#I got stung three years ago and thought it would help

[1d-trashcan]

On a scale of 1 to “I asked my mum to drive to the bins with our rubbish bc what if I get chased by a wasp walking the 50 meters to the bins and die”, how bad is your wasp phobia?

[writtenfangirl]

I would love to see more Charles lecerc from you, the way you write him is so good. Maybe him trying to convince his girlfriend to move to Monaco with him and it’s all sweet and cute

Treasured Memories

Charles is literally so fine. I could stare at his face all day and not get tired of it. And it really doesn't help that his personality seems just as fine as his face.

I know his native language is French and not Italian but I always thought it would be so cute if I had a boyfriend who could speak a lot of languages and he chooses to call me a term of endearment in a different language than his native tongue.

Fic's only about 2100 words so enjoy!

Part 2

Charles Leclerc has and always will be a determined man.

He wasn’t the kind of person who rested unless he got what he wanted and he did whatever it takes to get the things he wants. 

Whether through his sheet grit, his determination, his talent or the bountiful resources that his family fought tooth and nail to give him, Charles did everything and anything to succeed.

It’s how he won the F2 championship in his first and only season, how he won rookie of the year during his debut with Sauber and why he was signed by the oldest and most respected team on the grid before he had even reached his second year as a Formula One driver.

He rarely ever heard the word no. And when he did, he always knew how to turn it into a yes.

So when he had asked his girlfriend of three years, Y/N Y/L/N, to move in with him, he hadn’t been expecting her rejection.

“Move in with me, amore,” Charles said, his voice cutting through the loud speakers that were playing Harry Potter’s orchestral theme song.

It was one of those rare days when neither Charles nor Y/N were off somewhere else around the world. With the season reaching their summer break and Y/N requesting time off from work to spend time with him, Charles and Y/N had opted to stay in Charles’ apartment and simply relax together. He wasn’t usually one for a lazy day but because he rarely ever got to spend time with his girlfriend, it was easy to forget about his training and his work outs and team strategy building for the day. It was even easier to forget those things when she was peacefully leaning against him, her eyes glued to the TV screen that was playing the first Harry Potter movie as their bodies were protected from the frigid air conditioning with a cozy blanket.

Charles felt Y/N tense before she pulled herself away from him, her weight supported by her arm as her attention shifted to Charles. Harry Potter was just about to tell Draco Malfoy off for being mean to Ronald Weasley and Charles knew it was one of Y/N’s favorite scenes. But she’d forgotten about it as she processed Charles’s simple request.

The words hung in the air and Charles paused the TV before the scene could progress further. He also knew that Y/N would make him rewind back to the scene if she had missed it.

“What did you just say?” Y/N said slowly, her eyes focused on Charles. 

“Y/N, move in with me.”

He fully expected her jubilant shouts or even a wonderful kiss of happiness followed by an ecstatic “yes!” but Y/N did none of those things. Instead she said a very emphatic, “No…”

“No?” 

“No…”

Charles wasn’t exactly stung by the rejection. He was more surprised if anything. He couldn’t understand why she would say no. They had been together three years. It seemed like the most natural course of action for Y/N to move in with him, the next step to bring their relationship to newer heights.

“Why don’t you want to move in with me, amore?” Charles asked.

“It’s not that I don’t want to. I just don’t think it’s a good idea, Charles. I mean, I moved to Monaco just a year ago. Now you’re asking me to move in with you.”

She did have a point. Y/N did leave London to live in Monaco but she had justified the move because it was better for her career. 

She was an international correspondent for the BBC, which meant she was often sent to different countries around the world. After Brexit, it became harder for her to travel around Europe and, at the time, moving to Monaco was the sensible response.

Being able to see Charles more often was just the added bonus.

“But amore,” Charles protested, “you practically live here already. You have clothes in my closet and skincare in my bathroom. You even have keys here. You see my family so often, maman and my brothers think you’re an honorary Leclerc. I don’t see the problem with you moving in.”

“What about my lease?” 

“I’ll pay for the rest of it.” He deadpanned. “You’re landlord is terrible, amore.”

Y/N winced. He got her there. Her landlord really was terrible. There was always something broken in her apartment, whether it was a broken heater in the middle of winter, a leaky faucet in her kitchen sink, a toilet that refused to flush or a TV that only played static, it took her landlord months to fix those things. It’s why Charles had given Y/N keys to his apartment in the first place. If something went wrong, she could always spend the night. But things went wrong so often that for the past six months, Y/N spent five months living in Charles’ apartment rather than her own.

Not that he was particularly complaining.

He loved having Y/N around.

Y/N’s schedule was just as hectic as his was, likely even more so. She always had three suitcases packed and ready to go just in case she had to leave at a moment’s notice. The rare moments when Y/N came straight to his apartment after a tiring assignment and Charles had been home to greet her were highlights of their relationship. He wanted her to come home to him. And the even rarer moments when he came home to her after his own hectic schedule? Those were memories he etched in his mind forever so he could relive them in his dreams.

“What about my space,” Y/N added. “I work from home a lot and I don’t have a space here to work.”

Fully expecting this, Charles’ next words were unhurried and reassuring. “I’ve already planned it. I can move my simulator and my gaming consoles in the living room. There’s plenty of space here. You can use the game room as your office. I even installed speakers there because I know you like to listen to Taylor Swift while you work.”

Y/N’s eyebrows shot straight up, causing Charles to grin. “Wow,” she said, mildly impressed. “You really have thought of everything.”

He did think about everything. He didn’t want to give her a reason to say no and the only way he could guarantee she’ll say yes was if Charles handled everything so that Y/N didn’t have to put in any effort. She always hated moving and he knew he would have to move mountains and cross seas just to ensure that Y/N would say yes and so he did just that. 

He tried his best not to sound so smug. “Oui. All you have to do is say yes. You don’t have to lift a finger. I’ll call the movers and plan everything and your things could be here by tomorrow if you wanted.”

And yet Charles could see the hesitation in her eyes. Something was holding her back. He knew his girlfriend enough to know that what’s holding her back wasn’t any trivial reason. This was something big. 

“What’s making you say no?” He asked patiently.

“Alright,” Y/N said at the question, her hesitation vanishing and steely determination filling her features. “Do you really know why I don’t want to move in with you? You might not like what I say.”

Charles nodded. He wanted nothing more than to know what horrible reason could possibly be stopping the love of his life from living with him so he could find a way to stop it.

“I’ve noticed a pattern with you, Charles.”

He pulled his brows into a frown. “A pattern?”

“Yes, babe. A pattern. You once told me that in your previous relationships, the love and magic between you two ended when they moved in.”

“What?”

“When you and Giada were together and she moved in, things ended between you two after a year. With Charlotte, it was two. Alexandra had six months. I love you, Charles, in a way that I had never loved anyone before. I don’t want things to end between us.”

He blinked at her once. Twice.

Y/N had always been blunt but she was never unfeeling. She looked as though she wanted to snatch the words from the air and shove it back in herself if she could. “Charles, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to off—”

Charles’ sharp bark of laughter interrupted her. 

Y/N’s eyes widened in surprise as laughter shook his body, the sounds coming out from him echoing in the living room.

Her lips pulled into a frown as she took one of the pillows that rested on the couch and hit him with it. “It’s not funny, Charles!”

“I’m sorry!” He howled, not sounding sorry at all as his laughter choked the words from him, leaving him gasping for breath. Tears were beginning to collect in his eyes, further frustrating his girlfriend.

With a growl, Y/N hit him with the pillow again. Charles couldn’t even register the thump of the pillow with how hard he was laughing.

“Y/N, it’s not funny,” he managed to get out as he laughed. He clutched midsection, his stomach beginning to cramp from how hard herwas laughing.

“Then stop laughing!”

“I can’t!” 

“If you’re going to be that way, then fine!” Y/N pushed away the blankets that covered them and began to stand up. Instantly, Charles sobered up, his hand shooting forward to grab Y/N’s arm, pulling her to him. She landed on a heap on his lap, her hair tickling his nose, the scent of her shampoo enveloping him as he threaded his arms around her body and placed a kiss on her cheek. 

She huffed, rolling her eyes in annoyance, causing Charles to chuckle at her. Another kiss on her cheek and Y/N’s annoyed expression softened. “Y/N,” he said gently, “why would you worry about that?”

“Because,” she whispered, her previous annoyance vanishing like smoke, “usually what happens in almost every relationship is that the little traits that we once thought were cute and endearing about the other person become things we hate. I love that you ask me to cook for you whenever I’m at home but what if one day I wake up and I start to hate that about you. I don’t want that to happen.”

“You are being so silly, amore. That won’t ever happen to us.”

“How do you know that.”

“Because I’ve known you for so long and but I still find new things about you to love everyday. Even the things I don’t like about you, I love. And I love those things about you because I love you. Besides, of my past relationships you’re the girl I’m most compatible with. Every chore you don’t like to do, I like doing.” He said the words with a self-satisfied smirk. “You have no reason to say no. So say yes.”

“So long as you’re absolutely, 100 percent sure you want this.”

This time, Charles’ expression could only be referred to as serious. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I love you, Y/N. I want to spend forever with you and I can only do that if you let me. So please let me.”

“Oh,” Y/N sighed as a smile pulled at her lips, “you Frenchies and your romantic words.”

“Monegasque, amore!” Charles sputtered and this time, it was Y/N’s turn to laugh. 

“I’m just teasing, babe. You’ll have to get used to it since I’m going to be moving in.”

His arms squeezed her tighter, pressing her against him at her words. “You mean it? You’ll move in? You cannot take it back if you say yes, amore. I won’t let you.”

Y/N’s smile could only be described as incandescent. “Yes. I’ll move in. I’ll move anywhere so long as it’s with you.”

And just like that, what was once a normal, pleasant day, was now another treasured memory. He couldn’t imagine anything more amazing than hearing Y/N’s yes. And if he felt this way about her agreeing to move in, he could only imagine how he’d feel when she’d give him her yes after his proposal.

But his impending proposal to the woman he now knows to be the love of his life was another matter entirely. Right now, he wanted to bask in the moment and he couldn’t think of a better way to do that than by laying on his—their—couch, watching their favorite films and holding the girl of his dreams.

[drak3n]

THE BEST FRIEND

ꨄ. SYNOPSIS: perhaps you shouldn’t have waited so long.

ꨄ. CONTENT WARNINGS: unrequited love, mostly angst, hurt & some sort of comfort? best friends trope, one mention of murder at the beginning, a little bit of baji x reader

bold italic quotes = letter excerpts

PROLOGUE. | SERIES MASTERLIST.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“it’s impossible for anyone not to love you. has anyone ever told you that?”

there were times in which even a district like shibuya — always vibrant and full of life — was eerily quiet and void of people.

people you’d want to be around with, at least. people who made you feel safe roaming the streets at this hour. right now, you didn’t feel all too comfortable walking past streets with alleyways looking awfully sketchy.

every tiny sound made you walk faster than before, it be a cat scratching at a trashcan, a breeze howling against buildings, or leaves crunching under your shoes. you just wanted to get this over with and head back home into your trusted four walls.

you grunted as your ran face-first into someone you hadn’t seen, which you wanted to blame your terrible night vision for.

the figure didn’t move and you tried to stay calm. you uttered an apology and tried to rush past them, careful not to draw too much attention.

maybe they were just minding their own business. they didn’t have to be a murderer or anything.

“you shouldn’t be out here by yourself at this time,” the person suddenly called out. you halted. “someone got murdered right over there two days ago.”

the shiver that ran down your spine at the husky words was inevitable, your eyes darting over to where he pointed to show you the place was just a couple feet away from where you were standing. it didn’t help that the boy said it with so little emotion.

“thanks for telling me… i just really need to drop by at the nearest local duty pharmacy,” you responded. under the halfway functioning street light, you recognized a very tall boy, perhaps around your age, so 15 or 16 years of age.

the dragon tattoo on the side of his head drew your attention. it didn’t necessarily elicit bad thoughts, it just looked very unique.

“i’ll accompany you.” his offer took you by surprise; it wasn’t like you had been used to others being nice to you before. when he continued walking towards your destination, you quickly joined him, barely able to catch up with his long strides.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“how could a person be a best friend, mentor, older brother and father all at the same time? you made the impossible possible.”

hanging out with the boys was exhausting, to say the least. there wasn’t anyone you particularly disliked, but they could be a lot. you didn’t really mind that they were all part of a gang, all that mattered to you was that none of them had ever made a move to hurt you or others.

“i’m saying, that’s not how you solve that question!”

rolling your eyes at the first division commander discussing with you, you threw your arms in the air. you were currently all lounging off in the warehouse, with you having joined them after they had finished a meeting.

draken always insisted on you never, ever joining a meeting of the tokyo manji gang. he would never want you to get involved with their business.

“baji, are you seriously telling me i’m in the wrong?” you shoved your purple flip phone out of the pocket of your school uniform skirt, unlocking it to click onto the calculator function. “you must be stupid if you think that three times 24 is 72–”

the whole warehouse went quiet after that. blood rushed to your face, your entire head and ears feeling steaming hot as the brunette started laughing at you. the others were too immersed in their own thoughts to listen.

“who’s the stupid one now?” bending down to your height, baji flashed you his cocky smirk, revealing sharp canines. your eyes stung with tears of humiliation.

before he could tease you a little more, because you were so easy to tease, a hand shoved the boy with long hair back to create a distance between you and him. it was him.

“baji, that’s enough.” draken’s firm voice made said boy shrug and back off. “it’s just a dumb mathematical equation.”

when you sniffled and crossed your arms in front of your chest, turning away deliberately to hide your embarrassed self from the others, a palm settled on the top of your head.

looking up, you saw draken grinning down at you ever so gently.

“don’t worry about it, everyone makes mistakes.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“i failed to tell you. i thought my actions would be enough to prove what i felt. perhaps you knew all along, but decided not to talk about it. you were always thoughtful and considerate. but i wasn’t special.”

it was a gloomy day for you today. you were excited to see draken, putting in a lot of effort while getting ready and wearing one of your best outfits, just to see that he hadn’t joined the otherd at the usual group hangout today.

“wasn’t it emma’s birthday today?” mitsuya recalled. mikey wasn’t there either. unbeknownst to you, baji’s eyes wandered to look at how you’d react.

as someone who wore her heart on her sleeve, you were terrible at masking how you felt. he didn’t miss the way your face fell.

draken and emma were always close to each other. of course they were, as her brother and draken have been inseparable since middle school. you couldn’t compare to her. you’d just met him not even two years ago.

you were slowly realizing that despite him doing a lot for you and always being there for you, you perhaps didn’t mean as much to him as emma did.

after all, draken was nice to everyone.

“someone’s grumpy,” baji commented slyly, and this time, you didn’t have it in you to bicker with him. this time, there was no draken to tell him to stop either.

the two missing blondes joined you hours later, with mikey nudging his taller vice’s side teasingly while talking about how sly kenny was for having found that plushie emma had wanted for the longest time.

it made your mood even more sour than it already was, and you pondered about an excuse to leave, wanting nothing more than to curl up in bed and forget about it.

forget about your stupid feelings for someone whose heart was already taken, and who saw you as nothing more than a friend.

“hey (f/n), that’s a pretty outfit,” mikey commented, “you going somewhere?” draken glanced down at you curiously while you forced a tight-lipped smile on your face. you inwardly thanked the leader of toman for saving you like this.

“yeah. i’ll see you guys.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“would things have been different if i’d just confessed to you while i still had the time? it would have been selfish. she was the first to know and love you, after all.”

ken and mikey had dropped out of high school at 17. they had big plans of opening a workshop for cars and motorcycles. by the time you graduated high school, they already had their small, cozy shop. toman was no more, and everything was well.

objectively speaking, it was. but subjectively? you weren’t too sure about that.

by the time you entered the italian restaurant, the table that caught your eyes was already pretty crowded. it wasn’t a surprise anymore, you were always late, after all.

too late. those two words echoed in your head as you looked at emma and draken sitting next to each other, her blushing feverishly when he removed something from her hair.

that could have been you.

“let’s go.” hearing baji’s voice behind you surprised you, and even more did it to feel his hand on your back, guiding you towards the table. as much as he was a jerk, you didn’t believe he did it out of ill intent to humiliate you.

the hours went by, and you had all eaten to your hearts’ content, now exchanging light jokes and future aspirations to one another. emma mentioned wanting to be a housewife, and the ken getting married to her made you want to throw up everything you’d eaten today.

“how about you?” mitsuya asked you, who had talked the least tonight. “any plans for college?” you smiled awkwardly when you felt draken’s eyes on you.

he had always wanted you to go all the way with your education, having supported you whenever he could. you were more than thankful for that.

“i actually got an admission for law in osaka.” the blonde sitting right across from you smiled so brightly, and you were sure it would have made you melt if emma didn’t have her head on his shoulder.

it was almost childish how you had tried to interpret every single of draken’s actions as a possible chance for something to develop between you two. your chances were long gone.

you had never stood one to begin with.

