn’t come up without specific and out-of-left-field context, too.

Like the fact that Nik is a cheap-ass (this he knew) who has a serious case of the moonlight munchies — two things that mix about as well as oil and water. So it makes sense now why half of the fridge’s sparse contents are signature drink and cocktail add-ons.

Does it justify the fact that a fully grown man is sitting very close to him popping green olives like pieces of candy? Not in the fucking slightest.

But he knows what’s going to happen the second Nik sees his disgust — tries his best to turn away before he’s caught. Only he’s not quick enough and its too late.

“Want one?” Nik asks even though he knows the answer.

He doesn’t have time to deflect because the man picks one up and tosses it — doubles over in laughter when it bounces off Taylor’s cheek, falls to the floor, and rolls under the nearest chair to die alone.

“What are you,” he fake-gags and wipes his cheek angrily, “twelve years old?”

His glare very nearly breaks under the sheer audacity of Ryder’s pouting face. Only nearly because there’s no fucking way he’s kissing that offensive mouth no matter how closely the man leans in. “Aw c’mon Rook — jus’ one kiss!”

“Get away from me! Ew!”

“You know you like me~”

“Wrong! Incorrect! You disgust me!”

And of course they’re joking but he’s maybe a little too loud in his protests. Earns himself a haughty snort and a glare directed at his feet of all things.

“You walk around barefoot and I’m the disgusting one.”

“That’s what I said.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Uh, I do — so I win.”

Despite the fact that they had spent the previous hours getting to know not only (truly repulsive) snacking habits but also (much less repulsive, like the opposite of repulsive actually) one another’s mouths, Nik follows the same pattern each time. Roams his eyes over every inch of Taylor’s face like he’s gung-ho on taking the test in his sleep — drags a fingernail feather-light over the scruff on his jawline.

Their first time hadn’t been enough to ward him away and for that Taylor’s pretty fucking grateful. But it left a mark on him. No doubt its the reason why he always takes five whole agonizing seconds between the start and the follow-through.

Like he’s giving Taylor time to pull back; to reject him without consequence.

Maybe one day they’ll laugh about it. A silly habit no longer necessary. Because there’s always a breath hidden in the meeting of mouths that tastes of bitter relief.

Nik is relieved — not once, or twice, but every single time.

Which is more than a little tragic when he gives it a deep thought. He tries not to — really, he does.

Its easy not to think about anything at all when they’re kissing.

So that’s something.

Taylor knows that glamours serve a specific purpose; to disguise the average not-human supernatural person among the average yes-human person.

He’s even come to terms with how easily they fade into the background now. How he can scan a crowd and catch a glimpse of hooves in place of boots or a tail whipping its way behind someone trying to pass by. He considers his largest achievement to be not jumping ten feet in the air at the difficult-to-describe sight of ghosts possessing glamoured bodies.

But he can know and process all of these things and still be almost alarmingly paranoid about the trio of Krom, Garrus, and Ivy waiting in line behind them, right?

Nik grabs his head before he can look back for the umpteenth time; turns it back forward with a grunt. “The only one looking weird here is you, Rook. Everyone else sees regular folk.”

And he knows that, he does. But… “Do you ever stop worrying about it, like, slipping or something?”

“Not my problem if it does.”

“Well yeah, but…” The line shuffles forward and he trails off. Probably better not to give those particular anxieties a life of their own by voicing them aloud.

He doesn’t have to anyway, apparently. Since Taylor finds himself pulled against Nik’s side, feels warm breath tickle in his ear.

“Don’t worry. You still look completely human.”

“For now.”

The performer playing Puck stands in half-costume at the front of the line with a clipboard in hand. He has a whole two-point-five seconds to remember her name — Dana? Debbie? D-something. D-something… fuck there are too many D-something names! — before its their turn to enter the theatre.

Daphne! It comes to him like a holy revelation as she starts to go through the motions — only to notice the name and double-take in surprise.

“Hey Hunter, how’s it going?” Her small-talk is strained but polite. They’ve run lines together and he can vaguely recall being educated on her literal herd of mini dachshunds once, but whatever his ‘cousins’ gave by way of excuse for him pulling out of the show is enough to make her sheepish.

He makes a mental note to corner Garrus for the full story after the show. Especially since ‘cousin’ is a more-or-less accurate term these days.

“Uh, you know,” a one-shouldered shrug, “hanging in there. You excited?”

To her credit as an actress she checks off each body accompanying him, all eight of them, without batting an eye.

“Totally. I’m just glad the actual opening night ain’t until Mardi Gras is over, you know?”

“Director didn’t let you work the beads into your improv then I take it?”

They share a laugh. She waves them inside.

Only when they’re around a corner does Taylor let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

Vera gives him a nudge. “You okay?”

“Yeah — was it just me or was that…”

Cal pokes his head in between them. “Awkward as hell? No—it wasn’t just you.”

“Cool. Thanks.”

In less than a week he’s forgotten how to, well, be human. Socialize with humans, talk casually with humans. Its unnerving — not only that but it serves to remind him by the way the Coven and their pet skeleton assassin are still out there.

None of this is even close to being over and he’s already forgotten small talk?

What else might be lost along the way?

“You look like you’re thinkin’ too much about something.”

Taylor’s smile is strained and not enough to ease Nik’s doubts. What did he expect though; that one soulful look from those fathomless eyes, or a touch that sends shivers down his spine, or one of those disarmingly sincere smiles is all it would take to make him forget his worries completely?

If only it were that simple. Not that he’s turning any of those things down — no no, he’s free to keep trying as many times as he’d like.

Its a half-full house on purpose; one full run in front of a crowd before a week of changes to make the final thing as smooth as possible.

And it was supposed to be Taylor’s time to shine; a performance of understudies. He’s told himself there will be other opportunities, that this is for the best given what’s going on. He wanted to come to support his fellow actors — to celebrate in all the work they’ve done over the last few months.

He didn’t think it would be that hard to watch. Then the space goes dark and silence falls in a warm velveteen hush.

The trio of Theseus, Hippolyta, and Philostrate take the stage — a different blocking than what they used at his last rehearsal.

The heels of his palms are pressed hard to stop his tears before Theseus even opens his mouth.

To his left Vera lets out a soft noise; both sad and comforting as her tentative hand on his shoulder turns into slow circular motions on his back. And he knows the heat-leeching palm behind him is Cal. Cal didn’t even want to come — had made it very clear there was once a school play, a bad batch of cafeteria vegetables, and a lifelong aversion to Shakespeare whose details would never again see the light of day. But there he is giving comfort where he can. He’s probably glad for something else to focus on than the stage but he knows Cal by now — knows he does nothing without meaning to do it.

Just when Taylor’s sure he’s going to have to make a mad dash for the doors, however, a familiar hand slides into his. Nik’s focus is still intent on the scene unfolding but he squeezes his fingers and doesn’t seem to care about the tears between their palms.

He’s supposed to be up on that stage. He’s supposed to be sweating under the heat of the lights and praying to the thespian gods that the tape on his mic holds fast. He’s supposed to be giving the performance of his life to an audience of friends and loved ones knowing Kristin was back in New York, that his mother couldn’t make it, and that there was no one watching that was there just for him.

Instead he’s here in the crowd. Instead he’s surrounded by friendship’s concern and holding the hand of the guy who seems to be making it a habit of standing in between him and certain death.

Instead he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be.

When the lights slide back on for intermission Cadence whirls around in his seat, arm thrown over the back, to practically barrage Krom with questions about artistic representation, choices made and things changed.

It feels a little bit like being back in a college classroom. Not the first time Cade has that effect on people.

“I — I really only helped with small stuff,” the stone troll stammers his protests, “heavy lifting or working on things normal people couldn’t reach.”

“But you’re a writer are you not?”

“An amateur at best…”

But the vampire isn’t having it. “Nonsense, I’ve caught snippets of your work. I only mean —”

“Ugh, just humor the man will you?” Katherine groans, rolls her head back on her own seat with a lighthearted glare between the two.

Nik pulls Taylor’s attention away from their talk with an arm around his shoulder. “How’s it so far? On the other side of the stage.”

“They changed a few things —” — more than a few, and more to do with Oberon than any other character so three guesses who made that call — “— but I honestly just keep counting their steps for the blocking.”

“Nerd,” scoffs the man, and Taylor isn’t exactly going to deny it.

Actually, since they have a second…

Last he knew, being borderline psychic was his thing, not Ryder’s. But Nik’s moved his legs before Taylor even stands and makes him backtrack real quick on that.

“I figured you’d wanna go say hey to them, or whatever,” and though that’s the spoken explanation Taylor can’t stop himself from feeling the real intention behind it.

He just cares.

He ducks his head to hide a flushed smile; murmurs “thanks” and lets his lips linger at the corner of Nik’s mouth as he shimmies into the aisle.

Only when he’s at the door does it occur to him that this thing between them is a recent one, and they’ve not mentioned things like public affection. But judging by the look he throws over his shoulder — catches Ivy hitting the man on the arm repeatedly and the bewildered grin on her undead face?

