#Daniel x Reader

[mariclerc]

hello, i have a poly request. danny ric x single mom and they're just starting their relationship and max somehow finds his way into it and in the beginning it's smooth sailing just him and his two "friends" and the kid but then he beginns to question his feelings and gets insecure etc. but danny and reader notice it and they talk and in the end they're one (not so) little happy family?

Thanks for this request!! It's the first time I write something about Max and Daniel, it's a little short so I hope you like it!!

Three plus one | dr3 & mv1

Summary: your partner's best friend somehow enters your relationship Warnings: insecure Max and fluff.

request by: @kigieri

You and Daniel have been dating for a couple of months now, at first it was quite awkward for you to date, being a single mom and going on a date looking for your ideal match it didn't feel good, or at least not to you. But when you introduced him to your little Ally it was like everything was in its perfect place, Daniel is someone quite nice and who can easily adapt to everything and, honestly, you were grateful for that.

So now you find yourself in the comfort of your apartment as you make a light dinner for the three of you and while he plays with Ally to build with blocks.

“Wow Ally, you're a real pro at this! You're going to be a champion builder one day!” Daniel laughs.

Ally giggles. “I'm gonna build big towers!” she smiles.

You smile, leaning against the counter. Your heart melts watching them interact. “She's so happy with you Dan” you say softly.

Daniel turns to look at you. “I know, right? It’s incredible, it's like she’s got so much energy.” he smiles warmly.

A comfortable silence falls between you. You feel a blush creeping up your cheeks. “Yeah, she's a whirlwind.” you giggle.

Daniel gets up and walks towards you. “Hey, are you okay babe? You seem a bit quiet.”

You look down, avoiding his gaze. “I’m fine. Just... thinking.” you say softly.

He cups your face gently. “Look at me. You can tell me anything, you know that.”

You meet his gaze, your heart pounding. “It’s just that... everything is moving so fast... I mean, I’ve never felt this way before.” you say hesitantly.

He smiles reassuringly at you. “I know it’s a lot to take in baby. But I want you to know that, I’m in this for the long haul. I really care about you and Ally.”

You feel a lump forming on your throat. “Thank you Danny... That means a lot to me!” you smile shyly.

Daniel pulls you into a gentle hug.

“I promise, I’ll always be there for you both, okay?” he says in a whisper and you close your eyes, feeling safe and loved.

***

A few weeks later, the atmosphere is still warm and inviting. Ally is a little sleepy as she snuggles up next to you while you and Daniel are on the couch, watching a movie.

“Can you believe she’s already learning to count? It's amazing.” he says while smiling.

You giggle. “I know, right? It feels like just yesterday she was crawling. Now she's a big girl!”

Suddenly there’s a knock at the door and Daniel gets up to answer it while you put Ally to her bed.

“Hey Max! What a surprise, come in mate.” says Daniel, somewhat surprised by Max's presence.

Max enters the apartment, he’s clearly out of breath. “Sorry, I just finished a run around the block. I hope I'm not bothering you, I just wanted to pay you a visit.” He says, scratching the back of his neck.

Daniel smiles. “No mate, it’s okay. You can come by here whenever you want!”

You come back from putting Ally to bed and greet Max, the atmosphere in the apartment is nice and light, you find out that Max is a pretty calm person despite all the things they always say about him.

Over the next few weeks, Max becomes a regular visitor in your apartment. His charm and easygoing nature make him a natural with Ally and you couldn't be more grateful for it. However, things start to shift subtly...

One night you and Daniel were alone on the couch.

“Have you noticed Max lately? He seems... off, I don't know what's wrong with him.” you say a little concerned about the situation.

Daniel nods at your words. “Yeah, I have noticed... He’s been quieter, more withdrawn... Something is definitely wrong.”

You two drink simultaneously from your cups of tea, there’s a long pause as you both contemplate the situation.

Suddenly you speak up. “I think he might be feeling insecure about something... I don't know, but my hunch tells me so.”

“Maybe love. He’s always been so confident and awesome.” he says in a whisper.

A few days later, Max is in the apartment and Daniel decides to talk to him... Or rather, Max decides to confess.

“I don’t want to mess things up mate... I just don't know what's wrong with me.” he say hesitantly.

“Hey, we’re friends, right? You can tell me anything mate, you know that neither I nor y/n are going to judge you.” he says while putting a hand on Max's shoulder.

Max let out a sigh. “Well, the thing is that... I think I’m falling for you both. And I know it’s complicated, and I don’t want to come between you and I care about Ally too.”

Daniel is quiet for a moment, searching for the necessary words to tell Max.

Daniel smiles. “Max, I care about you a lot. And I think we’re building something special here, maybe we should talk about this with y/n.”

Later that evening, the three of you have a heart-to-heart conversation. It’s a vulnerable and emotional exchange, but in the end, you decide to explore this new dynamic together.

“I love you both guys and I think we can make this work! Also Ally will be super happy that you are here with us day and night.” You say with a smile on your face as you hold Max and Daniel's hands.

As the night deepens, the three of you share a tender moment, realizing that love can take many forms. A new chapter begins, filled with both excitement and uncertainty.

[goldsainz]

THE MET GALA — one shot.

pairing: daniel ricciardo x reader

MASTERLIST.

NOTE: i was gonna do this with anok initially but smth told me to pick dua (also there’s more content from her)… so sorry for the rushed ending, wasn’t quite sure how to end it!! my requests are open, pls check my guidelines and who i write for!

liked by ynfan1, danielfan1 and 93,571 others

ynupdates in honour of y/n’s attendance at this years met gala, let’s all remember this two iconic looks (2019, 2022) and how she will serve yet again this year!!!

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ynfan2 mother will deliver i just know it

user1 didn’t she skip last years met?

⤷ ynupdates yes! but she did a photoshoot with what she would’ve worn (she had a show and the dates overlapped)

ynfan3 she better not disappoint

user2 i’m scared for this years theme

danielfan2 is daniel going with her??

⤷ ynfan4 i think so

danielricciardo has uploaded an instagram story!

liked by danielricciardo, florencepugh and 5,290,683 others

yourusername The First Monday In May 🤍 An honour to cohost the Met Gala this year celebrating Karl Lagerfeld and his incredible legacy. Thank you Anna and Vogue for having me. Thank you patrimoine de Chanel chanelofficial for making my dreams come true with my dream dress the FW1992 original bride dress and thank you to tiffanyandco for lending me the most unbelievable necklace - I felt very lucky to get to show it off for the very first time!

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danielricciardo My beautiful beautiful girl

⤷ yourusername i love you so so much 💛

⤷ landonorris ugh you both make me sick

ynfan21 YOU SLAYED THE MET!!!

redbullracing Our paddock princess!

⤷ danielfan21 rbr admin knows what’s up

user21 best dressed this year

danielfan22 WE WANT THE DANIELY/N PICS!!

scottyjames31 invite me to the met next

⤷ chloestroll she’s gonna be taking me, but keep dreaming!

liked by yourusername, danielricciardo and 31,758 others

[itaipava]

— daniel ricciardo being a simp for you.

he has such a unique and pure way of making you laugh; with silly jokes, exaggerated imitations of characters or people you don’t like, tickling you until you’re out of breath, leaving kisses all over your face while holding you as close to him as possible… he’s a ray of sunshine in your life.

he always makes eye contact with you as you speak; it doesn’t matter if you’re just rambling about your day or telling him some funny story from your childhood, he looks at you intently while caressing your hand. he wants you to know that he is paying attention to everything you are saying, that he is listening to you and everything you say is important to him.

when he needs to leave early because of work, he tucks the blankets around you and leaves a kiss on your forehead, then lightly caresses your cheek. he prepares your breakfast and leaves a note beside it; an explanation of why he needed to leave early and when he comes back. (he also draws two birds on a tree branch with a heart around them both. the biggest bird - that’s him - has heart eyes as he looks at you)

he buys all your favorite things; he ensures that your house always has those favorite beauty products of yours or those sweets you love the most. and he also likes to spoil you; he buys things he thinks you’ll like and things you’ve looked at in the shop window or on the internet. you think he forgot about it, but you’re delightfully surprised to see him with a bright smile as he hands you a gift package when he gets home; he just hugs and kisses you, saying that you deserve so much more than this gift.

he writes important things and puts them on a magnet on the fridge; like birthdays of your mutual friends, date nights —and he puts a heart around the date to demonstrate that it’s your day — and even appointments with dentists or doctors so you don’t forget.

he always plans a date for the two of you to have some time together. he plans everything perfectly because he wants you to feel as happy and comfortable as possible, so everything you like and admire the most will be there. and he doesn’t let anything or anyone get in the way of this night, because it’s all dedicated to you and only you.

he loves spending time with you and moments like that are so precious and unique to him. he doesn’t care if you’re just lying down caressing each other while watching some bad movie on netflix or going for a fun walk around town, any time with you is perfect for him.

when you go out and you’re carrying lots of bags, he’ll take them out of your hand and hold them for you until you get home.

he is the type of boyfriend who will use your purse as if it were his and he loves that. but when you go to buy a new purse, he wants you to buy one that suits him.

he has a space in his backpack that are just things for you; meds, band-aids, your favorite candies etc. and he also always has a hair elastic on his wrist just in case you need it; and in fact it is he who ties your hair for you - he loves taking care of your hair.

he always comes home with something for you; your favorite flower, that book you’ve wanted for a while, your favorite food or candy.. he always wants to please you.

before leaving the house he hugs you tightly, leaving a kiss on the top of your head before taking your face with both hands and kissing your forehead and finally your lips. you have to remind him to go otherwise he will be late; he just can’t stop leaving soft kisses all over your face. and, with a smile, he says “i love you, i’ll be back soon, love” before finally leaving.

he has a necklace with your initials and he never takes it off - or hides it. in every photo or interview he appears with your initials and his proud smile says enough.

[jcdlem]

hi !! could you please write hcs about dating daniel larusso from karate kid ?? thank you 🫶

ೃ༄ Lola

daniel larusso dating hcs

warnings: not beta or proof read

lets you ride on the back of his bike. hes not opposed to taking you to and from places in the slightest—he’ll even encourage you to loop your arms around his waist (so you dont get hurt, of course. totally not because it makes him giddy.)

passes you notes during class. they usually consist of trivial observations and invitations to go out; he might ask for answers, if youre covering a topic hes particularly bad at.

his love language is physical touch and words of affirmation. he reassures and compliments you daily, keeps his hands on you whenever he physically can.

hes especially fond of kissing your cheek, for some unknown reason. he does it as both a greeting and farewell—its a bit of a ritual between you.

shows off his karate once he starts making notable progress. he enjoys the validation, finds that it motivates him further.

asks you to accompany him to prom. he places a lot of effort into his proposal—finds a pretty spot by the shore, buys your favourite flowers, puts together a small poster, etc.

wins you the prizes at local fairs/golf n’ stuff. you have more than a few stuffed animals from him compiled in your closet—he likes to call them your ‘children’.

hesitant to open up about the situation with johnny. he doesnt want to worry you; if you mention it, he’ll brush it off and insist its not a big deal. even when it shows, through blood and bruises and whatnot, he denies it.

[dreamauri]

‧˚⊹ 𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗪𝗢 𝗪𝗛𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦 ଓ :: 𝗗𝗥𝟯 ‧₊˚⤾ ─ ୨୧ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ :🪴: ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ─ ୨୧ ─ ╮ ┇daniel lost a bet to you, you decided ┇to have your fun with him !! ┇︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦˚₊   ┇ . 🌿 :: pairing — ( daniel ricciardo x fem! FMX driver! reader ) ┇ . 🫧 :: ⁠genre — ( fluff )  ┇ . 🌿 :: ⁠word count — ( 1, 216 ) ╰ 🫧  :: ⁠ content warning — ( X )

( master list ) ( requests )

"I'm here for your soul." You spoke in Daniels ear mid speech, which successfully scared the living hell out of him.

