Summary: After a year of drama, Bryce finds himself willing to share a few things with Cassie about his background.
Author’s Note: Written for Day 12 of the Choices August Challenge (prompt - Aloha) as requested by @cora-nova.
“So if you use ‘aloha’ for both hello and goodbye, does it ever get weird or confusing?” Elijah asked, taking a swig of his beer. He had bought the last round of drinks. Landry, Sienna, and Cassie were all working, so it was just the three of them, and tonight’s topic of conversation was about differences between where they’d all grown up. Needless to say, it would not have been Bryce’s first choice.
“How would it get confusing to anyone older than two?” asked Jackie. “It would be obvious what was going on to anyone with half a brain. I’m clearly not saying goodbye to someone if we’re just meeting up.”
Bryce smiled and shook his head. He got asked about this… a lot. Everyone seemed to think they were making some original, amazing joke. He always let them have their moment, but no one really understood. And quite frankly, it wasn’t worth explaining. Not only that “aloha” didn’t literally mean “hello” or “goodbye,” but also the way he learned about the real meaning of the word. Or rather, the people who taught him the real meaning.
So instead of providing an explanation to the two of them, he took another sip of his drink before changing the subject. “Elijah, your turn to tell us about Illinois customs. Why don’t you start with explaining why I should want more tomatoes on my pizza.”
As Elijah started off on a rant about how deep dish was the only true pizza, Bryce shoved the mentions of Hawaii and his upbringing out of his mind. And as the weeks turned into months, Bryce forgot about that night at Donahue’s, that conversion becoming one of dozens of conversations between him and some combination of his favorite group of IM residents over the year. But tonight, it all came rushing back to him as Cassie sat on his couch, grabbing a pair of chopsticks and the container with the orange chicken as they prepared for their weekly tradition of delivery and making fun of episodes of House.
“I was surprised at what you said to me today in the workroom.”
“What, that I thanked you for that interesting consult?”
She laughed, shaking her head, “Sorry about that. Dr. Olson apparently is a big practitioner of CYA medicine. I think I’ll be calling a lot of consults while she’s my attending. It wasn’t that, though. You said ‘Aloha’ to me when you came into the team room.”
He had. Seeing her back at work, in her scrubs and teaching a med student how to time mark lab results in the computer, it had just slipped out.
“Yeah, well I wanted to give you a... different welcome back to work, but getting up to that in the middle of your workroom seemed a touch unprofessional.”
Cassie raised her eyebrows as she gave him a little smirk before loading some of the orange chicken onto her plate. “Probably just slightly. I more meant that you don’t usually like to bring up anything related to… Hawaii.”
She wasn’t wrong. He avoided talking about home and the mess that was his relationship with his parents like the plague. The fact that Cassie had felt the need to pause before even mentioning the word “Hawaii” kind of said it all. But after everything they’d been through together this past year, it seemed silly to keep that side of him from her so aggressively. So he just shrugged.
“Yeah well, ‘aloha’ means more than just welcome back.”
“Really? I thought it was the same as saying hello.”
“Nah, it’s used as a greeting, but it doesn’t really mean hello,” he said with a shake of his head. “It means a bunch of different things.”
“Like what?”
“Compassion. Patience. Welcoming. Peace. Affection. I don’t know. It encompasses a lot.”
Cassie smiled at him as she grabbed the rice and dumped some onto her plate. “Well, thanks for the warm welcome, then. It is really good to be back.”
Bryce took the rice from her, adding it to his own plate. Of course, he’d left out one key meaning of “aloha” - love. That just felt like too much at this point. But as he watched her eat dinner, yelling in frustration whenever something insanely inaccurate happened with House or his fellows who seemed to function more as lab and imaging technicians, he couldn’t help but think that maybe he would be ready to take that step pretty damn soon.
This is something special. Not only did I have the honour of collaborating with the wonderful @kennaxval but I think we’ve created something really beautiful together. I really hope you enjoy reading this just as much as we loved writing it!
This is part of the @choices-august-challenge hosted by @cora-nova . Today’s challenge is femininity which inspired us to explore both the emotional and physical sides of the subject.
@kennaxval Masterlist
My (kind of) Masterlist
Word count: 2040
NSFW, meaning anyone under 18 should not read this.
My tag list: @queerchoicesblog @kennaxval @politicallycorrectinnocentteen @brightpinkpeppercorn @crazypeanat @strangerofbraidwood @standoutofthecrowd @tornbetween2loves @akrenich
Michael’s Kenna x Val tags: @bitchbrenner @ofreapersandwolves @reneeliddell @og-lacksubstance-studios @snowwritings @itsstydiaduh @ilovekamilahsayeed @jellymonster @larentboheme @i-am-lesbian2 @blossomhelena @galaxyside-0 @arynnx @standoutofthecrowd
—-
Femininity has changed over time. In the past, some mother’s would say it’s more important to be smart; being feminine meant you were weak. If you were to take care of yourself in a world where men can’t be trusted; you need to be independent, strong and smart. Some people think this is the opposite to being feminine and one should adorn themselves in the finest cloth, make-up, heels and curves should always be highlighted. What’s right? What’s wrong?
Femininity is powerful, women have always been self-reliant and self-sufficient, but it’s their choices which determine how the world perceives them. Women should be free to discover their passion and contribute in ways that feel meaningful to them. A lot of people don’t realise that it’s all about confidence in yourself; you can fuse feeling beautiful with feeling accomplished.
As a child, Kenna was urged to be more “lady like”; the way she spoke, played and dressed was not up to her mother’s standards. Kenna was strong but Queen Adriana’s words would cut deep; making her feel like she wasn’t a “normal” princess. Gabriel was her shining light and over time her negative feelings disappeared with his support, “Be strong from now Princess. Your future, our future depends on the strength of our leaders”.
Val shaped herself from an early age, where she wrote off “Valentina”, protecting herself with her fists and emotional walls as high as any castle. She was tough, bold and stubborn. Not caring what others thought of her. Well, that was until she met the love of her life, best friend and wife - Kenna Rhys.
