#I started working on this yesterday night and I haven't stopped thinking about it since

[bluecollarmcandtf]

Am I Acting Weird?

Walking home, I just can't shake the feeling that something is off, but I can't figure out what! I asked Coach about it before leaving practice, but he just laughed. He said I was weird not to appreciate the effort I've put into football lately.

He's right. I've been busting my ass, but that's exactly what I'm talking about!

I've never given a damn about improving my rank or even showing up to conditioning! I just wanted to hang out with my buds and mess around with the cheerleaders.

But now, it's like none of that matters! I've skipped the last three parties to bulk up at the gym! I haven't been able to drink anything other than protein shakes, and my meals are always loaded with meat. It's like I can't control myself anymore! Why can't I just take a night off and drink beers with the rest of the boys?

I let out a long groan of frustration and trudge upstairs. My younger sibling Max laying on the couch while the TV blares his favorite show.

Max is the weird one! He's like 18, and all he does is play videogames and sit around all day.

I quickly strip off my sweaty football uniform and toss it into the corner of my bedroom. My muscles are already tired and aching from yesterday's practice, so I can't imagine how sore I'll be feeling when I wake up for tomorrow's early morning workout; something I only recently started doing everyday.

Like every other night, I pull my usual at-home clothes on; a stiff white shirt, black apron, and bowtie. This outfit might seem weird, but it feels nice, especially when I tie everything up extra tight. Max showed me how. Sure, it's not comfortable at all, and I look like a waiter more than anything, but that doesn't bother me.

My little brother is annoying as hell, but he's usually right. Me and dad used to tease him all the time, but we've come around since then.

Now that I'm finally at home and suited up, I can feel my shoulders relax. Whatever was bothering me before can wait. I pull some shiny black shoes on, slip a pair of white gloves over my hands, and carefully step back downstairs. It's important that I make as little noise as possible when I'm home. I wouldn't want to disturb anybody.

"Hey, big bro," Max calls from the couch, "Your home."

"Yes, Max," I answer, taking my usual position next to the couch.

This is where I stand when I'm in the living room anymore. It's just where I feel most comfortable, and it's right next to a little cart of useful supplies. I grab a towel and sling it over my shoulder. It's always a good idea to have one on me when I'm at home. Never know when I'm going to need it.

"My shoes could use a polish while we chat," Max adds, flipping through the channels.

"You got it, Max."

See, the towel does come in handy. I quickly fetch a container of shoe polish on my little cart and kneel by his feet. I've been polishing Max's shoes for a few weeks now, so I've gotten pretty good at it. He doesn't really appreciate the art of it, but I guess it's just something that I'm into.

"How's football? You the best player yet?" Max asks nonchalantly from above.

"No, Max. I've gotten a lot bigger lately, but the quarterback is still a lot more muscular and skilled."

He rolls his eyes and adds, "Give it time I guess. You're going to keep at it until your a professional player like the ones on TV."

I stop buffing his sneaker for a second and glance up at him. His attention is now completely fixated on an NFL videogame.

"Max, that's just it," I admit, "Lately I've been working out and bulking up like I'm some pro-athlete, but I'm not. I don't think I even want to be! That life just seems so grueling."

Max pauses his game and looks down at me solemnly.

I avert my gaze and add, "It's just weird that lately I've put so much work into something I don't want."

"You think that's weird?" he dryly raises an eyebrow.

I just shake my head and turn my attention back to my brother's sneaker. It's going to need a lot more polish before it shines.

The door opens and our father arrives home.

"Hey, boy," he dismissively calls when he sees me on the floor. Then he notices my brother lounging on the couch.

"Max," he says with a bit more emphasis, dipping his head a little.

"Dad, I'm really hungry right now, so could you get a move on with dinner?" Max answers.

"Of course, Max."

Our father immediately drops his keys and briefcase and shuffles into the kitchen. I've always admired him. He played football in college too, so we've always bonded over sports.

But lately, he only seems interested in his work. I rarely see him because he always stays late and picks up night shifts at the office. It's done wonders for his career, so I guess that's good. He's been given a few raises recently for all the extra effort he's put in, but I can tell it's taking a bit of a toll on the guy.

"Big bro, just look at Dad," Max explains to me, "He doesn't complain about anything being weird, does he? He just keeps his mouth shut and goes to work. Be more like him."

I don't speak as I switch to shining his other sneaker. Max is probably right. If Dad can power through long hours in the office to bring home a decent salary, then I can surely shut up and dedicate myself to a career in football.

It doesn't take long for our father to return to the living room.

"The food is almost ready, but here are some drinks while you wait, Max," he says.

Our dad seems minorly annoyed by the starched clothing he has on, but that suit is his typical home outfit. It looks even more stiff and uncomfortable than my get up, but I guess he's willing to put up with it.

Max stands before I can finish at his feet and grabs a glass from our father.

"Whoops, here you can finish them," he says after a swig of wine, kicking the shoes off in my direction, "And then take care of the laundry in my room."

"Sure thing, Max," I answer, but he's already turned his attention to dad.

"Is your wallet in your briefcase?" he asks, "I'm taking a few friends out tonight."

"It is, Max, and the car keys are next to it. The car is low on gas. Should I take it to a station before you go out?"

"Yeah," Max adds between sips, "Take care of that while I eat."

"Of course, Max."

"Oh, and Dad."

"Yes, Max?"

"Start making double portions for big bro's meals. He needs to bulk up faster if he's going to usurp the current quarterback."

I pretend not to hear, and finish up my work with Max's shoes. Maybe my new focus on football hasn't been that strange after all. It's not really the life I thought I'd be pursuing, but it's kind of nice being bigger and more athletic than I used to be. It's not really weird if I think about it. Maybe I can even get a few more reps in after I finish Max's laundry.

I hope he has a good time out with his friends tonight. It's weird, but I don't really know what else I'd spend my time doing.

[pink-princess-pussy-pop]

FEARLESS - You Belong With Me

Rafe Cameron x Reader Taylor Swift AU

Warnings: Not with the OBX plot, Sofia sucks, Rafe low-key sucks, language, not proofed

You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset. She's going off about something that you said, 'cause she doesn't get your humor like I do.

You were sitting in your room, pushing yourself in circles on your desk chair while Rafe was on the phone with Sofia, sitting on your bed. They've been going back and forth about a comment he'd made about Homecoming.

I'm in my room, it's a typical Tuesday night. I'm listening to the kind of music she doesn't like and she'll never know your story like I do.

You had been working on your APLit homework, and had light music in the background, something that Sofia had commented on when Rafe called her.

"Jesus, what the fuck are you listening to?"

"Uh, sorry, hey could you turn it down?" His hand was muffling the microphone. "Thanks."

Now, you could hear her yelling on the other line that he didn't take her out yesterday like she'd told him to.

"Babe, I told you, I had a meeting with my dad's company. I couldn't take you anywhere."

Sofia wasn't hearing any of it.

"Rafe, you are my fucking boyfriend. You aren't treating me right. You're probably hanging out with Y/N, right? How many times have I told you to stop talking to her?"

Rafe immediately got up and went to a different room.

You watched as he left, heart sinking to the depths of your stomach.

'Cause she wears short skirts, I wear T-shirts. She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers, dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find that what you're looking for has been here the whole time.

You blocked out Rafe's muffled conversation, thinking about the differences between you and Sofia. She and Rafe were the perfect high school movie plot-line. The quarterback and the leader of the cheer squad. You were always at his games, just cheering on from the bleachers. Your viewpoint allowed you to see all the flirting Sofia was doing with all the other players with access to Daddy's Money. It annoyed you to no end that Rafe couldn't see her gold-digging tendencies.

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along, so why can't you see? You belong with me, you belong with me.

You couldn't see how Rafe was blind to the fact that you were the one for him. You had always been there for him.

Walk in the streets with you and your worn-out jeans. I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be. Laughing on a park bench thinking to myself, "hey isn't this easy?"

You thought about the nights you and Rafe would hang out before he started dating Sofia. He was just so easy to hang out with. You weren’t thinking about acting a certain way or watching what you were saying.

And you've got a smile that could light up this whole town, I haven't seen it in a while since she brought you down.

You remembered a joke you had told him that made him laugh the hardest you ever seen from him. His laugh, and smile, were contagious. The way his white teeth lit up everything and the sparkle in his blue eyes when they crinkled.

Now looking back on that day, you hadn’t seen Rafe smile like that since.

You say you're fine I know you better than that. Hey, what you doing with a girl like that?

You wanted to ask him about it, but his relationship was a touchy subject. You didn’t want Sofia, or God forbid Rafe, to get suspicious of your feelings toward him.

'Cause she wears high-heels, I wear sneakers. She's cheer captain and I'm on the bleachers, dreaming 'bout the day when you wake up and find that what you're looking for has been here the whole time.

In order to pass the time, you pull up Sofia’s Instagram, scrolling through the mass of photos she’s posted. She is gorgeous. Of course she is… you zoom in on a particular photo of her and Rafe on the football field at half-time of a recent game. He looks at her like she’s his whole world and she’s smirking at the camera. Almost like she’s taunting you.

If you could see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along, so why can't you see? You belong with me.

Further in the background of the photo, you can be seen, holding Rafe’s helmet, smiling at him like a goofy love-sick child.

Standing by and waiting at your back door. All this time, how could you not know, baby? You belong with me, you belong with me.

You shut your phone off and get up from the chair, opting for the comfort of your bed. The front door of your house opens and closes. As you open your blinds to peer through, you get a text from Rafe.

Had to go, sorry. See you at school.

You could hear his truck start, the headlights lighting up your room. You like the message and then curl up to the head of your bed.

Oh, I remember you drivin' to my house in the middle of the night. I'm the one who makes you laugh when you know you're 'bout to cry.

He always chooses her. Every time. You think back to all those times when Rafe would call you crying after a fight with his father. You'd always welcome him with open arms. comforting him as he sobbed into your shoulder. Consoling him with kind words after he would berate himself about not being good enough. The way Ward made him feel broke your heart.

I know you're favorite songs, and you tell me 'bout your dreams. Think I know where you belong, think I know it's with me.

Staring at the ceiling of your room, you begin to feel anger. You knew other people in the Outerbanks thought it was odd that Rafe was with Sofia and not you. Topper had even talked to you about how he and Kelce were always "Team Y/N" and not "Team Sofia".

"You know everything about him and she is only with him for the sex. It's so weird."

You rolled your eyes at Topper.

You and the guys, Rafe, Top, and Kelce, were at the country club. Rafe had just stepped outside to answer yet another one of Sofia's angry phone calls.

"To be honest, she's such a bitch."

"Kelce!" You look behind you, double-checking that no one of importance is behind you. "You shouldn't say that."

Kelce merely shrugs.

Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you? Been here all along, so why can't you see? You belong with me.

You opened your own instagram, scrolling through the numerous photos you had posted with Rafe. It was a mirroring of his with Sofia. You were looking at him with all of the love in the world meanwhile he was just smiling for the camera.

Standing by and waiting at your back door. All this time, how could you not know, baby?

Had you not made it obvious enough? Cancelling plans at a text from him saying "Can I come over?". You were so in love with him it was laughable.

You belong with me, you belong with me.

Opening your texts with Rafe again you began to type a message.

I love you

You belong with me.

Your shaking fingers hover over the send button.

Have you ever just thought, maybe, "You belong with me"?

Just then, a text comes in from a new number.

you need to stop talking to rafe or ill make you wish you were dead.

Your heart stopped.

Sofia.

You belong with me.

You deleted your message to Rafe, shut off your phone, and curled into a fetal position.

All you wanted was him.

All you wanted was for him to love you back.

Hi. Lol.

[seelestia]

If you really want to write something for me (crab 🦀) then how about some Kaveh fluff because he is way to relatable right now, especially in my current situation (doesn’t have to be though, I didn’t expect you to want to write something for me so get a bit creative with it lol) 🦀 🦀 🦀

— 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 & 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐜𝐲.

SUMMARY. when you offer a friend a suggestion on how to increase his efficiency, you don't expect your intimacy for him would also increase alongside it. (he doesn't expect it too.) (1.5k+ words)

CHARACTERS. kaveh + GN!reader.

GENRE. fluff, angst with comfort, friends to ??? (when ur friend starts looking a lil too good for some reason...).

CW. references to kaveh's backstory, implications of crying and stress (kaveh our beloved <//3), reader wears reading glasses (cool stuff) and rambles abt naps.

THOUGHTS. ik all kaveh simps and kinnies want to give him a hug, so here you go! i cherish him vv much. to 🦀 anon, let's just treat this as like your commissioning me in a way (i hope this ficlet is alright?? i'm rusty hhhhh) ♡

✰ masterlist.

"Ughhhhhh."

So, the rumors amongst the people of the Akademiya are true, after all; that there can never be a silence that lasts too long when a certain man with blond hair is present.

"Gahhhhhh."

For someone who is still at the prime of his life, KAVEH sure looks like he has already aged a hundred years in the span of a single night. But according to the people at the Akademiya, this occurrence is nothing out of the ordinary and as someone who has known him for years, you can absolutely concur with them.

With a hand on his temple and a heavy sigh that weighs a thousand troubles, there is no other way for the blond male to express his frustration besides verbal means — and to that, too, you are a witness sitting across from him on the table.

Guess that's just the price you have to pay for agreeing to help him when he begged you yesterday. According to him, your "job description" is just to stop him from dozing off because a deadline from a client of his is nearing way too quickly for his liking.

Thus, here you are — watching him do his work while you do your own work on a table at his place (or more precisely, his room in Alhaitham's place but you don't want Kaveh to fly into a fit of rage).

"My head hurts," Kaveh groans.

"Because you've stared at that blueprint for hours now," you answer.

"My back hurts too," he complains again.

"Because you haven't changed your position ever since we started sitting," you retort again.

If anyone were to ask for some sort of proof about the frequency of Kaveh's grumbles, the fact that you could respond so naturally and quickly while barely taking your gaze off the documents spread out in front of you, as if you've done this so many times before (which you have), would have sufficed.

"[Y/N]," Kaveh calls your name in a dramatic whine, "You're supposed to sympathize with me...!" But you don't find the need to look up from your paper when you can almost feel the pout forming on his lips already.

It isn't as if you don't want to empathize with him, but that sight of his pout happens to be quite adorable — does it count as being mean if you want him to keep it on for a bit longer? Ha, what a strange feeling.

"Then, why don't you take a nap?" you give him a suggestion as you look up to spare your colleague a glance, "I'll wake you up in about 20 minutes or so."

That look of hesitance on Kaveh's face makes you raise an eyebrow. "Sounds tempting, but are you sure doing that wouldn't waste more time instead of saving it?" the man tilts his head questioningly with a frown as if he is unsure of the right answer himself.

"Idiot," you blurt out.

Thank goodness the circumference of the table isn't wide enough to interrupt your movements as you put down your reading glasses and reach out to pull on Kaveh's cheek gently. He, as the one on the receiving end, doesn't think the gesture is as gentle as it looks though.

"Hey! Ouch, ouch—" Kaveh cries out a little yelp that is a perfect representation of his surprise. "Let me ask you this," you release his cheek from your grasp and he expresses gratitude to the Dendro Archon like never before while you continue, "Why do you think you've been staring at that blueprint without being able to function properly?"

"Uh, umm," he stammers, "...Because I feel tired, maybe?" Again, he sounds unsure of himself but that is most likely because you've shaken off half of his brain cells by pinching his cheek just now. Fortunately, judging by that satisfied expression on your face, he seems to have gotten it right.

"Good," you nod approvingly, "Naps have been proven to provide relaxation, reduce fatigue, and increase alertness. The most optimal time for adults is between 10 to 20 minutes."

Kaveh listens to you intently, but that dumbfounded look he has on almost says otherwise. Noticing this, you decide to feign an aura of seriousness as you add, "I was being generous when I offered to wake you up after 20 minutes, by the way. I could've set it to 10 minutes instead."

"You're ruthless," he gapes.

"So, are you going to take a nap or not?" you stifle a giggle.

"Seems like that's the best option I have right now," your dear friend can only shrug his shoulders defeatedly. In order to prepare for his nap, Kaveh sets aside the blueprint he has previously spent hours working on and neatly folds his arms on top of the table.

"Sleeping on a desk isn't very comfy but it'll do," he heaves out an exhausted sigh. Not even one second into placing his head atop his folded arms, he is already missing the softness of his bed back at home — but he can't really complain, so he closes his eyes in silence despite the slight discomfort.

You observe, picking up the disgruntled noises Kaveh makes as he shifts around to find the right position to lay his head. This quiet moment where your banters with him finally die down is when you can truly see the burdens weighing upon his shoulders and your gaze can't help but soften.

Despite how empathetic he appears or how his dramatic antics always elicit a laugh out of others, you know Kaveh really has been through a lot — and you wonder if you didn't suggest he take a nap, would he have neglected his health to do more in a state of low efficiency? Does he often allow himself some time to rest like this?

"You're really tired, aren't you?" your voice lowers into a soft murmur.

"...Yeah," his answer comes out quieter than your question.

"Deadlines are killing me. I know it's meant to help me be organized and all," you see how he opens his eyes to glance at the blueprint mere inches away from his face, "But right now, it's putting more pressure on me than anything."

Kaveh exhales another drained sigh, "And I still have my debts to worry about too. God, when will this all end..." His voice eventually trails off into an evident crack like he is about to choke, "So many things at once, I feel like it's all crashing on me..."

Your heart clenches. He's about to cry, you note.

"Hey," you speak tenderly. "Don't frown so hard, it'll make your head hurt more," you extend your hand to rub soothingly at the deepening frown on his forehead with your thumb. "Oh, s-sorry," his lips try their best not to tremble when he lets that apology slip, but you're not here to scold him.

"Even if it all comes crashing down on you, you'll be able to push them all off eventually, right? One at a time," you say as you rub a few more circles on his forehead to soothe his headache. You're not certain on how he'd receive your words, so you purse your lips with a tinge of reluctance, "Even now, you're still working on it, aren't you? Don't beat yourself up for not reaching your goal when you're still in the process. That's not fair to yourself."

There is a moment of silence before you hear a series of sniffles. "Curses..." he mumbles with a pathetic chuckle, "Look at me, putting this all on you when I'm supposed to be taking a nap." Just as you're about to shake your head in denial, Kaveh's eyes flicker to meet yours — and you're momentarily stunned by how they look.

Mesmerizing irises in the color of red stare back at you; they're glassy as if a single touch would make them ripple and a dam of tears will burst from it, yet filled with unspoken gratefulness.

"And... thanks for saying that," he smiles, "It's been a while since people actually took my problems seriously, s-so um, shoot—" Darn it, his tongue just has to mess up at the worst timing! Kaveh picks himself back up with a small cough, "Uh, anyway, what I was about to say is that it means a lot to me... So, thank you."

He peers at you worriedly after finishing his words, concerned that you'll laugh at him instead. But rather than a laugh, he is met with the softest smile and Kaveh swears— he swears that his heart has never thumped this hard before. Never ever.

"I'm glad," you say and suddenly, he feels oddly exposed underneath your gaze. He has always been more used to your sterner yet caring side; so, this gentleness of yours is sending inexplicable warmth rushing through his veins.

Oh no.

How is he supposed to sleep now?

Then, comes the sensation of something in his hair and Kaveh winces before registering the fact that it's actually your fingers that are combing through his hair. The shock easily fades into relaxation and he lets out a sigh of contentment, "That feels nice."

"Should I stop?" you ask.

"N-no," his hand grabs onto your wrist almost desperately as if keeping it in place. "Keep going... please," Kaveh utters the last word so meekly you almost mistake it for a whisper.

You smile to yourself.

"Sleep well, Kav."

Perhaps, you uttered those words with more love and newfound affection for him than you realize.

And maybe he, too, realizes the same.

─ ⊹ ⊱ ・・・・・・☆・・・・・・・⊰ ⊹ ─

✰ TAGLIST: @meimeimeirin @hcikazu @tsuk4sa-yug1 @catcze @semi-orangeapple @yuuki4646 @d-a-r-k-s-w-a-n @daisydkj @omgscaramouche @coquettemaiden @lemontum @herdrops @lleoll @xiaosonlybeloved @chiisananingen @irethepotato @ainescribe @blooodyvampy @starlightaura @jihyuniepark @duhsies @maybemiko @lordbugs @sakkaku-squared @lupicalbestwolf — [ bolded names are unable to be tagged because of url changes or visibility settings + register here to be a part of my taglist! ]

© SEELESTIA, may 2023. do not repost, plagiarize, translate nor claim as your own.

[ahgasegotarmy116]

Seven Days to Fall Again | Thursday | Jeon Jungkook

Inspired by the MV "Seven" by Jung Kook ft. Latto (obvi lol) Summary: Flowers for my love. Jungkook is trying absolutely everything he can to get you back. No matter how ridiculous it might seem. Pairing: Reader x Jungkook (almost exes to lovers lol) Word Count: 3.2k (longer one this time lol) a/n: So I haven't posted anything for this series in almost a month so I'm really really sorry for that. I have so many other series going at this point that it's taken me a second to come back around and write for this one again. This one is a little bit longer to hopefully make up for it. Let me know what you think! p.s. Pretty much wrote all of this is one night so I hope it's not complete crap but I thought it was cute hehe Start from the beginning

Jungkook's visit yesterday threw me for a loop to say the least. 