It was the post race interviews and you had just won a bet you and Daniel placed the other day. 'you're going to slip at one point or another.' 'I'm not going to slip.' 'you want to bet on that?' had been the conversation. And now that you were right, you flew out to the Monaco to collect your reward.

Your plan was to sneak into the paddock and catch Daniel off guard when he least expected it. This led you to laughing your ass off, rolling on the ground while Daniel tried to hold in his laugh, looking away from you.

"Redbull's prancing demon everyone." He introduced, looking down at you smiling. He helped you up once you calmed down, giving you quick hug. "Congrats on P3." You patted his back, pulling away, adjusting your red bull cap. "But you still slipped. I told you."

"I lost a bet." He explained, it seemed that his famous smile was permanent, as he looked at you. "She's going to probably make me do something crazy." You gasped in offence, putting and hand on your chest looking around dramatically. "I would not." You replied denying him, shaking your head. "I lo -"

"- No way!" You and Daniel turned to see Lando, you laughing at the small sweaty by, sharing a quick hug with him. "I have to go, but congrats on the podium." He patted your back, before skipping off.

"You got the podium in Madrid?!" Daniel gasped looking at you surprized, putting his hands on his hips analysing you. "Never thought you'd get that close." He teased looking away chuckling, making you nudge him. "You're on, Riccardo." You laughed walking away backwards, giving him, and the crew a wave.

★ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

"No no no no no." Daniel shouted as he hugged your waist as you revved the motorbike, taking off towards the ramp. "Hold on." "No. No. No. No. No." You laughed, using the gained momentum to front flip ( a not so easy feat ). "I want to live. Jesus, please!" Daniel Shouted, making you wheeze, almost missing your landing.

Once you got of the bike you landing on your ass, laughing like you got sprayed with laughing gas, all while Daniel was practically kissing the ground, thankful to be alive.

Max Verstappen, was wheezing his ass off like you, watching the whole thing from the side-lines, along with the red bull crew recording. "Someone please tell me the camera recorded the audio." You crawled a few steps before getting on your feet, going to the camera crew to re-view the footage.

Much to his dislike, you dragged Daniel back on the bike. "On one, you're going to stand up and kick your right leg out." You told him calmly, adjusting his helmet while he only stared at you. "Just don't kill me."

An unmatched duo you two were. The shot was perfect, one you would pin on your Instagram account. Daniel was able to loosen up an bit and follow your instructions, while you copied his actions kicking out your left leg instead.

You had to give max a turn too. He won the race afterall, although max took a few jumps to loosen up, he was able to lift you up on his shoulders once you two were high enough. You pointed at Daniel once you were in position, making the photo of the year.

You had lunch with the Ausie later to make it up to him, even going waterboarding upon his request, which ended the day with you two walking back to his apartment building in swim suits / bikini. Daniel was carrying you on his shoulders 'like a true gentleman' in his words.

You didn't mind, holding his hands for balance as you walked through the streets. The sun was setting quickly, making Daniel let go of your hands for a moment to order food at a cross walk.

What surprized you was the sudden camera click you heard. Snapping your head from the view of the beach, you looked down seeing the ausie taking a selfie with you.

"I'm keeping this one."

[ddejavvu]

pairing: daniel x reader (love actually)

summary: your neighbor is very enthusiastic about his new hobby, and you're tired.

a/n: there is no last name that i could find for daniel which really sucks </3 anyways i want to smooch him

You're going to kill them. You're actually going to commit homicide, perhaps you'll even take one of those damn drumsticks and use it as the murder weapon. One through the eye would be a good start, right? You'll stick the other one where the sun doesn't shine.

Your slippers scratch noisily against the pavement leading up to your neighbors' front door, and you hear the incessant drumming grow louder the closer you get to their house. Finally you're on the porch, and you think something in your ears may have ruptured by now.

You raise a fist to the door, but quiet, polite knocking won't be heard over the racket inside. You have to pound against it instead, and you'd cringe at the aggression if it weren't necessary.

Ten seconds pass, and you're almost convinced that you've gone unheard despite your frantic knocking. The chilly winter air stings your ankles where your pajama pants have rucked up near your thighs, and you shimmy them back down your legs to rid your skin of goosebumps. Your sleep shirt is warm but not snow-worthy, and you seriously consider giving up to dive back into your warm bed. But sleep won't come unless the drums cease, and you're determined to get your rest.

You're nearing the twenty second mark, close to driving your car straight through their front door just to be heard, but you hear the soft click of a lock, almost inaudible over the drumming, and the door swings open. A rush of warm air hits you and your bones ache with cold, but you're quickly distracted from any trivial concerns such as hypothermia when you see the man standing in front of you.

He's nearly as tall as the doorframe, but he's got an air about him that's so gentle you'd have expected him to be a mouse in a kids' cartoon. His face is kind and his smile only helps, a soft, welcoming curve that feels just as cozy as the inside of his home.

Suddenly, the drumming doesn't seem so bad.

"Hello," He greets, his voice a deep timbre that carries warmth but not heat, a lilt to it that's not common in your region, "Can I help you?"

If you'd known you would be faced with the human embodiment of a crackling fireplace, gentle and cozy and irresistible, you might have chosen more respectable attire than pajamas. As it stands, you're on his front porch in slippers and flannel pants, so you inhale and square your shoulders, powering on regardless.

"Hello," You return the formality, desperately searching for some of the guiding fury you'd felt only seconds ago, "I know it's broad daylight, but I worked the night shift last night, and- well, I was trying to get some sleep. I was wondering if the aspiring musician could postpone their practice for a little while?"

When you get to the point of your visit the man's face drops, his lips turning down and his eyes glinting with something akin to worry. It's sweet and undeserving of the rage you'd wanted to inflict on him when you'd first set out, and you tamp down guilt that tries stabbing at your heart.

"Uh, give me just a moment," He chuckles weakly, still supported by background percussion, "I'd call for him to stop but he wouldn't hear me. Wait, uh- y'can step in if you'd like," He steps away from the door, holding it open for you. You feel awkward accepting the invitation, but you'd feel worse declining it, so you let him usher you inside, relishing the warmth that surrounds you as he shuts the door on the cold outside.

He starts down the hallway and you linger in the entryway, stuck between looking around and keeping to yourself. You finally give and glance to your left, catching sight of a framed picture on a table in front of a trinket tray.

"Sam-o," The man calls, but despite being right outside his door, the drummer doesn't hear him, "Sam! I'll-" He turns back towards you, a sheepish grimace on his face, "I'll go in."

"Right," You nod, happy to turn back towards the photo you'd seen earlier while he wrangles who you're sure is a very surly, very rebellious teenager in the midst of his rock 'n' roll phase.

The picture is of the man and a little boy, presumably his son, taken on a dock overlooking a lake. The boy is holding a fish that's almost too small to be seen, but his grin is wide, making up for the less-than-impressive catch. He's clearly proud of himself, and the man looks to be as well, holding him up with an equally large smile.

They look like a very happy family, and your heart beats faster at the endearing display. The drums cease from the other room, and you hear muffled voices take their place.

You notice more photos of the boy scattered around, but no other children; perhaps he's an only child. You don't have time to evaluate much more, though, because the man returns, and tucked beneath his arm is the boy from the pictures.

Where you were expecting a jaded seventeen-year-old rockstar, you see a four-foot batman, the black-and-grey hoodie zipped up over blue jeans. His apologetic grin is very unlike the surly protector of Gotham, though, and you consider telling his father to buy him a CareBears sweatshirt next time.

"Hello," He nods, voice soft but polite as his dad stands beside him, "I'm sorry my drumming woke you."

"He's practicing for a big showcase," His dad informs you, a large hand squeezing the boy's shoulder encouragingly, "But he can practice tomorrow."

"Oh," You're nearly lost for words, caught in a whirlwind of unexpected fondness for the pair, "I- I don't mean to slow you down, I'm sorry. It's just that the Christmas season is very busy at work, and I need to be in tomorrow morning. So- uh, my schedule is a little thrown off."

"It's alright," The man smiles, kindness etched into every crease of his face, "Sam has plenty of other opportunities to practice. And I'm- Daniel, by the way."

Daniel holds his free hand out, the other still comfortingly closed around Sam's shoulder. You're quick to join them and the handshake is firm, Daniel's hand much larger than your own, and much warmer to boot.

"My goodness, you're frozen," He chuckles sympathetically, a chill surely lingering on his skin the same way his warmth does on yours, "Would you like a cup of tea? I can brew chamomile, it'll make you sleepy."

Basic etiquette would be to kindly refuse, to not overstay your welcome, and to thank the boy for postponing his drum practice. But your still-racing heart is not one to listen to logic or etiquette, and you find yourself bashfully accepting his offer.

"Oh- um, if it's no trouble. Chamomile sounds nice."

"No trouble at all," He smiles, patting Sam on the shoulder, "Would you like some tea, Sam-o?"

The boy's button nose scrunches, and he shakes his head, "No thanks. I'll be in my room."

Daniel chuckles, and you find yourself grinning with shared amusement as the boy retreats.

"No drumming!" Daniel calls after him, and Sam turns in the doorway, teasing exasperation on his features.

"Alright, no drumming. Y'know, I'm trying to get a girl to fall in love with me," Sam informs you, speaking with the matter-of-factness that you'd expect from a professor, not an elementary schooler, "But I think learning to play the drums was a waste of time."

Daniel's brow furrows, probably lamenting the hours of noise he'd endured for nothing "Oh, why?"

"I could have just offered her tea instead," The boy grins, slipping into his room before either of you can stop him.

His childishly brazen comment leaves you and Daniel stiff with awkwardness, and you feel his eyes upon you. You meet his incredulous gaze with one of your own, and a breathy laugh escapes from his lips as he lingers near the kitchen.

"Well. Perhaps I've shown him Titanic one too many times as of late. But if you're going to fall in love with me, I think I should know your name first."

His smile is cheeky and you run with it, letting him lead you to a kitchen island. You sit at one of the stools as he occupies himself with a kettle, retrieving a box of chamomile tea from a nearby cupboard.

"I'm Y/N," You laugh, "And if you're able to help me get some sleep before work in the morning, there's a very good chance that I will fall in love with you."

[siren-serenity]

helloOoo can i req for eli and daniel x f!reader childhood friends to lovers but make it separate (if it's not too much to ask :D) please && thank u 😸💐

a hopeless romantic all my life

characters: eli jang, daniel park, fem!reader warnings: bullying in daniel's part, swearing, eli's past is revealed a/n: - THE WAY I SQUEALED SO LOUDLY WHEN I SAW THIS REQUEST AKJSLKJADSFJKLFADKJLSJLKADFS - whenever i read eli's backstory + hostel i just want to cry T-T - DANIEL IS SO CUTE!!!! - i hope i did the childhood friends to lovers trope justice! - feedback is appreciated!

"Who's that girl over there?" Zack tilted his head, pointing with his chin to a remotely familiar student. Daniel squinted his eyes out of habit before they sprung wide open in half-surprise, half-delight. Leaping out of his chair (and getting yelps and shouts in response to the shriek of the chair), Daniel practically dashed over to you, arms open.

"Y/N!" He squealed, glomping you in a hug before realizing two things. 1. he was in a new body. 2. HE WAS IN A NEW BODY

"Get off me!" Within seconds, he felt a deathly grip on his wrists, and his vision blurred before his body collided with the floor. Daniel let out a groan, internally slapping himself for being so incredibly stupid. "Who the fuck are you?"