Right away, it was clear to Val what a commanding presence Kenna possessed. With only a few words, the Warrior Queen had men twice her size and many years older kneeling before her, ready to serve, and even die for her.
Of course, Val understood the commitment of the men around her. How could anyone not devote themselves to the great Queen Kenna? Val wasn’t sure about the cause, necessarily, but she knew she would follow Kenna, even through the gates of hell.
Over the course of the next couple of years,Val’s resolve to honor her pledge only deepened. Time and again, Kenna was right there at the front lines with her troops. And around the camps, the men all spoke highly of their queen. Even those who desired to comment on her beauty restrained themselves and spoke of Kenna with nothing but respect.
It all made Val smile. She wasn’t used to soldiers speaking of a woman with such high regard. And what made it all the sweeter was the fact that Kenna never tried to act anyway just to please others. The Warrior Queen neither tried to behave as she suspected a man would nor did she placate the stereotypes they had for women. The whole world knew that Kenna was a woman; proud of her femininity and confident in her strength that came because of, not despite, her womanhood.
***
The night before the final battle with Azura had everyone on alert. The people knew in their bones that their Queen would lead them to victory over the dreaded Azusa, and were ready to pay whatever price was needed.
And to think, Val found herself all alone with the woman she loved. It wasn’t easy to admit that to herself, but Val knew more than anything else that she was very much in love with Kenna and silently wished for nothing more than a night to express that love.
The moon was a beautiful light in the darkness which made them feel at peace. It was like a spotlight focusing on them and only them. Nothing else was visible. This made Kenna and Val’s heart beat faster, almost in unison, even though there was a small gap between them. All that could be heard was their heavy breathing and the gentle sound of the lake as their gaze deepened. Val’s breath hitched as Kenna began to loosen her straps to her own armour. She couldn’t help but gawk at the beauty before her as Kenna took each piece of clothing off at a painfully slow pace. Her hands teased her own lines and curves as she revealed her body to her lover. The heat between Val’s legs was growing rapidly, and as she reached out to take Kenna in her arms she gently swatted her hands away.
“That’s not fair gorgeous. I need to feel you right now”.
With a knowing look, Kenna stepped closer, moving the mercenary’s hair from her face. She leaned in and placed Val’s hands on her naked hips; her lips grazing against her ear as she whispered, “Keep your hands here, I’m going to take care of you first my love”.
Val shivered in anticipation, voice hoarse, lips slightly parted waiting for them to be claimed by the love of her life. Kenna knew what she wanted, but she wanted to make her wait. Instead, she placed a gentle kiss to her neck as consolation. She began undressing Val, kissing and tonguing each body part as pieces of clothing fell to the ground. Her fingers lingered on every sensitive part of Val’s body, adding a small pressure which made Val twitch in delight.
As she removed the last piece of clothing, she looked up to see Val’s eyes completely hooded, pleading for more without a single word. Her kisses travelled from her ankle to her thigh, where she saw Val’s wet centre. She swiped her tongue over her wet folds and let the trail continue until she met her lover in an electric kiss.
Val pulled Kenna as close as possible as the kiss deepened; their bodies moving together as they fought for control. They both couldn’t hold back their moans as the kiss went on and on; their hands exploring one another. Kenna dragged her nails down Val’s back until she reached her round rear, breaking the kiss with a firm slap and squeeze. She guided her lover down to the smooth surface of a large rock. Hovering over her, visually enjoying every part of the mercenary’s toned body. Val tried to reach for her, but the Queen pushed her back down in protest. She lowered herself, her body a light graze against Val’s, foreheads pressed together as she spoke, “I told you I’m going to take care of you first. Be patient beautiful”.
She claimed her lips in a feverish kiss, their tongues exploring and massaging. The Queen wrapped her arms and legs around Val and turned until their positions were switched. Kenna grabbed Val’s rear and pushed her up until her wet centre was mere inches from her lips. Her tongue darted out as she pulled Val lower on to her face, trying to get as deep as possible. Her tongued flicked and swirled, concentrating on her throbbing nub until her moans grew louder and wilder.
Val tangled her hands in her Queen’s hair as she climbed higher in pleasure, gently pulling, urging for more until Kenna’s tongue moved in and out; her hand a delicious replacement on her pulsating nub. Kenna’s other hand moved to Val’s hip trying to steady her gyrating but the pleasure was all consuming as she lapped up her juices. Ecstasy dominated her every sense, her knees buckled and her breathing erratic as she fell forward.
A breeze picked up that rustled the trees and cooled the sheen of sweat on Val’s body. She sat up shivering with delight as the night air flowed around her. Her legs remained wrapped around Kenna’s hips pining the Warrior Queen to the ground. And as she looked down at her lover, Val was in awe at the sight before her. She grazed her fingers lightly on Kenna’s chiseled abs and rested them on the Queen’s folds.
“You’re a woman,” Val said softly.
Kenna laughed. “What gave it away?”
The normally cool and collected Val blushed. “It’s just that… that’s a big deal. We live in a world that caters to men and looks at women as nothing but subordinates. But you, Kenna, you’re strong. The people here respect you. They fear the likes of Luther, and you know that’s not the way to rule. Everyone here is ready to die for you, and that’s no small thing for a woman to achieve. We have to work twice as hard for half the respect and in mere hours, you will rule the world.”
Val rested her hand on Kenna’s heart. “But the more I think about it, the more I know that it’s because, not despite your womanhood. Females just needed someone to step forward and be proud of who she is. Now the world knows how cunning and brilliant the feminine mind can be.” Val ran her other hand along Kenna’s arms and legs. “And then there’s your body. You have muscles that would be the envy of any man. The way you charge into battle and have whole armies eating out of the palm of your hand is inspiring. You’re everything that’s great about women, Kenna. Strong and hard,” Val moved her hands to cup Kenna’s bare breasts, “yet soft and beautiful.”
Kenna stroked Val’s hair affectionately as the Mercenary kissed her queen’s breasts. Val’s lips lingered on the beautiful, smooth skin with each kiss, making Kenna’s heart race. Both of them faced death the following day, but the Queen wouldn’t let that happen without telling Val how she felt.
