#A little insight into what happened between 'I Don't Wanna Hear It' and 'Off The Leash' that brings the throuple together

[genocidalfetus]

Kerry and Dino

*Dino got a call from Kerry, who sounded wound up, but in a good way.*

K- Hey D, had a day.

D- Sounds like it.

K- Almost made a complete ass out of myself, but the kid, V, he saved the fuckin' day. I'm still reeling from it...Remember that motel we used to frequent? Meet me there. Room 101.

*Dino goes to room 101*

D- Hey Ker--

*interrupted by Kerry kissing him*

K- Talk later. Remember how I like it?

D- Sure Ker. Lemme take care of ya.

K- Just what I needed.

D- Glad I can be of service.

K- It's weird, ya know? That damn merc is driving me nuts, and then there's this fuckin' fixer driving me nuts too.

D- Well, this fuckin fixer is here.

K- He is. Now, how do we get that damn merc?

D- Leave that part to me.

[songmingisthighs]

Wanbelyn

introduction pt. i | pt. ii | pt. iii

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ch. xxii - that's so gay

neurosurgeon!hongjoong × reader

buy me coffee ?

where love and peace is held, i never expected for this to happen. i planned and i planned, i expected, and i hoped, but it was never you. you held what i wanted hostage to make room for you, the thing that i needed but has no means of acceptance. deny me, live your best life.

From the moment you and Kijoong stepped into the gym, Kijoong immediately tried to run away from you to try one of the gym equipments. You had to wrangle the boy into your arms as you gave the front desk your information and told him that you had an appointment with the owner's son. It didn't help that the front desk dudebro was staring at you like a piece of meat.

A gym rat milf enthusiast. Original.

"Hi!"

You turned your head to the source of the voice and was met with a guy in black t-shirt and sweatpants that looked like he just stepped off a calvin klein photoshoot. Honestly, it made you blush a little but you did your best to not appear flustered, standing up with Kijoong in your arms with a smile on your face. "Hi, you must be Stan!" You said, making San crack a grin and chuckle slightly, "Actually, it's San," bending down slightly, he locked eyes with Kijoong who was looking at him curiously, "And you must be Kijoong! Uncle Wooyoung told me a lot about you!" Hearing the familiar name, Kijoong straightened up, "You know Woo?" He asked in squeak, "Of course I do! He told me your nanny here wanted you to try some classes, huh? Why don't we go check them out, does that sound good?"

Kijoong looked between San and you, unsure how to answer. But you shrugged, "It's up to you bud," you encouraged. "Well maybe you don't know what classes we have. Currently for kids, we have classes in gymnastics, tumbling, and a couple of martial arts classes," San explained, trying to offer options to aid the boy in his dilemma. You cringed at the first two ideas though, "Yeah, he's already hyper as it is, we don't wanna turn running around in the house into catapulting his body onto the wall with precision." San couldn't help but laugh at your joke, finding it amusing that you were effortlessly funny. "Of course," he said after his laughter died down but letting the smile on his face remain, "Well let's have Kijoong try some classes, hm? Our kiddy Karate class is going on right now and let's see how he likes it."

While Kijoong joined the Karate class, you and San sat at the back, watching the class progressed but mostly having a nice chat.

"I have something to admit," San's voice broke your concentration from seeing Kijoong looking at you like he wanted you to hold him, "I actually recognize you. Wooyoung talks a lot about you," San said sheepishly. Your eyes widened but almost immediately it furrowed, "Wait, how much is 'a lot'? It can't be that much, right?" San took a moment to think of an answer that allows you an insight as to how often Wooyoung talks about you. "Well, I know you both met because he got into an argument with your cousin, Jongho when Jongho moved into his dorm complex in college his second year and you had dragged them out of their stupid, petty feud literally to the lobby and force them to apologize to each other in public," San answered after contemplating. You couldn't help but feel a little impressed at his knowledge but also confused as to why Wooyoung would share about you and your cousin. "Okay that means he talks about me quite a lot," you chuckled.

Conversation with San flowed rather smoothly and you found yourself talking about choice of career path and even telling him about how you ended up being Kijoong's nanny all the while making sure the boy was still listening to the instructor up front. The conversation started with your college days and his and he talked about how he ended up managing the gym with his dad which he was against of initially because he didn't want his love for exercising and taekwondo to be diminished to numbers and maintaining a brand. You were rather impressed with how he pitched the kiddy classes to his dad and had to convince him for 3 months straight before he said yes and not a year later they expanded and moved to the current building. He has tenacity, potential, personality, and passion. You kind of saw why Wooyoung befriends him and even became roomates.

It was about fifteen minutes into the class when Kijoong came trodding with a deep pout, climbing on your lap and burrying his face on your shoulder. "I'on like this class," he whined, arms tightening and face nuzzling deep. You scoffed and tried pulling the boy back but he was clinging onto you for dear life, "Kijoong, buddy, you're not even giving this class a chance, you've been looking back at me this whole time! You can't say you don't like something when you haven't put in the effort which includes concentration like the other boys here," you sighed. Hearing your words, Kijoong pulled back and batted his eyelash at you, trying to melt your resolve but unfortunately you were not about to fall victim to his manipulation. The same can't be said about San who was wracking his brain trying to think of ways to engage the child. "You gotta try, buddy," you pointed out unwaveringly which furrowed Kijoong's eyebrows as he side-eyed San who was trying his best to not grab the boy and give him some candy. "He's a boy, why does he get to stay here and talk to you?" He scowled.

You were about to scold Kijoong when San answered without missing a beat, "Because I don't do Karate, I'm a Taekwondo athlete. Well, former." That piqued Kijoong's interest as seen from his twinkling eyes, "My uncle Bumjoong knows Taekwondo!" He exclaimed, loosening his grip on you to turn towards San, "How do you do Taekwondo?" He asked, head tilting to the side in intrigue. "Why don't I show you? My kiddy Taekwondo class is over but we can check out the classroom and try things out," he smiled at Kijoong who immediately tried to make a dash through the door but you knew better and wrap your arms around his torso. "Are you sure you can give him a private trial like that?" You weren't really worried about access as much as being a bother because he's the owner's son and he was going out of his way to show things himself. Kijoong, on the other hand, didn't care as he dangled in your arms while still trying to make his escape to check out the Taekwondo class.

San waved his hand and stood up, "Nah, I need to make sure we have enough tiles for next week's mid class practice which is for kids ages 12-16. May I?" San opened his hands in front of Kijoong, hinting that he wanted to take the boy out of your grip. You would be hesitant or even reluctant had it not been for the fact that Kijoong was trying to claw his way into San's arms and when you let go of the boy, instead of having San carry him, Kijoong grabbed San's hands and tried pulling him towards the door. TRIED being the operative word since San didn't even move an inch, only staring at the boy with amusement in his eyes.

Just as you thought they would walk out first, San (unbothered with Kijoong's attempt to drag him away) turned around and offered you a hand to help you get up which made you blush because it wasn't like you had any issue. His gentlemanly manners shone as he opened the door for you even when Kijoong was whining for him to hurry up (which earned him a light scolding for being rude) and had moved to dangling off of San's strong arm. You all but stare at how San wasn't affected at all by Kijoong's constant attempt to move him. Once again, you found yourself amused and impressed by San and you couldn't help but pat yourself on the back, feeling sure that this was going to be a good thing for him. And maybe for you.

network :

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[specialgradefckr]

Heatwave has me on a chokehold.

like fuck. No autonomy for reader fr and it's so deliciously and wrenchingly fucked up for them to present the illusion of free will via limited options even if at the end, they're the ones with the leash, the one in control, regardless of the option you chose.

And I love the difference between Gojo and Geto with Gojo wanting for reader to accept whatever they offer but Geto not really caring if reader really accepts (wants) as long as he provides and takes care of reader (even if against their will) and can very much so resort to forceful means (the tube feeder ((that shit has me like😶, like damn, as long as reader eats lmao)).)

The way you write the humiliation for reader with all the times they forced them to wet themself feels real fr. That shit is literally picking at their self-esteem, and the constant unwanted reaffirmation that it's natural and it's fine is so not doing any good at all to her pysche.

Ngl I wanna see reader after the panic attack breaking and turn into a hollow shell fr. One that do still talks, entertains and obeys but one that's just hollow. Half-hearted at best and empty at worse because they're gearing for the worse (the abandonment. the pain, left behind all tied up and with no control over her body. They've turned her into someone who can't even feel like they're capable of making choices on their own anymore). Just for the angst and a little (okay maybe big) karma for what they've done🥰

Wonderful writing! Hope to see more jjk with stsg (esp satoru) and If you don't mind, make a little insight to their pov?

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the fic! hearing this makes me feel really great about writing this, because it's like!

yes!! PRECISELY!! SO REAL SO TRUE!!! the message has come across, the fic gave you exactly the feelings i had when i was making it!! it makes me feel like i successfully conveyed,, The Vision,,,

honestly it started out as horny and it was supposed to have heat sex later on but then when i got into the forced piss stuff it got. sooo psychological.

in the back of my mind i kinda knew it was getting off track but it was getting SO GOOD. i loved writing about. conditioning, psychological warfare, the loss of control and how people deal with it.

jjk itself is pretty brutally realistic with the consequences of the bad things that happen in the series, and i love realistic dark content.

you try a hunger strike? geto deals with it. you do not refuse food again. they are yanderes and they are not afraid to make this very ugly and very uncomfortable for you. they'll do it sometimes even if you DO cooperate.

gojo is truly the essence of a puppy dog. he loves you sooo sososo much and maybe he'll throw a fit but he's not the calculated tactician geto can be. geto's got goals. gojo's just happy to be here.

the panic attack/breakdown kinda just came out when i was trying to write you going into heat.

it was supposed to be this stockholm syndrome moment where you're like "oh at least they won't leave me" but then i started getting into. well.

they did leave you once, didn't they? and at every moment they remind you, sometimes in the most humiliating ways, that you DO NOT control what they do or how they treat you.

so now you're enduring psychological warfare from your own psyche where you're wrestling with the idea of getting impregnated because:

you don't want to be pregnant

but if you DID get pregnant, then they would HAVE to stay with you, right?

but you don't WANT them to stay with you. you hate them, right? if they left you'd like that because you don't WANT them around.

but what if they wouldn't stay with you anyways? you can't make them do anything.

actually you can't even control that so why worry haha. they're going to get you pregnant if they want to, they'll leave you if they want to, and you can't do anything about it.

just the absolute war zone in your head as every thought clashes with all the others. the natural consequences of the stuff you've been through since the beginning of the fic, all trickling down into one moment.

