#I'm not good at oc shit but uh. yeah

[queers-gambit]

Opening Night and Open Hearts

prompt: opening night - a mother's fear, a locked walk-in freezer, confessions through a thick metal door, questioning what's deserved, and a proposal at The Bear after hours.

pairing: Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto x female!reader

fandom masterlist: FX's The Bear

word count: 9.8k+

note: i think i give enough background for you guys to feel as if you don't need to read any other relating works, but i linked the fics that could be read as a small series (maybe?) also let author be lonely in peace

warnings: reader nicknamed Peach, established relationship, cursing, spoilers, fluff, angst, relationship angst, hurt and comfort, Carmy still (desperately) needs a nap, depiction of physical illness, boys are dumb and emotions are hard, reader-insert, depiction of toxic family, OC Carmy that grovels a lot, not edited!

⚠️ season two, episode ten spoilers

not necessary to read, but other relating works with Peach:

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant

God's Plan part two: Two to Tango

Neon Sticky Notes

"Hi, yes, I can hear you - sorry about that, I was just making note of your reservation," you spoke smoothly into the phone, trying not to ogle your boyfriend wrapped in only a clean blue towel. "So, that's a party of four for Monsieur Claude Badeaux - all right, that's so lovely. I'm obligated to remind everyone that tonight's opening is a fine dining experience and the proper, corresponding dress code is being asked for. Are there any allergies I should make note of for your party?"

"Jean Paul has a tree nut allergy," you were told.

"All right, that's noted and highlighted: Jean Paul has a tree nut allergy. If there's anything else I could help you with?"

"Non," he chuckled. "I was surprised to see your invitation to this evening, though, mon cher. It's been so long, yes?"

"Well, it was my pleasure to extend the offer, we're ecstatic by your reservation," you chuckled. "We'll see you tonight, Monsieur, and should you need anything before then, you may call this number again."

You said your parting words in French, smiling at Carmy when you hung up and dropped your work phone. "Did I hear that correct?" Your lover asked with a broad grin, "Was that...?"

"Senior marketing advisor at The Washington Post?" You filled in for him. "Uh, yeah, I think it was, but you know me - I could be wrong."

"You invited someone from The Washington Post to the opening tonight?"

"Is that okay?" You asked, standing from the bed after making note in your datebook. "You look kinda - I don't know, shocked?"

"I-I am," he blinked at you, watching you gather his pristine clothing to hang on the closet door. "But in a good way - I can't believe you did this," he chuckled, wiping his mouth. "I mean - holy shit, Peaches."

You offered a toothy grin, "Figured I could pull a few of my own strings to help get the word out about your love-child."

This made Carmy snicker, "Hey, now. Tonight's important, don't make fun."

"I know," you nodded, leading him back into the bathroom to view your hair products. "Which is why I invited some important people and some not-so important people. I know this is serious, Carmy," you smiled at him, hoping to convey your support, "and I wanted to help in whatever way I could."

"You being there tonight is more than I could ask for," he chuckled, helping you onto the small bathroom counter. You squirted a bit of hair product in your hand, watching him flinch back a little, "Uh, I just don't want my hair greasy, Peach, you know? Not a good look and I'll sweat it out in the kitchen."

"I feel like I should be offended by you having no trust in me," you teased, insisting, "I know whatcha need, baby, lemme help."

Carmy smiled softly and held still, letting you run your hands through his curls to push everything back and away from his forehead in a stylish but manageable "do". There was a silent, serene moment as you and Carmy just existed together in a mundane space, his big, sad eyes watching your face as you worked. He wondered, "Think tonight's gonna be okay?"

"I think tonight's gonna be more than okay," you assured softly. "I think tonight's gonna go better than you're anticipating."

He sighed and planted his hands on either side of you, suddenly dropping his gaze. "I, uh... Sugar invited Mom t'tonight..."

"Yeah, I know."

"You know?"

"Sugar and I are still friends outside of us dating, Carmy," you smiled patiently, slowing your hands so you more toyed with his curls; pushing some strands behind his ears. "She needs someone as much as you do and I don't mind."

"But isn't that what Pete's for?"

"Yes, but you know, Pete's Pete."

Carmy snorted, "Yeah, yeah, good point."

"I don't know if she'll show up tonight, Bear, but whether she does or doesn't, it won't matter - you're not doing this for her. This is for you, Carmy, tonight's about The Bear opening - it's about you and this incredible, amazing thing you've done. Okay?" You caressed both his cheeks in your hands so he could only look at you directly. "If she shows, that's great," you whispered with a soft smile as your thumbs swept the apples of his cheeks, "and if she doesn't, it won't make tonight any less special. That, I can promise."

Carmy's forehead met yours, both pausing to breathe together; peace always a fleeting feeling as of late and being something you both capitalized on. You brought him in closer for an embrace, his face burying in your neck as your arms snaked around his to keep him as close as possible. His arms were tight around your waist, legs spread to accommodate him; both needing the feel of being close before that night's inevitable stressful event.

"Wow, well, don't you look all pretty! Wow, Peach," Pete greeted you when you scurried to the table with your friend in tow. "Oh, hi there!"

"Pete, this is my best friend, Danielle, and Dani, this is Pete, Sugar's husband."

"Hi, it's really nice to meet you," your friend greeted, the two instantly chattering as they both just blew past their introductions to instantly compliment one another's clothes. You smirked, knowing they'd get along famously, and looked around the brand new, packed restaurant.

"Hey, there she is, my pretty girl," Richie greeted smoothly, approaching your standing form to slide his hand around your shoulders.

"Hi, Cousin," you beamed, offering him a hug in greeting. "The place looks fantastic - it's so - I mean - just wow, Richie," you complimented. "You guys did such an amazing job. I need to tell Fak, too, this is - you guys should be so proud, it looks incredible. Hardly can believe what it was before this."

"It really is something, huh?" He grinned. "Hey, Pete," he nodded.

"Hey, Richie."

"And you must be the famous, the fabulous Miss Danielle?"

"That's me," your friend grinned. "You're Richie, right? Carmy's cousin who's not really a cousin but is as good as blood?"

"Yes, ma'am, the very same," he nodded with pride. "We've some drinks coming your way in just a moment, but I need to borrow Peach for just one second."

"Why do they call her Peach?" Dani asked, but Richie was leading you away as Pete was heard answering,

"Oh, because she mastered this peach cobbler with Carmy's mom, Donna, and she started the nickname..."

"What's wrong?" You asked softly with a smile as to not give the illusion to others that you were worried. "What can I do to help?"

"No, no, nothing too bad, you were just requested by the Frenchie-French guy."

"Oh, right, that's right, yeah, I can help with that," you sighed gently, smiling as you approached the table. Greeting the two men and women was easy, Richie impressed by your connections in the professional world. Tonight, The Washington Post didn't just dine with them - no, it was also the director of social media for three luxury, designer brands: Jean-Paul.

Yes, the man was so elusive that he just went by Jean-Paul. Fuck a last name!

Either way, it impressed Richie to hear the introductions. The two women were executives in their own companies, names Richie didn't catch because he was busy taking note of the way Mr. Frenchie-French was basically eye fucking you in front of them all.

"Well," Richie smiled stiffly, "tonight's incredibly special for us. In fact, uh, Y/N's boyfriend is the owner and head chef."

"Really?" Frenchie-French perked his brows, shifting his gaze over to you. "You always had a soft spots for chefs, non? For those who were versed in the culinary arts?"

"Well, mostly I appreciated a man in the kitchen simply because I burn water and would probably unintentionally starve myself," you teased easily, deflecting the man's subtle dig. "I'm actually here with family tonight, so, please, ladies and gentlemen, enjoy tonight - I know I'm biased when I say the food is exceptional, but I look forward to your own opinions."

"We will talk later, mon cher, I am sure there will be plenty to discuss," the Frenchman promised, kissing the back of your hand as you let Richie lead you away by your free hand.

You released a long sigh, muttering, "Bring them a bottle of real champagne, please, Richie, I had a few bottles imported just for them. Listen closely," you lowered your voice as you both paused on the side of the dining room, "bring them a bowl of thin sliced strawberries sprinkled in sugar and pop the cork at their table - it's impressive for whatever reason."

Richie pecked your temple and gave you a tight squeeze, "I got it all covered, girly. You all right? Look like you're gonna be sick?"

"Just men being men grosses me out, I guess," you sighed with a small shrug. "He's always had a thing for me, I figured I'd use that to get him here tonight - Carmy's work speaks for itself, but maybe he'd be inclined to publish an article or two for us if I play nice."

Richie paused you a few feet from your table, complimenting, "I hope Carmy knows he doesn't deserve you, Peach."

"You said years ago neither of us did," you smirked gently. "Said I wasn't relationship material, right? Remember?"

"I was wrong," he nodded. "I even said y'all would never be serious, but..." He scoffed to himself, "I've never seen that boy so crazy about anyone in his life. You've really changed him, Peach. I don't really know how to thank you."

"You can start by buttering up those flirty Frenchmen," you teased, giving his cheek a peck.

"On it," he winked, parting from your side.

Inside the kitchen some twenty minutes later, Richie approached Carmy, directing his attention, "Cousin?"

"Yo."

"Peach is on 17 with Pete."

"Okay."

"Go say hi."

"Yeah, eventually," Carmy nodded absently, never halting his work.

"Eventually?" Richie repeated with distain, something in his stomach twisting.

"Where the fuck is Josh!?" Carmy called into the kitchen, another chef echoing his concerns.

"Yo!" Richie barked as calmly as he could, "Just go say hi to your girl, Cousin."

"Yo, I'll go when I have a minute," Carmy deflected strongly. "I'm in the fuckin' shit, leave me the fuck alone."

"What? I'm saying - "

"I'll get there when I can get there!"

"I'm saying!"

"What?" Carmy barked.

"She's got important fucking people in that dining room, man," Richie scoffed, hands held up in defense. "Just for your ungrateful ass! Maybe the least you can do is go say fuckin' hi - even if you're fuckin' busy. She knows that, it'd be a nice gesture - or whatever fuckin' shit - I don't know! She's your girl!"

"Yeah! Exactly!" Carmy barked. "She's my fuckin' girl, she knows the fuckin' drill, I'll go say fuckin' hi when I get the fuckin' chance, Richie! Fuck's sake! Always tryna meddle and shit!"

"Jesus, fuck," Richie sighed, turning out of the kitchen with his hands waving Carmy off in defeat.

You were none the wiser, entertained by Pete and Dani's gabbing as Sugar was in-and-out, dealing with all the little things going wrong. These little things came to her in the form of notes left at the table subtly for her to go solve, you wanting to help but being shot down every time. Eventually, Carmy was approaching your table with a tray of food, shocking you slightly.

"Hey, Peach," He greeted softly, lowering the tray to balance on the table and lean over to kiss your cheek. "You look gorgeous, baby, wow," he complimented in a whisper, offering another quick kiss.

"Thank you, Chef," you smiled brightly, touching his forearm in a sign of affection. "What's all this you've got for us?"

He hummed and explained what he set on the table in front of you guys; eyes alight and cheeks flushed from the heat of the kitchen. He poured whatever sauce came with the main dish, smiling at Dani, nodding to Pete, then looking to you.

"I'll check on you later, all right, baby?" He mumbled, watching you nod. "I gotta get back," he whispered, "but thank you for being here, my pretty girl."

"No where else I'd rather be, Cream," you rushed, letting his lips find yours briefly.

"Stick around after, would you? When we close, just... Don't leave yet."

"Yes, Chef," you whispered against his lips with a grin. He gave one single more kiss before pulling away to stand upright.

"Enjoy," he bid the table before walking away.

"So, like," Dani trailed after making sure Carmy was out of earshot, "when's the wedding? 'Cause that might've been the cutest thing I've seen. I mean, opening night, he's cooking, but paused to come serve us? Serve you? And he's so soft with you, kissin' you, bein' all cute," she pouted dramatically. "I want a reason to wear a maid of honor dress, please."

"Hey, hey, chill on us. There's no wedding," you sighed with a small laugh, trying to play off how the subject made your stomach twist. "We haven't really talked about it, you know? No biggie."

"What?" She sputtered. "Wait, hang on. Y'all have been together - like - a stupid, ridiculous amount of time. The fuck you mean you haven't talked about it? What are y'all doing, just ignoring the elephant in the room?"

You shrugged lightly, "I don't know, we know if we ever got married, it'd be to each other, but that's really it. We know we want to be together, we know we want to marry each other, but there's been no serious conversation about it."

"Uh, does that sound right to you?" Dani asked Pete.

He shook his head as you all took dainty bites of food to savor the flavors (and save Sugar some). "When I knew with Natalie, I didn't hesitate."

"Well, Carmy isn't like you, Pete," you defended. "He's got a lot on his plate, too, you know?"

"You've said that since Mikey," Dani frowned, her voice quiet.

"With good reason, don't you think? Carmy's just - he's just going through a lot right now and it's a challenge, you know?"

"No, it's more like Carmy's got the emotional intelligence of a fucking teaspoon!"

"Hey," you snapped, "that's not his fault, he doesn't know much better, so watch your mouth."

"He does with you, like... He knows better when he's with you, when it comes to you, Peach," Pete offered softly. "Look, maybe Danielle has a point - it is a little weird. I mean, you guys have been together, what? Six, almost seven years? Creeping up on a decade of just dating - that's a long time. And didn't you guys do that weird little half-dating thing for two years before making it official? Don't you think that's enough time to know if you want to marry someone, and then, you know? Actually marry them? Or at least ask them?"

"Sure, maybe to other people, but Carmy and I have never been conventional, so, I don't see why we need to start now."

Danielle scoffed, "Look, God love Carmy and everything, but you're just wasting time now. He needs to either commit or let you find someone who can actually love you like you deserve."

"Oh, and Carmy doesn't?"

"Wasn't all that long ago that you two took a break 'cause he called you clingy - and some other unsavory terms," Danielle shrugged. "Doesn't really sound like someone who loves you unconditionally - the way you should be loved."

You sighed and sat back in your chair, "I appreciate the insight, but Carm and I are fine. Okay? We've got years under our belts, we don't want to fuck up what obviously works for us so chill out on the questions, okay? I don't have answers to them."

Danielle and Pete shared a look before the man got up to excuse himself to the restroom. You and Dani finished your meals before sipping your wine, waiting for Pete, but Dani sighed, "This lady's been staring in here for, like, ten minutes already. It's freezing, doesn't she want to come in?"

"Hmm? What're you - ?"

"This lady on the street," your friend pointed over her shoulder towards the window her back was now turned to.

When you peaked out, you gasped lightly when you saw Donna Berzatto smoking a cigarette. "Oh, shit!" You stood from your seat, rushing, "Okay, so, uh, yeah - just - can you just sit here for a second? I have to go handle that."

"Who is it?" Dani wondered earnestly.

"I got it, Peach," Pete told you, passing by the table swiftly with a hand patting your shoulder to keep you at your table.

"What the hell's happening?" Dani asked. "Who is that?"

"Nothing, no one, it's okay, I think that's someone we know, just, uh, hang on a second? We'll be right back."

"Sure," she nodded in confusion, watching you get from your seat and follow Pete out the door onto the blistering cold sidewalk.

"Hey, Mama Donna," you greeted happily, arms crossing over your chest to protect from the wind. "Have you been inside yet? We saved you a seat and all, but isn't this - just wow?" You grinned, trying to encourage her to say anything about her children's hard work.

"Oh, no, no, not you, too, Peach, why are you here?" She groaned lightly, looking upset and close to tears.

"I'm here 'cause of Carmy? I-It's opening night, yeah?" You offered in confusion. "Why? What's wrong, Mama D?" You worried, glancing at an emotional Pete.

"No, it's just, I can't come in, I can't, just no," she backed away, only now making you notice the way Pete cried. "I'm so sorry, Peach, honey, but I was never here. Okay? I-I'll call them later, I swear, I promise, I'll call them - but I-I-I wasn't here. Okay? You can't tell them I was here. I'm so sorry."

"Donna, don't do this," you begged, head shaking. "Don't, please. Just come in with Pete and I - just sit there for a bit. Just come in and see what your kids have done - Donna, it's so beautiful. You'd be so proud, but you should really see it for yourself - "

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I can't, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, not tonight, no, I'm sorry, I can't," she deflected in a rambling mumble, turning and hustling down the sidewalk with her head shaking like a Etch-A-Sketch.

You rounded on Pete, "What the hell was that? Pete, what just happened?"

"Um, I-I don't - I didn't mean to."

"Pete? What didn't you mean?"

"She didn't tell her mom about the baby," he rushed, tears falling. "Nat didn't tell Donna, Peach, and I think I just did - I think I just fucked up and told her."

"Oh, no... No, Pete, you didn't."

"I didn't mean to! I swear it was an accident!"

"No, I know you didn't mean to, honey," you rushed, opening your arms to bring him in for a tight hug. "Oh, you poor boy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Pete."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, too, Peach."

"For what?"

"That... We fell in love with Berzattos and this is our new normal now, right?" He sniffled.