“You know, you have all of that too, Val,” Kenna said as Val continued to kiss her chest, “you’re the strongest person I know and I’ve seen the way the male mercenaries look at you. Truth be told, Val. I’m largely the woman I am because I saw you do it first.” Val looked up in surprise at this revelation. “And you should know that I love you. With all my heart. I’ve loved you for a very long time.”
“You… I… that’s… good. Good!” Val shook her head trying to fit off her own embarrassment. “Ugh, gods, I suck at this emotional stuff. What I’m trying to say is, I love you too, Kenna. Body and soul I belong to you. I’ve never loved anyone before and I know I’ll never feel this way again. I love you.”
She kissed Kenna’s lips. “I love you.” Her breasts. “I love you.” And her abs before hoovering over the heart of Kenna’s femininity. “And I’m going to show you just how much.”
Val parted Kenna’s wet folds with her tongue, sliding up and down the walls that enveloped her as she tasted her queen. She felt the tug of Kenna’s hands on her hair, urging her to continue. Her tongue flicked across Kenna’s sensitive nub darting back and forth and moving in rhythm with the bucking of the Queen’s hips. Val moved her tongue inside and out with her thumb on Kenna’s throbbing nub and her other hand supporting her lover’s backside. Tension continued to build inside Kenna, her pleasure intensifying until finally, she climaxed in a wave of ecstasy.
After all that, Kenna needed a moment to catch her breath while Val kissed and stroked her centre. Even with them taking their time, it seemed over too soon, and she dreaded having to leave the secluded spot.
Luckily, Val had other ideas and helped Kenna up before swatting her on the butt.
“Hey!” Kenna called out with a smile as she rubbed her cheeks.
“If you’re going to insist on having such a gorgeous, round ass, I can’t be blamed for wanting to slap it every chance I get. Now, I don’t know about you, but I could use a dip in the lake.”
Eagerly, Kenna took Val by the hand and they both jumped into the clear, cool water and holding each other close. The two of them kissed passionately in the water wanting to savor every second. As much as they wanted the night to last forever, they knew that their swim in the lake could only last a few hours at most.
Tomorrow was the battle for the Five Kingdoms and the world would know the power of two women in love.
Author's note: This is my very late prompt for the seventeenth day of Choices August Challenge [All characters are owned by Pixelberry Studios].
Book: Platinum
Pairing: Raleigh Carrera x MC (Tiffani)
Rating: R
Word count: 692
Summary: A lazy day off becomes a true act of kindness when Raleigh gets a special invitation from his fake girlfriend.
Based on the prompt: Choices August Challenge Day Seventeen - Donations
In a rare moment of leisure, a very bored Raleigh lied back on the couch at his penthouse, played his acoustic guitar absentmindedly while the TV was on in some random music channel. His phone buzzed on the coffee table, but he simply ignored it. Despite the many invitations to go to brunches, lunches and beach parties, he wasn't in the mood for anything or anyone.
He closed his eyes, his fingers expertly strummed the chords when the faint sound of her melodious soprano voice played in the background. Raleigh opened his eyes and sat up to watch the TV. In a talk show, the hosts talked about Tiffani, her newest single and their relationship, mentioning their appearance at Global Aid International charity fundraiser, where he gave the speech and she appeared smiling, giving him a thumbs up. On the show, the hosts pondered about what kind of influence he would have on her career since he had vast experience in the music industry and was known as a rebel.
He rolled eyes and turned the TV off. Assholes... Tiffani wasn't some naive girl who could easily be pushed around. Her sweet delicate face hid a talented, soulful and clever person who can do wonders with her abilities. He sat back on the couch and began to play again, but his thoughts kept going back to her. Her flushed cheeks when they danced together at the nightclub, her smile as she cheered for him during his speech, her eyes glowing, revealing how eager she was to know more about him, his teenage years, his plans to build a community center for kids.
He glanced at his phone. Thirty-seven misses calls and hundreds of messages. He was about to shut down the phone when her name popped on the screen. A broad smile spread on his lips as he opened the message. Tiffani sent him a selfie of her with teenage girls in the oncology ward of a hospital wearing blue wigs just like the one she wore on her music video, a map location and the following subtitles: "Your girlfriends say hi 😜"
He smirked, stood up and dialed a number on his phone as he walked to his room. "Hey, I need a car. Stat."
...
Cheers and applause echoed in the oncology ward of a small hospital in New York as two girls bowed to the crowd of patients and a few nurses while Shane recorded the mini talent show. They walked out of the improvised stage and smiled as Raleigh put his guitar aside and waved them over so they could take selfies with him.
"Thank you, ladies. That was a great performance and I think Avery will be pleased with your version of Lift Me Up," Tiffani grinned. "Now, who else wants to sing with Raleigh Carrera?"
A few other children stepped up to sing at the mini talent show until Raleigh and Tiffani said their goodbyes to the patients, the hospital staff, posed for a few photos and left the building together. In the car, Raleigh glanced at Tiffani's radiant smile as she gazed at the streets. "Hey, fake girlfriend, what are you thinking about?"
"Fiona sent me a text to tell me that Shane's live video of us with the kids helped raise the donations to the hospital and we're trending on Twitter," Tiffani grinned.
“That’s great. It was really nice of you to do this for those kids. Anyone could tell they were having a blast.”
"I did my best. By the way, thank you."
"No problem. I'm sure you could've accomplished that on your own."
"Maybe, but it’s not just because you showed up. You're the one who inspired me to do this. That night at the charity fundraiser when you told me about the many fake things in the showbusiness, I realized we need more genuine acts in this world and that I could use my image for a good and real cause. So thank you," Tiffani smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder.
His forehead creased in surprise, but he broke into a smile. "Always happy to help, babe," he said, putting an arm around her shoulder.
Notes: * This is my submission to the Choices August Challenge – The Prompt: Candid Camera.
* It’s part of a Modern AU series I’m working on that’s called ‘Second Chances’.
* English is not my first language.
* All characters belong to Pixelberry.
Synopses: Briar Daly loves photographing her group of friends, and that activity allows her much more than merely registering happy encounters.