*extremely quietly* okay don't tell anyone bc it's annoying when people JUST say "can't wait for part 2" and nothing else, like.

what did you like so much? what would you hope to see expanded on? many writers would love to hear this in a comment, but instead they just get "part 2 please" and it feels like a demand.

i know it comes from a place of appreciation but it's not encouraging when that's all someone has to say about your work.

THAT BEING SAID...

there WAS actually more to that fic. i kept writing after where it ends. it switches to geto's POV and him and gojo freaking out, trying to calm you down and figure out what happened and how to fix it.

i realized that this oneshot would turn into a huge monster of a fic if i let it keep going, and i had a really good stopping point already with the reader in the midst of their breakdown, so i cut it there and posted so i could start writing for the next prompt (which i'm also super enjoying!).

if i DO any kind of part 2 or companion piece for ANY of the heatwave fics, it'll be that one.

i'm not sure how i want it to go, though. it'd be easier to write the shell of a reader from gojo/geto's POV, but i like keeping things primarily in the reader's POV. i also don't like to stick to one mood, especially not some boring doom and gloom suffering stuff.

i'll need someone to do something drastic in the follow up. maybe gojo? he's got to get something out of you somehow. and we all know what a freak he is, the fuck is he gonna get up to, hmmm...

[chenfordspiral]

master post - all my Chenford stories

missing you sucks (i don't feel like me anymore) (AO3) Spec fic for 5x21 & 5x22. Lucy's on a longterm UC op and Tim misses her.

home is where my heart is (you feel like home) (AO3) Lucy's POV while she's undercover. Companion piece to "missing you sucks"

she was always the one you were meant to find (AO3) Isabel returns and makes a few observations about Tim and Lucy's relationship. Spec fic for 5x20.

i don't wanna lose you now, or ever (AO3) Lucy's insecurities are brought to the surface with Isabel's unexpected return, leading to a long overdue talk with Tim. (kind of a continuation of 5x20 spec fic from Lucy's POV, but works as a standalone)

it never was, not with you (AO3) Lucy spends some more time at Tim's bedside after his surgery, eventually hearing something unexpected.

you couldn't have loved me better (AO3) Lucy gets pulled out of her deep cover op prematurely after three months, so she's expecting bad news. She just never imagined this. Warning: Major Character Death!

i can't lose you (ch 1; ch 2) (AO3) A continuation of that last Chenford scene from 5x21, from Lucy's POV.

no one but you (AO3) Tim hasn't been able to let the thought go, but he didn't expect the conversation to end up being this emotional.

we've been here before, but it's different this time (AO3) Missing moment from the season 5 finale. Continuation of that hug scene.

i'm here if you need me (AO3) After learning of Chris Rios's passing, Tim tries his best to offer some comfort and be there for Lucy.

tell me we could have it all (AO3) Tim and Lucy share a moment when he drops her off after Nyla's wedding. Will they run and pretend it never happened, or will it finally make them realize that there's something between them and talk about their feelings?

feels like there's oceans between you and me (ch 1; ch 2; ch3; ch 4; ch 5, ch 6, ch 7, ch 8) (AO3) An insight into Tim's mind as he struggles to make sense of his changing relationship with Lucy and come to terms with his growing feelings for her.

the scratches gave us away (AO3) Aaron makes an interesting discovery, and proceeds to out a certain secret relationship.

Little bit of Love (AO3) A look into what the future may hold for Tim and Lucy.

when you’re by my side (AO3) Tim, Lucy, and Aaron get stuck in an elevator while on duty. Lucy’s trauma triggers a panic attack, but Tim is there to help her through it.

run into the night (like the sun won't ever come up) (AO3) After their first time together, Lucy and Tim spend some time lying in bed talking about scars, and feelings, and how they got to where they are today.

you keep his shirt (he keeps his word) (AO3) The day wasn’t special or remarkable at all, not in that sense anyway — until it turned into one that neither Lucy nor Tim would ever forget.

all this chemistry has got me falling (i'm definitely high) (AO3) Tim needed to forget; he needed to forget that his marriage was basically over. So when a beautiful stranger he met at a bar while drowning his sorrows suggested they help each other forget for a night, he couldn’t say no.

Little bit of Lust (AO3) The M and E rated missing scenes from Little bit of Love.

warm with you, safe with you, in love with you (AO3) When Lucy unexpectedly gets sick with the flu, Tim makes sure she's well taken care of. Even when she doesn't want to admit she's sick in the first place and insists on going into work anyway. Set sometime between 5x14 and 5x16.

'tis the first of many seasons (AO3) Chenford celebrate their first Christmas together with a ski trip and a cozy cabin. Bonus points if they get snowed in for a couple days. For Chenford Secret Santa 2023

two hearts that beat as one (our lives have just begun) (AO3) Chenford's first New Years as a married couple. Bonus fic for Chenford Secret Santa 2023

cause I know that it's delicate (AO3) Lucy speaks her mind and doesn't take no for an answer. Set a couple of months after 6x06.

I move through the world with the heartbroken (my longings stay unspoken) (AO3) The first two times Tim and Lucy run into each other again after their breakup. Post ep for 6x06.

in sweetness (AO3) Lucy is six months pregnant with her and Tim’s first child, and has some interesting in-the-middle-of-the-night snack requests.

it's brighter now (i only see daylight) (AO3) Tim and Lucy's first time after getting back together.

[sanguineterrain]

prompt again for #5! steve gives the best hugs in the group — it's another reason why the kids call him the mom of the team. when you have a hard day you always go straight to steve for comfort. he'll rest his head on yours and hum a little and the two of you won't have to say anything — steve just knows you need some comfort - lav

5. giggly cuddles; 0.6k words

thanks for the prompt my little apple cake ⚘️ steve h x gn!reader.

****

Today has been too much.

You're at the Harringtons for a game night. It had been agreed the kids needed something to take their minds off what happened. Steve had put it upon himself to coordinate such a thing. You know he loves people in his house and the noise and warmth the kids bring.

And while your capacity for people doesn't match Steve's, you still adore all of them to death. And any other day, you'd be smack in the middle of the heated game of Monopoly happening downstairs. You can hear Mike yelling that Dustin should go straight to jail and rolling doubles before you go to jail doesn't protect you from future jail time!

You want to join the action and eat your weight in popcorn but instead you're in the kitchen, slowly sipping your glass of water and sagging against the counter. Your social battery is near drained. Every interaction, every worry, and every responsibility has nestled in your brain and zapped your energy.

You lean over the sink to try to find your breath and keep it.

"Hey."

You feel a warm hand on your spine. Steve sets the popcorn bowl on your other side, rubbing circles into your skin.

"D'you feel sick?"

You shake your head, hoping Steve will understand. You two have been friends for a while. Sometimes he just knows.

"Too much?" he murmurs, quieter this time.

You nod. Steve urges you upright.

"C'mere," he says, taking your hand. "I'll bring down the popcorn and then we can camp out up here."

"The kids—" you start.

"They'll be fine," he soothes. "They're occupied with the game. Nancy and Robin have 'em."

You go to the living room and linger by the couch. Steve is down and back in moments, dusting his hands on his jeans. He smiles at you, only slightly tinged with worry. He's such a mother hen, fretting over how much rest you're getting or checking your anxiety levels.

"Sit down," Steve instructs gently.

You frown. "I don't wanna keep you..."

He shakes his head.

"You're not, promise. C'mon, I got you."

You sit and Steve does the same, positioned against the back of the couch. He pulls you up so you're slotted between his thighs. Steve is warm and smells like caramel corn. He begins to rub at the base of your neck. Your muscles loosen.

"Bad day?" he asks.

"Jus' a lot," you murmur, clinging to his sweatshirt, head on his shoulder.

You feel him nod. You don't have to say much. Steve knows you inside and out.

"Had a guy come in today asking what the best movies for lizards are."

"Lizards?" you hum into his chest. "Like lizard movies?"

"No, like, he has a pet lizard named Wendell and he wanted my personal insight on films lizards would enjoy."

You bite your lip.

"So what did you tell him?"

"Well, first I asked what kind of personality Wendell has. Apparently he's a party boy."

You can't help your giggle at that. Steve joins in, shaking from the memory.

"It was bizarre! I had to get Robin involved. She must've given him a good selection. He seemed pretty happy."

You look up at Steve, curling your arms around his neck. He smiles down at you. Your foreheads bump.

"Thanks for this," you whisper. "You give the best hugs, Steve."

"Of course. Anytime. Y'want anything? You didn't eat much earlier."

"Later?" you plead. "Just wanna stay here with you."

Steve shifts and presses his cheek to yours. He continues to rub your neck.

"Sure, honey. We can stay here as long as you want."

[keep-the-wolves-close]

Steady Heart

Chapter 10: Pick Me Up

* Pairing: Slow-burn Kayce Dutton x OFC Stella Daniels

* Rating: M? (Still figuring out the rating system) (might eventually be M anyhow)

* Warnings: language, sad Kayce and sad Stella

* Word count: 3,139ish

I would love to give credits to @dameronscopilot and @deanscroissant for being sounding boards for me during this whole process, giving outsider insight, being cheerleaders, and allowing me to screech at them about things that have happened during the writing process. I seriously couldn't have gotten this far without y'all

Author's note: I hope everyone is enjoying so far! I hope you love this chapter as well! This one is a bit of a filler, but some semi-important information is mentioned about our girl Stella.

Stella hopped off one of the newly acquired geldings. She’d been working with him for a good part of the morning. She started with some ground work to see what level he was at, and moved up from there. All of that took time and patience. John had gotten him from Travis, so the gelding had been started and taught manners for the most part. John had chosen the horse that was the greenest though to give Kayce something to work with.

She felt a presence behind her and turned to see who was hovering. It was her brother. ‘I should’ve expected as much.’ She smiled at him. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Ryan remained stoic. The silence between the siblings was awkward.

“You wanna yell at me and get it over with?”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “No, I don't want to yell at you.”

“Then what is it?”

“What’s gotten into you?”

“Like I said, I don’t have an answer for you.” She shrugged, struggling to come up with an explanation. “I was just frustrated and over all of it. Rip just opened his mouth at the wrong time.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean go and try to fight him.”

“I know. It was dumb. Lesson has been learned. And I wasn’t even really fighting him.”