You half-smiled, "Yeah, something like that. But it's okay. See, where Donna's afraid to give her love, neither of us are. Sugar and Carm deserve that from us, right? To be authentic and just love them?"

He nodded, "Yeah, you're right."

"And that's all we gotta do... Is love them, Pete."

"God knows where else they'd get it," he huffed, wiping his face. "Hey, um, I'll be in, in a second - I just need a minute alone, I think, in the cold."

"Take all the time you need," you agreed.

"We're not - we're not telling them about this, right?"

You sighed, "No, I don't think so - at least right now. It might hurt them more, you know? To know Donna was here, but never came in. That she ran away... Again. It'll hurt, they deserve to be happy about tonight."

Pete nodded rapidly, looking like he was gonna burst into tears. Instead of going back inside, you just moved to Pete's side and stood there; producing a cigarette, lighting it, offering Pete a drag that he turned down, and the both of you just standing silently; one smoking, one crying, both processing.

"Wow, look at these gorgeous ladies! By far the baddest in the whole place! Yeah, man!" Fak teased as he approached you and Danielle after closing the The Bear officially. "What a privilege to have you both dine with us this evening! Ugh, truly an honor to see you both here," he praised comically, evening giving a small bow that his brother mimicked.

Your eyes rolled, "You're laying it on really thick when I already tipped you." He snickered with Theo. "Hey, seriously, though, tonight was incredible. I mean, it was all so beautiful, you should all be so proud."

"Oh, we are," Neil giggled, his brother hanging off his shoulders.

"Good," you teased. "Uh, is now an okay time to go back and see him? Kinda wanna offer my compliments to the chef directly, you know?"

"No," Fak answered instantly, "uh, well, probably not the best time."

"Yeah, probably not," Theodore echoed.

"I can sense you two ramping up to something," you sighed, "so, I'm gonna ask you skip all that and tell me what's wrong. Why can't I go see my boyfriend? He just had an incredibly successful opening night, I kinda wanna kiss him if you don't mind."

"Um, well, h-he didn't want you to worry, so, he said not t'tell you, but, uh... Yeah, no, Carmy's, like, locked in the walk-in freezer. Han Solo style."

"What?"

"Locked in the walk-in," Fak nodded rapidly, "yeah, no, the handle - like, the whole handle came off. He's locked in, Peach..."

"Oh, my fucking God," you breathed. "Are you saying he - he missed opening night? Neil!"

"Yeah, kinda... Well, sorta - I mean, technically, but - "

"Oh, Jesus," you breezed past them all.

"Mmm-mmm, the fridge guy's name is Terry," Tina corrected Carmy, flinching a little when he slapped the other side of the metal door he was locked behind.

"See, th-tha-that's what I'm talking about!" Carmy raged. "I'm so fucking distracted, and for what? For fucking what? 'Cause of a girl?" He chuckled ruefully to himself.

"Nuh-uh, don't do that, Carmy," Tina scolded. "That's not no girl, that's your girl, that's Peach - you don't lash out at her, baby."

"Yo, maybe - maybe I'm just not built for this. Right? Maybe that's okay! Maybe that just is. She'd be better off, Tina... I'm just - I'm not built for this."

But what Carmy didn't hear was Sydney asking Tina to cover her at the front because she needed to step out the back, get some air; Tina accepting and telling Carm to hang on a moment. Something he missed. While Tina took Syd's spot, Syd rushed outside, and you slipped in the kitchen door; Carmy being surrounded by shitty ripped tape and an entire side full of the flowers he had brought in for tonight - for you. It was a haunting reminder; something suffocating.

When you got to the walk-in, you were prepared to call out for Carmy, but he started speaking from within, halting any word on your tongue.

"I wasn't here b-because I was looking a-a-at fucking engagement rings when the fridge guy fuckin' called," Carmy ranted, your heart stalling in your chest. "Right? Like, what the fuck was I thinking? Like I was gonna get married? Commit to this relationship? Be h-her fucking husband or some shit? Have a fucking wife? I'm a fucking - I'm a fuckin' psycho!" He laughed a little, the tears springing to your eyes as his words disarmed your heart and emotional dam. "That's why! That's why I'm good at what I do! That's how I operate! I am the best because I didn't have any of this fuckin' bullshit, right? I could - I could focus and I could concentrate and I had a routine and I - and I had fuckin' cell reception, and Peach and I just had our own routine! We didn't need this extra bullshit, and now..."

You just listened, leaning on the freezer's door, tears silently leaking down your cheeks as you had the horrendous realization that you were what now slowed Carmy down. You were what currently stood in his way, when this whole time, you thought you were helping; making things easier; supporting him. No... No, his words rattled your heart to accept that you were now the bane; the object of his ire. You and your relationship was what was wrong and was causing Carmy hurt and professional complications.

Something you never wanted to contribute towards. You both always said if this relationship got to be too hard, you'd walk away. Better to feel anger than resentment; and now, you knew you had to walk away else risk that resentment fester.

Carmy started up again, "I don't need to provide amusement or enjoyment, I don't need to be someone's 'to have and to hold'. I don't need to receive any amusement or enjoyment, nor for someone to have and hold me... And I'm completely fine with that. Because no amount of good is worth how terrible this fucking feels." You were ready to open your mouth, but he finished by nailing the final nail in the coffin of your relationship, "It's just a complete waste of fuckin' time - entertaining what I know I shouldn't. Being in this relationship, trying to give what I don't have, wasting everyone's time."

You took your chance, speaking through your tears, "I'm really sorry you feel that way, Carmen."

"Peach?" Carmy rasped from behind the door, sounding more alert than he had before. "Baby? Hey, hey, Peaches? That you? Peach - hey. Hey," he sounded desperate as you backed away from the door, a fist pounding into the metal, "hey, no, Y/N? Y/N!" The seriousness settled over you both, Carmen understanding you heard a lot more than ever intended and once those words are out there, there's no getting them back. "Y/N, baby? Hey, no, no, Y/N - listen to me - hey, no, no! I-I didn't know you were there, baby, okay? No, Y/N, please - tell me you're there now, let me explain." He paused. "Let me explain! Please! C'mon, baby, please, let me fucking explain - tell me you're still there! Y/N? Y/N!"

You sniffled and walked away, feeling smaller than you ever had in your life. You barely noticed when the kitchen door opened, not until a figured dressed in black stopped you. "Peach? Hey, hey," Richie halted you - taking note of the tears. "What's wrong? What happened? Are you okay - who fuckin' did it?"

You just stared at Richie for a long moment, opening your mouth twice before sighing and smiling sadly. "I never wanted to be what got in his way," you whispered sadly. "I'm sorry, Richie."

"Peaches, hey, what's - "

But you reached up to kiss his cheek, "Tonight was so beautiful, Cousin, and I'm so fucking proud of you all. Thank you for everything - not just tonight, Richie, but everything you do." You smiled again, whispering, "Take care of him. Okay? He'll need you."

"What're you talking about? What's going on? Where are you going? Hey, where are you going, Peach, please?"

"Have a good night, Richie, I love you," you whispered, leaving out the kitchen door as quickly as you could. "Hey," you sniffled, approaching Dani with the Fak Brothers, "can we go now, please?"

"Are you okay?" Dani worried in shock.

"I'd really like to go, Dani, please," you rushed, throwing your coat on and smiling at the Brothers as if your heart wasn't in pieces. "Thanks again for tonight, you guys, it was magical."

"Peach? Wait, hey, are you okay, baby? What just happened?" Neil worried, watching you snatch Dani's hand, but pause when screaming was heard from the kitchen. Everyone stared at the door, Neil muttering, "The fuck are they...?"

"Now, Dani, please," you whimpered to your friend, who wasted no time in escorting you out of The Bear. The moment you were outside, you burst into sobs, Dani grunting a little as she lead you down a side alley to lean you on a brick wall and beg you to breathe normally.

"What the hell just happened? Hey, honey, you need to breathe," she smoothed hair off your face - but it was like you were drowning in the air with the way you gasped and gaped and panted and whimpered and choked yourself.

"I-I-I-I think - I think w-we're done, I think we're done, I think - oh, fuck - I think we just broke up," you sobbed, hands on your knees. "Oh, my God, Dani," you whimpered, "I-I think - I think we're done, Danielle, oh, my fucking God. I-I heard things tonight that I just - I can't not know, anymore! He said - fuck! He was just so candid, he didn't know I was there so h-he was sayin' things I have t-to now confront - and I really didn't fucking want to! He just - he doesn't want to really marry me, D, and-and-and he was apparently looking a-a-a-at rings - fucking engagement rings! But then he said that w-was the issue - he missed the fridge guy's call 'cause he was looking at fucking rings for me and this is why he missed opening night - 'cause the fucking fridge broke! Oh, my God, Danielle, i-i-it's my fault, it's my fucking fault, he missed the most important night of his life and it's my fault - "

You were cut off by your stomach lurching, emptying your insides onto the pavement. The delicious appetizer, the tantalizing main course, Marcus' fresh baked bread that was delightfully soft on the inside yet baked crisp on the outside, and every bit of the sweetened dessert - all wasted on Chicago bricks.

"Okay, okay, ah, shit, just get it out, babe, there you go," Danielle held your hair, catching you in a suffocating hug once you were done puking. "I've got you, babe, I've got you. You're okay, no, hey, this isn't your fault. I've got you, come on. I think we need pints of ice cream and the saltiest pretzels we can find," she pushed some hair from your sticky forehead, pouting dramatically, "maybe some Pepto? Few Saltines and ginger ale? C'mon, we're going back to mine, there's a good girl," she coaxed you from the ground and away from the wall, "c'mon, you're stronger than this. There's my girl, here we go, just one foot in front of the other - together, with me, just like that."

You sobbed, not knowing that Sydney and her father stood listening just a few feet away behind a set of dumpsters.

The moment the freezer's door was open and Carmy was free, he was sprinting around the kitchen to grab his coat, leave Neil in charge of closing, and racing out the door as the Fak Brothers yelled at him for hurting your feelings.

"Hey, hey, hey, Chef! Carmy, wait!" Sydney chased him outside.

"No time!"

"Wait! She went with her friend!"

Carmy came to a tripping halt, catching himself before he hit the pavement before whirling around to approach her, "What?"

"Her friend? She was with some girl tonight?"

"Yeah - yeah, yeah, yeah, uh, um, that's - yeah, that's Danielle," Carmy nodded. "Her best friend, yeah, they were here tonight, sitting with Pete and Sugar."

"Listen, Carmy, I heard them when they left the restaurant... Peach was really upset, like, more upset than I've ever heard, saying you two broke up? Or something? She cried so hard, Carm, she actually threw up, it sounded like she was in genuine distress. I-I didn't know if I should've intervened, but her friend was with her and helping."

"Shit - fuck - Goddamnit," he seethed. "All right, thank you - "

"I doubt they went to your place, I think I heard her friend saying they were going to her apartment."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, great, I know where Dani lives, thanks Syd!" Carmy bid, sprinting in the other direction - never bothering with the public bus system, just running into the night. Sydney was left to sigh on the sidewalk, Neil and Theo joining her before Richie followed - all watching Carmy disappear down the sidewalk.

"He's a fucking idiot," Richie shook his head.

"What the hell even happened?" Syd asked.

"Carmy mouthed off in the walk-in, Peach heard it all," Richie supplied. "You know the dumbass was gonna propose tonight?"

"What?" Syd blinked in shock.

"Yeah," Neil tacked on, "we had a whole plan and everything. Candles, soft music, flowers - there's a bunch of flower bouquets in the walk-in."

"I'm sure that was hard for Carm to look at," Syd sympathized.

"Doesn't excuse whatever he said," Richie snapped. "She looked devastated."

"She cried so hard, she threw up in the alley," Syd frowned.

"How do you know?" Neil asked.

"I heard her," the other chef frowned. "My dad and I - we actually both heard her."

"Jesus fuck," Richie seethed.

"I mean... Should we still set up?" Theo wondered to his brother. "What if they kiss and make up, like always? Carmy might still wanna go through with the proposal, right? You know?"

"Maybe," Neil trailed, looking at Richie.

"I don't fucking know," he sighed, hands on his hips.

"She thinks they broke up, I imagine whatever she heard was pretty nasty," Sydney frowned. "Think they'll really make up tonight?"

"Let's hope," Richie sighed. "That fuckin' idiot isn't gonna find anyone better than Peach. Fuck," he looked around the city street. "All right, fuck it, fine, let's fucking set up. Not like the jackass deserves it, but let's do it for Peach."

Neil and his brother grinned at each other, turning to hustle back into The Bear - leaving Sydney and Richie on the street. No words were exchanged, just silent shakes of their heads before they followed the Faks with the intention to help set up for a proposal nobody even knew if would still happen.

The cold night burned Carmy's lungs, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of suffocation he felt earlier when listening to one of your voicemails while trapped.

Your words were sweet as pie, as they usually were; a voicemail left when you were still at work, but feeling so excited to see him that night that you just had to call him. You reminded him of the adoration and love you held for him, relaying how proud you felt - and that you knew Mikey would be, too. You were always doing that, reassuring Carmy; and maybe that's why he felt so freaked out, he wasn't used to it. Even after almost 7 years together, he just wasn't used to what he didn't know he deserved.

Because Carmy didn't think he deserved anything remotely close to love, understanding, compassion, patience, and / or reassurance.

He had sobbed out loud as he locked his phone, not having the heart to delete your message. He often never did - he liked listening to your voice on long, hard nights; it brought him peace when the world felt too loud. He also kept whatever little notes you left for him, even going as far as to get a few of your hand-drawn hearts tattooed on his forearm. One for each anniversary you've shared together. He realized he never wanted to be without you and all his doubts and fear was him projecting his own incompetence towards this relationship; so, he locked his phone, he didn't delete your message.

The moment the fridge door had been opened, Carmy was out of there, shot off like a Roman Candle - your words of love and understanding still ringing in his ears as he was freed. He needed to apologize, and he needed to apologize right fucking now.

The whole run to Danielle's apartment, Carmy wasn't sure what to say to you; mulling over different ideas in his head. He tried to plan his speech, but the only thing he could think of was how much he loved you and that the ring in his pocket weighed a hundred pounds.

He pounded at Danielle's door. Carmy paced slightly as he waited, knocking frantically, and surely waking the neighbors - but that didn't matter. All that mattered was talking to you, something he was desperate to accomplish. When the door opened, your friend offered a stale look and shook her head, "Nope."

"Dani, please," he halted the closing door, "it's all a misunderstanding, I swear to God, please, just - let me try to fix this. Please, okay? I-I need her - I fucking need her and I have to fix this 'cause she's all that matters, okay? So, let me talk to her - please. Please, Danielle!"

"Yeah? The only thing?"

"More than anyone, more than anything - more than The fucking Bear, I swear to fucking God, Danielle! Just - Just one chance, please. I-I don't know how it all got so fucked, but please, I have to try - "

"Whatever you said in that freezer, Carmen, fucking gutted her, you hear me?" Dani stood in her doorway protectively. "Should've had your ass frozen for the hurt you caused her. How the fuck do you intend on making this right? Huh? It's been almost a fucking decade, dude, if you're seriously still afraid of commitment, just fuck off and leave her alone. Let her walk away 'cause I promise, there's a line of dudes who would love to put a ring on her loyal-ass finger - "

"Please, let me fix this," Carmy begged, sounding close to tears. "I need her, Danielle, please."

"It's okay, D," a voice whispered from behind Danielle, and when she turned, you were revealed - jacket and purse in hand, looking completely exhausted, drained, and disheveled. "I'm just tired, Dani, but we have to talk about this... So, I'll go home with him and call you tomorrow, okay?"

"You sure?"

"It's a decent walk, gives us too much time to talk," you shrugged, refusing to meet Carmy's bloodshot eyes. "Thanks for tonight, sorry I was such a mess," you whispered, hugging your best friend since pre-school.

"Girl, don't you ever apologize to me. But hey, look, I don't know, you were just drowning in your tears, like, five minutes ago. Sure you really wanna go? You can stay here as long as you'd like, girl, fuck him."

"Better to work it out now than later, I guess," you whispered, letting her kiss your cheek and see you guys out.

"She calls me cryin', Carmen, I'll kick your ass," She threatened as you moved down the apartment's hall. You might've snickered just a little, but the amusement was wiped clean when you rounded the corner and came up to the elevators.

Now that it was just you two, it was dreadfully awkward.

"Baby - "

"Just - don't talk for right now, Carmen," you sighed, shaking your head. "I'm still digesting all you said."

He frowned when you walked onto the elevator without a single emotion on your face, following you, and when on the ground floor, moved out to head home. It was quiet, it was awkward; only the sounds of traffic filling the space between you as you walked.

"Listen," he started with a long sigh, "you came in at the worst time, Peach, heard some shit you shouldn't have that I-I didn't even mean. I was just," he paused, sighing, "really angry and frustrated, fucking running my mouth 'cause I didn't know what else to do."

"Sounded like I came in at the best time since you're not very forthcoming with emotions. So, hearing your confession put a lot in perspective for me, Carm."

