#so went to sniff grass which like girl same

[petrichorpaws]

turbo beeb

[insomniac4000]

Puppy Love- WillNE

Will has Basil back for a week only and meets you in a park

The flat felt empty again.

Will Lenney sat at the edge of his bed, sock half-on, phone abandoned on the duvet, watching Basil sniff around the sheing room like it was unfamiliar terrain like he hadn’t sheed there at all. It had been two months since Basil had moved out with Mia. The shared custody had lasted a few weeks,handovers in the Tesco car park, the awkward “how have you been?” conversations. But eventually, they’d both admitted it: Basil deserved stability. Mia, with her more fixed schedule and quieter home, was the better fit and that was that. Suddenly Will regretted

So when Mia texted Will, asking if he could take Basil for a week while she went on holiday with her friends, Will had stared at the screen for a full minute before typing, “Of course. Would love to see him.”

And now, Basil was here. The flat wasn’t silent anymore. There were claws tapping the wood floors, sleepy snuffles from the sofa, and the occasional little bark at pigeons outside the window.

The next morning, Will pulled on a hoodie and cap and took Basil out to their old usual spot—a narrow path that curved around the park, where the trees had just started to bloom into something spring-like. The sky was the pale kind of blue that didn’t promise warmth but hinted at it, it was the first sign of spring.

He let Basil off the lead and followed at a slow pace, sipping his iced coffee.

That’s when he saw her.

She was crouched beside a small, fluffy white dog with a fox-like face and a plume of a tail that wagged excitedly as Basil approached. The girl looked up just as Will reached them.

“Yours?” she asked, nodding at Basil.

“Yeah,” Will said, a little too fast. “Well—sort of. Ex-girlfriend’s, technically. Long story.” His face fell and she nodded, knowing not to question anything any further.

“Got it,” she smiled, brushing a strand of hair out of her face. “This menace is mine. Name’s Cloud.”

Will raised his brows. “Cloud?”

“Like the weather. Or the Final Fantasy character, depending who you ask.”

“Strong name,” Will nodded. “I’m Will.”

“Y/N,” she said.

They smiled. Their dogs had already made fast friends, chasing each other around the grass and jumping up around each other playing.

And that was how it all started.

The second morning, Will found himself walking slightly quicker than usual Basil almost out of breath before they even got to the park. He spotted her before she saw him. She was tossing a tennis ball for Cloud, laughing as the dog darted after it with comic enthusiasm. Will felt Basil’s leash tug and followed him over.

“Back again,” she said, grinning.

“Gotta get the steps in. Basil’s a high-energy beast.” Will bent to unclip Basil’s lead, who immediately tore off after Cloud. “You come here every day?”

“Pretty much. He won’t shut up unless I do.”

They walked a little. Talked more than the day before. She mentioned she worked remotely in marketing, which Will thought sounded suspiciously vague but didn’t push. She didn’t ask what he did, which was oddly refreshing and something he had never encountered since his last relationship ended/

Will found himself wanting to stay longer, but eventually Basil flopped onto the grass, panting. She said goodbye with a little wave and a “see you tomorrow?” that felt casual and not-casual at the same time, he couldn’t hide his grin as he nodded.

By day three, they didn’t even bother pretending it was a coincidence.

“You always look exactly like someone who just rolled out of bed,” she teased, eyeing his joggers.

Will glanced down. “This is fashion. It’s intentionally dishevelled. Casual like.”

“Right. You’re going for ‘depressed ex-boyband member who writes poetry at 3am’.”

He laughed. “That’s… alarmingly specific, apart from the poetry.  I have a friend who’s a musician to do all that for me,” he said only half joking luckily she laughed.

They sat on a bench for a while, coffee cups in hand, the dogs lounging in the sun. They talked more. She told him about how she adopted Cloud during a rough patch—how he gave her a reason to get out of bed in the mornings. Will nodded along, understanding more than he wanted to admit.

He didn’t mention Mia. Not really. Just said, “I had Basil for a while, then things got complicated.”

That was all he needed to say, he really appreciated her just sitting and listening to him. Most of his friends were great but they cracked jokes or told him to “get over it.” It was nice to have someone who would sit and not judge him.

On day four, it was raining. Will thought maybe she wouldn’t come, but there she was wearing a green parka, her hood up, and Cloud in a tiny yellow raincoat which he thought was the 2nd most adorable sight in the park.

“Wow,” Will said as he approached. “Matching rain gear next?” He gave a smile, one of the cocky ones.

“Don’t tempt me. Just be grateful I didn’t put the matching boots on him.”

They walked slower that day, clouds heavy overhead. There was less joking, more comfortable silence. Will found himself glancing sideways at her, wondering what she looked like without the muddy walking boots, what her other hobbies were, what her favourite food was. She was intrigued too, why was he so coy about what he did for a sheing? So she asked him directly and he mentioned he made videos, finally. “Just dumb YouTube stuff,” he added, almost dismissively.

“Oh yeah?” She asked, amused. “Like what?”

“Product reviews sometimes. Random challenges. General idiocy. My content has shifted a lot through the years.”

“Sounds like something I’d hate-watch at 2am.”

Will grinned. “Perfect. YYou’ll fit in with the rest of the audience.”

By the fifth morning, the familiarity was easy. They knew each other’s coffee orders now. She knew he hated people who didn’t control their dogs. He knew she hated it when school kids walked in big groups and took up the whole path. The walk was cut a little short that day as it was a filming day. Unlucky for Will he was filming a weird amazing products video with James. Between takes—after mocking a blender that couldn’t even crush ice James bought up Will’s attitude.

“You’re in a strange mood today. Stranger than usual, what’s up?” The musician asked, Will sighed but thought it would be best to try and get someone’s take on it.

“There’s this girl I’ve seen every day this week,” he said, casually wiping water off the counter.

James arched an eyebrow. “Go on.”

“She walks her dog the same time I take Basil out. We talk. It’s nice.”

“Nice?”

“I mean…” Will scratched the back of his neck. “Like, I look forward to seeing her.”

James didn’t smirk, didn’t tease. He just said, “So ask her out.”

Will blinked. “I dunno if I’m ready for that.”

James narrowed his eyes. “Well you only have two days before you have to give Basill back so it’s now or never dude.

Will nodded slowly, he hadn’t thought about that, about the days when she’d be gone he just assumed this was last but James was right. They only had two more days.

Day six was cool and clear. She wore sunglasses, even though it wasn’t that bright. Will told her she looked like a washed-up pop star. She retaliated by calling him a dilapidated TikToker. They sat on their usual bench, and this time, their knees touched.

Will noticed, but didn’t move.

She told him about the guy she dated last, who hated dogs. “Can you believe that?” she said, shaking her head. “He’d flinch when Cloud barked. Like it was a gunshot.”

Will smiled. “Sounds like a psychopath.”

“Close. Estate agent.”

“Same thing.”

They both laughed.

When they got up to leave, their hands brushed. Will looked down and saw her fingers twitch like she almost reached for his. But she didn’t.

Neither of them said anything.

Day seven.

Basil was wagging like mad before they even reached the path. Will’s stomach twisted strangely. He was nervous, he kept hearing James’s voice in his head: Sort your shit out.

She was already there, Cloud perched like a regal fox beside her.

“Morning,” she said.

Will nodded, swallowing something thick in his throat. “Hey.”

They walked slower. Talked less. It wasn’t awkward—just heavy. Like they both knew something was ending but didn’t have the language to name it neither of them wanted to bring it up. At the fork in the path, She turned to him.

“So,” she said, forcing a smile. “Last day?”

“Yeah,” Will said. “Mia’s back tonight.”

She nodded, biting her lip. “Basil’s been good for you. I can tell.”

Will looked at her, and for the first time in days, he didn’t try to be funny. “You have too.”

She held his gaze, then looked away. “Well. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

“Yeah. Maybe.”

They didn’t hug. Didn’t say “bye.” Just smiled tightly and walked in opposite directions, dogs in tow.

Will didn’t turn around.

But he wanted to

A week passed, Will didn’t go back to the park. He thought about it, once or twice. Told himself it was about Basil, really what was the point, without the dog? But it wasn’t about Basil. It was about the bench. The path. The memory of her laugh echoing across the green.

He kept busy. Edited the product review video with James. Did a bit of filming, tried to focus on the numbers, the content, the growth charts. But everything felt weirdly dull. Even his group chats—usually chaotic with memes and half-formed video ideas—felt muted. Is friends noted he was going into his shell again, James was worried.

He didn’t text Mia. Didn’t ask how Basil was doing.

He didn’t want to know if she was still going to the park every morning. Didn’t want to picture her standing there alone or—worse—talking to someone else.

The thought stung more than it should have.

Still, he said nothing.

It wasn’t like he’d made her a promise. They’d talked, that was all. Just a dog-walking acquaintance. A fleeting little week.

But why did it feel like something more?

It was the following Monday when it happened.

Will was cycling to work, finally trying to clear the mental fog. He wasn’t particularly athletic, but cycling gave him that little spark of clarity running never did. The air was sharp, the roads quiet. It was nice.

Until the dog.

A blur of white shot across the pavement from between two hedges.

Will swore and jerked the handlebars, wheels skidding sideways. He missed the dog—barely and crashed into a patch of grass, tumbling over in an embarrassing mess of limbs and bike frame.

“Shit! Oh my god—are you okay?!”

The voice was achingly familiar.

Will sat up, wincing, brushing grass from his hoodie. “Y/N?”

She was crouched beside him in a flash, Cloud now trotting innocently in circles around them.

“You’re bleeding,” she said, touching his scraped elbow with a frown.

“And your dog nearly killed me.” He sounded a lot harsher than he intended, he put it down to the shock.

“I know,” she groaned. “He saw a pigeon and lost his mind I am so sorry, are you okay? Do you need  me to call someone?”

Will gave a weak laugh, adrenaline still rushing through him but his face calmed. “Typical Cloud.”

They looked at each other.

And there it was again. That charged pause. That feeling like the world was holding its breath.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, softer this time.

“Cycling. Thinking. Avoiding feelings,” Will replied, too tired to lie.

She smiled. “Any success with the last one?”

“Not really.”

They stood together. Cloud had already started sniffing Will’s bag, tail wagging like he remembered him.

“I missed this,” She said, quietly.

Will blinked. “What, nearly killing a man with your dog?”

“No,” she said, laughing. “You.”

He looked at her properly now,hair loose, face flushed from the run and panic.

“I thought about going back,” he admitted. “To the park. I just didn’t know if… you’d be there.”

“I was,” she said. “Every day.”

He exhaled through his nose. “I’m an idiot.”

“Bit, yeah.”

Will stepped closer. “So… would you want to get coffee sometime? One without dogs, maybe?”

She didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

“Cool,” Will said, heart hammering. “Cool.”

Cloud barked suddenly, interrupting the moment. They both laughed, and the tension broke like sunlight through fog.

Will took out his phone. “You know, just so I don’t nearly die next time… I should probably have your number.”

She smirked. “Good idea.”

As she typed it in, Will looked up at the sky, pale blue and promising. The same kind of sky from that first morning. Maybe the world wasn’t so bad after all.

[blueikeproductions]

Since I saw grifters being stupid about it, let’s go into the conceptual history of female Transformers.

Ladybots have a very … clumsy origin, but not as clunky as stuff like the Matrix or 13 Primes.

Transformers fiction started with the Marvel Comics, and when asked by Bob Budiansky, the main creator of the general lore, if female robots were a thing at all, and Hasbro said no.

So Budiansky and later Furman just accepted that with the American Marvel comics not including female robots.

Later on, taking advantage of the humanoid Pretenders, Budiansky wrote this above part clarifying Transformers don’t do the same things we humans do in romantic terms. The comics much earlier clarified Cybertronians reproduce using the ancient Creation Matrix, with the cartoon using the equally ancient super computer Vector Sigma.

Cloudburst’s comment about TFs not having men or women wound up creating a misconception that lingers to this day, that Transformers collectively are a genderless species.

It’s not in my wheelhouse to understand the logistics of how that works, but it’s something I’ve never really agreed with due to the species still using masculine pronouns, which suggests, at the time, they’re an all male species. Some modern material like Aligned and IDW unhelpfully tried using this also, claiming the Transformers had no concept of gender as we define it and only began implementing it after contact with organic species. This also led to the controversial IDW Trans Arcee, and IDW’s flimsy retcons about how gender DID exist on Cybertron but biological (technological?) females went… extinct (?), with trans women filling in the gap, while bio-technological females naturally existed on the various colony planets. IDW was not shy on Cybertron being a planet of gay men in its later years, so take that as you will, same with the fandom misconception of Caminus being the “Amazon woman” planet due to it bringing in other females in IDW.

All that said however, female characters were tinkered with in the early concepts of the series. Budiansky had tinkered with females, with his original intent for Ratchet being a ladybot, as he was meant to be a reference to Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.

This is where the cartoon comes in, as female robots were meant to be part of the story from the start. A recently unearthed script and pitch bible for the cartoon reveals the Autobots were meant to include a girl named Firecycle. Firecycle as a female medic and mutual love interest to Optimus Prime, with her shtick being she took her medic role so seriously she’d stop to repair Decepticons who were clearly faking it. She also valued life above all else, so she didn’t like to walk/drive on grass, fearing she’d hurt it. It should be noted Firecycle originates from the early story bible and pitch episode “A Robot’s Best Friend is his Dog”, repurposed from the Car & Cable pitch that had Muffy instead of Bumblebee.

This pitch also included the human cast from Car & Cable Matt Conroy, Eddie and Wendy Fairchild, and their dog Burt, hence the dog part. Burt was able to sniff out Decepticons hiding in Vehicle Mode, with this early pitch also leaning into the idea of Autobots and Decepticons being genetically distinct, as surmised by Matt.

This pitch also included a Decepticon called Whirlpool but we don’t know their gender, personality or vehicle mode. I like to think they were the first female Decepticon, but we won’t know for sure unless more of the early concept work is unearthed.

In the end, Firecycle never made it through, Hasbro presumably still not wanting girls in the boys’ clubhouse. It wasn’t until the cartoon staff put their foot down later on, citing girls liked Transformers also, including their daughters, that Hasbro eased off on it.

From there we got Arcee, Elita-1, Beta, Chromia, etc.

The inclusion of ladybots later in the series did come off as something of a retcon, as to explain why we hadn’t seen them before, Shockwave would muse on thinking they were extinct this whole time, with the show later clarifying female robots were around from the start.

Most future cartoons would follow the G1 cartoon’s lead, not really dwelling on where ladies came from, but including them anyway. There was still a predominant male over female robot slant, with most females being generics that persisted in stuff like the Unicron Trilogy.

Some much later American retcons for the anime and toy line would state that several Mini-Cons, Alexis’ partner Sureshock among them, were female, with Galaxy Force’s Override, AKA Nitro Convoy, being gender bent from male in Japan to female in America to boost female presence in the show.

What’s interesting is the female robots pushed were exclusively Autobots, as the G1 cartoon never included female DECEPTICONS. It’s never been explained yet why this was, but I partly suspect that Hasbro was only ok with girls so long as they were Autobots, and didn’t want little girls being naughty due to girls in Megatron’s employ.

Japanese manga would surprisingly include the first female Decepticons for the Victory manga.

Though they were depicted as civilians, and never actually fought the Autobots.

Still the ball was slowly rolling from here to depict Ladycons, with Beast Wars BlackArachnia in particular as the more prominent representative for a while, with her inspiring the Decepticon Airachnid. Strika from Beast Machines also contributed to increased female presence among the Decepticons.

Interestingly Japanese media tried to split the difference, where while we did have BlackArachnia and Seacon Scylla…

…most of the female presence was limited to the Navi computers, who are similar to the Beast Machines Diagnostic Drone in being little side kicks that help the Maximals and Predacons for their missions.

RiD01 had a similar concept in T-Ai, the friendly AI that was pals with Koji and helped Optimus lead the Autobots against the Predacons.

Slowly but surely though, steps were being taken to include female Transformers on top of the female rep in humans like Carly, Sari, Miko, Kelly and so forth. Animated and RiD15 saw a particular increase in female Autobots AND Decepticons both as major toys and fun background/in-show only characters like Lightyear, Glyph, Filch and Glowstrike among others.

And then Aligned and IDW happened.

The creation of Solus Prime on the surface somewhat muddled things, as she’s the defacto female robot of which all female Transformers are descended from in the same way animal types and Mini-Cons descend from Onyx and Micronus. On top of being The Fallen’s girlfriend who fell to his (unintentional) domestic violence, early concepts also state she helped birth the entire Cybertronian race, so yeah none of that helps. Some more recent stuff seemed to catch on this mild stereotype and focused more on her forager status, being the inventor and gadget gal of the group. That didn’t stop her in modern times from becoming an exclamation/swear word in RiD15 and Cyberverse in “Sweet Solus Prime!” Her biggest contribution was primarily her giant Fixit Felix hammer, which was a reoccurring relic in Prime wielded by both sides, with Megatron using it in a scheme to build his own weapon.

Solus was also credited with building the Star Saber and Apex Armor, though the later in Prime was said to be built by Decepticon scientists, conflicting with the Solus claim…

IDW didn’t help either, as mirroring Marvel, Arcee was the first female robot, born from a forced gender transition reformatting by Jhiaxus for skud and giggles just to see what would happen if gender as defined by organics, was suddenly introduced into the Transformer species. Arcee was understandably none too happy about this, her identity being violated and viscously hunting down Jhiaxus to exact revenge.

She would finally get her revenge thanks to Dead Universe shenanigans, getting to kill the undead scientist over and over again until she was satisfied.

Furman penned this story way before the modern social justice warrior/grifter stuff took root, with most agreeing Furman’s more sci-fi way to create females in a robotic species didn’t work, and mostly ignored it. It wasn’t until the modern hoopla we’ve been stuck in kicked in did IDW writers try to fix the problem. My issue with it is they wound up over correcting it, continually drawing attention to a matter most would rather have left ignored until the end of the original IDW run.

The retcon ultimately became that Arcee was an ancient Transformer from its prehistory, who was a mighty warrior alongside his brother Galvatron. At some point, Arcee wanted to be reformatted into a female body, and out of desperation sought out Jhiaxus intentionally rather than being captured at random. The earlier anger and rage was reinterpreted as Arcee instead being loopy from bad software used in her reconstruction.

Not helped either was a slip up confusing the matter if other ladybots existed on Cybertron pre-Arcee, with MTMTE, TAAO, & OP explaining them as trans ladybots also, and that Cybertron’s females either way left the planet or became extinct. Whatever the case, the planet became populated by male robots who were unfamiliar with females, creating a Vandread situation when Ladybots were shown to still exist on colony planets I don’t think was at all intentional…

Simply put it was a mess.

A mess IDW and later Skybound sought not to repeat by just having Ladybots of all makes and models exist from the start, no mental gymnastics needed.