If you wish to be added or removed of the tag list, just let me know. :)
In most groups of friends there is one person that will photograph everything and everyone. Like an anthropologist cataloguing elements and habits that won’t last forever. Their lens freezing smiles and moments – special and mundane – for posterity. Registering all the details: whether it’s a new hairstyle or the reaction to a joke that only makes sense amongst these comrades.
Each photograph adding to the narrative been built little by little. Registers capable to survive the years, the end of friendship and if minds start to forget every bit of the past, these mementos will bring smiles to the lips, a warmth to the heart and perhaps even the desire to reach out.
In this particular group, Briar Daly is that person. Her eyes always attentive to seize the picture-perfect instants. Proud to have been responsible for bringing them together, she cherishes their encounters.
Mobile in hand, she’d take pictures of anything she found noteworthy: from the food they shared to the way the light reflected on Elizabeth’s brown curly hair one afternoon. From Annabelle’s sleights-of-hand that causes food to disappear from a plate that is not her own to Hamid’s hands dancing enthusiastically while his lips narrate one of his tales.
Also piqued her interest how Luke’s palms press against the table before his head hangs back and the infectious sound leaves his mouth, and the way laughter spreads throughout his body. Minor aspects she finds endearing and prompt the urge to immortalize them.
Nevertheless, selfies of the group were amongst her most recurrent subjects. After a while, everyone knew when they’d be commanded to pose.
The same ritual each time: Briar’s hands would reach for the small black tube of her deep red matte lipstick inside the necessaire. With the aid of the mobile’s front camera, the brunette would look at herself, smoothing her long black hair and adjust her bangs before her mouth regained full redness as the baton slid from the centre of the upper lip moving steadily towards each corner; gesture repeated on the lower lip.
“Just flash your best smiles, ladies and gentlemen!” the instruction in a sing-song tone just like every other time, as she’d immediately turn around on the chair trying to focus each face sitting around the rectangular table.
“Ugh! Not another selfie, Briar!” Annabelle complained as she would always do. Protesting how there’s no use in the tenth group picture in the place they regularly have lunch.
Despite voicing her disapproval, Annabelle would pose and look perfect with her wavy golden-brown hair falling to her shoulders and a sardonic smile plastered on her photogenic face. The bronzer applied on the apples of her cheeks accentuating the glow of her tanned skin. Fading reminiscences of summer days basking in the Mediterranean sun and lunches at Hyde Park as well.
Hamid, on his turn, would never refuse posing. As he did every time, his fingers would rake through his dark brown hair flawlessly coiffed and his mouth would curl into a wide beam, with straight white teeth showing, that produced a dimple on each side of his face. Just like Annabelle, it seemed impossible to capture a bad side of the Turkish Adonis. However, Briar would never object taking a good picture of a handsome man.
Luke always obliges. Self-assured about his appearance, the man would sit up straight and roll his shoulders backwards, making his chest looks even broader and him taller than his companions. Causing a flow of improper thoughts to race freely on Briar’s mind. Then, he’d simply smile. The movement of his lips showing his white teeth and causing the apples of his golden-brown face to pop and his bright green eyes crinkle in the corners.
Finally, the last one of the merry group: Elizabeth. The younger one would never complain about another selfie either. Enjoying having her picture taken was not the reason, though. She actually was afraid to voice how it displeases her and offend Briar, risking the brand-new friendship that was blossoming between them.
Hence, her lips would acquiesce with the request, but her body language would communicate the opposite: shoulders tense, hand covering part of her face, green eyes averting the camera, and lips shut and curled into a small and insincere smile. Whenever she could, she’d just hide her small figure behind Annabelle or Hamid, and one would only get a glimpse of her amongst them.
“Hamid, would you mind moving a little to the left?” Briar suggested whipping her head back, “Elizabeth is hiding behind you. Again.”
With a smile, he moved to the side, as asked, and he placed one of his arms around her shoulders, pulling Elizabeth closer.
“Is this okay, Liz?” he whispered to the young woman by his side.
“Yeah. Sure.” she nodded, unable to hide how her pale beige skin had painted itself pink on the cheeks with the rush of blood. A detail that didn’t escape Briar’s alert gaze.
“Perfect!” Briar said glancing at the screen as she adjusted the angle, “Everybody says cheers!”
A click and their smiles were frozen.
Then the group crammed to see the five faces smiling back at them on the screen.
“We’re a rather dashing group.” Hamid smiled.
“We definitely are!” Briar said and her fingers moved fast over the screen, “This is Pictagram worth it!”
“How many you got there?” Annabelle craned her neck, taking a glimpse at the numerous rolls of pictures on Briar’s phone.
****************
Many of those photographs Briar would post on her Pictagram account or share on the group Elizabeth created for them; however, there were others she keeps to herself.
This evening, sitting alone at a table at the back of the same pub that welcomed them these past three weeks, she waits for the others. Eyes drawn to the door anytime it opened with a ring. Surrounded by the indistinct sound of countless simultaneous conversations, Briar muses about her new favourite subject to photograph: Elizabeth and Hamid.
Sometimes she wonders if her friend realises how her behaviour and even her features change when the Turkish diplomat is around. Her face glows and it seems her lips are incapable of not curling into a wide smile or to hold in the laughter prompted by his humorous self.
Browsing through a few unposed pictures of Elizabeth, it’s obvious how she’s infatuated. In fact, both are! Briar is certain. Regardless of what her friend says.
It’s impossible to ignore the almost instant intimacy born between the two and how they seize any opportunity to be close. The small touches every now and then that someone less observant could miss: one of his fingers that find a way to graze on one of hers over the table or her hand that snakes to rest on his arm when they speak.
And the unfaltering smiles! How could anyone miss that? Around Hamid her lips freely pull into the widest grins and she almost forgets being shy.
And how could one ignore the way their gazes search for the other’s? Or the knowing glances that meet to share some unspoken secret neither dare tell their companions? Briar certainly didn’t miss any of that and finds particularly amusing to observe how apparently they can have a whole conversation without words, just looking at each other…
While going through dozens of pictures stored on the folder she named after her Brazilian friend, she finds one of Elizabeth and Hamid that’s got plenty of evidences. Hamid is leaning towards Elizabeth and something particularly amusing must have left his lips since both are grinning. Her hand is quietly resting on his arm and their eyes are locked as if the other was the only thing that matters.
