young and beautiful

Hot summer n i g h t s, mid July When you and I were forever wild The crazy days, city l i g h t s The way you'd p l a y with me like a child

[ffs-emery-blog]

“Probably the first one, I didn’t miss you that much,” he laughed softly, feeling the press of her fingertips against his back as he reminded himself that their parents might be home any second. “You know I’m just kidding!” He raised one of his hands from where they rested, deciding to play with her hair. There was just some things you couldn’t get in the city, and things like this were some of them.  “Yeah, lucky me, or else we’d be stuck here forever, not that I’d mind, of course.” When he felt her unwrapping herself from him, he took it as a sign to make his way out of her room. Heading towards the door, he turned back slightly.  “I’ll be waiting,” he teased, heading upstairs. There was no where else he’d rather be. 

[nikoffs]

Niko couldn’t seem to muster up even a single ounce of her usually witty personality. She was just so genuinely happy to be reunited with Emery and his surprise had some deeply buried romantic trait rising to the surface. It was that same trait that had her humming as she did her hair and makeup and slipped on something more dinner appropriate. She didn’t go over the top because if anyone were to see them, they had to seem like they were just a brother and sister, heading out for a quick bite with absolutely no “funny business.” Still, Niko wanted to look nice, something she really didn’t actively try to do for anyone else. Stepping out of her room, the girl had wings on her feet as she went upstairs to meet Emery, arms twining around his waist from behind as she poked her head around him. “Lead the way, Em!”

[ffs-emery-blog]

“It’s always a win-win situation when I’m with you, babe,” he beamed, his eyes steadily focusing on her as he looked down. Emery couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this happy, like he was on top of the world. “You don’t want to go in your robe? Are you sure you weren’t waiting for somebody else?” He laughed softly, tugging her closer to him as he eyed her up and down. A playful smirk played onto his lips before he let his hands rest on the side of her hips. “Nah, you can still get ready. Reservations are in forty-five though.” Admittedly, Emery couldn’t help but feel a little nervous, hoping that she’d like her gift. It was part of the reason he’d come home so soon, anxious to see the expression on her face once she’d seen it.  “I’ll meet you upstairs when you’re done?”

[nikoffs]

"Has time away made you cornier or did you just really miss me?” she giggled, fingertips dancing along the planes of his back. Niko’s nose wrinkled in distaste, knowing Emery was only kidding but imagining going anywhere in her dressing gown all the same. “What kind of girl do you take me for!” She nuzzled her face into his chest, letting out a contented little sigh. “It’s a good thing I always look night-out ready because there’s no way I could get out in under forty-five minutes otherwise,” she teased, squeezing in a bit closer and nodding before unwrapping her arms around his waist. Niko leaned up to peck  his cheek before ushering him out the door. “I’ll be ready in under twenty, promise,” she smiled, starting to get changed.

[ffs-emery-blog]

“You seem surprised,” he laughed softly, carefully moving a strand of hair to the side of her face. He could only imagine what he’d be doing if he’d stayed for just one more day in New York, busying himself with his father as much as he could. “If I’m correct, princesses always get spoiled,” he smiled, sneakily eyeing her present one last time. It was times like this that Emery wished he could tell everyone she was his to keep, but he ignored that thought, deciding he’d rather not spoil this moment for himself. “ I only have one request- if you’d really like to get it, you have to go to dinner with me tonight ‘cause I’m incredibly starved and this baby’s not going to feed itself,” he joked, lightening the mood. “Plus, I know you love surprises.”

[nikoffs]

Niko nodded a tiny bit. For everyone else, she felt entitled to their attention but with how Emery treated her, she never once took it for granted. The smile on her face was bright and she had to resist cutting off his statement with another kiss. Instead, she patiently waited to hear out his request so that she could get her present, rocking back on her heels. Listening, Niko rolled her eyes, giggling a bit at the joke. “Alright, alright. I’m a bit peckish myself so it’s really a win-win situation, isn’t it?” She nudged his shoulder with her hand though not with enough force to move him back. “You know me too well, Em. Are we leaving now? Do I have time to get ready?”