Its just another thing to tease him over.

Its standard stuff; the small lines by the bathrooms, crew members in their all-black ensembles bustling this and that around. All things he’s familiar with — that he doesn’t bat an eye at.

Then he spares a glance — less than that, actually, calling it a glance is somehow generous — down one of the hallways leading to further seating. The lights are off, the doors no doubt locked. Makes sense for an audience this size.

He doesn’t know why he does. Only knows both suddenly and all at once who he’ll see in the shadows beyond.

Taylor wants so badly to just ignore it. To reach out and knock on the doors to the maze of back rooms and do exactly what he planned on; congratulating his fellow performers.

But he doesn’t.

By now Taylor’s helped Garrus enough in the bottomless pit he calls a storage room to know that fae folk don’t ‘glow.’ They just always look like they do.

Elric, too, looks like he snatched a few moonbeams for himself on his way inside.

The shadows don’t retreat from him but they are withered by his presence; by the aura of him. Had he looked like that in Lamrian, as natural as light itself? Or was he witnessing yet another new facet to his senses brought on by interference of the man who really shouldn’t be here.

When Taylor opens his mouth to speak nothing comes out; a dozen questions all fighting to leap from the tip of his tongue and giving him pause.

Finally he settles on something more akin to an accusation.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

He doesn’t mean to wound the fae Lord — but also won’t deny that the recoil of remorse he gets in response isn’t a teeny bit satisfying.

“No, I should not.”

“Glad we agree.” Of course he wants to ask why are you here but he shouldn’t have to.

Surprisingly, he doesn’t. “I caught whispers of this event within your mind. Lines from a script, a dedication — a pride. I wished to see what it truly was. Living Memories are shaped by the person to whom the memories belong.”

And here he had thought he’d be spared of a headache tonight, of all nights.

“I — what I — there’s so much to unpack there,” and nothing amused in his dry laugh either, “so we’ll start with the fact that I didn’t do a—a Living Memory-thing. I don’t even know how.”

“To accept Memories is to offer up your own.”

“Gee, that would have been nice to know.”

“Do not blame yourself —”

“Oh, I’m not. No worries there.”

“I should have explained it to you. Not then; not in such dire times.”

“Then when?”

“Long before now.” Elric’s eyes are like diamonds; diamonds twisted into sharp, construction-grade drills trying to puncture holes straight through him. The intensity is unnerving if he’s being honest.

About as unnerving as getting what he’s pretty sure is a ‘More Proactive Parent’ apology from this guy he literally just met the other night. Not even a guy — a fae.

Elric reaches out as if to touch his hand. The movement is enough — breaks Taylor from his little trance so he can pull back. Pale fingers instead close around air and grieve their mistake.

“I did not like the way things were left in Lamrian, Taylor.”

Taylor — like he has any right to say the name he chose all on his own.

“That’s your problem. But yeah, I can see how refusing to help your own son to save yourself might leave a bad taste in your mouth.”

It’s a very nice burn, high five kind of moment right up until the shadows creep up onto the fae’s expression. “I have the safety of an entire community to put first. Forgive me for prioritizing my life’s work and the many lives under my care over the child who only seems to acknowledge our connection when it suits his insults.”

Damn… nice burn… high five…

“Are you, Taylor?”

He swallows the lump in his throat. “Am I what?”

“Are you acknowledging me as your…?” He leaves it hanging there, juicy bait in murky waters. And Taylor isn’t starving — not quite yet — but he’s definitely not full either.

He glances back to the theatre atrium.

The background noise is quieter down here but soon enough everyone will be heading back to their seats. No doubt the curtain won’t even be fully opened before Nik is bounding out the doors to find him.

“Look, Lord Elric…”

Who acts like the title brings him pain; “Please, call me —”

“— I’m not calling you Dad; or Pop, Father, or any variation thereof —”

“If you would listen as often as you speak. I would ask you to call me Elric.”

Even that feels like a boundary they shouldn’t cross. What good is to come of being friendly, getting to know one another — especially when he’s facing the very likely chance of being dead by Tuesday?

On the other hand, whispers a voice in the back of his head, what’s the harm in getting to know your actual father — especially facing the very likely chance of being dead by Tuesday?

First, how rude can you be? Second, nobody asked you, rude little voice.

But after several dragging moments of internal arguing the voice ends up winning. Still rude though.

“What do you want out of this, Elric? What did you hope to gain from coming here?”

He looks almost affronted. “I wished to… connect with you. You are… my child. A miracle I had not even believed let alone known of.”

My child. Two simple words that ring in his ears unpleasantly.

“My plate’s full enough. I don’t know if I have room for ‘connecting.’”

“Would it not be worth trying?”

Taylor throws his hands up in exasperation. “Maybe! Fuck — maybe… maybe if I wasn’t so scared of dying. Or if I thought I had the time. But whatever the Coven Elders are planning it’s —”

Elric’s eyes widen, but that isn’t what cuts him off. Every hair on his body stands up at the same time. Without a chill, without a touch. It’s a feeling; powerful and consuming and coming from the fae Lord.

“Oh right,” because Elric refused to help and they’d gone to the Elders and that was that, “you don’t know. Yeah, the Coven’s the one who summoned the wraith. It’s a whole thing — I don’t have the time to go into it and I kinda don’t even want to because tonight was supposed to be one last attempt at normal but joke’s on me I guess.”

“You will make the time.”

He’d consider going at him for trying to use what he probably thinks is a tone of fatherly authority on Taylor — if it wasn’t so strikingly familiar. Commanding the wisdom and strength of his years both gone and yet to come. It demands respect, to be heard and the weight of every word understood.

Its the Elric he’d met for the first time in the Beau-Keyes Garden, and its kind of a relief.

Would have been useful yesterday, though.

He sums the encounter up as best he can; keeps throwing looks back over his shoulder as a sort of passive-aggressive-meets-non-confrontational way of saying he’s being held up.

And yes, logically he should be happy Elric is changing his tune no matter the reason. But he’s petty and spiteful and hey, nobody’s perfect.

By the time Taylor finishes Elric is already deep in thought — strings of thought becoming ropes, knots; an intricate web displayed across his entire person with just a look.

Another one of those looks he’s seen in the mirror, actually.

But they’re just thoughts. Not actions. He doesn’t need to be a little psychic to know that.

“No doubt my breath would be a wasted one were I to ask you to return to Lamrian with me.”

Elric means well — but that doesn’t make it any better.

“What, like — leave my friends behind to die and abandon the entire community that doesn’t even know what’s coming for it?”

He doesn’t say anything; doesn’t have to. “And—And what would I do,” continues Taylor, “just hang out with you and your wife, maybe do something productive like learn the pan flute or whatever?”

“This is not a matter to make light of.”

“You’re damn right it isn’t!” Fuck it, he’s shouting and doesn’t care who hears now. “I can’t believe you. Cowering in safety alone is one thing but to try and drag me down with you? That’s messed up; you’re messed up.”

“You do not know of what you speak — of the centuries our kind spend trying to conceive.”

“I’m not one of you.”

“You are, denying it hurts only yourself. By all accounts you are a miracle, Taylor. But children among the fair folk are few and far between. So for you to stand there — to twist my words as though they mean nothing…”

It’s a little hard to keep his composure when Elric’s voice cracks. It doesn’t make any of it okay — not by a long shot — but there’s a wrongness to that tone normally even and cultured sounding choked with emotion.

He even tries to swallow it down. It doesn’t work. “I have seen the cost of bravery. And to see you so passionate — so determined to fight this battle that I am certain was never meant to be yours. It ensnares me in a way you cannot yet understand. Pride overtakes me, yet I am made immobile.

“I have seen enough in my life to know when fighting is parallel to dying. No matter how brief the battle or noble the purpose there are some forces that cannot be overcome.”

He takes Taylor’s hand. Clammy and cold and he tries to hide it but Taylor knows the effects of a panic attack from personal experience that no matter how refined the otherworldly creature is you can’t always hide the tremors in your fingertips.

Like before he feels a tug in his gut. Something hooking into his center of gravity and puling him, or his essence, closer.

Hears the fae clear in his mind; terrified, heartbroken, too much.

I could not bear the sight of you among the casualties. Do not ask it of me. I beg of you.

Over-thinking about the heartbreak in every word, about the things he can’t possibly understand that allow Elric to feel so much and so hard for a person he doesn’t know — it’s not a luxury Taylor can afford right now. And not just because the emotional depth it requires might very well bring him to tears again.

So he squeezes that pale grip tight, the only solidarity he allows himself to muster, then lets go.

“I can’t.”

“Taylor —”

“No, really Elric, I can’t.” He steps back; creates distance between them both physically and on a deeper level. “I wasn’t supposed to be a part of this — I wasn’t. I’m only being targeted because of you; because I’m your son. You know what the Elders called me? They called me an ‘unseen complication.’ And up until right now it’s really bugged me. By all accounts I’ve not made anything complicated except for the lives of my friends.