The picture was definitely worth more than a thousand words.
The door opens with a noise, inviting the cold autumn wind to whistle inside the pub and blow some customer’s hairs. Briar watches as Hamid closes it behind him and pulls off the dark grey trench coat sprinkled by tiny dots shining just like diamonds. The same glistening dots on his dark hair are dissolved when his fingers ran through it, pulling the hair back.
Beaming, he greets the barman and the owner, both familiar with regular customers like they are becoming. Then, walking around a group of young men standing behind the bar stools, he strides with confident steps to the table and sits across from her.
“Hello!”
“Hi, Hamid! How do you do?”
“I’m great! You?”
“I’m fine.”
“Though you always look lovely, I ought to say the turquoise really complements your beauty.”
“Thanks! It’s my favourite sweater.” she replied with a coquettish smile and a wink at him, “And you are not bad yourself, mister.”
“Thank you.” He chuckled, “So, where is everyone else?”
Her brain instantly translates the question: what he wants to know is the whereabouts of Elizabeth. Though, she answers what asked.
“Elizabeth’s tiny brolly finally succumbed to the wind, as you remember I said it would, and she was too stubborn to buy another on her way. So now she’s at the loo trying to fix her hair and makeup. It might take a while…” An exasperated sigh leaves her mouth as she reaches for her mobile, “Ann is whinging again about the tube being too crowded, but she’s on her way. And Luke won’t make it; he’s still at the library trying to finish a paper.”
“Oh! That’s too bad.”
“Yeah.” She grimaces and intentionally returns the mobile to the table displaying the couple’s picture and Hamid’s eyes are drawn to it instantly.
“What do you have there?”
“Oh! This?” She grabs the device and peeks, “I was going through a few pictures earlier and I found this one.”
The mobile was extended in his direction and he took it.
“You two look lovely!” Briar said and observed his blue eyes affectionate looking at the picture before the corners of his mouth turned upwards.
“Could you please send it to me?” he said softly, without meeting her eyes.
“Sure thing.”
The mobile was returned to her hand and she took another look at the screen.
“I wonder why Lizzy never smiles at selfies… She’s got such a lovely smile.”
“You may not be aware, but she absolutely hates being photographed.”
“Oh! I know.”
“You do?” his eyebrows raised.
Smiling mischievously, she lowered her tone into a conspiratorial one.
“You’re not the only good-observer, Hamid.” she winked, “That’s why I love shooting her when she isn’t looking. The unposed ones always look better.”
“Clever.”
“And… done.” The mobile returned to the table with a soft click.
“Thanks.” he said staring at the cheerful faces lying on his palm.
“She looks pretty, doesn’t she?”
“She’s beautiful.”
Considering his expression, Briar thought about asking him the same question Elizabeth answered her a few days before, but she bit her tongue. She wouldn’t meddle. Or perhaps she should.
The sound of the boots heels snapping on the wooden floor brought her attention to Elizabeth walking towards them.
“Hi, Hamid.” she greeted him in a cheerful tone.
“Hi, Liz.” He said rising to his feet and leaned, her hand hovered for a second before resting over his heart, his left hand briefly curled around her waist and the side of her face touched his while her lips blew an air kiss. One mwah and she pulled back and sat by his side.
“Sorry about your umbrella.” Hamid said, brushing her arm.
“Stupid wind!”
“What did I tell you? That wasn’t a real brolly, Lizzy!” Briar teased.
“It was cute and fit into my purse.” Elizabeth groaned, “I’m never buying another one for as long as I shall live.”
“So, instead you are just going to get soaked to the bones?” Briar snorted.
“No. I’ll buy a hooded cape.” Elizabeth smirked, “Enough about this matter... What were you two talking about?”
“You!” Briar giggled.
“Me?” she gasped.
“I was just showing this photo to Hamid.” Briar handed her the mobile. “A rare occurrence: you’re smiling!”
“Ugh!” Elizabeth grimaced.
“Stop it! You have a nice smile and you two look adorable.”
Elizabeth contemplate the picture for a moment, before she swirled and glanced at Hamid, “How do you do it? You look… perfect. Not a hair out of place. And I look like a mess… Just like now.”
“I use good hair products.”
“Do they make you immune to the weather too?” she giggled.
“The drizzle damped my hair.”
“And it’s still perfect.”
“How about now?” He said and ten fingers ran wildly through his hair causing droplets to sprinkle Elizabeth’s nose and the woman to laugh.
“Better?” he chuckled.
“Humm… Not quite…” Giggling, her fingers passed through his thick hair tousling its locks.
Friends. Riiight! Do they remember I’m still sitting here? I could leave and they wouldn’t even notice it. Briar thought while observing them.
“Better. Now I can be around you.”
“I’ll consider myself lucky…” he said softly, “And just for the record, your hair looks gorgeous, Liz.”
“It doesn’t.” she said as her fingers tucked a curl behind her ear and she averted his gaze, “I used the hand dryer to dry it… But now my hair is out of control –”
“It’s good.” Briar interrupted her criticism with a smile.
“You always look beautiful, Liz.”
“Hamid, you say that to everyone…” she said softly, holding his gaze.
“But it doesn’t mean it’s not true when I say it about you…”
Oh, my goodness! Why don’t they just kiss already! Briar rolled her eyes.
“I’m grabbing a pint; do you want something?” Briar said and jumped to her feet.
“A diet coke, please.”
“Huh… Red wine. Wait. I’ll give you the money.” Elizabeth said pulling her wallet out of the bag.
“Keep it! You know how it works: this one’s on me. You can get the next round.” Briar winked and walked away.
The bell rang once more as Annabelle crossed the doorway. The woman turned around, taking off the red raincoat and placed the matching umbrella on the stand by the door.
“Ann!” Briar waved at her, catching Annabelle’s eyes.
The woman marched towards Briar with the hint of a smile.