It’s this heavy insistence though on trying to make trans woman rep, good intentioned but hopelessly flawed, that got grifters and some veteran fans cheesed off. On top of the bizarre situation with Arcee, the main trans rep besides her were Anode and Lug, new characters for MTMTE/LL who were met with revulsion because most readers found them incredibly annoying (though some were mad at them for being trans also, let’s not dance around that). It doesn’t help at the height of the feminism stuff in the mid 2010’s saw news outlets claim female Transformers were being introduced into the franchise by IDW, a horrible misunderstanding, and shows that most weren’t really aware of Arcee, Elita, Firestar, Blackarachnia, Thunderblast, Airrazor, and more from older material…

Another frowned upon thing from this era that persisted to EarthSpark was the habit of gender bending legacy bots into females, with Skywarp, Frenzy, Ravage, Swoop, and Jazz as particular standouts, alongside Nova Storm (a generic in the scheme of things but still noteworthy). There was also a peculiar push from modern cartoon writers to make Thundercracker a girl, but Hasbro put their foot down on him specifically. This is partly why Nova Storm occupies the modern Jet trio, to make up for the lack of a lady Thundercracker. It’s this modern flippant gender swapping that annoys people, as it comes off as an artificial attempt to boost female robots in a time when we have plenty more preexisting ladies to choose from. (And I say that aware of the era Override came from.) Clearly it doesn’t matter unless it’s a popular male character turned female, which is why I’m surprised Hot Rod, Grimlock or Soundwave haven’t gotten gender bent yet. It’s also why I side eye Mae Catt’s sole lament on ES being unable to bring back trans Arcee, the one thing everyone just wants to escape from… Read the room, Mae. There was room for a trans robot, but Arcee wasn’t it.

Still, despite the very bumpy ride getting there, female Transformers did start becoming more common place, with the Autobots typically having Arcee, Windblade or Elita-1 as the token chick of the team, while the Decepticons were a toss up. As of typing, they still haven’t settled on a defacto female Decepticon, despite experimenting with Airachnid, Nightbird, and Shadow Striker in those roles.

Still let it be known the next time a grifter starts trouble, female Transformers were supposed to exist from the start, it just took them a little longer to drive by was all.

[felixir-of-moths]

STWG prompt: Ozzy 🦇🪦

Nobody better piss him off today. The first preppie that even tries, the first jock that even thinks about giving him a hard time today is gonna be on the news tomorrow. They want him so hard to be a Satan worshiper / goat killer / blood drinker: he's gonna give it to them.

But weirdly, today of all days, the halls of Hawkins High are strangely welcoming for a mourning Eddie Munson.

“Maybe it's the glasses”, he hears Gareth whispering to Jeff during lunch. “You don't know when he's looking at you, that's unsettling, even for us.”

“Can he even see through those?” Jeff asks. 

All it takes is for Eddie to raise an imperious hand, and the two other boys go quiet, eating in a religious silence. And look – Jeff is not entirely wrong – those sunglasses are pretty thick – but have you ever tried to do a smoke eye over puffy red eyes? And they make a great addition to his homage outfit for the Prince of Darkness. He was going for so overwhelmed with despair I went over the top and he nailed it. Not that anybody would care in this stupid school of conformists. 

When the afternoon classes start, Eddie is a bit puzzled to see nobody called him names yet today. But some eavesdropping in English class helps him figure out this mystery: apparently, some chick is missing. Whatever.

He ditches PE to go to his favorite spot under the bleachers. Headphones on, he marches ostensibly across the football field, War Pigs blasting at full volume. But as he gets closer and closer to his usual hideout, he notices someone crouched down on the grass. A girl with a black sweater, hood pulled over her head – long golden strands of hair escaping and cascading down her chest. She holds her knees tightly against her. She's vaguely familiar – but no, that can't be her. 

He stops in his tracks a meter away from her, hands in the pockets of the long black coat that swirls around him. She sniffs loudly and lifts her head to stare at him. Her eyes are puffy and red. There are stains of mascara down her cheeks, where tears left some wet furrows. Eddie takes his cigarettes out of his coat and hands it towards her: an offering. She looks awfully like this girl – but no, she wouldn't wear this kind of oversized hoodie, and she definitely wouldn't cry under the bleachers at the spot everybody else avoids because it's Munson's corner. 

The girl looks at the packet, confused. And then, hell rises. She gets up like she has springs for legs, quick like a cat, hands balled into fists, and she properly yells at him. At first, Eddie is so stunned that he has trouble understanding what she's saying – plus War Pigs is still playing. He tries to turn the volume down and put the cigarettes away and take off his glasses, three things at the same time, and he struggles so much he looks like he's attacked by a swarm of bees. Meanwhile, the tiny blond girl is still screaming at him.

“Fuck – okay – Jesus, calm the fuck down!” he yells back once his eyes, ears and hands are finally free. 

“You're an insensitive jerk!” she sobs, wiping her eyes, and Eddie tries to remember what he promised himself earlier that day, but suddenly, his heart is not into blood sacrifice anymore. “I thought you wouldn't make fun of me – ”

“ – make fun of you?” Eddie yelps, throwing his arms in the air. “What are you even talking about, dude?”

“How can you smoke when it's basically what killed him?”

“Parkinson killed him, you ignorant brat! Wait – ” Eddie cuts himself, taking a step back. “Wait – ”

It is her. She's out of her cheerleader uniform, which checks out because she doesn't seem to be able to cheer anyone right now, and now that she's pulling back the hood of her sweater, he recognizes her. Chrissy Cunningham, popular basic blond chick who does not – who cannot wear black for the same reason he is.

“Chrissy?”

She sobs again, furiously drying up her tears with her hands still balled in fists. 

“I know that he had Parkinson, you moron”, she says, her voice quivering. “It's just – he was also a heavy smoker! And we need to – we need to take good care of ourselves if we want to – oh, fuck me, I can't stop fucking crying!"

Dumbfounded, Eddie watches Chrissy Cunningham blowing her nose loudly in a tissue before sitting back on the ground, arms and legs crossed, an expression of both sorrow and defiance on her face.

“This is not happening”, he mumbles. “We can't be talking about the same thing.”

“You used to be so nice”, Chrissy snaps back without looking at him. “I still love your outfit by the way.”

“Uh – thanks, I guess?”

With very slow movements, as if he could scare her away while he's the one who is a bit scared at the moment, Eddie sits down where he was standing, right in front of her. He needs to light one up so bad, but after this? Certainly not. So he fidgets with one of his rings instead. After a few minutes of heavy silence, he finally clears his throat.

“I'm sorry I called you a brat”, Eddie says. Chrissy glances at him quickly, squinting her eyes, searching any kind of sarcasm – finding none. “I didn't know you were – I had no idea that anybody else would give a fuck", he confesses. 

She raises an eyebrow, confused.

“You have your band”, she states. “Your friends from – your group thing?”

And she's right. But when Eddie feels bad, not just casually bad like any three-times-senior would, but real bad like a void is swallowing him whole, he can't reach out. Even if his friends would've tried, he wouldn't have let them in. Maybe that's why they didn't say anything earlier: they know it's pointless when he drapes himself in a cape of infinite sorrow – figuratively and literally. 

“What about you?” he asks back. “Everybody is looking for you. Your BF is worried sick because you didn't show up to cheerleading practice – it's all the school is talking about today. You have tons of people that love you.”

“People who would take me seriously if I was sad because an artist I love just died?” She chuckles. It's cold. “That's why I waited here. I thought you might show up. Even if we're not friends or anything – I thought you'd understand."

“I do!” Eddie scoots closer, patting down every pocket of his over-the-top outfit to find more tissues for her. “I really do, Chrissy, I swear. Look – I won't say anything to anybody. I mean, people would certainly not believe me if I said I was hanging out with you, but still: you have my word. We can chill out here as long as we want.”

Chrissy takes the weird ball of crumpled tissues Eddie hands her, and a smile finally cracks on her face. She chuckles, and tries to tidy up her face, wet with tears and messed up make up. Eddie unplugs his headphones and puts down his phone between them.

“Go ahead, Princess: choose your favorite album”, he offers with an elegant bow that makes her laughs even brighter. She swipes through Eddie's phone, and when he hears the first notes of Sweet Leaf, he gasps dramatically. “Really? Because I'm a dealer?”

“No, silly! You asked for my favorite!”

“I know, I'm just teasing you. Master of Reality is a great one. I'm more of a solo guy myself – ”

“ – of course you are – "

Their fond bickering keeps going, covering the sound of the whole album. They don't seem to care.

I don't usually post drabbles but I'm making an exception today. I learned about the news through this specific prompt, so I wanted to share a short, heartwarming story to lift my spirits up a bit.

[travellingarmy]

║Venti║ Stars (R)

Requested from Wattpad.

Female reader as requested.

Warning: •Those who does not know what R-rated means, it simply means that it is restricted to children under 17 (according to google).

•This will most likely be crap because I still don't know how to write NSFW oneshots.

Word count: 2.1k

---

"Just - hic - one more, Master Diluc!" Filled with the nightlife atmosphere in Angel's Share, Venti decided to join as well for the sake of sharing the same joy every Mondstadtian holds.

"You do know that these aren't free.." Diluc grumbles, a look of irritation visible on his face. "And don't you think you've had enough? You've had 33 glasses now."

"Ah, I can never get enough of Master Diluc's amazing brew!" the small bard exclaims. Diluc's face remained unchanged by the complement and went to make another glass for him. "You better pay for these."

"Haha, oh, Master Diluc, aren't you the jokester." Venti giggles. "I'm not joking," Diluc plainly said. "Haha, oh well.. Anyway.." Sounds of chatter drown out the taller male's warning that night by a loud bard who was starting to become tipsier with each drink.

After a couple more drinks- actually, it totalled to 50- Venti was now showing signs of passing out with his head on the counter, aside from occasional giggles and hiccups. Diluc grumbles in complete disbelief. Now that the bard was drunk, there was no way he would listen to his words.

An irritated sigh left the tavern owner's lips, seeing as he could do nothing about it. "I'll make sure you pay for it tomorrow so just go home," Diluc said to the bard who luckily listened, walking drunkenly out the tavern. "Thanks, Master Diluc!"

The cold air of the night brushed past the skin of the male, giggling as it tickles him. Oh how much he loves the wind so much.

Tonight, Venti did not go home- if he even has one- and instead, walk straight out of the city's gate; heading towards Starsnatch Cliff where he knew someone was sitting there all in her lonesomeness.

"(Y/N)!" the bard cheery voice made its way to your ears, making you turn to look at him. He waves and drunkenly giggles. "Venti, what are you doing here?"

"Hehe, I thought that my goddess wouldn't be asleep at this time and was here~" he answers, sitting down beside you. One sniff of him and your face wrinkled as if you were smelling a garbage site. "Ew, you went to the tavern again!?"

"Ehe." He shrugs, eyes closing into crescents as he smiled. You shook your head and brought your knees close to your chest, hugging it. You did not want to further push about the boring topic as it was quite often he would try to get wine from Diluc so silence was the only thing you could do.

You look at the stars in awe, a small smile tugging the corner of your lips. "It's quite nice today-- even the weather," you stated randomly. Venti leans back, using his arms as support. He took a glance at your soft figure before averting it to the sky you were seeing. "Even if it was cold, I would control the wind to make it warm for you," he points out, a smile of his own visible on his face.

In the midst of another silence, Venti's drunken state had his eyes started to wander on you, eyes tracing your face down to every detail. Your eyes that were half-lidded, your nose that was ever so his favourite feature, your lips-- oh let us not get into detail as to how much he loves those lips. Soon, his eyes wandered down to your neck and the strands of hair resting on it to tease him.

It might just be him being drunk and deluded or the atmosphere, but something in him wanted to do more than just looking at you.

With that being said, his hands slowly encircled your waist and drew you closer to him so that he could rest his chin on your shoulders. To you, it was just him wanting to hold you; nothing too suspicious and you continued to dismiss him.

However, that innocent thought was no longer when you felt his hands rub your sides in a slow and lustful manner. "V, Venti..!" you stutter, eyes widening as you look at him from the corner of your eyes.

He hums, eyes closed. "What is it, (Y/N)?" his voice still holding the same cheeky persona as his smile just grew wider. "U, um..!!" Your words died out on your tongue, the sudden rise of heat too overwhelming for you.

His lips made their way to your earlobe. "What's wrong, (Y/N)? Are you unwell?" he asks, a smirk replacing his playful smile. You bit your bottom lip and closed your eyes, unsure of what to do as you felt something in your stomach. It was like a fluttering feeling when you see your crush, but quite different.

"Do you.. Want me to help you, (Y/N)?" he breathlessly asks and went to nibble the sensitive part of your ears. A whimper that escaped your throat failed you which just urge the male further. His lips then slowly made their way to your neck and he was suddenly washed with the intoxication of your smell.

Not waiting for a reaction, he starts off by licking your neck and soon, sucking it hard enough to leave a mark. Once again, another whimper left you. You felt embarrassed by the sounds you had made, but the growing heat in the atmosphere was too much for you to fight.

One of his hands made its way down your body, rubbing your thighs as the other massages one of your breasts. Your chests start to expand wider with each breath you take.

Venti's hands soon returned to your chest and began to unbutton your shirt ever so skillfully. Once it was fully undone to the last button, he moves in front of you, pushing you down the grass and hovering on top of you.

His eyes were filled with lust and craved for you and your body. Hungrily, he smashes his lips onto yours and had a full heated session. He licked the bottom of your lips and you obliged, opening your mouth to allow his tongue to adventure inside, winning dominance.

He went back and suck the other side of your neck, also leaving a mark there as his hands unclip your bra, kneading your breast between his fingers.

At that point, heat, too, filled your body and made your mind hazy, letting out a moan. Soon, his lips trailed downwards and took the other breast in his mouth. He continued to do so and switched to give the same attention to the other.

His hand went lower, pulling your skirt down to your thighs. Teasingly, he rubs his fingers on your clothed cunt and you moaned yet again. "Hehe, you are so naughty, (Y/N)~ Already this wet for me?" he says, continuing to run through the article.

Soon, he had enough of the teasing and pulled down your last piece of clothing, leaving you fully exposed to the cool air of the night while he was still fully clothed.

"Tell me, (Y/N), what do you want me to do~?" he asks, pressing his cold fingers on your cunt, making you whimper. When you didn't say anything, he leaned closer to your ears and whispered, "If you don't tell me.." He moves his fingers teasingly. "I could just leave it here~"

"N, no..!" You shot your eyes wide open, revealing your desperation and lust. "Hm~? Then tell me, what is it that you want me to do?" He smiles and his eyes were overshadowed with a dark playfulness.

"P, please.. I, I want your fingers.. In me.." you say, a bit embarrassed at the dirty words that left your tongue. Venti chuckles, but answered to your wish, plunging one finger inside which made you moan. Urged on by the sound, he entered a second one. "Look at you~ So greedy for my touch."

You weren't listening to his words as he starts pumping his fingers, slow at first to make you just whimper. "What do you want me to do now, (Y/N)?" he asks once again. "Is this too slow for you?"

"Please.. G, go faster..!" Again, listened to your wish and started to pump faster, adding two more fingers in the mix. He returns to attack your breast and bit your nipples and his free hand went to massage the other.

The stimulation was too much for you, being touched everywhere soon made a knot inside of you that was waiting to be snapped at any moment. "V, Venti..!" That was all he needed to hear for him to stop, moving away from you.

You look at him, confused and upset, but that was soon answered as he stood up and pulled both his pants and undergarments down. "(Y/N), why don't you be a good girl and repent?" he beckons you to go on your knees.

You listened, getting on your knees and bringing your face closer to his cock that was dripping with precum. "Well? Don't tell me you don't wish to repent." You gulped and slowly bring your lips to the tip of his dick, licking the precum off of it.

You felt him shudder from above which urged you on. You opened your mouth and brought half of it inside your mouth, earning a groan from the male.

You then started to suck on his cock and another moan erupted from his vocal cords, putting a gentle hand on your head. You only sucked halfway of it and pumped the rest, not wanting to choke.

When it has gotten to a point that was much to his pleasure, he grabbed a fistful of your hair and pushed your head; pushing his cock deeper into your mouth. You moaned on his cock, feeling it touch the back of your mouth and made you gag.

"Don't stop now, (Y/N). After all, you want to be forgiven right?" He tugs on your hair and you continued. Venti became a moaning mess, guiding your head as he does so. And soon, you felt his cock twitch inside you. You suck him faster, wanting to help him in his release.

Followed by a long moan, he fills your mouth with his juice, keeping your head locked on his dick so that you don't waste a single drop.

Once you gulped all of them down, he pulls away. "Aren't you a good girl~?" he coos. "You deserve a reward so why don't you get on your hands and knees for me, hm?"

You listened, wanting to get your own release as well. He got behind you and you felt excitement wash through you and the knot that was still there.

He put his hands on your breasts, giving it a little squeeze. "Are you sure about this, (Y/N)?" he whispers in your ear. "You can always tell me to stop, okay?" You nod.

With that, he moved his wet cock inside you. You whimpered at the overwhelming foreign heat that entered you. Venti was patient with you and waited for you to adjust to the feeling.

"P, please move.." you say breathlessly after a while. Venti listened and started to enter and leave your hole, building up his stimulation once more.

Moans, pants, and lust filled that night and at each thrust, he went faster and faster as you grip onto the grass, feeling your legs numbing. "Harder, Venti..!" you cried out, the knot close to breaking.

His grip on your waist was for sure going to leave marks on your skin, but that didn't matter to your right now.

He pulls out completely but quickly slams it back inside you. Your head jerks up and moaned loudly. The sight of the was stars blurring as you were being pounded into and drool went down the corner of your mouth.

Venti's thrust became sloppier and sloppier by the second. He buried his face on your shoulders and bit it hard enough that it drew blood, but you were too focused on the pleasure that you hadn't noticed.

"V, Venti, I--" At that moment, the knot snapped and you came on his dick. Venti thrusts a couple more times before he, too, came inside you, groaning as his second wave was finally released.

He fell on top of you, both your legs too weak to carry the weight of your bodies. He didn't take himself out just yet and listen to the two of you pant.

"Let's go home, hm?" he suggests between heavy breathing. You nod and watch as he pulls out, letting out a whimper at the sudden emptiness inside you.

He dresses himself up first and later helped you since you were unable to do it and carried you home. "I love you, (Y/N)." He kisses the side of your head, watching you slowly fall asleep.

---

[rainydelaneyy]

From a young age Snufkin knew he wasn't a girl, knew that his body wasn't quite right if it made everyone think he was a girl, eventually he couldn't bear it anymore and came crying to Moominmamma. The big moomin held him in her arms, smoothing down his fluffy hair to sooth him and rocking in her chair.

"What is it, my dear? What has you so upset?"

The poor little mymrik's face was all wet from his tears and some of his hair was sticking to his face. He didn't typically show it when he was distressed, but this was super serious to him.

"Oh Moominmamma, I don't know what's wrong with me! I'm not a girl, but you all think that I am! I don't want you to think I'm a girl, I'm a boy Moominmamma! I'm a boy!" He wasn't angry, he was just incredibly upset with the situation. It wasn't a situation the moomin was familiar with, but it didn't seem too difficult to fix. She kissed his forehead and hummed thoughtfully.

"Well, it will definitely help now that you've told me, darling. Why have you never said anything about it?"

Snufkin wiped his eyes and sniffled "I thought maybe everyone would figure it out without me having to say anything. I didn't know I would have to say it."

Moominmamma helped him wipe his tears and took him to wash up his face with a warm wet rag. "Well now that you've told me, the issue will be resolved. I will make sure to tell Pappa, Sniff and Moomin unless you want to tell them yourself. Oh, and was there another name you'd like to be called? I don't think anyone else has the name Snufkin, so I don't think it would affect anybody's view of you."

He shook his head "There's nothing wrong with my name. I like my name." He said, giving Moominmamma a tired smile. She smiled back at him, scooping him up in her arms and going back out to her chair where they were soon joined by Moomin who she scooped up in her other arm.

"Oh hello Moomin, dear. What woke you?" Mamma asked, smiling as the two almost instantly curled up together.