Ryan studied his little sister’s movement when she turned back around to readjust her hold on the gelding’s reins. He could tell she was tired mentally. It had been a rough month for everyone. “You doing okay? You’re not bottling anything up, right?”

“Yeah. I’m okay. I’ve had time to do some soul searching since I can’t be here all the time.” She smiled at Ryan and Colby joined them. “Promise.”

“In one day?” Ryan asked.

“Being a cowboy is a lonely life, brub, so yeah.”

“You haven’t even talked to Kayce?”

“No. He’s busy with Monica. He doesn’t need to hear about my troubles or what I’ve gotten myself into.” Stella scratched her head. “He would worry and he’s already doing enough of that.”

“How’s the horse coming?” Colby asked to disrupt the solemn turn the conversation had taken.

“Which one?” She chuckled. “There’s two I’m working.”

“I meant, what did you name him?” Colby shook his head. “Kayce’s horse?”

“Oh,” she laughed, “Tank. He’s good. You boys are just scared to use him.”

“Stella!” Rip bellowed from across the yard interrupting them.

She sighed and turned to face her latest annoyance. “Yes dearest Rip?”

“Quit mingling. Finish up with that horse and go home.”

Stella pulled her bottom lip in with her teeth. She fought with every fiber of her being to keep her mouth shut. “Alright.” She said through her teeth. Looking at Ryan and Colby, she nodded her goodbye and began to walk off. Hooves could be heard behind her, which caused her to stop the gelding.

“I need you tomorrow morning. We need all hands on deck because of that bear.”

Stella sighed. “How early?”

“Early. We have to either take care of it, or haze it out.”

“Okay. I’ll be here.”

Stella walked in through her door with a huff. This whole coming back home right away was really killing her vibe. She understood the reasons, and knew that the rules were the rules, but it didn’t make it suck any less.

She dropped her keys on the small end table in the entryway and hung her backpack and coat on one of the coat hooks. The silence in her house was annoying to her. She went into her living room and turned on her sage green vinyl player. The last record that she had on there was the greatest hits of B.B. King. She smiled at The Thrill Is Gone coming through the speakers.

Once there was background noise she went back to the entryway and took off her boots. She made her way to the kitchen because she was hungry. She had some leftovers in the fridge that she could heat up. ‘It's better than nothing, babe.’

Stella set to work on heating the food up. She hummed along to the music in the background and tried to decompress from the craziness of the day. The smell of chicken rice blossomed in the kitchen as it crackled in the microwave. As she got a drink out of the fridge, the microwave beeped behind her. She placed her drink on the table and turned to grab the bowl and sat down to dig in.

Stella took the last bite of the chicken rice and made a face. Since she was still banned from the ranch during off work hours, that meant no dinner there too. She was good in the kitchen, but nowhere near as good as Gator.

‘You're banned, you hear me? Until further notice!’ Rip’s words echoed in the silence of her mind. It was so loud it almost was as if it tore through the whole house. Rip was stubborn, but so was she. Petty even. Spiteful enough to drag the problem into the ground and below the earth's crust. Her phone buzzed from its spot on the table and distracted her from the hateful thought pattern. It was probably her brother.

Stella

It was Kayce. The tone of the text felt wrong from the second she saw her name. The device buzzed in her hand again.

Please come help

She pulled her brows together and her heart sped up.

Blonquist Motel room 5

That was between her house and the hospital. Her eyes rounded as she realized. ‘Shit, Monica.’ Stella stood from the kitchen table, grabbed her bowl, and dropped it in the sink.

She quickly made her way through the downstairs of her house and turned off the lights as she went. The lamp at the entryway table stayed lit for her later. More of Rip’s words ran through her head. ‘Kayce will be the death of you and you’re in denial about it.’ She shook her head to rid it of the heavy words from Rip. Tucking her feet into her boots she threw on her dark green Carhartt, grabbed her keys and backpack and was out the door.

The motel was dimly lit off the side of the highway. To anyone not from here, they would look at it and think that it’s definitely a serial killer’s playground. To Stella, it was familiar. Safe. She’d stayed here plenty when Monica was in the hospital when Tate was born.

She spotted Kayce’s truck from the road, and gently turned into the driveway. As she pulled up next to his truck, her headlights illuminated him sitting in one of the chairs outside the room.

As quick as the wind she threw her car in park, turned it off and raced over to Kayce as he stood from his seat. She wrapped him in a hug so tight, he almost thought he couldn’t breathe. Kayce’s arms wound their way around her. He started to tremble with unshed tears. Stella rubbed his back. “Shh, it’s okay. Everything's gonna be fine. Let it out, cowboy. I’m here.” She whispered.

Kayce relaxed into her hug and the tears started to fall as he answered her unasked question, mumbling into her shoulder. “We got her home. Everything was okay. We were talking outside and then she fell.” Kayce sniffled. “It all happened so fast. I thought she died.”

Stella pulled back and looked up at him under his hat. “Hey stop thinkin’ like that! She’s strong and stubborn. Hell, she married you.” Stella laughed. “She’s gonna be just fine and come home to you and your little boy.” They pulled apart, Kayce still sniffling and Stella playing with the end of her jacket sleeve.

“So tell me what I can do for you to make things easier right now. Do you want me to take Tate to his grandpa, stay here with him while you go to Monica in the mornin’?” She trailed off not wanting to overwhelm him with suggestions.

Kayce looked around, trying to get his jumbled brain straight. “Uh, can you come to the hospital with us in the mornin’ to sit with him? He got upset by himself the last time we were there.”

“Of course, cowboy.” She turned to walk to her SUV.

“What are you doin’?”

The trunk hatch opened and shut before she answered. Stella poked around the side of her vehicle and held out something. Kayce squinted in the dark of the parking lot. “I’m gettin’ my sleeping bag.”

“Oh.” He smiled softly. “You ain’t gotta do that. I’ll sleep on the floor.”

Stella scoffed. “No sir you will not. If those designer bags under your eyes are any indication, you need that bed more than I do.”

The door opened behind Kayce and a small voice called out. “Dad?”

Stella quickly put on a face for Tate. “Hey buddy.”

“Aunt Stella? What’re you doing here?” The little boy screwed up his face.

“I’m gonna keep you boys company and go with you to see your mom in the mornin’.”

“Oh okay.” He looked sad at the mention of his mother.

Stella pushed past Kayce and into the room. “Hey, do you wanna help me get my sleeping bag set up on the floor?”

Kayce smiled at the tender moment of his best friend doing her best to distract his son. He followed them into the room and shut the door. Clicking the lock into place, he walked fully into the room and sat on the corner of the bed. He watched Stella talking idly to his son, listening intently when he responded or asked questions keeping his mind busy.

The friends made eye contact over his son’s head and he looked at his invisible watch. “Hey bud,” Kayce started to catch Tate’s attention.

There was a small groan from the boy. Stella watched him roll his eyes when he turned to face his dad. She smirked at that. ‘I gotta stop rolling my eyes around him.’ He was definitely picking up on it quickly.

“Yes dad?” There was a little huff after he asked.

“We’ve got an early morning tomorrow. We should all probably hit the hay.”

The little boy headed toward the bed he’d chosen for himself. Stella piped up. “Ah ah. Head for the bathroom, mister.” Tate stopped walking and turned to face his “aunt”. “Your mother would murder me if I didn’t have you at least brush your teeth and wash your face.”

“But I don’t have a toothbrush.”

“But you forget, dear nephew, I come prepared for anything.” Stella marched out to her car and into the trunk to grab the bathroom essentials emergency kit. It had a couple toothbrushes, some travel sized toothpaste, face wash, q-tips, feminine hygiene.

Tate squinted trying to read what the bag said. “Bag of,” he trailed off.

“Bag of tricks, kiddo. Here,” Stella handed him the travel bag. “Now go wash up please.” She smiled watching him walk away. A hand on her elbow made her turn and find Kayce coming in for a hug. “Oh, hey.” She let him settle into her. “Everything is gonna be alright Kace. There’s also a toothbrush for you too. I expect you to wash away the gross vibes from today.”

Kayce pulled back. “You tryin’ to say I smell?”

“Good lord no. I’ve lived in the bunkhouse. I’ve smelled way worse,” she laughed. “But we’re gonna change the outcome by washing away the gross.”

“Thank you Stell.”

“Of course, cowboy.”

The bathroom door opened and Tate meandered his way over to his bed. Kayce made his way over to tuck him in. Stella chose to leave the boys be and go wash up.

“Psst.” Kayce whispered to Stella. She jerked, but didn’t wake up. He stood, careful to not make too much noise and wake Tate up. When he was sure his son was still fast asleep, he moved silently over to his friend on the floor. He leaned toward her face. “Stella.” He poked her shoulder trying to elicit a response.

Stella jumped and gasped while her eyes shot open. Seeing Kayce standing above her in the dim light filtering in through the thin curtains made her heart slow down. She quietly groaned as she sat up. Reaching for her glasses, she squinted at her best friend.

“What?” She asked low pitched assuming they were whispering because Tate was finally asleep. Instead of verbalizing an answer, Stella watched as Kayce nodded his head to the outside.

She sighed and flipped the top of her sleeping bag off her legs. With a quiet grumble she stood, grabbing her coat and boots. Kayce had left the door cracked. Stella looked back to make sure she hadn’t woken Tate up. When she saw his breathing hadn’t changed, she made her way out to the sidewalk and shut the door gently behind her.

When the door clicked her heart dropped. She closed her eyes. “Please for the love of god tell me you have the room key.”

Kayce chuckled. “Yeah Stellee, I do.” He wiggled the key in his hand before he shoved his hand back in the warm refuge of his pocket. “Here lemme steal you a chair.” He walked briskly over to the neighboring room and stole it to sit next to the one for his room.

Stella sank down into the plastic chair stiffly and tucked herself into her coat, followed by Kayce sitting next to her. She looked out to the road with a thousand yard stare. Rip’s words bounced around in her head. “How the hell did we wind up in this mess Kace?”

Kayce tapped on the arm of his chair. He wasn’t sure how to answer her. It always seemed to be him that caused a ruckus, and Stella was stuck in the middle somehow. “I dunno. I’m sorry for involving you.”

A dissatisfied frown took over her face and she groaned. “That sounds like Rip.”

“It is.” There was a long pause that followed his admission, which caused Stella to look at him. “He’s right, you know?”

“Oh Jesus Christ, not you too.” She huffed and made a motion to stand back up. “If that’s what you brought me out here for, I’m going back to bed and you can fuck off.”