“But maybe I’m not done yet, you know? Maybe there’s more for me to do. Probably not, let’s be real, but I have to try. Nik— Nik is trying, and he’s never done that before. Kathy and Cade don’t have any stake in this but they keep trying because they’re good people. Cal wants to make this city safer for his brother and Vera… she could have run back to New York at any time but she hasn’t.

“I’m not gonna stand here and say I fully understand what’s going on. But that doesn’t mean I should cut and run. I think its because I don’t know jack-shit that I can do the most good. Or, you know, at least try to.”

He falters at the end; never one to finish strongly in situations like these. Would he like for Elric to stay, to try like the rest and do some good — of course.

But any part of him left hesitant about his involvement is gone now. So he can thank the fae for that at the very least.

Wow, is this what emotional growth feels like? That warm feeling in his chest spreading out to the tips of his fingers and toes, the pride in his actions, the sense of accomplishment however small?

Kristin is going to be so proud of him when she wakes up.

He doesn’t realize he’s waiting for Elric to respond until he inhales deeply. Looks Taylor over with those same eyes somehow changed. Like he’s really seeing him for the first time.

“You are brave — braver than most.”

“No I’m really not. But I’m scared enough to want to do something about it.”

“Very well. Whatever you wish to call it… the quality is an admirable one.”

“You should try it out sometime.”

“Perhaps you can show me how, one day.” But not this day.

That’s it then. The arguing, the impassioned speeches, all of it and Elric still plans on hiding.

Fine. He’s done trying to make the man see reason.

“I’m gonna get back to the show — my company’s worked hard for this and even though I’m not up there, I deserve the chance to see it through.”

Just as resigned as he had been in Lamrian, Elric closes himself off when he tucks his clasped hands in his sleeves. Beautiful embroidery becoming his wall against the world.

Against the terrible things about to happen.

“You will find no time has passed,” he says to Taylor’s surprise, “I had hoped you would return with me. The chance to say farewell to your companions was the least I could offer.”

Implications aside… “Thanks, I guess. I’ll see you around, Elric.”

“Nothing would bring me greater joy.”

He’s halfway down the hall when a definite something comes over him. Is there such a thing as too much emotional growth? It tastes a little bit like he’s downed a shot of vinegar.

It makes him turn back; it knows the other man is still there — watching.

“You risked your life coming here — in person.”

Elric nods. “Yes.”

“All the things you’re staying out of the fight for; your people, Thalissa — if the bloodwraith showed up…”

“I knew the risk.”

“But it’s temporary, so that makes it okay.”

“What it does it make it a risk worth taking.”

“There it is then…” and Taylor almost can’t believe he’s saying this, but — “Come on, there’s a few empty seats in front of us. You can take one of those.”

Maybe he’s spent enough time in the fae’s presence now to understand and see every emotion he expresses. Small flickers and ticks in facial features — and that’s being generous.

Confusion. Contemplation. Understanding. Surprise.

And more than a little heartbreak.

“The longer I stay here the greater the chance of discovery by the creature.”

“Yeah, well you’ve been here a pretty long time already. What’s an extra hour or two?”

“The difference between life and death.”

“A fair point. Counter— you wanted to spend time together, Pop.” He pops his lips on the word. And funnily enough that seems to be what does the job.

There was no reason to doubt Elric’s truthfulness but he’s still relieved when they walk back into the theatre and the curtains are still drawn.

It would be helpful if someone turned around to see them; if they warned the others. But unfortunately (for Garrus) it’s a complete surprise when they greet his return… with company.

“Look who I found at the concession stand.” Taylor throws his arm around Elric’s shoulder and squeezes for the humor of it. Shit he probably should have asked if the man had a glamour.

Well, no one’s staring or screaming yet, so probably a good sign.

The general aura of confusion is broken by Garrus who, impossibly enough, looks more pale than usual. Beside him Krom is halfway reaching out; as if to shield his unspoken crush from Elric’s unseen wrath.

“Hey there, Rook,” Nik’s look of ‘what the literal?’ doesn’t stray from the fae’s ethereal glow, “thought you were goin’ backstage.”

Because this was his fault? “Oh, I was. But then I got to thinking — it’s a friends and family viewing so, you know, why not call my estranged father Elrond?”

“Elric.”

Sigh. “I know. It’s a joke.”

Elric nods. “Ah, I see.” No he doesn’t, but that’s not the point. Actually that he doesn’t is what makes it a little bit funnier.

But Taylor realizes quickly that he’s made a mistake in just assuming this would be okay. Garrus has never been quiet for this long and it makes everyone a little on edge. What happens when the man who always has something to say falls silent?

“You look well, Gallus.”

Garrus flinches violently at the name; at Elric’s attempt to cut through the tension. “That isn’t my name and you know it.”

“It was once.”

“Not anymore.” Garrus looks to Krom in surprise. Its the most intimidating the gentle giant has ever sounded. Though rage literally flickers as flames in Ivy’s cursed eyes she manages to look at him with pride.

It seems Taylor isn’t the only one who’s grown as a person tonight, though. As the discomfort rises to an almost stifling level the Lord bows his head, speaks somber and its enough to make everyone take a breath.

“I wish not to intrude on your time, Garrus,” Garrus who reaches absently for something to ground him and finds it in Krom’s hand clasping his, “only to take what precious moments my child allows me to possess.”

Way to push the blame on Taylor.

Taylor who struggles for something to say; an apology, a get out of here, anything. “I didn’t — I mean I — Garrus if —”

He raises a hand and Taylor’s glad for the opportunity to bite his tongue. Finds relief in the fact that Garrus still manages a smile his way.

“You couldn’t know. And it doesn’t bother me, honestly —” — especially not when he has Krom’s hand to squeeze where the seats separate their thighs — “— as long as my old landlord respects his boundaries, and doesn’t have an ulterior motive.”

“I do not.”

“Pinky swear?”

Elric doesn’t understand and it shows; some kind of power move Garrus relishes in by grinning at the laughter that ripples through them and breaks the tension.

The room grows dark as the company prepares to resume. Taylor awkwardly (and if he’s honest, uncomfortably) ushers Elric into the seat parallel to his a row forward. Close enough to count as ‘spending time together’ while also glad to be a buffer between his fae father and Garrus.

Velvet curtains pull apart with a flourish. Just before the cast begins Taylor manages to lean back and give a real apology to his friend.

“I’m so sorry, I should’ve asked first.” He whispers.

Garrus places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Really, darling, no big deal here.”

“Promise?”

“Pinky.”

He can’t remember the last time he made any promises so important as pinky promises. But he and Garrus link little fingers and exchange small smiles just in time for Titania to begin her lines.

With a deep breath of courage and only after finding Nik’s hand in the dark he leans again, forward this time, and directs Elric’s attention to the performance.

“Okay, so quick recap. There are four lovers, right, Helena who loves Demetrius, who loves Hermia, who loves Lysander, but the thing is…”

#nightbound #choices nb #playchoices fanfiction #nik ryder x mc #nik ryder #katherine nightbound #cal lowell #vera reimonenq #oc: cadence smith #garrus #ivy #krom #nightbound mc #mc: taylor hunter #oblv: bound by circumstance #oblv: new chapter #; my fics

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imagineyoungjustice · 5 years

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1.5k Followers Milestone Drabbles 9/10

Zantanna anon here: I'm here to get Terra to write more Z stuff bc she's so good at it. More adventures with Z and her civilian s/o. Maybe her s/o stays with her at the base after their apartment is wrecked by a villain? Just cute awkward interactions with the team and protective Zatanna. Bonus points if: They get startled by a bat family member appearing out of no where. Drabble would be great if it's still open. -Anonymous

Z anon I dearly love you. I also love this series. At least I think at this point it’s a series. Anyway this would be set sometime after the first drabble from the Halloween event that you can read here! I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that the Watchtower doesn’t have permanent residence options or it’s just that no one lives up there. Either way I gave it some rooms that are just for temporary use in order to make this drabble work -Terra

Tags: @ljblve @loverbug1123 @aworldwideapart @wallywestie

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You gripped the mug in your hand, the warm liquid seeping through the ceramic into your fingers which gripped with a determined force as you willed the rest of your body to not betray your fear. You were lost inside your own mind, your eyes wide and blank as they stared into the contents of your drink. As if the faint steam rising from the surface would have given you the answers you sought, or the comfort you wished you still felt in your home.

There was movement around you. Footsteps echoing off the walls, the sight crunch of a boot on broken glass that had the corners of your mouth tighten as you fought off a wince. Your apartment was in utter shambles: pictures lay strewn on the ground, torn off the walls with broken frames and shattered glass littering the floors, most of your furniture was either pushed over or destroyed, cabinets were left hanging open with most of their contents joining the glass. At some point, you dimly registered the dip of your tattered couch as your girlfriend, Zatanna, sat down beside you.

“Whoever was here is long gone.” Batman’s voice broke you out of your own thoughts. You felt your stomach drop, knowing that they would just keep coming back until they were caught.