"Snufkin being gone did, mamma. I heard crying and I saw that she was gone and- What's the matter, Snufkin?" The little moomin didn't know what he'd done, but Snufkin suddenly looked very upset again.

"Well, Moomin, he's just told me that he's a boy and we've had it wrong this whole time. I think you may have hurt his feelings just now, dear."

Moomintroll frowned and buried his snout in Snufkin's hair. "Oh Snufkin, I'm so sorry! Why didn't you tell me?" The gesture was reciprocated by Snufkin pressing his face into the moomin's fluffy neck.

"I thought maybe you would figure it out! Or maybe you wouldn't like me anymore if you found out, and I don't want you to not like me anymore."

Moomin pulled back from him, a shocked look on his face. "Why would that change me liking you? You're my favoritest person in the whole world! Nothing will ever ever change that. Especially not you being a boy." He laughed, rubbing his nose against Snufkin's.

As time went on, things got better, everyone was fairly good about things. Even Moominpappa, who was fairly stubborn and ignorant about everything, got used to it eventually. But then things got bad again as his body and voice started to change. Strangers would call him a girl even more often, and he couldn't stand it. In a fit of rage, he cut off his back length curly hair down to where it barely passed his ears. He thought he'd regret it later, but he actually had grown quite fond of it. He'd also started wearing baggier clothes, but he didn't know what to do beyond that.

On one of their adventures they met Snorkmaiden, who Snufkin was quite silently jealous of at first, as Moomin would often go out of his way to impress her, but one day the two of them ended up being the only ones awake so Snufkin settled for playing with her. She wasn't actually all that bad when Moomin wasn't around flirting with her. Suddenly she seemed upset and started anxiously fiddling with the end of her tail.

"Snufkin, do you think they've noticed that I'm not..that I don't have the right body?"

Snufkin was confused.

"What do you mean?"

She tilted her head at him "I'm like you! Well, except the other way. I'm a girl, but people don't understand that I'm a girl because I don't look enough like a girl snork, or sound enough like one. I've been seeing this nice lady that helps me with it, but sometimes I'm worried it won't be enough."

Snufkin hadn't even noticed anything off, but he also didn't know snork anatomy or assume anything about anyone. He felt comforted by her confiding in him with this information though. "Even if they have noticed, I don't think it matters to them. They like you no matter the body mix-up." He said, making her laugh and smile. She relaxed again and laid back in the flowers, turning her head to look at him.

"You know, I thought you didn't like me. You always seem upset when I'm around."

Snufkin blushed and looked away. Gods this was embarrassing.

"Well- It's- I- Okay. It's just..Moomintroll is always so..show offey in front of you. I don't know why it makes me so upset, but it's like I'm not his favorite person anymore! I guess that's fine if that's how he feels but.." He sighed, his ears drooping. The snorkmaiden gave him a sympathetic look, looking away for a moment before looking back at him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realize...I didn't realize that you were in love with him."

Snufkin turned to look at her so fast he nearly fell. His face was burning red. He hadn't realized it until this moment but she was absolutely right. He was in love with him. He let himself collapse against the wildflowers and clutch the chest of his shirt with his paw.

"Oh goodness I'm in love with him…"

Snorkmaiden looked very confused. "You mean you didn't know you were in love with him?"

Snufkin shook his head "I guess I never really thought about it that hard before...But um, it's okay if he loves you. It may be better even. I know how hard it is on him when I leave, it would only be worse if he loved me."

Years passed and feelings only grew, but he said nothing of them to Moomintroll. Not even when he came in so fast for an embrace he nearly knocked Snufkin over on his first day back that Spring. He was so excited to see them he'd almost forgotten to show them something very important. He waited for the perfect moment at dinner that night to reveal his fresh pair of scars right under his pectorals, and how smooth it was now compared to the lumps that had laid there before.

Everyone was very happy for him and that only made his heart more full, but he still didn't say anything about his feelings. Not even when he and Moomin laid together in his tent that night and the moomintroll traced his scars with his soft furry fingers. Not even when he could have sworn he saw Moomin think about leaning in for a kiss but look away before anything could happen. Not even when the furry beast held him as they went to sleep, or when he was reluctant to part with him in the morning.

He couldn't. It wasn't even just for Moomintroll's sake now, it was for his own too. He could never have the alone time he desired if he desired his dear friend so much more. He hoped one day it would just go away so that they could live on with their lives without the heartache.

Even more time passed, and today he was sure it was the day he had to let go, but his feelings were stronger than ever, making things a bit difficult. It didn't matter though. Moomin had gone and Snufkin didn't know where to, and he must not have cared if he hadn't left a note, so he supposed he was leaving Moominvalley for good this time. But as he finally started to go, Toffle called him over from the coastline about a boat approaching and the sprint he broke into was involuntary.

At first he didn't see what Toffle was talking about and was fairly disappointed, but sure enough, there it was. The Adventure in all her glory, with a singular Moomin aboard and Snufkin knew it was him. He dropped his bag and hat on the grass and ran out to meet him as soon as he was docked, tears forming in his eyes. He gasped and laughed as the moomintroll picked him up and spun him around a few times, causing them to nearly lose balance when he set him back down.

"I'm so sorry I didn't say anything, I didn't know where you were or if I'd see you again before you left, and I was so focused on trying to make Snorkmaiden happy that I totally forgot to write you a note and-" Moomin was cut off by Snufkin suddenly bursting into tears, which was definitely not something he did unless it was a super big deal. "Oh no don't cry-"

"I thought I was never going to see you again! I didn't even know where to look for you and- I thought I was never going to have a chance to tell you that I love you and I would travel alone for the rest of my days."

Moomin held his face in his paws and blushed "Oh I'm so so sorry! I promise I'll never make you feel so helpless again for as long as I'm alive. Oh Snufkin, I've loved you forever, how could you not know that?" He crooned, his tail sticking straight up when his friend kissed him, but it was almost instantly reciprocated. This was it. The moment their lives this far had been leading up to. From that day on there would be no more silent tension, they would finally get to fully enjoy each other's company without overthinking about how the other may not feel the same way, because they knew. From now on, things would be just perfect.

(Or would they? Because perfect doesn't exist and every relationship has conflict even if it's just friendly arguments over silky things, but they're happy. I need to write my whole au and actually develop the story more, but it will exist eventually. Also this took like a minute to write please appreciate it. Also mymrik is my word for the hybrid that he is and either Jox or Mymble named him idk but he had a note with him that was just his name. Not canon, just canon in my stories.)

[kishillaa]

SSM21 Day 10: Distant

"You'll write for me. Promise me you will." She said between her sob as she started to feel unconsciousness overwhelming her.

-

Being in a secret relationship without give anything away to Kakashi and Naruto, or anyone else for that matter, was simply hard.

Now that she is so far away from him, making it even more difficult. Him being at Orochimaru's hideout, while his darling Sakura is all the way in Konoha. Without even mean to, he has created distance in between them. And at the moment like this, when it's dark and cold and pin-dropped silence, all he could think of is her heart shaped face, her emerald expressive green eyes, and of course her beautiful pink locks. He does like how she looks in her short hair, even though he did previously prefer the long one. She had said that it got in the way while they're in the wild as an excuse for Naruto and Sasuke personally agreed to that action, although he did know the real reason behind the chopped mane.

And then, there's part of him that miss her that he wouldn't dare to admit to anyone.

He missed her hugs; Sasuke definitely enjoy the warm and comforting embraces of Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun. Don't struggle too much, please. I just need to hug you right now." She had said, with her teary eyes. When Sasuke was sure Naruto and Tsunade had left the room, Sasuke snakes one of his arm around Sakura's waist and buried his face in the crook of her neck. It makes her cried even harder.

He missed how she desperately asked him for dates too, in spite of their usual secret night meeting.

Naruto was there with Kakashi and they had just finish one of their D-rank missions, "Sasuke-kun." She calls out, earning his attention to look over at her, "Let's get something to eat, j–just the two of us."

And then something like,

"Eh, Sasuke-kun, do you think you can help sharpen my weapons?" She bites her lips before letting it out as she continus, "There's this new restaurant open in town, we can try the new food while you're sharpening."

Really, it gets weird over time. While he usually makes rude remarks and bluntly reject her proposal, he genuinely impressed with her effort.

Thinking about that, Sasuke remembered her blushes. He missed that cream colored cheeks changed to the color of her hair–or brighter, when something excited or embarrassed her.

Sasuke touch her cheeks, "You're wrapped up." he had said, gesturing at her wounded shoulder he had cleaned and wrapped with bandage. She has gotten stabbed by Amegakure genins as she shield Idate from the attack. At their closs proximity, and his touch, Sakura went red as she blushed. She tucked few of her fallen strands of hair behind her ears before she place a soft peck of kiss on his cheek, "Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

He most definitely missed their innocent kiss too. Sakura usually the first to initiate that. Only until he's comfortable enough then he will be the one started it, which isn't bad because he likes kissing her, and if that's not enough, then Sakura's delight expression makes it worth even more.

Tucking Sakura's falling hair behind her ears–which he noticed she often do before kissing him–Sasuke leaned down cautiously and cover her waiting lips with his, softly kiss her before he pulls away. He stares at her deep green eyes as he examined how she takes it before Sakura yanked him closer by his neck and kiss him for real.

He especially missed her coconut smell shampooed hair she had started to use after the Chunin Exam.

"Your hair smells different." He commented when they sat on the dock at the Uchiha district, his hand acted as a comb as it makes it through her hair releasing the few knots here and there. The pink haired girl was leaning against him, her hands circling around his waist as they sat side by side, legs dangling at the edge of the dock.

It was always very silent in the Uchiha district, and no one dare to go into the district, somehow afraid of the ghost of Uchihas still lingering around. Sasuke likes it better that way, especially now that he needed all the silence in the world as he sits with Sakura, liking the secrecy of their relationship.

Sakura makes a face as she pulls her face away from his shoulder, "Pakkun used the same shampoo I previously used. So, I had to change to this one, coconut with vanilla scent." She bites her lips as she looks at him from under her lashes. "Do you like it?"

"The smell?"

Sakura nodded.

"It's fine." He replied nonchalantly as he looks straight ahead.

Smiling in content, Sakura change to embrace his arm instead, tighten it a little and rest her head on his shoulder again, "Are you okay?" She asked.

That stopped Sasuke from his train of thought. Cautiously, he lowered his gaze to look at Sakura. Her eyes closing as a small frown cover her face, albeit she looks like she's comfortable with her head on his definitely not comfortable shoulder, "Why should I not?"

"Something's coming." Her voice coming out soft, almost like she's going to cry. "I can feel it, Sasuke-kun. This bond we're having, it helps me understand you more. And right now, something isn't so right. I hope I don't loose you so soon."

He had put his face into her hair that night, lightly kissed her temple and sniff into her coconut and vanilla scented hair. A few days after that, he left the village, leaving everyone behind.

When Orochimaru first taught him summoning jutsu, and he finally mastered it, he has sent Sakura a letter through the snake summons. It's probably risky, but that is the extend he is willing to make just to get in touch with her.

Right now, he is staring at Sakura's third letter.

Sasuke-kun,

I went to clean up your apartment again yesterday, and stopped by at the dock to uproot the grass and and clear up the growing moss that had started to cover the dock.

To answer your questions, I've been well. And you heard that right, I'm doing apprenticeship with Tsunade-sama. Training with her was hard; she didn't just train me healthcare stuff, she helped me sharpen my combat skills too, but of course, I'm sure it isn't as brutal as your training.

Speaking about training, Sasuke-kun. How has you been doing? You know I can't tolerate with you overwork yourself, right? I'm not there to scold you about it, but I hope there's another me to take care of you over there. If there isn't someone else, please take care of yourself for me, Sasuke-kun.

I know you didn't ask this, but I'm sure you'd like to know as well. Naruto has return from his travel with Jiraiya-sama yesterday. Kakashi put us on the bell test again. This is where it got interesting though.

NARUTO FIGURED OUT HOW TO DEFEAT KAKASHI-SENSEI!

I'm pretty sure you're rolling your eyes right now and think how could Naruto–our Naruto—thought of something to fight Kakashi-sensei off and won. ~I'm actually laughing right now thinking of you saying it, gosh I missed you so much~

But he actually did it. It was stupid, really. Jiraiya-sama just published the latest book for Icha Icha series, so Naruto just recite the ending part of the book for spoiler–Mind you, he actually did read the book. Kakashi-sensei eventually let his guard down and we were able to snatch the bell from him.

Anyway, I know I said this in my previous two letters many months ago but I am so happy you wrote to me. Thank you, Sasuke-kun. And I missed you so damn much!

This has gotten too long, I hope I didn't trouble your summon. He seems like he loves those rats I caught for him, though he said the exact opposite. He and you are so alike. See you, Sasuke-kun.

Love you always,

Sakura.

He reread the letter again for the second time that day. Just like the first time he read it, his face soften at the first paragraph, feels grateful for what she had been doing. It was one of not so many things they did together when he was still in the village, and in their kind-of-dating relationship; clean up as much part of Uchiha compound as they could when they're free from mission and Kakashi's training. He felt somewhat blessed to have someone like Sakura by his side, who is terribly in love with him, to company his lonely days and do things he didn't ask her to.

He of course rolls his eyes at her over caring demeanour, and non logical uneasiness regarding his health. She has always put everyone else before herself, that's what he dislike the most about Sakura.

At the part where Sakura predicted Sasuke's reaction to Naruto's idea, he couldn't help but smirk. She knew him a little too well, despite the yesrs of his absence in her life.

Sasuke touched the cursive writing of her name. Huge part of him feels content that, even after years of separation, Sakura still loves him. And to that, he is genuinely grateful.

For this time, they had to be distant. But when everything else is done, he promised he will go back to her, to the girl that he knew will always wait for him, always love him.

After all, distance means so little when someone means so much.

[theadventurek9]

Utility A - NQ

Okay so a bit of analysis from this class. I’m having a lot of mixed thoughts and feeling a bit uncertain on it’s entirety.

Signal Discrimination (-5 1/2)

Overall I’m actually happy with this whole exercise. The past two trials have showed me that her overall heeling has improved she isn’t forging or lagging as much. I’m not getting the same heeling as I do at home but I’m still getting a more correct position. Her about turns have improved a lot recently. We had one head drop/lag/sniff at the stewards table but that’s an ongoing trial issue I’m working on.

My footwork for halts needs more work. I also realized I’m leaning toward on the balls of my feet. Aayla has a rough time telling if she should sit or stay standing when I do that. So that was the first bobble with her doing a slow sit. It also is obvious for her reluctance to line up for each exercise. My body is giving her weird signals. Soon as I rocked back onto my heels she would sit.

For the signals she had shown some hesitation with the recall hand signal…so I’ve been practicing a lot of that. Not a lot of position changes. So she anticipated the recall and shot up and forward from her down. Luckily she is a very good girl, corrected herself and sat. She had a nice fold back down, and a tuck up sit when she stopped. Super happy with that! She also recalled well and was mostly straight for her front, but had a sloppy finish. I caught myself trying to help her by turning my shoulders and could’ve lost points for that too. I think it needs a little work for without the verbal.

Scent Articles (-4)

Another new thing. This venue is surprisingly difficult for most dogs, at least that is what I was told. On the first send you can see her go wide and sniff everything but the articles for a bit. The funny thing is that she was definitely using her nose and sniffing a bunch of things which normally distractions for her are visual and she stares. I hope it’s not stress related, but it very well could be. I need to practice more on actual grass. Not turf or indoors. Her fronts were decent to okay. Her finishes were still not great. But she did bring back both correct articles which is am happy about. I feel like her finding the correct article and bringing it back is the most rewarding component for her.

The second send for the articles went much better. Straight to the pile and only a very short sniff of the grass before searching the articles themselves. Still holding the articles with only her front teeth but I think that is such a mild thing and I don’t think the metal feels good on her gums. (She is missing all her premolars!). It seemed to be less of a problem with her plastic dumbbell so I’m not going to change it. If that’s her comfort level even though she was taught to hold it well I’ll be fine with it.

Directed Retrieve (NQ)

I’m not sure what happened here. My only guess is that she remembered getting glove 3 the day before and went for what she did previously. Even the judge was surprised she did that and said I set her up straight. 🤷‍♀️ we can easily work on straight sends. (Which I think would be the hardest for the dog!) so hopefully it won’t be an issue in the future.

Next time this happens I will do a fix and go to help her understand what I was asking.

Moving Stand for Exam (-0)

She did super well! I think I would like to get her little hop back into her stand for the moving stand. We’ve lost a point or so before for her moving a step or two. She had a very nice finish for this exercise.

Directed Jumping (NQ)

She redirected to the post of the jump for targeting, got confused and did the backside of the jump. The jumps we practice with have dark colored standards so I think maybe the light colored upright got her attention this time? Not sure but back to a lot of rewarding for go outs past the jumps.

She also had been very excited about the jumps in Rally that day. We had lost points because she had rocketed over the jump and searched for another and had to be called back to heel. So I think she was focusing on jumping more than the task at hand.

So I did a fix and go, took her to where I knew she could succeed but still have to pass the jumps and got a lovely sit at the end of the ring. I marked and we left the ring and rewarded!

Overall

It wasn’t a bad run. I have her entered in Utility next weekend which I may do for just the sake of training and be ready for any fix and gos so I can show her what’s right and then immediately leave and reward.

I’ll definitely pause on entering Utility for a bit again, and work on these components and try to get them to even better fluency. Maybe she needs a few trials of the first day doing graduate open, and then the second doing Utility. At least until she gets used to all the different layouts? (But there is never a glove 2 in GO…) I’m not sure but it gives me things to think about.

Her next obedience trial probably won’t be till 2023. So we have time.

[hanmajoerin]

A/N: Thank you to my good friend for sharing her dream journal entry and inspiring the feel for this one shot because every day InuYasha spent without Kagome must have been an unending dream.

Summary: There were others who loved and needed Kagome even though InuYasha was meant to be with her. He knew this, but gods, the cost of it. He thought he paid it in full by hardly fighting the Bone Eater’s Well, but now there were others who missed her too.

** Nominated for the 2021 2nd Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards for Best One Shot 🥺💖

**Third Place Winner for the Best One Shot of the 2021 2nd Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards. Thank you to everyone who voted for this story! I love you all ❤️ ~

II AO3 II FanFiction.Net II

Things to Keep

InuYasha lounged under the shade of one of many trees lining the river near Kaede’s village. Miroku washed his family’s night robes with Gyokuto strapped to his back while Sango burped Kin’u. It’d been over a year since the well sealed. InuYasha still thought about the surprised look on Kagome’s face when he was pulled back, but he prefered to remember her safe in her mother’s arms. It was difficult to do.

Kin’u burped and, within seconds, Sango had the newborn secured to her back again. When she kneeled by Miroku and told him she’d take over, InuYasha’s ear flicked. Despite catching their soft commentary more often, Sango’s tone was much gentler than the half-demon was used to hearing. Miroku made room for her effortlessly, choosing to help by trading clean pieces of laundry with dirty ones.

This was how they all lived now, resting by the greenery and exchanging cloth instead of sutras and oversized boomerangs. He wondered if Kagome’s days were boring like his; she always seemed frantic when he came to pick her up. Maybe she didn’t have time to think about them anymore. It would be easier for her that way.

Miroku shifted, putting InuYasha in Gyokuto’s line of vision. The newborn extended her arm out to him, and he was fascinated by the way her fingers flexed. There was more space between them now than there was last month. InuYasha had never really been around human babies before and it felt weird to compare the lethargic emptiness Kagome left in her wake to the enthusiastic growth of infants. InuYasha offered Kin’u a passing glance. He wasn’t going to tell her mother that an icicle of drool would fall onto her back soon.