I've tried to do everything in my power to make sure it doesn't get to me but no matter how many pep talks I give myself or how many times I've tried to scold myself instead, nothing works. 

I miss him, and I hate myself because of that. 

I've been able to go through my morning and most of my afternoon with radio silence from him which has been incredible for my stress levels but I can't help but feel his absence more and more as time goes by.

He was hardly ever around for the last few months of our relationship so I don't know why his presence; which I had specifically chose not to have around now almost feels more painful. 

"Maybe I just need a walk" I say out loud "Yeah a walk and some fresh air should clear everything up" I continue, trying to lie to myself in thinking that some sunshine might actually fix this. 

Walking out of my apartment and heading straight to the subway I make a decision to go to a little cafe that I used to go to with my classmates. It's been a while since I've been there and their strawberry crepes were to die for from what I remember so I think it's time I treated myself to something nice.

~~~~~~~

Leaving the station I notice a big crowd starting to  gather around and I get a glimpse of what they're all staring at, seeing that it's some guy getting picked up off the ground and rolled out on a gurney. 

Taking a closer look, believing that I somehow know them, I feel the need to make sure they're okay but I'm stopped by the police tape they've put up. 

Once the guy's head turns towards me my eyes widen in horror seeing that it's Jungkook. "Wait! Wait! Jungkook! Wait that's my boyfriend!" I say and duck under the yellow tape not bothering to worry about the repercussions. 

When he hears my voice and opens his eyes and I see them quickly change from seeming like he had been on the edge of life and death into his big doe ones, sending me a bright smile, showing zero sighs of distress anymore and leaves me stopping in my tracks.

"CUT" I hear someone shout in the distance. "Who is this girl and why is she on my set?" the same voice say as they gradually get closer. 

"No one" I say, crossing my arms over my chest and see Jungkook give me an awkward smile in response. I scoff and don't bother listening to no doubt the director trying to speak to me and from the small bits I catch onto it sounds almost as if he wanted me to complete the scene. 

"Not interested" I mumble and walk off, ignoring their efforts to keep me there. "Baby wait!" I hear Jungkook say as he struggles to get the belt they had fastened off of him. 

I don't even bother responding and continue to make my way down the street to the cafe, praying that he won't follow me but it seems as though the universe is laughing at me because despite the growing crowd around us he still is able to keep his eyes on me. 

"Y/n wait! Please!" he yells, making sure that there's no way possible that I couldn't hear him but I choose to ignore him nonetheless. "Please Noona wait!" he continues, using a word that he knows will get a reaction out of me and my steps stutter for a second but I regain my balance seamlessly and pick up the pace seconds after. 

"Excuse me, sorry. Excuse me, thank you" I hear him say, continuing to use that loud voice letting me know that he's still on my tail but as soon as I get to a crosswalk I start to walk a bit faster, hoping to cut him off and lose him when he hopefully gets stuck waiting for the next light and luckily this time it works. 

I take a quick glance behind me to check and see him standing there catching my gaze and turning to a flower vender beside him and buying a bouquet of sunflowers, my favorite flowers during this time of year and I know he didn't just get them randomly because no matter how much I think he doesn't pay attention or care about our relationship I know he makes sure he knows the little things about me.

And that's one of the things that makes me want to take him back. 

"Y/n wait! Please" he yells and I turn around just in time to see him decide to take a risk and cross the street without waiting for the light and seconds later I hear the sound of tires screeching on the pavement and see Jungkook duck out of view. 

"Jungkook" I whisper, stopping dead in my tracks, my body totally frozen at the thought that he might've gotten hit. 

Moments later though I see the sunflowers resurface above the crowd and his head soon after that and I watch the exchange between him and the driver and then soon see him turning back to me and abandoning the conversation to start running after me again. 

"Wait!" he says and I turn on my heel to keep going, hating the fact that I've already lost the distance I had gained between us. 

I duck into a random shop in hopes that he'll somehow lose sight of me and walk right past it, losing me and hopefully letting me resume my intended relaxing day to myself. I'll just stop by the bakery instead and make my way home so I can head in the opposite way of what he probably had expected me to be going in. 

As I hear the shopkeeper welcome me I quickly return their greeting and hide behind one of their shelves, picking up a random book and holding it up to my face. Making sure it's open and covering me just enough for him not to notice, but also giving me enough visual to see him pass by and continue his search in the opposite way, just as I had planned. 

I watch as he walks past the store, frantically turning his head in all directions to see if he could finally catch sight of me again and to my delight he continues on the path he had seen me on a few minutes before. 

I let out a deep breath at the sight and put the book down, finally gaining some of that peace of mind. 

"Were you looking for anything specific dear?" the older shopkeeper asks. "No not really, I was just trying to lose my tail" I say pointing towards the window. "My ex boyfriend has been trying to get me back and he won't stop trying to talk to me so we can 'Talk things out' or whatever" I say, letting out a huge sigh, happy to get a chance to talk to someone at least a little bit. 

"Well have you given him a chance to say his piece yet?" she questions, leaving me shocked, expecting her to side with me. "Well...no, but we've gone through these sorts of problems before and I just don't want him to say something that will convince me to give him another chance again" I say, walking towards her and leaning on a shelf nearby. 

She takes a second to think before responding and says something that I was hoping she wouldn't. "You need to give him a chance to at least say something. Everyone deserves closure don't you think?" she says with a soft smile, hoping to get through to me. "Unless he's violent or something of that sort. Then he can go fuck himself" she says with a grin, already knowing that's not the case. 

I open and close my mouth a bit, not really knowing how to respond and she laughs at my reaction, loving how much she's caught me off guard. "He was the young man that just passed by with those sunflowers wasn't he?" she says with a knowing smile. "How did you-" I start out but she cuts me off with another laugh. 

"That boy had the most adorable panicked look, searching here and there as if he had lost his owner. He's quite handsome if you ask me" she say winking at me and making me blush a bit at her straightforward nature. "Give him a chance love. And if you let him go, then you let him go. Trust me, you don't want to deal with the what ifs if he stops trying" she says giving me a soft smile. 

I know she's right and I know I should at least hear him out but at this point I think it's something I've gotta work my way up to. His all or nothing attitude right now is just too much for me. 

"You're right. I'll take some time and when I'm ready I'll sit down with him to talk it all out. Thank you. Oh I'm sorry I should probably get out of your hair. Uh" I stammer at the end, feeling guilty for taking up so much of her time. 

"Um here, can I buy this?" I ask, placing a little bear with a lavender flower embroidered on it's collar on the counter, grabbing the first thing I laid eyes on. It can't be more than four inches tall with it's cute round belly and a little sun hat on it with the ears sticking through it. 

"Keep it" she say, not even bothering to offer room for discussion as she walks away from the counter. "It's full of lavender petals so keep it close and the smell will help calm you down whenever you need it. You might even want to hold it close when you're talking to that boyfriend of yours" she says with a wink and walks to the back of the store, disappearing behind a shelf, leaving me alone with my thoughts. 

I pull out my wallet and put a five dollar bill in the tip jar and take a second glance at the bear and hold it up close to my face, breathing in it's sweet and slightly musky fragrance. I smile down at it's cute little face and put it in my purse. 'I've never been in this bookstore before' I think to myself, now finally taking a second to check out the rest of the interior beyond the immediate storefront. 

I make it a note to come back here one day and return her kindness by bringing something for her to repay her not only for the bear but also for her hospitality and advice.

I take one last glance around and turn to make my way out. 

"You certainly took your time in there" I hear a familiar voice say beside me, leaving me holding my breath for a second at the scare. "Jungkook" I say placing my hand over my chest before using that same hand seconds later to wack his arm making him drop the flowers he had started to hold out for me to take. 

"Hey! What was that for?" he whines, rubbing his arm for a few seconds and picking them back up. "That's for not only scaring me just now, but also scarring me earlier today with that stupid ambulance nonsense" I say throwing my arm out towards what I now know as being a stupid movie set and when I turn back to face him all I can see is a big grin on his face. 

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" I question crossing my arms over my chest. "You know you called me your boyfriend back there right?" he says, his smile growing even wider. I scoff at the memory and don't even dignify his words with a response, turning and making my way back to the bakery just as I had intended as my plan B.

"Wait Noona please" he says and places a light grip on my arm. "What?" I spit out, turning to face him again, a look of displeasure on my face which somehow makes him smile even wider. "Can I at least walk you home?" he asks, poised in anticipation. 

Now that the shop keeper had equated him to a dog I can't help but notice how much he's been giving off golden retriever energy these past few days. Excited and begging for my attention no matter what I say.

"I'm not going home" I say pulling my arm out of his grasp but he grabs onto my hand this time instead, making me stop again, knowing that as much as I want to, I'm probably not going to get my way this time. "Can I walk you to wherever you're going then?" he questions, now completing the look with his puppy dog eyes that pull on my heartstrings every time.

"Fine" I say and he happily catches up to me after deciding to hand the flowers off to some guy and his girlfriend, knowing for a fact that I won't take them. For a second I don't even realize that he had decided to hold my hand again until he sways them back and forth a bit making me rip mine out of his grasp and opting to cross my arms over my chest instead, leaving it hard for him to try to grab onto me again. 

~~~~~~

Walking up to the bakery a few minutes later I stop and face him for a second hoping to shoo him away. "Okay, you can leave now" I say and take a few steps but I still feel his presence close behind me. "Why are you following me?" I ask turning around again, not amused at the fact that he's not listening to me. 

"Who said I was following you? I wanted to get something from here too! You know I like the chocolate donuts here, remember?" he says giving me a soft smile. "Fine" I mumble and reach for the door handle but before I can his hand reaches for it and opens it for me. I spare him a glare and he sends me a sweet bunny smile in return making me roll my eyes in response. 

I walk in and when he tries to do the same he notices a group of older woman making their way out and he waits to hold it open for them as well and I can't help but roll my eyes again, watching him continue to play the sweet loving gentlemen. They smile and thank him a few times in return which he responds with a smile and once they're finally out he heads inside intending to stand next to me in line but is cut off by a few people between us leaving me smiling in victory but it doesn't last long. 

"Excuse me sorry do you mind? I'm with her" he says pointing towards me leaving me widening my gaze and turning around but not fast enough for the others to notice if he's lying or not. "Yeah, sure" one of the guys says and they step aside and let him walk up to me but in the process of squeezing through he stumbles and falls into me a little bit, leaving him latching onto me, pressing me up against the wall I had been leaning against. 

"S-sorry Noona" he apologizes, ears turning red clearly embarrassed at our current position. "It's fine" I grumble and push him off of me, creating some much needed space and walking up to the counter where they're waiting for the next customer. 

"Hi can I get a raspberry donut and a ham and cheese croissant? Thanks" I say and the worker looks over at Jungkook as he is standing next to me and waits for his order. "Oh we're not, we're not together" I say tripping over my words, this being the first time I've said that in front of someone while he's standing right next to me. 

The worker looks between us and draws what I can assume is a line under my order that she's written down and then asks for Jungkook's which he orders just what he had said before, a chocolate donut. 

"Thank you" he says warmly and the worker looks between the two of us, not believing my words from before but smiles almost amused by our situation and tells us our orders will be right out before handing the paper over to the cashier where she gives me my total. 

Before I'm even able to reach for my card though I see Jungkook place his phone on the card reader to pay. 

"Hey!" I say in protest while Jungkook tells her to ring him up again for his donut as well. I decide it's useless arguing with him in public and walk off to the side to wait for our food. "I can pay for my own food" I grumble as he walks up to me. "I know, but I wanted to" he says simply and we wait in silence until they hand us our bags. 

"So where are you going now?" he asks, holding the door open for me again and jogging after me, having to hold the door for the next person again. "Home" I say and make my way to the subway entrance. "Can I walk you home?" he asks, already knowing the answer but trying anyway. 

"No Jungkook. You can't. You asked if you could walk me to wherever I was going next but that isn't an invitation to follow me around for the rest of the day. Just leave me alone." I say, the last part not as confident as the rest. "I just want to make sure you get back safely" he offers and at that my blood starts boiling. 

"I'm more that capable of taking care of myself! I don't need you to babysit me because last time I checked I was the one that was older than you" spit out at him, pressing a finger on his chest. Getting more and more irritated with every breath and watch as his eyes get wide, surprised by my sudden hostile nature. 

"I'm s-sorry I didn't think tha-" "And that's exactly what your problem is. You don't think about what I want or even what I don't want. Now will you please leave me alone? I don't want to deal with this today and I don't want you to follow me" I say, punctuating my words so it'll get through his thick skull. 

He opens his mouth to respond but I cut him off again before he makes me even more upset. "Don't" I say and walk away, throwing my food away in the nearest trashcan and descend down the step into the subway station, hoping and praying he doesn't follow me. 

This time around though the universe smiles down at me, granting my wishes but leaves behind a broken and beaten down Jungkook, truly trying to figure out how everything went so wrong. 

Wednesday / Friday Series Masterlist

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Friday Night Grind

Eddie and Y/N have a weekly ritual. Every Friday, they eat, drink, smoke, and watch TV. What happens when their ritual adds another aspect?

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Smut, grinding, fingering, p in v sex, protected sex, oral (f receiving) marijuana usage, swearing, pet names (princess, baby, sweetheart), dirty talk, aftercare, daddy kink, squirting. Let me know if I missed anything!

~~~~~~~~

October had blown in with a flurry of leaves, the anticipation of Halloween wrapping the town of Hawkins, Indiana in an air of excitement. The Hawkins High football team was hosting their yearly Fall Tailgate, attempting to rouse some hope of their impending victory against their rival team. The smell of hot apple cider enveloped students and staff alike, as cheers and ringing bells echoed around the guests playing games and winning prizes.

Manning her Home Economics booth, Y/N was responsible for dishing up freshly baked goods her class had work tirelessly to prepare for this tailgate.

"One cinnamon roll, please! And one for the pretty lady behind the booth." Eddie Munson stood on the other side of the table, left hand shoved into the pocket on his denim Dio vest, right extended with two crumpled up dollar bills. Y/N took his money with a smile, wrapping up a cinnamon roll in some parchment paper and passing it off to Eddie before taking one for herself.

"Thank you, Eddie. I haven't eaten very much today and these cinnamon rolls have been calling my name since they came out of the oven yesterday in class." With a shared smile, Y/N bit into her sweet confection and moaned at the flavor bursting over her tongue.

"May I steal you, or are you too busy to walk with me?" Eddie asked, tucking his own cinnamon roll into the pocket of his vest.

"Um, Elizabeth, could you take over please? I'll be back in ten minutes."

"Take your time, Y/N! The cinnamon rolls are the last of what we have, and with how busy we've been, we might close early. I can't wait, that apple cider has been beckoning since they started up!" Elizabeth quickly shooed Y/N out from behind the booth, Eddie holding out his arm for her to take as they strolled by booths overflowing with goodies, games, and friends.

"Well, that was easy. Are we still on for tonight?" Eddie mused, stealing a glance at the girl on his arm. Y/N took another bite of her cinnamon roll, returning Eddie's gaze.

"What, you don't want to cheer on this school's dumb football team to another dumb victory?" Y/N asked sarcastically, already knowing Eddie's answer.

"You know what? I really don't. It seems like you don't either." Eddie responded with a chuckle.

"No, I don't. I volunteered to run the booth for Home Ec, that's about it. So, I'd say yes, Eddie. We're still on for tonight. Anything in particular you want to do, or is it the same Friday night grind?" Yet another bite was shoved in her mouth as she and Eddie stopped to watch Mike's little sister, Holly, attempted the ring toss. Three rings later, everyone cheered as Holly was given a stuffed tiger as her prize. Eddie nodded to Nancy and patted Mike on the back as he and Y/N continued walking.

"I was thinking the same thing we usually do; weed, pizza, movie. What do you say to a horror movie marathon?" Y/N pondered the question as she chewed the last of her cinnamon roll, the smell of apple cider growing stronger as the pair approached the booth.

"Sounds like a plan, Munson. Anything I need to bring? Two, please." Y/N asked, ordering a cider for both her and Eddie. With a playful smack to her hand, Eddie silently told Y/N to put her money away as he pulled out two more crumpled bills from his pocket, paying for the cider.

"Since your booth would likely be closed by the time we get back, would you mind picking up some tapes?" Eddie asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sure! No worries, Eds. Just know that there will be no bitching or complaining about the movies I bring, got it?"

"Yes, ma'am." Eddie said with a mock salute and a smile. The pair sipped on the cider as they approached the haphazard hay bale maze the school had set up. They were only able to afford enough for a small maze, the walls only two bales high. With a knowing look, Eddie and Y/N entered, the way out easily seen by Eddie's tall stature. They were out in a record five minutes, escorting a few lost elementary school students along the way.

True to Elizabeth's word, the booth was closed by the time Eddie and Y/N had made their way back to it. Y/N had convinced Eddie to help tear down the table and sign, delicately balancing trays and the table as they walked towards the school to put everything away.

"Eddie, the least I can do is carry the trays. You're going to break something." Y/N offered once again, giggling to herself as Eddie shook her off.

"No. A lady should never carry anything when a gentleman is present. I will, however, allow you to open the door." Eddie argued, propping the table up against his leg for a break as Y/N opened the door.

"Wow, such responsibility you give me, Sir Munson."

"Don't get used to it, Princess. I'll be your chivalrous knight again soon."

~~~~~~~~

Eight o'clock rolled around quickly after Eddie dropped Y/N off at home after the tailgate. After a brief dinner with her family, she sped quickly to Family Video to rent some movies for her and Eddie to mock.

She grabbed as many horror movies as she could carry before plopping them on the counter in front of Steve and Robin.

"You and Eddie having another movie night, this week?" Robin asked as she began typing the titles of the movies under Y/N's account.

"Indeed, we are." Y/N replied, smiling at the questioning look Steve shot at her from over Robin's shoulder while he glanced at the throng of movies Y/N was renting.

"You're going to force Eddie to sit through 'Little Shop of Horrors'?" Steve asked.

"Yes, Steve. Do you have a problem with that?"

"He's going to hate it." Steve remarked with a shrug.

"That's the plan, Harrington." The smile on Y/N's face was bright and hopeful as Robin returned the sentiment, banging on the computer keyboard as she finished typing in the movies.

"$30 even. Have you ever, I don't know, thought about inviting Steve and me to these little get togethers you and Eddie have every week?" Robin asked, a slightly sour tone to her voice as she bagged up the movies.

"Oh. Well, Eddie and I have our traditions, of course. I'll ask him about it for next week, okay?" Y/N promised, zipping out of Family Video before her other friends could protest.

"They're never going to invite us. Eddie's been crushing on Y/N forever." Steve told Robin before turning his attention back to 'Fast Times' playing on the small TV on the counter.

"I know." Robin ceded.

The trip to Eddie's trailer was one Y/N knew like the back of her hand. She could almost drive there with her eyes closed, if it were possible.

Eddie was standing on the porch as Y/N pulled up, hurrying to open her car door and retrieve the bag of movies she had brought before escorting her inside the warmth of his trailer.

"Hey, what would you say to Steve and Robin joining us next week?" Y/N asked as she made herself comfortable on Eddie's couch, popping open a can of New Coke and taking a swig as Eddie fished through the stack of tapes.

"I'd say let me think about it. I like having these moments with you. Away from freshman and Gareth, ya know?" Eddie scoffed at the sight of "Little Shop of Horrors" before turning around and popping it into the VCR under the TV.

"I understand. Robin asked, so I figured I'd relay the question."

"She doesn't spend enough time with Harrington at work that she needs to drag him out here?" Eddie asked, making himself comfortable next to Y/N as the credits started rolling for the movie.

"I think she was asking because she's our friend and wants to be included. Your point could stand for us as well: we don't spend enough time together playing Dungeons & Dragons? We needed to start a movie night?"

"I can't believe you like that shit." Eddie said, gesturing to the can of Coke perched dangerously on the arm of the sofa. "Old Coke tastes so much better and you know it."

"I agree, but you can't find anything else in the stores anymore. New Coke is all the rage, Eds. Lucas likes it." Y/N countered, hoping the fact that Lucas liking the new formula would help prove her point.

"Sinclair likes shooting balls into laundry baskets, Y/N. He's not exactly a trustworthy source." Rick Moranis' voice flowed around them as he sang about the dreary atmosphere of living on Skid Row, the argument lost to the tone of melancholy in his voice.

"I wonder if this is where Skid Row got their name." Y/N thought out loud, almost spitting Coke out of her nose at the horrified look on Eddie's face.