“Hello, darling!” Annabelle touched her arm, her eyes raking around, “It’s so crowded this evening. Have you got a table for us?”
“Yes. At the back.”
“Good! The Underground was so packed, I decided to walk. I really need to sit down.”
“I’m terribly sorry to hear it, Ann. But you’ll have to manage not to sit just a bit longer.” Briar links her arm with hers, “Let’s go to the bar.”
“Why? Are you trying to introduce me to another of your clearly non-lesbian friends?” she raised an eyebrow and looked at the back, spotting Elizabeth and Hamid sitting by themselves.
“Of course not! I’ve learned my lesson last time.” Briar shook her head and pointed to the couple, “Let’s give those two a moment.”
“Are you insisting on this?” She stared at Briar, “She was quite clear about wanting to be just his friend.”
“Oh, Ann… She’s an idiot! Look at them! They’re in love!”
“Love? Isn’t it too soon? They’ve just met!”
“The heart wants what the heart wants.” Briar sighed dramatically with a hand over her chest.
“The heart is just a muscle. It’s all in the head.”
“When did you become such a sceptic?”
“Let me see…” Annabelle mimicked her friend’s serious expression, “I guess it was May 4th, 2011.”
“You’re exhausting, Ann!” Briar frowned and heard the loud laughter that left the other’s lips, causing some heads to jerk at their direction.
“Didn’t you suggest three days ago that Elizabeth asked Luke out?”
“And she didn’t even consider it! Can you imagine that?” Briar blurted out and her nasal voice raised, “Luke is kind, smart and so fit and gorgeous! Why would she reject a man like that, Ann? Why?”
“I have absolutely no idea. Why don’t you enlighten me?” she smirked.
“Because she’s in love with Hamid,” she whispered, “That’s the only reasonable explanation.”
“Of course.”
“I have evidences.”
“Loving someone is also a rational choice, my friend. If she chooses not to… There’s nothing you can do.”
“I don’t buy that!” Briar turned around, “She can’t help it. Just you look at them!”
Sighing, Annabelle crossed her arms over her chest and swivelled. In front of her a clear view of the couple.
“Are you going to tell me they’re not in love?”
“I don’t know about love, but… He tries to play it cool, but he does have that giddy expression whenever she’s around and she has a sparkle in her eyes and a silly smile…”
“So, am I right?”
“It doesn’t matter if you are. It’s not going to happen until she decides to. If she ever does. She’s got her reasons.”
“Dumb reasons!” Briar mumbled.
“Please don’t meddle. I beg of you.” she tugged at Briar’s arm, “I like hanging out with them. Don’t make things awkward.”
“I’m not meddling.”
The other woman gave her a knowing look.
“I’m not! Cross my heart!”
“I’ll keep an eye on you, Briar.” she warned, “Let’s get a drink and something to eat. I’m starving!”
Briar took a last glance at Hamid and Elizabeth, unbeknownst of being observed, just as his arm snaked to the back of the chair she was sitting on. Leaning forward, he said something close to her ear and she laughed. Their faces were very close, mouths mirroring the other’s smile.
Pulling her mobile out of her jeans pocket, Briar zoomed in and took a picture.
“This is so going to happen!” she muttered under her breath and trailed after Annabelle straight to the bar.
This fic is inspired by Day 5 of the Choices August Challenge hosted by @cora-nova !
After too long, I finally wrote a Jaime fic. I missed his relationship with Charlotte. =)
Dedicated to @mariaoz , my beautiful friend who came into my life thanks to Jaime! And @itsbrindleybinch , my talented writing partner! <3
Tagging also @lady-kato @jlpplays1 @desiree-0816 @flyawayboo and @meepmeepmeep ! Every one of you is amazing, and thank you for your support!
Day 5 Prompt: Cosmos
Pairing: Jaime x MC (Charlotte)
Summary: Jaime takes Charlotte to a special place, where they sit and talk while making an important decision about the future.
Unedited.
--------------------------------
“Jaime, where are you taking me?”
Jaime squeezed Charlotte’s hand. She glanced at him in confusion, but he couldn’t let her know where they were going. Not yet.
“It’s a surprise.”
He led her to the car, and after a short drive they arrived at their destination. Charlotte smiled when she noticed their surroundings. They stood atop a tall cliff overlooking a beautiful lake, a beautiful mountain standing across from them. The stars twinkled in the night, almost as they did then, so long ago.
“It’s beautiful up here.”
Jaime smiled. He took her hand, his warmth sending tingles down her arm. Charlotte blushed, and for a moment she felt exactly as she did a year ago: uncertainty took the reins and her nerves went haywire. Why was she like this?
“Remember when we camped together? Just you, I, and our families?”
Charlotte laughed. “That was a nightmare. I was so nervous the whole time.”
Somehow, it was even worse now.
“Why?”
“Well, I had this crush on a guy, so camping with him wasn’t the most appealing idea.”
Jaime chuckled. “Well, I’m sure this guy was just as nervous.”
They sat at the edge of the cliff. Jaime pulled Charlotte closer, his heat the most comforting feeling Charlotte experienced. She sighed in content and lay her head on his shoulder, sighing in relief.
Jaime started playing with her long hair, just like they always did ever since they were little. “Char, I think I’ve loved you even then. On that camping trip, when we looked at the stars, I wanted to kiss you so badly. The problem was that I was sure you never felt for me that way, so I was forced to keep it inside.”
“Well, I did friendzone you only a few weeks before. Which was stupid, if you think about it.”
Jaime’s brows furrowed. “Why?”
Charlotte opened her eyes. She shook her head at the fond memory, laughing at the mistake she regretted for years to come. “I friendzoned you right before I realized I had a crush on you. That knowledge tormented me for years.”
Jaime’s eyes twinkled. “Really? How did I never notice?”
“You’re just as dense as me, apparently.”
Jaime pulled her even closer. “Apparently.”
They gazed silently at the view. It was so beautiful, the silence of the hills, the quiet of nature. Charlotte snuggled into Jaime as she listened to the chirping crickets and the still waters. It was as if, for once, the world truly was at peace.
“You see the stars?” Jaime broke the silence. His voice was but a whisper, his body as relaxed as hers.