Kayce’s arm shot out to stop her. “No no no. Wait.” His eyes pleaded with her. When she semi-relaxed back he continued. “I’ve gotten you and Monica mixed up in a bunch of shit that you don’t deserve. I’m not good for people.”

“Kayce John, that is the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard you say in my entire life! And I’ve heard you say some dumb shit.” She locked eyes with him. Angry eyebrows furrowed. “I’m an adult. I know what I’m signing up for. You don’t force me to do anything.” She sat on the edge of the chair. “What you were being held for the other day was a bit much, but I still chose to show up. Monica is a grown ass woman too, and it wasn’t even your fault she tried to break that fight up at her school.”

“I know, but—,” Stella interrupted him.

“—but nothing, Kayce. No matter what Rip has up his ass right now, I will always choose you. No matter the lifetime, but I’m glad it was this one.” Silence fell over the two of them. It was heavy and thick with the confession. “I always have.” Stella finished softly. She slumped back against the chair. “He’s just gonna have to get over it. I’m tired of hearin’ his voice in my head. My brother has.”

Kayce observed her. “Is he giving you a hard time?”

“Yeah, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I might get myself into a heap of trouble doing it, but I can manage it.”

“Whattaya mean?”

“I’m banned except for doing my job. He and I got into it after you left. He just couldn’t keep his mouth shut, with him being in a sour mood from the morning and all. He handed me my ass, and then I talked to your dad. Who offered me an interesting position, by the way.” She changed subjects quickly, hoping to avoid Kayce noticing she said Rip handed her ass to her.

His eyebrows raised in surprise. “Did he hurt you?”

‘Damn it.’ Stella scratched her forehead. “No Kayce. Just knocked the wind outta me. It’s fine.”

��If he tries it again, you tell me.”

“I will do nothing of the sort. But anyway,” she shuffled in the chair. “Your dad offered me a new position. And asked me my opinion on money and business outlook.”

Kayce huffed at her ignoring the problem at hand and decided to play along. “Oh, did he now? What is it?”

“Helping you with the horses and being in charge of broodmares if he chooses to get involved in that. He’s doing some research into it.” She sniffed, her nose running from the cold. “So you were right. He did have something better in mind. Even though you stole my previous position.” She smirked at him while shoving his leg with her booted foot.

“Hey now…,” he grabbed her foot and gently pushed it back.

“It’s fine. He wants you around more.” She bit her lip, not sure if she should have admitted that. “Probably for your own safety. Especially if you’re gonna take over the ranch one day.”

“Now hold on, I don’t know about all that.”

She held her hands up in surrender. “I’m not forcing you to do anything. I’m just talking.”

“Yeah, but I don’t know if I want that cursed ranch.”

“And that’s a decision you’ll make when you’re ready. And that’s fine. I’m here whatever you decide.”

Kayce locked eyes with her, spellbound as to how he ended up so lucky to have someone like Stella in his corner. “I never did get to say thank you for the other day.”

Stella looked away when she felt a blush heat her cheeks. She shrugged. “Nah, it was nothing. It’s not like they’re gonna take me to jail for trying to get you home. I had nothin’ to lose. Except for some dignity when they told me no and then I had to talk to Jamie.”

Kayce actually laughed. “Why do you hate him so bad.”

“I don’t hate him. I just wanna punch him.” Stella looked at him doe eyed. “A couple hundred times.”

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you still had a thing for him.”

“I have never had a thing for your brother. Good Christ. It was never him.”

“So there was someone though.”

“Oh my god we’re not having that conversation, Kayce.”

“I’m gonna find out, you know.”

“Yeah, good luck with that cowboy.” Stella stood and placed the neighbor’s chair back. “Let’s go. Time for bed.”

[storiesofstratos]

Chapter 3: Dinner with the Rowes

Daniel has dinner with... most of his family

“I’ll catch you guys tomorrow!” I called out to Nico and Jack, waving to them as I took off. Once they were out of sight, I started to slow down, letting out a heavy sigh. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, watching the screen brighten as I put in my passcode. One missed call from mom. Probably letting me know she’ll be home late again. A text message from Elise, asking me to pick up more snacks for the house. She was like a furnace with how she burned through all those damn snacks.

Elise hated when it was just the two of us eating, and to be honest, I couldn't stand it either. Maybe if Cyrus and Emma were available...

I flipped over to my contacts and dialed my brother's number. If I was right, then they should be closing up right about now.

“Hello?” The deeper voice of my older brother came over the line after a few rings. He never let it ring for too long, which was a good thing for me. “What’s up Daniel?”

“Hey, uh, mom’s gonna be late getting home tonight, and I’m in charge of making dinner,” I knew he had his own place, so I wasn’t going to be too upset if he declined my offer. “I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to come over and eat with us, that’s all.”

A moment of muffled speaking from the other end of the line, something I couldn’t quite make out. He was probably asking Emma if she would come too. I knew she would say yes, she never missed an opportunity to be with us.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Cyrus came back on the line after a minute. “We just closed up shop for the day, we’ll grab Freya from the sitter and then be over, how’s that sound? I'll help cook, I know you can't be trusted around that stove.”

“I am not that bad, fuck you,” God, why did I even bother? "Y'know what, don't even bother coming, I don't want you there anymore."

“Well now I have to come over, just to piss you off,” I could hear Emma scold him over the phone, which got me laughing, "Hey, don't you start laughing, I know where you live you little shit,"

"Alright, I'll see you in a couple hours," We said our goodbyes, and I got on my skateboard and headed on my way home.

Within the next two hours, I was home and the living room was full of voices. Mostly Emma and Elise, but Freya attempted to join in the conversation as well. She was very insightful, and provided a lot of wisdom to the conversation. I assumed, at least, given how passionate she was in her babbling. Well, even if Freya’s speech did sound like smashing keys on a keyboard, Emma seemed to understand her perfectly.

“She said what? How dare she?” Emma spoke to the baby, a smile on her face as Freya babbled something in response. The girls in the living room erupted in laughter, so entertained by the way Freya just babbled away, like they were actually carrying a full on conversation.

I can’t help but think about how Maria would have loved to be here.

“Daniel,” Cyrus brought me back to reality for a moment. “Can you grate up that block of cheese over there on the counter for me? We’re gonna need it soon.”

“Oh, yeah, of course,” Trying to distract myself from my thoughts, I quickly move over to the counter and start doing as I was asked. “Thanks again for coming over. You know Elise hates it when the dinner table is practically empty.”

“I can't say I blame her,” He looked over at me as he spoke, "I mean... if it gets too quiet, your mind starts to wander, right? Maybe to stuff you don't... necessarily wanna think about?

“Yeah, I guess so...”

There was silence between us then. It was like he was reading my mind. I felt his hand rest on my shoulder before he spoke again.

“Look... I know we've talked about this a lot lately, but, it's going on a year now. I know you're still sneaking out at night. She's gone, Daniel," He tried to give me a sympathetic look, "What happened to Maria isn't your fault, kid-"

“She’s alive. I know she is."

“And you've been saying that for a year. Look, I get it," Here he went, trying to lecture me, again. I didn't need this, "You think you could have done something... you blame yourself. You were with her when she got taken. But... it's not your fault! Playing hero isn't going to change that, Daniel, it's just-"

“I'm not-” I slammed the grater down on the counter, small cracks forming on the countertop. Shit. Deep breaths Daniel.. One. Two..

I exhale.

“Can we just not talk about this? Please.”

“..You’re right,” Cyrus probably had more to say, but he conceded for now, removing his hand from my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I went too far there.”

“Is everything alright in here boys?” Emma’s warm voice came from behind as she walked into the kitchen, holding Freya in her arms. The toddler immediately held out her arms to Cyrus, starting to whine. “She wanted her daddy. Why don’t you take her and I’ll take over cooking, yeah?” She offered their child to Cyrus and he didn’t argue, just taking her in his arms and carrying her off to the other room.

“Daniel,” Emma spoke my name as she put her arms around me, offering me a consoling hug. “Are you doing okay? How’s school?” She probably overheard me and Cyrus talking, but she was trying to distract me from the subject. She was always trying to make me feel better. “I heard you and your friends had a big project due today. You think you did okay?”

“Yeah. I think it went great. Nico’s always been really good at speaking. She’s gotta be charismatic to sell us on her crazy tinkering projects, right?�� 

“She’s a smart girl. Then Jack, he’s good with research, that’s what you said, right? He must have made it really easy for you to put that project together.” She moved back over to the stove to finish what Cyrus had started.

“Oh yeah. I don’t mean to brag, but I made everything look really good. Besides, Jack didn’t cover everything we needed, so I had to improvise. I found a couple old books at the library that had what we were looking for, so I got kinda lucky.”

“That’s good! I’m glad things are going well for you. Oh, dinner’s almost ready. Would you mind calling them in here?”

Dinner wasn’t incredibly eventful. It was the same idle small talk. How was school? How was the restaurant doing? We talked about our days, but I wasn’t exactly involved in the conversation. I just stared at the clock for most of the time. It was only a matter of time before I could go back to my room, and I was counting down the minutes.

Cyrus and Emma took Freya home after dinner, leaving me and Elise sitting on the couch alone, some cryptid video playing on the television.

“Do you think bigfoot really exists?” She asked me without looking away from the screen.

“Uh..” I shrugged. It wouldn’t be the weirdest thing to find out about. “I mean, I don’t see why it can’t. There’s a lot about this world that we don’t know, y’know? It probably exists.”

“I thought so too,” She nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer. Weird kid.

Mom came home just in time before Elise headed off to bed. I didn’t listen to what they said, but once Elise headed up to her room, I approached.

“Hey mom, we left some leftovers from dinner in the fridge. Blueberry pancakes, your favorite.”

“Oh, thank you so much,” Her smile was warm as she hugged me, holding me tightly as if she were trying to make all of my worries go away. She may have worked long hours, but she always cared about us. She never made us feel neglected. “Are you heading to bed as well? I don’t want you staying up too late playing video games again.”

“I won’t, I promise. But I am gonna turn in early tonight.” Saying goodnight to my mother, I headed back upstairs, only to check the time. It was dark out now. I opened the dresser and pulled out my hoodie, slipping it on and flipping the hood up, putting the black face mask over my mouth to mask myself further.

I wasn’t crazy. I knew I wasn’t, and I was going to show them all they were wrong. “Sorry mom..” I spoke softly as I opened my window. Slowly, I climbed out of it, dropping down to the ground below before taking off toward the city.