[ffs-emery-blog]

“I was, but I had to come back. I missed you way too much,” he said, pulling her closer to his body as he placed his hands around her hips. Emery hadn’t realized how much he missed Niko’s embrace until he stood still with her in that moment, trying to take it all in as much as he could. This was pure bliss. For a second, he pulled back from holding her and looked her in the eyes. “I’m glad to be home too, trust me. I got you a present, by the way. It’s what you were supposed to be looking for, but I’m only giving it to you on one condition.”  

[nikoffs]

“Aw, you came back just for me?” Niko beamed, an uncharacteristic flush coloring her cheeks. She let her arms wrap snugly around his neck, keeping their heads ducked together with a soft smile on her lips. It was ridiculous how one person could bring her to this level of softness and happiness but even when they were bickering and cross, Emery always had an effect on her. “A present? You spoil me, truly! But what’s the condition -- exactly?”

[ffs-emery-blog]

As Emery sat on Niko’s bed waiting for her to come find him and his special gift, he couldn’t help but feel anxious as he looked around. He loved the city more than ever and being with his father away from all the chaos of Seattle was something he’d known he’d really needed, but with each passing minute, Emery felt like he’d missed eternities of time to spend with her. When he heard her footsteps making their way towards the door, he opened it with wide arms. “Miss me?” he asked, smiling as he pulled the petite girl into his arms and kissed her. “I’m sorry it took forever for me to come home, but I’m here now." 

[ffs-emery-blog]

[nikoffs]

Niko nearly didn’t go to her room, just planning on telling Emery she couldn’t find this illusive box and staying reclined in the rec room with her cuddly robe and bowl of popcorn. Killing time while her step-brother was gone had always been a bit less on the glamorous side but the laziness implied in not even getting up from her feet wasn’t something even Niko could allow and so she went -- and she was glad she did. Spotting the boy she’d been texting opening the door, Niko’s face instantly brightened and she flung herself into the hug, lips attaching to his. “Oh my god, I thought you were still away! You’re home.” She pressed her face into his neck. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

[nikoffs]

text: emery → niko

emery: it should be a small light blue box in your nightstand, you won't be able to miss it.

niko: fine fine but i'm not breaking my back to look, babe.

[nikoffs]

text: emery → niko

emery: a couple of months, could you tell?

emery: no babe, i'm serious. i think i might have left something important in your room the last time i was home and i need you to go find it for me, please?

niko: nah you look pretty good for a few months in!!!

niko: you want me to go searching in my room for something? what am i supposed to send it to you by carrier pigeon???

niko: but fiiiine. what is it?

[nikoffs]

text: emery → niko

emery: hey babe, you're not busy, right?

emery: i kind of have something to tell you...

niko: with my raving social life? i'm ALWAYS busy :(

niko: oh my god this sounds serious

niko: are you pregnant?

[ariangarande]

[jfcbriar]

So basically this is why I think I need to get checked. I was at the airport waiting for my luggage on that stupid round-a-bout thing – the only thing that’s really stupid about it is that they don’t let you ride it. But anyways, so the guy comes over the loud speaker and announces to grab what is your’s and exit to the left to keep the line moving, right? So this fuckboy behind me puts his hands on my ass and asks me if he can claim it as his tonight – as if! And yeah, I’m pretty sure he had something and it definitely wasn’t game.

[nikoffs]

So, what I’ve gathered is that the guy’s an asshole and airports aren’t kind to you but what does that have to do with being checked? And for what? Lice? Communicable diseases? A patdown?

[nikoffs]

text || niko

leo: that sounds so romantic, lets do it together :)

niko: oh my god you're such a dork did you know that?