Charlotte nodded. Jaime smiled before he cupped her face. “They can’t even rival your beautiful eyes.”
His eyes searched hers, as if looking for something there. Charlotte looked at him, searching desperately for words she couldn’t find. How did he always manage to steal all thoughts from her mind?
“Jaime… I…”
“I love you, Charlotte. I’ve loved you forever, whether as a friend or something more. You’re the highlight of every day, everything beautiful in this world. You taught me to open myself to this world, so long ago, and I can’t thank you enough. You’re everything to me.”
Charlotte gently cupped his cheek. “I love you too, Jaime. Without you, life would just be dull and colorless. I can trust you with anything, anything at all. Whether mind-reading abilities or other, more stupid secrets. You’re always the first person I’ll call.”
Jaime lowered his head. His lips gently brushed Charlotte’s, and she closed her eyes once again. He kissed her gently, sweetly, just like their very first kiss so long ago.
She sighed as Jaime gently brushed her cheek with his thumb, her body automatically coming closer.
“Char, can you please keep your eyes closed? I have a surprise.”
She nodded hesitantly. Jaime kissed her forehead once again before his warmth completely disappeared.
Charlotte frowned. “Jaime? Where are you?”
“Turn around and keep your eyes closed.” Jaime requested, his voice slightly uneven.
Hesitantly, Charlotte did. It was a bit strange, doing it with her eyes closed, but she did it anyway. Because she trusted Jaime with all her heart.
“Charlotte, on that first day of our friendship, I never knew how much you would change your life. You changed me, transformed my world. You were the first light of this new life I found myself in, and you were with me at all the other lights I lit. Never in a million years did I think I would be this lucky, but somehow I’m still here.”
He took her hand in his, comforting warmth passing through her at the touch. “I love you, Char. I’ll always love you, every second, every minute, every hour. I can’t imagine my life without you, and I dare to hope that with you it’s the same.”
Somewhere, in the midst of all her thoughts, Charlotte heard Jaime’s voice. Open your eyes.
And when she saw Jaime he took all her breath away.
“Charlotte, I’ve thought about this for so long. At first I wasn’t sure, but now… well, I guess somewhere I always knew.”
Jaime swallowed. He fingered the ring which shone in the moonlight, its beauty nothing compared to the love in his eyes.
“Charlotte, will you marry me?”
She couldn’t think, couldn’t speak, couldn’t say a word. Instead she put her other hand on top of his, and slowly guided the ring to her finger.
And then, somehow, she found one word. “Always.”
Jaime carefully slipped the ring onto her finger. Charlotte gazed at it, it’s silver band with intricate carvings, simple, unique and beautiful. Just like Jaime, who always reminded her how beautifuly simple life could be. How wonderful the world was when people stood by your side.
Jaime pulled Charlotte up, so they were now looking once again at the view. This was the place where they shared their first kiss, opening the door that led to a beautiful future. This was the place where Jaime, after so long, finally asked her the question she wished to hear.
“It couldn’t be more perfect.” Charlotte whispered. Her eyes met Jaime’s, and a faint blush rose to her cheeks as a smile smile rose to her face.
He shook his head. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”
She met his eyes, a mischievous and adoring twinkle in his eyes. “Why?”
“Because,” Jaime pulled her closer, “it isn’t you. You are the only perfect thing in this world, Char. Everything else pales in comparison.”
And when he kissed her, Jaime promised her everything Charlotte never needed. Because now he was hers and she was his.
Book: The Royal Romance (The Royal Romance Book 2, Chapter 8)
Word Count: ~1000
Rating: PG-13 (language only)
Summary: Drake tries to convince himself not to be too hopeful when it comes to Riley, but she makes it really hard to stay realistic.
Author’s Note: Written for Day 30 of the Choices August Challenge (prompt - Marshmallow) and requested by @sirbeepsalot. I was missing TRR Book 2 and felt like a touch of angst, so I hope you don’t mind!
Drake sighed, closing the door to his and Maxwell’s cabin, turning and heading towards the train’s bar and dining car. Another night of drinking on his own. Normally, it wouldn’t bother him, but tonight, it just put him on edge. He knew why he was feeling this way. He just didn’t want to actually think about it. Putting it into words and acknowledging those thoughts would not make the situation any better.
As he sat down on a barstool and signaled the bartender, ordering a whiskey on the rocks, he tried to distract himself with other thoughts. They were in Paris now. It would be the perfect time to track down that address on the strange envelope he’d found in Bertrand’s office. Shit, this topic wasn’t any better. Because thinking about finding that envelope inevitably lead to thoughts of her. And that was the one thing he was trying to avoid. It was his own damn fault. He’d been the one to let her in, bit by bit. Now, she owned his entire mind. It was a nightmare, honestly.
The worst part was that he kept letting himself be a little bit convinced that it was different this time. That she was somehow different than all the others. He was an idiot. She would tease him, and his brain saw it as flirting, so he engaged and flirted back. She would kiss him, and his mind would race ahead to clothes being torn off, bodies moving against each other. The worst had been in Italy. She’d called it a date, their impromptu dinner. And as much as Drake wanted that to be the truth, he knew it was just her being playful. Sure, she probably was attracted to him, but that was not gonna be enough. Because right now, she was on an actual fucking date. With him.
He’d learned it was happening when he’d overheard Bastien mention needing a skeleton crew that evening. For the frickin’ Eiffel Tower. Christ, that was a date. Not cheap pizza and pasta in a hole in the wall restaurant.
Drake dropped his gaze to the glass in his hand. Wallowing here in self-pity was not going to make things any better. He knew he should get out. Get off this train and out of his own head. But he had a sneaking suspicion that she would invade his thoughts no matter where he went. No matter what he was doing. So he stayed, slowly nursing his drink.
He was about to move to signal the bartender to pour him another when he heard the train car door slide open. There she was. Just perfect. He didn’t want to see her now. Not when he felt like shit and she was going to be buzzing with excitement after spending time with him.
“I thought I might find you here,” she said, plopping herself onto the barstool next to him.