[sincerelyasomebody]

Mama || Leticia "Letty" Cruz

(GIF: @angels-reyes)

A/N: This was created because I've seen some speculation that Letty may not make it to the end of Season 3 (😭🥺). My mind needed something fluffy to combat this and so this piece came about. Apologises for grammatical errors and please let me know if the Spanish translation needs correcting.

Characters/Pairing(s): Letty x Reader (mother-daughter relationship) ▪︎ Coco x Reader (mention) ☆ Mayans MC (brief mention) ▪︎ OCs (receptionist, mother and son duo) 

Summary: Just a mother protecting her daughter. 

Warnings: brief mention of altercation (male and female), description of injuries, fluff, language, nicknames, painkillers (reference to injury) 

Word Count: 1755

- ♤ - ♡ - ◇ - ♧ -

(Y/N) couldn't believe how busy the roads leading to the local high school were. It was a Wednesday, a little after ten and the streets were just packed with cars. She thought it was ridiculous considering people were usually at their jobs and children were in their age appropriate schools. There was no reason for people to be out and about. 

"The light's been green for five seconds!" she yelled and honked her horn, "move!" The driver in front gave her the finger before taking off, "you're so fucking lucky I've got somewhere to be, asshole!" she called out as she drove in the opposite direction. 

When her phone rang during her break, the last person (Y/N) expected to hear from was the receptionist for Santo Padre High School. According to the woman, Leticia (Letty as she was mostly referred to) had been in an altercation with another student and her parents or caregivers were requested to come and meet with the principal. Rachel, the receptionist, mentioned trying to reach her father but going straight to voicemail. With (Y/N) being listed as an emergency contact she was called. 

(Y/N) immediately asked about Letty, but was told that specific details couldn't be discussed over the phone. She found that odd, but accepted it (for the time being) and informed Rachel that she would be there as quickly as she could. After hanging up, she grabbed her belongings and told her manager she had a family emergency to attend to. She was cleared and (Y/N) informed him that she would be taking a week off as well and would keep them updated on her situation. 

From the moment she received the call to the time she pulled up in front of the high school, her thoughts revolved around Letty. Being with Coco for several years allowed (Y/N) to gain some insight to the type of life he had been subjected to. Through a lot of tears, constant reassurance and love (Y/N) was able to break through his tough exterior and get him to believe she was in it for the long haul. When (Y/N) was told by him about his daughter being in a similar environment to what he was in growing up, she demanded him to bring her home.

The second she laid eyes on Letty she saw Coco's features and personality shine through. (Y/N) didn't expect the teenager to respect or trust her right off the bat, but she made sure to let her know that she was here if she needed someone to talk to and gave her space. With every door slam, harsh comment and glare sent her way, (Y/N) continued being herself and showed Letty she wasn't a threat. It was challenging, especially when Coco left on runs, but she pushed through. Eventually the teenager began to accept her father's girlfriend without second guessing her. 

(Y/N) stepped into the main office and found a woman standing beside a teenage boy, who held some paper towels to his nose and had a couple of scratches on his face. She moved closer and realised the pair were towering over Letty who sat in the corner and was looking down at her lap. Clenching her jaw, she strode over to the trio. 

"Get the fuck away from my daughter!" she glared at the duo and turned around to Letty, who was now standing, "mi niña, are you okay?" she kissed her forehead and cupped her cheeks, "Leticia?" 

The teenager nodded, "uh… y-yeah, I'm fine," she went to move (Y/N)'s hands but winced, "completely fine." 

(Y/N)'s eyes widened at the state of Letty's hands. They were most likely bruised and what shocked her even more was that there was no ice-pack beside her seat. The boy clearly had been given assistance, but her baby girl hadn't and that pissed her off.

"Rachel!" she called out and a woman appeared around the corner, "you're the one who called me right?" 

"Yes." 

"And, you said you couldn't go over specific details of what happened over the phone?" 

"That's correct." 

(Y/N) nodded and gestured towards Letty's hands, "well I'm here now and would like an explanation on why my daughter hasn't been treated and that young man has?" When the mother tried to give a reason, she raised a hand in her face, "this doesn't concern you, this conversation is between Rachel and I." 

Rachel gulped and could feel the anger radiating off of (Y/N), "well… uh, he was bleeding and –"

"Were there other staff members present?" she asked and when she was given a nod, she continued, "why couldn't they have provided medical assistance to my daughter?" 

"She… didn't tell us she was hurt, ma'am, she said she was fine so –"

"Bitch do her hands look fine to you?" 

The mother scoffed, "at least we know where your daughter gets her attitude from." 

(Y/N) turned to her, "shut up, nobody asked for your ass to speak," she gestured towards her son, "the reason your son's looking like a fucked up tomato is completely justified I can vouch for that." 

"Are you kidding me?" She shrieked and pointed to his face, "he's most likely got a broken nose and there's scratches on his face!"

"Exactly, be glad my daughter didn't have a screwdriver on her." (Y/N) replied and almost laughed at the disbelief on the woman's face, "your son deserved every scratch, bruise and possible broken bone."

"Excuse me!?" 

(Y/N) ignored her and turned back around to face Rachel, "Letty and I will be leaving now."

"Mrs Fraser hasn't seen –" 

"My main concern right now is my daughter's well-being," she told her, "and you've got my details on file so I'm sure Mrs Fraser can contact me at a later date." 

Rachel spoke again, "please if you'd just –"

"No." 

(Y/N) picked up Letty's bag and walked over to the desk, with Letty trailing behind her. She quickly signed out on the tablet and the pair walked out of the building. Reaching her car, (Y/N) unlocked it and helped Letty into the passenger seat. Closing her door, she rushed to the driver's side and got in. 

She helped Letty buckle up, before buckling herself in, "everything okay, sweets?" 

"Yeah… uh, thanks." was the response she received, before she started up the car and pulled out of the school parking lot while explaining where they were off to next. 

-- ♡ -- ◇ -- 

"He's always talking shit," Letty explained to (Y/N) about the guy in the office, "it was about time someone shut him up." 

"And you were the person to do so?" 

She shrugged her shoulders, "he ran his mouth and then touched me, so I beat his ass." 

"Two for one special?" 

"Pretty much." 

(Y/N) chuckled, "when your hands heal up, we'll ask one of the guys to teach you a few moves in the ring, thankfully your hands are just bruised and not broken." 

"They still hurt like a bitch." 

"You've got another two hours before you can drink some more painkillers." 

"What would've happened if Coco answered the phone?" Letty questioned.

(Y/N) shook her head, "honey, I don't even think I wanna know what would've happened," she noticed the teen wince, "are you okay?" 

"Yes." 

"Are you sure?"

She huffed, "I'm fine, okay? I was fine when you picked me up. I was fine when we went to the doctor's office. I was fine at the grocery store and I was fine the last time you asked me." 

(Y/N) nodded and pulled into their driveway, putting the car in park, "I'm not gonna apologise about asking how you're feeling. I'm just – I just want to make sure you're okay. But, now I'll stop because I can see I'm annoying you." 

"Yeah, you are." 

She chuckled, "okay, I'll stop, but you'll tell –" 

Letty sighed, "yes, I'll tell you. You really take this parenting thing seriously. I mean… you've been referring to me as your daughter all day and I–I'm not. But you defended me –" 

"And I always will." 

" – against Kyle, his mum and even the receptionist. I–I've never had that before. And, even at the doctor's office you made sure I was seen by a female because you knew it'd make me more comfortable." 

"Letty?" 

"You treat me like I'm yours and you called me your daughter and I… I don't know, I just," she took a deep breath, shook her head and looked out of the window.

(Y/N) waited for her to continue, but she didn't. Thinking back on today's events, she realised she had referred to Letty as her own. She had been doing it in her mind for so long and didn't realise she had said it out in the open. Letty had heard her reference and it seemed to make her uncomfortable and that was something she vowed she wouldn't do. 

"When I started dating your dad he told me about the kids he had. He told me that he wasn't involved in their lives because being away from them was for the best. I asked him what would happen if one day a kid reached out and his response was "if they do, they do. I ain't gonna turn them away", (Y/N) spoke up, "and then you reached out, sweetums. You reached out and your dad took that as a sign. From the moment you entered our lives, it's been a whirlwind of emotions. We're not this picture perfect family, but we're our own version. Despite being almost an adult, Coco still views you as his baby girl. And, honestly, I've been viewing you the same way."

Letty sniffed and looked up, "really?" 

"Absolutely, gorgeous. The moment you stepped through that door you became mine as well," (Y/N) pointed at the front door of their home, before turning to her, "but that doesn't matter if you're not okay with it. I'm not trying to force you to be –" 

"I'm Coco's daughter," she cut in and smiled at (Y/N), "and now I'm yours too." 

(Y/N) beamed with joy and unbuckled her seatbelt, and Letty's, reaching over the middle console to bring the teen into her arms. Letty wrapped her arms around (Y/N), breathing in her (scent). The woman chuckled and kissed her cheek, "I love you, baby girl." 

Letty pulled her closer, "I love you too, mama." 

-♤ - ♡ - ◇ - ♧ - 

Spanish Translations: 

Mi niña - my girl / baby girl

[suganovakawa]

i’ll protect you.

— oikawa, iwaizumi, kuroo, and bokuto protect you from bullies!

— gen masterlist.

warnings : iwa swears, bullying

gen taglist ( open! )

tooru oikawa.

✧｡ this might seem a little bit obvious but i’m sure you know that you’re gonna get attacked by oikawa’s fan club eventually

✧｡ someone like you with the one and only tooru oikawa ? hardly meant to be .

✧｡ they make it very deliberate that you hear the words they say

✧｡ " what does tooru see in y/n ? "

✧｡ " beats me , comparing them is like comparing a star to a campfire . "

✧｡ " and i think we all know who the star is . "

✧｡ oikawa notices you're not like yourself during lunch , which makes him worried to say the least

✧｡ you're picking at your food with your chopsticks , your face all mopey and down

✧｡ tooru is the first person to confront you , because he doesn't like his special y/n acting this way

✧｡ " y/n !!! what's wrong , my dear ? i don't like seeing you so sad "

✧｡ " oh . . . tooru . it's nothing , i'm okay "

✧｡ " i don't believe you for a second "

✧｡ " i'm fine , tooru - "

✧｡ right on cue , these stupid girls are pushing past you to get up to tooru , wide and innocent smiles stretched upon their faces as they try to look their prettiest for the star seijoh setter

✧｡ they're all ogling and fawning over oikawa , this was your chance to get by unscathed and unnoticed

✧｡ " excuse me , you do know you just shoved y/n to the side , right ? "

✧｡ you feel oikawa pull you close to him , his eyes glaring at the now embarrassed girls , coming up with silly excuses for their actions

✧｡ he doesn't even bother listening , just turning his heel and walking away with you

✧｡ you're just there like o_o

✧｡ " tooru ? they're your fans ! "

✧｡ " so ? if they don't treat you with respect i'd rather have no fans at all "

hajime iwaizumi.