"I was just angry, Peach," he frowned, hands deep in his pockets. "Felt like I was self sabotaging myself, I wasn't sure what else to feel. So, I just lashed out. I didn't mean it, but I just felt like being angry... So fucking angry, baby, I just - I didn't know what else to feel."

"I don't know if I can be with someone like that," you whispered. "Someone who throws our relationship under the bus when he's angry, someone who's first line of defense is apparently to blame the relationship he's been in for over half a decade with the same girl. Someone you've known your whole life..."

"Peach - "

"If it's that easy for you to just disregard us, I don't think we should continue this."

Carmy took a breath and reached out to pull you to a stop. He dug in his pocket for a moment, then showed you the black velvet jewelry box. "I was gonna propose tonight, when everyone was gone," he explained when you took the box to open gingerly. "I think because that was on my mind already, something I was more than nervous to actually do, you're right, it did become my first line of defense to blame us - not just you, baby, but us. You and me... Mostly me, though," he chuckled sadly. "You're this perfect, sweet angel who just loves me out loud when I don't deserve it, and I'm... I'm just me," he sighed, eyes reddening. "And I know I'm never gonna be enough for you, I think I started to get in my head about if you said no. How I missed the call from Terry about the fridge 'cause I was picking out an engagement ring that you didn't even want, that you rejected - rejected me; and in turn, I missed opening night, and it all just - it got to a boiling point. Look, Peach, it's never been a secret that I don't think I deserve you... But I wanted to be the man that could at least give you an honest try of my best. You've stuck by me the past seven years when you should've ran for the hills, and I knew I wanted us for life years ago - but everything was still so up in the air. So confusing. So fucked up. I figured, after opening tonight, if things went t'plan, I could propose - prove to you that we're on our feet and there weren't any rugs to be pulled."

"What if things didn't go to plan?" You whispered.

"We're kinda living it now," he admitted, hand rubbing the back of his neck. "But even if tonight was all a total failure, I know I might've still done it because it's you, Peach. It's you... I've known for years you're who I want, I just never knew how to do this - to move us forward. You're my first relationship, hopefully my only relationship, and I just didn't know how to advance us. I think when things got real for me, my insecurities crept in, and I just reacted - I didn't think."

"We always said when this wasn't healthy or when this wasn't good for us anymore, we'd walk away," you reminded. "That we'd rather be sad or angry about a breakup instead of letting resentment fester from being together."

"It's still good for me, Peach, we're still good," he whispered, stepping closer. "Is it still good for you? Or did I lose you completely tonight?"

"I don't know, Carmy, you've been lashing out a lot lately. At me specifically."

"And with The Bear now open, I-I should be okay. You know? Back to normal?"

You chuckled dryly, "I see, back to your high walls? Emotional constipation?"

"Then maybe not normal," he corrected, "because I just needed to get us here, to tonight, to opening, and then show you that it's over. Show you that part of our lives is over and we only have more adventures to look forward to. Not ones like this, though," he gestured up the street, your eyes cutting over and realizing you were back at The Bear.

"Do you really think you're a psycho?"

He chuckled, "After tonight? Yeah, pretty convinced... Plus, I, uh, I saw in the freezer the way we're labeling things - and got angry about it. Angry about the way we were tearing tape and labeling things. It was so fucking stupid, but I just - I felt so crazy. I still do, I still feel like my head doesn't make sense and I'm a bit, you know... Crazy."

You nodded slowly, "Then how can you promise me this kinda shit won't happen again?"

"I don't think I can, but I can make you the promise that I am working on it; trying to identify when I feel reactive, trying to calm that down. I'm trying, Peach, I really am - it's just... Taking a lot of time," he sighed sadly. "And I know you don't have any more left to give me."

"I've already given you this many years," you reminded softly, "I think I could spare another or two if it meant you getting your shit together, that you get better, stop feeling so crazy."

"I don't deserve anymore time - "

"I think you need to step back and reevaluate what it means to be deserving because you always say that. That you don't deserve something - even as simple as time. Everyone deserves time and opportunity to figure shit out, Carmy, and you're no exception."

He nodded, "I'm... Trying." He took a long, deep breath, "I'm, uh... Going to meetings, you know, like, uh, Al-Anon and whatever."

"That's good, they're there to help," you nodded, stepping closer to take his hands in yours after closing the ring box and stuffing it back in his pocket. "Now, I think you need to do something."

"Anything, Peach."

"Take my hand, bring me back to The Bear, and go about your plan."

He froze in shock, blinking at you in earnest, "You really mean that?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"No, ma'am, and I think that scares me more."

"You'd rather break up? 'Cause at this point, Carm, we either move forward with this engagement and fucking work our shit out, or we break up. It's been almost a decade. It's your choice, you're the one who was saying he couldn't be someone's husband, that he didn't need to provide anyone nor have them provide you with anything. So, you tell me what you want to do - because all I know is that I love you, I want you for life, but not if you're going to resent me and regret moving our relationship forward. I don't need to get married, Carmy, but you can't keep jerking me around like you have been. So... Make a decision based on what you want - based on what's best for you. Not what's best for us, but put yourself first right now, Carmy, and make a decision about what you want."

With a nod of his head, Carmy cleared his throat and offered you his hand. When he felt you lock your fingers with his, he glanced up and down the street, then lead you across it. Up the sidewalk and to the front door of The illuminating Bear, he paused to produce his keys and then lead you inside.

The lights were dim, but a flip of the switch brightly lit up the newly constructed restaurant. He seemed nervous at your cool demeanor, watching you shed your coat and set your purse down; but his hand took yours again and lead you further into the place. He seemed nervous, but once in the kitchen, it was almost like Carmy's stress melted away.

"I was... I had this plan," he explained softly, leaning on one of the work stations with both hands in yours to keep you in front of him. "I have all these candles, right? Was gonna distract you in here," he looked around the fluorescent lighting, "while Richie, Fak, Tina, and the others set everything up. We'd hang in here after the place was closed down, you know, show you around the completed kitchen. And really casually, I'd ask if you were ready to go, so, we'd go out the front, and we'd walk right into the candlelight..."

"Yeah?" He nodded, thumbs running over your hands as he pushed off the counter. "Don't deviate from your plan now..."

Carmy smirked, "Wanna hear the boring kitchen stuff?"

"Of course, I do."

So, he lead you around in a tour of the kitchen; showing off the new office space that he invited you to take advantage of whenever you wanted. The sleek appliances were shown off, the vast fridges, freezers, new cutlery, state-of-the-art dishwashers. Everything, he showed you, knowing you helped him pick a lot of it out - it was still nice to see it all come together finally.

And then, slowly, he lead you out of the kitchen, but to your honest shock, the dining room was covered in lit candles and different bouquets of thick, gorgeous floral arrangements. "Oh, holy shit," you breathed, Carmy hiding his confusion much better than you.

You came to a slow halt in the middle of the room, the lights out and only leaving the candles to provide an ambiance. "I had this whole speech planned, too," Carmy told you softly. "Remind you of the day we met, how you saved me from those jackass bullies - remember?"

You smiled softly, emotions swirling in your chest, "First day of first grade, you had a Buzz Lightyear backpack and some kids were picking on you 'cause of it."

"And what did you do?"

You felt bashful remembering, but humored him by answering, "Pushed their faces in the mud at recess and made them apologize."

"You've been my best friend since that day," he nodded, bringing you in a few steps closer. "And when we got to high school, my feelings changed. You weren't just my best friend, but the girl I was madly in love with... Took me a couple years to buck up the courage to ask you out officially, though."

"Sure took your sweet time," you whispered with a smile, "but all good things to those who wait, right?"

"And I think you've waited long enough for a man to be who you deserve," he frowned. "All these years - it's been you at my side. You even - fuck - you even came over to Amsterdam for a bit because I was feeling overwhelmed and lonely. Sad, maybe even a little homesick. But you just - you just showed up like it was the most common thing in the world."

You chuckled through your tears, "Yeah, we had some good times on that boat, didn't we?"

He nodded with a softening smile, pushing hair from your face and behind your ear; pausing to hold your cheek carefully. "And when we came back stateside... You were still the only constant presence in my life. You were my family without blood, and I knew after that Christmas that you'd forever be my other half, and I'd spend my life conveying how grateful I am for you. I just - I never knew how to put it into words until now."

"What changed?"

"Realizing that I wanted to marry you years ago - and I should've. I know I shouldn't have drug my feet with us, delay our inevitable, because honestly? I couldn't see my life without you in it and I knew I needed you with me forever. Peach," he frowned, reaching for your other cheek, "we agreed when this wasn't healthy, we'd walk away - I remember that. But I need you to know, I'll never fucking regret you. I'll never resent you. You've been unwaveringly supportive and loving and... And I've been the luckiest man to experience it all. But now," he pushed himself a step closer so he was hovered over your lips, "I know that you deserve someone just as present in this relationship as you are. I knew once The Bear was done, I was done - I was done beating this bush around and wasting time. I knew what I needed to do because the idea of you not being in my life anymore terrifies me more than anything. I don't remember life without you, Peach, and I don't ever want to know what it's like. So," he cleared his throat, "here, in the restaurant I so desperately wanted to give up on so many times, but you always stopped me, I wanted to make this official. I wanted it to be here to show you that the past year of our turmoil - it's fucking over, Peach. We did it," he whispered, "and now, the next and only thing I want to focus on is us."

Carmy readjusted you both for a little bit of space, holding your left hand tightly as he lowered himself to a single knee; looking up at you with those big, wide, sad blue eyes that were growing redder by the passing second. The candlelight created a romantic atmosphere that cocooned you both in a warm embrace, the flowers around you projecting their floral scent.

"So, I need to ask you something real important, baby," he whispered, his throat bobbing to restrain his emotion that clawed up his throat, "because if I don't, I don't think I could breathe again." He cleared his throat, pulling the ring box from his pocket and opening it to present to you officially. "Y/F/N Y/M/N Y/L/N... My sweetest Peach, I've loved you almost my entire life, you're my best friend, my most loyal and sweetest confidant. You make me want to be a man better than I was yesterday and never before have I ever seriously considered marriage - until you. Now? Now, I can't get the idea out of my head, so, my sweet girl," he took another breath, the tears in his eyes swelling and slowly dripping down his cheeks as you slowly got on your knees in front of him, "I need to ask you... W-Would you do me the honor? Of being my wife?"

"Carmen."

He grinned at you, both with tears down your cheeks. "Will you marry me, Y/N? I can't see my life without you in it, so... I want this, I want you for life. Y/N, will you marry me?" He paused, adding a meek little, "Please?" at the end.

With a deep breath, you slowly reached for his cheeks in a soft caress to wipe his tears; both just staring at one another for a good few moments before a face-splitting grin nearly cracked your lips. "Yes," you finally answered, "yeah, yes, yes, of course, I'll marry you, Carmen, yes!"

"Oh, thank fuckin' God," he laughed, letting you lunge forward to knock him backward in a hug - missing the candles arranged in a small circle for you two to stand in. Carmy laughed loudly, happily, giving you a tight squeeze as he mused, "Had my heart beatin' outta my chest for a second there, Peach."

"Oh, please," you laughed, "after all this time, you really thought I'd say no?"

He shrugged meekly, "Thought my most recent fuck-ups would've added to any reasons you might have to say no."

"Oh, spare me - you're my best friend, Carmy, you know I couldn't ever say no to you. Not without puking in nervousness."

"Can we maybe not talk about puke when we just got engaged?"

You laughed and nodded, "Fine, fine, fine, then put the ring on, please."

You presented your left manicured hand, watching Carmy almost giddily removed the band from the box, took a slow, deep breath, and then, the most beautiful ring was being slid onto your finger in an official show of your engagement. Of your undying love. Of your commitment, promises, and future together.

"YEAH!" An array of varying cheers and hollers of support and excitement rang out around you; startling both you and Carmy to look up. Richie, Sydney, Tina, Neil, Theo, Pete, and Sugar all hung in the bathroom's alcove - watching with splitting grins and cheering in celebration.

There was no time to question them as Richie lead the charge over; helping you to your feet for a giant, bear hug before gushing over your engagement ring. Neil and Theo popped one of the authentic bottles of champagne, pouring different flutes for those present.

"Calm down," Natalie scolded Richie lightly, "and move out the way, I want to hug my engaged bestie!"

You squealed with Sugar when her arms wrapped around you tightly, Rich moving on to congratulate Carmy - who apologized for his angry words earlier and thanked them for still setting things up. Richie promised it was for you, not Carmy, but still hugged the little shit with a laugh - indicating he was just joking.

"Let me see!" Natalie grinned, examining the ring Carmy chose and squealing again. "Oh, my God! Oh, it's so pretty! Oh, shit - sisters!" She gasped, holding your hands tightly, "We're going to be sisters - like, officially!"

"Sisters in law, but yeah, cupcake," you beamed at her, wiping your tears and giggling. "I can't - this just doesn't feel real," you told her softly, looking the few feet over to see Carmy with the lads as Sydney stood with you and Sugar. "Him proposing? I genuinely thought it wouldn't happen," you tried to laugh your nerves off, looking at your ring and fiddling with it.

"Yeah, right," Sydney laughed. "I haven't been around that long and even I knew this was gonna happen."

"Oh, please, she's right," Natalie grinned when you went to retaliate, "he first started talking about how he wanted to marry you when he was, like, 15. This has been the longest thing coming."

"Thank you guys for helping," you whispered with a smile. "It's all so beautiful."

"Happy to help for a good cause," Syd smiled, complimenting your ring as Neil called for a toast. Everyone was given flutes of champagne, Carmy's arm wrapping around your waist as each friend gave their own little speech, congratulating you both before the alcohol was being drained.

"Uh, and where are you two going?" Sugar asked about an hour later with a small giggle when Carmy wrapped an arm around your neck after helping you into your coat again.

"Gotta celebrate alone with my fiancé," he smirked, "later, guys! Don't forget to lock up!"

"Carmen!" You scolded with a small laugh, gaping at him.

"What? They got this," Carmy chuckled. "Thanks, you guys, see you tomorrow!"

"We can help clean," you told him as he lead you out of the restaurant.

"Nah, we've got bigger plans," he smirked at you. "Got plenty t'celebrate, yeah? Ever fucked as fiancés before?"

"No - but I hear it's some crazy sex," you whispered, locking your arms around his waist to stay close. Neither of you cared about the bus at this hour, opting to walk home in the cold - not that you felt it. Your love burned brighter than the cold biting your skin.

requesting rules and masterlist

The Bear masterlist

[moviecritc]

easiest conversation ⋆ carlos sainz

pairing: carlos sainz x fem!oc (named Angelique)

tropes: strangers to lovers

summary: carlos and angelique sat next to each other in a tennis match in monaco, leading to an endless conversation.

a/n: english is not my first language, sorry for the mistakes and poor storytelling. maybe a part 2 if you like it?

masterlist

Everybody was focused on Carlos' future in Formula 1, he tried so hard to not be worried about it, but every thing he does, the media somehow made it about his career as a driver. So, at the end, he couldn't do anything except being worried too. Many what ifs were in his mind anytime he thought about it.

The past weekend wete the Masters of Montecarlo, a tennis match, and taking advantage of the fact that he was in the city and most of he's teammates were also watching it, he attended as well.

Carlos didn't have the opportunity to talk to any of them, they were seated in different places in the public. Either way, seeing George, Charles and even Lando with their partners made him feel a little bit more miserable than he already felt. No seat and no girlfriend, that's not a very cool situation to be involved.

And there's even more, he doesn't even know a shit about tennis. He played paddel a few times with Lando, but tennis? He had no idea. So he just sat there, gasping when other people gasp and checking his phone once in a while.

"You seem lost," someone said.

Carlos lifts his head that exact moment, connecting looks with a light brunette that was looking at him above her sunglasses.

"Are you talking to me?" he asked, totally confused. Since when that woman was sitting by his side?.

"Yes. You look bored, maybe you just need someone to explain tennis in a cool way," she smiled. A beautiful smile.

Carlos also smiled a bit, in a weird way. Sometimes he forgots that there's people who can effortlesly talk to strangers in a cool and mysterious way. This woman was one of them.

"Yeah, sure. If you can,"

"If I can?" she seemed dramaticly offended. "You don't think a woman can explain tennis to you, man?"

"Oh, no, no, no. I didn't mean it in that way," he said quickly. "Please, go ahead."

She smiled and started explaining all about tennis in the most interesting and funny way possible.

"How do you know so much about tennis?" he asked.

"Well, I'm a tennis player," she explain. "I thought it was obvious."

Carlos noded a bit, noticing a few mobile phones and cameras pointing at them. He didn't realised it until now, and now he was wondering how many pictures and videos of him and that woman would be around the media.

"Uh, well... I mean, I have no idea about tennis," he said, nervously.

"Yeah, I could tell that," she laughed and she infected Carlos with the laughter. "I'm Angelique, by the way."

"Beautiful name. I'm Carlos," they shaked hands with smiles in their faces. He saw some redness on Angelique face after he complimented her. "So you are a tennis player?"

"Yeah." she simply answered.

"Are you good?" Carlos didn't want the conversation to die.

"I try to be," she said. "I'm fifth in the Women's Tennis Association, I don't know if that's enough for you."