"The town, I would imagine, not this cheesy ass song."

~~~~~~~~~~

Hours later, almost every movie Y/N had brought over had been watched, the pair rounding off their night with "Ghostbusters" and a few joints.

"Seriously, Y/N how many times have you watched this movie? You know everything Bill Murray is going to say before he says it!" Eddie whined, puffing on the roach of his joint before putting it out in the ashtray on the coffee table.

"What can I say, Munson, I know a good movie when I see one." Y/N coughed on her roach, the smoke burning her throat as she inhaled before passing it off to Eddie to finish. He took the joint with a chuckled as he finished the joint with one final hint, once again reaching for the ashtray in front of him.

As Peter Venkman ran away from the slime ghost chasing him through the hallway of a hotel, Eddie's attention was only on Y/N, memorizing her face as if he'd never see her again. Her face lit up as she laughed at Ray's reaction to Venkman getting slimed, the creases in her eyes prominent. The dimple on her cheek sunk deep into her face, and Eddie couldn't resist poking it.

Y/N shot Eddie a look, which caused him to lean back in surrender. Once more he snuck a look at Y/N, trailing his hand across her shoulders and down her arm, smirking at the goosebumps that popped up on her skin. A suddenly evil idea popped into Eddie's head as he jabbed a finger into Y/N's ribs, a squeal leaving her as she jumped in surprise. In a flash, Eddie had pinned Y/N to the couch, tickling her with no mercy as she screamed for him to stop.

"How can I stop when your laugh is so pretty?" Eddie asked, puppy dog eyes staring deeply into hers. While he was distracted by her beauty, Y/N took advantage and pushed Eddie up, straddling his lap and tickling his sides in return. Eddie released a high-pitched squeal of his own as Y/N poked him in a particularly ticklish spot, the girl on his lap laughing hard at the noise.

"What was that? Is the big, bad, Eddie Munson ticklish?" Y/N teased, pushing her fingers into the same spot, once more emitting a girlish scream from Eddie. She continued her assault for another minute, laughing along with Eddie at his reactions before her hands were abruptly ripped away and locked against Eddie's chest.

"Yes, the big, bad, Eddie is ticklish. That was a low blow, Princess." Eddie argued, still holding Y/N's hands in his against his chest.

"You started it!" Y/N countered, eyes hazy with the weed coursing through her veins.

"Yeah, well I'm finishing it." Eddie finalized, taking a better look at the girl perched in his lap. His brown eyes traced her features, and Y/N started to feel self-conscious under Eddie's scrutinizing gaze. A beat passed of them just staring at each other, before Eddie once again took advantage of Y/N and started tickling her again, ignoring her pleas to stop.

The position Y/N was sitting in made it hard for Eddie to keep his cool as she squirmed in his lap, his fingers continuing to jab into her ribs to keep the peals of laughter coming from her chest. One particular poke made Y/N jump, the sudden feeling of Eddie's erection digging into her clothed core. The pair paused, both breathless due to how much they were laughing just a few seconds earlier.

"Eddie.... Is that a lighter in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" Y/N ground down onto his dick once more, watching as Eddie threw his head back under her.

"I'm just happy to see you, Princess. Fuck if you keep doing that, I'll pin you to this couch and make you squeal for a different reason." Eddie moaned again as Y/N continued to grind on him, his erection growing harder under her.

"Is that a threat, or a promise?" Y/N asked as she ground once more, having full control of the situation since her hands were still being pressed to Eddie's chest.

"If you wanted to fuck, all you had to do was ask, Princess." Eddie groaned, inching his face closer to Y/N's as her hips continued to rock against his. She whimpered as Eddie purposely thrusted to give her more friction, throwing caution to the wind as he leaned up and planted a heated kiss to her mouth. Y/N wrenched her hands out of Eddie's grasp and placed them on his cheeks. pulling him ever closer.

Eddie slid his tongue past Y/N's teeth, groaning in the back of his throat as she allowed his tongue to battle with hers. She took it one step further by biting his bottom lip and sucking it into her mouth. Eddie's eyes rolled in the back of his head, the combination of her sucking on his lip and grinding onto his dick almost overwhelming him. He took the situation into his own hands as he cupped her ass, lifting her into his arms and carrying her to his room, his lips never leaving hers in the process. He threw Y/N onto the bed, chasing her lips with his once more as he kissed her ferociously. His lips left hers as he trailed across her jawline and down her neck, smirking as she squealed once he reached her sweet spot. He sucked a hickey onto her neck, his tongue soothing the pain he had left as he descended further.

Eddie's hands snuck up under her shirt, breaking away from her only to rip it and her bra off before attacking one of her nipples with his mouth, rolling the other between two of his fingers. Her hands wrapped themselves in Eddie's wild curls, arching her back to get Eddie closer to her body. His tongue lashed wildly against her pebbled peak, groaning against it as Y/N tugged at his hair. Eddie released her nipple with a pop before moving to the other, pinching once again and smirking at her moan.

"Fuck, Eddie. More, please!" Y/N whined, desperately bucking her hips in a futile attempt for attention.

"You want more, sweetheart? I can give you more, especially since you asked so nicely." Eddie continued to kiss down her body, skin feeling soft under his plush lips. He unbuttoned her jeans with ease, shoving them down to her ankles where she hurriedly kicked them to the floor. Eddie sunk in between her legs, marveling at the wet patch currently growing across the blue cotton of her panties. Eddie smirked, placing a kiss to her folds before moving her panties aside and using two of his fingers to spread her open.

"You're already so wet for me, baby. All this for me?" Y/N nodded, covering her blushing face with her hands as Eddie chuckled, pulling away for a moment to remove the rings on his hands before settling back between Y/N's thighs. He spread her puffy lips open once more and licked a broad stripe over her pussy, relishing in the way she moaned above him, dropping her hands to his hair instantly.

Eddie's tongue flicked her clit as he shook his head from side to side, causing Y/N to moan loudly as she threw her head back into Eddie's pillows. He slid one of his fingers deep inside her slick core, moaning against her as she clenched at the intrusion. His lips wrapped around her clit, sucking hard as he pumped his finger in and out of her at a brisk pace, adding another and curling them up, hitting the sweet spot inside her that made her toes curl.

"Fuck, Eddie! Oh my God, it feels so good!" Y/N yelled, pulling Eddie's hair to get him closer as she felt her orgasm begin to bubble up inside her. He added a third finger, continuing his assault on her slick pussy as he relentlessly pounded into her. Y/N clenched around his fingers once more as her orgasm quickly took over, soaking Eddie's face in her juices as she came hard around his fingers. He coaxed her through her first orgasm, not leaving her core until she weakly pushed his head away from her fluttering pussy. He crawled up and kissed her deeply, holding his soaked fingers against her lips, shoving them into her mouth as she sucked her arousal off his digits. Once he pulled away, Eddie removed his pants and boxers as he waltzed over to his nightstand and tore it open. He snatched a foil pack before turning back towards Y/N as he rolled the condom over his throbbing cock and pumping a few times.

Y/N felt her mouth water as she watched Eddie, licking her lips in anticipation. Eddie chuckled as he stalked back over to the bed.

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" Eddie asked, genuinely caring for her well-being while he positioned himself over her.

"I want you to fuck me, Eddie. Please, I need you." Y/N's pussy clenched in anticipation as Eddie smiled, placing another kiss on her lips.

"Yeah, baby? You need me to fill you up with my cock, is that it?" Eddie's words made Y/N moan, throwing her head back and giving Eddie full access to her neck. He peppered kisses over the expanse of skin, once more sucking another bruise onto her neck before pulling her into a kiss, tongue slipping easily into her waiting mouth. While Y/N sucked on his tongue, Eddie positioned his tip at her entrance, gathering some of her slick onto the condom before penetrating her core.

Y/N threw her head back as she moaned at the intrusion, her pussy clenching around Eddie's dick as he continued to stretch her open inch by inch. He bottomed out, staring at the blissful look stretching across Y/N's face as she adjusted to Eddie's length inside her. Y/N tapped Eddie on the shoulder in a silent bid to get him to move, fingernails digging into his biceps as he thrusted deep inside her.

"Fuck, Princess. Look at you, taking my big cock so well. Can you feel how deep I am, sweetheart?" Eddie asked, taking one of Y/N's hands from his arms and pressing it to the bottom of her belly, moaning in unison with her as he thrusted hard into her.

"Oh my God, harder, please." Y/N begged, wrapping her legs around Eddie's waist as he buried himself deeper into her sopping wet core. Eddie picked up his pace, the sound of slapping skin echoing in the room around them. His fingers brushed against her clit and she clenched around him. He could tell he wouldn't last long if she continued squeezing around him, but he was adamant to make her finish before he did.

"Feel good, baby?" Eddie asked, pressing a kiss to Y/N's cheek as she nodded, jaw dropped to her chest as her sweet noises wrapped around him.

"Fuck, Daddy, don't stop!" Y/N screamed, the name slipping past her lips before she could stop it. Eddie paused above her, his chocolate eyes boring deeply into hers as she blushed. In a flash Eddie had pulled out of Y/N and flipped her over onto her belly, wrenching her hips up so her ass was in the air. A smack rippled against her skin as Eddie spanked her and a loud moan escaped her lips. He lined himself up to her entrance before thrusting in hard, a deeper angle overwhelming the pair tangled in the bed sheets.

"Oh shit, baby. You feel so good wrapped around Daddy's cock. You're doing so weel for me, sweetheart. Fuck, I'm addicted to you." Eddie moaned, another smack meeting Y/N's ass. Her toes curled as Eddie continued burying stroke after stroke deep insider her pussy, the head of his cock brushing her g-spot in a delicious rhythm.

Y/N was babbling, a mindless string of moans and "Daddy's" falling past her lips as her face was buried deeper into Eddie's pillows. She leaned back, meeting Eddie's thrusts, causing her ass to jiggle and shake due to the impact.

"Look at my cock-drunk little Princess. Fuck, you're close, huh? I can feel it, your pussy feels so good." Eddie spanked Y/N once again, a bright red hand print gazing back at him as he pulled away, wrapping his arm around her waist and coming in contact with her clit and rubbing furiously. Y/N's back arched as she shattered around Eddie's cock, her orgasm settling deep in her bones as she squirted, her arousal splashing against Eddie's thighs and dripping to the bed sheets below.

Eddie growled deep in his throat as one more powerful thrust led him to his own orgasm, pumping his cum into the condom. When he pulled out, Eddie chuckled at how Y/N whined at the loss of contact keeping her tethered to him, her posture sagging against the mattress. Eddie kissed her shoulder before pulling himself away completely, going to the bathroom and disposing of the condom while dampening a rag to clean Y/N.

Y/N had rolled onto her side, still panting after her mind-blowing orgasm rocked her to her core. Eddie approached the bed, gently spreading her legs as he dragged the cool cloth down her sweat soaked skin, sopping up every drop of her arousal. She winced as Eddie swiped the rag against her puffy pussy, cleaning her as gently as he could.

"Are you okay?" Eddie whispered as he threw the rag somewhere behind him, wrapping Y/N in his arms and pulling her into his chest. Y/N pressed a kiss to Eddie's chest before trailing up his neck and pecking his lips.

"I'm amazing, Eddie. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Princess. I didn't know you could squirt, did you?" Eddie commented, laughing softly as Y/N buried her face in his neck out of embarrassment.

"No, I didn't. I guess you bring that out of me, same with the Daddy thing." Eddie wrapped his arms tighter around Y/N's body as she nuzzled deeper into his skin, willing herself to absorb into him to escape this moment.

"It was hot. Both of it, all of it, sweetheart. Fuck, that was amazing. I'm never gonna stop thinking about you, Y/N." Eddie's admission made her heart skip a beat as she pulled away to look at him, love and adoration present in his lust-blown pupils. His eyes flickered to her lips for a second before he connected them once more, but this kiss was different. This kiss sent fireworks through their bodies, the sparks sizzling under their skin. Eddie poured everything he was feeling into her mouth, his fingers gently wrapping in her hair as he pulled her impossibly closer.

When they separated, breathless and desperate for air, the silence around them was comfortable, but thick.

"I think we have a new tradition, Munson." Y/N spoke first, breaking the silence and playing with the damp curls that had fallen over Eddie's shoulder.

"That we do, Princess. I thought about it; Steve and Robin are never invited to movie night as long as that keeps happening." Y/N giggled, pushing her lips to his again, rolling Eddie onto his back as she straddled his hips once more, continuing to make out with the boy under her.

"Eddie, I think I'm in love with you." Y/N whispered as she pulled away from the kiss.

"Yeah? Well I know I'm in love with you, sweetheart." Eddie's face broke out into a toothy grin, as did Y/N's. Eddie reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, poking her dimple as he pulled Y/N into a hug. They remained tangled in each other's embrace for the rest of the night, their movie night thrown to the wind. As they laid in bed, another blunt being passed between them, they both couldn't wait until next Friday.

[octuscle]

You have been posting transformations with these long haired guys and I think it's really hot.

I started losing my hair this year and I'm only 23. I'd love to become a huge bodybuilder with that sexy wavey shoulder length hair. I'd love to be a towering meathead in tight speedos and long hair.

It's incredibly frustrating to be just 23 years old and already feel old. You never had the body of an athlete. But you could be pretty proud of your full head of hair. Until it started with the circular hair loss at the back of your head. You tried all kinds of things. But it only got worse. You tried caps. But that looked silly. Now you wear your hair extremely short. Could look cool… If your features were more angular…

It's your first summer vacation since you lost your hair. The first debacle was that you didn't apply lotion to your head. Your scalp was cancerous red and burned like fire. After a week, it was somewhat better again… But now your hair has grown back and you've forgotten your clippers. Your routines simply haven't adapted to the situation yet.

You feel incredibly ugly among all the beautiful people anyway. Maybe at least a fresh buzz cut can save you a little. When you came back from the beach yesterday, you saw a hairdresser on the way to your hotel. The next day, on your way to the beach, you go there.

It's an old-fashioned salon. The hairdresser is still sitting in the corner reading the newspaper so early in the morning. He greets you in a friendly manner and asks you to take a seat in the shiny chrome chair. He puts the cape on you and asks what you want. You smile painedly and say there aren't many options. In your experience, hairdressers always like to talk about soccer. So you add with a grin that you would like Brian Hoyer's hairstyle.

"Brian Hoyer? Las Vegas Raiders? Good man!" The hairdresser is in his element. He asks if you would like a free shave as the first customer of the day. You gladly agree and sit back, relax and enjoy. The hot towels open your pores, your face is soaped, the sharp blade skillfully runs over your cheeks, the after-shave is refreshing. And the hairdresser has been talking the whole time without a dot or a comma. First about football, then about Las Vegas, then about the government. You're so relaxed and in a trance from the facial massage that you couldn't care less. Even if the rest of your vacation isn't perfect, this visit to the hairdresser is a highlight.

"So like Cole Holcomb, boy?" asks the hairdresser. You nod, still deeply relaxed, the back of the chair reclined far back. As expected, the long hair cutter starts. But it feels different. Normally you feel the blades closer to your scalp. No matter, you are in the hands of a professional and enjoying yourself. Especially as the hairdresser doesn't stop talking for a second. You don't notice when he starts working with scissors, you're not irritated that he's using a hairdryer, you don't get suspicious when he kneads hair wax into your curls. "So, boy, a Cole Holcomb for once. What he'd look like if he had your strong curls, boy!"

Bloody hell! Fuck, fuck, fuck! You're driving through the Mullet. Strong, healthy curls. But what a shitty haircut. You look like a redneck. And that with your untrained fat body. The hairdresser ignores your horrified expression. He removes the collar, brushes the loose hair out of your neck and sweepingly removes your hairdressing cape. For a brief moment, your eyes go black. It's the first fainting spell of your life.

Yes, on the first day you had to get used to the new situation a little. All the leering and admiring glances on the beach, in the open-air gym and in the bars and clubs in the evening. But thanks to Stevie, you are perfectly shaved every morning and no matter how hard the party was the night before, he massages every wrinkle out of your face.

In fact, you didn't even know who this Cole Holcomb was. But now you follow him on Instagram. And he follows you like a few other 1,000 people.

[bebsibby]

The Top Surgery Log

Hello! I got top surgery yesterday! I want to catalogue my experience so I can remember it and provide some insight for people who want it but haven't gotten it yet. I will continue to update this post as my healing goes on. Everything under the read more!

Leading Up

My insurance is with Kaiser which has been an AWESOME experience so far. They do require a therapist letter, so no informed consent, but the process was very simple and there were a lot of people dedicated to getting me what I needed.

I had about 3 therapist meetings where she just asked me questions about my experience with gender and how my transition has gone so far, my support network, can I afford it, etc. Then she wrote my letter, sent it off to the surgical team, and I was approved within a few days!

After that I had my very first consult with the surgeon. He took pictures, did a breast exam, asked about general health and family health history, then gave me a little presentation of the process. It had post up photos of prior patients, a lot of explanations of the types of surgeries available that he does, and a lot of good information in general. He answered a lot of my questions and made me feel fully confident and prepared for the experience.

Also important to note: I told him the surgery I had been wanting ever since I started doing top surgery research was Inverted-T and I was curious of he knew of it/why that WASN'T an option they offered. He explained everything to me and showed me what he expected my results to look like if I DID want to go to a different surgeon outside of Kaiser. Said surgeon does NOT accept insurance, but would work with the insurance side of things to make sure they would reimburse for the expenses. I really appreciate that because it showed me they wanted to do get exactly what I wanted.

Based on all of that, I decided to just opt for Double Incision both to save me time and get a result that was aesthetically more pleasing to me. Loss of nipple sensation is unfortunate, but apparently IT only has the potential to bring a little sensation back, which wasn't worth all the extra hoop jumping for me.

After this consult, my surgeon told me to think about everything then email him a few days later with my decision. I did and then a few days later got my call to schedule. I got to pick my date but not the time of day, as I would later learn that's decided by the hospital and not me. Once my surgery was scheduled, another pre-op appointment was scheduled about a month before the surgery date. That appointment was very short, as it was just signing consent forms and confirming everything I wanted. He also gave me a packet of supplies I needed to get before the surgery.

After that, I'd occasionally receive emails with more pre-op instructions, like when to stop eating and drinking, showering instructions, when to stop certain medication, and how to care for my drains.

The Surgery

The day before surgery I had initially planned to do all of the last minute housework and leave for the surgery the next morning. HOWEVER, when I got my call to tell me the time, it turns I had to be there by 6 AM! The surgery center is over an hour away from me and the bus my wife and I were going to take didn't run that early, so we had to scramble to make other plans. Luckily the friend who was going to drive us back home was cool with us crashing on his floor for the night, so we were able to do the most important things at home then take the bus down the day before.

Once we were all set up for the night, I did the first cleaning routine that I was required to do, set my alarm, then tried to sleep. I didn't get much due to Hard Floor and also excited but that wasn't a biggie because I'd be sleeping again soon LOL.

Next morning I woke up, did my second skin cleansing, and we headed out! I checked in, waited a little in the waiting room, then got called back to start.

Everyone who was working with me was SUPER funny and kind. I got asked more questions, signed another form, took some pre-med tylenol, them stripped to switch into my gown, bonnet, and grippy socks (Got to keep those btw :>) My IV got put in my wrist which REALLY fucking hurt!!!!!! It never stopped aching. After that, the surgeon popped in to check on me and see if I had any questions, then they wheeled me in to the operating room.

I had gotten another premed via IV that was already making me tired, and I remember the last thing being the surgeon saying what to do with my removed tissue once he was done and I was gone!

The surgery itself lasted around four hours, but all I remember is waking up and seeing my wife and friend sitting at the foot of the bed. I said hi to them and that was apparently third time I had said it. I had been up and talking to them for awhile all loopy but also becoming suddenly very serious when talking with the nurses. I've had a few surgeries but I've NEVER been this way after so that was funny. The nurse had also been giving ME all of the postop discharge info and I don't remember it so thats unfortunate! I only remember her talking about the drains. I had to read it all again when I got home but it was all good.

Once I was awake enough, they wheel-chaired me down to my friends car, packed us all up and we headed back home. I napped about half the time but still kept my eyes closed when i was awake and talking bc my vision was still FUCKED and it was so bright out. We got home, I was lead inside, and that was that pretty much! I napped several more times, nibbled on some roast beef, emptied my drains (which made me very woozy, mostly due to the standing) and went to bed!

After Surgery

Day one! I woke up a few times in the night mainly to go to the bathroom, but slept REAL deep otherwise. It rained all night which was awesome. I woke up feeling very achy but not painful except for my throat. Those ET tubes are NOT easy on your body. Took all my meds, got out of bed eventually, and had cup ramen for breakfast. Now I'm just sitting on the couch with all my computer stuff moved from my desk to where I'm sitting. I got a long hdmi cable so I can just watch stuff on the big TV so I'm pretty set up!

My wife just brought me some cookies and overall I'm just feeling really good. Not really excited or emotional about it. Its just a very warm contented feeling.

I don't know what my chest looks like yet since my post-op binder got put on while i was still out, but everything gets removed next week! I'll probably update again after that appointment.

Feel free to ask specific questions! I'll be resting most of the time so I'll just be around!

[chellestrash]

Private Matters

Chapter IV (18+)

Cam Boy! Frank Castle x Female Reader

Story summary: After stumbling upon a cam website one night you quickly discover your favorite streamer. Unable to get the thoughts and images of him out of your mind you decide to become a supporter and the two of you grow closer to each other over time. Things get complicated when your close friend, neighbor and crush decides to express his feelings for you.

Chapter summary: Its finally the day. Your date with Frank is happening and you couldn't be happier. Everything is perfect...right? Well, everything except for a very small detail you can't get out of your head, and you're not sure how to tell him.

Chapter Warnings: Explicit language, explicit sexual content, swearing, alcohol, slight angst.

Word count: 4.1k

A/N: Thank you for all the support for this series i’m so so sorry it takes me so long to get the chapters out! I work, I’m busy i had a lot to do but it’s finally here! Chapter IV. I hope you’ll enjoy it, comments, reblogs and feedback are always so so appreciated, i love reading what you guys thing about it! Thank you @chelseasdagger for all the work and support!

Date with Frank.

That’s the first thing on your mind the moment you get out of bed that day and the main thing on your mind throughout the morning. It didn't really seem like one of those things you could shove to the back of your head and not think about it for the rest of the day. Whether you liked it or not, you kept coming back to the moment he asked you, and the moment you agreed. Your friend mentioned she couldn't possibly tell which one of you looked happier about it, and that little detail she was kind enough to point out, made your cheeks get warmer every time your brain reminded you about it.

“Stupid.”

You mumble out, catching yourself getting more excited about this than you'd like to admit.

“Morning.”

You send a quick text to Frank and the reply comes in almost instantly.

“Hey! Today still happening?”

You catch yourself smiling at your phone and quickly clear your throat, attempting to shake off the excitement again.

“Yeah, haven't changed my mind since yesterday.”

“Okay, good, can stop worrying now.”

“Frank castle worried? About me?”

You chuckle at his short response.

“Shut up.”

“So you have anything going on today?”

He follows up before you can type out an answer.

“Oh, just this date later on, probably around 8? You don't know the guy, you wouldn't like him. His name is Frank?”

“...”

“Smartass.”

You feel the butterflies in your stomach as you picture his slightly annoyed expression, and then roll your eyes at your own feelings. Sitting here, smiling at the texts on your phone? Really?

“So 8?”

He asks, and you send another message confirming the hour.

“See you at 8 then?”

“See you at 8.”

You smile again before grabbing your cheeks to fight back the smile.

“Stop it!”

You fight with yourself for another moment before setting your phone down on the table and deciding to take care of everything that needs to get done, just so you wouldn’t have to think about other things during the date. A little favor for your future self.

***

The day goes by relatively quickly, and before you know it, it’s time to start getting ready. You pick an outfit—nothing too fancy but not too plain either, a nice pair of flattering pants and a slightly tight-fitting shirt. You’re only grabbing a couple beers, some drinks…with Frank…your Frank. The realization makes you feel gradually more tense as the time approaches 8pm. You feel thankful when your phone goes off and quickly check the text that just came through.

“Leaving my place now.”

You read and chuckle at the thought of Frank, your next door neighbor, texting you the moment he leaves his flat to let you know he's on his way…in the hall, to pick you up.

Seconds later, Frank knocks on your door and you quickly make your way over to let him in.

“You got my text?”

He asks, pointing at his phone, and you shake your head in disbelief.

“Yeah, thanks for letting me know so I'd have time to get ready.”

Frank smiles, and something in that smile makes your knees a little weaker. His outfit is similarly casual to yours, jeans and a shirt you haven't seen him in before. Did he buy it?

“Oh, you're so welcome.”

Frank's eyes glance over you as he looks you up and down, unable to stop himself.

"Shit."

He whispers and you frown.

"That bad, huh?"

"What?"

Frank asks, confused, almost worried.

"You said ‘Shit’."

"What? Oh! Shit no! No no, no no just- I-I you-"

He sighs, dropping his head low before glancing up at you.

"Listen, I just - think you look great...it slipped out."

"Mhm."

You nod with a smile, deciding to stop teasing that poor man, at least for now.

"So do you, Frank."

"Naaah, not next to you."

Shaking your head again, you grab your phone and quickly check yourself in the mirror one last time.

“You ready?”

Frank nods and takes a step to the side, getting out of your way to let you out of your apartment.

“Yes ma’am.”

**

It would be a lie if you told yourself you never wondered what a date with Frank would look like. You never really thought it would actually happen, but you did wonder, you couldn't help it. Whether you wanted to admit it or not, you've thought about him in that context. You had ideas, but you'd never think it would feel this…natural? Comfortable?

Frank seemed a bit nervous at first, just like he did a couple of days ago before actually asking you out, but that didn't bother you. You were nervous for a moment at first too, but quickly relaxed as the conversation flowed, the jokes landed and the music at the bar worked for both you and your date.

Frank was, actually, probably one of the best dates you've had in a while. Not sure why you'd expect anything different, you knew how good of a friend he was. The whole evening he looked after you, making sure you were safe and comfortable. His eyes never left you as he listened to your stories, answered your questions and laughed at your jokes.

The laugh reminded you of something, something or someone you couldn't really work out at that moment, but it sounded familiar. Not familiar in a way that you've heard Frank laugh before, of course you did, but…there was something more to that familiarity. Since you couldn't work it out, you decided to ignore it for the time being, focusing back on the man on the opposite side of the small bar table.

“You come here often, then?”

Frank speaks out a bit louder than usual, trying to talk over the live music, after looking around the interior of the place.

“Why? Wanna ask me out?”

You smirk, sucking the straw from your cocktail into your mouth. You watch his head drop with a loud laugh.