✧｡ iwa will always be your number one bodyguard and that is on PERIODT

✧｡ you're the manager of the volleyball team but you aren't that close to iwaizumi , but you two have a steady enough relationship where he knows that he at least cares about your wellbeing

✧｡ thankfully he's in the same hallway as some assholes push your books to the ground , antagonizing as you're trying to pick up your things , humiliated as can be

✧｡ " what the fuck do you think you're doing , picking on y/n like that ? "

✧｡ their faces lose all color , slowly turning around and coming face to face with a fuming hajime iwaizumi

✧｡ hajime doesn't even need to lay a hand on these idiots to hurt them , just talking down at them makes their self esteem drop

✧｡ " huh , hot shots ? what , you think you're all that for treating someone like shit ? huh ? is that what it is ? "

✧｡ you're looking up at them dazed as they're just blubbering responses , acting like they've just gotten kicked in the gut

✧｡ " scram . pull this shit again and you'll get more than just a lecture . "

✧｡ you've hardly realized they're running away with their imaginary tails tucked in between your legs when you notice iwa bending down to help gather your things

✧｡ " i'm sorry they did this to you , i'll walk you to class if you'd like "

✧｡ " oh , iwaizumi ! you really don't have to , i can hardly thank you enough for making them go away "

✧｡ " next time people try and pick on you again , don't hesitate in telling me , alright ? i got no problem setting the record straight for those little shits "

✧｡ needless to say , your relationship with him SKY ROCKETED after today

tetsurou kuroo.

✧｡ you’re not the best at sports — you know that , but other people like to rub it in

✧｡ it's gym volleyball , and these boys are purposely picking on you because you can't receive to save your life

✧｡ they're making sure only you touch the ball , laughing when they see you struggling with their serves

✧｡ " you're so lame , y/n ! it's just a serve , and you can't even pass - "

✧｡ THESE KIDS GET HIT SQUARE IN THE NOSES BY WHOOSH AFTER WHOOSH

✧｡ wait woah those volleyballs came out of nowhere

✧｡ oh shit it’s tetsurou

✧｡ he’s Livid as he holds another volleyball in his hand , his jaw clenched as he prepares for another serve , aimed directly at those boys

✧｡ he's mocking them as they're all holding their noses in pure agony

✧｡ " oooooh , what's the matter , huh ? it's just a serve , and you can't even pass it ! ugh, you guys are so lame "

✧｡ kuroo walks over to you , and those guys practically run off , tears staining their eyes as they struggle with the pain from getting served in that place on the nose

✧｡ " how are your arms , y/n ? "

✧｡ " kuroo ! they're a little sore but i can manage , thank you so much "

✧｡ " just giving them the karma they deserved . i think that's the best serve i've ever done , actually . "

✧｡ " i could never receive like that , it would blow my arms right off "

✧｡ he laughs as you visibly shudder at the thought of it

✧｡ " i mean , you could . if you practice hard enough . i could help with that "

✧｡ his blush doesn’t go unnoticed

✧｡ " only if you want to ! y'know , to show those boys who's boss when they try serving at you again "

✧｡ " that would be awesome ! i'd love to learn now to do cool stuff like that "

✧｡ " honestly though , you should also listen to some advice from our libero , yaku - hey , how would you like to be our club manager ? we've been looking for one , and this job will be the insight you need for learning about volleyball - "

✧｡ woooooo boy you snatched that position real quick

koutarou bokuto.

✧｡ you’re very close to bokuto ever since you became the volleyball club manager , and there are some girls at fukurodani who are not happy with that

✧｡ how come they don't get kou all to themselves like how you can ? it's not fairrrrrrr

✧｡ they're all surrounding you after class , wanting to get some facts straight about bokuto

✧｡ and they're not doing it in a very nice way , either

✧｡ " y/n ? i've been waiting for you since class ended ! i thought you said we - hey , what's going on here ? "

✧｡ these girls do a whole ass 180 at the sound of his cheery voice , now circling around him and just about forgetting you existed

✧｡ " bokuto ! your last match was amazing ! "

✧｡ " the ace of fukurodani strikes again , doesn't he ? you're so amazing , senpai ! "

✧｡ at the sight of you with your eyes glued to the ground , he pushes past the girls , ignoring them completely , and walks over to you , his face serious as he tilts your chin up to make you look at him

✧｡ " y/n ? were they being mean to you ? "

✧｡ you hardly respond , but it's all the answer he needs before looking at the girls with a nasty glare

✧｡ woah woah woah where's koutarou and what have you done with him

✧｡ you didn't even know bokuto had it in him to be this angry

✧｡ but oh boy he looked absolutely pissed

✧｡ " i don't think i like you girls very much . treat others the way you wanna be treated , y'know ? but obviously , you guys don't know how to do that . don't even think about stepping near me or y/n until you learn how to show a little bit of respect , yeah ? "

✧｡ every jaw was dropped , including yours , as bokuto dragged you away from your bullies

✧｡ the moment you two leave the school , he flashes a smile your way and proceeds to talk about how he was so close to making it back to being in japan's top three youth aces

✧｡ ah , there's the bokuto we all know and love

✧｡ you're too dumbstruck by what just happened to even say thank you for what he did

✧｡ but believe me , he's far from afraid from showing his scary side again

[goddessofthundathighs]

VII: WAITING

Suggested Listenings/Songs Mentioned: Overstimulated x Jhené Aiko; Loaded Gun x 6LACK; New Apartment x Ari Lennox

A/N: Instead of writing a separate chapter, the prompt that you picked is in this one @heybriheyyy!

The sound of heels clicking against the black and gold marble floors of the hallway alerted Erik of Skylar’s arrival. The pair had agreed to meet in his office for lunch to discuss his date with O’Shea and other methods of therapy he could implement going forward. For this to be merely a meeting among friends, she was dressed to kill sporting an ivory turtleneck sweater and black pinstripe pencil skirt that hugged her physique in all the right places. On her feet were a pair of black Priyadora Louboutin open-toe sandals and her signature gold wire-rimmed glasses held their usual place atop her head.

She walked in and shut the door behind her, a silent cue for Harper to cancel his appointments for at least the next hour.

“First of all, you’re an ass for leaving her the way you did. I understand that you were upset at her for laughing, but you could’ve handled that so much better.” Erik dropped his head. Though he rectified the situation, he knew that there was no way he would be able to escape Sky’s wrath about how he reacted to his phallus getting caught in Shea’s braces.

“I fixed it!” he declared, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat.

“Oh I know. Disney, huh?” Her lips were twisted into a knowing smirk, much to Erik’s disdain.

“It’s not what you think,” he lied unsuccessfully.

“Oh it’s exactly what I think, Stevens. You’re falling for her.”

“I am not.”

“Then what do you call it?” He paused for a moment, avoiding her face at all cost. He was reluctant to speak because it was a question he had been asking himself ever since he dropped O’Shea off at home the previous Friday. Sky must’ve sensed his dilemma because her demeanor softened as she took a seat in the chair across from him.

“Ok, let’s try this approach: why are you so drawn to her? Is it personal or purely experimental?”

“Is it selfish to say both?”

“Not entirely. Elaborate.”

“I can say that I like her, but it’s the way that I like her and the reasons why that is a mystery at the moment. On a personal level, she’s incredibly smart and beautiful. She challenges me much like you do and I genuinely like being in her company. On a professional level, I’m curious to how each of her personalities react in a true relationship setting. I could use that information to possibly determine why her past relationships failed and ensure that it doesn’t happen again.”

Skylar listened intently as Erik explained before giving her insight to the situation.

“That may be well and good but the fact still remains that she is a patient and a colleague of mine. Are you prepared to completely cross that line or do you want to solely as a means of furthering your research?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer as she continued her lecture. “Furthermore, if you choose the latter, are you prepared to handle the possible blowback? As free as you are with your methods there is still the review board to report to and they will ensure that every step you take is well documented down to the flavor of lube.. and ETHICAL. Tread very softly. I don't wanna see you lose your license over some emotional bullshit that could easily be straightened out.”

“That’s actually the part that scares me the most. I need to figure something out and fast.” Skylar agreed before grabbing her bag.

“Well let me know what you come up with,” she replied as she began making her way out of the office, leaving Erik with his wayward thoughts. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through the text thread between he and O’Shea, chuckling to himself at their playful banter.

“What are you doing to me, Ms. Powell?” he spoke aloud with a sly smile, completely oblivious to the woman that now occupied his office.

“Dr. Stevens?” the young woman spoke, her soft voice causing him to lift his head. She sported a black biker jacket with blue jeans and timberland boots, her hair a curly mess atop her head.

“Yes, how may I help you?” he asked as he sat back in his chair.

“My name is Oya Ramirez. We spoke on the phone briefly the other day.”

“Oh yes, Ms. Ramirez, please have a seat.” Though her smile was bright, her eyes held pain. He could tell that life hadn’t exactly been good to her, but she was trying to make the best out of a bad situation.

“What brings you by, Ms. Ramirez?” he inquired as he sat up straight and grabbed a pen.

“Well, as of late, I've been having trouble achieving orgasms. I know what I like and I know all of the things necessary to get me to that point, but nothing seems to be working. I’ve scared off all of my usual partners because they say that my sex drive is too high and it’s unattractive, which I find absolutely ridiculous.” He looked up with one eyebrow raised, staring at her as though he’d seen a ghost. Everything she said was exactly what O’Shea had told him on their first meeting and he was starting to wonder if he were being Punk’d.

“I read this article in a psychology magazine about how you help women with that sort of thing and I was wondering if you could help me.” Erik couldn’t tell if it was fate or if God had a twisted sense of humor, but this was exactly the sort of thing he needed. He could use the treatment methods he used on O’Shea as a placebo to see if they would truly be practical enough to incorporate into his usual routine. Maybe leveling the playing field would also help him gain clarity of the O’Shea situation.