Angelique pursed her lips, making a funny face that made Carlos smiled.

"That sounds really good," he said, truly impressed. They were both athletes, maybe that's why it feels so easy to talk to her.

"What about you?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I'm a race driver,"

Angelique raised even more her eyebrows and wide-opened her eyes "Ok, that is so fucking cool!" she remarked. "Which team do you drive for?"

"Ferrari, but..."

"No way! That's even cooler!" she boasted. "I mean, I have no idea about Formula 1. But Ferrari? That is cool guy material, undoubtedly"

Carlos was too invested in Angelique's voice and eyebrow game that wasn't able to tell her that he isn't staying in Ferrari for too long. But they've just met, and being unemployed isn't something to say to someone right off the bat.

He realised that it was the first conversation in a while that he didn't have to mention anything about his future in Formula 1, another reason of him being this comfortable around Angelique.

"And, how did you became a tennis player?" Carlos asked, leaning a little bit to her.

Now, she was focusing on the ball and the movements of the players.

"My brother used to use me as a ball picker when he played tennis, then he broke his arm and I kept his racket," she explained without divert her eyes from the field.

"He stopped playing tennis after that?"

"Well, yes. When he could come back, he was too old and unexperience to achieve something," she said. "But he wasn't very good anyways."

They both laughed and Angelique take off her sunglasses so she could see Carlos better.

"Have you won something in tennis?" he curiously asked.

"Yeah, of course. Matchs and all those things,"

"Have you beaten Serena Williams?" he wondered, with a smirk.

"Not yet," she admited. "But I've won against people who beat Serena."

She smiled proudly. The match was about to end, and none of them were paying attention to it.

"Okey, that's pretty awesome," he said.

She crossed her legs and accomodated her long brown hair to one side, which left Carlos eyeing her in a romantic way.

"And you? How someone decides that he wants to drive really fast cars?"

"My father has been involved in motorsports for a long time,"

"It's always a family thing, don't you think?" she said. "It is hard to find someone who started in sports by themselves."

"It is!" Carlos agreed with her.

He was going to say something else, but they announce the end of the match, everybody standed up to give an applause. Both of them copied the rest of the people.

"Wait, who won?" Carlos asked, totally confused.

Angelique lean into him, whispering "I've no idea,"

They laughed and kept applausing. That was the end of the match and the end of their conversation. Angelique's agent rapidly came to her to take some pictures with the winner.

"Wait, wait," she insisted to her agent and then walked close to Carlos. "It was lovely talking to you, Carlos,"

"Same, Angelique. You seem an interesting person," he complimented. Carlos was willing to ask her for her number, or something.

"Are you coming to the finals tomorrow?" she asked, praying for a yes.

"I don't think so... I have a race soon in China,"

"Oh," she seemed disappointed. "Well, good luck for your race and..."

"Can I asked you for your number?" he said unexpectedly.

"Yes!" she realised that maybe she was too effusive, so she lower her tone. "I mean, yeah, sure. If you want."

Carlos laughed and Angelique did it too, in a more ashamed way. He gave her his phone so she could write her number.

"There you go," she said and her agent was already near her to leave the match. "Text me!"

Carlos laughed and waved at her, when he looked at his phone, he could do anything but laughed again. Angelique saved her as "That cute girl from the tennis match".

He wondered what was about that girl that made her so unique and easy to talk to her. Carlos didn't think about it very much, instead, he texted her right after she left the field.

[desceros]

me: [looks at calendar, gets a wicked idea, looks into the camera] happy springtime, turtle fam! who's ready to celebrate the season?

...mating season, that is. hehe. [dodges the tomatoes]

so! i had the idea that it would be super fun to have a community-wide event where we all have a prompt and then everyone fills it in their own way.

...i then decided all the prompts i came up with were too good not to use, but also none of them were Good Enough to use exclusively, so i changed my mind and the prompt is now just MATING SEASON. with a few suggestions at the bottom of this post if you're looking for some.

since spring is coming upon us, i hereby invite everyone to join in the vernal festivities... which in turtle parlance, of course, means only one thing: write, draw, whatever your version of "mating season", then join me on march 1 to post it with the tag #TMNTSpringShellebration. we then shall browse the fine selection of our mutual artistic efforts, and basically just have a good time as a community.

here are the prompts i came up with as starters-slash-things-to-include if you're looking for a place to get started. feel free to use these at will, or use them to come up with something of your own:

“Please don’t make me explain this. It’s humiliating as is.”

Oops, Looks Like Mating Season Came A Week Early This Year

“…In all of my mating seasons, this has never happened before.”

“I told you not to come by! It’s mating season!”

Probably should have expected it to be different now that he’s not going through it alone.

Because of Shenanigans, you have to wait. Wait… Wait… ok now.

They’re not the right person for mating season… but they’re the one who’s here, so…

“Show me where it hurts."

so yeah! see you all on march 1 for the, uh, spring shellebration. party popper emoji

questions i imagine will be popping up and i hope will clear up here before my askbox swells beyond capacity under the cut to keep this post from being Way Too Long. also it's really not that serious it's just an excuse to write slash draw for everyone Please Don't Take This Thing Too Seriously It's Not That Serious:

"can i participate?" yes! it's literally just an invitation to do something. nothing fancier than that. no need to be following me or in my friend group or whatever.

"can i write (insert fic idea here)?" yep! so long as it's related to the idea of mating seasons, it flies. reader insert? hell yea. oc? hell yeah. solo turtle and his favorite pillow? go for it.

"can i draw (insert art idea here)?" yep! uh. i know tumblr has the cops watching for sin bin material, but you art people know how to deal with that. and if you don't, uh, ask the other art people. im just a feral cat in a trench coat

"how do i participate?" write/draw/collect songs for/whatever. then, on march 1, post it and tag it #TMNTSpringShellebration. also, for funsies, keep it hush hush what you're working on so we can all be super shocked when the day comes! except, y'know, that you're planning on joining in. totally do that.

"when do i post it?" march 1. whenever on that day. waves hands around in a vague gesture at time zones not mattering. seriously don't take this so seriously it's just me wanting to create cool shit with my friends with a little more structure to it

"does it have to be horny?" i mean. it's an event about mating season. so by definition it's going to be at least a little horny. but however you interpret it is cool. even if it's just. idk. leo sitting sweatily in a chair looking longingly at a glass of water bc he's thirstier than usual. be smart about things, people. i'm not your dad.

"which tmnt verse is this for?" whichever one you want it to be for!! rise! bayverse! 2007! your fan iteration! your friend's fan iteration! your mortal enemy's fan iteration! yes!

"will you be reblogging everything?" absolutely not, but this isn't an event About Me. i am incidental to the thing. it's about Us. coming together as a community. for horny turtles. puts my hands on your shoulders. do it for you. for your friends. for the community.

[rmoonstoner]

Kinktober 2023

***

Theme:

3 - Doggy style

***

Warnings:

18+, angst/whump, break up, sex pollen (Miguel's venom), biting, smut, unprotected p in v sex, doggy style, rebound sex, cream pie, choking the reader sexually (light to medium), voyeurism, angry and jealous men, no strings attached sex with Miguel.

***

Pairing:

MidKnight (Moon Knight) Jake Lockley x Spider!Fem!Reader

(They don't have sex)

Spider-Man 2099 Miguel O'Hara x Spider!Fem!Reader

(They do have sex)

***

Summary:

Your boyfriend, Jake Lockley, is keeping major secrets from you. A major one, him having D.I.D. You can't take the lying by omission anymore, and decide to confront him, only to find one of his alters in your bed, having sex with a woman you've never met before. You lose your shit, break up with him, then leave, only to run into another Spider-Man.

***

Note:

Since I like my Galaxy-Spider OC/Reader from Poisoned Empanadas, this is a variant of her and a variant of Miguel. Bit of a backstory in the beginning, because I got really fucking high, and felt I needed a good angsty bit before the sex.

***

Miguel had been watching you for weeks, and the more he found out about you, the more he was intrigued. He found out you had a shitty boyfriend, and that he had been cheating you. He was certain the man had D.I.D. judging by the way he acted.

Miguel had watched him leave in a cab, and he would follow. He would see the man get out in a parkade, go inside a coffee shop, and come out in different clothing. Usually a baseball cap and casual clothes, versus the nice suits he was wearing before. Miguel would follow him around as he eventually made his way back to your house, only to come at it from the back alley and sneak in covertly.

Miguel was suspicious that he was leading some sort of dangerous and secret life, and his suspicions had been confirmed when he found Moon Knight leaving from the basement a few times at night. The man always left after you did in your uniform, and then he found the knight would follow you as you worked.

Even weirder still, he found that man's uniform and fighting style would rapidly change between three different styles. He desperately wanted to tell you about it, but the fact he looked so similar to the man had kept him from introducing himself to you, even with his uniform on. He knew he couldn't just show up in his civilian clothing, and he was scared you would hear his voice that was so close to Jake's, and mistake him for your boyfriend. He didn't want that, nor did he want you to even think for one second that he was another alter of your boyfriend.

Tonight, however, he watched your boyfriend bring home that same woman again, and he was floored to see him go straight to your bedroom. Miguel was ready to show up in uniform, pretend to be a friend of yours that was looking for you, and maybe kick the guy out, or call him out on his bullshit, but you arrived before he could get in there.

He was concerned for your safety, and he crawled up the wall to peer inside your room as you confronted Jake and the woman.

It didn't last long, and now you were storming out the front door and pulling your mask over your face, hood up, as you shot a web out and zipped away.

Miguel wanted to go in there and beat the guy up, but the lady was still there, just leaving. He noticed she was also in uniform, and she looked pissed as she yelled at the man. Miguel decided not to bother them. She didn't do anything to you or him. She didn't deserve that. Instead, he followed you.

It took an hour before you stopped swinging around so he could approach you. You came to rest on the roof of the Sanctum and cast a few lights around you. You were so upset, pacing and grumbling to yourself, that you didn't notice him touch down on the roof behind you.

"Hey, you're that Galaxy-Spider, yeah?" He asked carefully. You turned to stare at him as you rubbed at your eyes covered by the mask.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"Uh… One of your kind. I'm Spider-Man. Uh, from the future."

"Riiight."

"No, really. See?" He raised his hand and showed you his watch.

"Lyla, can you please show her?" He asked and a small hologram of a woman in a big puffy white fur coat appeared. You blinked and stared at the tiny lady.

"Oh, Miguel, it's that girl, the one you liiike. The one ya wanna beat her boyfriend up for cheating on her!"

"God damnit Lyla. That's not what I meant!" Miguel grumbled and rubbed his temple.

"Wait… You like me, and know about Jake?" You asked as you watched him bring his hands up to his face and rub his temples.

"Fuck it. Yeah. I do. I know him. I know he's a dick, a jerk, and a lying prick."

"So you've been stalking me, then?"

You squinted at him.

"Yes, wait, no!"

"Explain yourself, or I'll scream, and I'm standing right over top of Doctor Strange's bedroom." You said firmly. Miguel panicked and put his hands together.

"Wait, wait, wait. Okay, so I came here, and have been watching all the other spiders. I saw you once, then I couldn't help but follow you home. I was hoping you would be single, but then I found out you had a boyfriend. Then I found that boyfriend is Moon Knight, and he's been sneaking around, following you at night and also sleeping around with that lady that was there tonight." He quickly explained, then showed you some of the surveillance footage he had caught of Moon Knight.

"I was kind of obsessed with the man, because he has my face, and if he's doing bad shit out there, I don't want to be associated with him, right?" He said, desperately hoping you would believe him. He was starting to creep you out, and you didn't like it one bit. He sounded too much like Jake.

"So you were stalking Moon Knight, because you like him?"

"Fuck, no, It's not like that. I said I look like him. Not exactly, but close enough." He said as he slowly removed his mask and showed you his face. Your eyes went wide and before you could speak, he kept going.

"I can't be him. I'm from a different universe, from the year 2099. I don't have Moon powers, I have Spider powers. Oh, and see? Look at my arm. No tattoos. I'm also taller, bigger, and have higher cheekbones. My name is Miguel O'Hara." Miguel was quick to show you his arms, and you frowned.

Everything made perfect sense. Jake didn't wear a watch like that, and he certainly was shorter and smaller than Miguel. Plus the holographic video and tiny lady sure helped to back up his story. You sighed and shrugged.

"Okay. I believe you."

"Thank god. I was worried about you. You're a Spider. I'm a Spider. We are supposed to look out for each other. He's shady as fuck, and the fact he had the balls to bring a girl into your room and bang her, says a lot about him. He's a literal lunatic." He went on as his uniform formed back over his arms.

"That's not nice. He wasn't Jake at the time. " You said. Miguel scoffed and stared at you.

"That doesn't make it any better and I don't have to be nice. The guy is an idiot, and not because he has D.I.D. He's an idiot for keeping that from you. That's why I told you right away what I am doing and who I am."

"Yeah… I did know about the condition. I had my suspicions. What I did not know, was that he was Moon Knight. Thank you for being honest I guess?"

"Well now you do!" He looked triumphant and quite happy, while just shrugged and sighed.

"I don't care."

"You what?"

"I said, I don't care. Thank you for letting me know. I dumped him and told him I am moving out."

"So you came here?" He motioned to the old building you were standing on.

"Doctor Strange said I am welcome anytime. He knew this was coming, because we have talked about Jake's behavior before."

"Don't you think showing up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday is going to agitate the wizard enough to go looking for a fight?"

"Strange wouldn't dare, unless I asked. The others might go kick his ass, though."

"See?"

"Why are you suddenly defending him?" You gave him a suspicious look. He put his hands up in the air.

"I'm not. I just understand there's an innocent man mixed in with the other two dicks in that body. Knowing their luck, he'd be the one to front and get his ass beat."

"That's true. I don't think that's how Steven would be able to handle that."

"Probably not. How about we go for a stroll? Clear that head of yours, hm?"

"Sure I guess."

***

That stroll turned into a heated make out session just a block away from the Sanctum. You had been so angry, that when Miguel suggested you two spar so you could blow off some steam, you immediately countered with an offer of sex with no strings attached. Now you had him pinned against the back of a billboard, your mask gone and your mouth and tongue tangled with his.

You didn't question how his mask melted away like pixels on a computer. The second his mouth was free, you kissed him hard and crawled up the billboard to cage him in. He didn't mind, and he encouraged you as his big hands came to hold your ass and neck.

"Fuck, you're a naughty little Spider…" Miguel husked as you ground yourself against him while making little pleased grunts and moans.

"Shut up and kiss me ya big lug."

"Gladly." Miguel pulled you in and kissed you again. He wanted this for a while now, and honestly thought it would have taken days, if not weeks to get into your pants. When you suggested angry no strings attached sex, he was all for it.

When you pulled away again, he pulled you off of him and spun you around so you faced the back of the billboard. He reached down, trying to find a way to open your suit, when you pointed at your thighs to a zipper there.

"Let me." You did and unzipped the seam. He growled when the tight fabric immediately shrank back and revealed your naked ass and cunt to him. He couldn't stop himself as he pulled his cock out and shoved it into your wet hole right away. He grunted as he pushed in all the way and pressed you against the billboard.

"Mierda! So fuckin' tight." He snarled and started to fuck into you hard and fast. You pushed back against him and whimpered while clawing at the wood of the billboard. He saw a sudden flash of white up above them, and he grinned as he grabbed your hair and tugged you back to kiss your neck

He could hear shuffling above him, followed by angry swearing in Spanish as he fucked into you harder. You felt him bite your neck, his fangs sinking in and pumping you full of venom. You moaned loudly and shook as he fucked you even harder. Your blood suddenly felt hot, and you panted as Miguel found your clit and rubbed it in time with his thrusts. He turned you towards the building, and pushed your head down to the ground as he pushed in as deep as he could go.

"Ahhh, mmm…" Your eyes rolled back, mouth open as you felt an orgasm hit you. You drooled and clawed at the wooden plank you were on as Miguel snarled loudly. And slapped you ass hard.

"I am gonna dick you down so good, you won't be walking when I'm done with you."

He groaned and gave you a few hard beats, before he slipped a hand around your neck and pulled you back up and flush against his chest again. He was making damn sure Jake could see him and the way your face contorted in ecstasy.

Miguel brought his other hand around your front, shooting a web at the billboard as he leaned back so you were sitting in his lap while he bucked up into you harshly. You bounced and gasped for air as his hand tightened around your neck, making it harder to breathe. You whined, choking a bit, and he let go, only to bring his hand to your breast and hold you tightly as he pistoned his cock in and out of your abused hole. He was enjoying your grunts and moans, more now that Jake was standing above and watching with a scowl.

"Miguel, fuck… Yes, oh, fuck-!" You gasped as he pushed in all the way and rotated his hips for a bit while you mumbled gibberish and shook with another orgasm. Your thighs were soaked, and Miguel still hadn't come yet.

"You feel so good… I just wanna pump you full with my come." He groaned and gave you a slow and deep thrust. You whimpered and grabbed onto his leg, digging your nails into his thigh in an attempt to keep him there.

"Don't fucking stop…"

You sobbed as he withdrew and pushed back in just as slow.