...It's definitely strange being on the other side of things. To Daniel, you were his childhood friend, his sword and shield, his protector against the many, many bullies that tormented him throughout his life. He was chubby and to society, he was only a piggy to command. But you? You were the first to see him as a human, and even a friend. You were a miracle!

A miracle who's...currently chewing him out.

"Who the heck do you think you are?! What kind of person just randomly glomps someone else? A stranger no less!" You spat out, whacking him on the shoulder for good measure. Daniel only gave you his cheesy smile but you didn't even blink or blush.

Did he think you would believe his next statement? Nah. But is he going to try? Yeah!

What could personally go wrong?

"I'm Daniel Park! Remember? From school?"

You blinked. Once twice.

"In your fucking dreams!"

Huffing, you walked away. Seriously? You were just trying to find the principal's office, not encounter some weirdo in J-High? God really doesn't like you.

In almost a dazed-like fashion, Daniel made his way back to his little friend group, barely acknowledging the shouts of confusion and the wild shaking of his shoulders (thanks to a combination of Zoe and Zack.)

"Who the hell was that?"

"What was that all about?!"

"Danny, who is that woman???"

Even Jay, who was quiet most of the time, was gesturing wildly between Daniel and the mysterious girl. Heartbroken - he genuinely thought there could be something between him and Daniel...only to be crushed in such a way.

"She's..." Daniel let out a silly sigh and everyone knew. "She's...somebody close to me."

His eyes fluttered. His cheeks flamed with bright red. Daniel's face was placed in the palm of his hand and he leaned into it.

Everyone knew. She wasn't just anybody to Daniel Park.

She was his crush.

Eli dashed through the streets, not giving two shits about the way he was absolutely dirtied with mud and sweat and the glares people sent to him. His eyes were wide and they scanned all over the streets for any trace of his baby girl.

YennaYennaYennaYennaYennaYennaYenna

"Up! Up!"

Eli halted in his footsteps, almost falling to the ground before running through the narrow alleyways. Teeth bared and hands itching, he would show no mercy to whoever took his baby girl.

"Yes, baby," An oddly familiar voice laughed. "Up it is!"

Yenna's laughter responded in kind.

"YENNA!" Eli roared, dashing the moment he saw his baby girl. He rudely snatched it out of the unknown person's hands, frantically scanning her for injuries. Her yellow dress was muddy, but fine nonetheless. She had bits of dust on her knees and arms, but no scratches.

He almost fell to his knees upon realization, letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding in. Eli buried his cotton-candied-colored head into Yenna's body, hands squeezing her tight.

"You're fine," He murmured, more to himself than to Yenna. "You're fine."

"Erm- sir?"

Shit- he forgot all about the nice lady that helped Yenna. Jumping to his feet, Eli gave the woman a strict 90 degree bow.

"Thank you so much for taking care of Yenna! I don't know how to repay you, I don't have money, but please! From the bottom of my heart, thank you-"

"E-Eli?"

That voice...he couldn't be.

Eli's shoulders trembled when he slowly unfolded from his bowing position and his breath was taken away from him for the second time. His eyes grew wet from unshed tears and the hand not holding Yenna came up to caress your cheek, shaking.

"Y/N..." He breathed out and you nodded, with a sweet grin that never failed to make his heart pound.

"Is that you?" You opened your arms and like the old times, Eli eagerly hugged you, careful to not squish Yenna in the process. The babygirl babbled, grinning as she grabbed onto your clothes. "Eli, it's been so long!"

He nodded and just hugged you tighter. It's been so long indeed...the last time he saw you, he was still the scrawny survivor of the alleyways, with his messy black hair and underfed body.

"I've missed you."

Eli Jang's confession was soft, but you heard every word.

His heart jumped when you just pulled him closer, trying to melt his body in yours.

"I've missed you too."

Before Heather, there was you.

[the-faceless-bride]

Headcanons: holding hands with Slashers.

Holding slashers hands

Includes: Jesse, Asa, Jason, Look-see, Daniel, and Thomas

Holding hands with Jesse

Jesse likes to hold hands often, no matter where or who is around. He would just kill anyone who shows any disgust or discomfort as his affections for you

Jesse likes to run his thumb over your knuckles, he loves the look of your smaller hand that he holds in his.

Loves the look of his gloved hands holding yours

He tends to take your hand and press your knuckles to his temple and close his eyes as he imagines his future with you.

Holding hands with Asa

Asa doesn't hold hands often, he definitely dislikes holding hands with others around but if it will help his image he'll hold your hand, unless he is home and feeling kind he lets you hold his hands

He likes it when you hold one of his hands in both of yours, it makes him feel wanted and feels like you need him

He also likes to make eye contact with you while you hold hands, mosty likes to hold hands at night in bed

Holding hands with Jason

He loves to hold your hand but he is just very shy, if you hold his hand he will gladly take yours and would hold your hand as long as you would like!

Jason likes to slightly swing your hands, he doesn't realizes he is doing it but once he notices he would get shy and try to pull away embarrassed but if you tell him its ok and swing your hand he will feel much better

Holding hands with Daniel

Now as much as Daniel loves to hold hands he gets a little insecure, he is scared to hurt you with his hook and would hesitate at first but once you reach for his hand or hook it lights a spark in him

He likes to hold your hand while his hook lightly trails your jaw as he tells you sweet nothings

Doesn't care for others watching as he would want to be more romantic and intimate

Holding hands with Look-see

Look-see has very very large hands and feeling your hand completely covered by his hand he would take that chance any chance they get

They purr quite loudly as you hold hands and he likes when you run your fingers over his claws they also enjoy when you kiss their hands

Holding hands with Thomas

Thomas loves holding hands, he gets a little shy around his momma and likely won't around Hoyt or Monty but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to hold your hand

He loves holding hands in bed after a long day and he just curls up to you and wraps his arms around you holding both of your hands close to your chest, he feels truly blessed to have you

[cupiohearts]

DRUNKEN DAZE ?! - drunk daniel, eli, ryuhei with reader who takes care of them

DANIEL was the type of drunk that had bipolar tendencies and the occasional black out drunkness. hes lucky that he's cute when delirious.

"alright buddy, up the steps!" you held daniel's weight on your body and these were the times you wishes you didn't have steps to your house. "nghhh... you're so lovelyy~" daniel slurred his words as he rubbed his face in your neck.

"daniel if you love me so much stop being a deadweight" daniel was so heavy, all those muscles were adding up in this moment.

it was only a few seconds after your words that daniel started to sob into your shoulder. you could feel his tears soak into your shirt and you groaned.

"im- i'm sorryy! i'll be a better boyfriendd"

"WHY DID YOU EVEN START DRINKING WITH ZACK"

ELI doesn't drink normally but when he did. he was so extroverted and likely did a strip tease for his non-existent audience. it was time to babysit him and yenna.

you carried yenna in one arm while struggling to keep eli from taking off his shirt. "eli stop trying to strip in public!" you grunt in between your teeth "you're going to jail for public indecency and i'm gonna have to bail you out"

yenna threw up her hand and hugged your cheek. eli getting dragged by the bottom of his shirt, twisted around your fists. "y/nnn, my shirt is gonna break off" he giggled.

"eli- shut up."

he pouted and tilted his head. "you're so cute when your angry" he laughed at your face. hugging you tightly, you struggled against his hold.

he kept hugging you throughout the night. the affectionate drunk he was.

RYUHEI drinks a lot. out of the three he's the one you should stay away from drunk because he will try to get into your pants. unapologetically.

"ryuhei get your hands off my chest" you slapped his hand away. the blonde only placed his hand on yours, and batted his long eyelashes. "is this you trying to seduce me?" you raised an eyebrow.

"don't you want me too~" your mouth went agape as he kept caressing your jaw. his sultry voice was so close to your ear you could hear his breath.

this was inside of vivi's club while you were in a vip room. "there's no one around here" you could feel his fingers slowly start trailing down. "oh? is that so" you smiled at ryuhei. before he flew back from a punch.

"IN YOUR DREAMS BITCH"

[yaatrickyassification]

May i request for daniel,gun and samuel having an albino s/o pls?

Thank you for your request!

[ Daniel Park, Park Jong Gun, Samuel Seo x Gn! Reader] - Daniel, Gun, and Samuel have an albino s/o pls?

(I'm so sorry if I get things wrong.)

Daniel Park:

Being albino is cool! Wow, you’re one of the rarest humans in the world, look at that. But being rare wasn’t exactly what you wanted to have in your life, the moment you were born and have been diagnosed with albinism, it’s like a target sign was immediately put on your back: ‘I’m rare!’ Is what you can probably see if out of the blue you can see social connotations that were always left unsaid or purposely left alone in the dark.

You were quite used to people staring and ogling at you as if you were some type of celebrity in a tv show or an exotic animal that has never been seen before and it was the first time that you will ever be showcased. You are used to it, even the questions that have been frequently asked to you never change as the years pass.

You even have answers to all of the questions written on paper and seared into your mind like a kid genius, in short, you were used to it. Until you weren’t.

A lot of people ranging from kids, adults, to old people have gone and approached you in your eighteen years of life to ask about your albinism, ‘can you see properly?’, ‘what can you see?’ or something as ridiculous as asking if body parts of albino people can sell well in the market (you were asked once by a suspicious man at that time, and you were very, very tempted to call the police right then and there.)

But you weren’t mentally and socially prepared for a pretty boy who seem to be the same age as you and also adorns the same uniform to approach your vicinity with a shy smile, in the corner of your eye you can also spot him twiddling his thumbs, you nodded your head and let out a tight-lipped smile, he’s going to ask you something about your albinism, isn’t he?

You opened your mouth reading the memorized words in your mind and it all came crumbling down as you muttered a small – “why—what?” Bewildered, you fully face the guy, confusion seen on your face, and if it wasn’t the uncertainty boggling your mind you would have stared at his pretty face. “I’m sorry, can you repeat that?” You tilted your head to the side.

Daniel’s expression contorted to several different emotions in five seconds – you can vaguely see it as confusion? Bewilderment? Or was it shyness? Daniel stared straight into your eyes for a few seconds before finally mustering up the courage to repeat his question, “I ask if you’re, okay?”

Your eyes widen to a slight degree and for the first time in your life, you have been kicked out of normalcy just by a single question from a pretty boy you just met five minutes ago, “I—I am?” Daniel paid no mind to your lack of certainty as he tilted his head to the side and let out a smile, and for a second, you thought that you could see a pink background and flowers blooming behind him, “Why— why’d you ask?” You internally slap yourself for stuttering.

Daniel sighed and turned his gaze away from yours and looked toward his fingers instead which were comfortably placed on his lap, “I heard some students talk bad about you, they called you a weirdo, a freak. Why? They haven’t even had any form of conversation with you? How can they say that? So, I reprimanded them, but they said that this was normal and you were fine with it, that’s why I wanted to ask, are you okay?” Realizing that he may have been invading your privacy, Daniel gasps and flutters his hand around.

And in your mind, the cogs have started to move and finally, it has come to a decision. You smiled and held Daniel’s smooth and slender fingers that were clear of any calluses or blisters, “I have decided.” You said with such confidence, and Daniel just sputters more as he gazes upon your intense stare.

“De—decided what?” Daniel asks nervously.

“What’s your name?” You inquire, Daniel gulps before slowly muttering his name, “d—Daniel Park.” You nodded your head in satisfaction and the hold you had on Daniel’s hands tightened as you stared into his eyes with such intensity that Daniel turned even redder (is that even possible?)

“Are you in a relationship right now?”

“…No?”

You bob your head up and down and let out a smile so bright that Daniel felt that he was sitting beside the sun, “would you like to marry me?”

“Excuse me?” Daniel Park chokes.