“i knew you could do it! you were always a smart girl.”

his compliment made you feel worse than it should have.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“you told me to go and pursue my dreams. i knew that if you had told me to stay, i would have. how idiotic of me, right? i ended up leaving and letting you slip from my grasp without you ever having been in it.”

after moving away for college, you hardly visited tokyo anymore. and to be quite honest, you preferred that. it was good to stay away from the source of what had drained you for so long.

draken hadn’t taken advantage of your feelings for him, no. he was the last person on earth who’d be willing to do that. but that didn’t mean it hurt any less to be trapped in a web of unrequited love.

you were in your fourth year of law school when an invitation laid in your mailbox. you just knew from the second you looked at the envelope without even opening it. it was exactly what you’d anticipated it to be.

a marriage invitation, for you to join ken ryuguji and emma sano for the most important day of their lives. you stood in front of the mailbox, staring at the piece of pretty paper for at least twenty minutes, as if it was ever going to change.

he was going to get married. not to you.

all of your dreams of walking down the aisle in a pretty, white dress, approaching him with his sweet smile, crushed to bits and pieces.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“i have never wished you anything else but happiness, and i still do. she makes you happy, and that’s all i could have ever asked for. i saw it in your eyes that day. you never looked at me like that.”

the wedding reception was nothing short of beautiful. catered to everyone’s tastes, it left nothing to the imagination.

the wedding of your dreams had always looked like this.

it was bittersweet how another woman was going to live that dream to the fullest, with the man of your dreams, at that.

thankfully, you weren’t left alone with your thoughts while you waited for the couple to come to the rented hall after they would get lawfully wedded. mitsuya and his sisters kept you company, making sure to recommend you everything they had tried at the enormous buffet.

“pretty sure they’re coming now,” mitsuya informed you as he stared at his wristwatch. you gulped and looked into your glass of soda.

oh what you wouldn’t have given to be in her shoes, taking on his last name… waking up next to him every single day, having his children.

you felt absolutely and utterly horrible. like all those years you’d spent away from this had caught up to you, leaving you to drown in your unrequited feelings.

before you could excuse yourself to the bathroom and ruin your perfectly done makeup by indulging in a five-minute breakdown, you were stopped by a hand finding your shoulder. it felt as if life was sucker-punching you in the gut once again.

“hey, baji.” your voice was low, and you didn’t notice mitsuya leading his sisters away from the table. his formerly wild, brown hair was much shorter now, tied up in a ponytail, and he wore a dark gray tuxedo.

when he opened his mouth, you shook your head. “i can’t take any teasing today. i mean it.”

your words weren’t even harsh, you just sounded exhausted. his grin disappeared, soon replaced by a frown. “i’m aware,” baji stated, “i couldn’t have attended if i was you.”

with a raised brow, you stared at him to explain what he meant. “i’ve known since back then.” you looked down, pursing your lips to stop them from trembling and giving it all away. you were asking to change the topic until the two would enter through the door and make your mood plummet entirely.

baji knew you better than you could have guessed. so this time, instead of poking fun at you, he actually tried to make you feel better

“by the way, i’m moving to osaka for med school for the next semester. i finally got in.”

it still stung when you saw draken and emma entering the hall hand-in-hand. you couldn’t compare that sting to any other kind of physical pain you’d endured in your life, it felt worse than broken limbs or a cut that needed to be stitched.

but he was happy, the way you never saw him be. he had never smiled as purely as he did when he danced with his wife, kissing the back of her hand that now adorned a ring to bind them to each other forever.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

“i’m sending this letter even after it all. even though i know i’m too late. don’t get me wrong, i have deliberately not added your new address. you will never get this letter. this is just for myself, to liberate what i’d held onto for multiple years.”

you picked up the call after one shrill ring, holding your phone against your ear while your eyes were plastered on the tv. it was your episode today, dealing with your letter.

the show was muted so you could hear exactly what you’d hear on the phone. with a deep breath, you spoke first. “hello?”

“good evening, miss! we are very excited to be hosting you on today’s show for TO ALL THE MEN YOU’VE LOVED BEFORE!” on the screen, you saw the main host move her mouth with a smile plastered on her perfect face.

you sat down on your couch, taking another deep breath. “thank you for having me,” you responded, “i can already guess what you are going to ask me.”

you heard sweet laughter from the two hosts while you were busy picking at a dried scab on your thumb. this was making you more nervous than you’d wished it to.

“if that’s the case, then we would love to hear your thoughts,” spoke the co-host, “our audience is very excited to learn about your motives and what exactly has made you not put an address for the letter to be shipped to!”

the camera angle was switched to show multiple rows of people of all ages sitting and awaiting your response. it made your throat go dry.

“i have made this decision because,” you looked away from the screen, “they have found someone else. and they are very happy.”

the hosts showed faces of surprise. for a second, you wondered why you’d even done this to begin with. but it felt too relieving to speak about this for a bunch of strangers to listen. it felt too relieving to hang up now when you were so close to just letting things go.

“which was why i just wanted to send this letter to… get rid of it. to be able to live on and stop holding onto those feelings that are never going to be reciprocated.” you had no idea if the words you were saying made any sense to them, but to you, they did. they made perfect sense to you, and they described exactly how you felt.

“that is very mature, and we admire you for having collected the courage to take this step.” the host clapped her hands, obviously looking moved. “love isn’t all about having happy endings together, right? sometimes, it means to let go. for their, and for our own happiness.”

hanging up not long after, you sank back in your couch and chuckled to yourself. this wasn’t so bad. in fact, you haven’t felt as good as you did right now in a while.

when the door to your apartment unlocked, you watched a mop of brown hair appear in your peripheral. the smile on your face only went brighter.

“i’m home. did i miss it?”

“just did. let’s rewatch it together, kei.”

“i wouldn’t have it any other way, because it was thanks to you that i found my own happiness, too.”

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ♡•°`.

[aaliyg]

In The Back Of My Mind

Word Count: 1.9k+

Pairing: Ayanna Patterson x black!basketballplayer!reader

Prompt: Rivals to Lovers

Warnings: slight angst, reader beating herself up a bit

Dialogue Color Code: Ayanna, Reader

I wanna say a huge thanks to @3xoticyanna for helping me with this one <3

Ever since you started taking basketball seriously in middle school, you and Ayanna had been rivals on the court. Ayanna was known for holding her own under the net, while you sunk down threes like there was no tomorrow. No one could deny that the both of you were talented in your specialties, but that didn’t stop them from comparing you two. Initially you didn’t pay it any mind, understanding that things like this were pointless in the long run. 

That was until you two started your junior year of highschool. All of a sudden, Ayanna was getting scouted by colleges like Uconn and South Carolina, while you barely got a glance from anyone at all. It stung, sure, but you swept it under the rug in the name of sportsmanship like your coaches taught you to do. You couldn’t help the envy bubbling beneath the surface, though, as the comparisons began to gnaw at you. Practices that used to be a joyful escape and a reset from the routine of school now felt like hell on Earth.

Ayanna didn’t make it any better either. Every time you saw her name in the local sports column or heard about her latest highlight reel, a mix of admiration and frustration would churn inside you. You tried to focus on your own improvement, pushing yourself harder during drills, working on your defense, and fine-tuning your shot. But it felt like no matter how much effort you put in, you couldn't shake the feeling that the spotlight was always just out of reach. It all came to a head one day when you heard your coach congratulating Ayanna on how well she had fine-tuned guarding people. You waited for her to say that you helped her, that you lost sleep to make her game improve, but nothing of the sort came out. You had asked Ayanna about it, and even though she did apologize, you still felt hurt. After that, the two of you playing together had never been the same, causing an even bigger rift between you two.

You shook your head out of those thoughts. That was four years ago, and you had a game to win now. You pulled your LSU jersey over your head and did one last look over before walking out of the locker room. Your team was hosting Uconn tonight, a rare occurrence, but an event that fans would absolutely pack the stands for. The noise from the crowd was already pounding as you walked onto the court with your team, the energy electric in the arena. You spotted Ayanna on the opposing side, her presence commanding as always, and you couldn’t stop the side eye targeted towards her. She side eyed you right back, making the energy amongst both teams shift dramatically. Flau’jae quckly steered you away before anything could happen. She leaned into your ear, reminding you that people came here to watch a game, not a rivalry. You sighed and nodded, even though you could feel Ayanna’s eyes on the back of your head.

At least you could say you were on the starting lineup tonight. You smirked to yourself a bit as the tip-off began.

It had been 30 minutes of each team going band for band, and the score was 57 (LSU) to 60 (Uconn). Both you and Ayanna were put on the floor to start the fourth quarter, and to say the atmosphere was tense would be an understatement. You and Ayanna took your positions, the tension between you palpable. Despite Flau’jae’s advice to keep the focus on the game, the urge to outshine Ayanna was becoming too strong. You had managed to sink a three in halfway through the quarter, tying the score at 60-60. By now there were only five minutes left, and you wanted to widen the gap. You attempted a pump fake on Ayanna, but your ankle had other ideas. 

You felt the world go into slow motion as your weight was shifted to your good foot, causing you to lose balance. Before you could hit the floor though, Ayanna’s arms were wrapped around your middle to keep you up. 

"You okay?" 

You knew Ayanna had a nice voice, but you had never heard it in this low and surprisingly gentle state. There was an undercurrent of concern in her tone that was in stark contrast to the fierce competition you’d shared on the court. You glanced up at her, momentarily taken aback. For a split second, the rivalry and the game seemed to melt away, leaving the two of you in your own little bubble. You felt your face heat up slightly as you straightened yourself in her arms, trying to regain your composure. By now a trainer was helping Ayanna sit you down on the bench to check your ankle, but you were too focused on how right it felt to be in Ayanna’s arms. Those thoughts got shattered as the trainer moved your foot gently, causing you to hiss in pain. By now, the gym had gone dead silent as the crowd awaited the verdict. 

You could hear the whispers in the crowd when Ayanna didn’t move from your side, but your mind was too focused on what the trainer was going to say to care. Eventually, you were asked to stand on the ankle, and everyone knew your night was over when you almost immediately had to shift to your other foot. 

By the grace of God, LSU took the win at 64 to 61 points. You were icing your ankle in the locker room when Ayanna poked her head in, worry written plainly on her face.

“How’s your ankle?” “It’s- it’s definitely seen better days but I should be ok, thanks.”

The atmosphere got extremely awkward, and you could tell Ayanna had something to get off her chest.

“You’re doing the hand thing you know.”

You winced to yourself at how rude that came across, but Ayanna took it in stride.

“The hand thing?”

If you weren’t in pain you would’ve chuckled at how perplexed the taller girl looked.

“When you get nervous you start wringing and rubbing your hands a lot. Just say what you need to say.”

Ayanna hummed in acknowledgement and took a seat next to you, still fiddling with her fingers. You shifted around to look at her properly, ignoring the throbbing in your ankle for a second.

“Are you ok, Ayanna?”

Ayanna took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before she spoke. 

“I just wanted to say that I’ve been thinking a lot about our rivalry and everything that’s happened over the years. It was fun, yes, but I didn’t want it to come to this. I didn’t mean for you to get hurt, and I really respect how you’ve pushed through despite everything.”

You furrowed your brow in confusion at her words. As far as you were concerned, your relationship didn’t count as a rivalry if you would always be second to her. The hurt of never quite measuring up, of constantly being in Ayanna's shadow, was something you carried silently. It wasn’t just the games that hurt—it was the unspoken understanding that, no matter how hard you worked, you’d always be viewed as the underdog. You didn’t realize you had started crying until Ayanna’s thumb swiped against your cheek gently. The unexpected tenderness of the gesture was enough to shatter the dam you’d been holding up for years. The floodgates opened, and you broke down, sobs shaking your frame as a tidal wave of emotions crashed all at once.

Ayanna’s hand moved to your back, rubbing soothing circles as she tried to offer comfort. Her touch was gentle, if a bit hesitant, like she wasn’t sure on how to handle the depth of your emotions but genuinely wanted to help. Eventually your sobs puttered off into silent tears, and you couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed. You wiped the last of your tears away and looked down at your lap.

“Sorry about that..”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for. If anything I should be apologizing. I didn’t know how much this whole rivalry was hurting you.”

“I mean it’s a part of it-”

“You hurting and feeling like an underdog should never be a part of it. Never.”

All you could do was shrug, but Ayanna was having none of it. She gently grasped your chin and let out a sad sigh at how defeated you looked. This wasn’t the girl she met in middle school. Seeing you like this twisted her heart in ways she didn’t know was possible. She felt tears prick her eyes as the weight of her contributions -intentional or not- to your predicament pressed down upon her. You sniffled as she cupped your face in her palms, closing your eyes to simply take in the moment. Ayanna took a shaky breath before continuing.

“I’ve been so focused on the competition, on everything I’ve been trying to achieve, but tonight, seeing you like this has made me realize something important. I’ve been so caught up in being the best, I forgot to see what’s right in front of me.”

You slowly opened your eyes, looking at Ayanna through a haze of tears. Her gaze was intense, filled with a mixture of regret and something deeper. You saw the raw honesty in her eyes, something you hadn’t expected.

“Do you remember when we first started playing against each other? I was always so focused on outdoing you, on proving myself. But over the years, I’ve come to care about you in ways I never intended to.”

You were taken aback, the unexpected confession hanging in the air. 

“Care about me?”

Ayanna nodded as she looked up at the ceiling to stall her tears. 

“Yeah. I... I’ve been trying to deny it, but I can’t anymore. I care about you so much. Not just as a competitor or a player, but as someone who’s been a huge part of my life and pushed me to be better.”

She took a deep breath and looked you in the eyes, a concoction of fear, hope, worry, and so much more swirling in those dark brown eyes of hers.

 “I think I’m in love with you.”

You felt your whole world slow to a halt at her admission. You couldn’t tell if the thudding in your body was from your heart or your ankle anymore, but that didn’t matter as you slowly moved closer to her. Before you could overthink it, you leaned in and pressed your lips against hers. The kiss was hesitant, almost shy at first, a gentle exploration that spoke more than any words could of the emotional turbulence you both felt. Ayanna’s lips were soft against yours, and you could feel the tremble in her touch from the vulnerability and relief she was experiencing. 

When you finally pulled away, your breaths were shaky and uneven, and you both looked at each other with a mixture of surprise and newfound tenderness. The silence that followed was heavy, but reflective as the both of you came to grips with what happened.

“Was that too much or-”

“No, no that was alright..”

You fidgeted with your nails and mumbled shyly.

“It felt right, doing that. Like..”

Ayanna flashed her lopsided grin shyly, finding a perfect opening for humor.

“Like it was destiny?”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help the smile that graced your face.

“Not quite, but something along that line. So..”

You looked up at her, hope mixing with a tinge of hesitance.

 “What are we calling this now?”

Ayanna looked thoughtful for a moment. She knew this was new territory for both of them, and she wanted to do this right.

“Wanna just take it slow and see how it goes?”

You nodded slowly, your heart lifting at her response.

“I think I’d like that.”

[apollyonsdarksecrets]

You can call me, Sir.

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven

Summery: She’s reserved, emotionally cut off, and spiraling down a dark path; one she can’t get out of on her own. Aaron Hotchner may be her only help, but at what cost? When he shows up to her hotel room, contact in hand, she realizes it may be more than what she bargained for.

Warning: 18+ Only MDNI SMUT. Language, BDSM, Dom Aaron, emotionally detached reader, typical CM violence, childhood trauma, abusive father figure, age gap (reader 25 Aaron 40) doesn’t line up with a specific time line, use of Y/n because story is set in 3rd person for the first half then switches POV, last name for reader is Smith,

Specific chapter warnings : Failed CPS case, implied abuse with belt, clothes shopping (I tried my best to be as body neutral as possible), sugar daddy Arron, sales lady is rude towards reader, Things are getting spicy, first rules, use of pet names, reader is described as having hair long enough to sweep over one shoulder, trying on clothes, Let me know if I need to add anything!

A/N: The amount of love that has been shown for this story so far has absolutely filled my heart! I’m sorry this chapter took a minute to come out, I got married last week sooooo 😍 that slowed the process down a little. Haha 💜

*~*~*~*~*~*

9 years ago

The worst part was the way her nose stung, like a million tiny needles stabbing her all at once. But she had to breath through it, because only selfish, weak, incompetent people cried. So she forced her thoughts solely on the older woman who sat across from her, her grey hair loose around her shoulders, and the bright pink blazer she wore with matching skirt. ‘I think name is Deloris?’

Not what you would have thought when you heard the term ‘CPS worker’. She smiles at the young teen as if she was Y/n’s best friend and there isn’t a care in the world as her fountain pen taps against her yellow notepad. “You’re mother must have been a lovely woman.”

A muscle in Y/n’s jaw twitches, but she manages to return Deloris’ smile briefly. “She was.”

“So is that really the reason you have been skipping school?” Her green eyes were full of mock sympathy, and Y/n can only assume how many of these ‘troubled teen cases’ she has had to work.

“Yes ma’am.” It was the 8th anniversary of Y/n’s mother’s death. Today. She can hear her father in the other room, moving about the kitchen, pretending to not be listening through the thin walls. Y/n squeezes the pillow in her lap tighter to her churning stomach, already anticipating how the rest of the night will go.

“I’m sorry, dear. I know losing a loved one can be hard, but that doesn’t mean we can go about making things hard for the ones we still have.” Deloris tilts her head, her lips in a slightly pout as she regards Y/n, who only bites her cheek to keep quiet. She drops her chin to her chest, fanning shame with a small nod, placating the woman. “Good. I’m going to go talk with your father now, I hope you understand the severity of the situation you’ve almost caused. I expect to hear you are in school tomorrow.”

Deloris doesn’t take long in the kitchen with Y/n’s father, her pitchy laughter grating on Y/n’s ears. Her father escorts the worker to the door, his hair is combed, beard neat and he’s dressed still in his work clothes. A fitted grey collard shirt and jeans. His usual Forman outfit. At one point in Y/n’s life she can remember thinking her dad had been very handsome, but that had all been before the drinking.

“Have a good evening Miss. Deloris.” Her fathers southern accent is always laid on heavy whenever he is trying to impress someone, or to get his way. And for most of his life it worked well. Y/n wonders sometimes if that is how he had charmed her mother.

As the pine door shut, Y/n closed her eyes, taking a steadying breath before the storm. When she opens her eyes again, she’s staring at the brown tweed couch across from her, out of the corner of her eye she can see her father’s still form in the archway of the living room.