“Yeah, well… I guess I can be a creature of habit.” Drake locked his eyes onto his whiskey. He couldn’t look at her right now.
“Well, it serves you well tonight. I have something for you.”
“What?”
A bag of marshmallows suddenly slid into his field of vision as she pushed it across the bar towards him. It startled him enough that he jerked his head up and over to lock eyes with her. “Why are you giving these to me, Liu?”
She flashed him a little smile and shrugged. “I was in Hana’s cabin drinking hot chocolate with her and Maxwell. I know you like s’mores, so I just thought they might be a nice treat.”
Something in her story caught his attention. “When was this?”
“Just now. Why? You jealous you didn’t score an invite? Trust me, you didn’t miss much. Maxwell did talk Hana into giving him a pedicure, though, which was amusing.”
Drake barely processed the words after her first two. She had been hanging out with Hana and Maxwell. Which meant she wouldn’t have had time to meet up with Liam. She hadn’t gone out with him tonight. Why? “Because she’s interested in you, not him,” crept into his mind, but he tried to squash it. Thoughts like that would only make it hurt more in the end.
Suddenly, a hand was gently grabbing his on top of the bar. “Hey, you got awfully quiet there. Are you alright?”
He focused on her, looking at him like she actually cared. The feeling of her hand on his, the way her touch felt gentle and charged at the same time. Shit. His hopes were soaring again.
“Yeah, I’m alright. Thanks, by the way. You want a drink?”
She smiled at him and nodded, so he flagged down the bartender, ordering her a whiskey neat. She clinked her glass against his before taking a swig. “Cheers to late night drinks and dessert.”
“As long as it’s whiskey and marshmallows, I can drink to that, Liu.”
They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Riley spun on her stool to face him, grabbing a marshmallow out of the bag.
“Alright, open up.”
“Liu, no. You are terrible at this game.”
“No, Maxwell is just too flaky of a target. I think I will do much better at this game with you. Plus, we are at point-blank range here. You gotta have some faith in me.”
Drake rolled his eyes. The few times she and Maxwell had done this, her aim had always been terrible, but he opened his mouth anyway. Sure enough, a marshmallow bounced off his lip and into his glass of whiskey.
Her laughter bubbled up and out as she glanced between the glass and his face. She looked so at ease, so happy, so unlike how she’d looked for most of the past few weeks. It was a good look. Damn, he was gone on her. And that meant he was completely screwed. Because moments like this, being here with her? How could he feel anything but hopeful? Dammit, this was going to suck in the end.
Author's note: One more late submission for Choices August Challenge. [Leading characters are owned by Pixelberry Studios and original characters are creations of the author.]
Book: Rules of Engagement x The Royal Romance
Characters: Leo, King Liam, OC (Ava), OC (Emma)
Rating: PG
Word count: 719
Summary: Leo tells his daughters his favorite bedtime story.
Based on the prompt: Choices August Challenge Day Twenty Two - Angels
Ava grabbed her favorite teddy bear and went to her father's king-size bed while he finished brushing her twin's hair. It was their first week in his new house and despite his many efforts to convince his daughters to stay in their room, he didn't have the heart to say no when they asked to sleep with him. He missed them too much to pass that up.
"All set, honey," Leo kissed the top of the toddler's head. "Did you pick up hugsie?"
"He is sleeping, daddy," Emma pointed to a penguin stuffed toy already in bed, next to her sister.
"Good. Now let's keep him company." He picked up his daughter in his arms and took her to the bed and tucked them in.
"Daddy, tell us a story," Ava asked.
"Which one?"
"The guardian angels!" Emma beamed.
"Again? Didn't I tell that story yesterday?"
"Pleaaaase," the girls said in unison.
He smiled, sat on the bed next to them, cradling the twins with one arm and cleared his throat. "Once there was a boy, a little guardian angel, who lived in a castle of clouds, in a kingdom up in the sky. He was destined to become the guardian of the kingdom like his father and he had these beautiful white wings, but he couldn't fly because his mom and dad said it was too dangerous for him. Because he was a good boy and believed them. He thought his life was perfect and his parents were happy, but then one day his mother left the celestial kingdom to live on Earth and she never returned."
The girls pouted, tugging at their father's shirt.
"His father knew they needed a company, so he got married again. His second wife was a beautiful and caring woman, who gave him another son, but he didn't have wings. The little guardian angel loved his baby brother more than anyone else and protected him from all evil things, even though they fought and played pranks on each other sometimes."
"Do sisters fight too, Daddy?" Ava asked.
"Yes, but it doesn't mean they should. Fighting is bad. We have to solve problems using words, okay?"
The twins nodded.
"When the boy with wings grew older, he saw a glimpse of how life on Earth was. The trees, the animals, the sea. He was mesmerized with it, but he still wasn't allowed to leave. He felt like he lived in a cage, so he would run away from time to time. One day, he fell in love with a human and she fell in love with him too, but humans weren't allowed couldn't in the kingdom on the sky and he couldn't live on Earth as an angel, so he gave up everything to live on Earth with her."
"Was she pretty?" Emma smiled.
"Ah, yes! She was the prettiest human he had ever seen, with her long brown hair, sweet innocent face, she was funny and joined the guardian angel in many adventures."
"She was like mom," Ava affirmed.
"Yes, she was a lot like mom," Leo smiled. "But as I said before, he was destined to be the guardian of the kingdom and his parents were angry he wanted to leave and tried to obligate him to stay. However, his baby brother saw how madly in love his big brother was and defended him at all costs. So he got his freedom and gave his wings to his little brother. And at that moment, he realized the true meaning of being a guardian angel. Their life mission wasn’t just protecting the kingdom in the sky, but to protect the ones they loved. The former guardian angel began to live on Earth, he had his children and he was happy, but he never gave up on his life mission. He always looked out for his loved ones, just like they always looked out for him too."
While Emma was fast asleep, Ava crawled to the other side of the bed with her teddy bear, and lied on her father's large chest, rubbing her hands on her eyes.
Leo kissed the twins' foreheads and grinned to Ava, gently stroking her back until she drifted off. He was about to pick the book on his nightstand and read before sleeping when his phone buzzed.