Park Jong Gun:

Park Jong Gun was bored, well since when wasn’t he bored? Ever since he had achieved things that weren’t normal for his age, days, months, and years passed by like a blurred image buried deep inside of his mind that stays there but will never resurface. It was all gray-scaled. Another sigh was ripped out of his mouth and Goo for the nth time (Gun never bothered to pay attention to Goo’s antics) stopped by scrolling down his phone and planted it roughly on the table and faced Gun.

His expression looks distorted, bordering between a smile and a grimace, “what is it?” Goo discarding all social cues and dos and don’ts asks Gun without any filter, the said man raises his eyebrows in confusion before opening his mouth in a eureka manner and nods to himself as he crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m bored.”

Goo scoffs and roughly bangs the wooden table of the café with an irritated expression, some customers looked their way but the two handsome men who are too engrossed in their antics paid no attention to the recognition that they were getting. “So, you’re telling me you’ve been bothering my awesome manga reading time with your sighing which I thought was a serious problem but it was actually that you’re bored? What do you want me to do huh?”

Gun shrugs and takes a sip of his extra dark coffee, Goo grimaces at the sight of the dark, putrid liquid that emitted a strong scent that can punch you awake. “Disgusting, why do you even drink black coffee?” Gun deadpans at the question as he places down the small porcelain cup on the plate it came with, with a small clink.

“So that I can stay awake. And be entertaining for once, not draining.” Goo gasps, his hands laying on his chest as he rubs it dramatically, but something flickers, in the corner of his eyes. A flicker of color was seen in his eyes and immediately his gaze tracked the new source of interest, and for a second, Gun’s mind shut down and his heartbeat rose to an unhealthy degree.

And Gun was ensnared in the webs of what people called love, before Gun could identify what he was feeling, his legs moved and beeline towards your direction. His ears paid no mind to Goo’s irritated shouts or to the people pointing fingers in your direction in which they didn’t even bother to hide, (Gun makes sure to remember all of the people’s faces who even dare to point fingers at you.) And he plops down on the seat opposite to yours with a smile that you can’t identify.

“Yes?” You inquired of the man who was sitting in front of you, the man stared for a few seconds before letting out another smile, “what’s your name?”

“And why would I tell a stranger that?” Sassy, he likes it.

“I’m Park Jong Gun but you can call me Gun.” He smoothly says, Gun can feel Goo’s bewildered stare but paid no mind to it and continued to give you his full attention.

You crossed your eyes in suspicion before getting up out of your seat and quickly made your way towards the door of the establishment, Gun sighed and Goo who was watching from the sidelines made his way towards Gun and elbowed him on the side. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Courting,” Gun said as a matter of fact and confidently stood up from his seat and went towards your direction without a care for the world, and for the first time in his life, Goo stumbled in his place and fell face flat on the ground.

Samuel Seo:

When he first saw you as you wandered the streets of Big Deal with a heavy expression on your face, an expression entailing carrying a burden that no one can seem to solve or as if you were hiding all of the insecurities that you can find deep, deep, inside of your soul where no one can find. Samuel immediately thought We’re the same.

No, not the same as like ‘I-choke-my-father-with-my-own-darn-hands.’ But the same feeling as knowing that they both are different but entirely the same as well. So, he walks and walks and walks and finally reaches you, and with practiced ease, a smile adorns his face and he asks a question, “what’s your name?” And maybe that was the start of a new relationship between the two black sheep of the family.

Samuel’s fingers smoothly cascaded through the strands of your hair, and you let out a heavenly sigh at the sensation. Samuel surely knows how to use his fingers (figuratively and literally.) A smile made its way to your lips as you reminisced about the time the both of you met, “say, why did you even approach me that day?” You tilted your head to the side and you felt Samuel’s fingers gently guide your head to its original position.

“Because I thought we were the same.” You turn to face the man with a confused expression on your face, and Samuel smiles as a one-word flashes inside of his mind. Cute.

“What do you mean?”

“When I saw you, you looked like you were barely holding yourself together. I felt a sense of camaraderie.” You punch Samuel on his shoulder and he let out a boisterous laugh. “Kidding, kidding, but you do look like—” You glared.

“Finish that sentence, I dare you.” Samuel laughs and puts his hands up in a surrendering motion, and with a swift attack, he toppled over you as his hands quickly found their place and wrapped it around your waist. “Sorry, sorry. I just love teasing you.” You angrily huff and wrap your arms around the bulky man.

“I told you before, right? I wanted to be Gapryong Kim’s son, no want is an insult. More like I needed it, and maybe because of that need, I didn’t feel like I belonged with my family. I saw that in you too, so I went there and talked to you.” Silence filled the room and only your breaths were heard.

“I see.” You nod to yourself and ask the man another question, “did I have that expression on my face?” Samuel tilted his head to the side at your question, “what face?” You sigh and stare directly at Samuel’s black irises.

“The ‘I-have-family-issues-face.” Samuel blinks for a second and lets out a laugh as he nuzzles into the crook of your neck. Efficiently, muffling his laughter. “Why are you laughing?” You exasperatedly ask as Samuel let out another laugh that seems to shake his entire figure.

“No—nothing.” He let out a breath so short that he seems to be running for miles when really, he was just laughing his ass off, Samuel wipes the tears out of his face and look at you with his gaze, the gaze that you were so familiar with, the gaze that he had when he approaches you on the same fateful day, his gaze filled with so much love, fear, uncertainty. But you love it all the same.

“I’m Samuel Seo, what’s your name?”

“I love you.” He muttered it out with such breath that you almost didn’t manage to hear his declaration of love.

“[y/n] [l/n]?”

“I love you too, my little daddy issues.”

“You’re such a little shit.” Samuel sighs. You smiled a toothy grin and affectionately kissed the corner of his lip, “I learned from the best.”

[sgnjimmy]

can i get danny x reader with number 6 pls?

★𝓓𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓮𝓵 𝓟𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝔁 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓮𝓻

≛ 𝙰/𝚗: hello there. my first daniel work, i'm exited!! feel free to let me know what you think of it.

≛ 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 350

The sigh of Daniel opens a big grin to your face. For a while now, he's not been going to school, and you were worried sick. You felt helpless not knowing if he was okay.

"Danny!" You call him from the school's gate.

He quickly spots you, waving his hand.

"Hi." He mouths.

You can't help the warm feeling in your tummy when he walks towards you. You grow more impatient by the second, so you start to run in his direction.

Daniel looks confused, but you don't give him time to think, pressing your body against his roughly, tangling him with your arms. He puts his arms around you, too, returning the hug.

"I missed you." He says. And you swear he's smiling.

"I missed you, too." You finally take your head off his chest — and stop sniffing his shirt — to look up at him. Hands locked together around him.

And there it is. That heavenly smile.

Damn, you really missed it.

Really missed him.

You suddenly shift off your daydream. "Are you okay?" You ask, recalling his absence. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes." He expresses with a smile. "Don't worry."

"Okay, but you'll tell me if there's anything I can do to help you, right?"

"Yes." Daniel nods truthfully.

He squeezes your body to his chest, bringing his hand to the back of your head, Daniel uses it to rest your face on his shoulder.

You close your eyes and the people around you disappear. For a moment, it's just you two, consuming one another.

But then the school bell rings and the moment is gone. Although his arms lay still on your body, you shift under it, trying to roll off of the hug.

The two of you should probably head to class.

"No…" He pouts. "Um, i– I just wanna hold you like this for a bit longer if that's okay."

Heat runs to your cheeks and you're glad he can't see your face. Your mouth is partly open and your face holds a soft frown.

He really got you bad, you think. But you couldn't care less if you looked stupid to anyone for simply loving him.

"Yeah, um." You clean your throat. "That's okay."

© 𝙨𝙧𝙜𝙣𝙟𝙞𝙢𝙢𝙮 2023

[liam-neesons-best-girl]

How would he treat you on your period . . .

Summary: How different Liam Neeson characters would care for you when you are having your period

Pairings: Qui-Gon Jinn x reader, Daniel (Love Actually) x reader, Bryan Mills (Taken) x reader

Warning: topical mention of periods (nothing graphic), F! reader, fluffy drabble

Qui-Gon Jinn (Star Wars)

Qui-Gon could sense it coming on before you, so he prepares

He makes sure to leave the Jedi temple early to meet you when you arrive home. He cooks you dinner and draws you a bath

He offers you space or cuddles depending on how you feel

To relax he braids your hair, and using your doe eyes on him, he turns his back to you so you can braid his hair

When you go to bed you can see he took the weighted blanket out from the linen closet and has a heating pad and glass of water at your bed side table

Qui-Gon offers you a spare pillow for your neck or back but you say to him, "your chest is the most comfortable spot to lay" and he obliges

He'll glide his hands up and down your arms until you drift off to sleep

Daniel (Love Actually)

Daniel is a bit out of practice with the inner workings of lady parts since his wife's passing and being a man in general (lol)

Before you are set to go over to his place he runs to the drug store to make the effort of welcoming you to the flat, but boy is he lost

He'll go up and down the feminine hygiene aisle with Sam looking like a lost puppy

"Aren't they all the same?" Sam would ask "You'd think, Sam-o, but somehow they are all slightly different," is all Daniel could respond with

After some time, he would just take a guess on a product he thinks he has seen in your purse and hopes for the best

Daniel will also ask Sam to run to the candy aisle and get a bag of what you like and Sam will come to the check out counter with five bags and say, "well she has one every month, and these are on sale"

When you arrive to his flat and see the grocery bags on the counter you tear up a bit and Daniel thinks he royally messed up but you pull him and Sam into a tight, gratitude filled hug

Bryan Mills (Taken) 

For a man who is a former CIA agent and a rough exterior, he always has a soft spot for his girl, especially when you are feeling bloated or are hard on yourself

Bryan is not the 'comforting' type, however, he knows just his presence puts you at ease so he won't leave your side

You'll cling to him like a koala bear and all he can do is laugh it off since he secretly enjoys the closeness and not having to have his guard up with you

If you have trouble sleeping and reach for a benadryl tablet he will snag it out of your hands and read the drug facts on the side three times over before giving you the appropriate dosage. He is always cautious - especially when it comes to your well being

He'll offer a you a back or foot massage as you cozy up into bed, trying to be as helpful as he can to relive any tension you have knowing your cramps are out of his control

You opt to sleep in loose fitting shorts and one of his t-shirts and he loves it. There is something primal within him that loves to his girl wearing his clothes, dwarfing her frame

Before he can rest he makes sure nothing will disturb you through the night. Checking the thermostat, your alarm clock, drawing the blinds and cracking the window slightly. He breaths a sigh of relief to see you sound asleep and spoons you until morning

[lukehemmigs36]

[something-tofightfor]

First and 10

Pairing: Daniel (Wing Pit SNL sketch character) x Female Reader

Word Count: 9,315

Rating: M? There’s language. 

Summary: You think you’re just going to a party to watch a football game, but the reality is that you’re about to walk into so much more. 

Author’s note:

I don’t know what happened. I saw a man in a football jersey and a fitted hat eating chicken wings and I blacked out. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him for a month, and now I’m making it your problem, too. I fully understand if no one wants to read 9k about a throwaway character - feel free to ignore this.

The recipes talked about in this story actually exist and I’ll be linking them on the masterlist for anyone interested.

The store was much less crowded than you thought it would be - especially since it was still almost two hours before the game was supposed to start. But I’ll take it. 

Grabbing a basket, you headed for the office supplies section first, scanning the shelves until you found what you needed. 

The party you were going to wasn’t the one that you’d planned on attending. I’m still excited though. Kyra and Will had passed on hosting duties thanks to the woman’s shoulder surgery two months earlier, and so the group that usually went to their place on Super Bowl Sunday was heading to a different party - hosted by Will’s brother. 