The sound of leather hissing through his denim belt loops makes her stomach drop, her breath quicken in her already tight chest. “Gone an got me in trouble huh?” He folds the worn leather over in his hands, snapping it together watching as she jumps in her seat. Her gaze remains focused on the spot Miss. Deloris had occupied, the old springs and cushioning holding her shape. “You ain’t learned trouble girl.”

Present Day

It’s almost unbearable how cold it is outside, the dark clouds over head threatened to snow on the busy sidewalk as you shove your hands as far into your jacket as they will go. Aaron is pressed against your side, his arm wrapped around your back, directing you through the crowd and to the front of a large store.

Chic’s End

Your nose scrunches slightly at the different mannequins in the brightly lit windows who’s clothing is on the higher end of fashion. Pieces you’d never find in your own wardrobe. Aaron guides you towards the door but you stop abruptly shaking your head. “Hotch, aren’t there places a little less… fancy?” Your tone gives away your discomfort as you scan the nearly empty store.

Aaron sighs, stepping around you so he can look you in the eye. “Rule number one: call me Aaron when it’s just the two of us, Hotch is too formal. Now I’m sure there are, but you deserve to be a little spoiled…” He pauses, his phone vibrating in his pocket making him frown. “Now go inside, let me check this and I’ll be right in.” As he fishes for his phone he pulls open the door for you, letting you walk in with a small head rush.

‘Our first rule?’

You take the moment you have some to look around the store front, a few customers are mingling about the rows of clothing, associates putting away inventory or helping their guests. A brunette is standing at the register, her hair sprayed and pinned into a tight bun atop her head. She glances at you, her nose turned up at your simple outfit, without a word of welcome she goes back to her work.

The door is opening a moment later, a small bell going off as Aaron steps in, the icy breeze trying to follow. “Sorry, David was checking in.” His voice reaches the woman at the counter, grabbing her attention. She watches as he shrugs out of his winter jacket, her gaze fixing on the flash of jewelry on his wrist with a smile.

“Is he okay?” You ask, handing Aaron your own jacket as he hangs them on a coatrack.

“Oh yes, he’s-.”

“Good afternoon, is there anything I can help you with?” You turn, the same woman from before now standing in front of you. She’s wearing a form fitting black dress, the apparent dress code for the establishment, a silver name tag pinned to her collar reading ‘Denise.’ Gone is her dismissive attitudes from before, her blue eyes staring intently at Aaron with a sly smile.

You feel something in your chest squirm, making you take a step in front of Aaron as you pull your best smile into place. “Oh thank you, but we are just-.”

A warm hands is suddenly on your shoulder, pulling you into Aaron’s side. “We’re looking for some work attire; blouses, pants, skirts and such. Along with more casual wear.” He squeezes your shoulder as you slide him a disgruntled look.

Denise regards you with a tight lipped smile, nodding her head slightly. “Of course. Right this way.” She turns on her heel, an extra sway in her her step that makes you roll your eyes as you pull out of Aaron’s grip following her. He follows behind a few paces, regarding you with masked amusement.

She takes you to the back of the store, pointing out the sections of racks you’ll need and where on the walls you can find work appropriate pants and skirts. Denise turns to Aaron once again, stepping to close for comfort as she stares openly at his suit. “You know, we have the latest in Brioni’s suit jackets that I think would complement you rather well, Mr…” She brushes her hand against his arm and your eyes widen.

“No thank you. I’ll let you know if we need any further assistance.” Aaron comes to stand beside you, his expression hard to read as he places a hand on your lower back. Denise’s eyes narrow slightly, her smile faltering before she pulls her emotions back.

“Please do.” She saunters of, throwing one last look over her shoulder.

You laugh unbelievably, “Jesus… she was a bit forward.” You turn toward the rack beside you, picking up the first shirt your eyes land on. It’s a simple white blouse with navy blue pinstripes, the neckline is a little low for your taste but otherwise it’s very pretty. You pick up the tag and instantly drop it, your mouth falling open.

“What?” Aaron asks, sliding the clothes along the pole, looking through the selection.

“This! These clothes are way to over priced.” You turn the tag towards him, and he squints at the small numbers. ‘75.56’. He frowns slightly and you think he’s about to agree with you, call this whole ridiculous thing off until he shrugs.

“That’s not so bad.” He grins at the incredulous look you level him, showing perfect teeth. “Darling you’ll come to realize the value that comes with certain things. Soon enough you’ll see the value in yourself as well.” He chucks you under the chin softly and you think that’s it.

You’re going to explode.

Everything it too much.

“Hotch, I can’t just let you waste that kind of money on me. You don’t know what you will need it for later, bills, or -.”

Aaron steps into your space again, bending down until he’s eye level with you and you clam up. His eyes are dark, burning with an intensity that has your shoulders slumping slightly. When he speaks his voice is quiet but direct, leaving no room for misunderstanding. “What did I say our first rule was?”

You stammer, your grip tightening on the fabric still in your hands. “You said… to call you Aaron.”

“Correct. So that’s one. Now, when I say I am doing something for you, buying you something, getting you something; do not doubt me. If I couldn’t, I wouldn’t. Do I make myself clear?”

All you can do is nod, your throat dry and tongue stuck to the roof of your mouth. “Good girl. Now if you really find calling me Aaron to difficult, you can always call me sir.” You suddenly look like a fire had been lit underneath you, your face flushing a new shade of red he’d yet to see before. You turn away from him, trying to hide your emotions and aggressively shuffle through the clothes before you.

Aaron straightens with a satisfied smile.

*~*~*~*~*~*

An hour in and there is a mount pile of clothing in the cart in front of you. Everything you’ve selected draped over one side and everything Aaron selected on the other. You had found a discount rack, the red tags a twisted mess by now, but the 15% off sign did little to quell the guilt eating you.

“Okay… this is more clothes than I think Garcia even owns. I think we should-.” You’re talking absently, glancing up only to find Aaron is walking in the opposite direction of the checkout. “Oh for the love of all things holy.” You quickly follow, pulling the cart behind you as the hangers rattle together. He stops in front of a display of eloquent evening gowns and you follow his stare to the forefront of the display. A deep emerald green satin dress takes your breath away, with a sweetheart neckline and a slit that goes half way up the mannequins thigh. You peak around the back in awe, it plunges well down to the lower back, a sheer material with beautiful rhinestones occupying the negative space.

Aaron watches as you pick up the bottom of the dress, rubbing the buttery material between your fingers. “I would love to see you in it.”

You shake your head, though your focus remains on the dress. “There’s no reason to, when would I ever wear this? Besides we’ve been here for nearly an hour, if we don’t leave soon I’m sure Denise is going to jump your bones.”

Aaron chuckles at that with a shrug. “You might not be wrong, she’s been lurking around the corner ever since I took my jacket off and she caught sight of my watch.” You glance down at his wrist as he shows you a golden Rolex. You hum in understanding, putting the two together. A handsome, stylish man, with a nice suit and a watch that coasts a couple of grand. She sees dollar signs. “Go ask her for a fitting room.”

Glancing around you notice she’s no more than ten feet away, pretending to be busy with an already neatly arranged display of sweaters. You walk over, hands clasped behind your back. “Excuse me?”

She doesn’t bother to look up, her head tilted as if in contemplation as she stares at the stack in front of her. “Yes?”

Your jaw clenches slightly, but you smile regardless. “I’d like to try that green dress on, where are your dressing rooms?” That finally catches her attention, she looks around you to the dress your talking about and then to the cart beside Aaron, the red tags turned her way. With a bemused smile she finally looks you in the eye.

“Sorry, that dress isn’t on sale, dear. Maybe come back some other time.” Her high voice carries farther than she thinks, reaching Aaron who’s eyebrows raised in surprise before furrowing as anger bubbles in his chest.

Before you can say anything he is by your side, startling you both. “She didn’t ask you if it was on sale. She asked if you had a fitting room.” Denise pales, his voice is harsh and edged making her shift on her feet as she begins to stammer

“Well I… it was just-.”

“Just what? It’s a simple question, this is a clothing store so you must have fitting rooms. She would like one opened.” Denise can no longer keep eye contact, her gaze flickering from his face and away again. “Now.” The command in his voice makes her move, her mouth agape and she’s pointing indirectly over her shoulder. She turns, quickly walking away and you’re left to stunned to react. Aaron’s hand finds your back again, pushing you forward, his other hand on the end of the cart.

The dressing area is three beiges booths with deep red curtains for doors. A large mirror takes up one wall that is lit up like Time Square during Christmas, and there are mirrors in the booths as well. “You said the green dress?” You nod, giving her your size and she’s running off again, her head down and face red. Aaron takes a seat in one of the mahogany chairs, folding his arms across his chest. He’s watching Denise leave with that same look he gives every unsub as they are being hauled off to their final destination.

“Um… thank you, for… for that.” You speak up, breaking the silence waiting on Denise to return.

He doesn’t look at you as he speaks, his black shoe tapping the polished floor. “You don’t typically show when you’re upset or irritated, I had to step in. I also couldn’t stand by and let you be berated like that.”

This time it’s you who crosses their arms, glowering at him. “I wasn’t showing I was upset, so what she was being rude? It didn’t affect me.”

His lips pull into a sarcastic smile, head shaking. “Sweetheart, I’ve been working with you for three years, nearly four. When you get upset over something, even if it is trivial, you dig your nails into your palms. Most likely because you would rather focus on that then what’s stewing in your mind and your chest.” You blink at him, awareness washing over you as you shake out your hands, crescent indents marking your flesh.

Before you can snip at him Denise is back, placing the dress in one of the rooms and leaving without a word. Aaron raises an eyebrow and you huff, turning and walking into the booth before snatching the curtain closed. You take a moment to breath, your annoyance merging on anger as you begin to undress.

You have to force yourself to remember this is all apart of the contract, this is all small steps to whatever greater end goal he has. You can’t fully trust he’s doing this out of the kindness of his heart, no one is like that. Working a career where you catch murderers and kidnappers and rapists has shown you such. The thought lingers at the back of your mind that maybe he’s pushing you to break and go to therapy where they will force your leave. It wouldn’t happen, you’ve come to far to let anyone treat you that way.

You step out of your pants, bending down to pick them up when you notice movement in the mirror. You look up, making eye contact with Aaron from where he sits and you go still. The only thing that moves is your heart as it suddenly jumps into double time.

Aaron’s eyes slowly rake over your body, the hunger in his eyes evident even from where you stand and you can feel your body respond. Heat rushes through your veins, leaving you lightheaded. He shifts in his seat, your eyes dropping to where he tugs at his pants legs, a noticeable bulge in his lap that makes your guts clench. From anxiety? Want? Curiosity? You aren’t sure. You quickly look away, his smile turning wolfish as you straighten and spin around, giving him a full peak at the matching black bra and panties your wearing before yanking the curtain fully closed.

All you can hear is the blood rushing in your ears, your fingers suddenly tingling and your lungs working for air. Shakily, checking the curtain again and again you strip out of your bra, and pull the dress over your head. The satin is soft and cool, the green leaving your skin glowing in the light. It hugs your body in ways you wouldn’t of imagined and you… like it. It screams seduction, fun, and someone you’re not but someone you once might have wanted to be…

The only issue is you can’t zip it yourself. You struggle for a few minutes, contouring your body this way or that, but you can’t get the zipper more than half way up your back.

Reluctantly you pull the curtain aside just enough to peak your head out, your eyes instantly finding Aaron’s. He raises an eyebrow, his hands clasped together in his lap and you are more than aware of why. “I need her help.” Your voice is floaty and you clear your throat. “I can’t zip it up.”

“I’ll help you.” He stands, crossing the small distance in three long strides, quicker than you can reject his help.

“Wait- no, I’m-.” But he is pulling the curtain away from the other side and you curse the interior designer with a flourish of silent profanities. In the small space he seems larger than life, all broad chest and long limbs. He steps closer and you back up, an all to familiar dance you two have rehearsed before.

He holds his hand out, a gesture of reassurance but he is still looking at you like a starved man. “Spin around, pretty girl.” Your legs feel suddenly numb, like you’d never used them before in your life as you continue to stare. “It’s okay.” He whispers, taking another half step forward.

“It’s fine, it fits well enough without it zipped I’m sure it’ll fit great when it is.” You fight to keep your body lose and face expressionless, trying to mask the feelings bubbling in your guts. Aaron doesn’t say anything, only continues to stare you down, gaze never wavering. “Really.”

“Turn around.” You don’t want to listen, but the timber of his voice makes your body ache in a way that catches you more by surprise than anything else has these past 24 hours. Cautiously you lay your hand in his, letting his pull you in before spinning you around so you’re facing the mirror. He sweeps your hair over your shoulder, his fingers grazing across the naked skin pulling gooseflesh to the surface.

You stand as still as possible, hardly breathing as he gently slides the zipper up. His palms spread across your ribs, warm through the thin fabric. “What do you think?”

“It’s a beautiful dress.” You whisper quietly, trying not to back down from his stare.

“You make it beautiful.”

“You’re only saying that.” He pulls you closer, your back hitting his chest, your body molding to his. A gasp disappears on your lips, his hips pressing into you lower back his erection prominent making you shiver.

“I can promise you I’m not.” His hand slips to your stomach, splaying across your abdomen, and a small noise hitches in your throat. He tilts his head down, pressing a tinder kiss to the crown of your head and all you can focus on is where he’s touching you and where he isn’t, but where you want him to. Your panties are suddenly slick feeling as you shift against him, his erection digging further into your ass.

“Aaron…” You try to warn, and he watches the way your eyes flutter, the shields you’ve so desperately and carefully constructed cracking under the weight of his stare. Some logical part of your brain, buried beneath the mush of your thoughts, is screaming and begging to run away. But how long had it been since you’d felt that fire in the pit of your stomach, curling your toes and making your thighs pinch together?

You’re about to open your mouth, say something, anything at all, when he is suddenly pulling away. “Come out here so I can get a better look at you.” Aaron steps behind the curtain leaving you to your spiraling thoughts and an ache you’d never imagine. Your face is flushed, eyes wide and pupils blown out over the color of your irises. It’s hard to keep the air in your lungs from rushing out in soft pants.

All you can think is that if this is how you react to a few simple words and actions, you’re screwed.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The next half hour is spent paying for your clothing, a bill Aaron wouldn’t allow you to see, then moving the bags from the car to your hotel room. You stare at them now, laid out on your bed with furrowed eyebrows and your thumbnail caught between your teeth. How would you get these in your bag and on the plane with as little notice as possible?

“Maybe we can go get you another duffle bag tomorrow.” Aaron answers as if he could read your thoughts, and if you didn’t know better you would say he did.

“It’s okay.. Thank you for the clothing.” You manage, giving him a tight smile as you glance to where he is standing at the foot of the bed.

The entire car ride was filled with tension, his presence alone setting you on edge, all while he remained calm driving down the busy streets and helping you to your room.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.” He smiles at you, possibly more so from your compliance, his eyes like coffee. “Would you like to join me for lunch?”

You bite your nail harder, looking back to the bags. “I’d like to just order my food to my room, I need to get this organized and finish my reports.” You expect him to argue but he only nods, coming around the bed and kissing the top of your head before he walks towards the door.

“I’ll check on you in a little while.” With that he leaves, and as the automatic lock slides into place you crumple. You sit heavily on the bed, running a hand through your hair like it might comb your thoughts back into place.

What are you doing?

What is he doing?

You groan in frustration, the feeling of not having control over what happens next beating on your bones and muscles. You haven’t relaxed since this began and you have a feeling you won’t for a long time to come.

*~*~*~*~*~*

If you would like to be tagged in the next parts please comment below and I will gladly add you! Thank you all for your support!

@kneelforloki @hmett20 @axionn @ncis0mrs0gibbs

[dramaticl0vers]

I need you, protect yourself (Husband! Ardeth Bay x Wife! Reader PART 2)

Your nightmares came back to you, just like they did ten years ago, before you even married Ardeth, only this time it was worse because you had to abandon your children to go with your husband to save the world…again …It felt like an eternity at the beginning.

Investigate the search for Imhotep in secret for months, arrive in London, see how your nephew, whom you had not seen for years, was kidnapped, return to Egypt in search of him… say goodbye to your husband, watching him get lost in the undergrowth from the jungle, not knowing if he was going to survive Anubis' army…Truly traumatic.

But now it was just another nightmare, right? A twisted game that played your head to see you suffer.

You saw the wounds on his face, his tattoos and his tanned skin emerging from the sand, and when you hugged him again…you really thanked God.

Your head was pressed against your husband's injured back the entire trip home, your arms clinging to his chest, as if letting him go from your arms again was mortal… Your head covered with your white linen cloaks, shielding you from the burning sun as the two returned home victorious again, with what was left of the Medjai army following them.

And when they arrived at the town and the cheers of its people could be heard to the heavens, while they cried with joy and threw flower petals at them, you thought that everything had been worth it.

Ardeth got off his horse and helped you off of it. His eyes analyzed yours and finally joined in a passionate kiss, a kiss that you had not experienced in a long time, and that you had hoped to feel. You turned to putty in his strong arms, sighing.

The other families were with the warriors who had returned…and those who did not mourn their loss, but were proud that their sons, husbands, brothers and fathers had died in such a noble cause.

—MOM, DAD!—

Oh, for god's sake, when you heard those two little voices in the crowd, you knew everything had turned out well.

You let go of your husband's arms with euphoria, and looked around, only to see your two kids running towards you. Your eyes suddenly stung with tears and you ran to throw yourself on the ground, just like your husband, who, like you, opened his arms towards them.

Your daughter and son threw themselves into your arms with joy, as tears ran down your face and you hugged them tightly, filling their faces and heads with kisses.

You felt Ardeth's arms around the three of you, you leaned on his chest and continued kissing their heads.

—My children, my babies —

You said, Ardeth caressed your son's head and kissed your hair.