“Alright Ms. Ramirez, what are your kinks?” As she rattled off the list, he learned that she was a bratty lesbian looking for a dom to tame her.

“Well Ms. Ramirez, my schedule is pretty full at the moment, however, here’s my business partner’s card. She’ll be more than happy to assist you with your needs.”

----------------

“A business trip? For how long?” O’Shea pouted from her seat across from his desk.

“It’s only going to be a week, but in that week I want us to not contact one another. Instead, I want you to try and implement other methods to destress.”

“Did I do something? Was it something I said?” Buttercup begged in a tone so pitiful it almost made Erik cancel the whole trip and cradle her in his arms like the baby she was. He could see Sky in the back of his mind shaking her head and he could hear her saying, "Unhealthy attachment. Transference." And this is exactly why I need to go. We both need clarity.

“I’m not abandoning you, Princess. Trust me, this time next week we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled program and I’ll even have new things for us to try.”

O'Shea blinked at the thought of something new and interesting brought in specifically for her, curiosity softening the blow of temporary abandonment. Afterall, it was only a week and she'd gone longer without attention. She could probably do it again.

The thought crossed her mind to call up Cameron or Michael, past contacts she'd usually turn to in moments when she needed something quick. Neither Bennie, Buttercup, or Bianca would be satisfied, but at least O'Shea would be getting something. However, just as soon as the thought came, it left again. They just weren't worth it, besides there was something sexy and a little charming about waiting. Maybe distance would make their hearts grow fonder.

“Okay, I guess I can deal with that. Just don’t be tryna replace me while you’re gone,” she fake pouted.

“Someone sounds possessive,” he teased as he lead her out of his office, his hands by his side as to not complicate things further. She merely smiled, and continued out to her car, trying hard not to let the bratty beast within her loose before their little experiment had even began.

“Not possessive, just confident. There’s only one O’Shea Powell, Dr. Stevens. Have a safe trip.”

With that, she slid into the driver’s seat of her Benz and drove off into the sunset, leaving Erik yearning to be in her presence once again.

Crushing the line // cutting the line // crossing the line// Bumps in the night // Got me over here overstimulated // Crushing the line // cutting the line // crossing the line // Bumps in the night // Got me, got me over here, over

The first day without Erik was quiet. O’Shea went to work and back home and curled up with a book to ease her mind, her Something Chill playlist playing softly in the background. Though she didn’t want to believe that it was her fault that Erik had left, that’s where her mind kept drifting. She tried to convince herself that their interactions were nothing more than patient/client, she couldn’t ignore the obvious. Regardless of what was going on, no one would willingly purchase a Pandora bracelet or any other token of affection if there weren’t some feelings involved. Could it be that he too felt what she was feeling and was distancing himself to put those feelings into clarity? If so, then why wouldn’t they just talk things out like adults? Separation only gives way to doubt and doubt ruins everything. O’Shea sighed and closed her book. This week was about to be a long one.

“Ade due Damballa, give me the power I beg of you! Leveau mercier du bois chaloitte. Seciose entinne mais pois de morte. Morteisma--”

“Girl, what the hell are you doing?” O’Shea stopped mid-chant and opened one eye to find Skylar standing over her, one eyebrow raised in suspicion.

“I was tryna bring my nigga back, damn,” O’Shea pouted, placing the Pandora bracelet back on her wrist. Skylar doubled over in laughter at the meek woman before her. Erik had only been gone 2 days and she was already acting crazy.

“First of all, stop it, you look stupid. That only works for the transference of spirits and you need the actual Heart of Damballa in order for it to work.”

“I keep forgetting you a wholeass Creole voodoo priestess in your spare time,” O’Shea remarked, pulling out her sketchbook to draw more prototypes.

“And you’re acting like a lovesick puppy.”

“I don’t know what it is, Sky. Like aside from the bomb ass head, I actually miss our conversations. He listened to me, made me laugh. Hell he was the first man in a while that actually cared about how my day was going and how I was feeling throughout the day. I know that’s his job as a therapist and all, but something about it seemed different.”

“Do you think you’re possibly starting to grow feelings for him?”

“Absolutely not!” Shea lied. In actuality, it was a thought she’d mulled over several times since their Disney adventure.

“Why do y’all insist on lying to me? Tell me what’s going on with you,” Sky said, pulling up a chair beside her. O’Shea sighed heavily, not really wanting to expose her true feelings, but Skylar wasn’t just anyone. She was a confidant and also a neutral source. If anyone could help Shea sort through her emotions, it would be her.

“I honestly don’t know how to explain it. Like on one hand, he’s strictly my therapist. Someone more than qualified to help me address my current issues and find and adequate solution. On the other hand, he’s Erik. An incredibly smart and equally handsome man that has put me in my place more times in the last few months than I can remember. I haven’t even laid eyes on the dick yet and I’m already acting like a prized poodle in the Westminster Kennel Club. When he says jump, I want to ask how high and that scares me. Instead of being turned off or annoyed by my little personalities, he embraces and nurtures them in a healthy way and I’m having a hard time distinguishing whether he’s this way because he genuinely wants to be or because, as a doctor, he has to be.” Skylar nodded, absorbing everything that O’Shea had to say before adding her two cents.

“So, I’ll ask again, are you growing feelings him? Before you answer, think about this: if you are growing feelings, are you capable of continuing a professional relationship with him if those feelings aren’t reciprocated?” O’Shea hadn’t thought about the fact that Erik may not feel the same and hearing it now had her stomach in knots. Skylar sensed her dilemma and continued her speech.

“Now I’m not asking this to scare you or to send you off the deep end with your emotions, but I’m being realistic. I honestly think you two need time apart so you both can get clarity of the situation as well as come to terms with whatever y’all are both feeling towards one another.

“He’s going to Wakanda for a week. He suggested that we not call or text one another the entire trip, something about finding other methods to destress.” Leave it to Erik to already be three steps ahead.

“Good. While he’s gone, I have a yoga class I think you’ll be interested in and we can go together.”

“Eww, I hate yoga,” Shea complained.

“You’ll enjoy this, trust me.”

----------------

The sunset in Wakanda was always the most beautiful part of visiting his aunt and cousins. It had been a few years since he’d visited the advanced nation and each time, something new caught his attention. This time, it was the customizations she had made to T’Challa’s Black Panther suit that caught his eye. She had added a stealth mode, meaning he could go invisible if needed be when he was in battle. His younger cousin never ceased to amaze him with her genius nature. One he’d gotten his belongings put away, he set out to find his aunt Ramonda. She was his second mother and if anyone could help him gain clarity of his current predicament, it was her. He found her seated in the floating tea room that overlooked the lush garden at the center of the palace. It was her one of her favorite places in the palace. She always came here when she wanted to get away and clear her head. She was adorned in a white Wakandan lace robe with a matching headdress.

“Auntie, can I talk to you about something?” She beamed, giving him a knowing smile before beckoning him to sit down beside her. She took his hand into her own and squeezed it gently, letting him know that he could speak freely.

“Tell me about her,” was all she said, noting the troubled look in his eyes.

“Who said a girl was involved?” She stared up at him incredulously before chuckling.

“You ask that as though I do not know you, N’Jadaka. You’ve checked your phone every 10 minutes since you got here and I can always read the trouble behind your eyes. Now, tell me about her.” He sighed, hating that he could never hide anything from his aunt.

“It’s one of my clients, I think I’m falling for her.” Ramonda chuckled softly to herself as she studied Erik. She could tell that the topic was a difficult one for him, noting the way he tugged nervously at a lone dreadlock that hung loosely in his face.

“Didn’t you say that you’d never get involved with one of your patients because it’s messy and unprofessional? What changed your mind?”

“I don't know Auntie. There’s something different about this girl. She intrigues me on a level that no other woman has before. She’s witty, and the culmination of her different personalities create a very interesting and sharp young lady," he smiled recounting the times her mouth had been quicker than he could anticipate.

"The man is asked to explain his attraction and he talks about multiple personalities," Shuri tsks making her presence known.

“Obviously I am needed! N'Jadaka!" Her hand clapped hard onto his back as she stood between him and the queen gazing out into the garden ahead.

"Figure out if she is an experiment, a patient, or a lover, but don’t use her to fill your emotional gaps. You’re a jerk if you do,” Shuri scolded before heading back towards her laboratory. "Thank me later," she called as she disappeared from sight. Erik stared after her for a beat before turning back to his aunt to squeezed his hand once more.

“She may be young, but she is wise beyond her years and she knows what she’s talking about. I can give you all of the advice in the world, but at the end of the day, it’s your decision to make. Lord knows we don’t want another Lynda situation,” the Queen concluded as she stood.

She stepped to the side and followed Shuri's path to the exit leaving Erik to gaze solemnly out over the garden and into the grand horizon. He thought back to his relationship with Lynda and how it ended, concluding with himself that O’Shea definitely wasn’t a Lynda. She was an enigma, but a goddess in her own right. She deserved someone that could give her his whole heart and love her as hard as he knew she loved. She deserved to be catered to and spoiled, but also disciplined whenever she stepped out of line; she was a submissive after all. She deserved a lover and a provider and he wasn’t sure that he could be all of those things for her, but he was more than willing to try.

“Dammit. I think I’m in love.” He whipped out his phone and called Skylar, remembering some things he forgot to tell her before he left.

“Wassup lover boy? Miss me already?”

“I always miss you, Nola,” he smirked, hearing her soft gasp at the nickname he hadn’t used since college.

“Real funny, Stevens. To what pleasure do I owe this phone call?”

“I know you don’t really do therapy, but I referred you to someone, Oya Ramirez. She suffers from the same symptoms as our bipolar beauty minus the other personalities and I figured she’d be a good experiment for you. She should be stopping by some time this week.”

“Oya Ramirez,” Skylar repeated, jotting the name down in her notebook for reference. “Got it. Anything else?”

“Nah, that’s it. I’ll be back in a few days. How my girl?”

“Oh, now she’s your girl?”

“You know what I mean. She doing ok?”

“She’s pretty good. We’ve got a yoga date tomorrow.”

“Yoga? She hates yoga.”

“There’s weed involved.”

“Ah,” he states with a nod. “I knew there had to be a catch, but yoga’s good. Good way to get her mind off things.”

“I’m well aware, Dr. Stevens. I’ll keep you posted on her progress.”

“Thanks, Nola. I owe you one.”

“You’re eternally indebted to me, Stevens. I thought we had this discussion already.”