The spring sun warmed people in its path and InuYasha’s legs didn’t understand the chill lingering on his torso because of it. Kin’u was gurgling now, gnawing on her fist. Miroku once told InuYasha how remarkable it was for him to tell the twins apart as quickly as he did, but the monk must’ve forgotten his nose. The girls looked the same, but their scents were unique. It was kind of like Kikyo and Kagome’s: similar but only on the first sniff.

The afternoons were getting longer again.

InuYasha opened one eye at the exact moment Sango began shaking out a small, fibrous white towel with blue polka dots. As if possessed by a demon, InuYasha was there. Standing by the river, standing before Sango. The towel never broke the water’s surface.

“What’s that?” InuYasha asked, arms folded over his chest. Sango quickly pulled the towel to her heart. The polka dots contorted in the slayer’s grasp, and her brown eyes widened with the tiniest hint of fear. It was as if she believed InuYasha’s claw tipped fingers would swipe it from her forever. As if. He wasn’t a jerk. Sango glowered at him anyway, firm. She knew what it meant for him to see this, and she wouldn’t let it go just to ease his heartache when it would worsen hers.

The two never spoke about Kagome and he didn’t want that to change. He should have wanted it to, but he didn’t. It hardly made sense, but he’d been struggling to make sense of a lot over the past year. His throat closed up when he tried talking about Kagome. The words refused to leave him.

InuYasha leaned forward, far from Sango but close enough to learn that this wasn’t the item’s first trip to the river. It still smelled like her. Bergamot and lilies and early summer mornings; half blue and half pink skies that fog never touched. “That’s Kagome’s.”

Without meaning to, he committed the thing to memory which explained why he placed it so easily. Kagome asked if he wanted to use it after him and Miroku’s run-in with the moth demon, Gatenmaru. The blood of that bastard’s human lackeys sank into InuYasha’s skin long before his humanity rose to the surface. The towel couldn’t have helped him any, and if he tried hard enough, InuYasha’d probably still catch scent of their blood like phantoms on the wind. The half-demon reached, finally accepting the school girl’s gesture, but Sango turned away. “Where’d you get that?” He asked.

“From Kagome’s bag; it wasn’t the only one in there,” Sango replied, submerging it into the river and forcing more distance between them. InuYasha’s brow twitched, but he doubted the demon slayer cared.

Brown eyes. Bergamot. Unwavering resilience. All of that flowed downstream now. He hated it.

“We–”

“Keh, it’s none of my business,” InuYasha spat, spinning on his heel. The towel was still his business. His arm felt like it was shaking even though InuYasha could clearly see it wasn’t. The plush towel sat behind his closed eyelids, opposite ends fluttering against the side of Sango’s hands as she held it in place. The polka dots grew and shrunk in a rhythm set by the rushing water. A budding mental itch grew to push Sango onto the grass so he could pluck Kagome’s towel out and run far, far away with it.

InuYasha swallowed hard, flicking an ear casually. Kin’u was there and he’d never shove Sango. If he grit his teeth, InuYasha could do it. He could continue letting the demon slayer turn what little he had left of Kagome into meaningless things to keep.

“With the birth of the twins, we felt it was necessary,” Miroku confessed as InuYasha continued walking away. If he stayed, he’d make an ass of himself.

There were others who loved and needed Kagome even though InuYasha was meant to be with her. He knew this, but gods, the cost of it. He thought he paid it in full by hardly fighting the Bone Eater’s Well, but now there were others who missed her too. Listening to Sango ring out the towel, InuYasha knew he was still paying his price. She wouldn’t miss Kagome’s scent like him, but knowing that another part of Kagome was leaving curdled his thoughts, ate at the same damn spot on his chest.

“Whatever.”

InuYasha heard Kagome calling out his name as he settled back against the trunk of a tree further from his initial spot. Like Miroku and Sango gave a shit. The sound of his name–the sound of her saying his name–lingered. Nostalgic.

The slayer handed her washed towel to Miroku, prompting an unwarranted pensive glance to be aimed in his direction. “Keh,” InuYasha huffed, turning his nose away from the monk. He turned it back in time to watch Miroku offer the towel a tender stare. Deep violet eyes looked as if stroking the fabric was a gesture that could be felt across time. If he hadn’t done the same sort of things, InuYasha would have scoffed.

Miroku placed the towel in the straw basket with everything else.

One leg breached past the leaves’ shade and a pair of amber eyes seemed to glow, overseeing a family that perpetuated the same cycle: Hand the husband something clean, one baby coos, put it in the basket, give the wife something dirty, the other baby coos, scrub.

InuYasha cupped his hands together before placing them behind his head. He closed his eyes once more, resting, picturing her running across the plush grass. Kagome waved to him and her hand practically skimmed the clouds. Her shoes never crunched down onto the ground like their friends’ straw sandals did. She was a familiar combination of green and white and black with a dash of red. She had a warmth that pierced through the arrow Kikyo used to seal him, every punch Sesshomaru landed, his own demonic blood, and now the loss of her.

An incessant jangling sprinkled like rain in his mind, wiping away at the sunlight and clouds that Kagome always reached. InuYasha blinked a few times, adjusting to this world with only Miroku, Sango, and the twins. “‘Bout time you finished,” he grumbled, standing fully in the shade.

“You know, an extra set of hands would be helpful next time,” Miroku suggested with a predictable waggle of his brows. InuYasha felt his own brows being dragged down; Kagome should’ve let the monk steal her iron cart and cycle away from them permanently back when they first met.

“No thanks.”

The days really were getting longer. The sun hadn’t budged, poised exactly where he last saw it. Sango snickered and InuYasha brushed past her, grabbing the basket of wet laundry and stomping from the grassy knoll to the main path. A stupid decision, really. The slayer’s eyes could have burnt holes through him if she’d been the right kind of demon. Even though she was a human, this type of stare would–

“Hey, InuYasha,” Sango began, and the half-demon let out an exasperated sigh. He fixed his focus to the huts ahead. Dark wood and reed mats and crackling fires.

“What?” Occasionally, a fractured piece of rock got stuck to the balls of his feet, and InuYasha was half tempted to kick one up to chuck at the trees.

“You can talk to us. You know that, right?”

“Keh.” And there it was, the block in his throat. How could he speak about Kagome like this? There wasn’t any room for the words.

“Is that all you have to say?” Sango snarled as the half-demon continued standing quietly, his expression unchanged. “Ever since the well reappeared, you’ve been acting like Kagome was never here! Don’t you miss her? Isn’t there any–”

“You don’t know a damn thing,” InuYasha ground out, closing the distance between them before the slayer could even finish. He stared down at her, but Sango met his glare relentlessly. She was the one who took Kagome’s towel without a second thought, Sango went through the bag Kagome packed right before their last battle together, and she was the person responsible for carelessly washing away the bergamot and lilies. “Kagome is safe and that’s it,” he finished and he meant it.

Sango grimaced, stomping her foot. InuYasha caught Kin’u watching them, thin brows scrunching just like her mother’s. “Oh, InuYasha, you’re absolutely insufferable!”

InuYasha placed a hand to his hip, yearning to step on a pebble. He scowled at Sango and gave the basket an extra sniff to remind himself how the scent of Kagome barely wrapped around Miroku and Sango’s. His body felt like a chattering leaf. “Did you expect me to cry or something?”

Sango sighed, walking past him and taking back her laundry. “No,” she mumbled, walking ahead of him.

Miroku stopped, clapping a hand to the half-demon’s shoulders. “Try not get too mad, she means well.”

“I know that,” InuYasha huffed, allowing the monk to step ahead. He watched the family, arms crossed over his chest, before picking up the rear. The five continued, a squeamish silence settling over them that left the twins lightly whimpering every now and again.

In a stroke of luck, InuYasha stepped on a rock. Kicking it up to his hands, he contemplated where to throw it. He tossed it in the air a few times. The silver ears atop his head swiveled, and a large grin spread across his features as he honed in on the unmistakable scent of a rabbit in the bushes. Wouldn’t hurt to spook the thing, InuYasha thought to himself, eyes on the forest. Just as he reeled his hand back, he lowered it, turning sharply to face Sango. She was pilfering through the laundry basket like a deranged woman. Ah, she finally snapped, InuYasha noted. “Isn’t there something of Kagome’s that you hold onto too!?” the slayer nearly screamed, thrusting that white and blue dotted piece of cloth like a trophy above her head.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” the half-demon retorted, tucking the rock in his robe. His hand glided past a smooth surface, something foreign to his clothes but close to him nonetheless. His fingers grasped at its binding. Miroku chuckled, much to InuYasha and Sango’s dismay. “What’s so funny, Bozo?”

“It’s just that there is a piece of Lady Kagome that you could never be rid of.” The half-demon squinted, his steeped ire pacified but not peacefully. Miroku inhaled theatrically, placing one hand on his hip and pointing his shakujo in an accusatory manner. InuYasha stepped back, eyes widening. Miroku leaned forward, revealing Gyokuto’s black hair from over his shoulder. “InuYasha, sit!”

“Ah!” InuYasha was instantly squashing his ears at the command, waiting to be slammed into the dirt. He never fell. A shiver sprinted up and down his spine all while Miroku laughed hysterically at his expense. The monk was doubled over, hands holding tightly to his dumb knees. “You bastard!” InuYasha roared, his fist already in the perfect position to whack some sense into that cheap excuse of a holy man. But then two big, brown eyes and cheeks that were way too round filled his vision and InuYasha stopped. Stupid monk with his stupid children and his stupid wife.

InuYasha was grumbling, sounds not forming words; thoughts running into dead ends. And then those thoughts were drowned out, consumed by the sound of his pulse, and InuYasha decided to share it. “I keep this!” He closed his eyes and held out a yellow book that read High School Mathematics: Quick Solutions to All Problems.

“Oh, so you did steal something of Lady Kagome’s,” Miroku responded, walking up to inspect the item.

“Uh, yeah. Wait, I didn’t steal it from her bag, I borrowed it from her house way before we met you lot.”

“Is that one of her school things?” Sango inquired, already mere centimeters from InuYasha. He didn’t remember her being that fast.

InuYasha shrugged. “Dunno, Myoga thought it had spells in it.”

“And you never gave it back?” Miroku asked, a whimsical smirk settling into place. InuYasha wanted to gag. “That would make it a stolen good.”

“Oh yeah, and what’s it to you?”

Miroku took the book from InuYasha, flipping through its pages. Some of them turned in chunks, demon guts and rainy weather having seeped through his robe at some point or another. “It’s weathered; surely Lady Kagome wouldn’t treat her belongings this way.”

“Hey, give that back!” InuYasha objected, attempting to swipe it. Miroku swerved, continuing to review the material like he knew exactly how it read. “I just forgot about it is all.” He was lying.

“I hope it wasn’t important. You know how upset Kagome gets about school,” Sango commented, her shoulders bouncing Kin’u lightly.

“She never said nothing to me about it,” InuYasha brushed off with a shrug, an odd pining for Kagome’s shrill nagging manifesting itself as plain as day. Miroku showed the book to Gyokuto, and she lifted a chubby arm out, her moist palm slamming onto one of the pages. “H-hey! Don’t let your kid touch that, it’s mine!”

Miroku ignored InuYasha completely, a warm expression gracing his features as he let his daughter continue her smacking. “Gyokuto, one day Papa will teach you how to read and maybe you’ll understand this.”

“Good luck, even I can’t make heads or tails of it,” InuYasha said, reaching out and successfully getting it back. The abrupt motion must have surprised Gyokuto because she began crying, and it didn’t take long for Kin’u to join in, and InuYasha let out another groan. This was all too much.

“Aw, I’m sorry, girls. Did the big dog startle you?”

“Whatever, let’s go,” InuYasha grunted, stomping ahead of the family once more.

The red of his robe leaked through to his vision and singed his cheeks. This conversation should never have happened; he shouldn’t have acknowledged that towel and he shouldn’t have gotten so worked up over the sit.

“InuYasha, slow down!” He ignored the request, feeling as if steam shot from his nostrils. He had half a mind to make a break for it, already far past his limit. “Come on,” Miroku all but pleaded.

“What!? What is it that you want now?” The half-demon barked, shoving Kagome’s book back into his robes.

InuYasha couldn’t explain why he’d waited for the two. Miroku’s expression was squared into a place that InuYasha wanted to keep his distance from. It looked like he was about to spout shit straight from the Buddha. “My friend, please understand.”

“Understand what, exactly?”

Piercing deep indigo clashed against flurrying amber.

“That we inhale and must consequently exhale, never experiencing the same breath twice. This is also true for those we meet on our path to enlightenment. They too must leave without returning, but the life they’ve given us can be appreciated long after we’ve breathed anew.” A single bushy brow rose at the analogy. Miroku cleared his throat, continuing, “Lady Kagome may be in her world, but she has managed to keep a part of herself here nonetheless. Through towels or books, my friend, she is with us and we should value that.” He patted InuYasha, right where Kagome’s book lay underneath layers of fire rat.

-X-

• “i know better, but I still feel you all around. i know better, but you’re still around.” -taylor swift, “marjorie” •

[cosmiclatte28]

Sunshine (Taeyong x reader + Jaehyun)

warning : death of pets, dogs

tagging @neopalette

community @multifandomnet @supermwritersnet

The empty spot next to his pillow greets Taeyong this morning. The young man wipes his swollen red eyes as he gets up to wash his face and gets ready for another boring regular day. His feet slip into the soft pairs of slippers on the ground and he shuffles his way to the bathroom. Lazily he washes his face and brushes his teeth, eyes wetting once again when he realizes his best friend is really gone. His favorite dog passed away last week and he still can’t get over it. A lot of activities remind him of the cute small angel who used to cling into his leg and follows him around, but not anymore. Ruby has left for a better place.

Taeyong checks his notification panel and closes it one more time after seeing messages from his bestfriends, family and colleagues. The wallpaper still hurt him, the last picture of Ruby smiling in his embrace, Taeyong promised himself he will stop crying when he sees Ruby’s wallpaper, but here he is still feeling his eyes tear up when Ruby is present.

He brushes away his brown fluffy hair and dresses himself up to finally walk to the office. He’s been asking the boss to let him work from home for the last week and since the boss is his friend, he could get his wish granted. But now he has to return to his regular life.

--

The bus ride was okay, he didn’t meet anyone annoying, instead he feels better seeing people he used to see commute with the same bus line in the morning. Taeyong plugs in his earphone and takes a look at the window. He feels better upon seeing the leaves, the busy streets and the warm sun kissing his cheeks when he steps down off the bus and walks to his office.

“Here we go,” he holds his breath for a while before finally letting it go as he steps into the tall building.

“Hey good morning Taeyong! It’s been awhile.” The front desk greeter smiles upon seeing him and Taeyong gets his morning boost already.

“Morning Jungwoo,” he smiles at the sweet guy and escapes his way to the lift.

His colleagues are all happy to see him again, everyone is considerate enough to not ask him about his dog and help him think of something else like a movie he should try watching and a new cafe he should try coming.

He concluded that today is not a bad day. He might even consider to visit the dog park, because he missed going to that park but a part of him tells him he’ll be sad remembering Ruby but another part says maybe this is the right time he tries to let the sadness go and see if he can be happy again when going to that park

So, in the afternoon, with his best friend Jaehyun, Taeyong visits the dog park near his house.

There in the park there’s a lot of people walking their dog around and the dogs are just having fun chasing balls and running around with other dogs.

Jaehyun picks a comfortable place to sit and Taeyong places his working bag down.

“So, how’s love life?” Jaehyun begins to ask him some questions all men their age ask each other about other than cars and footballs. Taeyong chuckles, “Single after the last break up.”

Jaehyun nods “Ah, still afraid of falling in love?” He knows his best friend, he knows the heartbreak Taeyong went through and he doesn’t want Taeyong to be uncomfortable.

Taeyong shakes his head “No one likes me.” to which Jaehyun snorts and hits his friend “No way! With that look, smile and gentle heart everyone is dying to have you!”

Taeyong has his eyes trembling but he laughs along to Jaehyun, that’s what his grandmother told him too but look at him being single till now.

“What about you Jae?” He asks his friend back while keeping his eyes focus on a big dog chasing a smaller dog. A small smile creeps up his face when he sees how silly the big dog looks.

“I found someone last week. We met in the bookstore, I was just looking for a cooking book and she recommended some to me, then we talked and eventually I got her number. We went for a coffee date. She’s interesting.” Jaehyun has a blush on his cheeks as he talks.

Taeyong nods “Must be nice.” He shrugs his shoulders only to suddenly hear some faint noise of a girl talking to her dog.

“Where are you going Amber,” your voice trails along your small dog that’s sniffing something on the grass then jumps to walk along the seating area like a wall but its short enough for people to sit around.

Amber, your small poodle, just keeps on sniffing and walking, as if following a trail and suddenly your eyes widen when your small poodle casually just jumps to a stranger’s lap and sniffs around his lap only to sit down and have the man pat her head.

You run to catch the naughty dog, and once you’re in front of the two good looking men you feel shy.

“I am sorry for my dog.” you bow to them but one of them, who has a sweet dimple, just laughs and shakes his head. “Don’t worry, we love dogs.” He glances at his friend, Taeyong, who is busy rubbing the dog and smiling sweetly.

“Amber, what are you looking for from him? He has no dog treats.” you shake your dog's treat and that catches her attention but she doesn’t move an inch from Taeyong’s lap.

“Come here Amber, what did I tell you about greeting others?” You raise your brow and your dog just plants his chin on Taeyong’s arm and makes puppy eyes which of course melt the hearts of the three of you.

“Aww look at you, cute princess.” Taeyong baby talks to the dog while slowly picking it up to pass it to you back.

You take the dog and thank him before finally putting the leash on so she can’t run away.

“I am so sorry and thank you. Amber was not confident around other dogs, that’s why I brought her here to socialize and it looks like she loves people more than dogs.” you sit on the next empty spot.

“That’s okay, it’s cute to see her run to me.” Taeyong rubs at the dog that’s climbing up to sit on his lap again.

“Oh Amber, you really like him don’t you?” You grin at your dog and tuck a hair away from your face.

“I haven’t seen you around, my name is (y/n),” you introduce yourself.

They quickly exchange their names with you. The dimple guy is Jaehyun and the other one with brown wide eyes is Taeyong.

Both of you settle for a quick talk about dogs, you learn that Taeyong just lost his dog but he’s glad to find a cute Amber here now.

“I’m glad Amber is here now, right you cutie. I’ll see you next time around.” Taeyong grins to the dog after playing with her ears.

You smile “I live around here, I always take Amber to the park around this hour. It was nice meeting both of you, I’ll see you around.” you bid goodbye to Jaehyun who gets a call from his girlfriend.

Now it’s just you and Taeyong and he nicely offers you to buy a coffee someday to get to know each other more, now that he heard both of you are working on the same field and that both of you love dogs.

“I’ll have to bring Amber some good treats next time. She’s the one who lets me know you.” Taeyong already shows much love to your dog.

You smile back, liking how this might end. “Alright, I'll see you tomorrow for coffee and Amber will run to you again if you bring good snacks.”

Taeyong nods and hands you his phone so you can type in your number.

He saved your number and texted you a hi, so you can get his number too and check if it's a scam or not.

Both of you said goodbye and Taeyong took his bus back home. He glances to the sky, watching the cloud move with the sky and he smiles when he sees Ruby in one of the clouds.