Zatanna noticed your frown, one of her arms coming to rest on your back while the other rested on your forearm. “Don’t worry, we will find them. I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.” You didn’t really feel that much at ease from her words, your eyes taking stock at the destruction that was once your home.

“What happened to the protection wards you had placed around the area?” Batman was addressing Zatanna directly, but you could still feel his gaze on you from underneath his cowl.

“They were destroyed. No wards are perfect, anyone with a high degree of arcane ability could have gotten around them.”

You felt your attention drifting as they continued. Part of you knew this would have happened at some point, but it didn’t make the situation any less terrifying for you. Someone had been in your home, looking for you, or looking for Zatanna. Both options fueled the fear churning deep in your gut. Zatanna had always been careful, always tried to look out for you, to keep the bad parts of her job far away and distant from you. But now everything felt so real, so prevalent. The dangers were real, and you had been a fool to think that you would always be insulated from them.

Someone dangerous had been inside your home, and you knew that you were no longer safe there. You would have to move, but to where? You didn’t have the funds to pick up and change locations, your shitty, minimum wage job didn’t leave you much in the way of extra funds after bills. You could move in with Zatanna? You mentally shook your head. Maybe you were ready to take that next step in your relationship with her, but you weren’t sure if Zatanna was, and you wouldn’t dare force something as big as that on her in a situation like this. But in truth, what other options did you really have? You couldn’t stay with family, if the person who did this was after you, it would only put them in danger too.

You were so wrapped up in your own mind, that it took Zatanna several tries of calling your name for you to finally notice. “Hey, are you okay?” Her face was furrowed with concern, and you felt a pang in your own heart at seeing her poorly hidden guilt. This wasn’t her fault, despite how much she might think it was in this moment.

You placed one of your hands over hers. “I will be, I’m just a little shaken up right now.” You gave a small smile as she squeezed your hand, though it quickly went away as you continued. “Where am I supposed to go now? I can’t stay here.”

“We were just discussing that.” Zatanna said. Her grip on your hand tightened. “We believe that until we can be sure you’re no longer in any danger, that the safest place for you right now is among the rest of the League and the Team.”

You frowned. “I thought Mount Justice blew up, and the Hall was decimated?”

“They did and were, but you wouldn’t have been staying there anyway. To ensure your protection you’d need to be in a place where you’d be most protected, where the League could keep a constant watch for your well-being.” Batman began, coming around to stand in the center of your field of vision. He looked taller in the moonlight emanating from your sliding door to your balcony, illuminating his silhouette.

Realization washed over you, your eyes growing wide. “You mean…”

“Yes. You’d be staying in the Watchtower until we could be sure you’re no longer in any danger.”

You felt the air rush from your lungs. The Watchtower? You stared at Batman in pure disbelief at what you heard come from his mouth. Perhaps your look came off more as panic than the shock that currently paralyzed your body and thankfully replaced your fear, because Zatanna was quick to speak up.

“You wouldn’t be staying there alone of course! I’d be staying there too when I’m not looking for the person who did this. That way you wouldn’t be on your own.”

You nodded your thanks, gaining some control back over your body. “Sorry I was just…surprised I guess that I’d be staying in the actual Watchtower.” You felt a little embarrassed in the moment and tried to quickly move on. “I should probably start packing what’s left of my things.” You started to get up, and Zatanna followed you to your room.

“I’ll help you out. Some of the other Leaguer’s will be here later to bring what we don’t take with us the first time.” You nodded and made your way to the remains of your room, stepping around the glass on the ground. You picked up a few of the salvageable pictures as you went, some of friends and family, others of you and Zatanna. You set them down carefully on your bed as you searched for a suitcase. You went to open your sliding closet door, and shirked when it came off the track, falling to the ground with a loud thud and making you jump back.

“Oops?” You said as you looked over to your girlfriend who had whipped around when she heard the noise. She was on the other end of your room seeing what clothes she could salvage from your dresser. She just let out a small chuckled and turned back to her work. You did the same, still trying to clam your racing heartbeat. Thankfully, your luggage was relatively in the same corner of your closet and largely undamaged. You set them down on your bed and began the long and careful process of picking through the remnants of your belongings and packing them away.

The first rays of dawn would begin to appear over the horizon by the time you and Zatanna had finished your task. In the new light, you felt your heart sink some more in your chest as you could more clearly take stock of the damage that had been done. Zatanna placed her hand in yours, as if sensing your thoughts.

“We’ll get through this, together.” You just nodded and squeezed her hand in yours. She gave you a small smile, and then moved to grab some of your luggage. “We should start getting everything to the Watchtower, unless we’re forgetting something?”

“No, I think we have everything that survived ready to go.” She just nodded and handed you a few of the suitcases, following you out the door of your apartment for the last time. On your way you passed by the rest of your belongings piled up by the door, remembering that Batman said the rest of the League would stop by later to bring the rest. It was strange for you to see that pile, all that remained of your things. This apartment had been your first, and even though it wasn’t the best one by far, it was still the first place you could call your own. In a few ways, it hit you hard to know that this was how that first chapter of your life had ended, a few boxes and suitcases being all that remained.

On the journey to the Watchtower, you spent most of it lost within your own head. Still, you were reeling from the events that brought you to this moment. The whole time, Zatanna was right next to you, some part of her always touching you in silent reassurance. That small warm feeling you felt within your chest was welcome. In truth, you weren’t able to process much by the time you actually did arrive to the orbiting station. The ride up in M’gann’s borrowed bioship had been silent, letting your exhaustion catch up to you and hold fast. Racking your brain through the haze, you realized it had been more than twenty-four hours since you had last slept.

Zatanna had murmured something to the person waiting when you two walked off the bioship, his skin was dark with black tattoo’s running up the length of his arms. Cal? Kelder? You frowned as you tried to remember all the times Zatanna had talked about her hero friends, and match the descriptions to the names. Before you had a chance to ask, he turned around and left after giving you a respectful nod.

“I asked Kaldur to wait and hold the introductions until after you’ve had a chance to rest. I know you’re probably exhausted.”

You nodded, grateful, and let yourself be led down a separate hallway. The room you ended up in was actually rather cozy if you were in more of an alert mental state to take note of it. It wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t small enough to feel cramped in either. It had just enough space for a couple dressers, a closet, a bed, and a small attached bathroom with some space between everything to walk around. Across from the door there was a large window which showcased quite the breathtaking view of the cosmos and Earth. Through bleary eyes, you could just barely register where the bed was as you let the artificial gravity do its job and let you flop onto the soft blankets. There was a chuckle above you, and you wasted no time in pulling back the covers and making yourself comfortable.

Before you could drift off, you felt your girlfriend place a light kiss onto your forehead. “Sleep well, I’ll see you later okay?”

Wait, no. You didn’t want her to leave you alone. “Zeeee.” You knew you sounded whiny, but you couldn’t care less. She turned around to look with an eyebrow raised. You held up the end of the covers in invitation. “Please?”

She sighed but had a smile on her face “Only because you said please.” You pulled her into your arms once she laid down and finally succumbing, drifted off.

Hours later when you finally opened your eyes, you were thrown off by the unfamiliar surroundings. You sat up and looked around the room, your eyes widening in shock when you looked out the window and saw your whole ass planet filling three quarters of the glass. That’s when the events of the previous night came flooding back through your mind. You felt your heart rate start to pick up and had to take a moment to force yourself to take a stabilizing breath before you could freak out. You felt the bed move next to you and you glanced down to your right to see your Zatanna also in the process of waking up, you felt a little guilty about moving now that you remembered she was next to you.

“Mmh. Morning.” She mumbled, bringing one hand up to rub the sleep from her eyes.

“If it was morning when we fell asleep, I think it’s more likely that it’s turning night before anything else.”

“Good point.” She sat up in the bed and wrapped her arms around you, looking up at you from where she had her head resting against your shoulder. “How are you holding up.”

“I’m still kind of processing everything, but I think I’ll be okay.”

She nodded in understanding and moved to stand up. “I’ll let you get ready, and after that I’ll take you on a tour of the place, so you know where everything’s at. Sound good?”

“Sounds good, but don’t you also need a shower?”

She smirked, and you knew exactly what was coming. “ekam em naelc!” There was a shimmering aura around her body for a brief moment and when it disappeared, it had her clothes and hair looking a lot fresher than they had been a moment before.

You huffed. “Using magic is cheating.” She just laughed and blew a kiss at you as she started to walk out of the room, mentioning about being right back as soon as she had a chance to talk to Kaldur about something.

True to her word, she was back in the room and waiting for you by the time you emerged dressed and ready from the small bathroom. As you let Zatanna lead you out the door and begin the tour, you could feel the pit of anxiety in your stomach start to grow. Just around the next corner could be anyone from Superman to Robin and every kind of hero in between. You were just an ordinary civilian who happened to be dating one of them, you didn’t really think you had much business being right in the middle of their HQ at all, yet here you were being shown the place that would be your home for the foreseeable future.