“You right. I’ll make sure I bring you back something dope. Peace.” Erik ended the call and returned to his suite in the palace. It was a room he’d tried and failed to duplicate in his condo back in LA. The color scheme was black, white, and gold with a huge Alaskan king bed trimmed in black and gold in the center of the room. The walls were decorated with paintings of African and Egyptian royalty, including Queen Nefertiti and Anubis from Egyptian mythology. A large floor length mirror hung on the back of his bedroom door and his closet was its own ensuite. The floor was black and gold heated marble, the inspiration to the floor in his office and the ceiling changed to mimic the sky outside, no matter the time of day. He undressed and slipped under the covers, trying and failing to keep his mind from drifting to the current object of his affection as 6LACK‘s mellow voice filled the room.

I got women callin’ my phone like I owe them some’ // It’s kinda my fault // I guess I showed them some’ // No shit, I treat my dick just like a loaded gun // Point that shit away // These hoes gon’ blow what comes

He shook his head, smiling softly at the image of her little pout and the way her eyes lit up when he surprised her with the Pandora bracelet. He would give anything to see her smile the way she smiled that night again. The slight dip of the bed caused Erik to raise his head, only to drop it back against the pillow one he realized who the intruder was.

“I missed you too, Massika,” he murmured as the jaguar made her way up the bed and to her usual spot beside him. She purred softly, rubbing her nose against his face before settling down beside him. She had been his baby ever since he’d rescued her from poachers the last time he visited. Everywhere he went, Massika followed and he made a mental note to introduce her to O’Shea once they were official.

--------------------

Today felt different. The sunlight crept through the large bow window, casting an ethereal glow throughout the bedroom. O’Shea woke roughly 20 minutes before her alarm, something that typically only happened when she was stressed. She stretched and said her morning affirmations before finally slipping out of bed, a small smile creeping across her face.

“Hey Alexa, play Something Chill.” As the device came to life, O’Shea retired to her bathroom and allowed Ari Lennox’s smooth voice to help her get ready for the day.

Pop my woo-hah in the sky // ‘Cause nobody here to judge my life // Leave the dishes in the sink // Do some cartwheels // “Cause my furniture ain’t came // Standard shipping thing // I just got a new apartment // I’m gon’ leave the floor wet // Walk around this bitch naked // And nobody can tell me shit

Since she was awake early, she decided to indulge in a relaxing bath with her newest bath bomb from Lush, called Royalty. The floral scent of the bomb permeated the bathroom before being replaced by a hint of vanilla and sandalwood. She watched as the water turned from a warm golden to soft red and green before slipping into the water. She loved how soft the soy milk powder left her skin, smoother than a baby’s ass fresh from its mother’s womb. After a 30-minute soak, she retired from her bath to get dressed, choosing to slick her curls up into a high puff while sporting a white, floral mini dress and a jean jacket. She felt good, a genuine smile crossed her face as she glanced down at the Pandora bracelet that rested in the center of her jewelry box for the past 3 days. She’d chosen not to wear it, fearing that she would be plagued with thoughts of Erik and be tempted to call or text him. Thanks to Skylar, the week had gone by a lot faster than she’d expected and he was due back home within the next few hours. A quick swipe of her Fenty gloss bomb and she was out the door, a newfound pep in her step.

The jingle of the shop’s bell pulled Shea from her sketchbook. She looked up to find a short, light-skinned woman coming over to the counter. Her hair was braided into cornrows and she wore a white cropped hoodie, blue jean shorts, and white Fila tennis shoes.

“Hello. My name is Oya Ramirez. I was sent here by Dr. Erik Stevens. He told me to ask for Skylar.” O’Shea regarded the young woman for a bit before walking to the back to get Sky.

“Oh Ms. Ramirez, Dr. Stevens told me you’d be stopping by. Follow me this way.” Oya complied, walking with Sky to the back of the store. O’Shea smirked, watching the way Skylar’s eyes followed every move Oya made until they had disappeared somewhere among the tall shelves. Once they were gone, O’Shea turned her attention back to her sketchbook. Since the dildo generator had been approved, Sky had tasked O’Shea with designing preset models that could be customized for potential clients that didn’t want to design their own tool from scratch. Just as she was getting back into her groove, the bell jingled again.

“Hello, welcome to —”

The cocoa skinned woman held up her hand to silence Shea.

“I’m Monica, where’s Skylar?” Almost on cue, Sky emerged from the back of the store with Oya, both giggling like schoolgirls. Once Sky’s eyes met Monica’s however, her smile faded.

“Baby!” Monica tried, attempting to throw her arms around Sky’s neck, but stopping once she saw the death glare Sky was giving.

“Oya, call me tomorrow with updates. O’Shea, take your break.”

“But I just got here,” O’Shea complained.

“I said take a break!” Sky repeated, raising her voice slightly to emphasize her point. Shea seemed to take the hint, leaving Sky and Monica alone in the shop.

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[vishnuvenugopal]

Outside a Party

Girl: All these white people right?

Boy: (laughs) I guess you could say that. How have you been?

Girl: Good! Do you wanna grab a drink?

Boy: I'm driving :-/ You wanna go outside or something? Somewhere where we can maybe hear each other?

Girl: (she beams, it catches the boy off guard and it shows) Sure! But I'm definitely gonna grab a drink if that's cool.

Boy: By all means, lead the way.

She leads him to the kitchen and pours a drink, smiling to herself a bit nervous but we see the same thing on him. H e motions for the door and they go outside together.

Boy: So what's up? What have you been up to in the last what 8 months?

Girl: Better question: Why haven't you talked to me in that long?

Boy: Shoot. You're not pulling any punches.

Girl: Well, I did grab that drink for a reason.

Boy: Look, honestly, I don't know. I thought I made it pretty clear that I wanted to see you - like see you like date you or at least go on a date with you, but you blew me off a few times when I asked you to lunch - which I thought was the most casual thing I could do - and then when I asked you to dinner, you said yes but then it never happened because any time I tried to pin down a date or time you just didn't respond. I figured you weren't interested and I didn't know how to approach you platonically after that - plus I didn't know if I could. I just... I heard you sing in the hotel way back when and the idea of - the possibility of - you being someone in my life just made me so happy. But then having you seemingly reject me again and again just felt like - well it felt shitty. And I'm trying to do things that build my confidence and self-esteem, not destroy those things.

Girl: So if I had come up to you tonight and asked you to dance, what would you have said?

Boy: Honestly? I don't know.

Girl: It's a good thing I didn't then I guess.

Boy: No, not because of you, because of all of them. And the music. And all the alcohol. And the weed. Look I think you could be amazing. But I don't know you at all. All I wanted was a conversation that could maybe give me some insight into that person and maybe lead to more conversations that could maybe lead to us being something - anything to each other.

Girl: So did you not think I wanted to talk to you?

Boy: No I guess I didn't.

Girl: Because I didn't text you back or whatever?

Boy: That and the fact that, well, I'm not used to interactions being so performative. Do you know what I mean? It feels like everything we do at the office - or anywhere with these people - it just feels like they're going to be watching and then they're going to talk about it and that's just really shitty. Like I just want to be able to live my life and do what I want to do without feeling like I have to be careful of what I do or say or who I interact with.

Girl: What did you think they would judge you for talking to me?

Boy: (Long pause) Yeah. I guess I did. I guess I haven't really come as far as I'd like to think. I got bogged down by all the same bullshit that I thought I could avoid by being the person I had become in the last five years, but without having other people to tether myself to, I kind of lost whoever that person was.

Girl: (sighs) Well, is that why you wanted to talk to me outside? So that they wouldn't be able to see or hear or whatever?

Boy: No! Well, yes, but not the same way. I like you. Like I really like you. And I have no idea why because I keep being shown that I don't know you at all and you keep doing things that make me feel like there is absolutely no way anything could work here between us but I can't help but think that maybe there's a way that you and I could fit together and maybe you and I could be great together and maybe it could make this place seem so much less...shitty. I mean c'mon it's fucking beautiful. But I've never felt more alone than I have been in this past year and I -

Girl: You think I could make you feel less alone?

Boy: I think we could both help each other be ourselves - or better versions of ourselves that would feel less alone and would be more happy and could maybe make other people feel a little brighter about themselves and their lives even though we're in these awful jobs surrounded by mostly terrible people who -

Girl: You really need to stop talking shit about the people we work with.

Boy: Yeah. I do. But -

Girl: What don't you like about them?

Boy: It all just seems to fake. Everything feels like it's done in order to hopefully win someone's approval and hopefully get to a place where they don't hate ourselves when in reality our jobs are so terrible that -

Girl: Do you think maybe if you just accepted that the job isn't for you and that it's maybe a means to an end you could be a little happier?

Boy: I feel like I accepted that, but I haven't been able to be happy in a long time. I just feel like I'm wasting my time here. Like I don't have anyone and no one really cares about me and that I'm here on my own trying to do something that's actually not taking me anywhere near where I want to go. It's just a race up a ladder that I have no interest in climbing.

Girl: Then why don't you quit?

Boy: Because I don't know what I would do if I did.

Girl: Just apply for other jobs. You're smarter than most everyone I know here. It shouldn't be too hard for you to land something else.

Boy: But -

Girl: It's hard. Yeah. It sucks. It's awful and job hunting is awful but if you'd rather be somewhere you can be happy then you have to do it. Otherwise who is to blame for you being unhappy other than you?

Boy: Damn. Look at you. Wise as fuck.

Girl: Imagine if you'd talked to me six months ago and we'd had this conversation. (Makes Mind Blown Gesture + noises)

They laugh.

Girl: Look I know it sucks. We're all doing it. And your job is suckier than mine. There's no question. But if you think you deserve better or that you're built for something different then find that thing. You can't just stay here and feel like this is going to define you for the rest of your life because you don't want to lose your income and have to actually put time and work into finding something you love. Plus if you end up loving the other thing then isn't it all worth it? (the Boy begins to speak but she stops him) And even if you don't love it, then at least you know and you've already found another job so you just have to do it again and it'll be at least a little easier then right?

Boy: I could kiss you right now.

The Girl smiles.

Girl: You remember the night we all sang karaoke at that bar by that hotel when we were in training? You sang

Boy: Senorita by Justin Timberlake and you screamed when I did the call and response thing at the end.

Girl: You could have kissed me then too. And I would have been yours. Shoot your shot kid.

He leans in to kiss her and just as their lips touch, the lights go out so all we can see are their silhouettes in the window of the door behind them.

(Scene)