[…]

Your children lay asleep, and music and laughter could be heard from the center of the village from the festival in their honor, you watched the fun of your village with a smile before finally entering your shared tent.

Your eyes fell on Ardeth, who lay standing with his back to you, watching the flames of the torch burn down.

You walked towards him slowly and wrapped your arms around his chest, resting your head on his shoulder blade.

—We're in home…—

You sighed, your husband turned around and hugged you, burying his face in your neck and placing a kiss on it. His beard tickled you and a small giggle left your lips as he clung to you tighter.

—When was the last time you were in my arms like this?—

He asked, kissing your shoulders covered with the black fabric.

—Months ago…—

You said, sighing and closing your eyes.

—Ardeth…do you think…that thing will come back?—

You asked, a shiver running down your spine. Your husband left your neck and took his hands from your waist to your cheeks.

—If he did, I would be calm… I'm talking about, I have the bravest warrior in the entire desert by my side, why should I be afraid?—

He said smiling, kissing your lips. The kiss became more fiery as the minutes passed. You broke away from the kiss and looked at him, with a flirtatious smile and a look that expressed mischief.

—If so, why don't you come and we have a sword fight?—

The Medjai let out a loud laugh and his grip returned to your waist, pulling you close to him forcefully.

—If that mummy was not the cause of my death, I am sure that you will be, woman—

[teo-toriattes]

Cold Shoulder

PART II. PART III.

Jake Kiszka x Reader

Word count: 3k

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, SMUTTY smut smut, explicit sexual content, oral (f! receiving), fingering, unprotected penetrative sex (pls use a condom i am BEGGING you), slight angst, Jake is kind of an asshole in the beginning (sorry!!)

a/n: I was listening to “You’re So Vain” by Carly Simon while writing this, so do with that what you will!! This has been something that I have been wanting to write for a minute now, but i’ve always been insecure of my writing!! I want to thank Kellyanne ( @babyhoneygvf ) for believing in me!! With that being said, pls go easy on me, this is my first fic.. and thank you!!

You stood in shock as the man pushed past you, mouth hung ajar, eyes wide flitting back and forth from his two brothers, who just shrugged. Josh was the first to speak as he threw his arm around your shoulder, pulling you into a side hug as he walked with you to the bar, “Don’t even bother with him, mama, you know how he can be.” That didn’t stop you from looking back in the direction he went, your eyebrows furrowed out of confusion. As you sat down next to Josh, you huffed out, your chin ending up in your palm, mindlessly watching the bartender move effortlessly around. “I just don’t get it.. What have I ever done to him?” On the other side of you, you felt their younger brother take a seat, calling out for the bartender and ordering three shots. “You, Sunny, haven’t done a goddamn thing. He just has a stick up his ass.” Handing off the shot, Sam threw you one of his contagious smiles, “You look like you need one of these.”

Several shots later, you were beginning to feel that fuzz in your brain. At some point, Jake had finally returned, and you couldn’t help your wandering eyes. Every now and then, you caught yourself staring at him.. The slight pang of jealousy surging through you as he mindlessly flirted with other girls. You shook your head as you took a rather long swig of your drink. You shouldn’t be jealous.. It was one very drunken night.. Years ago. With an audible sigh, you pushed yourself off of the bar stool, reaching for Josh’s hand. “Let’s go dance.. We all know you’re the only one around here that knows how to have a good time.” You tugged at his hand with an audible whine, dragging Josh towards the center of the bar. “Alright! Alright! I’m coming mama, let up!” He laughed out, following close behind you.

You had been friends with the Kiszka’s for as long as you could remember. You got along with all of them.. But the twins had been your best friends due to you being the same age. Well, at least Josh was. You never had an issue with Jake. In fact, the two of you used to be inseperable.. That was until you found yourself in a messy situation with him. You two were drunk, and it didn’t mean anything. At least that was what you told yourself. After that night with him, he didn’t pay you any mind. He hadn’t been the same Jake towards you that you knew and loved.. So it stung after every encounter with him. You would watch him from afar, missing those silly little interactions with him.

That was the case here.. Your heart ached as Josh’s arms wrapped around you, wishing it was his twin. Resting your head on his shoulder, your eyes were glued to his brother, his laughter filling your mind as he wrapped some random girl around his finger for the thousandth time that night. You could never admit it to yourself, but you had the smallest of crushes on the man. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t so small, but it’s not like it mattered.. He had just discarded you anyway.

“Sunny..” you were pulled out of your thoughts with Josh’s velvet voice and his hand splayed across your back, the other gripping your chin gently to force eye contact. Shaking your head, you wiped a single tear away from your face, “Sorry.. I’m sorry.. I’m okay I promise.” Giving him a reassuring smile, you tapped his arm to pull away, “Do you need a drink? Because I sure as hell do.” You laughed out lightly before heading back to the bar, ordering two drinks for the both of you. Just as you were turning around with both of them, you ran directly into someone, causing beer to spill all over them.

“Oh my god I’m so sor-” as you looked up you were met with Jake, face red with anger. “Can you watch where the fuck you’re going?” Jake pushed your hands away from him, rolling his eyes as he tried to wipe himself off. “Jake.. I’m sorry.. I didn’t know you were right there.. Let me help.” Grabbing a couple of napkins, you reached out for him, yet all he did was take the napkins from you. “I don’t need your help Y/N. You’ve already caused enough problems.” Dropping your head, you nodded. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, you slipped past him, tears rushing down your face as you ran to Josh, who had been watching the entire thing. Practically falling into his arms, he held you close, hushing you, “It's time to go, isn’t it?” All you could do was give him a nod before he was walking you out to his jeep.

During the ride, Josh convinced you to stay the night at his and Jake’s place, noting how Jake was probably going to be off with some girl all night. After minutes of fighting it, you just gave in, seeing that he was driving the complete opposite direction of your apartment. Once at their house, Josh set up a makeshift bed for you on the couch before saying goodnight and disappearing into his room for the night.

You laid there, tossing and turning for what felt like hours. Thoughts flooded your mind, replaying the entire night. You almost didn’t notice Jake was home until you heard the fridge opening and closing. Thinking it may have just been Josh, you peeked your head up and over the back of the couch. A gasp slipped past your mouth, seeing Jake standing there shirtless, sweatpants hanging low on his hips as he drank water. He must’ve heard you because he turned to inspect where the sound came from. In an instant, you shot down against your back, hoping he didn’t catch you. With your eyes shut tightly and a hand over your mouth, you heard him clear his throat, his feet padding across the hardwood.

Opening your eyes, all you saw was Jake leaning over the back of the couch, a smug grin plastered on his face as he looked down at you. His hands clenched gently against the back of the couch and you couldn’t help but let your eyes wander to his arms, up to his face. “I can’t get a break from you, can I?” he finally spoke, now low and much raspier than normal. All you could do was shake your head, which caused him to roll his eyes. Pushing off of the couch, he disappeared again, making you curious. Sitting up, you watched as he found his way back into his bedroom, a sigh falling from your lips as you flopped back onto the couch.

You contemplated following after him, and after a few minutes, you let the worst of options get the best of you. Untangling yourself from your blankets, you were a little too eager to get up and pad down the hall in the direction of his room. Building up the courage, you knocked lightly, but with no answer you huffed. Looking down at the knob, your fingers found the cool metal, twisting gently before pushing the door open.

Jake was perched on his bed, back against the headboard as if he were waiting for you the entire time. This made you furrow your eyebrows, being the first to speak up “Why didn’t you just answer the door?” Jake was wearing a smile, a cocky one at that, as he shrugged. “Where’s the fun in that?” Nodding his head to gesture you in, you closed the door behind you, making your way over to the bed. “Why?” “Why What?” Jake tilted his head as you sat on the edge of his bed, your eyes finding him after a moment. “Why have you been so cruel to me? Why did you just toss me away like I meant nothing to you? There’s endless questions.”

Shifting in his spot, Jake dropped his face from you, the confidence he once was full of immediately gone. “Jake, why can’t you just answer me? I deserve to know. I deserve answers from you. I lost my best friend with no explanation.” Pushing his hair out of his face, Jake leaned over to you, his hands coming up to your face. “Because if I had to spend everyday with you after that night, I’m not sure I’d be able to stop myself from doing this.”

All at once your senses were flooded with him. His lips were pressed against yours, engaging you in a deep kiss and you felt it everywhere. You felt your stomach doing flips, your head spinning, and the dull ache in your core. Never did you think that you would get another moment like this with Jake, so you let it happen. Your hands found their way into his hair, fisting at the roots, causing a low groan to push past his lips and into your mouth. Jake let his tongue run along your bottom lip, urging it open. With his tongue exploring your mouth, and fighting against yours, you crawled into his lap, straddling his waist. You couldn’t help but let your hands drag down against his chest, nails raking along, the kiss growing deeper causing a small whimper to escape you. Rutting your hips against his, your core pressed perfectly against his half hard, and ever growing cock. This got to Jake as he pulled away, his head falling back against the headboard, “Jesus fuck, y/n.”

In one swift movement you were on your back, smiling cockily up at Jake before he dived into the crook of your neck. He sucked and nipped at your skin, causing a slight moan from you to fill the air. “Please.. please, Jake..” you squirmed under him as he slipped your shirt up past your breasts and over your head. “I knew it..” was all he said in return as he admired your body, hands coming up to squeeze your breaths gently, his thumbs toying with your nipples. “Did you do that on purpose? Did you want people to see you didn’t have a bra on?” You let out a gasp as he leaned over you, connecting his lips to one of your nipples, his tongue swirling over it before sucking it into your mouth. “Maybe just you..” you sighed out, pushing yourself up into him. You felt Jake smirk against your stomach as he kissed downward until he reached the hem of the sweatpants Josh had let you borrow.

Soon enough, Jake was dragging your pants along with your panties down, discarding them elsewhere in the room. You had been too lost in your thoughts to notice that he was completely naked now, laying against his bed as he kissed wet, open-mouthed kisses up each thigh, alternating when he felt as if one was being neglected. Your head lolled to the side when you felt his lips growing closer to where you needed him the most. A sigh of relief fell from your lips as you felt him finally lick a hot stripe up the center of your core, before pulling away only mere centimeters “you know.. to say I missed this would be an understatement.” Rolling your eyes in pleasure as he got back to work on your clit, you couldn’t help the moans that filled the room. Your hands tangled in his hair, pulling him in closer, which caused a groan from him that vibrated against your core. “Jake.. please… I- oh my god..” suddenly his calloused fingers slipped into you, working at a relentless pace as he ate you out, syncing his two actions.

It wasn’t long before Jake had you wreathing under him, your back arching into him and that familiar feeling building low in your stomach. Squeezing your eyes shut, you cried out, tugging at his hair. “Come on.. cum for me, pretty girl.” All it took were those words for you to snap, your orgasm hitting you hard as you tightened and came around his fingers. Faintly, you heard a low groan come from him, and if your eyes were deceiving you, you were almost positive that he was rocking his hips against the bed.

Jake worked you through your orgasm, his fingers pumping slowly in and out of you before coming to a stop once you were back in the same room as him. He smiled up at you as he sat back on his knees, his fingers immediately finding his mouth, sucking them clean. His eyes never once left yours, a devious glint shone in them when he moved to hover over you, hooking your leg around his waist. Leaning down, Jake pressed a hungry kiss to your lips, licking into your mouth. You let out a whine, your hips rolling up into him. “Please.. Jake I want your cock.. I need your cock.” You furrowed your eyebrows as he just laughed at you, shaking his head. Reaching down, Jake slipped his cock along your folds, earning you a gasp as he caught your clit. As you mumbled half incoherent pleases, Jake smiled. “yeah? Is this what you want? Where do you want it, pretty girl? Maybe right here?” All at once Jake was bottomed out in you, his cock stretching you out, causing a perfect burn in your core.

He didn’t move until he saw you nod, his hand gripping at your thighs to push your legs up against your chest. At first he was slow, all too observant of your reaction before he picked up his pace. Once he knew you were comfortable, his hips smacked against yours at an unforgiving pace, causing uncontrollable moans to flood out of your mouth. Your hands gripped tightly onto his biceps, nails digging into the warm skin, leaving crescent shaped indents on his arms. With the feeling of him overwhelming you, your jaw fell slack and your eyes rolled into the back of your head. He knew what he was doing, he knew at that moment that all you could remember was his name, and that’s how he wanted it. But why?

Pulling your legs flush against this chest and over his shoulders, Jake groaned at the feeling of you squeezing around him. “This is my pretty little cunt. It was made for me. Only me..” he sent a particularly harsh slap to your ass which caused you to yelp out, “Who does it belong to?” Crying out, you shoved your arm over your eyes, your orgasm building back up and fast. “You, Jake! It belongs to you!”

With a groan, Jake's hips faltered, knowing just how close he actually was. Flipping the two of you over, you were now straddling his waist, his cock still and twitching inside of you. Setting your hands on his chest, you huffed out as you looked down at him. “Ride me. Make me cum.” You hummed out in response, your hips beginning to bounce against his cock, slow at first but soon bouncing eagerly. Between his cock slipping in and out of you, and the unexpected bucks from him, you were on your way to spiraling again, but as soon as his hands found your breasts, you were almost doubling over him. “Oh my god, Jake.. I-I..” you couldn’t even finish your sentence when a particularly hard thrust caused you to scream out. “Go on.. cum.. I’m right there with you.” Jake sounded so fucked out and it did wonders for you.. at once it all snapped and you were cumming around him, seeing stars. It didn’t take Jake long to catch up with you as he forcefully stilled your hips, moaning out as his cum filled you to the brim with you leaned over his chest, sobbing in pleasure.

“That’s it, baby.. you did so well” Jake wrapped his arms around you, rubbing your back as you came down from your highs. Once you were quiet, catching your breath, Jake slipped himself from you, placing you onto the bed next to him. “Let’s get you cleaned up and some water, huh?” He hummed gently at you as he leaned over, pressing a sweet, gentle kiss to your lips, which you returned in best efforts. Standing from the bed, Jake pulled his sweatpants back on, and smiled at you before disappearing out of the room. You could tell that he wanted to get back to you as quickly as possible, because it seemed like he was gone for merely a second. Handing you a bottle of water, you perched up on your elbows to take a sip as he wiped you off with a wet rag, a smile adorning his face as he watched you.

“What?!” You huffed out before flopping back against the bed. After a second, Jake was there with you, wrapping his arms around you, pulling you in close to his chest. “I didn’t say anything, Sunny.. just admiring you” you hummed contently as you nuzzled into his chest, tracing along his skin with your finger, smiling at the nickname the twins adorned you with when you were ten. “Hey Jake?” “Hmm?” He lazily ran his fingers through your hair and you knew his eyes were closed. “Why did you get so possessive?” It took him a moment to answer, and you almost thought he had fallen asleep, so just as you were about to give it up and doze off yourself, he answered.

“We’ll talk about it in the morning. Goodnight, baby.”

-

part two

[imamotherfuckingstar-lord]

coming home

bucky barnes x reader

summary: a note leads bucky to the one who walked away

warnings: grief mentioned.

a/n: kinda sad, kinda angst, but sweet in the end.

GIF by bloodvows

The note left on his car windshield led him to a modest one story home, in a modest suburb of California. Bucky Barnes stood in front of the white door, a small arched window covered the top but he couldn't see anything as he pressed the door bell.

It chimed a friendly tune and he waited with anticipation, the gun in his pocket felt warm as he took in a deep breath just as loud footsteps approached the door.

He counted, in his head...one...two...three.

What he was expecting was a million other scenarios, not one of them included seeing your face in front of him. His heart dropped, he felt angry and excited, as you smiled at him.

"You got my note."

"You could have called."

Agreeing, you pulled open the door for him and asked him to come in. "You've come all this way, please, James."

James - he wanted to laugh at the way his name coming from you still made him feel like a boy with a silly little school yard crush. Except, neither of you were children. Although the way you left his life felt childish - felt like you were leaving him for idiotic reasons. He would have favored the two of you no longer being compatible than the reason you gave him the night you packed your things.

"I just can't do this anymore, it's not you, I promise."

But it had to be, right?

Why else would someone he loved leave him? It was too much for you, he was sure of it - the nightmares, the anger in his eyes at the monsters who sacrificed his life. He knew it had to be him, it haunted for months, no, for the last two years. Until he finally agreed to go into therapy on Sam's urgency. It did help and he had never felt mentally better, but now, seeing you - he could feel himself falling back into old thoughts.

Why wasn't he good enough for you?

"I didn't know you were in California..."

"I have family here, remember?" You closed the front door and pointed to the mahogany table against the wall, a linen basket sat on top of it. "Gun, please. No weapons in the house - well, at least ones not in my safe."

He actually smiled. "Yeah, of course."

You watched him take out the pistol from his jacket and placed it in the basket, his brows mused up when you covered it with the linen, beckoning him toward the living room. Bucky followed and looked around the cozy home; the large windows that brought in natural light that felt warm against his cheeks. His eyes instantly went to the small fireplace and the frames that lined up neatly. From the distance he stood, he couldn't make out the faces and when you asked him to sit down, the chance to examine your life a bit more closely disappeared. He sat on the edge of the green couch and you sat next to him, far enough to give him personal space but close enough that his heart was pounding.

It was quiet for a moment until he asked why you had brought him here and you inhaled deeply, looking down at your lap with shame and regret. You wish things could have been different, wished you had been up front with how you were feeling instead of running away. It wasn't that you hadn't loved Bucky, it was that you loved him.

Every time he went off to fight with Steve and the others, there was a chance he wouldn't walk back into your life. While that was his job and you had signed up for this when you entered a relationship with Bucky; it didn't hurt any less. Especially after losing your folks not too long ago - the grief had changed you, placed this wall around your heart and Bucky couldn't do a damn thing to get inside.