By the time the tour was over you were struggling to remember all the different hallways and the places they led. You completely forgot about the fact that you would be meeting the Justice League’s covert team that you would be sharing a floor with until you turned the corner and saw them all gathered there in the middle of the grove that lined the bottom of the station. You felt your heart flutter in apprehension and tried to keep your gaze down as you were led over. Thankfully, the uneven ground as you transitioned from metal floor to grass was a good enough excuse to do so.

Before you could even get a word out in the way of introductions, the sudden appearance of a teen in a bright yellow and red suit on your right had you shrieking and tripping over and exposed root, falling (very gracefully) onto your ass in front of everyone.

“HeynicetomeetyouI’mtheoneandonlyKidFlashandohnoI’msosorryhereletmehelpyouup-”

“Bart.” Zatanna’s voice was firm and he looked up at her with a sheepish grin.

“Sorry, didn’t realize superspeed would have them feeling the mode.”

“I’m fine, really.” You said, standing up and dusting yourself off. “You just… caught me off guard. I’m not exactly used to this kind of stuff all the time.” At a much slower pace, the rest of the team came up and introduced themselves, making your mind spin more as you did your best to also remember the faces to the names. By the time you two made it back to your room hours later, you were mentally taxed by all the information.

Seeing your state, Zatanna chuckled and kissed your forehead. “I know it’s a lot of information to take in all at once, but I’ll be here with you the whole time, and the Team is here to help too so don’t be afraid to ask them if you need it okay?” You made a noncommittal noise and let yourself be positioned until the two of you were cuddling on your bed. “We’ll start looking for places for you to move into tomorrow okay? We’ll find whoever did this before long, and I want to make sure you’ll have a place lined up for when you’re ready for it.”

You smiled and kissed her goodnight before allowing yourself to drift off once again.

The days started to blend together, and most of the other introductions to the team went a lot less chaotic than the first one, a fact you were thankful for. Bart seemed to actively go out of his way to make sure he wouldn’t accidentally scare you with his speed again, making sure to deliberately not use it if you were in the same room as him. Mainly, you found yourself hanging around the some of the older members of the Team, the ones who had known Zatanna the longest -and the ones less prone to making you jump out of your skin, even accidentally- and some of the younger members of the League who got along well with Zatanna. Dr. Fate had approached you at one point, and awkward wasn’t an adequate enough word to describe how that went. Zatanna had told you all about what happened to her father, the deal he had struck with Nabu to spare your girlfriend from that fate, and you felt uneasy whenever he was around, knowing how much emotional pain Zatanna still experienced over the whole thing. Thankfully, Nabu seemed capable of taking a hint, and made it a point not to stick around you if it could be helped. When Zatanna wasn’t out looking for the one responsible, she was practically glued to your side. You weren’t complaining, this was the most you two had ever seen each other in go and falling asleep with her next to you every night was equally as good, though of course the circumstances could have always been better.

Each day she promised you she was getting closer to ending this so you could work on moving into the new apartment she had helped you pick out, one that you were assured would actually be kept safe. The question to ask her to move in with you had been on the tip of your tongue ever since, but you still hadn’t worked up the courage to actually ask her yet. Every single time you thought you would actually get to ask her, you’d back out at the last second, mentally kicking yourself for being so afraid to ask.

“Hey you must be Zatanna’s girlfriend it’s nice to meet y-“ Robin stopped his sentence in his tracks when you jumped and let out an embarrassingly loud shriek. You hadn’t heard him come in. As it was you had your hand over your chest to calm your racing heart, taking deep breaths to aid the process.

“I’m sorry! You just came out of nowhere I didn’t hear you.” You were quick to sputter out an apology when you had calmed down enough to see that your newest guest looked a little guilty.

“It’s okay, if anything it was my fault. There’s kind of a thing going around that us bats have a tendency to just ‘show up’ and I guess it’s kind of true.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “Sorry for almost giving you a heart attack.”

You let out a small laugh. “Yeah well in all honesty, I’ve been told that I’m just a little bit on the jumpy side.” The conversation lapsed into silence, both of you unsure of where to go from there. “So… you’re… Robin?”

At the mention of his codename, he seemed to jerk back into awareness. “Huh? Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you uh…”

You quickly gave him your name and shook his hand when he offered it. Minor heart attack aside, he seemed to be just as slightly awkward as you were when it came to social interactions, something you were admittedly thankful for as it quickly became a bonding point between the two of you.

That’s how Zatanna found you some time later. She darted into the room, calling your name with a certain glint in her eye and a wide smile that had your interest piqued. She was just a hair on the breathless side as she spoke. “I got him! You’re not in danger anymore!”

“I’ll give you two the room.” Robin said, nodding to the two of you before slipping around Zatanna and disappearing around the corner.

“Really? Who was it?” You were smiling now too, happy that you wouldn’t have that vague sense of looming danger over your head anymore.

“Wotan actually, but don’t worry I made sure he won’t be willing to pull that kind of stunt again. I also made sure he wouldn’t have the means to track or find out where you’ll be living.” You pulled her into a hug, relived that you were no longer in any kind of danger. On the other hand, you had grown accustomed to the bustle of the Watchtower and had also grown to like having the other members of the League and the Team to talk to. Talking to them helped you feel closer to your girlfriend in a way you didn’t even know you were missing out on until now, being a spectator to an aspect of her life that you hadn’t really known too much about before.

Most of your things had already been moved into the apartment when you had secured the lease, all that was left was to pack up the couple suitcases you had been living out of during your stay on the station. Saying your goodbyes to the Team was a little harder than you’d ever thought it would have been when you first got there, but you were able to placate most of their upset with a promise to visit, and have some of them over at a later date. Whereas the ride up to the Watchtower had been silent, with you lost in your own head, the ride back to Earth was full of lively conversation, both you and Zatanna talking about anything and everything as you used to before this whole thing had happened.

The apartment was way nicer than the dingy shithole you had originally rented, and you weren’t even paying that much more than you were before, managing to secure a miraculously good deal for an apartment that was practically twice the size of your old one. Zatanna wouldn’t mention how she had managed to get a deal so good, and you weren’t quite sure you wanted to know. The only information you had been able to get from her was that she had help from a “friend in Gotham.”

You left your suitcases by your bedroom door, taking a moment to relax on your crappy, temporary furniture with Zatanna. Your thumbs stroked the glass in your hands. The question was still there, lingering, just waiting for you to finally finish taking the plunge. “You know, this place seems pretty big. I think I’m going to feel lonely here all by myself.” You caught met ger gaze as she looked back at you, her eyes asking if you were saying what she thought you were saying. You took a deep breath; it was now or never. “Though I wouldn’t be opposed to sharing it with you… that is… if you wanted to.” You were nervous as you waited for her answer.

She pulled you in for a passionate kiss. “I thought you’d never ask.”

#Zatanna Zatara #Zatanna #zatanna x reader #1.5k milestone #Young Justice #Drabble

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crownedbyluke · 5 years

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Long Road Ahead (Chapter Two)

Estelle Finley has been friends with Ashton Irwin and Luke Hemmings for three years. When the boys bring her along on a jam-packed road trip to Cape Cod with the rest of the band, their adventures are just beginning. Through long hours driving, exploring cities, and hidden secrets, something more is bound to happen on this journey. How will this road trip change Estelle’s friendship with the friends she’s come to love so dearly?

Word Count: 4,000 (oops)

{Chapter One}

LUKE’S POV

The sound of a song brought me out of my sleep. My eyes adjusted to the sunlight shining through the window. Ashton was still asleep in the bed next to mine. I forced myself out of bed, following the sounds of a piano and soft female vocals. I stopped in the kitchen doorway. Estelle was humming along while cooking, her long blonde hair free from the usual braid it was in. She was in her favorite summer pajamas, the white lemon set that Crystal had gotten her for her birthday last year. I couldn’t tell what she was cooking, but she looked stunning in the morning light. The chorus of the song she was listening to came and Estelle’s voice took over in my ears. Her tone was clear, but still had a rasp to it that took my breath away. The lyrics of the song hit me and I realized why she was singing along.

“And when I don’t belong, oh you say I am yours,” she sang beautifully.

I took a few steps into the kitchen, tapping her phone to see the song. “You Say” by Lauren Daigle flashed on the screen in front of me. I looked up to see Estelle staring at me.

“Did I wake you?” she asked, turning the volume down.

Her light green eyes were full of concern and it made a warmth come over me.

“Yeah, but it’s okay. What are you cooking?” I asked, nodding behind her.

“Oh, I’m making organic waffles for myself and Crystal and whole wheat pancakes for you and the boys,” she said, turning back to flip a pancake.

The way she moved through the kitchen was graceful and made it look like she was gliding across the floor. Estelle started humming again, her voice just a little louder than the music.

“Lu, can you take out the raspberries, blueberries, and the bananas please?” she asked, snapping me out of my trance.

“Sure. Want me to get anything else out?” I asked.

“Yeah. Can you grab the milk and orange juice too?” she asked before giving me a smile.

I set it all out on the counter for her before returning to my seat on the barstool. Estelle pulled a cutting board from a drawer after switching off the stove. It felt like she was moving in slow motion as she placed the plates full of food on the counter.