And because it wasn’t the usual party, you’d been tasked with bringing something unconventional. But it’s fine. This is fun. Tossing the package into the basket with a smile on your face, you thought for a few seconds and then headed for the deli section, deciding that even though you didn’t need to, you were going to bring something else to snack on. There’s going to be thirty people there, there’s never too much food. 

You picked out a few appetizers - veggie trays and a cheese plate - and then headed for the beer section, rearranging the items in your basket as you walked. I’ll grab a 6 pack and - 

“‘Scuse me.” The voice startled you from your thoughts, and you paused at the end of the aisle, glancing up. Oh, he’s cute. “I didn’t want to hit you with my cart.” 

“Sorry!” Clutching the basket, you stepped backwards, eyes on the man. “I was just trying to figure out if I needed anything else for today and I wasn’t paying attention.” The man grinned at you, waving you off with one hand. “Take it you’re doing the same thing.”

You gestured to his cart and the guy nodded, his eyes dropping from your face to what he’d already picked out. “What gave it away? The plates and cups, the pretzels, or -” 

“The jersey, actually.” Smiling at him, you raised both brows. “Believe it or not, I didn’t think I actually ran into a pro football player in the beer aisle of this grocery store, so…” You trailed off as the man started laughing, one hand rising to grip the back of his neck and the other tightening on the handle of his cart. 

The laughter gave you a chance to look at him more closely, and you would have been lying if you’d told anyone that you were unimpressed with what you saw. He was wearing a red and white jersey and had a white undershirt beneath it, and if you’d thought he was cute before, he was downright handsome when he smiled. 

Under the brim of his hat, you saw the the corners of his eyes crinkle with the sound, lips splitting into a grin to display even white teeth. You caught a glimpse of a dimple on one cheek, almost hidden beneath his patchy beard. “Damn. So you mean I shouldn’t expect anyone to ask for my autograph while I’m waiting in line to pay?” 

“Fortunately, no. I think you’re safe.” Wrinkling your nose, you shrugged. “But if you were here, right now, and your team was a couple thousand miles away …”

“Good point.” He sighed, lowering his hand to settle it next to the first. “Are you going in?” Jerking his chin at the beer cave, the man paused for a second. “That’s where I’m headed.” 

“Yeah, actually…” You reached down into your bag, looking at your phone to check the time. “I should probably get going. The sooner I pick out some beer, the better.” 

“Well, then. Let me get the door for you.” Before you could reply, he stepped forward and around his cart, holding one hand out in a slow wave. As the door opened, it was your turn to laugh, the grin staying on your face as you stepped past him and into the chilled cooler. Ok, so he’s attractive and funny. 

He followed behind you, though he veered off to the right while you headed to the left, eyeing the shelves. “Are you on your way to a party, too?” Turning your head toward him, you nodded when you met his eyes over the center stacks of cases. “Figured. Do you have a favorite team?”

“My team’s not playing.” Looking away, you reached up and for one of your favorite beers, carefully sticking it into the basket without smashing anything else. “So no, I really don’t care, but I think it’d be nice to see the Eagles win.” He blew out a breath and when you looked over, he seemed offended, his lips parted in an ‘O’ of surprise. Oh, he’s joking with me. “Sorry. Just being honest.” 

“Understood.” He grinned again. “What do you think would be a good choice for a bigger group? I usually only drink the darker stuff, but I’m supposed to bring something that everyone will like, and -”

“Can’t got wrong with a lager.” Shrugging, you turned toward him, hand on your hip. “Easy to drink, most of ‘em are pretty cheap, and no one’s going to complain that there are too many.” He eyed you for a few seconds and then nodded, turning away to grab for a 12 pack of cans. 

“What are you taking to your party? You grabbed some beer, but there’s something else in that basket, so that must not be all.” It’s definitely not. 

“No, I got told to bring a package of Sharpies.” You held it up, rolling your eyes. “Everyone else is supposed to bring chips or dip or cookies, and I get to walk up with markers.” He scoffed out a laugh, reaching up to adjust the hat he wore and tilting it a little further back on his head. 

“What for?”

“Hell if I know. But I’m going to bring ‘em, so I guess I’ll see.” Sighing, you set them back into the basket. “I’ve really got to go, though. I don’t want to be the person that ruins the party because someone needs to write something down and can’t.” 

He laughed again, giving you a final nod. “No, nobody wants that. Good luck. Enjoy the game.” 

“Yeah. You too.” Giving yourself a few extra seconds to look at him, you made your way out of the cooler and back into the main store. Well that was fun. 

You resisted the urge to turn and glance back, instead heading straight for the registers. Too bad all of my grocery shopping trips don’t end like that. 

A few minutes later, you were back in your car, Will’s brother’s address programmed into your phone. 

— 

The Sharpies were actually very necessary, as you found out once you’d stepped inside the house. 

After dropping off the beer and appetizer trays in the kitchen, your host - Charlie - led you into the living room, taking the package from your hand. “Squares.” You grinned at the poster taped to the wall featuring 100 of them, neatly marked off with metallic masking tape. “Perfect.” 

“Yeah, once everyone’s here, we’ll collect the money, figure out how many each person gets, and then these,” he grinned, holding up the markers. “These are how all of us are going to pick the ones we want.” 

“I’m glad I got the multicolored pack, then.” You eyed the board, arms crossed over your chest. “How much is the buy in?” 

He opened his mouth to reply when a voice called his name from the doorway, and both of you turned toward the sound. What are the odds? 

“Charlie! Good to see you, man!” Biting down on the inside of your cheek, you were able to hold your smile at bay, though you weren’t able to stop your grip on your own arms from tightening. “Way more people here than I  -” His speech stopped when he caught sight of you, the man reaching up and removing his hat as his eyes went wide. “No shit.” 

“Hi!” Raising one hand in a quick wave, you pressed your lips together briefly. “Figured out what the markers were for.” Pointing at the wall, you watched the man in the jersey’s attention go to it, his mouth opening when he saw the poster board. 

“Wait, do you two know each other?” Charlie put his hands on his hips, looking between you. “How?” 

“We met in the beer cave.” The man spoke first, his eyes sliding back to you as he smiled again. “Had no idea we were coming to the same party.” I didn’t either. But you weren’t going to complain. 

It meant more time to talk to the man. It guaranteed two of you actually getting to sit down and speak, even though you knew that he’d want to watch the game. We have commercials, though. And Halftime. And - 

Charlie reached out, settling his hand on your shoulder. When you shook your head, bringing yourself back into focus, you saw Kyra and Will standing next to the other man, all of them looking at you. “What? Sorry. I got distracted for a second, and …” Trailing off, you were almost positive you saw the mystery man’s lips twitch, though he stayed quiet. First thing I need to do is find out his name. 

“Come on, we’ll go into the kitchen and collect the money.” Charlie gestured over his shoulder. “And then get this shit settled before kickoff.” 

It sounded good to you, and so you headed for the doorway, following all of them. 

— 

The buy-in was $25 per person, and when all was said and done, there were twenty of you that would be playing. 

“First three quarters are each a $100 payout.” Charlie spoke while tucking the money into envelopes. “Final score is a $200 pot.” 

You were snacking on pretzels as he explained the rules, mentally doing math. That means we each get five squares. The odds weren’t great, but they were still better than if you’d only gotten one chance. “How do we figure out who gets what?” Kyra spoke up, a beer in one hand. “Twenty of us all trying to pick at once is going to be a disaster.” 

“Here.” Charlie held up a piece of paper. “Write the numbers 1 through 20 on this, and then we’ll pick.” He pointed at the man you’d met earlier. “Regular order or reverse?”

“Reverse.” He nodded. “Definitely reverse.” You had no problem with that, and so you reached forward, taking the paper and grabbing a pen from the counter. 

“I’ll make the numbers. Do you need me to make them for the score, too?” He said yes, and for the next couple minutes, you were busy tearing and folding paper scraps, splitting them into two plastic cups. 

It didn’t take long for everyone to choose their numbers. When you unfolded yours, you were pleased to see that you’d chosen 18. Kyra and Will had 11 and 6 respectively, and the mystery man whooped loudly when he unfolded his number - 20. 

Figures. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you somehow made that happen.” He shrugged as you made your way back into the main room, the man holding a red Sharpie in one hand and a plastic cup in the other. “I’ll hold that for you.” 

He handed it over wordlessly, uncapping the marker and then immediately turned to the board, one hand on his hip. “It doesn’t matter what squares you pick,” he started as he leaned in, holding the marker up. “Since the numbers are random, too.” 

You didn’t reply, eyeing the paper as he began to write. Daniel. His name is Daniel.  He picked his squares, nodding a few times at the board before he stepped back. Turning to face you, he held up the Sharpie and grinned. “Trade?” You gave him back his cup as he handed over the marker, watching as someone else stood in front of the board, carefully choosing their spaces. “I never win these things, so I might as well make a straight line with -”

“No, no!” Daniel reached out, touching your arm. “Don’t do that. It’s no fun.” 

“Unless you get a good combination.” It was your turn, and you went back to the board eyeing what was still left. “Like 0-0, or 7-0.” Signing your name onto square 26, you eyed the rest. “If you end up with either one of those numbers,” you continued, choosing squares 13 and 97, “then you’re more likely to win just because of the -”

He cut you off as he said your name, the sound of it sending a slight jolt through your body, but you didn’t turn to look until you’d picked your last two boxes - 1 and 100. 

Done with that, you handed off your Sharpie and faced Daniel, the man still holding the cup tightly. “That might be the most random set of five numbers I’ve ever seen anyone pick.” 

“Yeah, well, someone said it really doesn’t matter what I pick, so…” Shrugging, you held out your hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Daniel. I should have asked your name before. But I had no idea you’d be here, and it didn’t seem like it was necessary while we were in that cooler.”

“I don’t usually make it a habit of picking up women at the grocery store, so I get it.” He shook your hand, his grip firm. “But yeah, it’s nice to know your name.” He gave you a smile before lifting the cup to his lips and taking a drink. “I’m friends with Charlie, what about you?” 

“Will and Kyra. I usually go to their place for the game, but she had her surgery in January, and …” You shrugged. “Now we’re here.” I’m not going to complain. You would have liked to stand there and talk to Daniel for longer, but the rumble of your stomach interrupted you, both of you glancing down at the sound. Oops. “Yeah, all I’ve had are a couple pretzels. I should probably change that.”

“Food’s not here yet.” Daniel wrinkled his nose. “Charlie texted me on my way over and said that the delivery’s gonna be closer to kickoff.”

“Pizza and wings, right?” He nodded. “Well I can wait for those. I’m pretty sure I saw about four different kinds of dip in there, so…” You trailed off, eyes on him. Go get food. He’ll still be here when you’re done. “I’ll talk to you later?” 

“Sure.” Reaching up, he adjusted his hat again. “Hope you find something good.” You didn’t say anything else, turning back toward the kitchen and sliding around a few people, nodding hello as you passed.

You were hungry, so you took a few minutes to load up your plate and grab some napkins, picking things that would be easy to eat no matter where you were sitting or standing. 

That done, you headed out onto the back patio, Kyra and Charlie’s wife Tracy occupying two of the seats there.

The two of them were deep in conversation, bodies angled toward each other. “Can I sit?” Holding up the plate, you wet your lips. “I brought snacks.” 

Your friend waved you over, scooting to her right to give you room. “I’m gonna take some of that buffalo chicken dip.” She leaned in, scooping through the gooey substance with a tortilla chip. “Wonder who made it this year.” 

You didn’t know - and told her as much, beginning to work through the various food items on your plate. As you snacked, the three of you got deep into a conversation about the latest episode of your favorite show - and what you thought would happen next.

Finally, Tracy cleared her throat and said your name, leaning in. 

“I saw you talking to Danny in there.” Danny? Confirming it - though you were confused at the nickname - you waited to see what else she’d say. “He wasn’t going to come. I was surprised to see him walk in.”