"Don't stop, eh?"

"Please! H-harder, faster, Miguel!"

"You want hard and fast? I'll give you hard and fast, mi sol."

He groaned and pushed you back down to your knees, his hips drilling as hard and as fast as he could go. You had a hard time holding yourself up, finding he was way stronger than you were. You slowly got pushed to the ground, head now against the cold wood, cheek smooshed while you panted and drooled.

"Yeah, yeah, ugnnn, fuck!" You mumbled as he leaned down and whispered in your ear.

"Ya feel that? I'm about ready to pop. Shall I fill this sweet little pussy of yours?" He said in a deeply husky voice as he kept pounding you mercilessly.

"Oh, Gods, yes!" You managed a small squeak as you squeezed his thigh.

"Good, because you're gonna take every last drop of me, and then I'm taking you to my pad, so I can fuck you again in the morning."

He growled as he bit into your neck again. You let out a deep carnal moan and came again, your pussy clamping tightly around his cock. He groaned and shot a nice thick load inside of you, and you whimpered and squirmed while he just kept coming and digging himself in deeper.

"So good… Fuck that guy. Stay with me and rest, then I'll take you back to your wizard's house, tomorrow." He whispered as he rolled over with you and held you tightly against his chest, his hard cock still buried to the root.

"O-okay…" You worked in catching your breath, your pussy still clenching periodically around his dick.

"Good." Miguel grinned and he looked up at the roof tops. He saw a white silhouette, with a dark face and scowling white eyes staring down at him. Miguel smirked back and gave him the finger as he hoisted you up into his arms, his suit melting back over his body. You were blissfully unaware your ex had witnessed everything, and was now helplessly watching you being carted away by his doppelganger.

***

Tags:

I thought I would tag all my Poisoned Empanadas readers.

@theaussiedragon @autismsupermusicalassassin @readingfan @missdragon-1 @marvelescvpe @lunar-ghoulie @cicithemess2000 @animesnowstorm @mahbeanz @dafuqelaine @bby-lupin @paranoiac-666 @konniebon @cl0v3r-s0up @seraphine-so-pretty @jupitersmoon167 @butterflypillows @ivystoryweaver @mintellaine @bxdbxtxh15 @badbishsblog @cleothegoldfish @xxmadamjinxx @bitchyexpertprincess @sakurayuki8655-blog @jklkverr @jkthinkstoomuch @oscarissac2099 @neteyamsluvts @bad4amficideas @einno-arko

[minisugakoobies]

Sunny, can I send this in with paradise!jk and oc? 👀

How do you expect me to “keep it down” when you’re out here telling me about the various ways you fuck yourself with the toys you’ve bought?

Ooooh, yes you can, Jess!! Thank you for asking for some Paradise!JK. Let's say this is an outtake from Chapter 12 - set during the week sometime after their movie night but before their day at the dog park 👀

Sorry this is so long. I, uh, couldn't stop. 💕

Title: Can I Watch? Pairing: Jungkook x Reader Genre: Paradise!AU, neighbors to lovers, smut Rating: M(18+) Warnings: dirty texts, sex toys, talking about masturbation, voyeurism, exhibitionism, masturbation (f + m), cumshot, i'm covering my face in shame over this one

It's nearly 2 am when you hear his door open.

You hadn't meant to stay up so late, but you'd been unable to unwind all evening, keyed up from work. Again. Finally, desperate for some sleep, you'd turned to your newest toy for some help.

Since that night with Jungkook, when he'd helped you find release with Lil' Jackson Wang, your favorite vibrator, you'd found yourself adding to your collection during a few late night shopping binges. You told yourself that it had nothing to do with your neighbor; you just wanted to give yourself a little more variety.

It's funny how you lie to yourself sometimes.

Thanks to the incredibly thin walls between you, you can hear when Jungkook's bed squeaks under his weight. He's probably exhausted, if he's climbing directly into bed. But that doesn't stop you from texting.

You: How was work?

Kookie 🦌: exhausting but good

Kookie 🦌: what are you doing up jagi?

You: Can't sleep

Kookie 🦌: poor baby

Kookie 🦌: need me to help you again?

You grin, stretching. Remembering the crazy intense orgasm you'd had with his help. The one you just had a few minutes ago was nice, but… thinking back to that night, you can't help but want more.

You: Actually, I just had some help

You: From one of my new little friends that I just got

Kookie 🦌: oh yeah? you got some new friends?

Kookie 🦌: you trying to make me jealous?

You: Maybe. Is it working?

Kookie 🦌: yes

You laugh.

Kookie 🦌: so which friend did you play with tonight?

Quickly, you snap a photo of the little pink pad that's still resting on your bed.

Kookie 🦌: huh. what's that guy do?

You: It's a vibrating pad

You: I ride it

There's a slight pause, and then you hear a low "fuck" groaned through the wall.

You: I heard that

Kookie 🦌: can't help it

Kookie 🦌: so you just grind on that thing?

You: Uh-huh. I rub myself on it til I cum

You: Feels really good when I roll my hips just right

"Shit!" This time, it's not a groan, it's a loud whimper.

You: Shhh, keep it down! You'll wake the rest of the floor

Kookie 🦌: how do you expect me to “keep it down” when you’re out here telling me about the various ways you fuck yourself with the toys you’ve bought?

You start and erase a few times, then finally get a swell of courage and finish your thought.

You: I didn't even tell you the best part

Kookie 🦌: fuck, what??

You: I pretend it's your thigh I'm riding

"Jagi." His voice is broken, the wall between you doing nothing to disguise his desire.

Kookie 🦌: baby

Kookie 🦌: can i watch?

You: Now?

"Please."

You sit up, heart pounding. As soon as your thumbs hit the screen, you jump out of bed, hurrying to unlock your front door.

When he comes in, you're already on the pad. You're topless, but you'd put on your favorite silky panties, partly for the sensation of the satin against your sensitive skin, but also to give him a good show.

Jungkook is shirtless, tattooed arm already gripping himself through his boxers as he stares at you with hooded eyes. Bottom lip caught between his teeth, he pulls his cock free, stroking firmly while you grind.

Part of you wants to stop, get up, yank him onto the bed. Mount him instead of the toy. But you feel so alive under his heated gaze, electrified by his panting breaths, his shameless moans, that you don't. You keep going, rolling your cunt faster and faster, and he speeds up as well, never once looking away.

Your climax hits fast, your body shuddering suddenly, and you collapse forward, digging your fingers into your sheets as you literally ride it out.

"K-kookie," you choke out, the only word you've said since he walked in, and he groans, hips jerking as he fucks his fist harder.

"Jagi, fuck, you're gonna make me cum."

Lost in your lustful daze, you open your mouth. Jungkook groans again, and before you can blink, his release is splattered over your cheeks and lips, dripping down your throat.

"Shit," he sighs, slumping against your wall. Your high abates, and you realize you're sitting there with cum sliding down your face. And so does Jungkook. "Oh shit, jagi, hold on."

He grabs a washcloth from your bathroom and gently wipes your face as you giggle, feeling oddly shy. He laughs too, and tosses the cloth on your nightstand before pulling you into his arms, rolling the two of you so you're lying with your head on his chest. You're wondering how to ask him if he'll stay with you when he speaks up.

"So… what other new friends did you get?"

Paradise Masterlist 💜 Masterlist 💜 Find me on AO3 💜 

© 2021-22-23 by sunshinerainbowsbts/minisugakoobies. Crossposted to AO3. Please do not copy or repost.

[blue2black]

I’m obsessed ngl.

Here’s some more COD incorrect quotes based on the game of Class Of 09. Both of them:

(Also, Cheshire is my COD OC, she only appears once.)

——————————

Gaz: You’re a whore.

Graves: Excuse me? I have a girlfriend and a purity ring!

Gaz: For real? How do I get one?

Graves: Little late for you.

Gaz: No, it’s never too late to have your girlfriend fuck every person but you.

Graves: Ugh, I don’t need to take this! I’m on the honor roll, something you’ll never do.

Gaz: Bitch, why don’t you shut the fuck up before I slit your throat and watch the honor roll out?

Graves: Are you threatening me?? 😡

Gaz: No, I’m hitting on you, flash me a titty bitch. 🙄

——————————

Soap: Fuck that shit! Do you even know how I got involved with this bitch?!

Shepherd: Language.

Soap: Do you even know how I got involved with this hoe?!

Shepherd: Slightly better.

——————————

Laswell: Actually, I may or may not have been covered in baby oil…

Gaz: Ugh…well, I guess racism wins.

*silence*

Ghost: Can we see the pictures?

Laswell: Get out.

——————————

Graves: I’m getting real tired of you picking on me! It won’t be so fun when the shoes on the other foot!

Rudy: Are you threatening me? Are you threatening me in SKETCHERS?

——————————

Shepherd: Is there something between the two of you that you may not realize?

Farah: What does any of that even mean?

Valaria: He’s asking if we’re lesbians.

——————————

Shepherd: You’re excused, cap’n. But work on that foul language.

Price, under his breath while walking away: Work on getting a fucking therapist, holy shit.

——————————

How Ghost’s father could’ve died:

Ghost: And get this!

Ghost: His suicide note was stuck to the fridge with a Cookie Monster magnet.

Ghost: All he wrote on it: SIMON’S FAULT.

Ghost: I’m Simon by the way, hi!—WHAT THE FUCK DID I DO TO HIM?!

——————————

Graves, walking away: I hate talking, talking’s for gay people…

Gaz: What a theory.

——————————

Laswell, furiously knocking on Price’s door: Come on, come oon…trying not to get blamed for a hate crime…!

Price, opens the door: I’m watching football, this better be really fucking good.

Laswell: It’s actually really bad!

Price: Oh, well see you later.

——————————

Gaz: Dude, we'll look the other way on your minor fetish and get you a pizza, okay?

Cheshire: Does he have a major fetish?

Gaz, looking at Cheshire: No, his major fetish is a minor fetish.

Cheshire: So, what's the fetish?

Gaz: I told you, a minor fetish.

Cheshire: I know it's a minor fetish, what's the fetish for?

Gaz: Minors.

Cheshire: Like, guys that dig coal?

Gaz: Not those minors.

Cheshire: So, shitty baseball players?

Gaz: What? No!

Cheshire: Then what's the fetish??

Gaz: ...

——————————

Soap's mom: Excuses, excuses!

Soap: Weren't you supposed to be happy or something?

Soap's mom: Ugh...I'm gonna go up to my room and read up how to fold the pastrami.

Soap's mom, walking away: You better find a way OUT of those remedial classes!

Soap: You better find a real fuckin' job, bitch.

——————————

Shepherd: What's your T-cell count?

Gaz: Uh.

Alex: I-I don't get it; we don't take shop.

Shepherd: You don't take shop...?

Alex: Yeah, they use T-cells in shop class, what's that have to do with AIDS?

Gaz: That's a T-square, Alex--FUCK!

Alex: What? No--if you knew why'd you look at me??

Gaz: I didn't know how much we were supposed to say!

Alex: How the fuck would I know?!

Gaz: YOU SAID WE HAD AIDS!

——————————

Soap's mom, walking in: Ugh, today was hard but still rewarding.

Soap: What was?

Soap's mom: My day working at the Deli?

Soap: Oh...I wasn't asking, but alright.

Soap's mom: You don't wanna hear what happened?

Soap: I think I'm good.

——————————

Valeria: There's something I've been wanting to say lately.

Alejandro: Oh, what's that?

Valeria: The n-word.

——————————

Valeria: For a week it’d be kinda fun. You wanna be sexed up abusive lesbians?

Farah: Fuck no.

Valeria: Why not?

Farah: ‘Cause you’d be doing all the abusing.

Valeria: Oh like what? 😒

Farah: Just weird shit. You’d like…put a cigarette out on my neck and lick the burn mark.

Valeria: …so, you wanna try it?

Farah: No!

——————————

Norris, walking away: Let’s see how the General deals with your abundance of comebacks.

Ghost: Soap, we’re not even a week in and you’re getting sent to the General’s office.

Soap: New record, don’t be jealous.

——————————

Gaz: For real, I don’t like how he talks to you, Simon. You’re actually like, really cool and smart and you should be treated as such.

Ghost, flushing: Wow, that’s uh…

Gaz: What’s wrong?

Ghost: People tell me that all the time and I just say “I know”. But now that you are saying it, I forgot how to take an actual compliment.

Gaz: We’re friends, don’t worry about it.

…

Ghost: Are you trying to have sex with me?

Gaz: Not really.

Ghost: Yeah, I have no idea how to process this.

Gaz: Does the General ever compliment you?

Ghost: No. 🙄

Gaz: ‘Cause he can’t appreciate what he has..and seriously, like, seriously, Ghost…

Gaz: If I ever see him talk to you like that again I will rip his beating heart out and hand it to you on a silver platter.

Ghost: 😳…a-and you don’t wanna have sex with me?

[simping-for-joe]

Before I Put Another Notch in My Lipstick Case

Leon Kennedy X Agent! Reader

You and Leon are on a routine mission, as routine as it can be for you two.

(Title based on the song "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" by Pat Benatar)

A/N: I've been wanting to write something with an agent reader but like wanted to do my own thing. So it is based on an AU of my OC, where you're more of a tech specialist over combat-focused. Also, this is also my agenda of Leon's partner not being called Condor Two. This was just a fun thing for me to write honestly.

"Check-in, how's it going sparrow one?" Leon's voice comes into your ear.

"Better if you didn't keep interrupting." You reply, your fingers moving quickly on the keyboard. Focused on the task at hand, shutting down security and getting the information you need. "Besides aren't you supposed to make sure no one gets suspicious."

"Can't I just check in?" He asks with a slightly amused tone in his voice.

"Without causing trouble? Never," you say but you can't help the smile forming on your lips as you speak with him.

"Just making sure you don't need your muscle yet." He jokes causing a light snort from you.

"Trust me, you'll be the first one to know if I do. Sparrow one, out,"

Leon rolls his eyes as you shut off your radio, but he smiles to himself. He looks around him, adjusting his suit jacket yet again. This was the worst part of this mission, the disguise, and the waiting.

You two have been a team for a little over a year now, you handled all the tech stuff and he usually did all the suplexing and shooting people. You made a good team, even if Leon was against it at the beginning.

Leon picks up a glass of champagne from a tray when he spots the man they are after. Mr. Monroe, he was once an Umbrella scientist and seemed to back up to his old tricks. That's when he notices a security guard coming up to him and whispering something in his ear.

"Sparrow one, come in." He immediately whispers into his radio. "Everything okay there?"

"Affirmative, why?" You reply quickly.

"Security just approached the target." He replies in a worried tone. .

"Shit, really?"

"Yeah really." You think for a moment trying to think of what is the next best course of action. "Do you need me down there?" He asks you, concern clear in his voice.

"No, I'm fine." However, you were shut down when you heard a door open behind you. "Damn it, uh call you."

"Wait!" You shut off your radio and he groans out annoyed. He shakes his head and rushes to get to the basement. "I'm gonna kill them." He whispers to himself.

You hide behind servers as gunfire is rained on you. When they stop to reload, you return fire. However, you have only just a handgun on you, and you are better trained with a rifle than this kind of situation. You duck back behind cover to reload when the gunshots stop suddenly, you peak from your spot to see Leon standing there.

"Day going well?" He asks with a smirk, as you roll your eyes.

"You know, the daily grind." You place a hand on your hip as you look at him.

"Get through security?" He asks you as you approach the computer again.

"Are you doubting my skills?" You reply looking at him.

"Never," he replies softly and fondly. Heat rises in your cheeks but you move forward trying to brush it off. You clear your throat and try to ignore the warmer your cheeks.

"So um, I got a look at a map of this place and I think I found Monroe’s little secrets." You pull out a USB drive and show it to him.

"Nice work." He replies with a smile, looking at you. Your blush gets worse and you look at him.

"Thanks... Leon... I-" Before you can say more you shout out in pain, a sudden shot to your shoulder.

"No!" Leon grabs you and points his gun at the gunman.

"I-I'm okay..." You assure Leon despite groaning in pain. Monroe smirks as he looks at both of you, think he’s gotten the upper hand by injuring you.

"It seems the DSO finally decided to strike, took you buffoons long enough." The man laughs with a smirk.

"God... you sound like a Saturday morning villain." You groan out despite the pain. Leon can't help but snort as he makes an offended noise.

"I wouldn't sound so cocky being shot!" He replies with his lip upturned.

"I wouldn't sound so cocky when you pissed off Leon Kennedy." You point out to him, as Leon cracks his knuckles and takes out his handgun.

Monroe surrendered and the DSO arrived to deal with the rest. You were getting your shoulder treated when Leon walked up.

"Your shoulder going to be okay?" He asks softly leaning against the vehicle you were getting treated in.

"Yeah, just need some rest they said." You reply softly with a shrug of your shoulders. "Thanks..." You add on.

"No need to thank me, you're my partner... you're important to me you know?" He brings up, his cheeks a faint red when he says that. "Sorry... that was probably too much… just you know forget-“

You suddenly grabbed him by the front of his suit jacket and kissed him passionately. He was left speechless his eyes wide as his cheeks heated up further. Your lips formed a smirk as you looked at him.