“Why’d you make breakfast?” I asked while she chopped up the bananas.

“Because I thought it would be nice and it’s my way of giving back to you guys for bringing me with,” she said, her voice light.

I was taken aback by her words. It never ceased to amaze me how down to Earth she was.

“What’s that look for?” she asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“What look?” I asked, trying to shake away the smile I knew was on my face.

“The one that makes it look like you don’t know me,” she said simply.

The smile that came across my face was one that only Estelle seemed to bring out. It always seemed like I couldn’t help my emotions around her.

“It still takes me for a loop sometimes,” I said, still watching her intently.

“What?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow and tilting her head.

“That despite your parent’s wealth and privileged upbringing, here you stand, kind, calm, and completely different than everyone else I’ve met that was given the same life as you. I’m astonished by your grace and how humble you are when you could have been a snobby brat,” I said, our eyes meeting.

An appreciative smile came over her face, the light of it meeting her eyes. Yet another reminder that the woman in front of me was remarkable and absolutely beautiful inside and out.

“Who knew that Luke Hemmings could be so insightful?” she teased, making me laugh.

“I would hope that you of all people would know how insightful I am by now,” I fired back.

Her laugh flooded my ears causing me to smile again.

“And I thought you would have known by now that I am more than my parent’s money,” she said, her eyebrow quirking up again.

I shook my head, but the smiled remained. Our eyes met again before I laughed, but the spark of the eye contact still took me by surprise.

“You really are something else little dove,” I said watching the slight blush come over her cheeks.

“And you’re a giant dork giraffe,” she said, lightly biting her lip when she looked up at me.

It was my turn to blush from her nickname for me. While Estelle wasn’t incredibly short, five eight at best, it was her petite nature that made her little. I started calling her little dove a year ago, after I heard her sing for the first time at an open mic. Naturally, she followed my lead by calling me giraffe. It was something so small, but completely ours.

“Estelle, you didn’t have to do all this,” Crystal’s voice came in, taking the small moment away.

“It’s no problem,” Estelle said, a small smile thrown towards Crystal.

The rest of the boys followed behind her, each of them giving their own greeting when they walked in. My eyes never left Estelle though as she smiled and brushed off compliments from everyone like she was a beauty pageant contestant.

➢➢➢

“So what’s the big plan again?” Estelle asked when she came back into the living room after getting ready.

My breath hitched as I took in what she was wearing. It was simple, but the way the green high waisted shorts and white cropped tee looked and fit on her took my breath away. She had brown sandals on and her hair was braided into loose pigtails.

“Crys and I are going to the zoo,” Michael offered while looking up at his girlfriend with a giant smile.

“Luke and I are hitting up the aquarium,” Ashton said glancing up from his phone for a moment.

Estelle plopped down by Calum and looked up at him.

“I’m thinking botanical garden,” Calum said giving her a smile.

Estelle practically lit up at the sound of it.

“I’ll go with Cal. Anything else?” she asked, the happiness evident in her tone.

“Gateway arch with everyone at like six,” Ashton said tapping away at his phone.

The sound was getting on my nerves, but I was doing my best to let it go.

“Sounds good. Plans for dinner?” she asked as Calum wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

A slight spark of jealousy shot through me even though I knew that there was nothing between them. It was a friendly gesture and meant nothing more than just making sure they were more comfortable next to each other. That didn’t stop the jealousy from slightly rising in me though.

“Mikey suggested Blueberry Hill to me early. It sounds really good,” Crystal said looking over at Michael’s phone to double check that she was correct.

“I was thinking about going to Piccione Pastry after dinner,” I said, finally speaking up.

There was a moment when I wished that Estelle would have decided to come with me and Ashton, but I knew how much she loved flowers and the idea of seeing some of the most beautiful ones in the midwest would be something she’d jump at.

“I am so in for pastry after dinner Lu,” Estelle said, leaning over to look at me.

Her voice cheered me up slightly, but there was still something running through my head that wouldn’t leave me alone. I was unable to decipher what it was, but it was causing me to be uneasy around Estelle and Calum.

“Those are both in Delmar loop,” Ashton spoke up.

“Cal, if we get done early, can we head over and ride the trolly?” Estelle asked, excitement dripping from her voice.

“What if we all meet up at four to go on the trolly?” Ashton suggested after catching me tense up at the thought of Estelle going on the trolly with Calum.

“Even better!” she cheered happily.

“Ash and I better head out then. The aquarium is going to take a while to get through,” I said, getting off the couch.

There was an uneasy feeling that came over me at the sight of Estelle and Calum. It felt like I couldn’t be in the same room as them anymore. Ashton followed after me, still quietly tapping away at his phone, no doubt handling some band business that he didn’t want us to worry about. We were just about to open the door when I heard quick footsteps coming after us. I turned just as Estelle reached us.

“Have fun and take lots of pictures for me yeah?” she asked, a giant smile on her face. Vacation did look oh so good on her.

“Of course little dove. See you at the trolly,” I said, giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

She had a blush on her face before giving Ashton a hug.

“You have fun too. Bring your camera okay bugs?” he said, poking her nose quickly before we headed out.

➢➢➢

ESTELLE’S POV

“Estelle, look at the arch!” Calum said, a couple feet ahead of me.

My eyes followed to where he was pointing. There was an arch with flowers growing around it and intertwined with it. It was stunning. The way the vines went through the lattice holes and then wrapped around reminded me of a wedding arch. The different colored flowers worked together to make it look like a sunset though and it made me want to take all the pictures in the world.

“Cal, go stand under it,” I said, picking up the camera that was around my neck.

He groaned, but did as instructed. He tucked his hands into his pockets and gave me the same model face he always did.

“Hey Cal,” I said, still snapping away.

“What Es?” he asked, face not changing in the slightest.

“A bird is gonna poop on your head,” I lied, but he still looked up allowing me to get the shot I wanted.

“You’re a little shit,” he said, laughing a little when he looked back down.

I took a few more of him smiling before putting the camera down.

“It’s what I’m good at,” I teased, walking to meet him under the arch.

There was a slight romantic element to the whole garden and in that moment, I wished Luke would have been here to see it with me. That he was the one I was snapping pictures of instead of Calum. That we could have been the ones walking around, being goofy like all the other couples that seemed to just pass me and Calum by.

“Among other things,” he teased, throwing a wink my way.

My breath left me at the remark, my mind going back to a slightly drunk moment three years ago.

“Don’t,” I said, tone firm and annoyance clear.

“Why’d you come here with me anyways?” he asked, turning so he was walking backwards and still looking at me.

“I wanted to see the flowers and I wasn’t about to barge in on Mike and Crys’ alone time. I’m always with Lu and Ash anyways,” I explained, taking a few more pictures while we walked.

“You sure that you didn’t just want to get me all alone again?” he asked, his voice dropping to a husky tone.

I had only heard him use it once and I knew what he was trying to do.

“That would imply that I had any sort of non-friendly feelings for you, Calum, which you know damn well that I don’t,” I said, keeping my voice even and steady somehow.

I felt his presence behind me, him having turned to follow behind of me instead of leading me. A feather-like touch was against my arm before Calum turned me around to face him. We weren’t completely covered, but I could tell that Calum didn’t care.

“Really? Because when you and Crystal were driving, you said that you didn’t have any feelings for Luke,” he whispered, hands coming to grip my waist.

My breath hitched as he spoke softly in my ear.

“I still remember how you moaned underneath me Elle,” he said, fingers digging in a little.

The nickname wasn’t lost on my ears, Calum being the only one to ever use it.

“I lied to her,” I said, pushing him away from me, the need for space away from him intense.

His eyebrows knitted together and he stared in confusion before we started walking again. Calum was still fairly close to me, but it felt more like out of comfort than out of hopes of having sex again.

“I lied to Crystal. I have a lot of feelings for Luke. I lied so I wouldn’t get my hopes up that Luke felt the same,” I admitted, playing with the silver ring on my finger.

“Why?” he asked as we stopped under a gazebo.

It took me a second to realize that Calum was asking out of concern and not, why won’t you have sex with me. Calum knew that lying wasn’t something I did often, in fact, it was a rare occurrence for me. I hated whenever someone lied to me about something that was important and I knew that my omitting that I had lied was throwing him off.

“Because I refuse to lose the friendship I have with him if it doesn’t work,” I said, taking a seat on the bench closest to the water.

“But, Elle, you don’t know that it won’t work,” Calum argued, all of the seduction gone from his tone.

He was a little farther away now, opting to remain close, but not close enough that I could feel his body heat.

“Do you know how many people I’ve felt this way about just to lose them because of little things I had no control over?” I asked, my eyes watching the lily pads float on the pond.

“No,” he said quietly.

I wasn't usually this open with Calum, choosing to be vulnerable around Luke and Ashton only.

“Four. They all decided I wasn’t good enough or that if I wouldn’t give them money, they didn’t need to stick around. I will not go through that with Luke,” I said, a few tears welling up in my eyes.