“I miss you, but you go have fun there, I found someone that brings a smile to my face again.”

He correlates you and Amber to sunshine, the one that brightens his day, the one that brings a smile to his face, and of course back then Ruby was his sunshine. Now, he has two sunshine and that’s all he needs to be the Taeyong he was once again.

End

[sweatergirlsposts]

Imagine Leah Imprinting and Rosalie Finding her Mate, You, a Lion Shifter

Title:  The Lion, The Wolf, and the Vampire

Pairing: Leah Clearwater x Male!Reader x Rosalie Hale Cullen

Request By: @rexburn12​ (Song Imagine)

(A/N: So sorry for the late imagine request, I hope y’all like it!!)

It started with a hum, that turned into a whisper, until the whisper couldn’t be contained as it was. The whisper became notes that carried in the air, light like a feather but longing as they floated along. 

“I found a love...for me”

Almost inaudible to all ears that were around the bonfire, two individuals heads had perked up at the haunting voice. 

Every year as a way to celebrate the birth Renesmee, The Cullens, Jacob, Seth and Leah would have annual bonfire on The Cullen land. Why a bonfire? Well some of the Cullen’s, specifically a certain blonde and pixie cut Cullen, couldn’t stand the smell of lingering wolf shifter in the main house. Also, a certain wolf shifter, who had to be there because of them being the Alpha’s Beta, didn’t want to step foot into the Cullen’s house. So as a compromise for all parties, they would have a birthday bonfire for the half human-vampire child. 

“Darling just dive right in” 

There it was again. Rosalie looked around bonfire trying to find the direction the voice came from.  

“Did you hear that?” Rosalie uttered talking to no one specially, but Bella was the first to pick up what she said.

“Hear what?” questioned Bella.

“And follow my lead” sang a voice, almost like the call of a siren.

“That,” Rosalie spun in the direction of East, “There’s something out there”

Everyone looked over concerned at Rose, if something was going to happen wouldn’t have Alice seen it and warned all of them. All the Cullens were silent for a minute trying to detect a sound or a scent that roamed around the woods but detected nothing. 

“I’m not making this up,” Rosalie announced to the group frustrated that they couldn’t hear what she was witnessing. Bella placed her hand on Renesmee’s shoulder in worry that something was coming to threaten her family.

“Blondie is right, I can hear it,” piped Leah from the other side of the campfire confused that she was the only other one hearing it too, “and smell it.”

Seth placed a hand on her arm worried about his sister.  

Leah looked over to Rosalie in surprise with a dash of distaste. After all, the Cullen’s and Bella were the main reason why they attracted that psychotic red headed vampire that killed her father, Harry. So why in the hell was she starting to hear the things the blonde bloodsucker was hearing, unlike the rest of the group she thought.   

“Well, I found a girl,” 

Rosalie could hear the voice again, it was masculine by the sound of the tone and the pitch. The male voice was captivating and soulful as it rang through the night, not disturbing the nightlife but acting as one of the many sounds that belonged with it.

“Is everything alright Aunt Rosie?” Renesmee asked Rosalie, innocently tugging on her sleeve.

“I don’t know my little snowflake”

In Renesmee’s first years of life, Rosalie would tend to look after her the most besides Edward and Bella. She gave her many nicknames over the years but two that stood the test of time were sweetheart and little snowflake.   

 “Beautiful and Sweet”

“Ms. Clearwater, would you be able to track the scent for us? Carlisle asked Leah, who nodded still distracted by the voice, “Bella I think you should take Renesmee back to the house, the rest of us will go look for what is out there” 

Bella collected Renesmee into her arms before taking her back to the Cullen house instead of Edward and her’s small cottage. It would be safer there. In the years that came after the initial ‘immortal child’ incident, Renesmee hadn’t really changed the age of her look. The growth spurt she first had was so impactful that the next one’s would very slowly come and catch up eventually. She looked the same from the time of the incident because her internal clock was still catching up with her body and when it would she’d start to age appropriately like a normal human.     

“I never knew you were someone waiting for me,” the singing was now getting further away, like it was traveling in the opposite direction of them. 

They needed to follow it now or else it would be gone forever Rosalie felt the panic within her as the singing was getting quieter. Leah felt the same thing coursing through her self too.

Without another thought or the go ahead of anyone else, Leah ran towards the direction of the voice and turned, letting out her giant white wolf form. She needed to find it before it was too late, and no one else was going to slow her down. Not even a second later, Rosalie followed in pursuit. 

Meanwhile across the woodland, you had your duffel bag in hand mindlessly passing through the territory on your way to Seattle. You had wanted a change of scenery from hiding in the rocky mountains in British Columbia and wanted to return home to Nevada. Seattle was going to just be a pit stop on the way. 

You decided to take the scenic route and stop by in the Olympic National forest to hunt. It was better this way to hunt here than in the city or any town, plus you didn’t want to attract attention in this state being who you are. If the locals said that they found a lion roaming around the forest and not the savanna, you were bound to be hunted and place on someone’s fireplace mantel.

A lone wolf you were...actually a lone lion, the last one. When you first turned, you didn’t go home, you ran away as far as you could and never looked back. Homeless and hungry for many years you were until someone gave you a job on a native reserve up north. The natives had helped you develop your skills of changing and told you stories about shifters like yourself but had no proof that others currently existed. You built a cabin and lived there up til a couple weeks ago, when you had mastered your changing ability and decided it was time to go home.   

You had your earbuds plugged in jamming to your tunes from the phone you obtained through hard work. An honest man you like to think of your self as you’d work for everything that was currently on your body and in your bag. You walked through the forest not minding the cover of night as you were walking in the direction towards Seattle from the national park. 

The song ‘Perfect’ By Ed Sheeran had come on your playlist. You started to hum it which turned into a whisper and then you started to sing. Back at your temporary home with the natives in the rocky mountains, they had praised your singing. Apparently it was one of your gifts that had been bestowed upon you, as a shifter. Some could run fast or have immeasurable strength but you had been blessed with the voice of an angel. You learned to busk and sing to make some extra money, which didn’t hurt. 

“Cause we were just kids when we fell in love, not knowing what it was, I will not give you up this timeeeee!” you belted not giving a care, “Darling just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own! And in your eyes your’re holding mine!”

Little to your unbeknownst, you didn’t notice the smell or vibration on the ground of a large group heading your way, for you were too absorbed in the music. 

“Baby, I’m dancing in the dark with you between my arms. Barefoot on the grass listening to our favourite song!” you bellowed with eyes closed, “When you said you looked a mess, I whispered underneath my breath, but you heard it, darling, you look perfect tonight!”   

You let the music trail off without realizing that you had two sets of eyes following your form from a distance. Leah had found you first by following the sounds of your enchanting voice and distinct smell of artificial pine and sandalwood. 

She stopped from a distance behind a set of bushes, assessing whether or not you were a danger to her. She admired from behind your (N/C) hair and your (B/T) form. You wore a dark olive coloured canvas jacket overtop a light blue button-up shirt with black jeans. You had your eyes closed when you turned around, and still singing, when she saw your face.

Like an incoming headache, it came hard and fast to Leah almost knocking her back. Like a roller coaster going down after the first gigantic incline, Leah could feel her mind and soul lift, as if she was having an out of body experience, then be slammed back into her form. As she came back to reality from the mind boggling experience, the center of her gravity refocused under a new light, your light.   

‘So this is the whole rave about imprinting, I can see why Sam and the rest of them went crazy for coco puffs,’ Leah thought to herself comparing the mental state of imprinting to a cereal slogan.

She wasn’t the only one that felt that very same thing when she looked at your handsome face. On cue, Rosalie was the next one to see your unaware form singing in the forest. 

To Rosalie, you not only sounded perfect but you were. Gracefully and oblivious you moved naturally like a willow tree in the wind. Your face had the perfect curvature that she wanted to trace with her fingers and eyes. She could only imagine what your eyes looked like. Blue like water found at Isle Esme, ivy green like the colour her father’s study was when she was human, or possibly brown like a rich worn leather jacket? She needed to know. 

Coming to your senses, you smelt something in the distance. One scent smelt like you but not at the same time, and the other you couldn’t recognize as something that you have witnesses in your life. 

Not wanting to tear one of your better outfits, you quickly undressed to your skimmies. You could sense it was near, observing you even, so you turned.

Shedding your true self, came forth the king of the jungle, your lion form. Full luscious golden mane and tan fur. Whiskey in the sunlight eyes shined through the darkness in the forest, scanning to find whoever was watching you. 

You took one more sniff in the air before charging at whoever was behind the set of bushes not too far. You pounce on a form, surprisingly almost as large as yours and had them on their back. Doing a once over of the form beneath your claws, you noticed that it was a large white wolf with eyes that look scared but mixed with something else within them. You didn’t know the emotion but you started to get dizzy looking at the wolf. You looked away trying to focus on something but your eyes then fell upon a blonde women that you assumed was with the wolf. Again the dizziness hit you.  

You felt more than fine a few seconds ago, what happened to you?

You got off the wolf and started walking backwards. You pawed at your muzzle to try and wipe the feeling away but it kept coming. You saw yourself, slightly older stuck in theses woods, with two other people. Women? One a strikingly elegant pale blonde and the other an alluring rustic dark raven haired women. Each held your hand simply walking through the forest, each with their head on your shoulders, dreamily listening to you sing. The song you sang in this vision was the one you just belted in the forest. 

What was this feeling? What did you see? Who were those two women? You recognized the blonde one from the vision as the one in front of you but the other women was unknown.    

You shifted back to your human form unable to take anymore of what you saw. 

“What the hell?” you whispered to yourself getting up off the forest floor in the nude. 

Leah reverted back as well, also being in the nude, and realized that you imprinted on her as well. 

‘Shifter imprinting on shifter, was unheard of, let alone on a whole ‘nother species of shifter,’ she processed

You rubbed your eyes before focusing your vision on the blonde and now present raven haired women in front of you.

“What did you guys just do to me?”

“You’re talking to both of us?” Leah asked when you referred to the both of them.  

“Yeah, you guys were watching and did something to me. I just had the weirdest vision with the both of you in it for some reason?!” you massaged your temples then made eye contact with the both of them. 

The both of them?!?! Leah and Rosalie simultaneously thought. In less than a  couple seconds, the rest of the Cullens showed up along with Seth and Jacob as wolves. After getting to a closer distance, everyone in the group could hear the mesmerizing singing that Rosalie and Leah did hear before it stopped. Leah and yourself ducked behind the bushes to hide your guys modesty. 

“Woah geez I didn’t expect a whole flock of you guys to come running,” you held out your hands to show that didn’t want to attack. 

“Who are you people? Especially you guys, the wolves, are you guys all shifters?” you pointed questioningly at the two large wolves still utterly bewildered at the situation.  

“Who are you?” spoke Rosalie gazing over body taking in all the details.  

“I’m (Y/N), I was just hunting in the area and just leaving to go to Seattle. I don’t mean to hunt on your guys land, I was just taking a detour,” you eyed each individual but your eyes lingered on the lady shifter beside you and the blonde. 

“Where do you come from (Y/N)?” asked the stunning women beside you in the bushes.

“Rocky Mountains, British Columbia. I didn’t think that there were any shifters left other than myself, I thought I was the last one” you laughed in disbelief, “And you didn’t answer my question. What did you guys do to me like what was that whole vision thing you did?”   

“You imprinted on them,” spoke the lean pale brunet man stepping forward from the rest of the group, “The vision you saw was in the future of the bond you share with my sister Rosalie and Leah, the shifter beside you”

“Wait what’s imprinting?”  

“In our case, it’s a profound bond between you, her, and myself if you saw the three of us in your vision,” Leah, the lady that stood beside you, explained gesturing to you herself and the blonde Rosalie.

“Ummm okay, I’m still slightly confused and uncomfortable at the moment, due to the lack of clothing. Is it possible that maybe we can discuss this somewhere else with more than just bushes covering,” you waved your hand in front of the bushes covering your genitals, “this please?” 

“Personally I don’t mind the view,” muttered Leah sending you a wink.

“Me neither,” you mumbled side eyeing her gorgeous body.  

In a snap, Rosalie collected your clothing and your duffel from the ground, where you left them, and handed them to you. Rosalie’s hand brushed against yours sending feel-good tingles down your spine. Her body was ice cold to the touch but was perfectly contrasting your blazing skin. You sent her a dashing smirk her way and she gave you a genuine teeth-showing smile, something she rarely showed others.  

You put on your clothes and gave Leah some shorts and shirt to wear in the meantime, because she didn’t have any clothes nearby. 

“Our home is more than a walk back, I recommend that you travel with one of us,” said the mature blond man of the group. Rosalie raced over by your side and picked you up bridal style.  

“Wow, now this one I can check of my bucket list,” you said taken aback by the sudden position.

“And what is that handsome?”

“To be held by an angel,”

Nevada seemed like a distant memory at that moment in time. Home no longer seemed to be Nevada, it now was in the arms of this exquisite blonde and in the eyes of the ravishing raven haired women.  

MASTERLIST

[wolfish-trickster]

Lost traveler

4/?

Loki x female!reader

Word count: 1 084

Tag list: @gaitwae @lucywrites02 @hard-to-be-the-bard @birdgirl90 @laramoonworld

Summary: A mysterious traveler visits Asgard and thanks to an accident has to stay for longer than she expected. Bonds are created but also shattered along the way.

A/N: reader has elemental powers, something like avatar the last airbender.

Loki always liked nature. It was quiet enough for him to think or relax with a book, always changing, interesting with its abilities to not only heal but also kill. Unfortunately, he was the only one in 'his' friend group to think this way. Thor and the rest always picked a sword into fight and left all the thinking at home. It was quite refreshing to see someone like you enjoying a walk through forrest.

He still hadn't figured out why you keep your name secret. Are you a wanted criminal? Would be fun if you were. Even though you really don't look like one.

He looked behind his back to check on you. You were always behind the group. You occasionally stopped to sniff a flower, pick up a rock in a funny shape or just stopped and listened to birds' singing. You really were an interesting person.

He slowed down to walk next to you. "So, Astrid, where exactly are you from?"

"Ehm, it's far away," you fidgeted with your fingers.

"How far?"

"Very."

Loki lifted an eyebrow at you. "Not the type to talk too much, are you?"

"At first, not really. I just need some time. I barely know you after all."

Right. Clever girl. "So you aren't someone to blindly trust, correct?"

"More or less," you chuckled and relaxed a little.

However your shoulders became stiff again when Thor's big strong arm snaked around them. "Stop interrogating the poor girl," he chuckled and winked at you.

You unwrapped his arm from around yourself. "He wasn't interrogating. We were just talking."

"So were we in the front! Fandral had an idea; let's make campfire and tell eachother stories of Asgardian heroes. Just like we used to. And our dear Astrid will at least lear about us and this land!"

"Isn't it too bright for a campfire?" you asked and gestured at the still shining sun.

"I guess we will have to wait till sunset. A very romantic one," Thor put on his seductive smile. Loki knew that smile all to well. Whenever there was a new girl in the court or an old childhood friend grew into beauty that smile made an appearance. It also made appearance whenever Loki showed interest in a girl, whether a romantic or platonic one.

You looked very uncomfortable at his flirting, to both Thor's and Loki's surprise. "Oookay then, if that's what you want to do..." and you speed walked towards Sif. Loki imagined it was more of a 'get away from Thor' reason than to just befriend Sif.

"What is up with her? Do I have something in my teeth?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "She isn't interested Thor. First time hurts, doesn't it?"