He was left pounding on the brick wall, screaming and shouting your name as his knuckles bruised and bled.

That's the truth and nothing would have changed it, until someone did.

"You have a daughter, Bucky."

The words stung his ears and he glared at you, unable to comprehend the words coming out of your mouth. Afraid of his silence, you kept talking, explaining that you had found out you were pregnant after leaving him.

"Months later, actually," you laughed, embarrassed that it had taken you so long to realize you were pregnant. "I was five months, it was crazy. No signs whatsoever, I was even still getting my period."

Bucky stared at you and your heart dropped. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I was afraid and that's the truth...I've always been afraid."

"...of me."

Your eyes gazed up at him in horror and your hand moved to his lap; the two of you froze with the touch and Bucky tried hard not to admit how much he missed it.

He did though and that was the truth.

"I have never been afraid of you," you asserted, moving your hand to his. Your gripped his knuckles and he casted a sorrow look to you, but he didn't pull away. Instead, his eyes kept focus on yours. "I was afraid of losing you and it was cowardly to run away like I did. But after losing my parents, I felt alone in this world..."

Bucky pulled away and ran a hand over his face, staring up to the fire place. "You had me."

Tears fell down your cheeks and you shrugged. "I could have had thousands of you and it wouldn't have mattered. I was messed up, I couldn't move past my loss and I still struggle to this day. Every day, every second, they are at the back of my mind and I am always on the edge of losing my shit but she keeps me here."

That last line shook Bucky to his core and any anger he felt, resentment, it all went away with the devastatingly beautiful look on your face. In an instant his arms are around your and your face is buried in his shoulder. His fingers gaze up and down your back, and he promises he isn't mad.

"I get it, I've been there."

Moving from his shelter, you hold onto his arm. "I should have told you sooner, but she's still so young, Bucky. She needs you..."

He gazed down at your hand on his arm and he asked if you needed him too. Your lips quivered and you held his hand tight. "I don't need you, but, god, I want you."

Bucky smiled then and he nodded. "I want you too."

The two of you embraced, his arms held tight around you and when he pulled away, he kissed you lightly on the forehead. He wasn't going to rush things, he wanted this go around to be the real deal. He wanted his family and would do anything to keep it.

"Can I see her?"

"Of course."

Standing up, you held out a hand and Bucky took it, the two of you walking in anticipation as you brought him to the nursery. You opened the door and motioned for him to go in; Bucky stood nervous for a moment and you laughed.

"Are you afraid of a little baby, Bucky?"

He laughed. "No, but fatherhood seems terrifying."

Touching his shoulder, you promised it wasn't. "...I hope you're not afraid of poop."

Bucky grinned. "Not my daughters."

You watched as he walked over to the crib, following him as he came face to face with the little girl that had brown hair like his and the same blue eyes. She was sitting up and playing with a stuffed zebra, and when Bucky reached down to touch her head, she gazed up at him. He slowly picked her up from the crib and held her in his arms; she touched his face and he turned to you with an enamoring smile.

"Her name is Winnifred, Winnie for short..."

"My mom...."

You stood in front of the duo and touched Winnie's hair. "Yeah, I thought you'd like that."

Bucky kissed his daughter's forehead and held her gently, but close to his chest. His metal arm held her back up and you reached up to his face. His eyes closed for a moment as you caressed him and promised that you wouldn't run away again.

"I'm in this for the long run, if you're willingly to have us."

His eyes opened as he bounced Winnie and he smiled, reaching with his free hand for you; moving into his side, he held his two girls and felt the weight of the world leave his shoulders. He was done with the fighting, the constant traveling - this house, this nursery, this was where he wanted to be.

"I'm more than willingly."

Thankful, you ruffled Winnie's hair and cooed at her. "...daddy's going to be here with us now, little girl. You're very lucky."

Bucky grinned, bringing you in for a kiss; his lips soft and loving as your daughter smacked his face. He laughed against your mouth and pulled away, gently holding her hand down as you smiled.

"Welcome to parenthood, James."

James.

The sound of his name on the tip of your tongue brought the warmth comfort of home to Bucky and he couldn't imagine being anywhere, but here, with his girls.

[babyboiboyega]

Deep End (Matt Murdock x gn!Reader)

Deep End (Matt Murdock x gn!Reader)

Content: major character death, angst, profanity, mentions of blood

Word Count: 2.6k

A/N: Y’all remember that heartbreaking, angsty Matt Murdock oneshot I mentioned like 2-3 days ago?? Here ya go!

I’ve been in bed for the last three days with COVID (after evading it for three years, it finally got to me), and you’d think I would take all of this downtime to write. The exact opposite, actually. BUT I had enough energy to pump this out, so y’all better not let this flop.

I’m just kidding, I sincerely hope y’all enjoy this! I appreciate any constructive criticism and/or comments!

Stay safe, y’all!

*italics: flashbacks

A storm had rolled over Hell’s Kitchen, and it was intent on staying. One might have thought that the heavy beating the city took from the rain would keep the darkest of humans and criminals from venturing outside, their minds set on causing fear and chaos; if anything, the rain, thunder, and lightning provided only a cover for the indiscriminate ruthlessness that took over the city at night. 

Unfortunately for those who committed any vile acts, The Devil had no problem venturing outside when it rained, as it only provided an extra distraction for those he hunted. 

It didn’t work as well when he, himself, was also distracted; and tonight, he was possibly the most distracted he had ever been, and he had paid for it in a few ways.  

The shallow cut on his side stung as he ran and leapt across darkened rooftops. His back throbbed from where a lowlife had managed to clip him with a metal bat… all because he had gotten distracted at the sound of his phone ringing. 

He had gotten distracted…by his phone ringing.

But it hadn’t just been any instance of his phone ringing; the ringtone that had permeated the sounds of fighting around him was the one he had assigned specifically to you. It hadn’t been the first time you had called him during his “nightly duties”; but it was different this time around.

The second your ringtone had reached his ears, he had fumbled for a split second as the memories of the last time you two had spoken raced through his mind, the word ‘spoken’ being an understatement for the argument you two had had. 

“I did what I had to do. It was either you or him, and I made the call- and I’d do it again.”

One of Matt’s fists clenched while the other hand raised and rubbed at his face roughly in an attempt to…calm himself? His helmet lay on its side from where he had carelessly dropped it onto the table in frustration. 

Your name left his mouth in a sound that closely resembled an exhausted sigh mixed with a growl. Your chest tightened at the idea that your presence, which he had at one point enjoyed, now caused him nothing but exhaustion and frustration. How did you two get here?

“That wasn’t your call to make, damn it! You killed-'' His unseeing eyes closed as he took a deep, shuddering breath. “You went too far tonight, and you don’t even seem to care. You put yourself in danger tonight doing something reckless, and you don’t seem to care.”

The sudden rush of anger that seized your body surprised even you, but as you spoke quickly and without hesitation, you could see Matt’s jaw clench in retaliation.

“You’re a goddamn hypocrite, Matt. That’s all you do; you go out every night, not caring what condition you’re in, risking yourself and being reckless.”

“Yeah, well when I’m reckless, at least I’m helping people.”

He couldn’t stop the heavy sigh that wracked his body as his feet landed on yet another rooftop that brought him closer to his apartment, yet his footsteps stopped as his thoughts caught up to him. In fact, they only grew more resilient as he slowed down. 

His tongue darted out, gathering rain water and the taste of copper off of his lips before pulling out his phone. He took a few steps until he was under a small awning, leaning tiredly against the brick wall as his hand fiddled with the burner phone. 

His words were sharp, slicing through the atmosphere of confrontation and turning it into one of stone-cold silence. 

Your chest rose and fell heavily, and it wasn’t hard to miss that his chest did the same. Taking in the way his body was closed off, you made the decision there that the conversation was over. There was nothing else to say, as there had already been plenty said. But you couldn’t stop your final words from lashing out; a last attempt to make him feel how you felt.

“Fuck you, Murdock. You and your pointless mission. You can’t help everyone, and I won’t be there when you finally realize that.”

Matt could remember just standing there, listening to your pounding heart and heavy steps as you walked out of his apartment. He remembered listening to your heart, it fading the further you walked from his building until he couldn’t hear it anymore. He remembered denying the way his own heart had thudded painfully in his chest when he couldn’t hear yours anymore.

But he also remembered the feeling of anger and frustration that had taken hold of his body that night, causing him to say words that seemed necessary in the moment, but were clearly counteractive. That same frustration had resulted in him not reaching out to you for almost two weeks, something he was surprised he was able to do.

He had had this idea that you would reach out to him when you were ready; after all, he had said those hurtful words that night while you had only spoken the truth, albeit, in a rather brutal way. Every day he had wanted to reach out to you, but he also knew that if had reached out to you only for you to turn him away, he quite literally wouldn’t know what to do with himself. 

But tonight, you had called him…and he hadn’t answered because he was too busy doing the exact thing that played a factor in your argument. And then, not only did he wait to call back, he also held back from listening to the voicemail you had undoubtedly left, signaled by the extra chime that came from his phone. Every bit of his hesitation came from his own self-sabotaging tendencies, as he was convinced that your call had just been an accident of some sort. 

But then there was a small, yet persistent voice in his mind pointing out that maybe - just maybe -  you needed his help, and the thought of not being there was enough to push his own shame and guilt aside. 

So now here he was, pressing the designated number that he knew was assigned to your name. He hadn’t noticed at first, but as the ringtone sounded, he found himself holding his breath and waiting for one of two things: your voicemail or your voice.

His eyes closed in resignation as the automated voicemail rang out. Admittedly, it made his chest constrict in guilt; but whether or not he’d be going home with more guilt would depend on the voicemail you had sent him. It only took the pressing of a button or two, and then your voice was in his ear…and almost immediately, he was pushing off of the brick wall behind him in alarm, his heart speeding up.

“Matt, it’s…it’s me- shit-”

Your words broke off and he could hear you take a deep, shuddering breath. A grunt sounded out, in your voice, but it seemed to be distanced from the phone, almost as if you had pulled the phone away. The next time you spoke, your voice was clear, but to his dismay, still shaky.

“I know you’re pissed at me, but…I need your help. I…” A noise that sounded close to a repressed cry shook him to his core as it came through the speaker. “I fucked up. It was a setup- the whole thing was a trap.”

“Tell me where you are. Come on…” Matt found himself speaking into the phone as if it were a live call, his own voice shaking in anxiety.

“I’m near 49th a-and 11th. I know I made you mad, but please, Matt I…I need help.”

He had already taken off, his legs pumping as hard and as fast as they could in the direction of the location you had given him. The echoes of your voice growing weaker and more breathy towards the end of the voicemail spurred him on as he bounded across buildings, sliding under and jumping over anything that was in his way.

He wouldn’t let himself think of the fact that the voicemail he had just listened to had been sent at least 15 minutes ago; the voicemail he had put off listening to because of his hesitancy. Matt couldn’t let himself entertain the thought that you were now in a threatening position…all because of his hesitancy. 

His lips moved soundlessly as he ran, sending prayer after prayer that he’d find you in time and that you’d be okay. His mind simultaneously worked on keeping the devil at bay as it snarled, thrashing against the very restraints that kept it at bay for a chance to go after the bastards who had hurt you. 

Though the second his feet landed on the corner of 49th and 11th, all of those thoughts quieted. Almost anyone could have surprised him from how focused he was on listening for any sign of you, but as he picked up the sounds of your soft grunts of pain, no one could have stopped him from getting to you.

You were in a wide alley, propped against the grimey, brick wall of one of the buildings that surrounded it. The scent of blood was strong enough for him to smell over the various disgusting, unknown scents that blanketed the alley, and that realization alone was almost enough to bring him to his knees. But it wasn’t what brought him to his knees; it was the sound of your quick and raspy gasps coming from the middle of the alley. 

His feet quickly took him to where your body was before he dropped to his knees, not caring about the tiny bits of rock and trash he kneeled on. Your name escaped his mouth quietly and then he was reaching for you. Despite your efforts being weak and clumsy, you still tried to push his hands away. In your disoriented mind, the hands didn’t belong to the one person you so desperately wanted to see in the moment; they belonged to the people who had put you in this position; they belonged to the people who had spilled your very life onto the dirty ground around you in a random alley. 

“Sweetheart, it’s me, it’s Matt.” 

“Matt?”

It took a few seconds, but as your brain registered Matt’s voice, your weak efforts stilled. Your hands fell limply to your lap as your eyes sought out his face in the darkened alley. 

Your voice was unrecognizable, but you didn’t have the awareness to be worried about it. Matt, however, was perfectly aware, and it threatened to break him right there.

He couldn’t let it show through his voice, but the terror wracking through his body made him shake. His hand that pressed against the steady flow of blood from your torso shook, as well as the hand that rested against the clammy skin of your cheek. If you were more aware, you’d be able to hear the tremor in his voice as he spoke.

“Yeah, I’m here, I’m gonna get you some help, okay? Just…just stay awake for me, can you do that?”

At his words, your head lolled into his palm. He couldn’t see it, but despite the haziness in your gaze, your eyes held the guilt you had been feeling since the last time you had spoken to each other. It was a struggle to do so, your breath hitching every time you tried to speak, but you pushed the words out; you needed him to hear you. 

“Matt, I’m sorry. I’m sorry about what I said, I’m sorry about tonight. I just wanted to help, that’s all I ever wanted to do.”

While you spoke, Matt worked on pulling out his burner phone and dialing 911, quickly uttering your location to the dispatcher. His fingers slipped slightly from the blood- from your blood that coated his hand; it all threatened to make him sick. 

“You don’t have to say sorry, sweetheart; it wasn’t your fault. None of this was your fault. Save your strength.”

The corner of your mouth lifted into a combination of a smile and a grimace, not having enough energy to fully make it into the former. Your vision continued to wane, but you could still see the barely concealed panic on his now completely exposed face. You hadn’t even seen him take off his mask.

“I’m not, Matt. I’m…not making it out of this.”

It hurt to say the words, both physically and emotionally; coming to terms with your own death wasn’t easy in the slightest, but Matt’s presence made it bearable. You couldn’t even feel the agonizing pain that had been wracking your body only minutes ago. 

Matt’s head shook quickly, his wet hair shaking violently along with his movements. 

“Hey, don’t say that. You’re going to be okay- you have to be okay. I just need you to take it easy. Focus on me and focus on keeping your eyes open- hey. Hey! No, no, no…”

Your lips parted to respond, but instead of words coming out, a violent cough seized your body. You could taste copper on the back of your tongue, and it almost seemed as if something heavy was pressing down on your chest, making it harder to breathe. 

Your eyes had slipped shut without you even noticing, and they only opened after Matt tilted your head towards his, desperately calling your name. When he spoke, his voice was softer; resigned; full of a sorrow that permeated the numbness of your subconscious and made tears prick at the corner of your eyes. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean any of it- any of what I said. You do help people- you’ve helped so many people. Please, just keep your eyes open. The ambulance is on its way.”

His words reassured you while simultaneously getting rid of the very small shred of hope you had unknowingly been holding onto that you’d make it out of this alley. There wasn’t an ounce of anger in your body directed at Matt, though. If anything, the last emotion you felt as it grew increasingly difficult to draw in your next breath was a mixture of gratefulness and a bittersweet sorrow. 

You knew that this ending was predictable, especially when it came to you two and your professions; but never did you think you’d end up in this position. Call it blissful ignorance or denial, but you never saw either of you in this moment. But now that it was here, you couldn’t find enough energy to be upset about it. 

“I’m sorry I won’t be there, Matt. Promise me… p-promise me. You’ll…keep…the city…”

He couldn’t have stopped his tears if he wanted to. Your words grew increasingly slurred, and there was a sound deep in your chest he could hear; one that would forever plague his nightmares. The sound was a haunting sign of the inevitable, as was the feeling of your body going completely limp in his arms. 

With a choked sob, he pulled your body until you rested against his chest. His mask lay discarded and forgotten behind him, even as the sound of sirens grew closer. He didn’t care.

His tears mixed with rainwater and your blood as they fell on your skin. His head rested against the top of yours as his pleas and apologies fell on ears that couldn’t hear them anymore. 

The city had taken so much away from him throughout his life, and with every loss, he was closer to going off of the deep end. Throughout the hardest moments, you had been there; the barrier that not only stopped him from doing so but also encouraged him to walk away from that deep end. But you weren’t there anymore; that barrier wasn’t there anymore. 

Throwing his head back, Matthew Murdock let out every single ounce of pain and anger he had held back throughout his years of serving this god-forsaken city…and then he stepped off of the deep end. 

I hope y’all enjoyed this! Let me know if it made you cry, made you mad, made you feel anything! 

[miss-celestia13]

Strangeness and Charm

DanxOFMC First Date One Shot

Words: 5.3k

Three months after the events in the mine, Imogen has moved to Colville and is determined to find out of the thing growing between her and Dan is something real or imagined. A dark theater, a row to themselves, and Dan's surprisingly gentle disposition leave her head spinning.

I started this a year ago and finally got around to finishing it. It is sickly sweet. Tooth-rotting fluff and romance. Just tried to capture something light and lovely. Tension, soft looks and touches as they watch the stars and open themselves up to the possibility of more. I hope you enjoy it!

Imogen

Imogen paced the pavement outside her house, counting the cracks in the concrete repeatedly until her mind spun with numbers, and it shut up that voice yelling that this was a stupid idea. It had been three months since the events of the case had come to a fiery end—three months of healing and breaking and bleeding. Most nights, she awoke to gasp for air, sweat trickling down her neck as she clutched at damp bedsheets in a vain attempt to keep her tethered to the here and now. She was getting there, though. It was easier every day to ignore the flashes that crossed her mind whenever something reminded her of those dark days.