“Luke isn’t like that and you know it,” he said, gently putting a hand on my thigh.

“I do, but I’m not going to risk it.”

➢➢➢

LUKE’S POV

The sea lion tunnel loomed over me and Ashton. I pulled out my phone, snapping a few pictures for Estelle.

“Luke, we’re almost done. Ready to go to the loop?” Ashton asked, standing by the end of the tunnel.

“Yeah. Just one minute,” I said, eyes scanning the creatures beyond the glass.

There was something so serene about just watching them swim by. A small part of me wished Estelle would have come with so I could share this moment with her. I took a few more pictures before meeting Ashton.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked after we went through the gift shop.

My gift bag with a small sea lion in it swung by my side as we walked.

“Honestly, Estelle,” I confessed with a sigh.

“Luke,” he started, but I raised my hand to stop him.

“I know. I know I shouldn’t have her on my mind and that having feelings for her is stupid, but I can’t help it Ash. This morning before you all came in, it was like we were meant to be together in our own little world,” I said, climbing into the cab.

“You said it yourself that she doesn’t have feelings for you,” he chided.

“That hasn’t stopped me from falling for her,” I said, sending Estelle the pictures I took for her.

“Dude, we need to get you laid then,” Ashton said making me laugh.

“Why?” I asked looking over at him.

“We need to break your Estelle spell,” he said like it was obvious.

“And how are we doing that?” I continued staring at him like he was crazy.

“You, me, and Calum are going out,” he stated, pulling out his phone to search for a club.

“Ash, that’s not necessary,” I argued, watching as St. Louis went by.

“Oh, but it is,” he retorted, tapping away.

I saw the trolly as we pulled up to the neighborhood. There were colors everywhere, different storefronts with lights in their windows, and murals on what looked like every wall. It was a sight that I wanted to memorize, to keep forever. My heart leaped when I saw Estelle with Calum on the street staring at a map.

“Luke, come on,” Ashton said, already out of the cab.

“Right. Thank you,” I said, quickly getting out.

“Lu!” I heard Estelle squeal.

I put on a big smile for her before returning the hug she gave me.

“Whatcha got there?” she asked trying to peek into the bag.

“A surprise, so you’ll have to wait,” I said, the tension I had been feeling earlier now gone in her presence.

“Does that mean it’s for me?” she asked swaying on the balls of her feet.

“Maybe. Did you take lots of pictures today little dove?” I asked, seeing Ashton bring up his phone for Calum to look at behind Estelle.

“Yeah. I’ll show you them when we get back. You know what we should do?” she asked, leaning into me a little.

“I have no guesses,” I said, the scent of her apple citrus perfume hitting me from proximity.

It reminded me of home and how even her apartment smelled just like her. I leaned into her a little more, letting the moment happen and not caring if it would hurt the next day. It didn’t go unnoticed by me that to anyone passing by, we looked like a couple.

“Sneak into the pastry shop and get gelato,” she said, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

I couldn’t help the laugh that left me. Of course Estelle’s sweet tooth would come out while being so close to the promise of ice cream.

“Come on,” I said, giving in instantly.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t say no to her. We walked side-by-side into the little shop. Estelle’s green eyes lit up at the array of flavors in the case.

“Wanna share one Lu?” she asked while considering every flavor she could see.

“As long as you don’t hog it all,” I teased nudging her a little.

“Vanilla and mint chip?” she asked, her smile wide.

“You know the way to my heart,” I joked making her laugh.

I didn’t have to see her face to know that she was rolling her eyes. Before I could pay, Estelle already had the five dollar bill out and was tipping the cashier.

“Es, you didn’t have -” she cut me off by handing me a spoon with vanilla gelato on it.

It was something so small, but sharing the gelato with Estelle meant a hell of a lot to me, even if it didn’t mean a damn thing to her.

➢➢➢

“Smile!” another tourist said, taking a picture of all of us with the arch in the background.

“Thank you!” Estelle gushed, getting her phone back from the person.

The arch really was a sight to see and as I looked at it I was overcome with wonder. How much of the world had I seen without really seeing it?

“Look alive mate, Estelle is taking a band picture,” Calum said, bringing me back to reality.

I wrapped my arms around my brothers, smiling wide at Estelle. There was something about this moment that made me highly appreciative of the people I had in my life and the ability to have such a gorgeous vacation.

“I love you guys,” I said, looking at each of the guys that had become my family.

“Aww Lukey, I love you too buddy,” Ashton said, squeezing my shoulder gently.

“So, movies for the rest of the night?” Estelle asked when her and Crystal joined us.

“Actually, we’re going out,” Ashton said, taking Estelle by surprise.

“Oh. All of you?” she asked, her eyes drifting towards me.

“Mikey is gonna hang back, but Ash and Cal wanted to have some fun so I’m gonna go with them,” I said, catching the way she frowned for a moment.

“Okay,” she said, starting to twirl the ring on her finger.

She always did it when she wanted to say something, but didn’t feel like it was okay or the right moment. I wanted to ask her what it was, but I knew it would be useless in front of everyone.

“We can watch movies without them Es,” Crystal said wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

“Yeah we can,” Estelle responded with a nod of her head.

I didn’t miss the look Estelle gave me when we got into the car or the one when we got back to the apartment and I went to go get ready. We weren’t dating, but it was moments like these that I wish we were so I didn’t feel like I was doing something wrong. I was waiting for Ashton to finish up when I heard Michael and Crystal leave. Without thinking, I went to Estelle’s room. Her door was open as was the balcony door. She was sitting on one of the chairs, her hair down again.

“Estelle?” I called, unable to help myself.

“Luke,” she responded, barely turning to look at me.

She was mad at me and I could tell instantly. No nickname, no eye contact, and no giant smile meant just for me.

“You’re mad. Why?” I asked, still in her doorway.

“Because my best friend has decided that getting drunk and getting laid is a better way to spend his vacation than with his friend that he already barely sees,” she said, a bitterness to her tone.

“Estelle, this has nothing to do with you or spending time with you. Cal and Ash won’t be long,” I said, trying to make it better.

“You lied to me at the arch,” she said, turning to look at me finally.

Her makeup was gone, her eyes a little red. There was definitely something else bothering her than me going out.

“Estelle, I-”

“If you wanted to go fuck some girl you won’t remember tomorrow morning, you could have just said so,” she fired, bringing back the argument we had a week prior.

“That’s not what I’m doing okay? I’m going to make sure those two don’t get shitfaced,” I said, finally walking to meet her.

Her eyes met mine, the hurt even more evident in them. Something was bothering her and I wished that I had the balls to ask what was going on.

“I thought this was supposed to be a vacation?” she asked, wiping at her cheek.

How long had she been crying that I hadn’t noticed?

“It is and tomorrow, I’m all yours at City Garden,” I said, gently putting a hand on her knee.

“I’m gonna make you pose for so many pictures,” she said, a small smile finally coming out.

“I can’t wait. I won’t be gone for hours on end. I promise,” I said trying not to react when her hand came to rest on top of mine.

“Okay,” she said quietly.

“We’ll talk tomorrow okay little dove? Get some rest,” I said, pressing a kiss to her hand.

“Goodnight Lu,” she said as I got up to leave, the nickname catching in my ears.

“Goodnight Es,” I said, giving her a smile before heading out.

“Ready Luke?” Ashton asked when I met him and Calum in the hallway.

“Yeah. Not too long and no girls,” I said after closing the door.

“But Luke-”

“No breaking my spell. I don’t need it to be broken. Estelle Finley might not be in love with me, but I’m in love with her and I have to work through it on my own.”

Ohhhhhh boyyy. Where are we headed? Well I know. But you’ll have to wait! I hope you guys are enjoying this and remember if you want to be added to the tag list, let me know!

TAG BABES: @24kcalum @thruheavenandhighwater @notoriouslyhood @bbycal @cashton-queen @tommossoccer @thebookamongmen @slimthicccal @a-little-international @kiss-the-kat @no-guilt-in-living

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coupsdecoeurs-blog · 6 years

Text

BTS : An Ode to those “Go too far shippers”

Note to self* : Things I'd like to say to BTS "go-too-far shippers" (the rest of you, you're doing absolutely nothing wrong and YOU WILL know reading me that you're not from that disgusting bunch, there will be no doubts, don't worry ! Innocent fantasy is harmless. THAT is not) :

Here's a list of what you have to be doing to be considered a "Go-too-far shipper" :

- FORGETTING that BTS members are REAL HUMAN PEOPLE BEING and not characters from a TV Show or a book or a fudging YAOI. Actually, I'm a hundred percent SURE that you're not new to that kind of fanatism. Let me make a wild guess here : Marvel Universe ? Sherlock ? Supernatural ? Shadowhunters ? Yeaaaaah you know who you are.