“Why?” You sipped your beer, your attention on the woman. Maybe his ex is here. Or maybe he and Charlie had a fight, or -

“He was supposed to be on vacation this week.” She tilted her head back, finishing whatever it was that she was drinking. “Some family thing before he starts a new project. I saw him about two weeks ago, and he wouldn’t shut up about how excited he was. I thought he’d be watching the game in a bar in Mexico or something.” Oh, that isn’t… hmm. 

A canceled vacation was one thing, and you hoped it was nothing serious that had prompted the change in plans. But the only thing you could focus on was that she hadn’t mentioned a girlfriend or a wife. 

“He’s cute.” Kyra sat back, running a hand through her hair. “I mean I won’t tell Will that, but …” She laughed and so did Tracy, agreeing. “Don’t you think so?” 

“Yeah.” You took another drink, the glass bottle cool against your lips. “I thought so when I ran into him earlier, but I figured he was just some guy at the store and -”

“He’s single.” Tracy leaned closer to you, her smile small but almost devious. “Aren’t you, too?”

“Well, yeah, I am. But -” She cut you off, holding up a hand. 

“Don’t explain. I’m just giving you a piece of information that you might find valuable.” She glanced over at Kyra, the two of them sharing a long look before they turned their attention to you. “He works for the same company Charlie does, but in a different department. He’s got a good job. No kids, no insane exes.”

“Stop.” Letting out a breath, you rubbed at your forehead. “I appreciate you telling me this, but …” With a sigh, you continued. “This is all stuff that he should tell me, not you. And I’m sure we won’t get to talk too much because the game’s going to be starting in like twenty minutes.” Finishing your beer, you stood, reaching down to grab your empty plate. “Besides, he’s a Kansas City fan, so -” 

Both of the other women laughed and you joined them, telling them that you’d see them inside later. 

So he’s single. Opening the sliding door, you eyed the people in the kitchen, trying to decide what else you wanted to eat before you sat down to watch the game. 

Before you could make a decision, though, you heard the doorbell, followed by the sight of a flash of red as someone passed the kitchen to answer it. There was a cheer a few seconds later, along with a loud voice announcing that the wings had arrived. 

Moments later, Daniel appeared in the doorway, three large trays in his hands. That’s a lot of fucking chicken. Will was right behind him, holding a few pizza boxes and a paper bag. Both men were smiling, and the scent of the food followed them as they inched closer.

You stepped out of the way to let them set everything down in the space that was blocked off with a towel and a large, handwritten sign that read “WINGS AND PIZZA GO HERE - but you kept your eyes on what they were doing. It’s not hurting anything to watch.

It didn’t take long for them to finish setting up, Daniel peeling the lids off the aluminum containers and sliding each one underneath before setting up the sauces within easy reach. 

“Cauliflower. Bone-in. Boneless.” He pointed at each in turn, speaking loud enough that everyone in the room could hear him. He turned toward you, pointing over your shoulder. “Can I have a plate?”

Handing it to him wordlessly, you watched as he stacked a pile of wings on the plate and then reached for the bleu cheese, pouring a healthy amount next to the meat. He didn’t speak as he turned toward you again, but he did grin as he reached for one of the veggie trays you’d brought, grabbing a couple carrot and celery sticks and adding them to the pile. Of course.

The man pushed past you, waking back toward the room with the TV. That left you in the kitchen with about 6 other people, all of them in various stages of conversation. Might as well get food now and then go sit… before everyone else comes in here. 

So you did - taking both pizza and wings, along with a sauce, and then turning toward the counter, where the utensils were. You didn’t need silverware, but you did grab a stack of napkins and an extra plate, transferring those to the hand that was already full before you bent over and grabbed another beer. That’s everything. 

The main room was crowded, but there were a few open folding chairs, and so you headed toward one with a decent view of the TV and started to sink down into it. 

“Hey.” The sound of your name stopped you before you could settle, you attention going to the large couch - and Daniel. “I can scoot over. There’s room.” Yes, please. 

But you didn’t agree right away because you didn’t want to seem too eager. I’ve got to at least act like I’ve got it together. With a short nod and a quick smile a few seconds later, you stepped in his direction. 

“Thanks.” The couch was more comfortable than the chair would have been, and as you sat, you leaned forward, putting your plate and your beer onto the table. “I have extra napkins, too. So if you need them …” Eyeing the man, you weren’t surprised to see that he had sauce on his fingers and another tiny spot of it just to the side of his mouth. “You look like you’re enjoying those.” 

He laughed and reached for his plate again. “Never had food from this place before, but they’re cheap as hell. It was only like ninety bucks for 200 wings, and they gave us a good deal on the boneless and cauliflower, too.” That is cheap…Frowning, you picked up one of the wings on your plate and cautiously bit into it. Shit, that’s good. “See?” He elbowed you gently, head shaking back and forth. “Figured even if they were shitty, the price was worth it but they’re damn good.” They are. 

The two of you ate in silence for a few minutes, your attention on the TV. Or… mostly on the TV. You kept sneaking glances at the man next to you, Daniel leaning forward and eating over his plate as he attempted to keep the sauce and dressing from dripping onto his lap. 

He thanked you when you pulled the extra plate from beneath yours and told him that he could use it for the wing bones. So polite. The man nudged you with his knee that time, but instead of replying, you just went back to your food, using each bite to hide your smile. 

It was stupid and you knew it. 

You didn’t even know him, and you were smitten with him, Chiefs jersey and fitted hat be damned. But you nearly choked on your wing when he causally raised his hand toward his mouth - fingers curled against his palm - and licked at a glob of sauce on the heel of it, his head tilted to one side. “You alright?” Swallowing, he turned just enough to look at you. “Need some water?” 

“N-no.” Coughing into your hand, you shook your head. “No, it was just spicy.” The glint in his eyes told you that he didn’t believe you. The man didn’t break eye contact as he reached for a napkin and swiped at his face with it, followed by using it to clean his fingers. He did that on purpose. He… 

“Wonder if there’s going to be anything left at halftime.” He pushed his plate away, still eyeing you. “I should be hungry again in a couple hours.”

“Did you see how much food is in there?” Laughing, you crunched down on a celery stick before waving the bitten end toward the kitchen. “If there’s nothing left, there’s a problem.” Grinning, you leaned closer. “And, I don’t know if you’ve ever been over to Will and Kyra’s for anything, or had them come to a party you were at before, but she makes the best dessert. And I know for a fact that she brought two different kinds today.”

“Two?” You nodded, feeling a warmth gathering in your chest at the way he was looking at you, his eyes bright with interest. “Why two?” Getting comfortable, you crossed your legs at the knee, folding both arms over your chest. 

“She made one for each team.” Overkill, yeah, but … “Kansas City Dirt Cake bars for the Chiefs and some sort of butter cake for the Eagles.’ Daniel’s eyes widened, his mouth dropping open slightly. 

“No, shit!” The smile he gave you then was genuine, the fingers on the hand he had resting on his knee squeezing tight. “Both of those sound good.” 

“They are.” You nodded solemnly, uncrossing your legs and reaching for your beer. “And I know you have a favorite when it comes to teams, but I’m telling you, you need to try both.” There was a pause but then Daniel winked, his smile growing wider. 

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” He reached up, adjusting his hat again, the man pushing it even further back so that there was no shadow over his eyes at all. “I -” 

The increase of the TV’s volume interrupted what he was going to say. Both of you turned your attention to the screen where the National Anthem was about to start. Alright, well that’s going to cut off conversation for a while. 

You didn’t mind, though, and for the next half hour, you focused on the giant screen, watching as the Eagles scored first, though Kansas City quickly caught up with a touchdown of their own. 

The room was loud - most of the other partygoers cheering and groaning along with each play. Apart from watching the game, you were only worried about your two friends and Daniel.  Kyra and Will were sitting together on one large armchair, the other man shifting next to you and muttering under his breath occasionally. 

I wonder what watching a non-playoff game with him would be like. You had the thought toward the end of the first quarter, your head turned to the right as he groaned when a field goal attempt bounced off of the upright. He covered his face with one large hand, tilting it forward. Yeah, that’s gotta suck for you. 

“I’m going to get a beer, you need one?” Standing, you put your hand on your hip, looking down at where Daniel was sitting. “That way we don’t lose our spots on the couch.” 

“Yeah.” He groaned again, finally looking up at you. “Yeah, that’s… thanks.” Giving you a tight smile, he shook his head back and forth. “I know it’s just the first quarter, but…” You laughed, turning away and catching Kyra’s eye. She raised both brows, lips quirking into a smirk. Don’t even look at me like that.  

You kept quiet, though, heading into the kitchen and filling a bowl with popcorn before reaching into the cooler and grabbing two drinks. Giving yourself a few seconds to collect your thoughts - and saying hello to a couple people that were also grabbing things to snack on - you drummed your fingertips on the counter. 

You weren’t doing anything differently than you would have if you were watching the game at your usual party. 

The only change was that you were sitting next to Daniel, someone that a few hours earlier, you hadn’t even known existed. Well, maybe it’s a little different. I’m talking less, but … But you were still having a good time. Actually, it might be a better time than I’d be having at another party. 

With that thought, you headed back for the living room after opening the beers, holding the popcorn out to Kyra and Will as you passed. The woman took a large handful with a quiet murmur of thanks, her eyes locked on the TV screen. 

Even though the game had already started again - the second quarter well underway - Daniel reached out for both beer bottles as you approached the couch, his hand brushing against yours as he took them from you. 

Groaning as you sat, he gestured to the TV. “Your team’s about to score again.” 

“They aren’t my team,” you reminded him, reaching for one of the bottles. “But - shit yeah, there they go!” Cheering as another touchdown play was made, you shifted toward the man, holding up your bottle. “That was fast.” 

Groaning again good-naturedly, Daniel clinked bottles with you and then took a swig. “It’s going to be a long game, isn’t it.” I hope so. “Rob won the first quarter, by the way.” He was watching the TV again, his arms crossed over his chest. 

“There’s a hundred bucks that isn’t going back into my wallet.” With a quiet laugh, you brought your elbow up, resting it against the arm of the couch before you leaned your temple against the palm of your hand. “What numbers did -”

“I took a picture, here.” He set his beer down and reached for his phone, pulling it out of his pocket and brightening the screen. You caught a glimpse of his wallpaper image - a black dog laying on its back in the grass - and then he was opening his photos app. “I didn’t have anything to write with and didn’t want to keep getting up to check.” 

Daniel turned the phone toward you, your eyes seeking out your name on the poster. A picture was a good idea. “Ok, give me a second to open my notes app and -”

“I could just send it to you.” He spoke carefully - giving you a definite chance to turn him down. But you didn’t even try to keep your return smile from appearing, or to stop the almost immediate nod of your head in response. You could. I’d like that. 

“Sure. That works.” You paused, wetting your lips. “Want me to type it in, or -”

“Just give it to me.” He grinned, thumbs tapping against the screen as he pulled it away. “I’ll text you.” You spoke the number out loud and then a few seconds later, felt your phone vibrate. “There. But I don’t think either of us are going to win anything before halftime, so…” 

You stared at the numbers and wrinkled your nose in agreement. “Yeah, unless a lot of really interesting things happen in the next couple minutes, I’d say that we’re not going to have much luck this quarter.” With a sigh, you darkened the screen on your phone and then slipped it back into your pocket, bringing your eyes back to the TV. 

Half of the room cheered as the Eagles drove their way back down the field, but there were more than a few groans when it resulted in only a field goal. As the time ran out, people began to disperse from the room, their conversations little more than quiet murmurs. 

Will got up, too, leaving Kyra in the chair. To your surprise, Daniel stood and stretched, lifting both arms above his head and nudging at your foot with his. “‘Scuse me. You need anything?” 