Tonight she was meeting the one person she’d never stopped thinking about. Not even while she’d been interrogated for hours on end, FBI agents screaming in her face as she refused to give up Jake’s location. Not that she knew it. Nobody did. And he had vanished like the phantom he had to become to stay free of the twisted justice system of their country. Jake hadn’t been in touch with anyone since, and she missed him in an odd way. She had thought there was something between them in the midst of fire and blood. Still, it had turned out their situation had created a false sense of urgent emotions that had dissipated the moment Hannah was saved. They’d parted as friends and had made no promises to see or hear from one another again. And she was good with that.

The betrayal of one of their own was a poison that had yet to be sucked from shared wounds. None of them would be the same again, and Imogen thought that was good. After all, their secrets and lies had caused the entire mess; maybe now they’d communicate before hell could rain again. She’d barely spoken to them since. Lilly and Jessy had made the most effort, but Imogen was the type to let people breathe and reach out when they were ready. So far, that day hadn’t come, and it stung her after all she’d done to help, but she didn’t blame them for not wanting to speak with a living ghost reminding them of their darkest times.

Then there was Dan. His abrasive nature had been offputting and irritating. Until that hard shell had cracked like an egg, and he’d shared a piece of his heart with her, and she’d seen him for what he really was. A golden soul with a heart of sunlight that he protected with barbed words and bristled skin. They’d tentatively made plans that last day and kept in touch while her friends put their lives back together. She had initially hated that it was Dan who had reached out. Thought he was brash and combative in those early days but had soon learned that he felt and saw more than he let on. He found it challenging to deal with. He’d been trying with her over these long months they’d spoken daily over text or video calls. Planning for this night.

A first date always brings up a myriad of emotions. Nervous anticipation led the charge, a sparkle of fireflies in her belly each time she thought about seeing him, and delicate hope was the most giddy-making of them all. It was the cause of the sparkling energy currently causing mayhem in her stomach each time she imagined the many different ways this night could end. That feeling of weightlessness blended with a tang of fear had haunted her throughout the long day. She swore the clocks had rallied against her. Each time she looked, they had barely moved. The day had gone smoothly despite it ebbing like thick treacle, and the sunny weather helped boost her optimism, as had all her preparations for the date. She took that as a good omen. Her days usually were a test of endurance and fortitude. She tried to picture it in her mind; Dan reaching for her hand, his shock at her newly dyed purple hair, and she could already hear him asking if she wanted butter on her popcorn. His voice had slowly become a lullaby these past few months, soothing her and making her laugh whenever he spotted the shadows swimming in her eyes. Her dearest hope was he would remain her friend if this failed and they didn’t click.

Imogen loved and hated horror movies in equal measure. She loved being terrified after the scare was over, the giddy rush of adrenaline as you realized you were safe, and laughed at your own stupidity. He hadn’t mentioned if they were watching something scary, only telling her he was holding her to their deal. Dan was on his way to pick her up since only she moved to Colville last month and hadn’t gotten a car yet. The early evening sun beat down on her bare shoulders, the sundress she wore insubstantial as it frothed in the breeze. She was overdressed, but she had wanted Dan to see her as she was and not the terrified creature she had been for the past three months.

Her heart was a hummingbird in her chest, fluttering wings grazing her ribs every time a car slowed as it passed her. He was a few minutes late, but traffic was always bad at this time of day. The heavy satchel she’d stuffed with toiletries and a change of clothes slapped against her thighs as she continued her pointless pacing. It was presumptuous to assume she would spend the night after they left the movie theatre, but she liked to be prepared. She was reaching into her dress pocket for her cell phone when a car horn blared too close. She jumped a foot in the air, whirling with a hand pressed to her chest to see a black Mustang purring at the edge of the pavement. A shy smile curved her mouth as Dan leaned over to open the passenger side door for her. Another car waited impatiently behind him as she scurried over and clumsily got in.

Her eyes raked over him hungrily. He’d hit the gym hard after everything, and it showed. All hard lines and lovely muscle, his shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow as he drove off with one hand on the wheel. His hair was much shorter now. She had loved the long hair, but it had looked scraggly a few days before, and he hadn’t video called her since that day. It warmed her to know how much effort he’d put in, and the new hair color and makeup she donned didn’t feel as frivolous now. He wore black sunglasses, effortlessly cool as he smiled softly at her, and she itched to scratch her nails through the scruff of his beard.

“Hello, stranger,” he chuckled in a deep voice when all they did was steal glances at each other every time he hit a red light.

“This feels weird, right?” She laughed after a long moment, making Dan grin.

“It does, but who said weird had to be wrong?” He returned, and she shook her head, smiling as she looked out her window.

She could feel his eyes on her every now and again. A flash of heat crept up her neck and colored in her cheeks when she met his sparkling gaze. Her body felt as if someone had replaced her blood with fizz. She might have floated away if she hadn’t been strapped into her seat. He chatted about mundane things, his usual sense of humor was restrained for now, and her heart grew gossamer wings as she understood he was nervous. Dan. Was nervous. That seemed absolutely ridiculous to Imogen as the man had no shame, and his brash attitude was part of why she started falling for him.

It wasn’t until they were well into the drive that she broke the easy silence. Her mind was abuzz like a swarm of bees had taken it over to build a new hive inside the dark of her brain.

“So… what movie are we seeing?”

Dan flashed her a Cheshire Cat grin, eyebrows waggling as he replied, “Well, you said you liked being scared. But I didn’t want to frighten you off on the first date… kinda hoping for a second one.”

He winked playfully, and she couldn’t help the shocked laugh that burst out of her.

“What did you pick? If there are spiders, I can’t watch it.” She warned, teasing him, and he shook his head.

“No! It actually looks funny more than anything. M3GAN? Have you heard of it?”

Frowning, she reflected on the things she’d seen and couldn’t stop the thought that reminded her that her whole life had been a horror movie for months. She did not remember if she had stumbled across a trailer or something for it.

“I don’t think so. What is it about?”

“Ahh, it’s better it stays a mystery. I want to see your face when she’s on screen.” He joked, making her giggle and play with the ends of her hair.

“I swear, if it’s anything gross, you will pay my next therapy bill.” She laughed. Dan’s undignified snort only intensified her joy.

“Deal. We’re here,” he said gently, and she was startled, suddenly realizing they were parked behind the movie theatre, and she hadn’t even noticed the car had stopped.

She hurriedly unbuckled her belt and reached for the door handle. Dan’s voice stopped her from opening it.

“Wait, you can’t deprive me of my gentleman routine!”

Chuckling, she smirked and said, “Gentleman? Come on, Dan, we both know you’re far from that.”

He exaggeratedly gasped, clutching at his chest while she tried to hold in a stupid giggle.

“You wound me, Genna! I am a sophisticated man who knows how to treat a woman.”

“My apologies, Daniel. Go on, treat me like a lady.” She teased to make his lovely eyes twinkle. The pleasure of his nickname for her still made her chest glow.

Watching as he got out and walked around the hood of the car, she bit down on her lip to restrain her joyous smile, trying to break free, and quickly failed as he opened her door with a flourish. He held out his hand, head bowed and watching through a fan of thick lashes as she took it. Tingling like a thousand tiny creatures crawling up her arm as their skin connected, the fireflies in her stomach took flight again as he helped pull her out of the low car. Her cheeks were stained pink, and a delightful warm flush crept up her neck, yet she felt utterly at ease with this man. He had seen her at her worst. Her most desperate moments had been spent with his face on her phone screen, and she had done the same for him. There was nothing to hide as she tipped her head back to meet his eye.

“Thank you, sir,” She joked as he closed the door and locked the car.

He chuckled, voice dry as dust as he said, “Sir? I’ve been called many things, never that.”

“Let me guess, uncouth, cheeky, strange... should I go on?”

He winked and slung her arm around her shoulders as they approached the ticket booth.

“You missed mouthy, obnoxious, and charming!” He chirped, making her look away to hide the smile hurting her cheeks.

He quickly bought their tickets, dropping his arm to hold the theatre door open for her and ignoring her arched brow as he fell into step beside her, and they headed for the concessions stand. Scanning the menus, her stomach grumbled. She hadn’t been able to eat much that day. Too excited and nervous, she’d forgotten that food was a necessity as time finally grew legs and tried to outrun her. Dan heard and ordered the most enormous bucket of popcorn they had, more of a trashcan, really, smothered in butter, and she added nachos and chocolate to the order once he had gotten them drinks. Carrying it all was the biggest challenge. Hot plastic cheese, cheap salsa, and jalapenos tickled her nose as he opened the screen door and let her choose the seats.

The room was chilly, the air conditioner working overtime as the bodies filling the theatre raised the temperature. It wasn’t full yet, but almost there as she climbed the darkened stairs, desperately praying she wouldn’t trip as she spied an empty row near the back. Glancing back to ensure Dan followed, she guided him into the middle of the row and plopped down. The previews started as Dan handed her a drink, and he settled in beside her. The dim lights went off, sounds of explosions, some hero rallying their team to defeat the enemy, and the quiet murmurs of people chatting about which movie they’d see next filled her ears as static skittered over her skin. His arm had come up beside hers, barely touching her, but she felt it like a shock each time he shifted, and his skin brushed hers. The hair on her arm stood straight as he did it again, and she wasn’t entirely sure if he meant it.

By the time the movie started, she had run through a hundred scenarios and questions, wondering how the date would end and if he’d make a move. Would he do it here? Taste like popcorn and syrupy sweet Dr. Pepper? She wasn’t sure, couldn’t plan for it, and didn’t want to. They shared the popcorn, blindly reaching for handfuls, jolting each time their hands met, and shyly smiling at each other. It was driving her mad in the best way. She took a deep pull of her drink to wash the saltiness away as the titular character appeared on the screen. She almost sprayed Pepsi out of her nose. Dan was grinning as she turned to him and shook her head.

“That’s the reaction I hoped for,” He had leaned in so close his warm breath ghosted down her neck, and she suppressed a shiver even as she smiled.

“I’m glad you find me amusing,” She laughed, ignoring the tremor in her hand as she rested her arm beside his again. He hooked his pinky around his almost absentmindedly. He watched her, though, like he was ensuring she was okay with it. The world might not see it, but Dan was sweet, and she would fight anyone that said otherwise.

It went on like that. Tension swirled and grew more palpable as the evil doll robot thing murdered everyone that displeased her owner. It was a current under and over her skin, electric and vivid, like she had finally awoken from a months-long sleep, and the world had returned to full, screaming color. The small touches lingered longer, hands reluctantly parting and shifting imperceptibly closer to each other. She wanted to rest her head on his shoulder and see what he would do if she did. Just do it. He clearly likes you! Stop overthinking it. She chanted it over and over in her mind but slumped down in her chair as courage failed her, and the voice in her head called her a coward.

Eyes glued to the screen, she tried to ignore the melancholy trying to creep into her heart at her inability to make a move. Dan either sensed it or had been having a similar internal battle. She managed not to jump out of her skin as his arm wound around her shoulders, fingers tapping the bare skin of her shoulder, scattering goosebumps down her arm as she turned to find him gazing at her with a question in his eyes. Is this okay? And she melted as she nodded and relaxed into it, finally giving in to the urge to rest her now silent head on his broad shoulder. She felt as if her blood had been replaced with helium, and she was at severe risk of floating away as he squeezed her gently.

The empty nachos tray lay at their feet, and the popcorn bucket was almost done, too, as Dan set it down on the open seat beside him, and every inch of her was alert as he settled back down. The weight of his eyes on her was heavier than his arm, and she couldn’t shake it off. He paid more attention to her than to the movie. Every time blood was spilled or that freaky robot danced, his eyes were on her to see her reaction. Her cheeks were aflame, hands trembling as she fidgeted with the skirt of her dress and tried to hide how pleased she was, but it was impossible. It was almost hard to breathe. Each little movement had them rubbing together. His breath ruffled her loose hair, and the heat coming from him was close to scalding, keeping the chill in the theater well at bay. She was dizzy, excited, and terrified all at once.

Whatever cologne he wore sent her thoughts down steamy, dark paths. Slightly spicy, woody with a hint of musk and clean skin. It was addictive, and she found herself sneakily inhaling deeply whenever she felt his attention stray from her. She wanted to brand it into her lungs and imprint it on her memory so she never forgot it. Time was a cruel mistress. It loved to drag out the boring parts, the waiting. But when it came time to indulge in the things she’d wanted for months, it slipped through her hands like she was trying to catch smoke. Neither moved as the credits rolled, enjoying the darkness and closeness as the other patrons left in a slow drip. Colville had never felt like home; she had believed it wouldn’t ever feel like hers. But in that dim room, the scent of him, his whisky eyes locked on her blue ones, she could feel the last three months of displacement and anxiety slowly slide free of her body.

There was an invisible thread between them. A magnetic force that drew them closer, mouths inches apart before they were aware of moving. Her lips tingled as she licked her bottom lip, and he followed the action. She went very still as he seemed to come to a decision and moved to eliminate those last inches just as the lights came on and the door slammed shut, indicating everyone else had left. They sprang apart as if lightning struck them as the usher tidied up for the next showing. Shaking hands and black internal curses at this stranger for interrupting their moment were all she knew as they hurried out. Dan burst out laughing as he held the main door open for her, and they skipped out into a beautiful summer’s night.

A plush blanket of stars glimmered overhead as he took her hand, threading their fingers together and slowing her to a casual stroll. They ambled toward the car park, taking their time as they chatted and joked.

“Your face... I wish I had taken a photo. I want it as your contact pic.” He said as she nudged him with her elbow.

Her fingers were fizzing between his, the innocent contact sending sparks flying up her arm and into her chest.

“It was funny, not scary... Though I’m sure my nightmares will now consist of that thing dancing down the hall to kill me.” She retorted as they waited to cross the busy road.

“Yeah, it made me want to climb out of my skin. Creepy.” He laughed as his hand tightened around hers, and they crossed the street.

Her heart rate was more appropriate for a life-threatening situation, not a first date, as they entered the parking lot, and his car came into view. She didn’t want to end it yet. Wanted to talk with him for hours and then do it some more when the sun came up. His steps had slowed almost to a crawl, and it made her feel brave that he was reluctant to end the night too. She smiled as he let go of her hand long enough to open the car door for her, waiting patiently for her to get in, but she paused in front of him, making him toss her a questioning look as she took a deep breath. He was much taller and bigger than her. Indeed, he was a bear of a man, and she had to push up on her tiptoes, tentatively laying a hand on his hard chest as she brushed a tender kiss onto his bristly cheek.

It was meant as a chaste, quick peck to thank him and show him she was open to more than friendship. His reaction was beautiful. She had never imagined Dan Anderson could blush! But roses were definitely blooming in his cheeks, and he moved mechanically once she’d belted herself in, closing her door and marching around to get in his side. Neither spoke until he’d pulled out of the lot and merged with the traffic. The radio played softly, an old rock song she remembered her parents singing along to the last time she’d visited them. Every glance they shared was charged by indecision and reluctance to end their lovely evening. She was tired of denying herself good things, and she thought he might be too, so she dredged up as much confidence as she could gather and offered him a way to extend their night.

“If you take a left just up here and follow it for a few miles, we can sit at this quiet spot near the docks and see if we can catch any falling stars.”

“What the lady wants...” He jested, making her giggle like a schoolgirl with her first crush.

The spot was quiet, a small hidden cove not many knew about, and she often walked there during her many sleepless nights to watch the sun recolor the world once the moon had turned into its watery bed. It was peaceful and calming, and hardly anyone went there as there was no beach to play on. The sky looked like fine art on the best nights. Sometimes, she felt that each masterful stroke of shadow and brush of light across the endless sky had been done purely for her eyes. She hadn’t told anyone else about this place and crossed her fingers that he would like it too. Her breath was tight in her chest as he took the left turn and coasted down the tarmac while she told him where he could park. Too soon, they reached their destination, and she had to fight not to hold her breath as he stopped the car and stared through the windshield at the water rippling endlessly before them.

“We can sit inside, but it’s better outside,” She nudged when he remained quiet long enough that she was starting to feel the urge to pick at her nails again.

“Come on then, Genna show me; it is your spot after all,” He said after shaking out of whatever was holding him captive.

She searched his face for any sign of turmoil or regret, found none, and relaxed slightly as he helped her again.

The salt-coated wind on her face, brine, and a clean freshness perfumed the air, and she breathed it in deeply, quickly calming down now she was in familiar territory. Her nightmares usually chased her here. Many tears had dried on her cheeks as she stared longingly at the sky, begging for a reprieve from the terror. She wanted to replace all that with something good, something fragile and full of glittering hope as they perched on the hood of his car. He didn’t hesitate this time. His arm wound around her waist and tugged her into his side as she followed his lead, arm wrapped around his hips and hooked her thumb through his belt loop. Her feet didn’t touch the ground, kicking carelessly as they enjoyed the peace. So many words were crawling up her throat, begging to be given life and sound; she was tired of holding them in.

“Thank you,” She whispered, “Not just for tonight, but for everything. You didn’t have to be there every night and day.”

“I didn’t, but I wanted to be. You don’t need to say thank you. You did the same for me.” He replied just as quietly, uncharacteristically somber for him.

“I don’t need to, but I wanted to.” She said, lifting her head to meet his eye as he smiled at her.

“I accept your gratitude, my lady,”

She snorted and poked him in the side, delighting in his false shout of pain before he laughed and kissed the crown of her head.

“Just so you know, those nights you struggled? I was struggling too. I needed you just as much as you needed me. I hope you know that,” He confessed in a murmur, serious and utterly free of his usual snark. It touched her, and she felt like she’d been dipped into a hot bath. The cold night didn’t bother her as they basked in silent comfort, speaking and joking when something popped into their heads. She couldn’t remember a time she had been able to indulge in those silences borne between two people who understood each other and did not need to voice everything that came to them. It wasn’t something she had thought Dan was capable of, but he kept surprising her. His fingers drew patterns over her dress, making her shiver and lean into him.