“Yeah, yeah, something like that.”

“Ahhh… I don't know if you're my type.”

“Oh really? What's your type, then?”

Frank looks up, waiting for you to keep talking.

“Oh you know, big guys, scary looking, assholes…you know what? That sounds a bit like you?”

He scoffs, looking off to the side, shaking his head before looking back at you.

“Really?”

You nod, a big smile still on your face.

“Yeah, but it's fine. Like I said, that's kinda my type.”

Frank smirks, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah? And how's that working out for you?"

Your mouth falls open and he laughs loudly, you follow soon after.

"Well...I’d say pretty damn well, managed to get you out."

"Oh, you got me out?"

"Mhm."

You continue to tease him.

"Oh, that's interesting, yeah, that's good to know."

"Yeah?"

You ask innocently, and Frank laughs quietly, the crinkles by his eyes so prominent when you make him smile. He raises his hand to order another beer for himself and a drink for you.

***

“So, what's your type?”

You ask when Frank gets back from the bar with drinks for both of you.

“My type?”

You nod quickly, curious.

“Don't really have one.”

You give him the look that can only mean a slightly disappointed “really?” and he quickly continues.

“Why'd you wanna know? Wanna ask me out?”

He plays your card, and you feel your whole face lighting up.

“I don't knoooow, maybe? So, will you tell me?”

Frank takes a drink from the beer bottle and for a second you get lost in the way his lips wrap around the rim, his Adam’s apple moving with every sip, and you have to stop your thoughts from taking you somewhere else. He frowns, knowing you well enough to assume you wouldn't just give up on the question.

“Right, tell you what.”

He starts, scrunching up his nose before he bites into his lip. He spins you around, so you face the dart board on a wall on the other side of the bar.

“You win that, you get an answer “

You think about the offer and look back at him over your shoulder.

“Bit of a shitty move since I already told you mine.”

He scoffs, shaking his head with a big smile, before giving you another moment to decide.

“What if I lose?”

You ask and he shrugs.

“You buy the next beer.”

You pretend to ponder on the offer for another moment before nodding slowly.

“Deal.”

“Deal.”

***

At the end of the night, Frank offers you his jacket and you two make your way back to your building. Walking right by your side the entire time, Frank makes sure to keep your arms linked together. By doing this, he keeps you close, safe and warm the entire time. You think back to the many times you've walked this road on your own and feel thankful for having Frank by your side at this moment.

“Want me to walk you home?”

He asks when you stop by the door to his apartment out of habit.

“You mean to the other end of the hall?”

You point over your shoulder, and he tilts his head to the side with that goddamn smile. The smile that can make you so comfortable and so nervous at the same time, you feel insane sometimes.

“Yeah, okay, I could get jumped on my way there or something.”

You turn around and Frank follows, hands in his pockets, his shoulder touching yours as he walks by your side.

“Or trip.”

He points out, and you huff out a quiet laugh.

“I didn't drink THAT much.”

You lean on your door, resting your back against it and look up at the man in front of you.

“So.”

You nod towards your apartment.

“This is me.”

“Oh yeah?”

Franks inspects the door like he's seeing it for the first time.

“Mhm.”

You wait a moment, expecting him to start talking again. But Frank turns back to you, stepping forward, a bit closer now, looking down into your eyes. You feel your heart jump slightly, your pulse getting a little faster as your eyes drop to his lips before glancing back up into his gaze.

“Listen the-"

He starts, his brows furrowing as he tries to pick the right words.

“Was nice…the date, I mean I-you.”

He sighs. Looking off to the side, he shakes his head at his own words, before turning back to face you.

“You had fun?”

A simple question followed by a slight tilt of his head that makes him look probably the least intimidating you've ever seen him look. Almost like a puppy, trying to figure out the words spoken to them by their owner.

You nod, confirming your answer with a sly smirk.

“I meaaaan…could've been worse, you did good, Castle.”

“Yeah?”

Frank asks, and you catch him now glancing down at your lips.

“Mhm.”

You nod, it's gentle this time, and your lips part slightly as you decide to lean closer towards him.

“And you? Hmm?”

There's no real reason to ask now, not when you can clearly see the words fly over his head. A silent nod from him remains your only response as the distance between you two closes slowly.

“Mhm.”

He answers, and you chuckle, squinting your eyes as you lean your head to the side, now taking the lead in the conversation.

“Yeah?”

You nod, questioning him again, and Frank repeats your movements. His eyes are not leaving your lips; yours not living his, as you two move closer and closer together.

“So, do you-”

He starts, and you agree silently, your breathing speeding up as you feel your heart pounding harder in your chest now. Leaning back on the door, you hand the key over to Frank, and he unlocks it before pushing it open the moment you pull him into the kiss.

“Shit.”

Frank mumbles out your name, pulling you closer to him before kicking the door shut, his hand now resting on the side of your waist.

“You sure about this?”

“Frank, please?”

You mumble against him and feel his lips pressing against yours almost immediately. His hand rests on the side of your neck, his fingers brushing over the side of your jaw as he holds you close to him.

“Oh, shit”

He starts.

“Mmm.”

A quiet hum slips past your mouth as you feel his tongue pushing past your lips.

“Mmm, fuck-”

You whine despite your better judgment. Your hand drops between his legs and you rub over the bulge in his pants. Frank's hips push into your hand, and when you push your palm against him harder, his lips slip away from you. A loud grunt against the side of your neck.

“Shit, Sweetheart.”

The pet name almost makes you whine out loud, but you attempt to stop yourself as your thoughts conveniently send you back to one of the livestreams you've watched before.

Your eyes shoot open, and you shake yourself out of it, glancing down at Frank. His lips are still on your neck, making it easier to focus on him again.

You cup his face to tilt him up and Frank stands up, straighter in front of you now. Pulling you closer to him again, his lips find yours, and you two stumble towards the couch in the middle of your living room. Frank hooks one arm around your waist, his forearm and palm pushing against your back, before lifting you up.

You gasp, holding onto him as he sets you down on the couch. You lay on your back, your heart speeding up and your breathing shortening as you watched him unbuckle his belt. Your legs push together while your brain once again reminds you of a similar scene from one of the livestreams. You fight the urge to close your eyes and focus on the thought and, instead, reach out to gesture for Frank to come closer.

“Come here.”

You whisper under your breath, and Frank lets you pull him closer. Leaning over you, he spreads your legs open, pushing his thighs between yours before his hand holds your face again and the kisses resume.

Pushing back the guilt slowly rising inside you, you focus on the buttons of Frank's shirt, pushing your legs together slightly as you feel the weight of him grinding against you.

His hands slip under your shirt and you lift your arms up, allowing him to slip the fabric up and off of your chest. After tossing the shirt onto the floor, Frank quickly gets rid of his as well. His eyes jump around your face, and you fight the urge to avoid eye contact for a while before finally looking away.

“You okay?”

He sounds concerned, and his question makes you feel even worse. You can't explain it, not now, not here. You're not even completely sure if you'd be able to explain this properly if he wasn't kneeling between your legs with his cock hard against his pants, panting loudly as he waits for your answer.

You nod quickly, giving him a not-so-convincing smile, before scolding yourself in your own head.

“Yeah, yeah.”

You buck your hips up slightly, and Frank watches you move underneath him. The smile is gone now, so you assume he suspects something. With his hand brushing up and down the side of your body, fingers drawing on top of your ribs, he leans over you, his lips right on your neck again. You tilt your head off to the side, inviting him to deepen the kiss, and he follows. Attempting to help yourself focus on what's happening, you cup his face in your palm and tilt it up, kissing him fast and hard, hoping it'll help.

Why couldn't you just focus on this? Why did he have to somehow remind you of those moments you've seen before? Why couldn't you just stop your brain from making you think about the guy from the website? You weren't sure, but you knew you wanted this now, here, and with Frank. You did it; you've been wanting to for a while now, but somehow something didn't feel right. The guilt you felt about letting your mind slip to another guy while Frank was right here with you didn't allow you to focus on this moment, on what was happening, on what was in front of you, and on him.

You still wanted this; you felt good, you wanted Frank, but with your thoughts racing through your mind faster and faster, you felt your body gradually shutting off.

“Frank?”

You pull away quickly. His lips move down to your neck and he hums against your skin. You tilt your head back and whine quietly at the feeling before the guilt hits you again.

“Frank, stop just-”

You start again, this time pushing on his shoulder slightly to get his attention, and he pulls away immediately. Raising his hands in the air with an apologetic expression and worried glance, he stops everything he was doing.

“You okay?”

The softness of his voice makes the guilt skyrocket, and you feel the need to apologize.

“I'm sorry-”

“Hey, no, no, don't you-”

Frank sits up on the couch, moving away from you in order to give you as much space as you need in case he did something wrong, overstepped a boundary, or hurt you.

“Did I-”

You don't give him a chance to finish the question, not being able to think about him blaming himself for this.

“No! No, no, Frank, oh my god, no it-”

Hiding your face in your hands, you attempt to calm yourself down. The whole situation feels so ridiculous that you don't even know how to begin to explain it to him.

“God no, Frank, it's only my fault.”

“No, sweetheart, don't-hey, listen to me if I-”

That goddamn pet name. He swallows hard, and you watch his eyes flutter across your face.

“I-I-I hurt you.”

“No, Frank.”

“In any way.”

He continues, speaking over you.

“If I did, you just tell me, okay? Just, just tell me, so I know what I did and what-”

"No, it's me! It's me, Frank, I-"

He looks up, letting you talk this time. You speak loudly, thinking through the words you're about to say in an attempt to explain this ridiculous situation and the heavy, guilty feeling now stuck right in the middle of your chest.

“There's a guy.”

You swallow hard, knowing how dumb that sounds considering what the “guy” does.

“I talk to... sometimes I...I don't know why this is so stupid.”

“A guy?”

Frank repeats your words. He doesn't sound angry; he doesn't really sound like anything if you think about it.

"Yeah, I don't even know him like that, I mean, I do, but I…”

“From the bar?”

He attempts to guess, and it catches you slightly off guard.

“What? No, oh MY god, NO?”

You give him a disgusted look, shaking your head, and he scoffs quietly. The atmosphere seems to be loosening slightly.

“You think of me that bad, Castle?”

You joke, and he just shakes his head softly.

“So…”

You proceed with your explanation.

“A guy I talk to sometimes and we…”

You look at Frank, hoping he'd understand whatever broken-up sentences you manage to throw at him, even though it seems nearly impossible.

“Hook up?”

He guesses again, wrong.

“...No!"

"Sweetheart, you gotta give me something."

"It's just like...phone, video stuff, I guess.”

You finally get it off your chest. Feeling fucking terrible about the whole thing, you stare down at your hands, picking at your fingers as you wait for him to say something, anything.

A scoff. A scoff and a loud giggle is what you get. Turning your face in his direction immediately, you find yourself unsure of what to say or how to comment on his reaction.

“Phone stuff? Jesus… Christ, you...had me thinking."

You can't believe him.

Your jaw drops at this man's audacity, and you have to stop yourself from commenting on it.

“What? I had you thinking, what?!”

“Thought it was something serious!”

He laughs, and so do you, still unable to believe him.

“You asshole!”

You push him, and he leans to the side slightly before moving back closer to you.

“Oh my god.”

You cup your face in your hands and take a second to question all your previous life choices that somehow lead you to this very moment.

“You probably think I'm fucking crazy.”

You finally speak up, turning your face slightly to watch him.

“Nah.”

Frank shakes his head before turning to face you.

“I think it's sweet.”

You can't stop the smile. The corners of your lips rise as the overwhelming tension and anxiety leave your body, and you both sit in silence for another moment.

“Sorry I fucked this up.”

You speak quietly after a moment of silence. A deep sigh follows as you rethink what you just said, feeling the guilt take over your mind again.

Frank frowns, his eyebrows pull together as he silently disagrees with your words.

“Fucked what up?”

“The day? The evening? The date?”

“You didn't fuck up more than me. Late, spilled the beer, lost at the goddamn darts.”

You cover your mouth, but the quiet chuckle slips past your fingers at the situation from only a couple of hours ago. Frank quickly turns to face you, his finger pointing right at you in a threatening way.

“Don't.”

He whispers, and you lift your hands above your head, attempting to prove your innocence.

“We won't talk about that.”

He mumbles under his breath, frown still on his face, and you nod with a smile.

“I promise.”

The tone of your voice makes the corner of his lip lift slightly before he turns to face you again. His features are softer now, there's no sarcasm or irony, just Frank. He sighs quietly, and so do you.

“You should rest.”

He speaks quietly. It's not a whisper, but it feels like one, quiet and gentle, comforting, and you watch as he stands up, leaving you alone on your couch. You second guess your choice to tell him all of this one more time, longing for him to stay a little longer before quickly pushing yourself off the couch and following him to the door. Frank zips up his pants, buttons his shirt and steps out into the corridor. You stay hidden behind the door since you chose not to cover yourself with your pants after you two stopped making out. Everything indicated that he's leaving, he's out of your apartment now, the date is over, this didn't work out and yet…the conversation continues.

You stand in the doorway, your quiet words fill the corridor with the floor both you and Frank live on, but they're not loud enough for anyone to understand them clearly. Not loud enough for anyone to interrupt. The conversion quickly turns into short chuckles and gentle laughs and when Frank glances up at you with that one smile, you feel yourself breaking apart.

“You want to…stay over for a bit longer, actually?”

You ask, and he shakes his head with a quiet scoff.

“I don't know, you got beer?”

“Wine.”

He nods.

“What kind?”

“Rosé.”

You answer, fighting back a little smile as he pretends to be impressed.

“Oh, shit! Hardcore stuff.”

You shake your head, visibly offended, and pull the door open some more, inviting him back inside.

“At least if we get hammered, I don't have to walk far.”

He points out, and you roll your eyes jokingly, your body relaxing as you sigh deeply, relieved.

You spend the next couple of hours on your couch with Frank. It's not awkward, it's not upsetting, it's not…disappointing and somehow neither of you mention or even think about what happened in the same spot not even hours ago. With a decent amount of alcohol in your body, the tiredness slowly begins to take over. You lean into Frank, resting your head on his shoulder, and he doesn't protest. He even sits up slightly and wraps his arm around your waist in an attempt to make you more comfortable. With the heat of his body right beside you, you let your eyes fall shut, unable to fight the tiredness any longer.

“You wanna…try the date thing again some other time?”

Exhausted from the anxiety, adrenaline and alcohol, you snuggle up into him and without the energy to accidentally mess this up, you answer with exactly how you honestly feel. You whisper out a quiet- “Mhm. I’d like that.”.

“Yeah?”

Frank slowly rubs your shoulder with his palm.

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

Frank feels his muscles relax under the weight of your body. Leaning down, he presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head before whispering -“Goodnight, sweetheart.”

taglist 

@chelseasdagger @lorilane33 @dreadfulxives18 @5thelement @desert-fern

@joybabyjune @ohgodthebogisback 

@barnesbabee @babeincolor @liadamerondjarin @therashslingingslasher @lostfleur

[more-cardigan-than-woman]

They were Roommates! 3/?

Summary: We get some perspective. Jason's had a long day and all he needs is his princess to help him relax.

Pairs: Roommate!Reader x Jason Todd

Words: 3.9k

Warnings: SMUT, FEELINGS, POV SWITCH, chocking, cock warming, praise, pining, dark humor, fluff. reader gets a job, I have no excuses but this kind of hurt to write.

AN: This Chapter is from Jason's POV. I just feel like we needed some insight. Also just wanted to repost this because apparently it didn't upload properly yesterday. Hopefully this time it works.

Part 2

What a long fuckin day, Jason thinks to himself as he trudges up the stairs to your shared apartment. He's been out all night and day chasing down leads for Batman and hasn't felt this bone tired since he crawled out of the pit.

His duffle bag like a sack of bricks on his shoulder and his feet doused in concrete. But his goal is ahead of him. He knows your home right now, you told him this morning when he called to ask about your upcoming Art Show that you had pieces to get ready and you’d be locked inside all day.

The idea of you waiting for him pushes him further, faster. Just a few more steps and he'll be home. Not that he thought of you as home.  No, that'd be too much. You're friends, just friends, who haven't been able to keep your hands to yourself for longer than 2 days for the last few weeks. So maybe you’re just very good friends.

He pushes through the door, only a little grateful that Bruce made him leave his guns at the manor for Alfred to clean. Apparently, he wasn’t doing it properly. Though he’s about 90% certain he’s never going to see his favourite firearms again.

He makes a beeline for your room upon noticing you left the door open. Are you waiting for him? You wouldn’t be, right? His ears perk up at the sound of your soft humming, making his heart pound and his hands sweat. Fuck, he just needs to get his hands on you.

“Hey Jay,” you say in that velvety tone, when you see him approaching down the hall. Pulling your headphones off and smiling your cute little face at him. He can hear Taylor Swift's newest song echoing from them, but he barely even registers it. He’s so focused on you.

Fuck, you’re a wonderful sight. Your tablet resting on your crossed legs, your stylus slotted delicately between those delicate fingers, hair up in messy bun, tiny fly away's framing your beautiful face, knee high socks that nearly give him a heart attack and his fucking red flannel. Fuck, if he had your skills he’d sit down and capture how perfect you are.

His eyes take all of this in as his heart tries his best to tell him something. But he can't stop moving. His body goes limp as he flop’s down onto you, resting his head on your silky thigh. All he wants is to sink his teeth into your flesh, mark you, cover your pretty skin in signs that you're his. 

Instead, his hands dig into the shirt that’s fanned out over your legs. His shirt, if only the woman in it were his too. He thinks, grateful he’s managing to keep these confusing thoughts inside, “Princess,” he mumbles into your leg. 

“Long day at the office?” Your hands start to brush through his hair, combing the knots out that had formed throughout his search. Your nails graze along his scalp, he shivers as goosebumps spread down his neck and onto his arms. He may not remember hell, but this sure feels like heaven.

“Mmm,” he kicks off his boots, the steel caps thumping when they hit the ground. His bones start to feel gooey as he presses his face deeper into your thigh. He doesn’t mean to kiss you, but he just can’t seem to help himself.

“Bruce have you digging holes in the garden again?” your voice like wind chimes on a still day. Fuck, he could listen to you talk forever about whatever you wanted.

“He does love his family bonding exercises,” his hands drift up, wrapping around your hips, hugging you tight and hiding his face, unable to look at you. He hates the lies, hates that he can't tell you. But Dicks right, it's too dangerous for a civilian. He couldn't forgive himself if anything happened to you and if he was the one who put you in danger….

“Want me to get you anything?” 

“Just this for now.” He snuggles up into your tummy.

You lean down, placing soft kisses into his hair. He’s thankful you can’t see his face, sure that it would give away just how right you feel..

“You rest Jay, I got you.” you lay back, your hand still in his hair as you begin humming the song you had been listening to before.

“Hmm.. thanks Princess.”

You only get to the chorus before Jason’s phone starts to ring, “back pocket,” he grumbles, rubbing his cheek into you, “can you get it for me?”

“Ah huh,” your hand reaches into his pocket, “it says mother dearest?” you sound so confused but he can’t help the laugh that escapes him, “Jay I thought-”

“Jesus, can't I rest? answer and tell him to fuck off please.” you let out a tiny sound that sounds like you agree and then the bloody hollering starts.

“Little Wing, I need-”

“Umm hello?” you interrupt.

“- oh you're not Jason. Hey girlie,”

“Jason, why is Dick in your phone as mother dearest?” you whisper, scrunching your brows up at him when he looks up at you.

His eyes start to grow heavy, rubbing his cheek into your tummy. Fuck, Jason does not want to talk to his brother right now. He inhales your perfume mixed with the lingering scent of his cologne. It makes his pants grow tighter and his brain feel foggy, “tell him I'm busy and to annoy someone else,”

“Jason can't come to the phone right now, he's dead.” you joke and he can hear the fucking panic starting to form in Dick’s head.

“He's what?!” He hears Dick shout through the phone. His brother starts to ramble and Jason can imagine the man pacing through his house, his arms flailing around him like he’s going to kill someone. Jason can't help the laugh that escapes him.

“Dick doesn't get the joke Princess. Put it on loudspeaker.” he whispers to you, turning his head so his brother will hear him, “I'm not dead, calm down.”

“Don't you tell me to calm down! She shouldn't make jokes like that, because- wait, am I a loud speaker?”

“Yes,” you both say at the same time.

“I just wanted to make sure you got home ok, and now I'm having a heart attack. Fuck you both very much.” He hangs up and you both burst into laughter.

“Your brother's a bit of a drama queen.” his head jostles on your giggling stomach, “Like did he think I’d be so casual if you were actually dead?”

"You don't know the half of it," Jason says, taking the phone from you and throwing it away.

"We just doing this all night or?" 

"What you have in mind?"

"Haven't had a girls night in ages and you look like you could use some pampering." You suggest as your fingers work their way back through his hair.

XxX

He must've fallen asleep. His first clue is that you're gone and he's wrapped up in your cotton blanket, the second is he can smell the snicker doodles in the kitchen. The rich cinnamon sugar scent, almost as sweet as you.

Ducking into his room he takes off his dirty clothes and throws on a pair of clean sweats before floating towards the kitchen like a cartoon. "Princess?" He calls when he can't see you.

"I'm over here," you call back. He spots you bending over the coffee table, arranging your pamper station for him. Fuck I love you. He thinks, in a friend way. Yeah. She's my friend. But the way his shirt rises up over your ass makes him want to do some very unfriendly things to you. "Can you grab the cookies from the oven?"

"Yep," he says, with a pop of his lips, spinning on his feet towards the kitchen. 

"Thanks ba- I mean thanks Jay," you turn trying to hide your embarrassment, but he can see it. You wanted to call him babe. Maybe this isn't as one sided as he thought?

"What are we doing first?" He tries to say casually, sitting down on the couch and taking in the vast array of items you've got set out.

"Facials," you smile, picking up the little bowl of cream, "want me to put it on you?"

"Yes please," he sits back, almost moaning at how soft your fingers feel on his face, "what's in this it smells yummy,"

"Honey, lavender, oats, all the good stuff," 

"It smells great and it feels so good," he presses his face into your hands. "Princess, i-"

"Finished, you look so cute!" You say excitedly, "ok, now you do me,"

"Do you?" He raises his brow at you.

"Jay," you playfully hit him, "I want a facial too." He can't help the face he makes and you slap him again, "come on, get ya mind out the gutter."

"I'm just teasing," he swipes a handful of the cream, rubbing it into your soft features. His fingers press into the crease into your brow, your cheeks. You grin up at him and his heart feels like it might burst. Holding your chin he presses a soft kiss into your lips, "tastes good too," he beams, when you open your eyes you peer back at him so sweetly his heart thumps even faster. "What now Princess?"

"We just need to wait ten minutes then we can wash it off," you say getting up and grabbing the cookies, from the table "we can eat these while we wait."

"Princess these are delicious," he moans as the spongey cookie melts in his mouth, "tastes almost as good as you."

"Jay." You level your deadpan stare at him.

"Princess." He stares back.

"Can I do your makeup after?" You perk up, sitting on your knees.

"Can we watch Heathers in bed?"

"Deal."

"How many of these am I aloud to eat?" He asks, stuffing another one in his mouth. Fuck if he only had to eat two things for the rest of his life. He knows exactly what he would pick.

"All of them? I can just make more if you want." 

"Just for me?" He's surprised, he's not sure why. In the year you've lived here he's always surprised by just how much the little things you do for him chip away at his walls.

"Who else?" Your words circle his heart, the tips of the letters just grazing the outside.

"Princess, can I wash this off? It's starting to itch,"  he says, the honey sticking to his fingers and the lavender that smells exactly like you wafting up his nose. He's having trouble keeping his thoughts pure and not just bending you over the couch and making you beg for him.

"Yeh, I'll get the movie ready and move the snacks," 

"Fuck, what the fuck am I doing?" He says to himself in the bathroom mirror, his face still smelling like you, "just ask her out to dinner," he washes the rest off, but the scent still lingers. "What would Bruce do? Deny his feelings for ten years and wait for her to make the move. I can't fuckin do that." He wipes his hand down his face in frustration. 

Shit, he feels like he's stuck between a crowbar and an explosion. But if he fucks up this time, you could be the one to get hurt and that's the last thing he wants.

"You're taking a while in there, are you alive?" You knock on the closed door, "you talking to Batman in the mirror again?"

"I do not do that," he says as he brushes past you and into your room where you've got the cookies resting on the edge of your bed.

"You kinda do," you call out.

Fuck me, she's going to kill me. Again. He thinks, holding his face in his hands as he reaches for another cookie and savors the taste.

"Alright, Jay," you say, swishing into the room, his shirt sitting just low enough to cover your panties. Your hands drift up his bare arms, stopping at his shoulders as you step toward him, your legs spreading over his and your ass lands on his thighs. "Ready for your makeover?"

"Is this how I get it?" His arms encircle you, "Can I get one every morning?" He squeezes your ass and you jump, making his cock throb underneath you. His fingers dig into your sides making you squirm and the cutest little sounds escape your mouth. Is this your version of torture? It’s definitely preferable to other methods he’s endured, he thinks, he could get used to this kind of treatment. 

"Jay, stop," you laugh, "you're tickling me, Jay, please," squirming even more on his lap, his cock growing harder and harder by the second, "Jason, babe, stop, let me do your makeup."  

His eyes meet with yours and he stops tickling you. Did you just? No. It must’ve been a slip of the tongue. 

"Make up time," you try to smile, your eyes looking everywhere but at him, what is that about? Is he reading too much into this? "Maybe a smokey eye? What colors would you like?" 

"Red and black, please Princess." You reach back for your eye shadow pallet and he tries to think of something else. Anything else, Dick farting on Tim, Damien getting eaten by his dog. But with that lavender still on his skin and you on his lap, all he can think about is kissing you again.

You press your fingers into his face, your dominant hand holding the brush like it was made there as you lean over him. Brushing the color onto his closed eyes, your cinnamon breath fans over his face warms his heart. Your tits pressing into his hard chest have a similar effect further south.

"Jay, stop squirming," you say as you continue to wiggle on top of him. "I'm going to poke your eye out," Like he can help it. Like he can help just how much to affect him.

"I'm trying, are you nearly done?"

"True art takes time,"

"I don't know how much I got left,"

"Why's that?"

"Princess if you don't hurry up I might break your pretty brush," his hands grip your hips, hoping to keep you still. Instead it gives him more leverage to rub up into you, grinding his very hard and seeping cock into your delicate panties. 

"I'm nearly done, just one more thing." He feels you reach back, his eyes still closed. Then the softness of your kiss overwhelms him and he can't hold it back any longer. 

He flips you underneath him. You let out an adorable squeal of excitement as his cock grinds on the wet patch in your panties. "Fuck" it feels like someone finally cracked a hole in the horny pond. he tries to stop but can't, “I need to be inside you,” 

"Like right now?" You say, grinding up into him and shoving your panties down your legs as fast as you can. "But I haven't finished your makeup" Fuck, you're always so ready for him. Maybe you can finish his make up? He thinks slyly, hmm this could be fun.

“Right now Princess,” his hand fumbles as his blood thrums. He dips his fingers into your heavenly pussy and you’re already clenching down on him, "fuckin hell. You're already so wet. I got an idea," he moves back, laughing when you let out a huff as his fingers leave you. He rests his back on the wall behind your bed, "come here,"