"I think I like this look on you."

[bloodynereid]

Reapers & Ravens

<< prev | chapter v | next >>

pairings: jordan li x oc

tw: mentions of rape (i kept it the same as in the show btw), mentions of experimental pills, erasure of memories, canon typical violence, mentions of sex, mentions of drinking, a whole lot of swearing, death/murder, RUFUS

description: the story of a girl. a girl cursed by compound v to live a life without touch.

a/n: so... this one is slightly lazier than normal sorry about that, my brain is not functioning at it's best right now... so you'll notice that i borrowed a bit more of the show's dialogue/scenes than normal. i'm going to try and be more creative next chapter i swear. hope you enjoy this chapter and lmk ur thoughts <3 asks are always open & lmk if you want to be added to the taglist.

As lightly as I possibly could I pushed Jordan slightly off me and sat up, clutching the sheet to my chest. Okay so never been in this kind of situation. Don’t freak out. Don’t freak out. Fuck yeah definitely freaking out.

I brought my hand up to my face to examine the diamond casing once again. It wasn’t fading. There was also the foreign feeling of a second power invading my brain. It felt spiky, like walking over pine needles with bare feet. I gently moved my finger over Jordan’s skin. Nothing. I felt actual skin under my nerves. Woah. The familial thrum of my power seemed to be dulled and less… itchy?

As I was examining my hand the door slammed open with a bang and two shocked faces appeared, corresponding to Andre and Cate. I felt Jordan jump up in bed next to me and clutch the sheet to their chest.

“Fuck sorry! Sorry. Wait Vic?”

“Andre! Come on. Sorry about him.” Cate said with an apologetic smile on her face as she shoved Andre away from the door and closed it behind her.

“Uh- wait Vic? What the fuck happened to your skin?” Jordan asked as she turned to me and looked at me all strangely.

“I have no idea! Look, touch me.”

“Uh, I don't think that’s a good idea.”

“Oh don’t worry I’m not going to absorb you. Here.” I offered my forearm to them and she just raised her eyebrows before slightly poking the casing with their finger.

“Woah.”

“I know right!” I said giddily and smiled up at them.

“Uh, we should probably get changed.” 

“Right yup.” I turned my back to them before hearing her also shuffling in the bed. Wait… I had been so caught up with this whole weird skin deal that I didn’t realize I have no idea how I got here. I can’t even remember if I slept with Jordan or not… I mean that one is self explanatory actually. 

As I felt the fear and worry start to creep up on me I also felt the tingly feeling in my brain recede and the familiar signature of my power starting to take over. Shit what had I done to keep this power this long? Wait, how did I know I could do this? The… uh something to do with Cate and Luke? Who’s Luke? I rubbed my temple with my now very normal skin.

What the fuck was going on?

“Hey Vic I think- woah what did you do to your skin?” I slightly turned to see that Jordan was now fully dressed and was holding my pair of leather gloves in their hand. She had a slightly horrified look on her face and I looked down to my hand to confirm their suspicions. The power had faded and now I could just feel glimmers of it in my brain.

“Oh, I think the power faded.”

“Huh?”

“Honestly no fucking idea. Could you pass me my shirt from over there?” I asked, pointing to the white long sleeve shirt I don’t even remember putting on.

“Yup sure.” They tossed it over to me and I sent her a grateful smile before turning back around and resuming my silent freakout.

“Uh, Jordan?”

“Yup?”

“Not to be awkward or anything but I don’t remember anything from last night.”

“Oh thank god. I don’t either.”

“Really?”

“Yes really.”

“I’m not going insane then?”

“Not unless we are both going crazy.”

“I guess we uh.” I shift my gaze back to the bed and look back at them with a smile growing on my face. A similar little smile blooms on theirs when she catches my eyes again.

“Yeah.”

I picked my way through mounds of discarded things from the party. After getting changed and having a kind of awkward goodbye with Jordan, I was trying (and failing) to find Gemma. If she even was at this party. God, how much did I have to drink last night?

Not finding Gemma anywhere I decided that the next best thing was to try and find Emma or Marie. The crisp September air bit at my exposed cheeks as I ran my hand through my messy hair. Everything seemed to be overloading my senses but strangely enough my powers were almost tamed. They weren’t desperately seeking out life forces like they usually did. Huh.

“Holy fuck Emma?” I exclaimed when I ran over to where Marie was staring similarly astonished at a, well, giant Emma who was covered by a tarp in the pool.

“Heyyy Vic.”

“Are you okay…?”

“Huh oh fine. Just need to find a place to puke.” I turned so I was staring at Marie and shrugged my shoulders.

“I think I have an idea.”

After getting Emma to a relatively normal size and getting her all cleaned up, with a bunch of random clothes and stuff we found lying around, we started scrolling through TikTok. Well Emma did most of the scrolling since my phone seemed to have disappeared from existence. 

“Oh my god! You kissed Jordan!”

“Right yup.”

“And you didn’t tell us?” Marie exclaimed in an overly dramatized offended tone. Emma had a similar look of exaggerated betrayal all over her face before we all dissolved into laughter.

“Fuck off, as you’ve seen we were a little busy. And where were you last night huh Marie?”

“I was about to ask the same question.” Emma and I both stare Marie down with some of the most intense stares we can muster.

“Not answering that question.”

“Aww come on.” Emma continued scrolling as I leaned over the side of the couch, stretching my arms and making the vertebrae in my spine crack.

“Oh… shit.” I look over to where Emma had another TikTok on except this one was of her… naked. Chugging beer.

“At least you’re… trending.” Marie said in a gentle tone, trying to comfort Emma.

“For flashing my giant white ass to the world.”

“Did you know… that you could like do that?” I asked as I started picking at the clasp of my gloves. I was starting to feel restless and fidgety, something was off. It was like my power was trying to speak to me.

“Yeah I was wondering the same thing.”

“Oh uh yeah ever since the Buster Beaver incident.”

“The what? You know what, that's none of my business.”

“Trust me you do not want to know. My mom called me a monster and then made me swear to never do it again… which is why this is going straight to voicemail.” Emma answered as she held up her ringing phone and pressed decline. 

“That’s really fucked Emma, I’m sorry.” I said as I leaned in and rubbed her forearm. “Welcome to the horrible parents club.” I added as she just rolled her eyes playfully and smacked my hand away. Then we proceeded to try and coerce Marie into telling us what she did last night but she quickly refuted any and all advances.

“Emma!” 

“Jesus fucking Christ!” I exclaimed as I jumped slightly from my seat, in the window to the porch thing stood someone who felt vaguely familiar. He had curly brown hair and was wearing a gray jumpsuit.

“Are- are you okay?” He stuttered out before he went around the window and into the little enclosed area we were all sitting- well I was sitting in, Emma and Marie both jumped up when they realized he was coming in. 

“I was totally out of line and I’m so sorry that I left, especially after you literally stopped me from doing something absolutely horrible. I-I’m fine now though, and I know this sounds kind of creepy but I was so happy to smell your vomit because it meant you got away-” He stopped in the middle of his rant when he realized that none of us had a single inkling about what he was talking about.

I felt like I could trust him though so when his gaze shifted from Emma to me, I gave him a little smile which he must have taken as an invitation that I remembered him.

“Vic? You know who I am right? We spent months together, I literally saw you last night.”

“Months? Look umm dude, I have no idea what you’re talking about. I don’t remember you at all.”

“Vic? Emma? It’s me, Sam. From Th- The Woods. You saved me.”

“Look, Sam, hey. That’s your name right? Maybe you saw us on the news, TikTok or something? Right?” Marie said, as calmly as she possibly could even though her undertone was very clearly ‘I AM SEVERELY FREAKED OUT RIGHT NOW.’

“TikTok?”

“You don’t actually know us.”

“Marie… I don’t think that’s totally true.”

“What?” Everyone turned to look at me with wide eyes, except for Sam who actually looked grateful.

“I don’t know about you two but there’s definitely something there.”

“They got to you, they made you forget.” Sam exclaimed as realization enveloped his face, but now it was my turn to be confused.

“Who are they?”

“Sam, are you running from someone? Is someone after you?” Emma asked cautiously.

“There are people at that school. People that don’t want you to know about me or the truth and you can’t trust anyone.” Why did I have a feeling that I have had this conversation before? Something was definitely up and it wasn’t a hangover.

“But we can trust you…?” I heard Marie ask incredulously.

“No, no you’re right. I’ll figure out a way for you to remember.” 

“Remember what?”

“That you’re a hero. A real one.” Sam said to Emma before he disappeared as quickly as he came back in.

“Well that was fucking crazy.” Marie uttered into the now nearly silent room.

“Definitely. He’s kind of cute though.”

“You guys ready to head out then?” Marie asked as she started gathering her stuff from around the room.

“Uh not yet, you guys go ahead. I have to go find my phone.”

“Ok cool. Byeee.” They both called out as they made their way around the house and I just started looking under random piles that kind of smelt. Ugh.

The whole room contained multiple phones but none of them were mine. Fuck! I then decided to continue my search out in the woods… maybe that’s what that Sam guy was talking about. The minutes dragged on and still I couldn’t find anything. I mean it was quite literally near impossible to find- wait.

Behind what looked like a bush were a pair of sneakers sticking out, kind of like if the Wicked Witch of the East wore Converse and my phone was lying right next to one of the shoes. Ok so that’s fucking weird. I quickly jogged over, grabbed my phone and was about to turn to go when I caught a weird sparkle in the corner of my eye.

Turning around I crouched down next to the body which I had just assumed was some drunk dude who had crashed after the party. What I didn’t expect was that the man was not only not breathing but also covered in the same diamond shell that had covered my body just an hour ago.

Shit. Not again. How the fuck did I even do that? Goddammit. I pull out my phone and start dialing the number of the “clean-up” crew my dad had given me.

“Hi? Is this Bob?”

“Yes, how can we help you today?”

“There’s a mess outside of Dusty Warren’s house near Godolkin University.”

“Very well, Miss. The mess should be taken care of in the next few hours.”

“Wonderful. Thank you.”

“Of course.” The line clicks off and I take a deep breath in before my phone starts vibrating in my hand, making my already seared nerves jump.

I quickly tap the accept call button and Jordan’s voice fills my ear as I start trekking back to the house. Leaving the body with an anxious look behind me.

“Yes you answered! You found your phone then?”

“Yup, anything you need?”

“Yeah we figured something out, just wondering where you had disappeared off to.”

“Aww you don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’ll always worry about you, sweetheart.” The pet name made stupid little butterflies explode in my stomach, especially when it was said in that tone of voice.

“Flirt.” I laugh out when I suddenly spot the group all gathered, looking all serious about something. “Hey you guys.” I said as I stopped the call and everyone turned to look at me.

“Vic! I’m in awe that you’re still standing up.”

“Hey Dusty! Good to see you man.”

“You too, I’ll leave you all to it.”

“How do you know Dusty?” Andre asked as I walked over to stand next to Jordan, who looked at me with their sparkling eyes and a charming smile.

“Connections.”

“Right…”

“So what exactly have you found out?” I asked as I swapped Jordan’s drink from his hand and took a sip as they looked at me mockingly offended.

“You blacked out last night right?”

“Yup… and this has to do with what?”

“Well we all blacked out, and not just last night but the past few days as well.”

“Fuck you’re right! I literally know all of these random things but I don’t know how I got to knowing them.”

“Exactly! And look what I found.” Cate held up her phone and showed us the video of the creepy guy from…

“Isn’t that Rufus?” I asked and looked closer at the phone screen. “The dick explosion dude?” I turned to Marie who had a slightly sheepish look on her face.

“Yeah.”

“Well it’s not like he didn’t deserve it. So what’s our plan?” I say as I rub Marie’s shoulder through her shirt, she gives me a grateful smile as we make our way to the variety of chairs littering the back patio.

“Nothing really, just find the fucker and…” Jordan said as they settled down next to me on the couch.

“I- uh met him in Intro to Psych. He said he liked my gloves and… I woke up three days later in a random bed with a camera pointed at me. He saw I was awake, smiled and said: ‘Make this weird and I’ll wipe you again.’” My heart fell, of course I had had my handful of experiences with men like Rufus, as many people have but those were times that my powers protected me. God Cate.

“Holy fucking shit. Cate, did you tell anybody?” Marie asked as I saw Jordan’s hands tighten into fists on their jeans, quietly I slipped one of my hands to entwine our fingers. They rewarded me with a squeeze back and I zoned back into the conversation.

“... Rufus had me on tape consenting. It doesn’t matter, I don’t even remember it so…” I saw a few tears start coming down Cate’s face and I felt that I could fucking kill that bastard in that very moment.

“Your body fucking remembers.” 

“Are you okay?” I asked as I titled my head to look at Cate more directly. Her eyes looked void, like all emotion surrounding the situation was being pushed down.

“I should have known better… and now I do. This is exactly what he does.”

“I get that he’s coming back for me for revenge but what about you guys?”

“I mean we did help…” I said as I motioned between me and Jordan, before turning to look at… Andre who wasn’t in his chair anymore.

“Where’s Andre?” Jordan asked.

“Oh shit he’s going to kill Rufus.”

“I say we let him.”

“Vic!”

“What?”

“So look I know we kind of well you know.” I smirked mischievously at Jordan as the sunlight hit their stuttering face just right. Even in the current situation he always made me feel all sparkly? Yeah, sparkly.

“You mean the fact that you said you wanted to kiss me and then we slept together?”

“Uh yeah. All I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to make this weird.”

“What do you mean by making it weird?” I asked as the smile dropped from my face. Oh no.

“Well we were high and the douchebag totally mindfucked with us.” Oh so they’re breaking up - wait no that isn’t the right word for it. We were barely in any kind of relationship!

“No god you’re totally right. Wait… that’s Rufus right? Is he talking to the dean?” I felt a strange scratching in my left shoulder, one that definitely wasn’t associated with my power because that was mostly hyperactive in my hands at the moment. Weird.

“We should go talk to her right… explain the situation?”

“Jordan, I don’t think we should talk to Shetty.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have a feeling okay? Shit.” I look down at my phone and see the familiar digits of the clean up crew. I spy Marie walking over to us and look at Jordan apologetically. “Look, why don’t you go to him with Marie, I have something I need to take care of.”

“You okay?” Jordan asked as they eyed my phone, I quickly hid the screen and smiled tightly. Today was not my day. Honestly, this week has not been my week.

“Yeah. See you in a bit? I was going to hang out with Cate later if you want you to join?” If they were going to friendzone me at least I’ll be nice about it.

“Oh sure.”

“Cool bye.” I turn and start jogging over to one of the secluded shadowed corners of the building, but not before I hear Jordan uttering a string of curses before waving Marie down.

“Yes?”

“It’s done. Payment can be sent to the established Venmo.”

“Thank you.”

“No, thank you.” The line clicks off and I start figuring out the charges with a sigh. I wish things were different.

I walk into my dorm room with a defeated goran and sink down into Gemma’s bean bag as she looks up from where she was doing her nails.

“Finally. I thought you died or something.”

“Why didn’t you text me?”

“Because I knew you lost your phone after you went all diamondy.” She said as I cracked open my eyelids to look at her now black hair.

“Your hair?”

“Yeah I change it a lot, you should probably get used to that.”

“Honestly I think any hair you choose would look good on you.”

“Aww thank you. So how was your night?”

“You didn’t stay?”

“Nah, parties are like my thing usually but with the whole Emma thing I’ve kind of been exhausted.”

“Wait what Emma thing?”

“Uh I actually have no idea. Wait, I wanted to ask about that. Do you also have weird ass gaps in your memory?” She asks as she brings up her hand to scratch at her left shoulder.

“Yeah we all do.”

“We as in…”

“Cate, Jordan, Andre, Marie and Emma. We think it was Rufus.”

“Eww that guy?”

“Yeah that guy.”

“Fucking hell.”

“So… I thought you should know that I slept with Jordan.”

“WHAT?” I jumped from her insanely loud shriek and let out a laugh when my heart beat went back to normal.

“Yeah… but then they kind of got all friendzoney with me this morning. I don’t know what to do.”

“Well, do you like them?”

“Yes, of course I do. They’re like my first actual crush in a while, but now I’m thinking that maybe it’s about my powers. Like what if they don’t want to be with me cause I might accidentally kill them? We also can’t really do physical intimacy! I have no idea how I did that last night.”

“Woah, that’s a lot and maybe you should unpack some of that in therapy but did you ever think that maybe it’s also something that they are dealing with. Have you explicitly told them that you like them?”

“Well not really. I did tell them that I really wanted to kiss them though.”

“Jesus Christ, Jordan isn’t a mind reader! At least I don’t think they are, you never really know with supes. Anyway… what I mean is that you need to tell them or else how will you ever get out of whatever situationship you currently have going on.”

“God Gem you’re literally the best. Thank you.”

“Of course! That’s what best friends are for. Plus I’m just that great.”

“Yeah you are.”

I sat cuddled up next to Cate under a mound of blankets as we watched some of Soldier Boy’s old movies. It was nice to just have a moment to stop in the midst of all this fucking chaos.