[guiltygrande]

[nikoffs]

text || niko

leo: soooo, i've been thinking -- that ur evening would be much better spent wanting a movie w yours truly :)

niko: i would rather stick needles in my eyes :)

[guiltygrande]

[moonlighx]

[moonlightzx]

[nocaspar-blog]

eye of the storm | niko + caspar

[nocaspar-blog]

The second the doorknob started to turn, Caspar’s eyes widened and he realized there was no turning back now. He didn’t know if he was even ready, as if everything he wanted to tell her started to slip through his fingers. He saw the flicker of a smile fall once she saw who was behind the door, and that made it all so much worse. He wasn’t a friend to her anymore, he was just someone who used her for his own self gain and there was nothing he could do to change that. It didn’t matter if he didn’t mean to hurt her or if someone else had “forced” him into doing it, at the end of the day this all came back to him and his habit of terrible decision making. Lately, he barely seemed like himself because of it. He was more snappy, he hated work even more than usual, and his parents went out of their way almost daily to give him some sort of lecture, which he deserved, but it still got on his nerves more and more each time. Everything kept adding up to create an even larger mess, and he could only take it for so long. More than anything, he just wanted things to go back to how they used to be.

“I just want you to hear me out for a minute– please,” he answered her honestly, well aware that she may slam the door in his face, but he wasn’t going to wait for the permission to keep speaking because he had done enough waiting. “I just..— I wanted tell you.. that I’m sorry, for, y’know, everything. For stealing from you, for screwing you over.. and I should’ve said something a long time ago, it’s just.. I didn’t think you’d wanna hear it.” He swallowed hard, sighing away the feelings of doubt that were overcoming him. “But, I’m really sorry, Niko.. and I know it won’t fix anything, but.. I just wanted you to know that. What I did was really shitty and I promise you that I would take it all back if I could.. but I can’t. And I’m sorry.” He shrugged as if feeling defeated. Caspar realized he was walking on thin ice already, and showing up at her house unannounced to say something that was long overdue didn’t benefit his case. But he had at least said it, and more than anything, Caspar hoped that she knew that he meant it. But he stood there, awkwardly, and he looked at Niko with his tired eyes, barely expecting her to say anything, but he was still waiting until he would get the hint from her that he should just leave. 

[nikoffs]

Niko knew her first move should have been to slam that door in Caspar’s face. Giving him the chance to explain himself, to smooth talk his way out of a situation he had gotten them into in the first place wasn’t in her style. Niko was better than this and like the advice she had gotten from her anonymous penpal, she deserved so much better than a friend who was just going to stab her in the back and pretend everything would be alright if he just pushed his way back into her life. However, years of friendship kept her hand frozen on the edge of the door, tensed but not moving to shut him out like she so desperately wanted to do. The look on his face was also playing into her hesitation, sincerity written over every feature and eyes wide and pleading. As he spoke, she watched him deflate, whatever confidence that had brought him to her home even though he knew he wouldn’t be wanted there escaping him by the passing second. Niko was surprised to find a flicker of pity settling low in her stomach, something screaming out for her to just give him a sign that he hadn’t completely destroyed everything they had.

She didn’t give him that sign but she didn’t close the door either. Instead, Niko chose not to acknowledge his apologies, not to look at the clear worry with the tiniest flicker of hope easily read on his face. She took a step back, opening the door a bit further. Nodding her head, she gestured him towards the sitting room located near to the entry corridor to her large family home. Her expression was steeled, wary. She knew even forgiving him wouldn’t be a simple process nor would it happen over the course of the conversation; however, Niko missed him. She missed having someone she could relax around -- someone with whom she didn’t have to upkeep her ice princess persona. Caspar, or at least the Caspar she had thought she’d known, was one of the people she had let closest to her heart and whether or not that was a choice for the better, it was one of the only reasons he had even the smallest sliver of a chance at making amends. She wasn’t sure she’d ever let him that close again but perhaps time would change even that much. Niko shut the door after him and moved to perch herself daintily on the armchair of the couch. Uncomfortable conversations weren’t her specialty so she looked down at her feet with a frown. “Could you at least tell me why? Were you planning on doing this since the very start of our friendship? Waiting for me to let my guard down?”