'Ok?" You ask, seemingly confused about what he's doing. But when you see him shake his pants off and throw them on the floor, your mouth falls open and you start staring at him again. Fuck, it makes him feel like a God. 

You fall onto your tummy crawling towards him, like sin personified, like you need him as much as he needs you. He glimpses those pretty tits through the large gap in the front of his shirt, "What are we doing?"

"Since you insist on doing my makeup,” he tuts, “you're going to sit on my cock while you finish it. Don't look at me like that. Come on now,"

"I'm definitely going to poke your eye out," you side eye him as you raise to your knees.

"You won't. I trust you," he says, taking your hips in his hands, sighing when your warm fingers wrap around his cock. 

"Good girl, now sit," he takes deep breaths as your tight little pussy envelops him, your creaminess sliding down the hard ridges of his cock, fingers digging into the flesh of your hips. 

"Ok," you pant, squirming around him with your eyes closed, "I've just gotta-" you pick up your pallet, swiping some black over your finger and pressing it into his eyelid. 

“Please don't make that face,” he squints, knowing what you look like when you get focused, “I'm having a hard enough time,”

“This was your idea,” you sass, wiggling your ass and he feels like he might just let you poke his eyes out. 

He thrusts up, moaning when you bite down on your lip to try and keep your concentration. His hand moves, slipping over your hip to fall right at your clit. His thumb lazily swiping up and down making you spasm and pull your hand away.

“Jay,” you shudder, falling forward and into his chest, your hands holding his cheeks as you reach up to kiss him. Pride swells in his chest, knowing that he can have you like this whenever he wants. That you’re so open and trusting of him, ready to fall apart in his arms at any given moment.

“Makeup done?” He mumbles between kisses. His cock with a mind of its own as it starts to slowly thrust into you.

“It's,” you lean back, taking in your handy work, your delicate fingers brushing over his cheeks. You’re cheeks are flushed and your beautiful eyes take him in, “kinda smudey now, but it looks good.”

“Good,” he lifts his knees bringing you even closer to him, “now about this shirt,” his hands slip in between the buttons, ripping it in half. 

“Jay,” you gasp, and the shock on your face was worth it. Until you pout at him, “that was my favourite shirt,”

“I got heaps of flannels, you can have all of them Princess,” he peels the shirt from your arms, bowing his head so he can take your tit in his mouth, his strong tongue flicking over your nipple. Moving his other hand so his thumb can do the same to your clit, “still upset about the shirt?” He pant’s when you start to bounce on his cock.

“No, Jay I-” he knows what you're going to say, he can feel how tight you're getting around him. You just need a little push, his mouth sucks into your neck, tasting the last remnants of your face mask mixing with your sweat. You keep making those noises as bites into you, the fucking sweetest sounds on the earth, he wants to have his head clogged full of them.

“Cum,” his voice muffled as his teeth move to your nipple. You arch back, your hands grip tight to his legs, nails digging into his thick thighs,  Yes, mark me, he thinks, I'm yours Princess make me look like it, but his mouth says, “cum, cum on me, then you're going to do it again and again, cum Princess,”

His cock feels like it's in a vice as you shake and shiver over him, his name like a chant on your lips and your eyes tight with his. Your face is so beautiful as you fall apart on top of him, those tiny breathy moans echoing in his ears.

His hands slide around your waist, pulling you even closer, his lips connect with yours, “you did so well, wrap your legs around me," Your eyes lidded as you gaze back at him, "I got the next one,” he lifts you, sliding his legs underneath him to get more leverage. 

“Ready?”

“Yes Jay,” your voice is so lust filled, he wants to record it for when he's had a bad day. He thrusts up, your fingers winding through his hair, turning his head towards you. 

He'll never get used to how stunning you are, your eyes groggy and your lips swollen from his kiss, "fuck your beautiful," he kisses you deeply one hand on the back of your neck, the other gripping into your ass. "Keep those pretty eyes open for me," 

He's losing himself, losing any remaining semblance of sanity inside of you as he moves faster, harder "fuck I want to cum. Your little pussy feels so good Princess"

Your hands are drifting, seeming to want to touch every part of him before settling on his biceps. Your teeth bite down into his shoulder as he finds your g spot and it feels like fireworks shooting down his neck. "Fuck me back Princess," he slaps your ass making your pussy pulse around him.

“Again,” your voice getting breathier by the second, starting to grind down into him as he fucks you. He can feel your clit grazing his stomach, your tits brushing against the sensitive y shaped scar at the center of his torso. He's alive, alive for this. So he could make you cum on him everyday for forever . He slaps your ass over and over, feeling your pussy clutch and clench around him.

“Want to fill you, Princess,” His cock throbs inside you, your moans surrounding him like a symphony, “want to see that pretty pussy drip with my cum,”

“Jason,”

“Yes, cum. Cum, cum,” he moans in your ear, trying to hold back his own release, he wants to share it, to share everything. With you.

“JASON!” you scream, his name on your lips the richest sound in the world and as your pussy begins to convulse around him, he lets go. His cum filling you up, surrounding his cock and pumping into your pussy. He keeps going, fucking into you, letting you have as much of him as you need. He wants you spent, blissed out on his cock so that you never go searching for the feeling elsewhere.

His lips caress your neck as your shaking begins to slow, “did so well Princess, so perfect for me,” he praises you, lifting you up and laying you both on the bed.

Your head rest's on his chest as your little fingers trace the line of his scar. It feels strange, nice strange. Your fingers drift down the tail end of the why and he thinks maybe you're putting the butterflies inside him.

“You're fucking perfect,” your voice so fucking soft.

He smooths out the strands of your hair, not believing that you could ever truly think that of him. Not if you knew what he had done and all the lies he told you.

“How did my makeup hold up?” He asks, noticing the black smudges all over by your pretty face when you look up at him and wanting to change the subject, “I got it all over you,” he tries to wipe it clean.

“I think it looks better this way,” your soft hands brush his hair up, so gently. You're always so gentle with him. It makes his knees weak, “Hmm. You just need a jacket and a bit more black and you'll look just like how I imagine the Red Hood looks under that shiny helmet.”

“Oh really?” He knows you don't know, he's gone to very extreme lengths to ensure it. And asking you to dinner? What was he thinking, that's only going to make things more complicated. But he's not going to deny how it makes the pride swell in his chest, “Is that a look you like Princess?”

“Don't be jealous Jay. He's just mysterious and dark,” you shrug.

“I'm not jealous, beautiful, only a little intrigued.”

“Dressing up as him wouldn't hurt,” his smart girl, too smart. How is he going to keep this up? The closer, the deeper he falls the more likely you are to be in danger. He needs to tread very carefully. The last thing he wants is for you to get hurt.

Part 4

Taglist: (let me know if you want in bestie)

@princessbl0ss0m @letmebebatmanpls

[dreamwritesimagines]

I have a feeling that Bucky has had a crush on Charm for a long time and the main victims of it have been Becca and Steve. Becca because she gets drilled with questions after every night out at breakfast and Steve because he has had to hear about it for years:

Bucky, pretending not to care: so, how did she get home last night? The driver said he only dropped you off.

Steve, who can already see where this is going and its barely 7am: You uh- you talked to the driver, Buck?

Bucky: We chatted.

Steve: At four am? I-

Bucky: Anyways. Bex?

Becca, still wearing her club clothes and sunglasses at the table, glitter all over and half convinced someone poisoned her coffee (no one did, she's just hungover): huh-

Bucky, trying to appear nonchalant but it's not fooling anyone: how did Charm get home?

Steve: Buck, c'mon, she's a big girl-

Becca: Liam dropped her off... I think. Are we sure this food is safe? I feel sick.

Bucky: Whatever. What the fuck is a Liam?

Becca: A friend. I really think we should-

Bucky: whose friend? At what time? What was the car number-

Steve, who has been in this exact same situation ever since the girls started to go clubbing: Bucky, I think we should let Becca get some rest.

Becca, who wishes Steve were her brother but is also currently swaying on her seat: That's a great idea-

Bucky: She will as soon as she answers some questions- this Liam kid, is he safe? Haven't heard that name before so he can't be from one of the families... is this a school friend? Don't tell me it's a guy from the club.

And that's the fourth time that Becca throws up on the table and the third that Steve helps her get to bed.

OMG OMG DARLIIING😍😱❤️

I’m so going to fangirl over this and you because THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING 😍

So first of all, you are incredibly talented! 😍 This scene is so good, like I need this to happen, I’m so taking this as canon 😂❤️

Steve going like “At four am?” with a completely exasperated expression because it’s too early in the morning 😂

Becca, still wearing her club clothes and sunglasses at the table, glitter all over and half convinced someone poisoned her coffee (no one did, she's just hungover) HELP, THIS IS SO BECCA-

What the fuck is a Liam? There are Kill Bill sirens going off in Bucky’s head for sure 😂

whose friend? At what time? What was the car number- HE’S FIRING QUESTION AFTER QUESTION, I CAN’T-😂

Steve, who has been in this exact same situation ever since the girls started to go clubbing Oh Steve needs a painkiller, fast😁 He will whine to Sam about how Bucky’s all braincells stop working as soon as Charm is mentioned 😂

Awww Steve being so nice to Becca, that would be their whole dynamic! ❤️ It’s so sweet! ❤️

Omg my loveeeee, this made my whole day, I will read this over and over again! 😍 Thank you so so much, ILY! ❤️

Also since your wonderful scene inspired me, now my mind is full of this trio, Bucky relentlessly asking questions, Becca totally not paying attention and Steve facepalming 😁 It would happen like every Sunday breakfast, because they probably all have breakfast together as a family and Steve is always invited ❤️ So Bucky would clear his throat and go like,

“Becca.”

“Hm?”

“So I was by Stark’s territory yesterday-“

“Why? It’s miles and miles away.”

“I had things to do there, it’s not important.”

“Is this why you ditched me and Sam? We had a meeting and all I got was a text saying you were busy?”

“I was busy. By a total coincidence, I saw Charm there and-“

“Oh yeah she mentioned she had this date there.”

“…Date?”

“Becca. Becca no, don’t do this to me.”

“She was having a date with that asshole?”

“Oh you’ve met him?”

“No. No, it’s just- he looks like an asshole.”

“Great. Now this is going to be the only thing I’m going to hear for the whole week, thanks a lot Becca.”

“What-I said nothing!”

“Who the hell is that dude?”

“We met him at the club last night-“

“At the club?!”

“Yeah. I think he’s a-“

“No. No no, some dude from a club? He cannot be trusted, also he’s not even that good looking, go tell her that.”

[mostofthingsmostofthetime]

I finished the second episode of Heartstopper last night (wanted to post about it yesterday, but I was too tired from work), so here are some of my thoughts in no particular order for you now.

Good on Nick for checking up on Charlie after what happened. I found it odd, though, that he seemed more emotional about it than Charlie, but I guess they're in two very different places, mentally. One being 'why do I seem to like this guy way more than my other friends?' & the other being 'omg stop being so nice to me, your straight!' lol. Plus, I get that everyone deals with stuff in their own way & poor Charlie is probably so used to being mistreated that he might just be repressing the full weight of how his feeling as a copeing mechanism. It was also probably very cathartic to finally tell someone everything that happened between him & Ben (as I'm guessing he kept most if not all of it a secret from his friends & sister).

WE FINALLY MEET NELLIE!!!! And she is as cute as I'd hoped (though for some reason I expected her to be a different colour).

Sorry, Charlie, but Tori's right. Your hair looks exactly the same. Also, love that they kept the gag from the novel about her scaring him with her, always showing up suddenly without warning.

Nice to see that the outfits are on point for our boys so far with the plaid/black jeans (trying to impress someone, I see Charlie) & T-shirt/joggers (also what product is Miss Nelson using coz Nick's tops look soft as hell).

Wait, what season is it supposed to be because it looked really sunny when Charlie was walking to Nick's house (I know he was wearing a coat & hat but Charlie is always cold) but then suddenly it's snowing? Idk when Alice first came up with this story, but as a Brit, I haven't seen proper full on Snow since I was probably around eight years old. But hey, maybe in the Heartstopper universe, global warming doesn't exist.

I don’t care what anyone says, I will never get the fun of a snowball fight. If I go somewhere with a friend & they start throwing stuff at me, I'm leaving! Also, picking it up with your bare hands? One, it's been on the ground 🤢, and two, where are your gloves? Do you not feel the cold? Snow angles do look fun until I think about how my entire behind would be frozen/damp. Sorry if that makes me a "stick in the mud", I don't care 😝.

Damn, that is one photogenic dog & and aww, they already look like a couple. Also, give it up for Nick's freckles, the real star of the show 👏.

Omg, being in the same group as someone you hate must be so hard, but I get why Nick can't really say anything about what Ben did, at least not right now. Also, what is up with that Imogen girl? Mind your damn business.

I think it's good we get to see Elle longing for a bond with other girls that she just can't get from her male friend group. Makes her transition feel more fleshed out (for lack of a better word), you know?

Yay, we finally meet Tara & Darcy & they're exactly how I thought they'd be (except I imagined Darcy with brown hair for some reason). Ooh I didn't know Elle was artistic. I wanna decorate pencil cases now. Tara's pink puffa coat is so cute. What is up with adults dictating how long kids' hair can be? Like who gives a fuck! Also "gal pals" had me 😆.

Oh, thank god, it's just misinformation. For a second, I thought Tao was making shit up just to make Charlie get over his crush. Are kids really like that, though? I can't imagine kissing someone once & having people insist, I'm madly in love with them to this day, like move on already.

Ok, I officially really like the gay teacher, lol.

Love Charlie's sweater & Nick's coats are also very nice. Where are these kids getting their clothes? Coz I'm embarrassed by most of the stuff I wore as a teenager.

The big hoodie moment should be cute, but I just can't help thinking about how skinny Charlie is, which makes me ☹️.

Ok, so I didn't care much for the leaf animation in the first episode, but omg, the little fire crackles when Nick was trying to hold Charlie's hand? Screaming, crying, throwing up!!!!!!! & the hug before he left? Fucking crops watered for life, bitch!

Was digging Elle's outfit, very 70's vibes.

Ah, so their "secret" is out. Also obligatory: 🗣 LET'S GO LESBIANS LET'S GO 🗣

Can't wait for the next episode, but I practically passed out after watching episode 2 (manual labour is hard, kids 😭), so maybe I hallucinated, but did that Imogen girl ask Nick out? I thought she was daiting Ben? Or is that a different girl?

PS. I found out Aled won't be in the show, which I accept & the only reason I haven't talked about Isaac is because he hasn't really done much yet

[shallyne]

The Diary of Feyre Archeron Ch 9

(Romantically)

Chapter nine! So exciting! Some relief from the insanity of the past chapters. I hope you enjoy! Full Fic on AO3

Words: 1.1k

June 15th

Dear Diary, 

I still haven't burnt it. I will, I need to. I do, I know. I will. Soon. 

Although, the worst of the cases for Amarantha, Tamlin and Rhysand's father is over. It's been a hectic few months but we managed.

I have started therapy, too. It's been ROUGH but absolutely necessary. I'm glad Elain and Nesta pushed me into this direction, it's…I don't know how to explain it. I just feel so grateful for my sisters. We definitely had a rocky road and a fair share of fights over the years but when we needed it, we were there for each other, through our worst times. 

Since the accident, that's what I'm calling it now, Rhys and I have not spent one day apart. If it's work or just hanging out, he is there. Another wonder of the past months that I am infinitely grateful for. I have missed him a lot. I forgot how much of a rock he was for me. 

Something is definitely different between us now, though, but I am not mad about it. We became adults. He is some kind of criminal mastermind now (can you believe I say that casually? I would have RAN nine years ago!!) and I, well, I don't know what I am but I will find out. It's going forward, in baby steps. But baby steps are still steps! 

June 18th

The nightmares were bad again last night. After turning and tossing after an especially nasty one I called Rhys in the middle of the night. He actually picked up. That's insane, he should have been asleep. What did he even do at 3am? He refused to tell me. Not because he doesn't trust me but because he wants to focus on me. His words. It's kind of cute, right? 

I asked him to tell me about constellations because he LOVES astronomy, he's always getting super nerdy about it. 

For a moment I imagined him polishing his gun while telling me all about Orion and I kind of, I don't know, it was very attractive. It shouldn't be, right? That's wrong. That's SO wrong. 

I shouldn't get wet at the thought of him doing crimes. 

But I do. 

I should feel bad about it. 

But I don't.  

Haters can die mad about it. A wise woman once said “Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate”

Anyways, I'm going to meet Rhys in an hour, I have to go now. 

June 19th

Nesta said Rhys and I are going on dates. Romantically. That's so not true! We are not going on dates. Romantically. I'd KNOW if we were going on dates. Romantically. This is absurd! And Elain agreed with my sister!! We never gave any signs that we would even date. He kisses my forehead to calm me down, nothing romantic about it. I enjoy it, yes, but that's a ME problem. And we only hold hands to not lose each other in crowds or to keep my hand warm. I get cold hands easily, even in summer. And we hug frequently but that's what friends do. They hug. People hug all the time. 

Nesta just gave me the Sure, Jan look and went back to reading her book while Elain stayed silent. 

Fine, if they want to think we are going on dates (romantically) then I can't stop them but this is not the truth! 

Rhys will also think it's ridiculous when I tell him over dinner later. 

Anyways, I can't decide if I should put on my wine red lipstick or my crimson lipstick. I'll decide on a whim when I'm done curling my hair. 

June 20th

What. Is. Happening. 

I

I don't know what is happening. 

Something is happening. 

Something GREAT is happening. Something amazing and equally terrifying. Oh god, it's definitely happening. I don't know what's happening. No, I know. I know what is happening but I just can't believe it. Maybe I'm still in that coffin and I am about to die and this is just a daydream and–

God no we're not going down that route. I definitely have to talk about this in therapy. But I digress. 

Okay, so, Rhys and I met for dinner yesterday and I told him about my argument with Nesta about her saying we go on dates (romantically) and he got that weird look, like, I was so sure he was about to agree with me that it's ridiculous. Spoiler, he didn't. He agreed with NESTA. He thought, well no, he hoped we were going on dates (romantically). I was flabbergasted. Absolutely shocked. I think I freezed for a moment, I'm not sure. Why was so sure about these dates not being romantic? I don't even know! I wore the sluttiest lipstick I have, that I bought for our dates. I'm so blind, oh my god. 

Anyways, he asked me if we are dating. I said yes. I cried. In the middle of the fanciest restaurant in velaris. I am dating Rhysand. This feels like a dream. And we kissed! I swear this was the most swoon-worthy kiss EVER. I'm blushing just thinking about it, I feel like a damn teenager. 

But, Rhys and I are only dating for now. I am not ready to throw myself into anything just yet and Rhys was, of course, respectful of my boundaries. We didn't have sex yet, either. I thought about it but I couldn't. Not yet. He said he's waiting as long as it takes. 

It was the perfect evening. 

June 28th

I just came from therapy and I have to write this. There is something I have to do and I will do it tomorrow. I am nervous. So god damn nervous about it but it's time. I feel ready, finally. So, it is time and I will do it no matter how hard. I will also ask Rhys to come with me, my therapist said I should take someone with me that I trust and I trust Rhys. With my whole life. I want him to be with me when I do this step and if I'm being honest, I need him to be with me. 

There is this quarter in Velaris, a quarter I never stepped foot into because I couldn't. There were times when I stood close but turned around, I never was quite ready. It's called the Rainbow, it's the Artist's quarter of the city, which Velaris is actually quite famous for. There's all kinds of arts strewn throughout the whole quarter, everyone finds their place there and there is also an art school people dream of attending, it's quite famous. 

I never took a look at it, or anything. But I want to. So badly. 

And I will. 

Tomorrow.

With Rhys. (I hope) 

Feysand Taglist:

@captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship @starfall-spirit @rhysiedarling @corcracrow @sydney-fae25 @tothestarsandwhateverend @aayo-whatt @dreamlandreader

[mtap-comics]

Welcome back to my Bad Things Happen Bingo!

Fandom: My time at Portia

Pairing: Arlo x Female Builder

Summary: Elenya had always been proud of her good reflexes. Combined with her clumsiness, they had saved her from so many injuries and broken glasses. But today this blessing was proving to be more of a curse.

Word count: 7'742

Prompt: Bleeding Through the Bandages

Well, look who's back! It's been a while since my last story, but I started a new job at the beginning of February and haven't had much time to write for a while.

But now I welcome you back to my Bad Things Happen Bingo!

You'll experience the usual angst, followed by enough sweet Arlo to rot your teeth. It's once again quite a bit to read, so make sure you have enough time for it!

Warnings: Blood, Injury, Stitches, Fainting

Read on AO3: Link

Healing Hands

Elenya had always been proud of her good reflexes. Combined with her clumsiness, they had saved her from so many injuries and broken glasses. But today this blessing was proving to be more of a curse.

It was a mild late summer morning in Portia and Elenya was in her garden, as she often was, working at her workbench. Paulie had posted an order for 3 grinding saws on the commission board and as luck would have it, she still had 3 blade blanks in stock and just needed to sharpen them. She had already finished the first two and the third just needed a final polish to give it the outstanding quality she had become known for in Portia over the last year and a half.

With an exhausted sigh, Elenya lowered herself onto the small stool at her workbench and took off her leather gloves. It was only 10 o'clock in the morning, but she would have loved nothing more than to go back to bed. She had been working almost non-stop for the past few days, finishing the pump and boiler for the new hot springs that Mayor Gale had planned. In theory, she needn't have rushed, but if she was honest with herself, she couldn't wait to relax in the hot water herself.

She had been able to install the machines yesterday, and now all that remained was for Albert to finish the building. And even though she had finally gotten enough sleep that night, the exhaustion still lingered in her bones.

But it was no use. Work never stopped in Portia.

With another sigh, she reached for the water bottle in the corner of her workbench, took a deep drink and put it back. Unfortunately, she wasn't careful enough and bumped her elbow against the nearly finished grinding blade, which immediately slipped over the edge of the workbench.

Without even thinking about it, she grabbed the blade with both hands in a flash, and while this ensured that neither the blade nor the wooden floor underneath the workbench was damaged, the blade slipped a few, but critical, millimetres through her hand, leaving deep, burning cuts in her palms.

The pain shot from her hands through her entire body, and it was only with great difficulty and a great deal of swearing that she managed not to drop the blade and throw it back onto the workbench. Blood immediately began to flow from her palms.

Quickly moving her hands away from her body to avoid bleeding all over herself, she frantically looked around for something to stop the bleeding. Her eyes, blurred by rising tears, fell on her textile machine, which had just finished sewing a fresh piece of fabric.

That would have to do.

On trembling knees, Elenya hurried to the machine and grabbed the fabric, squeezing it tightly between her palms. Another unsavoury curse escaped her as more pain shot through her body, but she gritted her teeth and didn't let go of the fabric. 

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking fuck!

How stupid could a person be? What was she supposed to do now?

The fabric between her hands was already turning red and through the pain she tried to grasp a clear thought.

Stop the bleeding. She had to stop the bleeding somehow. Where was her first aid kit again?

A few single tears escaped her as she stumbled uncoordinated towards her front door, but she managed to open the door and get deeper into her house.

Once in her bathroom, she managed to use her elbow to open the door of her bathroom cupboard and take out her first aid kit. She still held the piece of cloth between her hands and didn't dare let go. 

But how was she going to open the box, let alone take out the bandages?

Elenya decided to drop the box to the ground and wedge it between her knees. It took a moment, but with the help of her elbows, fingers and teeth she finally managed to tear open a pack of compresses and a bandage.

She took a deep breath. Now it was time to let go of the fabric.

Carefully, she slowly released her left hand and immediately her stomach turned and she got lightheaded. The cut was deep and blood was still flowing from it.

Normally she had no problem with blood, but when it was her own and in large quantities, her circulation could not keep up. At least she could still move her fingers, so nothing important had been cut, but she was afraid the wounds would need stitches.

Just thinking about it made her even more dizzy, and she shook her head vigorously, trying to clear the black dots from her vision. She had to pull herself together!

Elenya let go of the cloth with her right hand and laid it roughly over her lap and the floor to catch at least some of the blood that was dripping again. Then she grabbed a compress and used three fingers to press it firmly against the cut on her right hand, leaving her thumb and forefinger free.

With these two fingers, she tried as best she could to wipe the blood from the other hand, apply a compress and wrap a bandage around it. She didn't succeed very well. Her hands were half numb with pain and she couldn't muster enough strength to tighten the bandage properly.

She repeated the process on the other side and then collapsed exhausted against the wall behind her. She carefully placed her hands on her drawn knees to hold them above her heart and closed her eyes with a sigh. Pain was still pulsing through her hands and the stress of the whole situation was sapping the last of her strength.

She would have preferred to sit here forever, but the temporary bandages wouldn't last long and she needed to get up to the clinic. She waited a few more minutes for her heartbeat to calm a little and the pain to subside, but then she couldn't put off the inevitable any longer.

With another deep sigh, Elenya slowly straightened up, and as soon as the black dots disappeared from her vision, she set off, holding her hands carefully to her chest.

Without really noticing, she reached the gate to the village, her body automatically following the familiar path. As soon as she turned the corner, however, she collided with something and lost her balance. Fortunately, this something, or rather someone, also had good reflexes and grabbed her shoulders to prevent her from falling. Had it not been for that, her reflex would probably have been to catch herself with her hands, and that would not have been a very good outcome for her.

But now she found herself leaning against a strong chest, her throbbing hands trapped between them, and a warm, familiar voice reached her ears.

"Oh, Elenya, sweetheart! I'm sorry, I didn't see you. Are you all right?"

Elenya's knees went weak as she realised who she had walked straight into. Arlo, her wonderful boyfriend, tightened his grip on her back as he felt her lean into him even more and she could feel his worried gaze on her.

Despite everything, her heart leapt with joy at the gesture and she couldn't help but nestle even closer to his chest. The warmth of his body filled her with a sense of peace that made her forget the stress of the last half hour for a moment. She was no longer alone with her injured hands and only now did she realise how much that fact had affected her subconsciously.

"Elenya?"

Arlo's worried voice sounded again and Elenya finally lifted her head to meet his gaze. Blue eyes rested warmly and questioningly on her face and she tried to smile reassuringly at him. Judging by his expression, she didn't succeed.

 "Hey Arlo, I, um..." She didn't really know what to say. How do you explain that you were stupid enough to catch a sharp grinding blade with your bare hands?

Before she could think any further, Arlo finally caught sight of her roughly bandaged hands and his eyes widened in shock.

"Your hands! What happened to your hands?"

He quickly took a step away from her and gently gripped her wrists so that he could see her hands better. Blood was already seeping through the bandages and the sight made Elenya dizzy again. She squeezed her eyes shut.

Oh God, what was wrong with her today? She usually had no problem with blood!

Instantly, the grip on her wrists tightened as she swayed in place and was pulled back against Arlo's chest. Exhausted, Elenya let her head sink against his shoulder.

"Woah, hey, it's all right. I've got you. Come on, I'll take you up to the clinic."

Leaving one arm wrapped tightly around her shoulders, Arlo pulled away from her, planted a soft kiss on her temple and then led her along the path she had intended to walk alone until a moment ago.