"Oh you shut up," Thor playfully shoved him to the side.

~~~

Sif and you settled on a small meadow inbetween woods. You talked about weather and flora and fauna of this planet. You still didn't reveal anything about you. With your amulet still damaged and cold against your skin you just felt vulnerable. Sif, to your disappointment didn't know much about plants and their abbilities, but the younger prince made up for it.

You started to like Loki. He was quiet, observative, kind of an introvert like yourself. When he mentioned he likes reading you immediately wanted to ask him his favourite genre, author, book, quote from the said book, character, setting, trope...

But you couldn't be open, not yet. They were still strangers to you. Even though they were nice.

"Hey Silvertongue! Have you tested her yet?" Volstagg shouted at the both of you sitting under a giant old oak from across the field. He, Fandral and Thor went for a run into the woods few minutes ago and returned all sweaty and exhausted.

"That's right! You did not test her yet!" Sif woke from herlight nap.

"What test?"

Thor took off his beige shirt and started stretching his muscles. "My dear brother has this test to determine whether you are worthy of his time or not. He always does it to everyone. Even all of us. According to his words no one passed yet. Seems like he likes you enough to not even test you," he glared at grinning Loki.

"I was merely waiting for the right time," he stood up and gestured for you to do the same. His golden magic shined around his fingers as he made a square of grass disappear from infront of you.

You gasped. "You're a warlock!" you nearly shouted excitedly.

"What?" Loki asked confused.

"A warlock. You know, someone who deals with magic and stuff."

"And that is what fascinated you? Him doing little magic?" Sif asked, more surprised than confused.

"Well, it's a long story. For another time," you studied tips of your boots.

Loki blinked few times to ground himself. No one has ever been this excited to see his tricks before. He made a wooden stick appearen in his hand (to which he ganed a 'so cool' from you and angry glare from his brother) and gave it to you.

"With this stick you will draw the perfect weapon for every fight or war against any enemy into this dirt," he pointed at the de-grassed place.

You thought for a while. With a smile you started to draw one straight line after another until you drew a box. You looked up into their faces. Most of them were confused, Sif was holding back a laugh.

"A box?" Hogun tried to look at the drawing from every possible angle.

"You have never been in a real fight and it shows," Fandral shook his head.

"Remind me to teach you some moves later," Sif said in between chuckles.

"What did you mean by that drawing?" Loki asked.

"Well, there is no such thing as a perfect weapon for everything and against everyone. People, who are good with swords will imagine sword as the perfect weapon. Those who prefer daggers will imagine daggers and so on. In this box is whatever a person needs and is good with," you explained, hoping it was good enough of an answer.

Loki just smiled proudly at you. "She passed."

[earlysunsetsoverambrose]

Fool For You (2/4)

Lester Sinclair x f!Reader 

Warnings: Cursing

A/N: Part 2 of a request for @mynameisliterallycash!

When Lester said he was getting dog food, you figured he meant one or two small bags. Instead, you watched as he hefted two huge bulk bags of food over his shoulder. They each had to weigh around fifty pounds and he carried them like they were nothing. Your eyes widened as your jaw dropped, awestruck by the casual display of muscle.

Dazed still, you trailed after him to the checkout. While he made idle chatter with the clerk, he was completely unaware you were wrapped up in an entirely different check out of your own. Heat rose to your cheeks, allured by Lester’s physical strength as daydreams of him literally sweeping you off your feet flooded your thoughts. He turned around, snapping you back to reality as you tried to wipe the dopey expression off your face.

“Alright then, ya ready to –” Lester stopped short, sending you a puzzled look, “Hey are ya okay?”

“What? Of course, I am. Why are you asking?” you responded rapidly, embarrassed you’d been caught staring a third time.

“Ya sure? Ya look a little red. Ya ain’t gettin’ sick or nothin’, are ya?” Lester said concerned. He reached out his free hand and pressed its back against your forehead, “Don’t feel like ya got a fever.”

“N-no, I’m fine,” you stuttered, his hand against your head sending static through your brain as you tried to come up with an excuse, “It’s just from the cold air today, I think.”  

“Okay, if ya say so.” Lester shrugged as he gestured for you to follow him out the door. You cleared your throat, thankful for the gust of wind that cooled the fire trapped in your face.  

“You sure you don’t need help with those?” you asked.  

“These? Nah, they ain’t so bad,” Lester responded, “You oughta see some of the bucks I gotta haul ‘round. Damn things weigh a ton! Nearly threw out my back once tryin’ to throw one on the truck.”

“Never knew you were a regular strongman. I guess it never occurred to me the deer can’t carry their own dead weight.” You said with growing admiration.

“That’s what I’m there for!” Lester said gleefully as he tossed the bags in the back. He closed the bed and rested against the truck as he crossed his arms.

“Well, thanks for taking me along for the ride, anyway.” You said, leaning next to him.

“Sure thing! I love bringin’ ya ‘long like this,” Lester told you, affectionately nudging you with his elbow, “I’ll tell ya, havin’ someone to talk to wouldn’t hurt during my day job neither. Might go a long way makin’ some of the time go by. Gets a little too quiet drivin’ ‘round all day all by myself.”

“Well, would you mind if I tagged along once in a while?” you proposed, looking up at him.

“Ya’d do that? I mean, ya’d really want to?” Lester asked excitedly, “It can get kinda gnarly.”

“Sure. Why not? Can’t be any gnarlier than Bo on a bad day. It’s got to be better than sitting around getting old in Ambrose.” You said, smiling back at him.

“Ya really don’t have to, if ya don’t want.” He said, giving you the option changing your mind.

“I know I don’t, but I would really like to go with you. That is, if you don’t mind.” You could practically see him vibrating with joy.

“Mind? Course I don’t mind! We’re gonna have so much fun together, I promise! Thanks, Y/N! You’re the best!” he exclaimed, elated. He jumped up from the truck and wrapped you up in a tight hug, swinging you back and forth. You couldn’t contain you laughter, even if you couldn’t breathe with the way he was squeezing you.

Lester set you back down, leaving you with only a ghost of the feeling of his warm embrace. You lingered in place trying to memorize the sensation while he went ahead to open the passenger door for you without a second thought. Once you were seated, he closed the door and got back in beside you. He threw you a carefree smile as you took off once again.

The two of you made lighthearted conversation on the way back to Lester’s cabin. You started going back and forth about the art of catching various animals that try to make a home in your garbage. Well, it was mostly Lester walking you through the process, breaking it down by species. You listened to how he had basically mastered the art of pest wrangling without killing them. Your heart swelled hearing how insistent he was that killing them wasn’t necessary. He never wanted to hurt anyone or anything if he could help it.

You were just about to ask him a question, when he abruptly hit the brakes. You both lurched forward before falling back into your seats. You glanced around, collecting yourself from the sudden stop.

“Is everything okay? Why’d you stop?” He didn’t answer, as he began to carefully scan your surroundings, “What are you looking for? Lester?”  

“There she is!” Lester shouted, pressing his face up against his window, totally distracted from your questions. He smiled back at you over his shoulder, “Follow me!” He threw his door open without another word and jumped out, anxiously waiting for you to join him.

“Follow you where? Wait for me!” you called after him. You swiftly slid out of the car and onto the ground, clueless as to why you stopped here of all places. Lester darted ahead, chasing something you couldn’t see. You did your best to follow close, but he ducked down into the grass. You jogged to where he disappeared to find him on his knees, reveling in an assault of kisses from a delighted stray dog. Surprise took over your features, thrilled to be meeting a new friend.

“I missed ya too, girl!” Lester gasped through his uncontrollable laughter, echoing through the woods, “Ya been good a doggy? I bet ya have! Hope ya ain’t been too lonely out here!”

“Who’s this, Lester?” you asked in gentle voice, immediately enamored with the dog before you. She was about Jonesy’s size, with a blonde shaggy coat. She looked young with energy and enthusiasm that gave Lester a run for his money.

“Oh, Y/N! I’d like ya to meet Buttercup!” Lester said as he separated himself from the dog’s abundance of affection, “Buttercup, this is my friend Y/N!”

“A pleasure to meet you, Miss Buttercup.” You said as you got down to offer your hand for a sniff. Buttercup took a few whiffs before deciding you were in fact a friend. Her tail wagged back and forth as she allowed you to pet her as well, “She’s so cute, Lester!”

“I know! Ain’t she the sweetest?” Lester concurred, “I found her snoozin’ in a patch of buttercups, so that’s what I started callin’ her!”

“How long has she been here?” you asked, scratching Buttercup behind the ears as she jumped up to rest her front paws on Lester’s shoulders, licking his face once more.

“A while now, I see a few strays runnin’ ‘round while I’m workin’. So, I try and visit with ‘em, if I can. But I left some bowls to fill when I’m on my route, case they get hungry.” Lester managed to gesture to an empty bowl a few feet away from you despite being smothered by more kisses. That explained the industrial sized bags of food. “Speaking of which – you hungry, Buttercup?” she barked in response.

Lester grabbed the bowl and jogged back to the truck to fill it with Buttercup in tow. Your eyes followed after him, the dopey look returning to your face. He conversed with Buttercup like an old friend as he scooped out her food. He was so attentive and kind, listening to her response and matching her excitement. They made their way back to you, thick as thieves. Lester set the bowl down when he made it back next to you, petting Buttercup while she dug into her meal, “Now, don’t eat so fast ya get sick, there’s plenty where that came from. Ole Lester’s got ya covered.”

You let out a deep sigh, endeared by the scene before you. Lester treated every person and creature with such consideration and care; and he never asked for anything in return. He had so much love in his heart and he was willing to share it with anyone who wanted it. With as much as he gives to everyone else, you wondered if anyone had ever told him how much they care about him or appreciate his presence in their life. He deserved to have someone who could give him back all the love he put into the world.

You wanted to be the one. You would finally treat him right. He all but stole your heart and he deserved to hear it from you, even if he might not feel the same. The consequences suddenly didn’t seem to matter so much in this moment. You wanted him to know how important he really was to you, because everyone deserves to know they are loved. You needed to tell him now while you were brave enough.

“Lester, there’s something I need to tell you.” You started, heartbeat racing in your ears, drowning out all the doubt and second thoughts. He perked up, listening close.

“Ya can tell me anythin’, Y/N. Ya know that.” Lester said softly, that warm smile pulling at your heartstrings again.

“Lester…I lo–” a deafening crack of thunder cut you off. With that, Buttercup hightailed it back into hiding. You gasped as you stood, starting after her, worried she may get lost or hurt in the impending storm. You moved to run after her, “Oh no, Buttercup, wait!”

“Hold up, Y/N! Ya can’t catch her, believe me, I tried.” Lester called to stop you, “I tried gettin’ her in the truck a few times to go to a shelter, but she don’t like it. If she ain’t ready to go, we can’t make her. She’ll come ‘round when she’s ready.”

“But we can’t just leave her out here.” You said, searching the area for any sign of her.

“Don’t worry ‘bout her too much, she’s a survivor.” Lester said, putting a comforting hand on your shoulder. “’Sides she’s got a little hideout not far from here. I found her there a couple times and left a few blankets after makin’ sure it wouldn’t cave in on her. It’ll keep her nice and dry ‘til this blows over. Alright? She’ll be safe, I promise.”

“Are you sure?” You asked, almost tearing up at the thought of her shivering somewhere all by herself.

“Sure as my name is Lester Sinclair. We can even come check on her tomorrow, if ya like.” Lester offered, “But we really oughta get outta here ‘fore the rain starts.”

“Okay,” you said hesitantly, “Promise we can check on her?”

“Yes ma’am, I swear. Cross my heart.” Lester assured you, drawing an X over his chest.

You both started toward the truck once more. You silently cursed the weather for interrupting your confession. The moment had passed and the doubts had returned to their work. Despite this, the affection swelling in your chest still pulled you to act on some part of it.

Without thinking too hard for once, you took Lester’s hand in yours. He glanced down to your linked hands and then back at you.

“Are ya scared of thunder storms?” He asked curiously.

“No. Why?” You responded, confused where he got that idea.

“Ya just look a little nervous is all. Thought ya might not like thunder or somethin’.” Lester explained, “I know storms used to scare the hell outta me when I was a kid. Never used to like ‘em one bit, ‘specially if I was by myself.”

“No, I kind of like storms.” You told him.

“Oh, then are your hands cold or somethin’?” Lester asked, gesturing with your connected hands, trying to understand the reason for the spontaneous handholding.

“Uh, well, not exac–”

“Cause ya look a little rosy again. Just makin’ sure ya ain’t gettin’ frostbite or nothin’.” He interjected.

“No, I’m okay.” You told him with your hundredth sigh of the day.

“Well, just in case. Take this.” He said as he released your hand and took off his hat to pull it over your eyes with a chuckle. He readjusted it on your head, revealing the way he was beaming at you. You rarely got to see him without his trusty hat. Even with his hair being a little sweaty and sticking every which way, it was still ridiculously tempting to run your fingers through. The energy radiating from him was so wholesome and pure. Looking at him, you could swear the clouds lifted and the sun was shining all of a sudden. He squeezed your cheeks in his hands, with a laugh, “There, now ain’t that better! Nice and toasty.”

“T-thanks, Les.” You stuttered, reaching up to feel the soft fabric of his hat, the heat in your cheeks only growing more intense under his hold on your face.

 “My pleasure! I gotta say ya look mighty cute right now. Helluva lot better than I ever looked.” He told you, releasing your face and patting you on the back, “Now, let’s make like Buttercup and get to shelter!”

You made it back to the truck right before the heavy rain started pouring down. Lester took off down the road again, toward his cabin. You watched through the window as the storm raged on outside, matching the storm in your mind. The time had felt so right to tell Lester everything, but now you weren’t sure. What you were sure of, however, is that you needed to tell him soon. You thought you might actually burst if you didn’t. You couldn’t keep living like this.      

[mirismuffins-ovo]

Plant Palace pt 9.2🌿

(Second part of chapter nine)

Eddie sipped his morning coffee, Bitty and Leafy curled up in a little patch of sun. Spring was coming around the corner and Eddie couldn’t wait. He was about to release his band’s EP called ‘Calling”. Each member wrote a message to their future self to listen to about their past to remind them that this was one part in their lives. He was quite excited.

It had been a month and a half since John returned to his home, to the girls. Eddie finally convinced him to go home to care for the girls while he finished up. Well after this weekend, he would be able to see John and the girls. The previous day Eddie had gotten a letter.

It was addressed to him in gorgeous handwriting. Bitty rubbed up against it so he knew it was from John. He felt his heart swell with happiness when he began reading it. It wasn’t from John like he had originally thought, it was from John’s mother. She was inviting him to come to their location, with directions and a key. He was going to respond, but he thought a surprise would be better.

That Friday night after the EP release party, he returned home to grab his things as well as the cat carriers. Bitty was calm but Leafy was meowing up a storm. Eddie reached a small town outside of the camp and decided to stay the night, knowing it’ll be much better to see everyone in the sun. The cats slept with him on the bed and in the morning after a nice shower and wrangling the cats back into their carriers, he set off.

A dense forest of trees placed perfectly was perfect to throw off anyone traveling in this direction. John’s mother mentioned it was the work of another Abnormal to throw illusions at strangers who didn’t have an invite or a key. But soon he could see a gated area and a few people posted at the front.

He showed them the key and allowed them to pass through. Eddie followed the letter’s direction until he came to a parking patch. He parked the cars and got the cats out. Bitty was in her carrier scratching to be let out, smelling her cat dad everywhere.

“Bitty, calm down sweetheart. I’m excited to see him too.”

As he broke off from his car, a few other people, a few Abnormals, started to look at him weird, almost looking terrified. Carrying the cats, he started to make his way towards one of the small homes. She had written that this was John’s house in the camp. As he got closer, he could see three little girls running around in cute dresses and playing. He’d set Bittys carrier down and opened it,knowing she would stick close.Just then the door opened to the small house, John coming out with a tray of a type of nectar in glasses.

Right then, Bitty let out a huge cry, causing John to look up.

John looked up at the sound of his little cat darting towards him, her lovingly pressing up against his legs and churring. “Oh hello lil Bitty” he laughed softly and looked up, still holding the tray of glasses. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Eddie walking up carrying luggage,a smile grew on his face. Setting down the tray on a small glass patio table he took off his apron and ran over to Eddie. John threw himself on Eddie,lovingly embraced Eddie glad to see him again,giving him a sweet kiss while standing on his tiptoes.

Eddie chuckled as he pulled out of the kiss “hey luv” he smiled as his eyes met Johns. Holding him buy his little waist.

“I missed you!” He chirped happily “Oh! Are you ready to meet them?” John was practically vibrating with excitement as he looked up at Eddie with his green emerald eyes “they’ve been wanting to see you for so long” it was just then little Blossom ran up holding Bitty in her arms chirping happily. The two other girls running after her, wanting their turn to hold Bitty.

“Daddy! I found a kitty! Can we keep it??”

Juniper budded in “I’m the one who found her!”

Willow shyly listened to her sisters bicker over the cat. John laughed at the small girls who had been so caught up in Bitty they hadn’t realized they were standing in front of both their parents for the first time since they’d been born.

John scooped Bitty out of Blossoms arms “Be gentle with Bitty girls” he smiled and stepped to the side to show the taller man standing next to him “your all being awfully rude to your father” he teased when he saw the sudden excitement and shock on all of the small girls faces.

Eddie set down Leafy’s cat carrier as well as Bitty’s empty one. The girls, Blossom and Juniper, had run up to him, tackling him in a hug.He was shocked at how strong the two girls were. Willow stayed close to John, too shy unlike her sisters.

Eddie held the younger two close, giving them hugs. He cried and laughed and eventually Willow came over to give him a hug too but went right back to John after. He finally stood up and let Leafy out but on his harness. The girls went to play with him, Willow offering to take the leash while they played with grass.

The musician stood back up, smiling, happy to finally have this moment. “They’re perfect John.” He wondered though if they would be able to live among humans. John mentioned when he was expecting them that they might be more plant-like, but they didn’t seem so to Eddie. Despite their floral hair, they all looked human enough.

“They really are...I’m so glad you gotta meet them finally” John had to wipe his face,he’d been tearing up from the joy. He took a deep breath and smiled up at Eddie “come inside my luv” John took Eddies hand and walked him into the small house. Letting Eddie set his bag down,Bitty following them inside beginning to sniff everything. John showed Eddie around the house there wasn’t too much to see though. There was a small kitchen with clean dishes drying on the rack. Only one bedroom and a full size bed in the middle and a small closet with only a few articles of clothes hanging,each child having only a few articles and John having a sweater,one outfit hanging which were his pajamas,and he was wearing his only other outfit,his day clothes. Then there was just the living room,there wasn’t any couch, just a few pillows lying on the floor near the back porch and little wooden dolls that John hand made for the girls. “This is the house” John shrugged and led Eddie out back on the porch to sit on the steps,the girls sitting in the grass and playing with the cats.

John gave Eddie a side glance and a smirk as they sat down. “Oh and I’m pregnant again”

Eddie was caught up thinking. The house was cute, but way too small for his liking. He started to think about a house he could buy that could fit the two of them and their three little girls. He hoped they were well enough to be with humans. But the government was still passing laws to accept them into schools, live privately together, and be able to have private relationships. Each of the girls could have their own room to express who they are, be homeschooled if they needed to be since the right to an education wasn’t illegal, just attending a school was.

Distantly he heard Johns words.

“Oh.. I’m pregnant again-”

Eddie short circuited when he realized what he’d just heard, just staring at John with saucer sized eyes.

“WHAT!?” Eddie didn’t mean to shout. “What!? When? Who? How long!?” He was starting to panic, forget a house, He’d have to buy land and multiple houses! John could be pregnant again this time with 4!? “How many this time!?”

John shushed Eddie and placed a hand over Eddies mouth. “quietttttt they don’t know yet Eds” He looked at the girls who were now looking at them and John motioned for them to keep playing. John felt his face hot with blush “I guess I’ll answer those questions. When-,I started throwing up a bit after I got back from my visit” he cleared his throat “who-,it’s YOU got ME knocked up,I’m not sure how many this time but I think maybe 7 or 8 weeks?” he shrugged keeping his voice soft.John scooted over and leaned on Eddie. He was a tired dad,and waking up so early throwing up wasn’t helpful,cause they all slept in the same bed and each time John woke up it meant trying to get the girls to go back to sleep.

“I’m not sure what I’m gonna do,I’ve gotta see the doctor soon,plus I haven’t told my mom” He rested his eyes leaning on Eddie still. “It’ll get difficult to take care of the girls while i move forward with the pregnancy” John gave a soft smile and loving touch to Eddies leg “but all I care is that this is our first one together...it’s both of us this time”

[thirstystarkey]

ALL I WANT • RAFE CAMERON

Requested by: @flowersinvegas

Can u write something using 'All I want' by Kodaline please 🥺❤ for rafe. All I want is nothing more To hear you knocking at my door 'Cause if I could see your face once more I could die a happy man, I'm sure When you said your last goodbye I died a little bit inside I lay in tears in bed all night Alone without you by my side.

All I want is nothing more

To hear you knocking at my door

‘Cause if I could see your face once more