- Loosing your precious time editing super long videos to analyse and prove without-a-doubt-omg-you're-so-smart-and-insightful-you-must-be-an-INFJ that your ship is the realest of all ships. It's a freaking Zodiac Boat, it's sailing so fast ! You guys... are loosing sleep over some 1 second footage slowed to the infinite and beyond of member n°7's left eye twitching (but be careful, if you blink, you'll miss it !) when member n°5 looked in his general direction. That proves it right ! I'm telling you ! But... but what is that ? Another shipper used the EXACT same footage to prove that member n°5 is actually doing this to make member n°6 jealous ! Look look ! N°6's fingers moved... slightly when that happened.

You should actually try to watch yourselves on camera. You'd be shipping yourselves with your father.

Plus, this is so creepy guys, watching them for hours, trying to decypher their micro expressions, looking for a sign, omitting what you don't want to see because it's convenient. But you know what ? BTS members get itchy, think about the weather, are sensitive to noise, their crew facing them during interviews, making gestures to tell them "we're running out of time", they have food between their teeth, they get BORED because they don't understand what's being said during english interviews... a thousand stimuli that would justify their eyes twitching better than your theories ever could.

- Actually SENDING the links of your shipping videos, or even worse : pornographic fanart TO BTS via Twitter or else ! You know they are active on social media, your know they go to YouTube, Twitter, Instagram... Do you ever ask yourselves : "Did I go too far with this fanart of member n°6 and member n°7 doing anal ?" And then you put it ON THE FREAKING INTERNET !

Would you like it if someone draw you and one of your friend that you like ONLY as a friend because he is not your type (aka he is not a member of Bangtan) together doing graphic sexual stuff. These 7 men grew up together, are living together, are really close... Why on Earth would they want to see a drawing of themselves in a sexual situation with one of their bandmates. Why ? Think about it, try to have EMPATHY for once (you know, that thing you all think you have tons of), put yourself in their shoes, and tell me you wouldn't be bothered to come across such drawings of yourselves and... let's say your brother ? Your father ? Your sister ? Your best friend ? Your co-worker ? And on top of that, on your Twitter feed, for everyone to see. Wouldn't that be embarrassing ? No of course, BTS would be admiring the likeness, the finess of the details and the liveliness of the art. They are not human after all.

They're Idols !

- Linking EVERYTHING they do to your ship.

Do you think they are THAT single minded ?

That the only thing in their mind at all time is their "boyfriend/bandmate/that-guy-they-spend-their-lives-with-because-it's-their-job" ? Just to be clear... when you are in love (if you've ever been), do you stop LIVING when the object of your affection is not on your mind ? Is it always ? Do you forget your other hobbies ? Like, if all of you fall in love at the same time, will you stop editing those hour long creepy videos ? PLease, let me know, I know one or two dating app that would make tumblr and Youtube a better place !

BTS youngest member is 21 YEARS OLD. None of them is a prepubescent teenager with raging hormones, with no self control and with only making his "boyfriend" jealous as his goal for the day. Yikes ! Let's not forget they are Kpop idols, which mean they are hightly trained (conditioned ?) to control themselves, their emotions etc. to FOCUS on their job. And besides, do you really, trully believe they have nothing better to do during promotion ? Because, let's face it guys (and I know you'll not like this but brace yourselves) : BTS are ALWAYS doing promotion. They are never truly natural. I'm not saying they are not genuine, I love them as much as you do, and I'm respecting them as mu... wait. MORE than you do, because I'm not actively trying to shove a relationship in their faces while they are working their asses off all day long to offer me quality content, music, MV's, while also trying to live their lives.

Maybe that face twitching was sadness. But that doesn't mean it's because they fought with bae this morning.

- Making EVERYTHING sexual. That's it. This is the WOOOORST thing you do.

Exemple I : "Oh lord ! Member n°5 licked his lips. Totally obvious. He was thinking about member n°7, sending him signals. They are totally doing it tonight *insert the giggle of a pervert*

Exemple II : "Hhh ! Member n°2 gulped while looking at n°1. He is so thirsty today !"

Exemple III: " Wow ! N°5's hand is on n°3's shoulder. So erotic. He is actually so subtle, but they know eachother so well. N°3's in for it backstage !"

Exemple IV : "N°4 looked at n°6's lips ! I saw him ! It means he wants to kiss him ! I read it on an article titled "How to know if he's into you" from a... scientific magazine. About body language."

Exemple V : "His legs ACTUALLY twitched, he is such a hoe ! I'm sure he has a boner !" (Like guys, you think I'm exaggerating ? Think again.)

...AAAAaaand sceene.

Once again, try paying attention to every little move your body make during the day. Every time you lick your lips, every time you sigh. Every time your eyes land on a "so called" inappropriate place of your interlocutor's body (yeah ! I know you've been watching your history teacher's ass, you hoe ! Thirsty much ?).

Apply the same logic you do watching BTS members interact, and you'll be thrilled to know that you're sexually attracted to your dog. Congratulations !

- Calling them "hoes", "thirsty"... this is plain insulting. Why, just... why ? I have nothing more to say.

- Insulting and criticizing shippers that have a different OTP than you. Like, being verbally violent sometimes ... over a-freaking-fantasy of a couple that only exists in your sick mind ! LOOK AT YOURSELVES ! Look in a mirror !

You're the same ! All of you !

Why not put your microscopic differences aside, and celebrate what you have in common : CREEPINESS ! You are all so tolerent, accepting differences, bla blah blah... let's not break our own words and stick to your script, shall we ? Some other BTS fan is creepy, but not exactly creepy-like-you ? Let them be creepy their own way ! Your OTP is [57] ? Theirs is [58] ? Not a problem ! At the end of the day, it's all in your head ;)

- Talking about things you know nothing about, or very little. I've mentionned this earlier.

Are you Korean ? Do you have a Ph.D in Korean culture ? No ?

So please, stop talking about such things as "the use of honorifics", "skinship", "the way Korean think about same sex relationships", "compliments between males", "fan service"...

Like, seriously you hate on this heteronormative society that we live in, but you are interpreting every single thing BTS does the wame way you actively despise, ho-so-western of you : "They graze eachother's hands, they're gay ! Proof ! They call eachother handsome : Gay ! Physical affection : Gay ! Impressed by a muscular body ? Gay ! You trully are a product of this toxic society you despise. And btw, if member n°5 does a peace sign and tounge to someone (*cough* a fangirl in the audience *cough*) during a choreography, does that mean... that his boyfriend has in fact a vagina, and that he was doing it for him to excite him in secret code ? No ? Do I hear "fan service" ? I thiiiiiink soooo... But wait, does that mean... That in one way or the other, your simple logic doesn't apply to every situation ? (If you are interested to know, one of BTS members actually did what I've just depicted during a choreography on stage. One of my favorite fancams EVER.)

Anyway : You're not defending any minority behaving like that. You're just adding fuel to the fire. Am I insulting you yet ?

Do you have psychic abilities ? Are you Dr. Cal Lightman from Lie to Me ? No ? So please, stop making assumptions about one facial expression or the involuntary twitching of leg muscles.

Are you a pervert ? Are you dangerously-obsessive-but-lying-to-yourself-by-telling-you-this-is-romantic ? Are you living by proxy ? Are you so focused on the sex life of 7 men - that would find that extremely horrible if they knew you btw - you completely forget to live your own life and experience things ? Yes ? Oh.

Oops!

Let's recapitulate :

- Forgetting that they are real people, and not fictional characters but treating them as such, because hey ! They're famous, they must WANT the attention.

- Editing creepy videos, and actually believing you're raising awareness with your borderline psychic skills at decoding body language. Seriously, you're so sensitive, I'm amazed you're able to have friends, because you see everything : that is your curse.

- Thinking every single member of Bangtan is a single-minded teenage boy in love, incapable of controlling his impulses. Of course he'll waste his time during an interview to try and make his boyfriend jealous. How fun ! Making the person you love jealous. Haha. So intelligent and useful. Just like in that Tv Show you love. You know, the one with the toxic relationships and immature characters !

- Sending fanart to BTS. They're probably used to it, so why not taking your chances and trying to get their attention ! They might even like the picture of themselves giving a BJ to their bro. Aegyooooo !

- Making everything sexual. Not something unhealthy to do. Not at all. Again, so fun !

- Calling the artists you love cute names such as "hoe". Adorable.

- Discriminating shippers that aren't sharing your OTP. You're a pot. They're a kettle. But nobody's black, oh god no !

- Using Google to validate your theories, be it for body language or Korean culture. Everybody reacts the same way to the same things, true fact !

Anyway, that's all for today ! Please feel free to comment, and tell me how much you think I'm right, that you too have been aggravated by those "Go-too-far shippers". That you haven't been fast enough either to buy a ticket to the concert in your country, so you would love it if you could go on tumblr to find new pictures of Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin, Min Yoongi, Jung Hoseok, Park Jimin, Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook because you love them all (ALL 7 of them, thank you) but without accidently reading a post about "n°6 and n°7 sitting in a tree. F-U-C-K-I-N-G". If you are tired, like me, please share this post and comment below ! Even I you know, just like I know, that it wll not whange annyhing. But Damn if it felt good writing it !

Thank you !

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