~~~~~~

Elenya didn't know exactly how long it took them to get up the hill. She was completely focused on Arlo's warm, reassuring presence, blocking out everything else, including the constant throbbing of her hands. It was only when they entered the cool interior of the clinic that she became aware of her surroundings and found herself face to face with Dr. Xu.

"Oh god, Elenya! What happened?" Concerned, the doctor approached her and cautiously grabbed her hands, which she was still holding protectively to her chest. Two startled sounds rang through the room as she opened her fingers, and Elenya dared to look at her hands again.

The bandages had almost completely bled through, and a few drops of blood were already running down her hands again.

She quickly looked away before she could get lightheaded again.

Why haven't the cuts stopped bleeding? How long had it been?

Dr. Xu also seemed very concerned about the amount of blood and quickly led her over to his desk and instructed her to sit on the stool. Arlo stood close behind her so she could feel his warmth and she was incredibly grateful to him. Now that the inevitable stitches were imminent, panic began to creep back into her.

Dr. Xu quickly cleared the table, placed a flat cushion on top, threw a clean sheet over it and instructed her to put her hands down.

Elenya silently complied.

As soon as her hands touched the sheet, Dr. Xu began to remove the first bandage from her left hand. Elenya did her best not to look at her hands. She felt that if she saw the cuts again, she would faint.

It was only when a large, warm hand rested on her shoulder and a second began to soothe through her hair that she realised her whole body was shaking slightly. Almost immediately, some of her tension was released and she leaned gratefully against Arlo. He supported her like a warm stone in the surf.

Again, two startled sounds echoed through the room as the first bandage was removed, but this time she managed to suppress the reflex to look at her hands. However, she could not suppress a painful hiss as Dr. Xu presumably pressed a new compress firmly onto her wound and wrapped a new, tighter bandage around it. The hand on her shoulder squeezed reassuringly.

"This definitely needs stitches. God, Elenya, how did this happen?" Dr. Xu's voice sounded horrified and Elenya dared to look up at him. Dark, worried eyes met her gaze and she shrugged her shoulders, blushing.

She really didn't want to tell him how this situation had come about, but she could feel Arlo's gaze resting on her, tense and worried, so she gave in with a soft sigh.

"Well, I was working on some grinding saws for Paulie..." She recounted how disastrous her morning had been, hissing painfully several times as Dr. Xu tended to her right hand. When she finished, a soft sigh sounded behind her and a gentle kiss landed on her head.

Tilting her head back, Elenya looked up at Arlo and met his exasperated but loving gaze.

"Oh sweetheart, what am I going to do with you?" He stroked her cheek lovingly and she leaned into the comforting gesture, a sheepish smile forming on her lips.

"I'm sorry." For a moment, she lost herself in her boyfriend's deep blue eyes until Dr. Xu's throat clearing brought her back to reality. She quickly raised her head again and looked forwards.

"Okay, before I take care of your hands, I have a few more questions. First things first: can you still move all your fingers?" The doctor observed her attentively and she nodded. At least in that regard she was still lucky enough.

"Can you show me?" Dr. Xu turned his gaze to her hands and, without looking, Elenya carefully moved each of her fingers. Pain throbbed in her hands as she moved, but Dr. Xu quickly seemed satisfied and indicated that she could stop. Relieved, she sank a little more against Arlo's supportive body.

"That's good. At least the blade didn't hit anything important. Do you know roughly how long ago the accident happened? It's really worrying that the wounds are still bleeding so much."

"It must have been about 10 o'clock." A quick glance at the clock on the wall told her that it was now almost 11 o'clock.

Was she really still bleeding?

Without being able to stop it, she looked down at her hands and immediately regretted it. Dr. Xu had tied a new tight bandage directly over the cut on her left hand, but her right hand was exposed and her stomach instantly turned and the world spun before her eyes. Everything went black for a moment and when she came to, she was hanging slightly sideways from the stool, two strong arms wrapped around her torso and horrified exclamations met her ears.