You didn’t - and told him as much - Daniel giving you a quick nod before making his way past you and out of the room, carrying both of his empty bottles - and your first - with him. 

“Well that looks like it’s going well.” Kyra leaned forward, one brow arched. “And did I hear him get your number? That was pretty -”

“We’re watching a football game together, Ky.” Rolling your eyes, you scoffed. “This is where there was room, and -” But he did get my number. “He does seem nice, though.” She grinned, repositioning her feet on the floor and putting her hands on her knees as you turned toward her, scooting to the edge of the cushions. “Does Will know him? If Charlie does, then -” 

“Not that well. I know who he is, but I’ve only met him a handful of times. He went to college with Charlie for a couple years, I think, and then they got hired at the same place.” She paused, her eyes moving to the doorway and then back to you. “I’ve never heard anything bad about him, I can tell you that much.” Well that’s a good thing. “It’s good to see you smile.” 

The simplicity of her statement gave you pause, but she meant it - and you knew it. It had been a long time since you’d let yourself focus on anything but work, and that meant that your dating experience had been limited in the recent past. But it doesn’t need to be. Maybe… “I’m just smiling thinking about those desserts you made.” 

Kyra’s eyes lit up and she stood, too, holding out a hand to you. “Well come on, then. Help me get them out.” She pulled you to your feet and you briefly looked down at your spot on the couch, hoping that no one would take it in your absence. “We’ll be back before Rihanna. You’ll get your spot back.” 

Tugging on your hand, she led you through the kitchen and into the garage, grabbing the dessert dishes and carrying them back into the kitchen. The two of you were silent as you cut them into pieces, adding them to the other things on the dining room table - cookies and brownies, peanut butter cups and Rice Krispies treats and something that you thought was a chocolate pudding dip. 

Reaching for a plate, you grabbed a few things, deciding that you could always come back if you wanted more. Kyra was talking to Will and Charlie, the three of them deep in conversation and laughing in front of one of the coolers. So you held your plate up as you passed, your friend’s smile growing with her nod, though she didn’t say anything to you. 

The couch was still open when you got back to it, sinking down and starting to eat your dessert while the halftime report went on. That part of the game, you didn’t care about, and if you were being honest, you didn’t even really care about the performance, either. Not unless Tom Holland’s out there dancing to ‘Umbrella’, anyway. 

“Aw, man, you were supposed to tell me when the good stuff came out.” Daniel’s hat was off, tucked into the back pocket of his jeans, and you watched as he ran his fingers through his hair. It curled over the back of his neck, the brown a few shades lighter than you’d thought it was. Don’t get distracted. 

“Well, there’s still plenty left.” Bringing your thumb up to your mouth, you sucked a drip of caramel sauce from the tip, shrugging. Your smile grew at Daniel’s reaction. The man was focused on the movement of your lips, his tongue darting out to wet his bottom one. I saw that. “I’m sorry,  but I’m not sharing.” 

He laughed, turning away from you and toward the kitchen. With a satisfied smile, you returned to your plate, wanting to finish before everyone came back in to sit and watch the show. 

You let your mind wander as you did so, and when Daniel did come back, Will, Kyra and Charlie weren’t too far behind. They settled in, talking amongst themselves, and when Charlie asked you a question, you were quick to answer. 

The five of you talked for a few minutes, the conversation ending only when someone dimmed the lights as the performance started. Leaning back, you took a deep breath and kept your eyes on the TV, watching in silence for a few minutes. 

You were surprised when you felt a warm breath on your cheek, followed by a whispered voice speaking into your ear. “Did you know she was pregnant again? Because I sure as hell didn’t.” Covering your mouth with one hand, you bit back a laugh. 

“I didn’t.” You whispered back, turning your head enough to look at him. “Surprise!” It was his turn to laugh, the man catching your eye and then jerking his head toward the kitchen, one brow raised. “Alright.” 

Slipping out of the room with him close behind you, he only spoke out loud when you were in the kitchen, the two of you the only ones in the room. “I didn’t even think to ask if you were a fan, I just -”

“I like some of her music.” Shrugging, you scratched the side of your neck. “Don’t know that I’d call myself a huge fan, though.” Reaching for a bottle of water, you uncapped it and took a long drink. “Besides, I can watch it online later if I want to see the whole thing.” 

He moved closer to you, also reaching for a water. “Good point.” You could faintly hear the music from the other room, though your attention was on the man in front of you. “Look, this might sound really weird, but…” Daniel straightened up, swallowing hard. “I feel like maybe a Super Bowl party isn’t the right time to get to know someone.” 

“Paying attention to the game does sort of complicate things.” You didn’t want to get ahead of yourself, but if the look on Daniel’s face was any indication, he was trying to work himself up to saying something that a very large part of you wanted to hear. “It was a little easier earlier, right? Fewer people and less noise.”

“Much colder, though.” Daniel’s grin was wide, his eyes bright. Even though he looked away briefly, when he met your gaze again, there was resolve in them, too. “I asked Charlie and Will about you.” 

“What? What did -”

“Will said you’re not with anyone right now.” Is he serious? “Is that true?” 

“It is.” Your grip on the water bottle tightened, the plastic crinkling beneath your fingers. “Why are you asking?” Daniel reached forward and picked up a pretzel stick, dipping it into the pudding before popping the whole thing into his mouth. “Daniel?” 

“I’m asking because I wanted to be sure no one was gonna try to kick my ass if I asked whether or not you wanted to maybe have dinner sometime.” He flattened one palm on the countertop, his other hand on his hip. “Maybe I’m way out of -”

“Yes.” You didn’t even have to think about it. “Yes, I want to have dinner with you.” The smile was back on his face almost before you’d finished speaking, and it was mirrored by one of your own. “You have my number, so you can…” Cocking your head to one side, you wrinkled your nose. “You can get ahold of me to plan it out.” 

He didn’t have a chance to reply before a couple people walked into the kitchen, and as your attention went to them, you watched as the lights in the other room came back on. Halftime must be over. 

The moment broken, you stepped away from Daniel and finished the bottle of water, tossing the empty plastic container into the trash. Busying yourself with making another small plate of snacks, you bent over to grab another drink before moving back into the living room. Well that seems too simple. Is it really possible that… 

You felt his hand on your arm only moments later, his thumb pressed to the back of your elbow. And when you looked back over your shoulder, you saw that Daniel was smirking, though the expression was more amused than haughty, the deep brown of his eyes filled with light. “What?” 

You mouthed the word but all you got in return was a quick shake of his head before his hand fell away. 

It didn’t take you long to settle back onto the couch. The man sunk back down next to you, though he was somewhat closer than he’d been the last time you were seated. You didn’t mind, and after risking a glance over at Will and Kyra, both of them staring at you in surprise, you returned your attention to the TV, where the teams were getting ready to begin the third quarter. 

“Two more chances to win some money, Daniel.” You sighed, pulling out your phone and opening the picture. “It’s not looking great though.” 

“You never know.” He pointed at the screen. “Lots of time left.” There was - and you knew it, and within only a few minutes, Kansas City had scored again, narrowing the lead - much to the delight of a lot of the people in the room, Daniel and Charlie included. 

The second half of the game was much more interesting than the first. As more and more time passed - and so did some questionable calls from the refs - you found that you were more interested in the game. By the end of the third quarter, you were on the edge of your seat, eyes glued to the screen. I might actually win this. 

“Don’t you dare score.” Whispering, you whipped your head back and forth. “Don’t you dare let them get the -” As the clock hit zero, you hissed out in relief, your attention turning to your friends first, both of them congratulating you as the commercials began to play. 

“If I had to lose to someone, I’m glad it was you.” Daniel reached out, settling a hand on your knee and squeezing briefly. “Congratulations.” 

“Thanks.” You watched as his gaze flicked from your eyes down to your mouth and then back up, his hand retreating from your leg to rest in his lap again. “Can’t wait to use my winnings to buy groceries this week.” 

He laughed at that, leaning back against the couch cushions and rubbing at his eyes. You tried not to, but you couldn’t look away from the curve of his neck, the tanned skin rising from the collar of the jersey. You couldn’t ignore the tattoo on the top of his hand - what looked like a bullseye, the ink faded slightly. Another thing to ask him. I’m curious about the dog and about that tattoo. 

The fourth quarter started out strong for Kansas City, and even though you darted out of the room to use the bathroom at one point, you hurried back, dropping onto the couch and immediately grabbing for your beer as the lead widened for the Chiefs. There’s like no time left. You curled your fingers into a fist, leaning forward like everyone - and then cheered loudly when Philadelphia scored again, tying the game. 

“Oh, shit.” Daniel turned to the right, talking to the guy next to him and to Charlie, who was perched on a folding chair next to the couch. For a minute or so, you focused on your own thoughts, sipping from your drink and looking in the direction of the TV though you weren’t paying attention. 

It had been a whirlwind of a day for you, and though the game was almost over, you knew that it didn’t mean that you’d be home any time soon. I have to help clean, and then pack stuff up, and - 

“Oh, fuck yeah!” An exclamation from next to you pulled you back into the present, eyes on the screen as the Chiefs made another series of great plays that resulted in another field goal. “Dammit, but they get the ball back, and…” 

Daniel stood, pulling the hat back onto his head and low over his eyes, rocking back and forth in one spot. Dividing your attention between him and the TV, you sighed as the clock continued to run down. The Eagles have one more shot, they… But the thought turned into a groan as the clock ticked to 0, one final pass wasted as the game ended. Well that wasn’t … 

You heard your name at the same time that you felt someone taking hold of your hands and pulling you to your feet. Once you were standing, he released your wrists and pulled you into a hug that you returned. 

It was friendly - the gesture one more of excitement than anything else, and just as you moved to pull back and congratulate Daniel on his team’s win, you felt his exhale on your cheek again, followed by the brush of his lips against the shell of your ear. 

“Won the fourth quarter pot.” He paused. “That last field goal was what I needed.” Oh, shit! His smile was wide when you pulled back to look into his eyes, and despite the brim of the hat being in the way, you contemplated leaning in to kiss him, wondering what he’d think of you taking the initiative. 

Before you could make the decision, though, an envelope with your name on it appeared to your right, and you and Daniel separated, both of you looking in that direction. You took the envelope and then watched as Daniel took another, nodding in thanks at Charlie before he returned his attention to you. 

“Sorry about that.” He winced, taking a half step back and holding up the envelope. “Got a little excited.” 

“You don’t need to apologize.” Blowing out a breath, you folded the envelope in half, sticking it in your back pocket. “I get it.” There was more that you wanted to say, but Kyra called out your name and Daniel’s eyes moved over your shoulder and to her before you turned to look at your friend, confused. 

“Come on, I need your help packing stuff up before we leave. Gotta work tomorrow and it’s going to be eleven by the time we get home.” Dammit. But you agreed, turning back to look at Daniel briefly. 

“Just get ahold of me when -”

“I’ll say goodbye before I leave.” He nodded. “I’m not heading out yet.” 

After agreeing, you followed Kyra into the kitchen where a few other people were already packing things up. The two of you worked in silence for long moments - until she broke it. “I know you’re probably mad, but the way the two of you were looking at each other, I thought if I didn’t interrupt, you would have -”

“We’re going to dinner.” Chewing on your lower lip as you put some of the butter cake onto a small plate and covered it with plastic wrap, you fought a smile back. “He invited me.”

“Good.” She bumped you with one hip, laughing. “I told you, he seems like a nice guy, and the two of you obviously got along today, so why not?” She added a dirt bar to the container you’d set aside for yourself. “And he’s very cute, like I said.”

“He is.” It was little more than a whisper, but you meant it. “And he’s funny.” You liked the man - and you barely knew him. “I’m not mad at you, though.” 