“Ok you have to say, even if he did kill Queen Maeve, Soldier Boy is one fine ass man.” Cate said as she took a sip of the wine bottle we were passing between us.

“Yes, thank you, someone agrees!. I mean those muscles and that face.”

“I know right. I’m so glad Andre and Jordan aren’t here to hear us right now.” We burst out laughing and focused back on the movie when the door was harshly pulled open and I looked back to see Marie with a frantic look painted all over her face.

“Cate? Vic? Do you know where Andre is?”

“Marie? Holy fuck are you okay? Here come in.” Cate said as she jumped up from her seat and I picked up to pause the remote on the interrogation scene. The door closed behind Marie and I joined the pair after pushing off all the blankets. That’s when I noticed it. There was blood coming down from near Marie’s collarbone.

“I am not okay. Everything has gone to hell! I know how this sounds but… they put trackers in us.” Marie’s distressed voice dropped to a whisper at the end of her statement.

“What the fuck do you mean trackers?” I asked as I subconsciously brought my hand up to my left collarbone.

“Here, sit down. Who the fuck is they? Did Sam come back?” Cate asked as Marie sat down on one of the black cushioned chairs. My head was spinning, something felt way too familiar, almost as if this situation had happened before. Trackers?

“I- I don’t know but…” Marie opened up her hand and in her palm, in a pool of blood laid the tracker. All broken but very recognizably a tracker. Jesus Christ.

“This was in my neck.”

“Oh my god.” Fuck the room was starting to wobble, my power was thrumming in warning. Something was really, really wrong.

“I think this is way bigger than what we thought it was, I think something really fucked happened to us and now… I think Dean Shetty is a part of it.”

“Do I have one too?” Cate asked frantically as she pulled her hair back. Marie extended her arm and started to do whatever she could do with her powers. I was so focused on my own thrumming in my brain that I didn’t notice when Cate enveloped Marie’s forearm with her hand and put her other hand on my cheek. Instead of human skin I felt her power coursing through her, my own was trying to fight against it but it strangely surrendered. 

I felt so damn weak, my eyelids fluttered close and I let out a harsh breath before feeling myself collapse. Fuck.

I blinked my eyes open as a yawn left my mouth. The side of my head was nuzzled against Cate’s shoulder and I saw the end credits rolling on Red Thunder.

“Hey you’re awake.”

“Shit I’m sorry I fell asleep on you.”

“Oh don’t worry about it. How are you feeling?”

“Fine, much more relaxed. I can’t believe I didn’t finish the movie though.”

“Eh, even if Soldier Boy is hot, he’s not the greatest actor.”

“Agreed. I’ve got to go meet Jordan but I’ll see you later?”

“Of course.” A sad smile blossomed on Cate’s face that made me furrow my eyebrows.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, fine. I promised to go see Andre so…”

“Oh yeah I’ll leave. Thanks for the movie and nap Cate!” I said as I started exiting into the hallway.

“Anytime.” I smiled and waved as the door shut behind me and I turned to go down the hallway when I realized Jordan popped up from their seat on the floor and smiled over at me.

“Hi.”

“Hi. You really didn’t have to wait for me.”

“What? Of course I did. Plus I was having a good conversation with Maverick.”

“Nice.”

“Yeah.”

“So… I know I said that this whole thing was sort of a big misunderstanding but I was wrong and I would really love to-”

“Wait, backup a minute Jordan. When did we talk about this?”

“What do you mean? When we were looking for Rufus and you had to take a phone call?”

“What phone call? And Rufus?”

“Holy fuck, he fucking wiped you again.”

“Did what again?”

“I’m going to murder that motherfucker.”

“Woah Jordan, not that I’m always willing to help with any murderous tendencies that you may be harboring but what are you talking about?”

“Do you remember today at all?”

“Uh I mean I remember- what the fuck? I remember bits but…”

“Yeah, that's what I thought.” She started walking off down the hallway as I stood there baffled. My power thrummed in warning.

“Wait! Jordan. I’m coming with you.”

We were back at Dusty’s house. This day was feeling really fucking off and strangely cyclical. I followed behind Jordan and was busy texting everyone after Marie had joined our little expedition and somehow took out fucking trackers from our collarbones. When we got to the double set of doors, Jordan, very hotly, pushed through them and strode into the room.

“Rufus… time for a chat.” Marie and I followed behind Jordan and saw a rather terrified looking Rufus standing with a can of something and a slice of pizza in his hands.

“Look I haven’t done shit! Why the fuck do you guys keep stalking me?” Then Rufus decided to do the idiotic thing and tried to start running, Jordan created a force blast that sent him into the wall and Marie pulled him towards us. I started taking off my gloves and crouched down next to him… but not too close, didn’t want to get affected by his fucking pheromones or whatever.

“Hi there Rufus. I heard you decided to fucking wipe me again, which is honestly not a very nice thing to do. So if you don’t mind please answer Jordan’s questions or you will die a slow and painful death as I suck out the living energy out of every single one of your tiny cells one by one.” I said with a saccharine voice and a smirk on my face.

“Why did you wipe Vic and Marie again?” Jordan asked from behind me.

“Ok Jesus, fine, you crazy fucking bitch.”

“Wrong answer.” I start to inch my fingers closer to his face as his eyes grow wider and wider.

“Sorry! Oh god please don’t kill me. I swear I have been here all night, I have no idea how I would have had time to wipe you. My powers involve being close. Please, I swear on my life. Look Dusty! Ask him.” I looked up to see that Dusty was doing a hit of some kind of powder.

“Yeah man, I mean I’m pretty hopped up right now but that seems about right.”

“Fine, that just means I don’t get to kill you tonight.” I said as I stood back up and walked over to Jordan and Marie, who had mirroring looks of awe and in Jordan’s case, maybe a little bit of lust.

“That doesn’t mean you’re innocent though.” Jordan said as she held up the little device we each had in us.

“What the fuck is that?”

“It was implanted in our fucking necks!” We then heard vibrating from Marie’s phone and the second I turn to look at her, I hear Jordan shift behind me and push Rufus back into the fucking wall before ambling towards him.

“Ok wait a second. Jordan chill. Let me do this.” I said as I grabbed the arm of their coat and once seeing his nod, I turned towards Rufus and narrowed my eyes. I lean my hand towards his neck as he tried to get away when-

“It’s not him! It’s Cate.” I pull my hand away from Rufus and look over to Marie who was holding up her phone like a lifeline. Just as I was about to open my mouth to respond a loud bang was heard and a beer cask was thrown through the door and into Rufus. Following the metal cask Andre stormed into the room, making his way directly towards Rufus.

“Andre! Andre!”

“Calm down.”

“Wait, wait, wait.”

“Move the scumbag is mine.” Andre starts throwing a pair of gardening shears towards Rufus as we all try to run in front of him to make him stop.

“It was Cate!” Marie screams, making Andre stop in his tracks and look at us incredulously.

“Bullshit. Cate would never do something like that, she’s not a monster.” He sends a trowel this time and I’m almost tempted to reach out to stop him when I realize I had abandoned my gloves on the carpeted floor. 

With so much temptation my power was itching like crazy under my skin, I knew I didn’t have the pills on me since I had left them on my bedside table after taking them a few hours ago. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“Andre, they're right.” Cate’s soft voice echoes through the room as we all turn to look at her as she steps through the rubble. Andre has his arm outstretched as he holds a shovel close to Rufus’ throat.

“What?” Andre drops the shovel with a metallic bang and looks back at Cate. 

“I’ve only ever wanted to help and protect you, I just wanted to make things better.” She smoothes her hands over Andre’s temples and they stay there for a few seconds before Andre stumbles back and looks at Cate with utmost betrayal.

“Andre, please you have to understand-”

“You are a fucking monster.”

Jordan puts an arm around my shoulders as we watch Andre walk away as Cate stands there crying. My power echoes in warning. Fuck. What did she do to us?

A few hours earlier…

“I want the girl. Marie. She doesn’t know the full scope of her powers yet.”

“You aren’t the only one interested in her, you know? She has a benefactor, which means she is off limits to you.” Shetty starts to walk away from Cardosa when his second request makes her stop.

“What about Victoria? I never finished with her.”

“Huh now that…”

The conversing voices fade into whispers as the sounds of crying and screaming intensify.

this is really not my best work UGH i apologize. also i barely edited this so if there are spelling mistakes pls lmk i will be eternally grateful

taglist: @neapolitantoebeans @scorchedfangirl @losers-club6 @vvyuqi @bubblebuttwade @fix5idiots @ponypickle @nellyboosworld

[entertainmentgirl80]

Cowboy's Date With A Georgian 😍🤠👨🏼‍❤️‍👩🏾‍🦲

Jake Hangman Seresin X OC (Nickname: Sweetheart)

Warning: Just Fluff.

You waking up from the sounds of birds chirping outside on a nice sunny day in the morning, you have on a old but oversized Texas University shirt that Jake let you borrow from last night, and so you got up from the bed, putting your dress back on from last night, then went downstairs. And come to see that Jake is cooking breakfast with no shirt on while country music is playing in the background.....

"Morning, darlin," he said to you with a smile on his face.

"Morning, how are you?" You bit your lip while blushing.

"I'm good, can't complain, and how about you?" He fixing some coffee.

"I'm doing fine, thanks for asking, but hey, what day is it, though?" You ask Jake.

"It's Friday." He drinking his coffee.

"Oh shit, but hey, do you have to go to work today because I'm don't wanna get you in trouble or -"

"Relax, I'm told my boss that it's okay. That I can get a day off for today, so you're good?" Jake cut you off.

"Oh well okay." You were cool with it.

"Yeah, so since I'm off today, do you wanna go sightseeing around the town to show you stuff?" He ask you.

"Yeah, sure, no problem but first, I'm have to go home, wash up, and change clothes." You eating your food while talking.

After y'all two finished breakfast, he took you back to your apartment, so you can freshen up, to start the day, so after he take you back to your place, he killed the engine in his truck and y'all went inside to the apartment and Jake sit down in the kitchen...

"This is my place, it's really not much, so make yourself at home, while I'm changing clothes." You said to him with a smile.

"Okay, well thank you, darlin', appreciate it." He give you a smile back.

So while you washing up and changing new pair of clothes, you been thinking about that you never thought you would were invited a handsome stranger that whom you just met from yesterday and he let you spend the night at his place since last night. So you guess that you have been blessed that you might find someone who you can trust, respect, but treat you like a queen like any woman wants in a man.

So, afterwards, you already just got dressed and went to the front room to check on Jake. He is looking at the picture of you and your dad admiring you that you have no idea how blessed you are to have both parents who support you regardless the ups & downs what you and the family been through in life. And so while you standing there, Jake broke the silence to ask you something.....

"So, it's this is your dad in the picture?" He ask.

"Yes, that my father, he was a good man and sweet guy, you will like him." You said to him with a softer voice.

"Let me guess, he passed away, right?" He guess it.

"Yes, he passed away since 2017, from health problems." You trying not to cry and thinking about because that was your father, the man who cares and loves you till the end of time, but he will do everything regardless of how the situation is. And so Jake step forward to you and give you a shoulder to cry on. You felt it because the hug was warmest but full of love but empathy as well.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mea-" she cut him off

"No, you okay, it's just I'm miss him every day when I think about him, you know?" Your voice felt some sadness to it.

"I'm understand darlin', so uh, you gonna be okay if I don't mind asking?" He asked

"Yeah, I'm will, so you ready to go then?" You ask

"Yeah, sure darlin', ready as I ever be." He give you a smile.

So after your little sympathy session, you and Jake went to the park for a minute to have a nice walk, then he ask you what your favorite restaurant to go to and you said Chili's, so later on that evening the two of y'all went to Chili's and you couldn't help that feeling that this man have been with you all day and never leave your side and he hang out at your place while you changing your clothes. So after dinner, you told Jake can you stay over at his place just to have company and he nodded (meaning he say yes), so you went back to your apartment to pack up some of your clothes, your toothbrush, and everything else you needed it to make sure you straight.

"Thank you for everything, Jake. This is nice, and I'm glad I have someone to talk to. I'm also sorry you have to miss work too."

"It's no problem darlin', it's been my pleasure to hang out with you as well, even though it's was our first date." He said to you with a grin on his features.

"Mhm, I didn't know it's was a date till you said it." You chuckled

"Yeah, well I am glad that I'm met you and also I know this is a random question but do you wanna move in with me? And I know we are still getting to know each other and -" she cut off what you gonna say

"Yes, I would like that, thank you." You give him a big smile, and a kiss on the cheek.

A/N: Here is another one-shot story, and I'm sorry for taking it long, but I always take my time to make sure I'm trying to do it justice. But overall, I hope y'all enjoy it. 😌🫶🏾🤠🤘🏾

[sinematically]

Clark Kent and his Mystery Boyfriend

Audience: General Words: 2.5k Pairing: Clark Kent/Bruce Wayne Characters: Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, OC - Katie, Perry White. Dick Grayson and Timothy Drake make a lil appearance too Read it on AO3

Summary: Clark Kent had a long-time boyfriend that no one had ever met, so naturally they assumed that this "B" Clark spoke of didn't exist.

Clark Kent had a long-time boyfriend that no one had ever met, so naturally they assumed that this "B" Clark spoke of didn't exist. They’d been together for a long while, according to what Clark was saying. The timeline he hastily established almost made it look like Lois and he broke up because of this mysterious B. 

But, knowing Lois, and knowing the boy scout Kent, the office just assumed Clark made up a fake boyfriend so people wouldn't ask about the breakup with Lois. They always looked at him with pity, patting his shoulder when he would share stories of their frankly unbelievable dates, maybe passing a comment or two, knowing he would never hear them. 

Until maybe a year into the "relationship" there was a large bouquet on Clark's table with a note written in code. Clark seemed surprised when he spotted the roses. Clark smiled, neatly moving them onto a safer spot so he wouldn't accidentally knock them over and didn't address it. He didn't need to glance at the code more than once to read and decrypt what it meant. Lois, of course, did. She picked up the card and spent a good 4 hours decoding the message on it. When she finally got the last pieces of the puzzle she burst into laughter 

"Holy shit, Smallville, your boyfriend is batshit crazy!" she said and dissolved into another fit of giggles. 

The office got used to seeing random bouquets delivered to the office. Sometimes Lois got them too, but her bouquets were usually pink or white roses. Clark's were always deep red, long-stemmed roses nestled in a bunch of baby's-breath flowers. 

Yet, the assumption that he didn't exist, or at least if he did -- he wasn't all that Clark made him out to be, didn't go away.

3 years into the relationship, Lois was fed up with all the office gossip.

Really, the tipping point was when Steve started a betting pool. His theory? Clark was dating Metropolis’s very own Lex Luthor. Understandably, Lois was pissed. So, during one of Clark's off-world missions sick leaves, she gathered everyone in one of the conference rooms and told them they were allowed one question each. She could choose not to answer them, which would result in the person getting another question. 

"Who is he dating?" 

"I'm not telling you that, Cat" 

"Is he hot?" 

"...Yes. He is" 

When Clark was back at work, he noticed how there weren’t a lot of whispers, or nearly as many judgements being passed as he sat down. They even started asking questions. Clark knew Lois was behind this somehow but as long as they didn't know who Clark was dating, he was fine with the questions. He even answered them as honestly as he could. 

This is how the Planet found out that Clark was dating a single father. 

"Wait do they call you Pop?" Katie asked. She was new to the Planet and had only been at her job two weeks when Lois held the secret meeting. She was very intrigued by the whole thing. 

Clark flushed a deep red, "Oh, no, oh god no, no... uh, yeah no. I mean, I've known the kids since... yeah, I've known them as long as he has but no... They're adopted so, you know, they don't even call B dad, they wouldn't, yeah, no" 

Katie always asked the most questions. She was how the office found out that Clark spent a weekend in Paris, but she kept to herself that they went and watched a Broadway play the weekend after. She also clocked that Clark’s suit from the Christmas party was custom-tailored to fit him perfectly. She was very flustered when she realised Clark was packing a lot of muscle. 

Katie was also the first (outside of Lois, Jimmy and Perry White) to put two and two together. All the expensive dates, impromptu vacations, a secret man from perhaps… Gotham? She got transferred to the investigative journalism team afterwards.

Her stories were smaller, and she picked up a lot of sports and celebrity life pieces, but she worked out of a little spot next to Jimmy’s table, across from Lois and Clark’s. 

/|\^._.^/|\

It was nearing a decade into their relationship now, 7 years. Clark had been off-world, just re-entering the atmosphere when the explosion went off. He didn't hear Jason when he called out for him. It broke him.

Perry didn’t ask too many questions, just for an approximate time frame before approving Clark’s time off. When Clark, teary-eyed and at a loss for words, tried to explain himself Perry shook his head. “No father should have to go through that, both of you… go to Gotham, be with him” was all he said. 

But, following the fate of many couples who lost their child, Clark and B broke up. Only Lois, Jimmy, White and Katie knew.

The office caught on once the flowers stopped. The rumour mill began churning again, and it wasn't long before Clark snapped. But of course, Clark Kent snapping didn't look like a regular person snapping. 