Soon, they lay back on the car, she mourned the loss of his touch for a split second, but he immediately grabbed her hand as they got comfortable. They stole glances at each other through their periphery as they watched nature’s finest show in the sky above them. His thumb made slow circles on her hand. An incredible prickling sensation moved in the wake of it, and she shifted closer until their heads and legs touched too. Contentment was a rare thing for her. She always found some way to sabotage it or deny it. Still, she felt it then under the melody of stars and the crash of the waves, and her heart was the drumbeat to the song her mind composed in honor of it.

“Did you tell anyone you were meeting me tonight?” She asked after a long while just to hear him speak.

“Thomas and Jessy. They’re both too happy about it, and Jessy demands that you visit her soon.”

Forcing a laugh for none had reached out to invite her or check on her, she said, “Tell her I will come soon... How are they all?”

Dan caught the shift in her mood but understood she didn’t want to poke at that wound.

“They’re okay. Some are worse than others, but they’re better than they were... It’s still weird, though.” He said, and she nodded, understanding they might never be okay again.

“Maybe one day this will all just be a memory that doesn’t hurt anymore.” She muttered, hoping it would come true as a star streaked across the sky, and Dan instantly pointed at it.

“What do I wish for?” He said with a wide grin, turning to her as if she held every answer to every question he’d ever had.

“Whatever you want, it has to be yours.” She teased as he gave her a resolute nod and took a deep breath, closing his eyes for a second as the star vanished.

When he looked at her again, she couldn’t stop her nosiness, “What did you wish for?”

Dan shook his head, “Can’t tell you. Then it won’t come true.”

“If you tell me, maybe I can make sure it does,” She chuckled, eyes locked on his rugged face as his gaze dipped between her mouth and a spot over her head.

She thought he would ignore her, change the subject or make a joke. He didn’t.

“Or I can make it come true myself.” He said in a voice that wavered as her body went loose and tight, her hummingbird heart out of control as she nodded without any idea what she agreed to.

It didn’t really matter. Not as he moved so close, her vision doubled. All she could see, feel, and smell was him. Electricity sparked under her skin as he let go of her hand to cup her face, tilting her head so gently it made her want to cry. He was careful and slow, giving her time to back away or turn him down. Instead, she gave in to the need to scratch his bristled jaw and wordlessly handed him the consent he sought. Her pulse flickered in her throat, breath quickening along with it, the rush of blood in her ears as time stretched out and the world around her faded until there was only Dan. Supple lips on hers, delectable and plush as he tested the waters, and she let go of the breath she was holding. He made a sound then like a leash snapping as he grew more insistent and brave. The scratch of his whiskers, the heat of his body, and his big hand dragging her closer chased away any doubts still flittering about her overthinking mind.

He tasted like sugar and salt, sweet with a bite as she opened for him, and his tongue swept inside to tangle with hers. It felt like discovering something new and coming home all at once. Unfamiliar but somehow fitting her perfectly as she mapped the shape of his lips, his hand dropped to her hip to pull them flush together. It was a clumsy kiss that soon turned into something so sweet and profound that she felt her nerves melt away as her body slackened and the tremor in her hands stilled. Her fingers were in his silken hair, trying to pull him closer in as her greedy lips opened wider, and she nipped at his plump bottom lip to feel him smile. His very male scent in her nose was so enticing she sighed and let herself enjoy being soundly kissed for the first time in years.

Their lips tasting each other, their roaming hands, and the scrape of his beard on her flushed, sensitive skin was all she ever wanted to feel. She felt free, a little wild, and wanted, and it was a gift beyond price as he taught her a secret language that needed no sound or words but their panting breath shared between two lungs. In all her imaginings, she had never come close. She had expected roughness, grasping hands, and a demanding mouth from him. He held her like she was made of fine glass, reverent, and like she was something he never wanted to break. It made her heart quiver and jump as they kissed. Heat cascaded through her chest and banished the frosty layer that had protected her during these past months of painful healing. The weight of it had been crushing, and now it was gone. 

Magic. She had never believed in it before. But there, on the hood of his car under the stars, she felt it ignite in her veins as he broke the kiss to stare into her eyes, and she knew his world had just tilted upside down too. All they thought they knew was now gone, and something new was ready to bloom. If they were brave enough to take it, they could grow like ivy, out of control and all over each other. Was she prepared for that? She didn’t think anyone was ever truly ready to change their lives to include another. So, instead of overthinking and writing a thousand speeches, she would never say out loud, she was tired of playing it safe. Imogen took a deep breath and jumped. 

“Your place or mine? I’ll pay for breakfast.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I may or may not write another part. I haven't decided. I wanted to write something romance-focused without smut to see if I could. Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed it, I'd love to know! :-)

[depressedhouseplant]

🔞 In Darkness I Found You 🔞

Chapter 10

Tags: Mention of parental death

“No peeking,” Hobi said as he walked Yoongi into the nursery with his eyes covered.

“I’m not!” he insisted.

“Surprise!” Hobi took his hands off Yoongi’s eyes. The nursery was completely finished. The walls were painted royal purple. The crib they’d picked out was set up along with the changing table and the ergonomically sound rocking chair.

“How did you finish this? It was only half done last week,” Yoongi said.

“I had a little help,” Hobi admitted.

Jungkook scooted out from behind the door that led from the nursery into the kitchen.

“I put together the crib,” he said.

“He’s quite handy, this one,” Hobi said. “Did it faster than I could have.”

“I just read the directions,” Jungkook said shyly.

“Thank you very much. Pup thanks you, too,” Yoongi said. He put Jungkook’s hand on his belly. The pup kicked and Jungkook jumped.

“You never felt a pup kick before?” Yoongi asked.

He shook his head.

“This one is a kicker. Maybe we have a future Olympic soccer player on our hands,” Hobi patted the bump. “Eh, pup?”

“Or something,” Yoongi replied.

“Try the chair. It’s really comfy,” Hobi said.

“Of course you tried it out,” Yoongi smiled as he sat.

“I did, too. He’s right,” Jungkook said.

“Well, that’s 2 reviews in,” Yoongi said as he sat down. The chair was very comfortable.

“I thought it would be nice for late night feedings or any feedings really. When you’re really tired, I wanted you to be as comfy as possible,” Hobi told him. He knelt in front of Yoongi and started rubbing his thighs. Yoongi closed his eyes and settled into the chair.

“Legs bothering you today?” Hobi asked.

“Pup’s been sitting low,” Yoongi replied.

“Naughty pup,” Hobi kissed the bump. They heard sniffling from the door. Jungkook was trying not to cry.

“You okay?” Yoongi asked. Jungkook furiously wiped his eyes.

“Fine. Just fine,” he replied.

“Uh huh,” Hobi said.

“How’d you do it? How’d you get so lucky? He’s, like, the perfect Alpha,” Jungkook said. “Alphas like them aren’t real.”

“Them?” Yoongi asked.

“You and your brother. You took us in. You made us better. You mated with him and took a pup that’s not yours. You could’ve left us to die or sent Yoongi back, but you didn’t,” Jungkook looked at Hobi.

“You saw the worst there was to see in Alphas. You saw the ones who thought Omegas were there for their pleasure and not humans with feelings. We’re not all like that. Tae and I came from a very traditional family and frankly one that you hardly see anymore. We had an Omega female mother and an Alpha male father. When they found out they had 2 Alpha sons, they made an effort to teach us how to be respectful of everyone. They didn’t want us to turn out like some of the other Alpha boys they’d seen,” Hobi said.

“They did a good job,” Yoongi said.

“What happened to them?” Jungkook asked.

“They died in a car crash three years ago. That’s why this house is so big. We never moved out,” Hobi laughed a little, but Yoongi could tell the memory of the loss of his parents still stung.

“Help me up. I think I’m going to float in the pool a bit,” Yoongi changed the subject. “Give my legs a rest.”

“You have a pool?” Jungkook said.

“Past the patio. We hardly ever used it until this one got pregnant enough,” Hobi said. “Seven months tomorrow.”

“God help me,” Yoongi laughed a little.

“Can I come?” Jungkook asked.

“Of course,” Hobi said. “I assume you’ll need some swim trunks?”

“Yeah,” he agreed.

“I’ll go get some of Tae’s,” Hobi grinned. Jungkook had gained some weight in the past 2 weeks though he was still on the skinny side. “We’re gonna need to get you your own clothes soon and you’re not even pregnant.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Jungkook said.

“Of course we do. Can’t have you walking around the house naked,” Hobi said. Jungkook blushed. “Let me go get those swim trunks.”

Jungkook waited until he thought Hobi was out of earshot.

“Tae has already...seen me naked,” he hissed.

“And in a non-medical capacity I assume,” Yoongi replied.

“Yeah,” Jungkook blushed deeper.

“Well I know you haven’t had sex because I would’ve smelled it,” Yoongi said.

“No, but we got really close once. A couple days ago and he stopped it,” Jungkook told him. “We snuck up to his room after we thought you were asleep.”

“You were lucky. I don’t sleep that well these days,” Yoongi told him.

“That’s what Tae said,” Jungkook replied.

“They do smell good,” Yoongi said as Jungkook followed him in the master bedroom.

“Tae smells...amazing. I was so scared at the hospital. There were too many smells. When I smelled Tae, I smelled you, but I also smelled him. When he told me that he could take me somewhere safe, I knew he was telling the truth. Then he brought me here. Is that how you fell in love with Hobi?” Jungkook explained.

“I was on bedrest for a month and he spent every night with me. He let me scent him from the first night. I woke up with his hands on my belly protecting a very fragile pup. I knew he was the one from the beginning. Maybe it wasn’t love at first sight or smell, but it was close. We decided to be mates right after I got off bedrest and made it official about a month and a half later. The pup limits things a bit and now that I’m this big…” Yoongi explained.

“You can stop there,” Jungkook held up his hand.

“One day you might want one of your own,” Yoongi went into the bathroom to change.

“I’m not so sure about that,” he replied.

“It’s just a thought. You can get some practice with your niece or nephew,” Yoongi told him.

“It doesn’t bother you? That you’re pregnant again?” Jungkook asked as Yoongi came out of the bathroom.

“It did for a while. Then Hobi told me he’d love this pup like his own and did things like bought maternity clothes and decorated a nursery. This pup is special. He even told me we don’t have to have any more if I don’t want to,” Yoongi told him.

“Tae says the cyst has to come out even if we…” he stopped himself. “I don’t want to try.” Yoongi smiled at him.

“Don’t bother trying to hide it. Hobi and I snuck a little peek the first night. We know,” he said.

“Is it wrong?” Jungkook asked.

“Not at all,” Yoongi smiled. “Not at all.”

“Found one!” Hobi announced as he came in the room. “I swear he hid them.” Yoongi knew he’d been listening at the door. It was only a question of how long.

“Thank you,” Jungkook took them and went across the hall to change.

“They mated up yet?” Hobi asked.

“Not yet. Tae apparently stopped them right before they got that far,” Yoongi replied.

“How polite,” Hobi said.

“Don’t sound so sarcastic. You did the same thing. How many times did you finish yourself in the bathroom?” Yoongi asked as they waited in the hall for Jungkook.

“That was because of the pup,” Hobi replied.

“Uh huh. Omega daddy might need some relaxation from Alpha daddy tonight. Omega daddy’s legs are bothering him,” Yoongi kissed Hobi.

“Alpha daddy is happy to help,” Hobi kissed him back.

“Ew,”

They looked over and saw Jungkook standing in the doorway to the guest room.

“You know one day we might walk in on you and Tae like this,” Hobi said as they walked out to the pool.

“What? Talking about having sex?” Jungkook asked.

“You big and pregnant and him all starry eyed kissing you. And possibly referring to a sex act,” Hobi replied.

“Thank you for calling me fat,” Yoongi said as Hobi helped him into the inner tube.

“You’re big because you’re pregnant, not fat,” Hobi told him. He gave Yoongi a push and he started floating around the pool. Jungkook got in and tentatively started swimming around. Hobi rolled up his pants and put his feet in the water. He’d never particularly enjoyed swimming, but he kept Yoongi company while he took advantage of the pool. Tae was the one who liked to swim.

“I’ve been thinking about it & maybe we should invite Jin and Namjoon over one day. They’ve got Jisoo, but I can stay in the pool with her,” Yoongi floated toward Hobi.

“How old is she?” Hobi asked.

“Three? Maybe 3 and a half? My sense of time still isn’t that great,” Yoongi said. “Jin had her a while before I got out.”

“Jin?” Jungkook asked.

“Tall, skinny, had trouble going into heat?” Yoongi said.

“Um, maybe? I might know him if I saw him,” he said.

“That’s usually the case,” Yoongi said. “We weren’t exactly encouraged to get to know each other.”

“If you want to arrange it, I think it’ll be good to have them over. I think we can all use the socialization,” Hobi said. “I’ll let you invite them.”

“Okay,” the idea of texting or calling Jin to invite them over still made him nervous. Now that they had Jungkook, he was sure the conversation would turn to the farm. Hobi, Namjoon, and Tae definitely wouldn’t want to hear the gory details of what went on there. Namjoon knew the most since he actually went there, but Yoongi knew Jin forced the conversation away from what happened behind closed doors. Yoongi looked at Jungkook and knew he was thinking the same thing.

“I think I’m ready to get out now,” Yoongi said. Jungkook helped float Yoongi to the side where Hobi could help him out. “I’ll call Jin after I’ve rinsed off.”

“Okay,” Hobi said. Really it was to give Yoongi time to remember why he was doing this. They needed each other. They were all free for one reason or another. It would help them heal. At least, that’s what Yoongi hoped would happen.

[liarian]

Dead Ends

Part 1 Part 2 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9

The click of the ceramic cup rattling against the wood of the desk made him look up from his homework. Arataka tried to cover up the scratches and the typo-stains with his hand. Kageyama-san didn't need to know that he was completely useless in physics and that at this rate he was going to fail the exam he had the next day.

"The printing company called, they already have the new brochures." Kageyama-san commented in a monotone voice. "Maybe it would do you good to go out for a while and clear your head?"

"I've got the exam mastered! I wouldn't even need to study!" Arataka laughed uproariously. "Do I look nervous?"

Kageyama-san said nothing and just sighed. Arataka didn't think twice. Anything was better than to keep tearing his hair out trying to figure out the vector formula.

It had taken him barely fifteen minutes to get to the printer. The owner hadn't even bothered to ask what he had come for. Everyone in the neighborhood knew Kageyama-san and it wasn't the first time Arataka had run his errands.

Back on the street, Arataka took one of the leaflets out of the brown envelope and looked at it with satisfaction. Arataka was proud of the new design, it had taken him about two hours of tinkering in his pirated version of Photoshop. Now all that was left to do was to distribute it to the neighborhood stores.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" Arataka shouted as two men came out of the alley so fast he barely had time to dodge them.

"Fucking nut job." The men ignored him, walking away as if they had seen the devil himself.

Arataka stared at them for a moment before turning his attention back to the alley. Whatever it was that had frightened those men had picked a bad place to cause trouble. Without a second thought, Arataka stepped into the alley. The smell of rotting garbage and dog piss made him gag. He just hoped there were no cockroaches. The atmosphere seemed to be charging with static electricity with every step. Arataka had known Kageyama-san long enough to recognize that feeling.

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

Holed up in the most hidden corner of the alley, curled up in a ball on the cold ground, Katsuya hugged his umbrella. For a moment, he had forgotten how to breathe. The taste of blood invaded his mouth. The cut on his lip stung where he had bitten himself trying to control himself.

He only hoped he hadn't hurt anyone.

Katsuya had begged them to leave him alone. All he had asked them was not to break his umbrella but the guys had kept laughing and laughing.

Please, he didn't want to hurt anyone.

"Why can't you guys just leave me alone?" he mused as he noticed a new presence in the alley.

It was impossible for whoever was there to have heard him. His voice seemed to have faded, Katsuya too nervous and exhausted to make the effort to shout.

His fingernails dug hard into his palms. Katsuya tried to concentrate on the pain. The last thing he wanted was to worry his mother again. Sometimes, that was the only thing that helped him maintain tenuous control over his own power.

"Hey, you!" The footsteps kept getting closer. "Are you okay?"

Katsuya peered over his arms. The stranger had to barely be able to see his face. A small figure was backlit at the mouth of the alley. The sun's rays obscured his face.

"R-reigen?" Katsuya's voice staggered.

No matter how much time had passed, Katsuya would have recognized those eyes anywhere. His hands began to sweat. He could almost feel the blood rushing to his ears. It was impossible for Reigen to remember that fleeting encounter almost three years ago. They had barely exchanged a few words, but Katsuya was sure that instant had changed his life.

"You know me?" Reigen cocked his head to one side, his brow furrowed.

"Ah..." Katsuya scratched his head not knowing what to answer.

Maybe he was nothing more than a coward, but it would have been better if it had been anyone else who found him in that alley. The Reigen of his memories had always been a source of comfort to Katsuya. Life had taught him too many times that reality rarely showed mercy to people like him.

"It's you!" Reigen shouted pointing his finger at him. "I looked for you, you know, but who'd want to hang out with a brat." Something broke in Katsuya's heart as he heard the sardonic laughter. "At least it's not raining today."

Reigen sat down next to him, completely ignoring the objects fluttering around his head.

"Kageyama-san's office is next door, if you ever want to meet him. You never got to tell me your name."

"It's Katsuya Serizawa."

"Nice to meet you, Serizawa-san." Reigen offered him his hand. His smile this time seemed like the real thing.