"Elenya!" It was Arlo right next to her ear. He must have caught her. 

Had she really just fainted at the sight of blood? Shame crept up her spine and she quickly tried to sit up, but her body wouldn't obey. The arms around her upper body tightened their grip and gently lifted her up until she was sitting upright on the stool again. Exhausted, she slumped down and wished she could hide her face in her hands. 

Could this day get any more embarrassing?

Fortunately, she was able to resist the temptation and instead looked into the worried eyes of Dr. Xu, who had stood up and was now crouching in front of her.

"Does your body always react like this at the sight of blood?"

Ashamed, Elenya shook her head and Dr. Xu's gaze became thoughtful as he scrutinised her face.

She felt completely stupid. Sitting here, Arlo's arms still wrapped around her torso, his tense chest behind her - had he knelt down? - and her injured hands still outstretched on the table in front of her.

"Would you rather lie down?"

Another shake of the head. She just wanted to get this over with.

"Have you been getting enough sleep lately?"

Arlo's arms tightened around her and Elenya had the feeling she'd better not answer that question. But her silence seemed to be enough of an answer for both men and with a sigh, the tension drained from Arlo's body behind her, and his supportive grip became more of a warm embrace.

"Oh sweetheart, what am I going to do with you?" His words rang out again and apologetically, she snuggled against him. Her tendency to forget about her own health as soon as she had a project in front of her had always given him a headache and she was sorry that he was worrying about her again.

"One day I'll get you to look after yourself first and then the town." Warm lips pressed a gentle kiss to her mop of hair and a sheepish smile crept across her lips.

She wished him good luck with that.

"Well then, I'll leave that problem to Arlo. Let's take care of your hands now, okay?" With a sigh, Dr. Xu straightened up, took a small bottle from one of his cabinets and explained: "Here, this is for the pain. Can you help her drink it, Arlo? I'll get everything else I need in the meantime."

"Of course." Arlo took the already opened bottle and then leaned over her to gently place it to her lips. Slightly ashamed that she needed this help, but grateful, Elenya drank the painkiller. 

A bitter taste followed by the sweetness of honey washed over her tongue and she had to force herself to swallow the concoction. She knew that Dr. Xu was always trying to improve his medicines, but unfortunately the taste still left a lot to be desired.

As if the latter had already known this, a glass full of water appeared in front of her shortly afterwards and Arlo took it with a soft chuckle. He also held it gently to her lips and she gulped down the water greedily to get the taste out of her mouth.

"Thank you." Elenya turned her grateful smile first to Dr. Xu, who waved her off with a simple hand gesture, and then to Arlo, who still had an arm around her back and was looking at her lovingly from the side.

"Of course. Anytime for you." A warm kiss on her forehead followed Arlo's soft words, then he positioned himself behind her again, his second arm wrapped back around her waist, and with a sigh she let herself sink back against his strong chest.

Her hands were still throbbing with pain, her stomach was churning with nausea and she still felt like she could faint again at any moment, but for a moment she could forget all that and just concentrate on the familiar warmth.

Without noticing, her eyes closed and she was only jolted back to reality when something cold - burning - suddenly flowed over her hands. With a startled hiss, she sat up abruptly, barely managing to stop herself from pulling her hands protectively towards her.

"I'm sorry, perhaps I should have warned you. But I'm afraid that wouldn't make cleaning the wounds any more pleasant." Dr. Xu looked up at her apologetically for a moment, but quickly turned his attention back to her hands, and Elenya had to do her best not to look there herself.

Gritting her teeth, she tried to bear the burning sensation, but the feel of the disinfectant flowing over her open hands felt all wrong and a new wave of nausea spread through her.

Oh God, please let this be over quickly.

"Breathe, Elenya. Come on, you can do it, sweetheart." Only when Arlo's voice suddenly appeared next to hers did she realise that she was holding her breath and that black dots were already appearing in her field of vision. Startled, she took a deep breath.

"That's good. Take a deep breath..." He inhaled behind her and she did the same. "And out again. That's it. Nice and slow." 

For the time it took Dr. Xu to clean her hands, she followed Arlo's breathing and was once again so grateful to have him by her side. 

"Okay, that's that. Fortunately, the bleeding has almost completely stopped by now. I'm going to apply an ointment now to numb the skin around the incisions so that I can put the stitches in, okay? How are you holding up?" Dr. Xu's dark eyes searched her gaze warmly and, exhausted, she could only nod.

She just wanted to go home.

In the five minutes it took for the ointment to take effect, Dr. Xu got everything ready for the stitches. Once again, Elenya tried not to look. She generally had no problem with needles, but this wasn't the first time she'd had stitches and the feeling of a thread being pulled through her skin was more than unpleasant and always made her feel nauseous.

Arlo seemed to notice her growing discomfort and positioned himself so that he was now kneeling to her left, his right arm still wrapped supportively around her back and his other hand gently cupping her cheek.

"Hey, are you all right?" He looked at her with concern and affection and she leaned gratefully into his touch.

Her voice trembled slightly as she replied, "I hate having to get stitches."

"It's going to be all right, okay? I'll be here the whole time. And it'll be over before you know it." Encouragingly, he leaned his forehead gently against hers and she instinctively breathed in his soothing scent. Some of the tension drained from her body and she gratefully pressed a brief kiss to his lips.

However, the sound of someone clearing their throat startled her and she turned back to Dr. Xu with slightly flushed cheeks. He smiled at her reassuringly and then pressed his now gloved finger to a spot next to the cut on her left hand and asked her: "Can you still feel anything?"

It felt strange. She could somehow feel the pressure, but she couldn't feel the warmth or the rubbery surface of the glove, which meant the ointment was working and Dr. Xu could start the stitches. She swallowed hard, but then shook her head.

"No. I think... you can start." At her shaky words, the arm around her shoulders tightened and she hid her face in Arlo's chest as best she could. It wasn't easy in her position, but Arlo moved slightly towards her, burying his free hand in her hair to hold her close.

"Don't worry, I'll be as careful as I can." Dr. Xu's reassuring voice reached her ears, but even his words couldn't help the uncomfortable feeling as he made the first stitch. Instantly, nausea spread through her stomach and with a soft whimper, she pressed herself even closer to Arlo. Her heart pounding, she tried to concentrate on his warmth and the hand that was gently stroking through her hair.

"Shh, it's all right. It'll be over in a minute."

And indeed, it wasn't long before her first hand was treated. Elenya felt her hand being gently washed again, the wound disinfected, and then a tight bandage tied around her hand to her wrist. She dared to take a look at it.

The bandage was pristine white, no blood in sight, and with relief she looked up into Dr. Xu's warm eyes.

"You're doing great. Ready for the second hand?" She felt like a little child at the doctor's words, but she probably wasn't behaving much differently and so she just nodded, her cheeks slightly red. The sooner she got this over with, the better.

Before the next stitch could be placed, she quickly hid her face in Arlo's chest again. His hand found its way back into her hair, though a soft laugh rumbled through his chest.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sound. Even though he was laughing because of her, it was still her favourite sound and it filled her with warmth. She could melt every time she heard it.

The left hand was finished almost faster than the right, and she wondered for a moment if the cut wasn't quite as long, but it didn't matter. The main thing was that it was over, and she no longer had to endure that horrible feeling.

While Dr. Xu bandaged her second hand, Elenya let herself sink completely against Arlo. Now that most of the stress was over, exhaustion caught up with her and she struggled to stay upright. Immediately, Arlo changed his grip on her to better support her weight.

"You okay, sweetie?" Warm and concerned, his voice rumbled through his chest, and she nodded slightly. She felt warm and safe, a light fog in her head, and she suspected that the painkiller had finally taken full effect. She only realised that Dr. Xu had finished with her hands when he gently lifted them from the table and placed them in her lap. Her muscles sighed in relief. Holding her arms out for so long had become very uncomfortable after a while.

"All right, that's it. You did great, Elenya. How do you feel? Are you still in pain?" Dr. Xu's voice rang out from behind Arlo's back, and with difficulty she managed to pull her head away from Arlo's chest and look up at the doctor with a blurred vision. She had to blink a few times, but then the gentle smile came into focus and she smiled back automatically.

Arlo's gentle laugh reached her ears and she couldn't help but turn her smile towards him at the sound. Warm, loving eyes caught her gaze and her smile widened even more.

Another laugh and Arlo said without letting go of her gaze, "I think your painkiller is working wonderfully, Xu. Am I right, sweetheart?"

Elenya nodded with an approving hum, even if she didn't know exactly what she was agreeing to. But if Arlo said something, it was bound to be right.

"Well, I'm glad." Dr. Xu also let out a laugh, but then became a little more serious. "I'd like to discuss the next steps, but it looks like I'd better do that with you, Arlo. I don't think she'll remember much later."

More words followed, but a new wave of exhaustion washed over Elenya, so she snuggled back against Arlo's chest, leaving the thinking to him. Wrapped in warmth, she let the conversation flow over her.

She caught words like 'don't get wet', 'clean daily' and 'not touch anything'.

Wait... what?

A brief rush of adrenaline gave her enough strength to completely detach herself from Arlo and look up at Dr. Xu in horror.

"You want me to do what?"

Xu met her gaze sympathetically. "For the next three days, you should touch as little as possible. Ideally, you shouldn't grab anything at all. The less the cuts are moved, the better and faster they can heal. I know that's a lot to ask, but if the wounds can't heal properly, the scars could harden and affect your range of movement.”

She was even more horrified. This could not happen! She needed her hands! She couldn't work without them!

But how was she supposed to not touch anything for three days? She wouldn't even be able to pick up a glass of water!

Desperation must have been written all over her face, because two warm, rough hands softly cupped her face and gently turned her gaze back to Arlo.

"Don't worry, darling. I'll stay with you and take care of you, okay?” Full of love and care, he held her gaze and she looked back, confused and uncertain.

"But... you have to work. That's much more important than me.”

"First of all, nothing is more important than you, alright?" She felt herself blushing. 

"And secondly, as luck would have it, I was actually on my way to you earlier to tell you that Sam and Remi have banished me to holiday for at least two days with the words 'You work too much'. I'm sure they could also manage without me for three or four days. Fortunately, it's very quiet at the moment."

A mixture of warm relief and guilt spread through Elenya.

Relief that Arlo wouldn't leave her alone, and guilt that thanks to her stupidity she was now taking up all his precious free time. Without being able to do anything about it, tears welled up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." A sob escaped her lips and soon she found herself pressed tightly against Arlo's chest, his strong arms holding her together.

It was all too much right now. All the stress, the pain, the exhaustion and the difficult days ahead. She felt helpless.

“Shh, it's okay. It was an accident. We'll get through this. Together." Arlo's warm words washed over her head, but they only made her cry more, and she spent the next few minutes buried in Arlo's chest, her body wracked with violent sobs.

She didn't know how much time passed, but eventually she ran out of energy and just hung limply in Arlo's arms. He didn't hesitate for long, loosening one arm from around her back and sliding it under her knees instead, carefully lifting her off the stool. With just a few steps he carried her over to one of the hospital beds and carefully laid her down on it. He placed her hands gently on her chest and then moved away from her.

She missed his warmth immediately.

"Get some rest for a moment, sweetheart. I'm just going to get some things so I can stay with you for a few days, okay? I'll be right back." A lingering, warm kiss graced her forehead, followed by a gentle caress of her cheek, and then Arlo was gone and she fell into a light sleep.

She awoke when the door to the clinic opened again, but she was in no mood to open her eyes. Instead, she listened to the sound of soft footsteps, the muffled conversation between Arlo and Dr. Xu, and the soft clinking of glass vials. She almost fell back asleep.

But then a warm hand cupped her cheek again and Arlo's voice rang out softly: "Hey sweetheart, ready to go home?"

"Mmmh." Tired, Elenya opened her eyes and was about to use her hands to sit up, but luckily Arlo quickly saw what she was trying to do and gently grabbed her wrists.

Damn, she wasn't going to be able to get used to this.

"Careful. Let me help you." Arlo helped her sit up and with a grateful look, she glanced up at him.

"Thank you," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt exhausted, her body heavy with the weight of everything that had happened.

Arlo smiled at her, his hands steadying her as she shifted her legs over the side of the bed. "Of course. Can you stand?"

She nodded, feeling a little more awake now. "Yes, I think so."

With his help, she slid out of bed. Dr. Xu approached her with a small smile, holding a bag. "Here are some extra supplies for cleaning the wounds. Make sure you follow the instructions and come back in three days for a check-up, okay?"

As Arlo took the small bag and placed it in the rucksack she now noticed he was carrying, Elenya nodded with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Dr. Xu. For everything."

He waved her off with a friendly gesture. "It's my job. Take care of yourself, Elenya. And Arlo, make sure she follows the instructions."

Arlo chuckled, his arm securely around Elenya's waist. "Don't worry, I'll make sure she does."

With a final nod, Dr. Xu stepped back, allowing Arlo to guide her out of the clinic. The walk to the exit felt longer than it actually was, each step reminding her of how weak and exhausted she felt. But Arlo's steady support kept her going.

The journey back to her home was a quiet one, with Elenya concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, while Arlo remained a steady presence at her side. When they reached the door, Arlo helped her inside and shut the door.

"Sit down for now, sweetheart. I'll just take your medicine and bandages to the bathroom, okay?" With gentle pressure on her lower back, Arlo led her to her couch, onto which she sank gratefully. She had declined Arlo's offer to carry her - her legs still worked fine after all! - but she was still glad to be able to sit down. Her exhaustion was growing, and she couldn't wait to lie down for a few hours.

With a quick, gentle kiss on her forehead, Arlo made his way to her bedroom and the adjoining bathroom. Elenya watched him go, lost in thought, and even after he was out of sight, she continued to stare at the doorway to her bedroom. She still felt so stupid and guilty. Here she was, having spent the last year and a half building impossible things and fighting all sorts of monsters, and then managing to incapacitate herself for several days because she couldn't control her clumsiness or reflexes.

But before she could indulge her thoughts any further, Arlo reappeared in the doorway. Much quicker than she had expected and his face devoid of any colour.

What had happened?

Before she could ask, he hesitantly opened his mouth. "Um... d... do you still need that piece of fabric? I don't know if we can save it..."

And suddenly she remembered how she had left the bathroom behind. The contents of her first aid kit strewn everywhere and a piece of fabric soaked in blood on top. And who knew where else she had left traces of blood.

Oh God, no wonder he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Startled, she jumped to her feet. "Oh shit. Wait, let me..."

She didn't get any further. As soon as she stood upright, her vision went black and her legs buckled. She fell uncontrollably back onto the couch, luckily without falling on her hands, and when her vision cleared, Arlo was already leaning over her. His strong hands cupped her shoulders and gently guided her into a lying position.

"Careful. Let me do this, okay? You just stay here and rest. I just got a bit scared at the sight." He held her gaze firmly and with an annoyed sigh she let herself sink into the cushion of the couch.

She hated this whole situation already. She wasn't used to sitting around idly and certainly not when someone else had to clean up her mess. She wanted to help!

Arlo's big, warm hand cupped her right cheek and she reluctantly met his understanding gaze.

"I know you want to help, but you have to take it easy. I really don't mind looking after you. In fact, there's nothing I'd rather do. I love you and I want you to get better quickly, okay?”

Damn, how could she not melt at those words? 

"Okay... And I love you too." Her words of agreement were rewarded with a short, soft kiss and then Arlo straightened up again.

“Good, now that we've got that out of the way: What do you want to do with the fabric? Do you want me to throw it away?"

“Yes, I don't need it urgently. It wouldn't be worth the effort.” She could always make new ones.

“Okay. You rest and I'll tidy up.” Another quick kiss was planted on her forehead and then she was alone in her living room.

With another sigh, she sank deeper into the couch and, without meaning to, dozed off again.

~~~~~~

Strong arms slid under her back and knees and lifted her up, but before she could be startled, a familiar smell reached her nose. With a confused sound, she tiredly blinked her eyes open and was greeted by Arlo's neck.

"It's all right, sweetheart. I'm just taking you to bed.”

Bed? Oh right, she had fallen asleep on the couch.

She tried to lift her head to look at him, but her body felt like it was filled with lead, so she contented herself with snuggling even more against his warm chest. Unfortunately, it wasn't long before she found herself in her bedroom.

Arlo gently set her down on the edge of the bed, his hands lingering to steady her. "Let's get you into something more comfortable, shall we?"

Elenya nodded weakly, her eyelids heavy with fatigue. She felt his hands move to the buttons of her shirt, his touch gentle and careful. A wave of shame and frustration wanted to spread through her, but she was too tired for such emotions and so all that remained was gratitude to Arlo.

His strong, battle-hardened hands were always so gentle with her, so loving, and so she didn't feel the slightest discomfort as he dressed her in a soft t-shirt and warm sweatpants.

"There you go," he said gently, smoothing the fabric. "Now let's get you comfortable."

He helped her to lie on her side and carefully positioned her so that she could put her hands in front of her. He placed a soft pillow under her head and another behind her back to support her.

"How does that feel?" Eyes as warm as his voice watched her.

"It's good," she murmured, feeling the comfort of the bed and the softness of the pyjamas. "Thank you, Arlo. For everything."

Arlo smiled and leaned down to press a tender kiss to her forehead. "Anything for you, Elenya. Get some rest now. You'll feel better when you wake up."

Before he had even pulled the blanket over her and tucked her in, she was drifting off into an exhausted sleep.

~~~~~~

When she woke up again, the sun was a lot lower and she felt anything but better. Nausea churned in her stomach, cold sweat covered her body, her head ached and her hands throbbed and itched terribly. Everything felt off.

With a soft groan, she opened her eyes and was surprised to see Arlo sitting in an armchair next to the bed, intently reading a book. She looked at him for a moment, transfixed, admiring the way the late evening sun made his red hair glow and the way his lips moved silently as he read, as they always did.

But then the terrible itching in her hands picked up again, and with a croaked "Arlo." she drew his attention to herself. His head immediately shot in her direction and he put his book aside to kneel down beside the bed at the level of her head.

"Hey, darling. How are you doing? Feeling any better?" His eyes rested warmly and attentively on her face, but she could only answer with a pained expression and a shake of her head.

His eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Oh no, what's wrong? Are you in pain?" 

"Yes, that too, but... I don't feel well. Everything hurts and my hands itch like crazy."

Worried, Arlo pressed his hand gently to her forehead, his eyes filling with even more concern. "I think you have a slight fever. That's not good at all. I hope the cuts haven't gotten infected. What exactly hurts?"

Fever? That would at least explain why everything felt so wrong.

"Everything hurts. My hands are throbbing, my limbs are aching and my head is burning. But the worst part is the itching. Can we please take the bandages off? I can hardly stand it."

It took all her willpower not to scratch.

"Technically, we shouldn't change the bandages until tomorrow morning, but I think it would be better if we checked right away to see if anything is infected. Then we can clean your hands and hopefully reduce the itching a little. Come on, I'll help you up."

With practised movements, Arlo helped her to sit up. The world spun before her eyes as soon as she was upright, and with an unconscious whimper she buried her face in his stomach. The nausea intensified, but Arlo's soothing scent and his hand gently stroking her hair quickly brought relief and she felt well enough to stand.

With Arlo's arm around her back, they took cautious steps into the bathroom where he carefully lowered her onto the toilet seat. He got everything he needed from the bathroom cupboard, filled a small bowl with warm water and then knelt in front of her.

"Let me have a look. I'll be very careful, I promise." He gently reached for her left hand. He cradled it oh so gently in his, her palm facing up, and she couldn't help but marvel once again at how much bigger his hands were compared to hers. Bigger, rougher and yet so tender.

With deft fingers, he began to remove the bandage from her hand. Unconsciously, she followed his movements, her mind focused on the warmth of his palm. It flowed up her arm, filling her heart with calm and easing part of her headache and nausea.

When he pulled the cloth off, he winced at the sight of the cuts, but he quickly composed himself. Unfortunately, she couldn't. Her nausea intensified at the sight of her reddened, stitched-up skin and she quickly turned her gaze to Arlo's face.

He was examining her wound intently, his eyebrows knitted in concern. "Hm, the wound's a bit red, but I don't think it's infected. That's good." His warm blue eyes met hers, his gaze reassuring. "The fever is probably your body's reaction to all the stress from this morning. Hopefully it'll be gone by tomorrow. Let's get you cleaned up anyway. I hope that helps with the itching."

He gave her a gentle smile, then dipped a cloth into the warm water and began to clean the wounds, his touch so gentle it barely caused her any discomfort. Elenya watched him work, her heart swelling with gratitude and love for his care.

After cleaning the wounds with antiseptic, he applied fresh bandages with a tenderness that belied the strength of his hands. He repeated the process on her right hand and then pressed a feather-light kiss on each of her injured palms, making her heart melt at the sweet gesture.

"Thank you," Elenya whispered, her voice full of gratitude and awe at his tenderness.

He answered her gratitude with a gentle kiss, his lips warm and soft on hers, and she automatically followed him as he pulled away. Her movement earned her an affectionate chuckle and another brief kiss, but then he really pulled away from her, reaching instead for one of the small vials he must have gotten from Dr. Xu.