“No?” She looked over her shoulder at you as she started putting leftovers into a canvas bag. “”I would be.” Why though? When she finished what she was doing, the woman slung the bag over her uninjured shoulder and crossed her arms, staring at you. “I was pretty upset that we couldn’t host this year, but …” The woman chewed on her lower lip. “But maybe it was for the best.” 

“Why? Because you don’t have to worry about cleaning up after everyone leaves?”

“No, because you being here means you got to meet Daniel, and now you’re going out to dinner with him.” 

“It’s just dinner.” Glancing at the living room, you shrugged. “It probably won’t go beyond that.” Kyra laughed, stepping closer and extending one arm to hug you. “What?”

“Even if it’s only dinner - and we both know it won’t be - it’s still better than not dating at all, or using one of those apps to find a random person.” She stepped back, keeping her eyes on you. “Let me know how it goes?” 

Assuring her that you would, you watched as she left the room and headed back to get her husband. When she was gone from view, you returned to packing your leftovers, tossing a couple wings into a Ziploc bag and then putting those - and the leftover veggies - into a larger bag with your dessert plate. 

“Want to pack me up a couple pieces of that?” Daniel spoke from behind you, the sound of his voice immediately catching your attention. “And maybe one of the dirt cake ones, too?” He paused, stepping next to you. “I’m going to need a second plate for these wings.” 

You agreed, grabbing another plate and putting some of the dessert onto it before wrapping it in plastic. Handing it over to him, you picked up your bag, taking a breath. “I think that’s it.” Time to go home. “Kyra and Will left, so -”

“Can I walk you out?” It was a simple question - though one you hadn’t anticipated him asking. “I’m leaving now, too. A seven AM alarm is gonna come real quick.” 

You agreed with a single nod, and only moments later, you and Daniel were heading out the front door and into the dark, still night. The temperature had dropped slightly with the sunset, but it wasn’t uncomfortably cold, the two of you walking side by side down the driveway. 

“This is me.” You stopped by your car’s back door, unlocking it with a press of the key fob. “I hope you don’t have too far to walk?”

“I’m parked right behind you.” He grinned. “Hold on one sec.” Daniel spun away from you, the lights on his car flicking on as he unlocked it, too. Of course he is. Using the time to put your bag down on the back seat, you crossed your arms as you waited for him to come back, eyes on the man as he did the same thing - though he removed his hat and tossed it onto the front passenger seat while he started the car.

As he stepped back toward you - the man lit from behind by his headlights - he dragged his fingers through his hair. “It was great to meet you, Daniel. Both times.” His grin widened, the man’s hands settled on his hips. 

“I was serious about dinner.” Biting down on the corner of his lip, he took a breath. “Are you free this week?” He scoffed. “I was supposed to be on vacation, but it got canceled, so I’ve got a lot of free time.” That’s right. Tracy said… “Or, if not -”

“Any night but Tuesday.” Taking a half step closer, you continued. “I usually stay a little later at the office on Tuesday nights, but every other day, I’m home by 5:30 at the latest.” He nodded in reply, the man’s lips curving upward and into a soft smile. “And I’m not too picky about restaurants. I can find something I like on just about any menu.” 

“Good.” He laughed then, the sound loud as he also stepped slightly closer. “I’ve recently come into some money, so…” Raising a brow, Daniel winked. “No matter what you pick, we’ll be good.” 

You laughed loudly at that, closing your eyes and leaning against your car. “Yeah, well at least you know that I don’t only want you for your money, Daniel. I agreed to go out with you before you became unexpectedly wealthy.” 

“You sure did.” Opening your eyes, you were met with his gaze, locked on yours. “Get home safe, alright? I’ll text you with a couple options for dinner soon.” Nodding, you stood up straight, still looking at him. I want to hug him goodbye, but that would be weird. We’ve already hugged, but … 

But that had been in the heat of the moment - a response to what had happened in the game. Now it would be … because we wanted to. You made the decision in a split second, leaning forward and holding your hands out. “Can I give you a hug goodbye?” Oh, that didn’t sound ridiculous at all. Fighting the urge to roll your eyes, you were rewarded with an enthusiastic nod from Daniel, the man opening his arms to you as well. 

When you stepped into them, he wound one around the center of your back, the other going around your shoulders - both of yours sliding beneath his arms so that your hands could press against the center of his back. 

It was a different kind of hug than the one you’d shared inside the house - and that time, no one interrupted with an envelope full of money. It lingered, the two of you standing close on the darkened street, his chin and cheek resting against the side of your head. He smells good. 

You had the thought just before he shifted and turned his head, Daniel’s lips making contact with your cheek. Oh, oh he… Humming, you tightened your hold on him, hoping that it was an indication that you were alright with the kiss. Or, I could just… 

It was a gamble - much more than putting money down on the game had been earlier - but when he began to pull away, you turned your head slowly in his direction. If it happens, it happens, and … 

And it did happen - his lips sliding forward over your cheek as you turned, though he stopped backing off as soon as you began to move. He wants it too, he… 

There was no burst of color behind your closed eyes or wobble of your knees when your lips met his for the first time. Instead, there was a slight upward twitch of his lips as he fought back a smile paired with the arm he had around your shoulders rising so that he could cradle the back of your head in his large palm. Your fingers curled against the material of his jersey and you inhaled quickly through your nose, buying yourself a few more seconds. 

Neither of you made any move to deepen the kiss or take things further, and when you finally pulled away from each other, it was Daniel that took the first audible breath, his eyes opening slowly. “Wasn’t expecting that.” 

“Neither was I.” Setting your shoulders, you nodded. “I hope it wasn’t… I hope you’re ok with me -”  

You were still close enough that he didn’t have to move far to reach for your hand, wrapping his fingers around yours and squeezing. “More than ok.” It was a relief, and you couldn’t help the involuntary exhale and slump of your shoulders at his admission. Ok, good. Great. He said your name, waiting until you’d met his eyes again to continue. “Goodnight.” 

“G’night, Daniel.” With one more squeeze of your hand, he released it and turned back to his car. Don’t stand here like an idiot. 

You didn’t - climbing into your car and buckling in, gripping the steering wheel tightly after you’d started the engine. You probably could have gotten home without directions, but chose to spend a few seconds typing them into your GPS again, only looking at your window when you heard the quick beep of a horn.

Daniel was parked next to you, his passenger window rolled down - and so you lowered yours, too, waiting. “Thanks for doing what I was too nervous to.” Wait, what? “I’m looking forward to dinner.” He winked again and then nodded, the window sliding back up as he drove away.  

“Oh, fuck.” You laughed, lowering your head to rest it against the top of your steering wheel. “What did I get myself into?” 

Smiling, you sat back up and closed the window, reaching over to twist the volume knob on your radio up. Guess I’ll find out at dinner. 

—

Tag list coming soon! 

[jcdlem]

hi !!! if you're willing, may you write something daniel larusso x female reader where she goes to cheer him up & keep him company while his leg is broken after the tournament? thank you in advance <3

ೃ༄ Uptown Girl

daniel larusso x reader

begging for more karate kid requests…i rewatched the movies yesterday and i cant get it out my head.

warnings: not beta or proof read, slightly rushed

he's annoyed when you and his mother insist he rests after the tournament. sure, his leg hurts like actual hell, and he can't take more than a few steps without promptly falling, but he's itching to continue his karate training.

his restlessness tends to get the best of him during his recovery. he doesn't know what to do, practically bed-bound and unable to do the one thing he's grown to love most.

your visits are his only real source of entertainment. he cherishes them, anticipates the next one before you've even left his apartment.

he coaxes—or tries to, at least—you into staying with him longer. when you tell him you have to leave, he’ll put his head on your shoulder and beg for a few more minutes (which always ends up as a few hours, if you truly give in.)

his favorite thing to do while you’re over is watch a movie. most of the time, it’s some cheesy romance with more kissing scenes than plot. its an easy excuse to have a hand on your waist and press a few sweet kisses to your lips, in his eyes.

he finds comfort in your presence. it's not overwhelming like his mom's usually is—you're calming, a breath of fresh air amidst all the chaos in his life.

he tones down the complaining when you're around. he may be frustrated with just about everything, but he's not letting down the opportunity to have you dote on him a little more.

he thinks you look awfully cute while taking care of/spending time with him<3

[vaulthistorian]

Welcome home with love.

Joshua Graham/Six/Daniel.

Just some fluff for Six coming home.

After Joshua and Daniel settle down again, Six drops by now and then on their road around the Mojave to see the two.

They'll approach the place in their dirty duster and mucky boots. Their mask is worn but the two know your silhouette anywhere, any day.

Daniel is most likely sitting on the porch, looking up over the tip of his hat as the dust rolls past you. Each foot is a stride of intent and longing to finally be at home.

He stands and watches you approach the house. "Look who came home."

You shuffle and pull your mask off, breathing in the warm, fresh air. A clean start from the radiated, dense air you'd been inhaling for the last bit.

Daniel smiled softly upon seeing your face. He gently reached out for your duster, pulling it back off your shoulders and laying it on the chair he previously sat in.

Your tired body slumps against his chest, letting out the heavy emotions against his neck. His strong hands roam up and down your back, pulling at the hot undershirt you wore.

"Hey Daniel..."

"Hey, darlin'." He gently shifts with you in his arms, letting your body rest as long as it would need. But you'd been on your feet for so long.

You look up at him, and he slowly cranes his neck down, giving you a soft, sweet kiss. A welcome home.

"Come inside, I'll get something made up for us."

You smiled a little, following Daniel inside. Inside a small fan ran near the door. Books were stacked up along the walls, some scripture, some pre-war texts you'd found on your adventures.

You looked around, heading through the main room toward the kitchen where you found Joshua.

The extra pair of footsteps wasn't lost on him, his gaze already off his drink he slowly sipped through a straw.

His gaze softened when he saw you. "Welcome back, dove."

You came over, leaning down and kissing his temple. "I missed you, and you don't even have the courtesy to get out of your chair for me." You teased.

Joshua huffed and slowly got up. Properly hugging you, his forehead leaned against yours. His bandaged palms pressed gently against your cheeks, rubbing his thumb over your skin. Feeling the roughness from the sands of the Mojave.

You smiled softly, kissing his cheek gently. Daniel huffed softly from behind you, which made you turn and cup his cheek. "Come here you."

You gently brought him in again, tasting his lips and inhaling the smell of fresh pages and sweat.

Joshua slotted himself behind you, his hands drifting up your abdomen, feeling your body softly. His head resting on your shoulder, feeling the warmth of your nape against his head.

"Get off your feet, darlin'. Sit, I'll fix you up something nice."

Your stomach growled at Daniel's words. And you had no doubt he'd make up something fierce.

Joshua still has not pulled away from you. You swayed slowly, "Did you miss me?" You teased.

"The same amount I miss you any other time you leave for up to a month on short notice.."

"Yeah, I know." You smiled a little. "But I'm home." You patted his knuckles gently.

He nodded, pressing the bridge of his nose against your neck, and then slowly released you so you could sit and get off your feet.

You sighed, relaxing into the barely cushioned chair. You leaned your head back and watched the two peacefully move about.

Joshua went around the table to offer help, Daniel's hand slipping down around his waist to gently tug the two men hip to hip.

You smile softly, seeing Joshua lean over, reaching for something and Daniel interrupting it with a gentle kiss to his temple.

"Alright you," Joshua squeezes his bicep. "Easy."

"I'm just excited, happy to have you both in the same room again."

You smiled softly, sitting up and watching them. In the sunlight that came through the dirty window in the kitchen, they both seemed to glow.

Maybe it was you not seeing them for a while? Or you were falling in love with them all over again. That spoke for itself. You were glad to get welcomed home.