I could die as a happy man I’m sure

Ward order Rafe to go clean himself in order to get rid of all the evidence that could possible make him guilty for killing Sheriff Peterkin with a gun shot, Rafe was broken inside all he wanted was for his father to acknowledge him and see him as a brave young man who did everything to protect his father but Ward failed at seeing him that way Rafe’s entire life, today was no exception even though he hugged his son and patted his back Rafe knew Ward has never been proud of anything about Rafe, there was always more he could do, never was enough for Ward, all those issues raised a problematic kid.

The only person in Outer Banks that actually liked Rafe and could see more of him was Y/N, his ex-girlfriend who broke up with him once Rafe started to go off the trails, he stopped being the loving boyfriend he was to be this narcissistic careless guy who only care about himself and drugs, it broke Y/N heart into pieces since Rafe was the first guy she ever loved and let inside her life, it took a toll on both of them mainly Y/N in the first few mounts but Rafe was starting to understand how she actually felt was he washed the blood of him and disposed his dirty clothes.

He wanted her again or at least he wanted to see her face again, he daydreamed in his bed about how earing her knocking at his door at one in the morning would make him the happiest man in the world, if she for a miracle, came to him right now he could die a happy more for he died knowing he was loved by the only girl who could actually see something good in him when everyone else saw the vile evil monster Rafe Cameron was painted to be.

The last time he saw her kept replaying on his mind like a tape, like a slow torturous remainder that he messed up everything good in his life eventually.

When you said your last goodbye

I died a little bit inside

I lay in tears in bed all night

Alone without you by my side

Summer had just started which meant holidays which meant parties every night at Figure Eight were the rich people lived. Y/N loved to party since she was the life of every party she attended but as lately she didn’t feel so good nor did she wanted to party, especially with the people Rafe started invinting to his house beach, suspicious people who made her skin crawl with anticipation.

Her relationship with Rafe wasn’t good at the moment, Rafe seemed to be blinded by something else and at the beginning she even thought he was cheating on her who created a big big fight between them, and she felt weren’t the same after that night. He didn’t made any effort in seeing her and when he did he was high and wanted sex, which Y/N was fine at first, she craved his touch and his attention but as the days went by she started to see a pattern that really upset her, he realized Rafe would only come to her house in the middle of the night with dilated pupils asking for sex, his dominance was predominant even though his words were hazy and dragged out of his mouth.

Y/N sat alone on his roof, watching the party from above as her heart kept on breaking more, where was he? That was the only questioning running through her mind like a fast car in a free highway, eventually she got sick of watching the stars alone so she made her way down wanting to go home and sleep it off, maybe next day things would be better as she didn’t had the courage to speak with Rafe about breaking up.

And so days went by and when her patience ran thin she drove to Rafe’s house to find him high as usually, he forgot her anniversary and it was the last drop.

“We’re done.” She said watching him sniff a line off coke. “Rafe I love you so so much but I can’t keep hurting myself to be with you.” Y/N admitted with tears in her eyes.

“Baby, what?” Rafe gasped, cleaning his nose. He immediately got up to her, the height difference making her skin shiver. “Please don’t do this to me.” He grabbed her hands but she turned her face to the side.

“Rafe I mean it.” Y/N stated feeling her lip tremble. “You forgot my anniversary. Do you see how a big of a fool I was this night? Pretending I had everything in control when I didn’t have a clue where my boyfriend was?” The girl said cold, looking at his faded eyes. “Well, here he is. High off his ass.” Y/N nodded her head watching the mess his room turned to be since he didn’t care about anything else.

“I’m so sorry baby, please let me make it better for you.” He apologized. “Let me be better for you.” He sniffed.

“Rafe you need to do better for yourself, not me.” She started walking away. “Now that I will always love you Rafe Cameron, but right now you need to fix yourself and I can’t stay, yourself destroying me.” Y/N said before she left.

That day after she left Rafe cried the entire night, sobbing without her by his side to calm him down. He felt like he lost everything he ever cared about so there was no meaning in keeping caring about anything else.

“But If you loved me, why did you leave me?”

Rafe said out loud returning to the present day, where chaos had made itself at home in his life. He knew there was no easy way out of this situation and he had to live forever with what he did. Rafe knew he regretted it but in the moment he did what he thought would protect his dad, blinded by the need to be loved by his figure father, even though Ward was a evil person, Rafe wasn’t evil even though he did horrible things in the past, he knew deep down he was just lost.

Laying in his bed with a picture of him and Y/N he hugged it tight to his chest as tears kept on falling from his eyes. With eyes closed he tried to relive the moment of the picture, with was a beautiful day.

'Cause you brought out the best of me

A part of me I'd never seen

You took my soul wiped it clean

Our love was made for movie screens

Y/N begged for a day away from everything with Rafe and he gave her the day she wanted, driving off away from Outer Banks into a more calm area surrounded by empty field. The temperature was pleasant and the brizz made her soft hair fly against it. Rafe watched her run around through the high grass and the flowers mesmerized by her, it felt like a dream to him like he was watching an angel from above.

“Come!” She laughed grabbing his hands pulling his body close to her.

Eventually they fell into the grass laughing, Y/N rolled on top of him, her legs on each side of his hips, her dress rising up from her thighs. Rafe wrapped his hands around them.

“I love you.” She said softly, like a melody flowing from her lips.

“I love you too princess.” Rafe sat up to kiss her.

The sun was starting to set and they watched it sitting on top of Rafe’s truck, tangle in a cuddle, her head on his chest as he played mindlessly with her hair, her hands carressing his torso.

“I wish time stood still.” Rafe confessed kissing the top of her hand. “With you, like this, watching this beautiful sunset.”

Y/N smiled at his words taking her phone of her phone from his pocket since her dress didn’t had any.

“I can still immortalize this moment love.” Y/N looked up, dingling her phone.

Rafe laughed as they took a few photos, together and off each other alone plus the sunset.

But when Rafe opened his eyes he was brought to a much different reality, there was no field of flowers just the darkness of his messy room and the pain he felt deep buried inside his chest, almost exploding his heart.

Without thinking he grabbed his phone, it was late at night so he didn’t want to bother Y/N opting to text her instead of calling her, even though he really needed to hear her voice. Feeling anxious as he typed the message he stumble across videos and photos of him and her, which made him smile a little.

“I’m so sorry for everything I put you through, I love you so much and I will always do. You probably hate me and you have many reasons to, I don’t really know why I’m sending you this but the only thing keeping me together is the thought of us. I wanna do better for me this time Y/N so I can be a better boyfriend to you. I’m not giving up on you, I will never give up on you baby. I love you with all my heart and soul. – Rafe.”

[johnsbleu]

Hold My Hand: John Wick x Reader Chapter 82

warnings: nsfw! Hold My Hand masterlist A/N: i didn’t tag anyone since i don’t know who wants to be tagged anymore, so just let me know if you do want to be and i’ll start a new list!

Mornings in Mill Neck are always nice. The hustle and bustle of the city doesn't pollute the air, so it's always beyond quiet and peaceful. Aside from the occasional car and the birds chirping in the trees, there's nothing around to spoil the quiet and solitude in the mornings. It's like a little slice of heaven every time you step onto the side patio.

The sun is just starting to peek through the trees as it slowly ascends into the sky, and the grass is shining like little diamonds from the morning dew. Birds are chirping loudly and flying around the yard, eating and cleaning themselves in the bird bath that John had just put out there. The steam from your fresh cup of coffee is floating in the air, and you blow on it a little before you take a small sip as to not burn your mouth. You surprised yourself a little when you poured yourself a cup of coffee since you usually don't drink it, but John bought coffee creamer that he thought you'd like – he was right. Of course.

Looking over your shoulder a little, you see both Bleu and Sadie sitting at the door and waiting for you to let them out. You smile as you open the door and lean down a little to pet them both as they walk past and head into the yard to do their business.

John is already gone for the morning; he went for an early morning drive into the city to get his suit for the wedding. He wanted to make sure it was absolutely perfect, so he went to his favorite tailor at the Continental. You told him that he didn’t need to get it yet since your wedding isn’t for almost two more months, and he tried to play it cool, but you could see how giddy he was over getting it a little early.

Tess is gone for an appointment and a Lamaze class, and you're fairly certain that Jimmy is at work. You have the entire house to yourself, which means after your shower later this morning, you won't have to hurry to get changed before someone barges in.

Setting your coffee cup down, you pop back inside to grab Sadie's leash, then you hook it to her collar and make your way down to the lake with the dogs. Sadie isn't as well behaved as Bleu, but that's only because she's still pretty young. Bleu wasn't even a year when John got him, but he was already well trained. Sadie, not so much.

Looking over to your right as you walk along the lake, the water is so smooth and still that it looks like glass. You almost regret throwing a rock into it and disturbing it, but the ripples that spread across the water make it worth it. Bleu perks up a little when he sees something, and he carefully walks towards it when it starts to move again.

“No, no, Bleu! Leave it alone!” you gasp, tugging Sadie's leash a little when she becomes too excited. You grab Bleu's collar and pull him back, then you kneel down and pick up the turtle that is struggling to get to the water. “Hi, little guy.”

Bleu sniffs the turtle in your hands, then he tilts his head when the turtle buries himself in his shell. When Bleu nudges his shell with his nose, he whimpers a little and sits down, waiting for him to come back out again.

Pulling your phone out of your pocket, you hold up the turtle and take a picture with it to send to John. He's busy and will be for probably another hour, but hopefully he'll see your text.

“Okay, let's get you to where you need to be.” you say, setting the turtle on the edge of the water. He slowly peeks out from his shell, then he quickly waddles into the water and swims away. You look over at Sadie and Bleu who are sitting behind you, and you smile at them, “That was pretty cool, huh?”

Your phone vibrates with a text from John, and you smile when you look down and read it: My beautiful girl! I will be home in a bit. I love you.

Stuffing your phone back into your pocket, you continue walking the dogs along the lake, and eventually make your way back home. The food bowls for the dogs are both empty, so you fill them up along with Garfield's, then you head upstairs to start the shower.

__

While in the shower, you decided that since you don't have any plans for today, you're going to clean the house. No one will be home to get in the way while you mop the floors and vacuum, so it'll be perfect.

You have your music playing pretty loudly since you're home alone, but you turn it down a little when you get out of the shower. Dancing and singing along to the song, you toss your towel on the bed and stand naked in front of the closet while you look at your clothes.

“Definitely going to go through this closet.” you say to yourself, shuffling through dresses and shirts you haven't worn in months.

Shaking your hips from side to side, you sing a little louder since you're alone – or so you think. As soon as you turn around, you see Jimmy coming into the bedroom, and he immediately covers his eyes as you both scream.

“Get out!” you yell, grabbing your towel from the bed. Jimmy puts his hand over his eyes and runs into the wall as he tries to get through the door, and you continue yelling at him until he does, “And shut the door!”

“Ahh! I'm sorry!” he yells, slamming the door behind him.

“Oh, my god. Oh, my god!” you pull the towel around you more and sit down on the bed, hiding your face in your hands. “Oh, my god!”

You're sure Jimmy is probably doing the same as you right now, but he just saw you naked. Your entire body! Naked! It was a total accident, of course. You didn't hear him over the music.

As quickly as you can, you pull on a pair of underwear and throw on a summer dress. You don't want to hang out in your room all day since you planned on cleaning the house and you need to leave so you can get some cleaning supplies, but leaving your room means seeing Jimmy, and you're not sure you can even face him yet.

You head into the bathroom to brush your teeth and fix yourself up a little, and you bite your lip nervously as you think of a way to get out of the house without running into Jimmy again.

Peeking your head around the corner, you look down at the living room to see it's empty. You tiptoe a little closer to the stairs, then you quickly run down them and grab your keys and purse from the kitchen table. As soon as you walk into the garage, you realize John has taken your car for the day -- of course he has, he loves to drive it. You so badly want to get out of the house that you don’t even care at this point that you’ll have to drive his car instead. You get in his car, buckle yourself in and pull out of the driveway to see John coming down the street.

He pulls up next to you and rolls down his window, “Hey, beautiful. What are you doing?”

“Oh, uh, I was going to clean the house today, so I need to get some stuff from the grocery store. If you need anything, just text me. I gotta go.” you say, rolling your window up and leaving John at a loss for words.

So this is what John felt like the day Tess saw him when she walked in on the two of you at the shop.

You try to push it out of your mind as you head to the grocery store, and you pray like hell Jimmy won't bring it up to you or John, especially not Tess. She'll only make it worse by teasing you.

“Oh, my god.”

__

You wandered around the grocery store for more than an hour just to try and avoid going home and seeing Jimmy. He's been with John for almost an hour now, you know he's probably spilled his guts.

Pulling into the driveway, you see John sitting on the side patio, and he perks up when he sees you. Before you can even get out of the car, John opens your door and leans in to kiss you, taking your breath away. You melt a little on his lips and relax as you wrap your arm around his neck to keep him from moving away from you. He leans in to kiss you with a little more passion, and you open your eyes to look at him for a moment.

“Hi, honey.” you whisper, rubbing your thumb against his beard.

John smiles at you, then pecks you quickly before he gets the groceries. He grabs out all of the bags and carries them into the house with you right behind him. You look around the living room, then you peek into the kitchen to make sure Jimmy isn't around.

“Hey,” John says, and you jump as you look at him. “What's going on with you?”

You look around the room again, then over at John as you shrug, “Nothing.”

John cocks up his eyebrow and moves closer to you, “Do I need to remind you that I know you better than you think?”

“Just having a weird morning.” you finally admit, deciding to leave out a few details. You start to take things out the grocery bags, and you look over at John as he watches you, almost like he’s silently scanning your mind to find any lies. He knows you so damn well, and even you know he's going to get it out of you. “Look, I got some more of that coffee creamer. I really like it, by the way.”

“Yeah? That's good.” he says, standing behind you and placing his hands on your waist. “Tell me what's bothering you, baby.”

You keep a tight lip, and you look over your shoulder as Jimmy walks into the kitchen. A heavy silence falls over the kitchen as you move around to put away the things you bought. You head over to the fridge, and you and Jimmy try to get out of each other's ways, but you both step in the same direction.

“Sorry,” Jimmy says, avoiding your gaze. “I'll go to my left, you go to your left.”

You move past Jimmy and look at John as he watches the two of you with his brow furrowed. He looks at Jimmy and smiles, “Hey, Jimmy.”

“Hey,” he says, then he leaves the kitchen.

John looks perplexed as to why he got such a short response from Jimmy since usually Jimmy is talking non-stop to John. If you're not mistaken, John almost looks a little hurt.

“Hey,” John whispers to you, “Do you think I said something to upset Jimmy? He's not really talking to me.”

You shake your head, “No, I'm sure it has nothing to do with you.”

Pretty positive it has nothing to do with you, John.

John sighs a little and sits down at the kitchen table, and he grabs your waist when you walk past, “What did you do this morning?”

“Just took the dogs for a walk, then came home to shower. That's it.” you say, struggling to get off of John's lap.

John laughs and finally lets go of you, “My little energizer bunny today. Look at you go.”

“I just want to get the house cleaned up today.” you take out a cloth and some cleaner, then you begin to wipe down the kitchen counters, “You can always help if you want.”

“Nah,” John says, smiling when you look at him, “I think I'm gonna see if Jimmy is good. I really think I did something.”

Just as John moves past you, Tess walks into the kitchen and smiles at John as she moves to get something from the fridge.

“Jimmy! I'm home!” she yells, and you let out a laugh as you focus on cleaning the stove. “James!”

“Come in here, Tess.” Jimmy says from the bedroom.

You look up at Tess as the look of disgust grows on her face, and she scoffs loudly and sits back in her chair.

“No, you come in here.” she says, challenging him. “Right now. Don't you want to know how my appointment went?”

Jimmy is quiet for a moment, then he walks into the kitchen and stands there awkwardly, “Okay, I'm here. Tell me.”

Tess furrows her brow and sits up a little, “Why is your face so white?”

“I'm getting sick.” he says, and John leans back against the counter and looks at him.

John and Tess are both looking at Jimmy and wondering what the hell is going on with him, and you shrug a little when Jimmy looks at you.

“You know, you've been acting a little weird too.” John says, pointing at you. “What's going on with you two? What did you do this morning?”

“Nothing.” you and Jimmy both say at the same time, which only makes the two of you look more guilty.

Jimmy clears his throat, then he walks back into the living room with Tess right behind him. John watches them, then he walks over and puts his hand on top of yours to stop you from cleaning.

You're not entirely sure why you don't just tell John what happened, but you can't bring yourself to do it. You're too embarrassed. You’re not worried that John would be upset, it was a simple mistake. But you're so damn embarrassed that if you have to recall what happened, you think you just might die.

“Oh…my…god!” Tess says loudly from the living room, and you close your eyes and pray like hell that she won't come into the kitchen. She walks into the kitchen and points at you and laughs, “Oh, my god!”

“Tess, please.” you say, and she stops laughing when she realizes you're on the verge of tears from embarrassment. You put the rag down and push past them all to head up to your room, and when you look over your shoulder, you see John right behind you. “I don't want to talk about it.”

John shrugs, “I don't even know what you're talking about in the first place.”

Taking a deep breath, you turn around and face John as he closes the bedroom door, “Something happened this morning, and I just really don't want to talk about it.”

“Okay,” he says sincerely, and he walks over and reaches for your hands, “But are you okay? Just let me know if you're okay.”

Nodding your head, you lean against John's chest, “Yeah, I'm fine. I just really don't want to talk about it, so please don't do the thing where you try to get me as vulnerable as possible so you can get it out of me.”

John chuckles, “I have no idea what you're talking about.”

“You're already doing it.” you say, looking at his hands as he rubs your back.

“I'm rubbing your back. I always do that.” he lets go of you when you squint your eyes a little, then he leans back against the dresser, “Fine, I just won't touch you.”

The two of you share an intense look before you start to clean up the room, trying your best to avoid John's stare. John sits down on the bed and watches you as you put your dirty clothes in the laundry basket, and you look over your shoulder a little when you feel his gaze on you.

“What did you and Jimmy do this morning that you're not telling me and Tess?”

You immediately turn around and shake your head, “Don't even go there.”

“Well, I wasn't going there. I trust you, but you need meet me somewhere. You're both being weird.” he says, and you can tell he's genuinely confused. “Just tell me something. I just need to know if you're okay.”

You kneel in front of him and look down at your hands to try and figure out how to say what you want to say without embarrassing yourself again.

John cups your face in his hands and smiles, “As long as you're okay, that's all I care about.”

You take a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Okay, so...this morning, I took Bleu and Sadie down to the lake, then I came home. I knew you were gone obviously, and I knew Tess was gone. I thought Jimmy said last night that he had to work today, so I…thought I was home alone.”

John widens his eyes and gestures to his crotch, “Were you...you know?”

“Masturbating? No!” you say, scrunching your face up a little, “I haven't done that in ages.”

“Okay,” John exhales and nods his head, “That's good. To both of those things.”

You let out a laugh and shake your head, “Anyway, I thought I was home alone, so I just turned on my music and took a shower. And since I thought I was home alone, I was just...walking around in here. Naked. And...Jimmy saw me. All...of me.”

“Jimmy saw you naked?”

You stare at the floor and nod your head, “...yeah.”

“Oh,” John says, and you slowly look up at him, “And you're okay?”

“For the most part. Just a little embarrassed.” you say, and you can't help but laugh when John begins to chuckle, “I was literally just in here, dancing around completely naked. He covered his eyes the moment he saw me, then he ran into the wall.”

“He ran into the wall?!” John laughs and squeezes his eyes shut as he laughs harder. “Holy, shit. Oh, man, that was a good laugh.”

“I'm glad you think it's funny. Your best friend just saw your fiancee naked.” you move to sit next to John on the bed, and when you make eye contact, you both start to laugh. “It was so embarrassing, I can't even look at him.”

“Now you know how I felt when Tess saw me.” he says, then he laughs a little. “I'm not going to tell him that I know, I'm going to wait and see if he tells me.”

“I really miss having the place to ourselves.”

John laughs as he nods, “I miss you being able to walking around naked too.”

You shake your head a little and tuck your legs underneath you as you turn to face John, “Anyway, let's move on and stop talking about this before I die of embarrassment.”

“I took your car into Aurelio's this morning.” he says, and you furrow your brow a little. “I had a bad dream last night, and I had to make sure that your car was safe to drive. That’s why I took your car.”