"Here, according to Dr. Xu's instructions, you are allowed to take some painkillers again. It should also help with the nausea and, with any luck, the fever." He uncorked the bottle and held it carefully to her lips.

She could tell from the taste that it wasn't the same mixture as before, but that didn't make it any better. But to her surprise, her nausea didn't get any worse, as she had expected.

As soon as the vial was empty, Arlo set it aside and started to put away everything he had used. As Elenya watched him again, she suddenly began to shiver, and before she could even say anything, Arlo took off his grey sweater and pulled it over her head instead. She was instantly enveloped in his familiar scent and warmth, and with a happy sigh, she buried her nose in the soft collar.

Oh, how much she loved this sweater.

As soon as he had finished tidying up, Arlo turned back to her. "You should eat something, even if it's just a little. It'll help your body recover."

Elenya grimaced. "I still feel nauseous. I don't think I can eat much."

Arlo insisted gently. "Just a little, for me? How about some crepes with fruit sauce? I'll make them just the way you like them."

Damn, he just knew her too well.

She agreed, and he helped her into the kitchen, where he sat her down at the small dining table. She watched as he moved around the kitchen, preparing her favourite crepes with practised ease.

The kitchen filled with the comforting aroma of baking crepes. Arlo's movements were efficient and confident, the result of the countless times he had prepared this dish for her. He whisked the batter, heated the pan and expertly flipped the crepes, always keeping an eye on her to make sure she was comfortable.

He brought her the finished crepes, pulled one of the chairs close to her, and picked up a piece of crepe with a fork, holding it out to her. Full of frustration and shame, she glared at the fork as she realised he was trying to feed her.

She had been wrong earlier. Her day could get even more embarrassing.

She almost snapped at Arlo that she was no longer a child and could eat on her own, but luckily the logical part of her brain was able to intervene before that.

Because firstly, no, she couldn't eat alone right now, no matter how much she wanted to.

And secondly, Arlo was not at all to blame for her shitty situation. It was all her fault.

On the contrary. Without him, she would have been completely screwed and the last thing he deserved was to be snapped at by her.

Arlo still held the fork in front of her face, his gaze patient and full of understanding love, and her brain finally gave in. For it was Arlo sitting next to her. Arlo who loved her and whom she trusted with her life. There was no need to be ashamed in front of him.

So she let him feed her, and despite her initial reluctance, the crepes tasted wonderful and comforting. Each bite gave her a little strength, and the sweetness of the fruit sauce was a soothing balm for her frayed nerves.

After dinner, they moved to the couch where Arlo wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled up against him. He picked up the book he had been reading and began to read to her, his voice a balm to her weary soul.

The warmth of his body against hers, the familiar hum of his voice and the captivating story created a cocoon of safety and love around her. She closed her eyes and let the rhythm of his voice carry her out of her discomfort and into the world of the story.

When it was time for bed, Arlo helped her into the bedroom. She lay back down on her side and he climbed into bed behind her. He gently slipped his left arm under her head and wrapped the other around her waist, pulling her tightly against his chest.

"Good night, Elenya," he whispered, kissing her forehead. "I love you."

"Good night, Arlo," she murmured back, feeling his love and warmth surrounding her. "I love you too."

With Arlo's steady presence by her side, Elenya finally drifted off to a more restful sleep, knowing that no matter how hard things got, they would always face them together.

[being-addie]

How to bounce back after vacation

I just came back from a long holiday trip right now, and it's been pretty easy falling off the wagon while vacationing, I'm not gonna lie. Our first stop was extremely hot and humid and I don't do well in those conditions so I was blowing through bottles of soda and bowls of ice cream. During the road trip we took I snacked constantly. Then we went to a spot that was below freezing. I didn't take care of my hair at all so it's frizzy and dry. You can imagine how badly sticking to a routine went.

It's challenging to stay disciplined while holidaying, so I cut myself some slack. Four flights and 17 hours of driving combined in a week? Of course I wasn't going to be able to follow my routine. But now that I'm back, I've been actively working to get back on track ASAP.

Here's how to recover from a long trip and get back into the flow as efficiently as possible.

Recover: Keep a few days to just relax at home. You'll probably think it's counter-productive, but recovering from a late-night flight or a 10-hour road trip is vital if you want to do anything with full productivity. I usually take 1 day to recover, but I recommend limiting them to 2 days maximum (otherwise you're going to feel lazier)

Try to ease into it: Do not jump into your routine. Your body will not be used to a 3-hour study session or 10 kg dumbells after it's not kept up. Be gentle with yourself. Do a 1-hour study session, instead of 3. Go for a walk, rather than an intense HIIT workout.

Eat properly: If you haven't had any good, healthy food during your trip, eat some goddamn veggies. Your body will be happy. Although I ate light, like soup and chicken during my trip, eating normal, home-cooked food worked wonders for me

Nap: Catch up on sleep. Unfortunately, I drank a large coffee before my 9pm flight back home, so I got zero shuteye. I've been napping in the afternoons to get back to normal.

Clean: Unpacking always makes a huge mess, and my room can testify to that. Make sure during the process, you don't mess up the rest of your (already clean) room. Wash your clothes, and rearrange your skincare products back where they belong.

Prep: Since my classes are starting next week, I've been restocking my supplies, filling my sketchbook, and completing any extra college assignments due. Staying prepared will help you manage time better when work or school starts again. Complete any time-consuming work, like meal prep, or laundry.

Pamper yourself: Traveling doesn't suit everyone, so yesterday, I took out time to have my Everything Shower, I put on music and read while I treated my body to some much-needed TLC. My hair looks much better.

Feeling frazzled after holiday isn't unusual. We're expected to come back to work with 100% productivity. If you're not able to do that immediately, don't beat yourself up about it. Take it easy, and you'll be back in your routine after no time. xoxo

<3

[bbyjenks]

Cha Hyun-Su x Reader

Notes from the writter:

I am not the best writter and I preffer first person. Enjoy though!

I have been a monster since the beginning. I have taken out my share of threatening people and terrifying monsters. I have gained the ability to fly. I am assuming that is because during life I ran toward danger rather than away. I have always been what others would call an "adrenaline junky." I volunteered as a rescuer on Mount T'aebaek and worked as a Helicopter pilot. I don't know, I have always felt like I was meant to do something more. I soared whenever I felt a slight sense of danger and I just kept chasing after it.

Well, here I am now, laying on this dumb roof, My black wings stretched as I am burning spam, watching the clear skied sunset. I guess that is something good about the death of so many people...Less pollution. It really does seem like the earth is taking herself back and then some with these hostile monsters.

Yesterday night, I heard a massive explosion and a series of small explosions near the stadium. It's about a days walk. I plan on walking there today. Look through the wreckage, take whatever I can, maybe help some people. It's kinda hard to come up to people with my wings now. People automatically start shooting at me. I mean, I get it but I am friendly... Most of the time. I chose to walk places to help not be obvious. I wear a giant leather jacket to hide my wings.

I happened upon a greenhouse the next day on my way to the stadium. I haven't seen something this beautiful that wasn't tainted by monsters in months. I go in and pick some yellow Canola Flower. I piled them all next to me and take a seat on a blanket that just happened to be sitting on the ground. I start making a flower crown. I haven't done this since I was a kid. Half way through my crown, I hear a crunch. I stop my work and look around the parameter. I slid my jacket off to be more agile. Through the brush, I see the face of what looks to be a small human girl. I become less tense and settle back onto the blanket. She doesn't seem a match for me. I look at her with my crown and hold it out.

"Do you want this when I am done?"

The girl turns her head slightly in confusion.

"Why are you sitting on my blanket?"

"Didn't know it was yours kid. How are you okay out here all by yourself?"

I continue making the flower crown. The little girl starts walking away from me and makes a chirping type of noise. From around a bush, I see a monster. It's very small and looks to be a baby. "They're reproducing now. what an ugly little thing" I think.

Unbothered, I look up.

"I don't have enough for all of us."

The girl laughs.

"You are like me."

Quizzically, I look up at her. She looks normal. Holding my flower crown, I get up for a closer inspection. I walk around her, looking her up and down. She looks normal but something in me tells me she isn't.

"Hm, it's not often that you find people that have held their human form. You must be one strong willed kid."

I place the finished flower crown on her head. The baby seems to jump at the act like I was going to hurt her or something.

"You guys must protect each other, huh?" I gather more flowers to make another crown. She looks at herself in a pc of broken glass and smiles.

"We do and my oppa takes care of us too." She says

"Oppa? Is he like us?" I sit back down and get back to work.

I notice that the baby has disappeared. I look around and at what seems like the back of the greenhouse through some broken glass I see a somber looking man with the baby on shoulders. By this time, the sun is starting lower in the sky. He looks normal. I finish the crown and putting on the babies head. The baby jumps off his shoulders onto the ground and starts inspecting the flowers with curiousity.

The girl goes to the man and hugs him. "Oppa, I found a friend."

I laughingly say, "I don't know about friends but friendly. I have to work my way up to friendship." I turn to look at him. "Are you guys actually related?"

He shrugs and looks at me quizcally and then laughs. "No, I knew her mom."

"Oh... I am Amai Saito. What are your names?" I blush a little. He is a very good looking man.

He rubs his neck and sits down next to me on the ground.

"Cha Hyun-su" he says quickly. "You can just call her Dongsaeng." he says with a slight frown.

i finish the crowns and plop one on his head and one on my head. He smiles and Dongsaeng comes up and hugs him. Shortly after, she runs away with the monsters baby. They play in the street.

Shyly, I pace around the greenhouse looking at the wildflowers. finding that my eyes, keep wondering to him. It's been awhile since ya know. This sickness really puts a damper on meeting men. Looking at a purple flower and not paying attention, I accidently run into his tall frame.

He looks at me through his hair. "why are you here?" he says sternly.

I backup, and stretch out my wings a little and smirk. "the better question is why are you here? But honestly, I heard some explosions at the stadium and I am making my way there for resources and to see if there are people I can help."

He turns away to look at Dongsaeng. He shrugs and says "Oh... I would stay away from the stadium if I were you."

I out stretch my wings and look at him with a smug face. "I think I'll be fine." I say sarcastically.

Dongsaeng comes up to me and starts touching my wings. I didn't see or hear her so I jump from suprise haha. Then, my stomache gurgles so loud everyone hears it. I laugh, " Well, I am hungry. You guys know of any places I can get some food."

Hyun-su shrugs and says " I guess I can show you. I have to get us food anyway." and starts walking away. He looks back and yells "Dongsaeng, stay here."

I jog towards him and start keeping pace with him. Hyun-su and I walk the streets on high alert. He takes me to a beaten down mall. It looks deserted but scavengers have gone through everything. We walk to the food court part of the mall. He jumps the counter of Tonkatsu House and I follow suit. We get to the back of the store where food storage is. There really isn't much there but there is enough for us.

"Well, I guess this will do. Too bad we can't use any of the appliances."

He looks at me and shhhs me. I hear rustling far off in the mall. I crouch and start looking for something hold the door to the front closed. I pick up a broom. When I pick up the broom, the mop against the wall falls. making a crack sound. I hurriedly close the door and lock it with the broom in the handles.

He shakes his head and looks mad but crouches down to the ground with me. We both sit in front of the doors to keep weight on them. I can hear a monster lurking in the food court. The excitement making me think a million things a min. We wait for the monster to go away.

He relaxes, release tension from his shoulders. He looks at me and says "we should wait here for a little before we head back." I shake my head in agreement.

He turns to face me and I stare at his handsome face. Admiring his cute little smirk. Immediatetly, I think of how pretty he would be smirking up at me while I was on top of him.

i think "well, we have time to kill. So, why not." I take his hand and put it on my waist and get on top of him. He is confused and looking up at me. I look down and give a quiet laugh. I put his other hand on my other side. I take my hand and bring it up to the nape of his neck and start kissing him. I move my hands to feel his body. Rubbing them down his abs as we make out. I get to the edge of his shirt and start pulling it up over his head. He lets me but for a slight second when I look into his eyes they twinkle blue.

I start untying my make shift tye shirt while rolling my hip on his heat. He helps me untie it all the way and remove. He grabs my neck and kisses me passionately. Pushing me back and fondeling my breasts while kissing me down to the floor. My wings acting as a cushion. He starts kissing my neck, my stomache, and my waist. He stops and looks up at me and smirks. It's exactly what I wanted. But there was something different about his eyes.

He takes of my pants kissing my waist, getting lower with every kiss. I starts kissing my other lips, teasing me. I push his head into me to show what I want. He licks my clit repeatively grasping my ass. I moan with pure pleasure. My legs start to shake and I know am about to cum. My panting increases. Then, all the sudden he lifts his head and wipes his face.

He laughs and winks at me with one blue eye. "Not yet." He takes off his pants and starts rubbing his dick on my wet opening, hitting my clit every time. I am squirming with the need of his dick. finally, he slowly slips into me, riding me slow. He kisses my breast and then my mouth. I grab his ass and push him further into me. I pull my legs clower to my face to get him in just the right position. I explode all over him.

He turns me around and starts playing with my clit from behind and I squirt everywhere. He slides his dick back in and this extasy is too good. He starts ramming me hard from the back. My ass bouncing off his body. He grabs my breats and then my face to turn back to him. He kisses me and he lets out a sound of completion.

I roll over exhausted and a mess bare chested trying to catch my breath. He lies next to me. I look at him and I was right. I think "why did his eyes change to blue."

[where-is-my-beheading-ceremony]

The Founding: beta version

(disclaimer: this is a very rough and short story of how Aether's kingdom came to be. The reason I write this is just for the audience to know the basics and for me to flesh everything out)

Merchant Nibiru (Human face) circa. 2411 B.K. (Before Knighton)

Knighton is not the only kingdom that exists in the vast realm, even if it is the center of a new story. The old story however? It expands much further than the borders of Knighton. By the way, why are horses extinct???

Many thousand years ago, whilst the first kingdoms were still forming and developing their trade amongst each other lived a man named Nibiru. Nibiru was a humble merchant that found their way out of their enclosed tribal home and caused a chain reaction that makes the realm what it is now. It all starts...with a book.

- "Not thinking of settling down yet, Nibiru? You've been in the merchant business for decades now".

-The monster only scoffed, waving a dismissive hand towards their companion "What is a few decades to a monster who lives a millennium? Though admittedly, it'd be nice to settle down every now and then, actually have a home"

- "Exactly my point. So...what goods are you bringing to Swolaki this time?"

- "Only the rarest of them all. Books, spell ones. I kind of wish to keep them for myself"

- "A man of literacy? What are you doing out here working your ass off then? If you got that type of fancy brain, might as well put it to good use"

- "mmm...good point. Can't really find use for them in this merchant village though"

- "You think?"

Nibiru did not stay with his companions for too long however as he soon would have to set off towards Swolaki. Late night turned into early morning and he had a long journey ahead of him. The man did not have a chance to set off however because an older woman ran up to him, clearly distressed. 

- "You! Please help me, anyone I ask just turns away!" She basically grabbed at the tall monster's cloak.

- "Calm down, lady- what is it? What do you need help with?" 

- "My husband brought our kids to go fishing, but a storm brewed up yesterday and they haven't come back! I think they tried to find refuge on that desolate island in the distance-" 

- "O H- No I don't think I can- people probably don't go there for a reason and I don't know you enough to risk my life!" 

- "Please, at least take our other boat closer to the island, look around, you don't have to step on it!"

- "....I-...alright, I'll see what I can do" the man looked down at the books he was boxing up before throwing some into his bag. Might as well have something to do if he's going to have to be on the lookout. "Just a couple of hours out, I will in no way be staying out there any longer. If I do not come back then that means that your husband and children are most definitely doomed. And so am I...probably." He wouldn't consider himself heroic, nor would he consider himself selfish, but seeing a wife, a mother, this devastated? It basically gave him no choice but to agree.

Nibiru was not glad to find himself rowing a boat towards an island that nobody seemed to ever visit. He did not know if it was a religious thing or there just truly wasn't anything useful there. The questionable state the boat was in did not make him feel any better. Besides that, he felt like he barely fit in it, he will not manage to bring 3 more people with him...

The monster stopped rowing when he passed the halfway point towards the island. Looking around, he did not see anything for miles. He decided to rest his arms for a bit and then he might row a bit closer to the island. It was hard to see anything from here anyways and that island was humongous, it's large mountains piercing through the clouds. Pulling out one of the books he brought with him, the man found himself flipping through pages that wrote about necromancy. A relatively old art (even if this was thousands years of ago) that only recently started to be written down since it wasn't widely practiced. Not because it was morally questionable or anything, it was just hard to cope with.

Worry overtook Nibiru as an hour passed because each time he looked up from the book, he found his boat drifting closer to the island. At one point, he could see the shores of that island quite clearly and managed to notice a blurry outline of another boat laying in the sand. It is very likely that the father and children were stranded there because the boat seemed perfectly fine. The monster found themselves hesitating and attempted to row away from the island, but even in a calm sea, the island would continue to pull him closer. It was most likely some strong invisible water current that was taking him to the island, the same must've happened to the family. "Seems like I don't have much of a choice..." he muttered to no one in particular. 

Weeks. 

It was weeks later that Nibiru returned from the island, a father, a son and a daughter beside him. The woman that had asked him for help in the first place embraced her family with tears of joy, thanking Nibiru profusely, but the monster only stood frozen, a haunted look on their starved face and a slightly roughed up book resting in their white-knuckle grip as if it was his lifeline. The only book that survived this journey. He did not give the lady an explanation when she worriedly asked what her family had experienced for them to act so strange and look so...grey. Who had attacked the son so brutally for half of his hand to be missing.

It was hours later, when the merchant found themselves warming up by a fireplace in one of the village's quieter taverns, that he finally uttered his first words. "I think...I might settle down" the words sounded foreign to him after spending days desperately repeating the strange ones he found in the book of necromancy. 

Surprisingly enough, this is exactly how a new kingdom came to be. Once Nibiru had settled down in this merchant village, he used his long life to make this place a sanctuary for more and more merchants till eventually, people started to permanently settle there. The number of people there grew quickly as Nibiru had found a way to use the book of necromancy to make the economy and local ecosystem prosper. With his help, food was never an issue, people who grew ill and died too young would be brought back to life. Soon enough, with enough practice, the re-awakened were the majority compared to the living and no-one could even tell the difference. 

The island in the distance haunted him for many years however, it was almost driving him insane, taunting him. There was never anything bad with it in the first place, but his experience there is what changed his course of life. 

Finally, having enough of it and wanting to overcome his slipping sanity, the monster announced that the only way the settlement will grow is if they move to the Island. (Exposure therapy or whatever they call it) . It took time for the first families to move to the island, but staying there was no issue. The island gave them what they need and Nibiru provided the rest with his necromancy.

The island was a no-man's land, no kingdom had taken it under their crown and you can guess what happens next. With many more centuries still ahead of him, Nibiru became the ruler of this new and prospering settlement. His unreasonable paranoia towards the place diminished in time as well.

Soon enough, neighboring monarchies grew curious towards this new kingdom. The kingdom of the dead is what they called it, where species thought to be extinct thrived and the only death people ever had to fear is from growing old. All expectations of it being a kingdom that would quickly fall blew over when the inhabitants, although dead and now once more alive, proved to be the same even after death. The unbelievable prosperity brought worry to the other kingdoms and they found themselves speaking about Nibiru's actions as immoral, they deemed his necromancy evil and his people as zombies. The last straw seemed to be when animals and plants that were brought back began to spread outside the kingdom, signaling Nibiru's quiet expansion throughout the realm. No more did other rulers stand Nibiru's actions, the chirping of birds that were never supposed to be there taunting them day and night.

- "Nibiru! It's Nibiru who brought me to life and now I found my way to your castle. Never have crops grown so well until he came, life has never flourished under your rule!" the birds would chirp.

- "ENOUGH!" The monarchs would yell when coming face to face with Nibiru.

- "I beg your pardon?" Nibiru would ask, confused as to why they wanted to berate him.

- "This is not a kingdom. This is a graveyard! Do you find joy in playing God? Using the art of death for your own good?".

- "I merely give people a chance to live life, it is what they deserve!" he'd argue "And I am far from any God for I have not created anything, just helped what already was, thrive again. Necromancy is a celebration of life for I have not brought death upon anyone. There is no blood on my hands."

It is not hard to see that peace wasn't going to last forever in Nibiru's young kingdom. Sticking to his own morals, the king became a target to all neighboring kingdoms and soon war was tearing through his lands. The king tried to stay true to his words of having no blood on his hands, but obviously that promise could not stay forever. Soon enough, he rose the dead just to have more people in his army, no longer focusing on the humanity of his actions. They were dead anyways, they will not mind dying again protecting his kingdom.

Decades passed and Nibiru's kingdom managed to survive through the war, all sides too exhausted from a conflict that seemed like it would never end. Other kingdoms will keep attacking and Nibiru will keep finding people and beasts to raise. So it ended with a "Truce". 

Nibiru's death came suddenly. Most suspected that it was brought upon him by a group of wizards. Apparently the necromancer was trying to find a way to make other kingdoms succumb to his rule and others found out, striking first before he could. What truly happened was, however, lost in time. It was thousands of years ago after all.