[iobsessoverfictionalmen]

Once Stung, Thrice Bitten - Chapter 20

AN: This is the last chapter of Once Stung, Thrice Bitten and I just want to say thank you for being a part of this fic's journey.

This chapter contains mentions of arguing, physical fights (nothing happens), vampire transformation, Alec using his gift, mentions of past Bella Swan x Edward Cullen, and prejudice. It also contains a few puns.

Bella stepped off the plane that had landed in Italy.  While she was groggy from the long flight, she was also excited at the prospect of seeing you again and nervous about what was to come.

Rosalie and Emmett each took one of her hands and laced their fingers with her own.  The cooler temperature helped Bella to refocus on the present and she shot each one of her lovers a thankful smile. 

Five years ago, she thought the supernatural world of Forks had finished with her.  Bella didn’t even consider the possibility that the world would sink its fangs into her again when she returned to Forks during her first winter break at college.

To say that she was surprised when Rosalie and Emmett had asked to speak with her about a serious matter was an understatement.  Bella instantly knew that it was serious because Emmett wasn’t as jovial as she remembered him to be.

The conversation between Bella, Rosalie and Emmett had continued for hours.  Rosalie and Emmett taught Bella about the history of the Volturi, why the were needed, what mates were, what being a vampire was really like and they had reinforced several pieces of information that you had written in your emails. 

Bella had tensed several times during their explanations.  She was constantly torn between wondering why Edward had never addressed any of these topics and wondering whether Rosalie and Emmett would be like Edward was when they were together.

In her panic, Bella had shouted that she’d had enough of Edward controlling her every move and if they tried to do that to her just because they thought she was their other mate, they had another thing coming.

Emmett had spoken up then.  He swore that he and Rosalie would never take away her choice in a matter that concerned her unless it was truly life or death.  He then explained that he and Rosalie had had people take away their choices before and they had never liked how that made them feel.  Emmett continued to explain that individually, they’d both sworn to never do that to anyone else if they could help it.

They’d left then, suggesting that they got to know each other as friends first before they developed their romantic relationship.  Tired but hopeful, Bella had agreed.

Gradually their friendship developed and then that did end up blossoming into a romantic relationship three years into their friendship.  Rosalie and Emmett encouraged Bella to voice her opinions and thoughts and they treated her as an equal.

When it became public knowledge that Rosalie, Emmett and Bella were together, people reacted incredibly differently.  Once Charlie had established that Rosalie and Emmett genuinely cared about Bella, that they wouldn’t treat her like Edward had and they weren’t manipulating her for their own gain, he sat down and gave his blessing. 

On the other hand, when Edward and the rest of the Cullens found out, Bella had been treated to a front row seat of what two protective vampires really looked like.  Rosalie and Emmett had both ensured that Bella was safely behind them and while they hadn’t sunk into crouches like Edward had with James, Bella could see just how tense Rosalie and Emmett were.  While Bella’s presence stopped the fight from being physical, her presence did not stop it being verbal.  The screaming match between Rosalie and Edward reached such a pitch in volume and intensity that the wolves appeared because they thought that the fight would endanger the human and Quileute population of Forks.

Bella remembered looking for Jacob in his wolf form but she wasn’t able to find him.  Then she remembered Charlie telling her on more than one occasion that after Jacob graduated, he earnt an apprenticeship as a mechanic.  When the wolves found out what the argument was about, they huffed and sat down to watch the show.  Bella got the feeling that while some wolves may not approve, other wolves couldn’t care less.

The argument between Rosalie and Edward had finally ended when Bella screamed at the top of her lungs that she was grateful to have Emmett and Rosalie as lovers thank you very much and that Edward should shut up because she was dating Emmett and Rosalie only.  Bella had then stormed out, returning to college that night.  Rosalie and Emmett had renounced the Cullens and left Forks that same night. 

During their friendship and relationship, the topic about Bella becoming a vampire had been raised often.  While Rosalie and Emmett did agree that they wanted to spend the rest of their immortal lives with Bella, they both viewed the transformation into a vampire as a painful one and as such, they couldn’t bring themselves to turn Bella.  Their desire to protect Bella from harm was simply too strong for them to even consider the idea.

In the fifth year of their relationship, Bella suggested the method in which you were transformed as an alternative.  Rosalie and Emmett agreed to that method and then the only thing left to decide was when Bella would be transformed.  Rosalie suggested once Bella had finished her degree at college.

Bella held these memories tightly as she, Rosalie and Emmett walked through the airport.  After leaving the Cullens, Rosalie and Emmett had been careful not to spend large amounts of money like they had in the past. 

That is why Bella was stunned to see a car already waiting for them with two very familiar faces.

“Thought you might need a lift,” Riley grinned.

Alec groaned, “Forgive my mate,” he whispered quickly with a grin on his face.  “His love of cheesy movies is becoming more apparent each day.  I had to talk him out of sticking his head out of the window like a dog as he drove.”

Rosalie and Emmett grinned at Alec’s comment while Bella simply yawned.

Alec opened the door in a flash and the group piled into the spacious back seat.  The drive to Volterra seemed to fly by and in no time at all, they arrived at Volterra.  Energy surged through Bella as the group climbed out of the car and walked into the castle.  Bella flung herself into your arms and hugged you tightly.

Pulling back with the smile still on your face, you examined Bella, “Are you ready?”

Bella nodded, “I’m ready.”

You then focused on Emmett and Rosalie, “And what about you two?”

“We’re ready.” Emmett stated, “We know that Alec will be dulling Bella’s pain once she has been bitten and that Bella will be monitored as she goes through the change by members of the Volturi and us when it’s safe.”

Accepting his answer, you lead them into one of the spare rooms in the castle where Aro was waiting.  Aro’s presence was soothing as Bella bid goodbye to Emmett and Rosalie and they walked out of the room leaving you, Aro, Bella and Alec.

You sent Bella a reassuring smile and she returned it as she settled onto the bed.  As she closed her eyes, Alec’s posture changed and Aro moved soundlessly over to her.  He cocked his head to the side and examined Bella’s neck for a few moments.  You could tell Alec was already using his gift as Bella remained still and there was no scent of fear coming from her.

Coming to a decision, Aro bent down and bit Bella.  For good measure, he lifted one wrist and bit into that before releasing it only to do the same to the other wrist.  Satisfied with his work, Aro left the room.

Over the next two days, many of the Volturi inner circle made their way into the room to watch over Bella during her transformation.  Jane was watching over Bella when she stirred and Jane let out a quiet whisper of your name to alert you to what was happening.

Bella continued to stir as you re entered the room with Emmett and Rosalie nearly treading on your heels.  Her eyelids fluttered once and then they burst open to reveal a pair of blood red eyes.

“Bella Swan, welcome to your new life as a vampire,” Caius uttered as he stood in the doorway.

[blueshykitsune-blog]

Gotta love when I'm not afraid of a bug or panicking after seeing a bug or other things that others consider pests or have common fears for.

Not like hating on people but if I met someone afraid of bugs, like even flies or ants I'd help them out. Unlike some people I knew who would only traumatize them more than help.

Like many times I see a spider and I just look at it. Normally a big spider when I'm alone for some reason... like big as in maybe the size of my palm, like max. I either have to kill it because brain thinks violence, or I ignore it the best I can as they tend to go back into the old walls of the house I live in which wouldn't be shocking to have thousands of them in there honestly. After all we have eggs outside before even if it was a many years ago.

Okay so I know some people are afraid of ants and well small common walking bugs. Even potato/rolypoly bugs. I'd definitely help out. Also I've had an ant bite me before and it hurts! (Flying ant... it was scared and I made it worse but I did get it out my hair afterhaving a mini panic because there was a weird noise coming from my head.)

Sadly however I can't say I'm not violent to bugs and I have killed many. Yet many I have not too.

Flies are... we don't talk about them. Too many literally target me to "attack" (fly aroundand whack me in the face, usually multipletimes or fly around my face. Also one night thought a fly got in my ear before and it scared me because like what do you even do then? Also I was young child maybe teen?)

Oh actually I've had a few wasps get inside. Normally they chill. Usually have someone else take care of them when I can't or if they are closer but sometimes I can get them to follow me back outside.

We get moths in the house too. I actually helped a panicked moth earlier to get back outside after it panicked a bit. It seemed to enjoy being outside and flew off.

We have had a few strange beetles and common house beetles inside too. One being a carpet beetle. Many others we didn't know the name of or I don't remember myself. I think one was like a fire beetle? Not too sure. Oh we've had ladybugs and those orange ones. (Orange yellow ones I've been told are horrible bad ones while the red orange are ladybugs. Some lightning can make them look identical sadly.)

We probably had a grasshopper or similar bug inside before too. Honestly it's more of what we haven't had inside that really says stuff.

Then again that's just my house. Like elsewhere we've had bees inside a camper which stung my sister in her sleep (she's extremely allergic to it and well... was brought to medical people to help her because of the bad swelling.) <I'm not allergicas far as I know but I only have one known allergy and I'd like it to stay that way. One allergy is enough for me.>

Oh I've been around mud wasps, though outside. And those really big moths that actually bite, yeah seen one but outside. Of course I've had mosquitoes in my house and outside too. Kinda sucks.

Uh... hm... oh right of course there are butterflies around but I'm not sure if any have been inside my house. Nor elsewhere but I don't remember.

Okay now to the less bug side I've had mice inside my house, obviously non pet mice. (Father and the sister I mentioned before are allergic to them and honestly most animalsin the rodent family so no rodents for me... aside from my mother's micro hamsters which all are dead and we've not gotten new ones for years now. But that's like the fish we've had.)

Cats, yes some call them pests sadly. However the ones that run inside are the friendly ones we like around to help rid of mice and some bugs that we don't want from the house or surrounding areas. They also help rid of less friendly cats too. And they are fixed now but the one had two children and sadly most likely one that didn't make it past birth. After a bit was when they got fixed so they couldn't have children. We lost one of the three we had and don't know if he died or what. Before those one we did have a different one who did indeed die sadly, we literally helped that one out though as it was alone and really young.

We've had a few stray dogs come by too, or loose dogs. Mostly friendly ones. We do usually get them home some way or another but I remembered this one dog walked into our house following my dad once. It was a tad scary to see a dog suddenly there but we sent it home. I think it might've been a pitbull? Or similar dog... kinda hard to remember. We've had a husky come by too and we took care of it. The pitbull like one was in the evening to night. The husky was during day. We've probably had others but those are the ones I remember. Oh and yes some people call stray dogs pests sadly.

Hm... well I guess birbs too. Though I don't think any birbs been inside... none ghat I can say for definite right now. Birds are also sometimes called pests...

Honestly dislike the usage of pests at times... okay post ends here

[kits-ships]

♦+♠+♒ pls! for anyone you want <3

[♦ - Emotional headcanon]

By the time Olive first met the fifth incarnation of the Doctor, she'd learned what regeneration did and the effects it could have. Still, because they hadn't seen each other in a bit (it could have been decades for the Doctor) AND because he recently regenerated, he. Did not recognize her right away.

She was already expecting a bit of difficulty adjusting to his new appearance/personality, so having him be confused by her forwardness stung. A lot. Especially since the last time they were together was their literal honeymoon.

"I'll always love you, no matter how many incarnations you go through. I just hope you don't completely forget me one day."

"I may not remember each moment. I may have lost some memories. But that doesn't mean that our time together, that our love, means any less."

[♠ - Painful headcanon] (idk if i know the difference between painful and emotional but )

Once the Doctor left for Gallifrey during the Last Great Time War, Olive didn't really know if he was ever going to come back. There were always gaps between his visits and that was fine, but after fifteen years of being married, they never went over two months without seeing each other.

So, when he was gone for three years (four hundred for the Doctor,) she had to slowly accept that he wasn't coming back. It didn't help that she was all alone in her new house, either: no roommates, no pets, and barely any neighbors to talk to. She occasionally considered moving back to the city to meet people, but the thought of the Doctor showing up to her old plot of land- unable to find her after fighting an entire war- broke her heart. That, and she would have to give up her garden and business to move.

Even when he did show up and knock on her door- she was terrified. After saying goodbye to her 5'9, curly-haired husband three years ago, she was NOT expecting to see a 6' man in a leather jacket trying to break into her house!

Olive then had to spend time comforting him, learning all about his new quirks, and listening to what little he had to say about Gallifrey. He could barely even admit what became of their friends- refusing to give any other information other than the entire planet was destroyed.

[♒ - Family headcanon] (olive doesnt have the best relationship with her parents so content warning just in case)

Olive's parents raised her- their only child- in Cincinnati. They wanted her to do well in school, partake in extracurriculars, and eventually attend a private university to major in accounting. She was supposed to be their exemplary, well-behaved daughter, but that changed once Olive turned seventeen.

It was at this point Olive had taken an interest in protests, listening to loud music, and she wanted to see the world. She'd even applied to university on the other side of the state in an attempt to taste freedom where she eventually majored in both botany and culinary arts! Her family was appalled and begged her to at LEAST change her major- their pleas lasting throughout all four years of college. They even offered to pay for her education if she studied accounting instead! Of course, Olive refused- not wanting to become a slave to capitalism or the government (a true sixties girly)- and kept partying, attending concerts, and joining local groups that opposed racial inequalities as well as the war.

By the time she finished school, her parents cut her off completely and refused to attend her graduation. They found that they would rather pretend she never existed than admit that they had a daughter that did drugs and hated the government. She was a stain they were desperate to get rid of, and Olive got the message- choosing to travel around in the lil VW bus that she turned into her home instead of ever returning to her parents.

[blue-eyed-bloodstains]

When was the last time you swam in a pool? 🏊‍♀️ a few years ago (pre COVID) at Hershey Park Water Park with my fiance. wayyy overdue to go swimming this summer

Would you rather have an indoor pool or outdoor pool? doesn’t really matter to me

What was the last thing you said out loud? “oh my gooooodddddddd” bitching at my computer trying to get music playing to start this lmao 

Do you think you could ever be an opera singer? hell no!

How often do you eat bread? 🥖 I’m Italian/Irish mostly so it’s most of my diet lol I’d say maybe 3-4 times a week given we get subs and burgers a lot

When was the last time you looked in the mirror and thought you looked pale? I’m ALWAYS pale, not just the Irish in me but  I’m barely ever outside due mostly to debilitating illnesses making it hard to physically function for long on my feet for years now so...yeah

Have you ever wanted to be a nurse? 👩‍⚕️ not a nurse no but I did wanna be a vet for a long time as a kid so basically yeah just for animals instead

Would you ever want to be a nurse? Why or why not? no, I live in and out of hospitals I always have and I’d never be able to handle the trauma and mental/emotional hell...

Who or what do you worship? I don’t worship anything, I have my beliefs but I’m not religious

What was the last thing someone made fun of you for? ha seriously? what DON’T they? umm but for a lighter note of being made fun of, messing with one another between a friend and I on FB vid last week

Do you own a mini sewing kit that you use for altering clothing? 🧵 no my fiance’s parents are the sewers lol 

Do you know a Ted? I have in the past but not currently no

Do you own a beret? 👩‍🎨 no

When was the last time you wore a beret? when I was real young in gymnastics for a performance

What is one thing you have found to be a bore? my every day which is stuck home couch ridden alone stuck to my own devices, especially with my fiance being gone for work all the time

Where do you keep your out-of-season clothes? I don’t own many clothes, so I don’t have “seasons” 

If you had to pick your top three favorite colors, what would they be? black, blue, beige/tan

How many inches do you normally have to hem up your pants? 👖 please I’ve never needed to, pants have always been mostly “floods” on me cause of my height and long legs lmao

What are three things you would buy if you were rich? 🤑 our own house, my own car (nothing flashy), lots of pets

How many times in your life have you been stung by a bee or a wasp? 🐝 never thank god and I don’t plan on it! knowing my luck that’ll be the only thing I’m actually allergic to on top of it hurting like all hell

Have you ever swam in one of the Great Lakes? nope would love to though

….and if so, how many of the Great Lakes have you swam in? –

Do you believe in the devil? 👹 yeah? look around, how could you not??

What is one thing you wish were more easily accessible? mental health care/treatment

Do you enjoy playing icebreaker games when you’re in a group of people you just met? ummm not sure I’ve ever really played any, but I’d like to since I’m very socially anxious so it’d help me relax a bit

What is your favorite icebreaker game? –

What is one thing you find serene? standing on the beach at the Highlands in NJ where we spread Mimi’s ashes...I try to go every anniversary of her death and I always feel her there so strong and I can actually just breathe and relax...

Have you ever chopped something with an axe? 🪓 no and I’d probably fail miserably lol

What is your favorite genre of music? I love most anything

What is one thing you like that tastes sour? I mean I can suck on a lemon or lime no problem without cringing? then again I’m an alcoholic so that’s probably why I got used to it from garnishes lol

Do you think “Sour Patch Kids” sounds too much like “Cabbage Patch Kids”? I guess lol never really thought about it 

Did you ever own a Cabbage Patch doll when you were a kid? umm I could swear Mimi got me one when I was a baby from what I was told but I don’t remember it

Do you like the candy Sour Patch Kids? yeah they’re delicious and now I want some dammit! 

What was the last song you listened to on repeat? Nutshell by Alice In Chains....

What is one mistake you’ve made that you hope to never repeat? pretty much my entire life, swear to god...

What was the last thing you baked in the oven? pssh me bake? XD

Have you ever been to a track meet? 🏃‍♀️ no

What do you call the bathroom? Do you say bathroom, restroom, washroom, lavatory, loo, toilet, latrine, or….? bathroom, occasionally restroom if I need a public one and I’m asking an employee at whatever store

When was the last time you made guacamole? 🥑 I never have

Do you know of any schools that have the beaver for a mascot? not that I know of

Have you ever stayed in a suite? no, just an occasional real nice hotel room