Laughing a little, you reach out for John's hands, “You bought my car the other day, and Aurelio already looked at it.”

“I know, but my dream was so bad that I had to be sure.” he pulls you onto his lap and sighs a little, “Your brakes didn't work in the dream, so I just wanted to be sure that they actually do. Anyway, everything is fine with your car. Aurelio thinks I'm an idiot, but that's okay.”

“Oh, I bet he yelled at you for not trusting him.” you laugh, pecking John's cheek before you get up and continue cleaning up the dirty clothes. “So, you got your suit?”

“I got fitted for it, and it should be ready by tonight, so I was thinking...” John gets up and walks over to you, “Maybe you'd like to go into the city for some dinner, then I can pick it up.”

You gasp quietly and turn around, “I have the perfect outfit too!”

John smiles as he leans down to kiss you, “Maybe Tess and Jimmy would like to go as well.”

You're already going through your closet and trying to find the outfit that you want to wear tonight, so you're not really listening to John.

“I can wear this!” you say, pulling out a black jumpsuit.

John nods, “That would be good.”

“Hey, so I have a little checklist thing that I printed off this morning,” you sit down next to John and turn to face him, “And since our wedding isn't a year away, it's literally...like two months away, everything is going to be pushed up on the timeline.”

John looks at you and shrugs, “We can push the wedding back.”

“No,” you shake your head and smile, “No, not at all what I'm suggesting. I'm just saying that usually 12 months prior to your wedding, you should be thinking about where you're having it, who is in your wedding party, and the wedding budget.”

“We're having it here, Tess and Jimmy are in the wedding, and there is no budget.” John says, and you laugh a little. “It's all figured out.”

“Okay, well...” you shake your head again as you laugh and get off the bed to grab the list.

Some of the stuff on the list doesn't really apply to you and John, and since, like John said, there's no budget, you're not really worried about a lot of the stuff on the list that you need to do. Your wedding is going to simple and quiet, so you're not too stressed.

John takes the list from you and reads it over, then he nods his head a little as he looks at it, “You don’t have a dress yet.”

“Nope,” you lean over to look at the list and shrug, “But I'm not really worried about that. I could just go to the bridal shop in town and look at them, and I know you mentioned it before, but I could even go to the hotel and they'd probably help me out.”

John looks up at you as a smile spreads across his face, “They'd probably love that, to be honest. They're so sick of suits, I'm sure they'd love to make a nice wedding dress.”

“It'd probably be cheaper too. Only cost me, what, two coins?” you say, and John laughs as you start to smile. “Nah, I'm kidding, I would never do that.”

“You could.” John says, turning to look at you a little, “If it came down to it and you couldn't find a dress that you liked, I know they'd love to help you design one.”

Sighing a little, you look at John and shake your head, “I would never take advantage of your...privileges. Anyway, back to what I was saying, since we're only two months away from our wedding, it's like...crunch time for us. We need to send out RSVPs immediately. My mom has already told my family that we're engaged, so they all know, but we need to send out invites. We need to figure out what we're doing for catering, we need to figure out what we're doing for flowers, and all of that stuff.”

John chuckles a little, then cocks up his eyebrow, “Are you going to get stressed out?”

“Maybe...probably,” you sigh, closing your eyes, “Yeah.”

“Don't get stressed out, baby. It'll be perfect. How about you let me do some of this stuff?” he says, and you watch him lean back on the bed so he can grab a pen from his side table. He puts a star next to a few things, then he reads it again and puts a few more stars down. “Let me do this stuff.”

Catering, flowers, DJ, photographer, and picking up the marriage license all have stars next to them, along with things like rental stuff. That only leaves things like your dress, wedding favors, and cake for you.

“Really?” you ask, looking up at him, “Are you sure? This is quite a lot of stuff to do, and on top of it, you’re working on the pavilion. Are you sure? This isn’t too much, is it? I don’t want you to get stressed out.”

John nods, leaning over to kiss your cheek, “Yeah, I think I can handle it. Just show me some pictures of what you're into for the wedding, and I'll take care of the rest.”

You hate that you're tearing up over this, but it's so sweet to see how willing John is to help with this. You rest your head on John's shoulder and close your eyes as you sniffle a little.

“This is my wedding too.” John says, and you look up at him, “This is my first real wedding.”

You nod, “You and Helen eloped.”

“Yeah,” he nods, smiling at you, “So, this is exciting for me. I'm excited to be able to walk around with you and show you off as my wife, I'm excited for the planning and decorating for it, and I'm excited that we get to celebrate our love. You have no idea how excited I am to see you in a beautiful wedding dress.”

“I'm excited too. I hope our wedding is everything that we want.”

John leans over to kiss you, then he sucks on his bottom lip a little, “I want to be able to help out with it. I know you like the more romantic theme for the wedding, and you want lights everywhere. I know you want candles around, and I know you want sunflowers. I can do this.”

You smile as you cup John's face, “I love you endlessly, Jonathan.”

“And I love you.” he says, pulling you along with him when he lays down on the bed, “Is there anything else we need to do?”

Snuggling closer to John, you mold into his side and wrap your arm around his waist, “Well, there are plenty of things that we can still do together. We need to decide on what flavor of cupcakes we want and that kind of stuff, which is actually more fun than stressful. We also need to figure out who is going officiate our wedding.”

“Oh, yeah,” John looks up at the ceiling and hums while he thinks, “Well, we're not a part of a church.”

“If I suggest something, will you promise not to laugh?” you ask, and John looks over at you in curiosity. “What if...Jimmy did it?”

John looks at you for a moment longer before he loses it with laughter, “Jimmy?”

“You promised you wouldn't laugh, John.” you sit up and get off the bed.

“No, I never promised.” he laughs, sitting up to look at you. When he realizes that you're serious, he stops laughing. “Wait, baby, you're serious?”

“John, he loves us. He's your best friend, he's my brother in law, he'd be great at it. He knows you and I both really well, and he'd say such nice and sweet things. I think it'd be perfect for him.”

“Why not Tess?”

You scoff, “You're kidding? Tess? She'd end up blurting out something inappropriate and embarrassing us.”

John nods and gets off the bed, “Yeah, you're right. Well, we can ask him tonight when we go out to dinner.”

Exhaling loudly, you reach for John's hands and look up at him, “Please don't embarrass me tonight.”

“I would never do that to you.” he says, and he starts to laugh loudly before you jokingly shove him off of you. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry!”

__

There's something about driving into the city at night that's so exciting to you. The neon lights and signs are like a feast for your eyes, and you always notice a store that you never even knew was there. But perhaps your favorite thing is seeing all the people flagging down cabs and running down the sidewalk to get to their train on time. You always wonder where they're going.

A few sprinkles land on the windshield, and you look over to see several umbrellas open up. You shift in your seat more to look out the window since you're stuck in traffic, and you prop your head up as you watch people. There's a bar on the corner, and you watch people head in and out of the door before John presses the gas a little, leaving the bar behind.

It's always bumper to bumper in the city, and it's always stop and go. It's exhausting. You don't know how John did it so much when he worked in the city before you two met. John is always go, go, go, and he always likes to drive fast, so picturing John sitting in NYC traffic is funny to think about.

“I hate this traffic!” John says, gritting his teeth a little.

You let out a laugh and look over at him, “I was just thinking about that.”

“I didn't think it'd be so bad tonight. It's New York City, I don't know why I thought it wouldn't be like this.” he says, then he looks over at you, “I'm sorry, I'm sure you're hungry.”

“Well, yeah,” you shrug, leaning over the center console a little, “But I like being in here with you. Sitting in here, listening to the rain on the windshield, it's nice.”

John nods, “It is nice.”

Your hand is on John's thigh and you move it towards the crotch of his pants as he shifts a little in his seat. John looks over at you and smirks as a smile grows on your face. The two of you hold eye contact for a moment, and you bite your lip as you move closer.

“Think you can get away with it?”

You sit up and look around, “I think so. The windows are a little fogged up anyway, and it's dark in here. I think I can get away with it.”

John scoots his seat back a little, then he unbuttons his pants and unzips them to pull himself out as his cock grows harder. You lean over the console more to stroke John's cock, and you look up at John as he smiles at you.

“Fuck,” he laughs, keeping his eyes on the road, “Just your hand alone feels amazing.”

“But my mouth...”

John nods, “Yeah, your mouth will be even better.”

You take one more look around before you lean over and take John into your mouth. Sucking and stroking his cock, you use your right hand to caress his balls, and John immediately moans loudly. John's right hand rests on your head as you continue to suck and lick on him, and you feel him gripping your hair more as you take him deeper.

“Fuck, yes,” he moans, gripping your hair a little tighter, “Fuck, baby.”

Slowly sliding John out of your mouth, you wipe away the spit on your lip and smile at John, “I wish I wasn't wearing this right now. I want you to touch me so badly.”

“Well, take it off then.” he says, and you sit back in your seat to pull it down a little. “Oh, shit, I didn't think you'd actually do it.”

You stop halfway and look over at John, “Well...”

“No, no, keep going.” he says, sitting back in his seat and stroking his cock as he watches you, “We're at a standstill.”

You pull your jumpsuit down more until it's around your ankles, then you reach over to stroke John's cock as he leans a little closer to put his right hand between your legs. Humming a little, you tilt your head back and smile when you feel the warmth from John's hand between your legs. He hasn't even touched you yet, but you're so fucking turned on that one little touch is all it will really take to make you come.

“Shit, you're wet.” he says, slowly inserting his finger until he's knuckle deep, “And so warm. Fuck, if we weren't in traffic right now.”

“Yeah? What would you do?”

John smirks, “Bend you over and fuck you on the hood of this car.”

John isn't wearing his suit jacket since it's warmer in the car, so you grab it and put it over your chest since you're not wearing a bra. John looks down as you continue stroking his cock, and he leans his head back against the seat when you take your hand off of him.

“Sorry,” you reach down and grab out some lotion from your purse, “I need a little lotion for you.”

As soon as you touch John again, he moans loudly and flicks his fingers at a faster pace. Your body is shaking with pleasure as he inserts another finger, and John leans over to kiss you as you both touch each other.

“You like that?” John asks, rubbing your clit slowly, and you bite your lip and nod your head, “You like to feel my fingers, but you want my cock, don't you?”

“I do.” you whimper, stroking John a little faster in hopes to bring on an orgasm, “I want your cock so bad.”

The angle that John is at is perfect, and every time he flicks his fingers, he hits your hidden spot and it causes your body to shake. You let go of John's cock and cling to his arm as he rubs your clit faster, and you pull your right leg up a little to give John more access. He removes his hand and puts the car in park since the traffic isn't moving any time soon, then he reaches over with his left hand and inserts his fingers with no hesitation. John strokes himself as you cling to his arm, and you're whimpering and whining loudly for him.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” you whine softly, squeezing your eyes shut, “I'm gonna come.”

“Do it.” John croons in your ear, “Do it for me, baby.”

Digging your nails into John's arm, you tilt your head back and moan loudly as John rubs your clit, bringing on your orgasm. Every time he touches your clit, your body jolts with pleasure and you whimper a little. John slowly slides his fingers from in between your legs, then he looks down as he strokes himself, almost coming on the center console. You immediately lean over to take John into your mouth, and you stroke him as he moans and comes on your tongue.

“Oh,” John moans, clinging to the steering wheel as you suck on him, “Shit, yes.”

You look up at John as you swallow, feeling the warmth of John in your throat, and he smiles as he leans over to kiss you, tasting himself on your lips. He cups your face in his hands as he pushes his tongue into your mouth, then he presses a wet kiss to your cheek.

“Well,” you laugh, reaching into the glove compartment for some napkins to clean yourself up. You carefully wipe between your legs, then you give John some hand sanitizer, but not before he inhales deeply as he smells his fingers and slides them into his mouth to get a taste of you. “Taste good?”

“Always does.” he says, leaning over to kiss you again before he stuffs himself into his pants.

The two of you are both laughing quietly to yourselves as you get dressed again, and you look up to see the traffic is finally moving again.

“Perfect timing.”

John smiles and looks over at you, “You know just how to pass the time, don't you?”

You shrug playfully, “Well, I don't want to brag, but...yeah.”

Reaching for your hand, John presses a kiss to your lips, then he continues down the street like nothing happened.

__

You and John are already seated at your table, and you're just waiting on Jimmy and Tess to arrive. John drives a little faster than Jimmy does, and John knows shortcuts that Jimmy doesn't, so you two got here sooner. You've both ordered yourselves something to drink; bourbon for John, and a glass of champagne for you. You're not a big drinker, but you figure tonight is a night to celebrate since you're asking Jimmy to officiate your wedding.

John pulls out the menu as you lean against him a little so the two of you look at it together. Before he even opens it, he looks at you and raises his eyebrows, “No complaints about the prices.”

“No complaints from me, Mr. Wick.” you say, smiling when John squints his eyes a little. You lean against John a little more and feel his hand on your thigh as the two of you look at the menu together.

“You look beautiful tonight.” John whispers, closing the menu and turning to face you, “I like when you wear your hair like this.”

Leaning over to kiss John, you wrap your arms around his bicep, “Yeah, I usually don't wear it straight. I always curl it.”

“It looks good.” John says, kissing you again.

“Sorry!” Tess says as she waddles to the table, “Traffic was terrible. Was it as bad for you?”

John smirks a little as he looks at you, “It's not so bad when this one is in the car with me.”

You feel your cheeks turning red, and when you look up and see Jimmy, your cheeks begin to burn even more. He helps Tess into her seat, then he timidly sits down across the table from you.

“Hey, Jimmy,” John says, squeezing your thigh a little bit and causing you to nudge his stomach. “Are you still feeling sick?”

Jimmy furrows his brow, “I'm not sick.”

“You said you weren't feeling well earlier today.” John raises his eyebrow a little and glances over at you.

You're slowly sinking in your seat a little when John looks over at you, and you hold up the menu to cover your face when you see Tess looking at you too. John squeezes your leg again to get you to look at him, and he winks when you make eye contact.

“Okay, man, I can't do this.” Jimmy says, looking at John, “I saw her naked this morning. Please don't hit me. It was an accident.”

Tess snorts, “He's not going to hit you, James. Come on.”

John furrows his brow a little, preparing to fuck with Jimmy, “You saw her naked?”

“I...I, I just, I went into your room because I heard music, so I figured she was just, I don't know, hanging out in there, but when I walked in, I...saw her. Completely naked.” he says, squeezing his eyes shut, “I'm so sorry, man. I didn't mean to. I didn't see anything, well, I mean, I did, but you know what I mean! She's like a little sister to me.”

“You saw my fiancee naked. Let’s go, I’m gonna kick your ass.” John says, and you immediately sit up and stop John when Jimmy’s face loses all color.

“Jimmy, he's kidding. He knows, I already told him.” you say, then you look at John, “Too far, Wick.”

“Sorry,” John laughs as he looks at Jimmy, “It's alright, man. Simple mistake. Just don’t make a habit out of it, then we'll have a problem.”

“Consider it payback for when Tess walked in on John.” you laugh, then you look up to see Jimmy staring at you. “Oh, he…didn't know.”

Tess inhales, “He did not.”

There's a bit of awkward silence now since none of you know what to say, but as you look around at each other, you all start to laugh.

“I walked in on them when they were having sex at the shop.” Tess laughs, shaking her head, “I got an eyeful from both of them.”

You shake your head and pick up the menu, “So awkward.”

“Tess has been teasing me all day because of this,” Jimmy chuckles, still avoiding eye contact with you, “And you know Tess, so you know she asked pretty weird things.”

“Oh, god, Tess.” you groan and look at her, “Stop.”

Tess shrugs, “What? I just asked him what he saw and if he liked it.”

“He's like a brother to me. I'm sure he was disgusted.” you say, and Tess shrugs. The two of you hold eye contact for a moment, then you shake your head, “Tess, you're beautiful.”

“I know, I know,” she exhales, looking down at her belly, “I just…feel gross lately, and Jimmy and I just...never mind.”

Since Tess’ is in her final weeks of pregnancy, you're sure she's tired of being pregnant and you're sure she's probably feeling a little gross. She's getting quiet, so you decide to change the subject.

“Look, we wanted you two to come out with us tonight because we have a very important question that we want to ask.” you smile at John, reaching for his hand, “John will ask it.”

John clears his throat, shifting in his seat a little to put his arm around your chair, “We were talking earlier today about everything that has to do with the wedding, and we started talking about things that we need to start doing to get ready for it. Anyway, one of the things we talked about was who was going to officiate our wedding.”

Tess perks up a little and looks over at Jimmy as a smile spreads across her face, “Oh, my god.”

You laugh, then you look at Jimmy, “You've been an amazing friend to John over the years, and you've been a great friend to me. You know John, you know what he's been through, and you know how much this means to him.”

“You are a good friend, Jimmy.” John says, and you and Tess both try to keep yourself from crying. “I would be really happy if you would be the one to officiate our wedding. We couldn't imagine anyone else standing up there with us.”

“Wait, you're serious?” Jimmy asks, looking back and forth between you and John. He looks at Tess and smiles, “Babe, they're serious.”

You smile at Jimmy and reach for his hand, “We are very serious. I already looked it up online, and you can literally just go to the town hall, which I'm sure you already know, and you just apply to be ordained. It’s a simple and easy process.”

“Man,” Jimmy exhales, and his eyes glisten a little, “I think I might cry.”

Jimmy puts his hand over his eyes and starts to cry softly. It's so sweet to see how much this means to him, and you look over to see John smiling proudly as he looks at Jimmy.

John has a best friend! Why is that so fucking cute?

There's nothing you find more adorable than John and Jimmy's friendship. Two guys who would probably never even talk to each other, two guys who, at the end of the day, truly care about one another.

John didn't have many friends growing up, and as he got older, he lost just about everyone he really cared about. He's told you before that if it weren't you, he probably wouldn't be this close to Jimmy, and he's always been thankful for everything you've given him – including his friendship with Jimmy.

Jimmy looks up at you and John and smiles, “I better practice my speech!”

__

John needed to pick up his suit from the hotel and he asked if you wanted to go along with him, and you, of course, said yes. John gave your car to the valet, and the two of you headed into hotel. You clung to John when you walked past people sitting in the lobby, then you loosened up a little when you remembered how relaxed you were at the hotel in Rome.

The tailor is just getting John's suit as you sit down on the couch and look around. The walls are painted dark red, and there's several mannequins around with suits on them. John sits up a little when he sees the tailor coming out, and he smiles as he gets up from the couch.

“Thank you.” John says, reaching into his pocket for a coin, but the man puts his hands out to stop him.

“Compliments of the house.” he says, nodding his head a little. “Winston insisted.”

John nods his head, “Is he here?”

The tailor laughs a little, “When isn't he?”

“Fair enough.” John laughs, then he turns around to look at you, “This would be the man who would help you with your dress. This is Marco. Marco, this is Y/N, my fiancee.”

You widen your eyes and scold John, “Jonathan!”

The tailor reaches out for your hand and helps you off of the couch, then he gestures for you to spin a little, “I can already see it. Form fitting, something to really show you off. Lace and tulle. Sophisticated and sexy. Yes, a nice train as well. Nothing too long though, you're quite petite. We don't want you to be swallowed up by it.”

“That sounds very nice.” John says, and you roll your eyes a little as you begin to blush.

You smile at the tailor and shake his hand, “Well, maybe I'll come back in a few weeks.”

John shakes his hand one more time, then the two of you leave. As soon as you get out the door, you nudge John in his side and he laughs loudly, “I'm sorry!”

“You did this on purpose, didn't you?” you nudge him again, and John nods his head a little. “God, you're so not slick. For being an assassin, you're terribly obvious.”

John chuckles as the two of you head back to the door, and he smiles when you look up at him, “I'll come back here with you in a few weeks if you want. We could make a whole weekend of it.”

“Oh, well, nothing says romance quite like spending the weekend at the Continental where I sit in the hotel room and wait for my fiance to get home from killing someone.” you say, looking up at him, “You really know how to woo a girl.”

John knows you're joking, so he starts to laugh as he holds your hand and heads down the front steps with you, “Well, it would be a nice weekend.”

You get in the car with John and pull your seat belt on as John places his suit in the backseat. He gets himself in the front seat, then you both instinctively reach for each other's hands as you head home.

“Seriously though, that would be a nice weekend. I could take a job while you're gone getting fitted for your dress, or I could just hang out in the room.”

You exhale quietly and look over at John, “I'll think about it.”

John keeps his eyes on the road but reaches over and puts his hand on the back of your head, scratching his fingers through in your hair, “God, I can't wait to marry you.”

“I can't wait to marry you.” you say, leaning against the center console and looking at John, “You're going to look so handsome.”

John finally looks at you as the two of you get stuck in the late night traffic, and he smiles as he leans in closer to kiss you.

“How are we going to pass the time now?” John asks, and you smile at John as unbuckle your seat belt and crawl into his lap and kiss him.

You kiss John’s neck and lean back to smile, “I think I got an idea.”

“This is very dangerous.”

Leaning back more to look at John, you watch the smile grow on his face, then you lean in to kiss him again, “I trust you.”