Clark Kent snapping looked like a panic attack, running away from the bullpen and towards the roof of their building. Katie glared at the people near the water cooler who had been talking about how sad Clark looked. Lois and Jimmy had followed him up. 

Clark had been given the rest of the day off, while Perry held a meeting with the staff reminding everyone of workplace conduct. Lois was seething with rage, shooting glares at various people in the room. Katie sat next to Lois, furiously typing into her laptop. Jimmy flashed an apologetic smile but didn’t say anything. 

Clark came back to work the next day and did very little at his desk, he was later assigned a piece that required him to visit Central City for a few weeks. The gossiping had died down by the time he was back. Lois, Katie and Cat had taken it upon themselves to strike the fear of god into anyone caught gossiping, and the office had learnt their lesson.

Clark looked like a kicked puppy most of the day, till he slowly started feeling like himself again. Weeks passed, then months, before they had their usual Clark back. The office was starting to learn how much they missed their boy from Kansas.  

Then the Daily Planet was brought by Wayne Enterprises. Clark Kent put down his papers the day the deal went through. 

Most of the office was out, they’d been given a parent-company sponsored lunch as a welcome into Wayne Enterprises. Perry had stayed back to finalise some of the details over a call with Lucius Fox. Jimmy and Katie were sitting across from each other, franticly texting Lois who was on her way back from the airport. 

"Kent! Don't you dare walk away from m- KENT!" Perry's booming voice practically rattled the windows as Clark walked away, calmly, from the editor-in-chief's office. Perry waited, threw his hands into the air and then slammed the door to his office shut. He was back on the call almost immediately, apologising to Lucius for stepping away so abruptly. 

Clark calmly cleaned his desk out, while Jimmy leaned against the tall cabinets, chewing on his inner cheek. He was charged with stalling Clark, so Lois could talk him out of quitting. Katie was keeping a watchful eye, hoping she was subtle enough not to set Clark off again. 

"Maybe you should just talk to him" Jimmy offered.  Clark snorted, "Yeah, because I didn't try that, what... a thousand times?"  "Well, maybe then you should… respond? He’s been reaching out, this is him reaching out right?” Jimmy said, crossing his arms.

"And what? Wait for an apology? Or worse, hear him say he wasn't sorry at all? That I should just go back, be ok? You don't know him like I do... I'm- I'm not putting myself through all this again. I tried, I tried to be there for him but I can't keep giving and giving and giving if he doesn't want to take it" 

"He's trying too! Okay? This is him trying," Jimmy said, like a desolate child.

"He's not the only one who lost his kid, Jimmy" Clark said, loudly.

Jimmy didn’t think he could stop Clark as he walked towards the elevator. The doors shut silently.

Lois burst through the elevator doors forty seconds later, her heels clicked loudly as she marched towards the conference room. She had a phone jammed between her ear and shoulder, her left hand held her heels and her right hand her laptop. “You better have a good fucking reason to pull this shit” was the last thing Jimmy and Katie heard before the door slammed shut. 

Clark was back at work a week later, with a significant pay hike and a new laptop waiting for him from Wayne Tech’s latest line, “Made to be Indestructible” was the tagline. Lois had 3 bouquets of roses at her desk, lunch from her favourite sandwich shop around the corner and a new coffee machine was being installed in the office cafeteria. “For Lois Lane” read the note slapped onto the new coffee machine. 

No one knew what happened, they were just relieved there were flowers in the office again, and a new coffee machine.

It was this same year Wayne Enterprises sponsored a field trip for all Gotham Academy students to come visit the Daily Planet. One of the kids -- introduced himself to Lois and Clark as Tim -- had slipped a note into Clark’s pocket asking for a meeting. Tim had written that he had a message from the Gotham Bat. Clark, after reading the note, exhaled a slow deep breath. He asked the teenager to follow him into one of the conference rooms, and 25 minutes later the kid left the room smiling. 

Clark was back in Perry’s office, requesting more time off, saying he needed to sort out some family issues. Perry looked at the kid who was hovering around Lois, then at Clark, and then back at the kid who had moved on tinkering with Jimmy’s camera. 

“It’s Thursday now, and you’re not scheduled to come in on Saturday, are you?” Perry asked, but before Clark could reply, Perry continued “I’m giving you one day, and no pay. One day. If I don’t see you in your seat Monday morning, I don’t care who you’re with Kent, you’re out!”  

Clark came back to work looking visibly less stressed. He had a bounce in his step and if Katie’s surprised yelp was anything to go by, he had a poorly concealed hickey on his collarbone. 

Lois had yet again been sent a very nice lunch spread, and Katie’s table had a small bouquet of yellow roses. Jimmy was pouting, mumbling about how he had a lot to do with the change too. At lunch, Jimmy found a brand new camera and a new laptop from Wayne Tech at his workstation.

It was a day of celebration for the office when they finally saw a bouquet of deep red roses on Clark’s table. 

Clark, as usual, set them aside so he wouldn’t knock them over. 

/|\^._.^/|\

Many more years passed, and the office had gotten used to the stories. They also wanted, desperately, to meet Clark's B

Clark was spending the weekend at his mother's, and his boyfriend’s kids spent the weekend with him because B was caught up with work. Together, they’d baked enough pie for the whole office - Perry White was in a good mood for a whole afternoon after the cherry pie. Clark was telling Lois about how his last movie date ended with his boyfriend passing out on the couch, so Clark naturally carried him into their room and tucked him into bed, while they waited for Perry to assign their assignments in the morning.

Stories about Clark’s boyfriend were as normal as hearing Perry’s loud sigh of frustration, Lois’s heels clacking as she paced the bullpen floor, convincing a senator or governor to give her a name or a number. It was as routine at Cat Grant's gasp followed by whatever gossip was being announced to the pen. As common at Katie and Jimmy flirting, or as Kevin and Ben bickering, and Steve hitting on an intern. The flowers never stopped, and neither did the lunches. 

Once in a while, on a special occasion, the whole office was treated to Clark’s boyfriend's generosity. When Clark has gotten his first Pulitzer nomination, or for Lois’s second win. When Katie finally got her first investigative piece bringing down a big Pharma company went viral, or when Lois got engaged. 

Clark’s first and Lois’s third Pulitzer was for their piece on Cadmus’s illegal genetic cloning. It had been the biggest news story for months and got their paper a new set of eyes. As a congratulations, Perry had taken the whole team out of drinks. 

It was that night when the office first saw someone from Clark’s home life. 

A man in his mid-20s had snuck up on Clark in the middle of a conversation with Lois and loudly congratulated him. No one recognised the kid, so they didn’t pay too much attention. 

All except for Cat Grant, who had the pleasure of meeting Richard Grayson on multiple occasions. Most recently at Bruce Wayne’s charity gala. She connected the dots, but sadly the wrong ones. 

When Clark had gone to the bar to fetch Lois and Katie another drink, Cat went up to him. “You’re seeing him, aren’t you? Richard Grayson?” She asked. 

Clark almost dropped the drinks, looking bewildered. 

“Dickie? What? Cat, are you insane? Dick isn’t even…” Clark needed to take a second and let out a deep sigh “He was 13 when B and I got together. 13! And his name doesn’t start with B, for chrissake!” Clark shook his head, walking towards the booth where Dick, Katie, Jimmy and Lois were seated. 

Cat, disheartened she guessed it wrong didn’t rearrange the puzzle pieces to make it fit. She just got herself another glass of wine and joined their table, sighing loudly when Dick introduced himself to her. Lois looked at Clark, who shook his head mouthing “Don’t ask” 

A few moments later, Perry stood up and demanded Lois and Clark make a toast. Lois went first, while Clark tried to get out of it. He was in the process of being dragged onto his feet when the last guest for the night joined the party. 

“Oh hey, B, you made it!” Dick said loudly, bringing attention to the man dressed in a black suit, taking off his coat dusted with snow. He was dressed very fancy for a bordering-on dingy bar in Metropolis. He nodded at the bartender who seemed to recognise him, but that wouldn’t be fair because who wouldn’t recognise Bruce Wayne? 

The man’s face was plastered across a few magazines, many tabloids and a few billboards around the city. He was one of the richest men in the world, one of the most desirable bachelors in the country and he was smiling at Clark like he hung the moon in the sky. 

“B…” Clark trailed off and moved to hug him 

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT, CLARK IS FUCKING BRUCE WAYNE” Cat Grant gasped 

/|\ ^._.^ /|\

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[queers-gambit]

When It Rains, It Pours

prompt: ( requested ) after a long hike, you and Joel find a rundown motel, and after finding the cleanest room, there's only one bed.

pairing: Joel Miller x female!reader

fandom masterlist: HBO's The Last of Us

word count: 4.4k+

note to requester: i know i said i'd get slutty but it wasn't going the way i wanted it - so, we've come to this. i'm so sorry 😭

warnings: cursing, we all pretend like we're not all dirty and disgusting from the apocalypse, mild mild mild smut but still NSFW [female-receiving fingering]. OC Joel who has a thing for pet names. author doesn't know what this is and promises she normally writes better.

The night was pitch ebony, swirling thick darkness making it hard to see in the absence of the silvery moon. There had been a wicked storm that brewed quickly overnight, and being as you and Joel were making a supply run into an area you don't often venture, it was easy to lose yourselves in the wilderness. If it wasn't the night that disrupted sight, it was the sideways rain that pelted over you two; and no matter a functioning compass or not, it was still hard to fucking see, let alone gage where you were.

"Joel!" You snapped, "This is fucking ridiculous. We're either going to wonder into a fucking trap or catch pneumonia. In case you're not paying attention, we're not exactly strapped with penicillin right now!"

He sighed, the two of you huddling under a tree. "We're almost there," he told you gruffly after hours of silent hiking.

"Yeah? How's it you know that? The rain is washing out the trails, Joel, we're kinda stuck out here with no real indication of where we are or where the fuck we're going!"

"No, we keep heading West - "

"How can you even determine which way is which!?" You snapped. "Our flashlights went out an hour ago, we should've made camp to wait out the storm."

"So the rain water could wash us out? Or so Infected could accidentally stumble upon us? Oh, wait, I know! So the other humans could come and rob us blind before leave us for dead, right?"

You offered a mocking look, "Then what do we do now, genius?"

Joel sighed heavily through his nose, shaking his curls out and spraying water all around. He tried to look through the trees but it was difficult to see three feet in front of yourself. "We should keep moving," he decided.

"I agree but our dilemma is, which way?"

"Uh," he tried to wipe the compass clean but in reality, he simply couldn't see from lack of light. "Shit."

"Yeah! Shit!"

"Don't get snippy with me - "

"I told you at least three miles back that this wasn't doable nor smart," you glared. "We should've been better prepared. So, where to now?"

"Well, I mean - "

"Fuck's sake, Joel, are we lost now?"

He paused, "Not exactly lost..."

"Just unsure, right? A little misplaced? Confused, even?"

"Just - c'mon." You glared at the back of his head but pushed off the tree trunk to follow him. "Bill said there's an old motel 'round these parts. With luck, we can crash there."

"If we're even in those parts," you growled.

"Well, keep an eye out."

"Have I slapped you today?"

Joel hummed, "Nope."

"There's still time," you huffed, yelping slightly when your foot stepped into a thick mud hole - tripping you into the flooding mud. "Ah, fuck! Ow! Hey, Joel?"

"What happened?"

"I'm stuck," You grit, trying to yank your leg free. "Fuck's sake, it's really in there. Joel, c'mon, help me out. What the fuck is this new Earth made of? Bastard ain't budgin'!"

Joel had to pause and double back to simply kneel, soaking his knee with mud, and after three good yanks, there were two pops: a loud one from freeing your foot (with your shoe still on) and a small one from within your ankle.

"Shit," Joel panted, wobbling for balance with a small pant. "You all right?"

"My fuckin' ankle," you breathed. "God, I twisted it real good, 's throbbing and swelling already."

"Think you're good to walk?"

"Gonna have to be," you used his offered hands to help you to your feet as you refused to be left behind as dead weight. In this day-and-age, you understood that injury would often get you left behind because nobody had the strength or ability to support the weak and injured. You tried a few slow, tentative steps but they were decently painful, so, Joel sighed and let your one arm sling around his neck to aid you as a crutch. "This is not ideal."

"No shit," he breathed, trying to keep hold on you, his gun, and keep his head on a swivel.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, what's that?"

"What's what, where?"

"Just pause, Joel, hang on, hang on," you snipped, tugging his shoulders You took a full minute to retrain your gaze, but then, you saw the outline of a building. "There," you pointed through the trees. "Do you see that?"

Joel squinted for a long moment, then nodded, "Could be the motel."

"Oh, thank you, God," you sighed, the pair of you moving for the motel as the storm drowned out any grunts of exertion. Bolts of lightning flashed to only confirm the building's appearance, and thunder seemed to reach into your bones. When closer, the building came in clearer view - shadowed, rundown, overgrown with vegetation... But with a few opened room doors.

"Here," Joel panted, leaning you on a thick tree trunk along the tree line. "I'll check it out - "

"Like hell you're going alone," you shook your head, pulling your hand gun out. "But it's also cold as shit and I'm drenched, I'm more than willing to help search the area if it means I lay down. C'mon, I can go slow on the ground floor."

Joel paused for a moment, then nodding slowly, "I'll check out the top. Shoot first, ask questions later," he reminded with a meaningful stare - as if he wanted to say more but couldn't. "And fucking run if you have to."

You offered a tired look, "Still givin' me that advice, all this time later?"

"Someone has to, you're chaotic and reckless."

"It's gotten me this far!"

"With bullet wounds."

"Flesh wounds," you instantly corrected, limping across the car park. "C'mon," you muttered, the two of you spacing out and slowly checking out the motel. Without your flashlights, it was ten times as difficult, but you had a little bit of a system.

Any door that opened, you tossed something into the room to rattle any Infected from rest. You'd wait at the open door, hoping the bolts of lightning were enough light to guide you. Some rooms were bolted shut, some literally fell off its hinges. Some were ransacked, some looked torched, others seemed... Lived in.

"Joel!"

"What?" He asked, appearing behind you so suddenly you jumped in fright. The man should often wear a bell, he was too sneaky for his own good.

"Fuck you," you sighed, shaking your head, "you know I'm jumpy."

"What is it? Why'd you call?"

"What's this look like to you?" She asked, pointing into the room as she stepped back. He offered a confused look before glancing in, then doing a double take.

"Gun up," he nodded, slowly taking two calculated steps inside to reach for the oil lamp he saw through the flashes of lightning. He got it lit using the leftover lighter, amazed by the way the lamp provided the room with warm light and also how nothing moved in the room.

It was almost suspicious after years of 'worst case scenarios' coming true. I mean... Look where you were! In the Wastelands of stupid-fucking Zombie World. Doesn't really get more 'worst case' than this!

Slowly, Joel checked out the closet and bathroom as you looked under the bed - wait, wait, wait, wait, hold on a second.

Pause.

Freeze frame.

Back up.

Record scratch.

One bed? Just one?

And as if that wasn't bad enough, it seemed to be unusually small. There was no way this bed belonged to this room, making you wonder from where the old inhabitants came from... Local, perhaps, if they transported a fucking mattress. Looking around, you realized the bed wasn't in the best condition, but there were blankets and thin pillows left behind.

Trying not to worry about the single bed, you poked around the materials in the room, Joel exiting the bathroom.

"We're alone," he nodded, looking skeptical.

"What do you think happened?"

He toed a few empty old cans, sighing, "Probably went out to find food. Not much other reason to leave." He picked up a child's stuffed animal, nodding, "Guess they just didn't make it back."

"All right, well," you shrugged, setting your gun down to lock the bolt on the door, "help me out here."

Joel stepped up and helped you move furniture in front of the door for added protection; then drawing the tattered curtains over the lone window to try and provide comfort in solidarity.

"All right," Joel sighed, staring at the bed like you had. "Hm, all right. Well... Let me get a blanket or two and I'll crash in the tub - "

"Like hell you are," you scoffed, shivering from the freezing rain water. "I'm not listening to you bitch and gripe and moan about your back all the way to Bill and Franks - and then all the way back to Boston."

"So, what? You think we're both gonna fit in that bed?"

You eyed it for a moment, but the cold was settling into your core. "You afraid to touch me or something?" You asked sarcastically. "Oh, right, I forgot, God forbid you get close to someone!"

Joel sighed your name in reprimand.

"What's the issue?" You whined, hands shoved under your arms. "I'm freezing, man, can we make a decision so I can at least have the decency to pass away in my sleep? Fuck's sake."

Joel glared, "That's not funny."

"What's your issue!?"

"It's not so much as us sharing the bed as it is we'd have to strip and share the bed," he tried to explain.

"You're almost 60-God-damn-years-old, but you're nervous about seein' me without clothes on? Are we in 6th grade again? Did we go back in time and I missed it!?"

"You've made it clear since day one you didn't want nothin' to do with me - "

"What the fuck are you on about?" You snapped. "Joel, honestly? You're the most important person in my life. I care about Tommy, I care for Tess, sure, but I wouldn't be gutted losing them. I would be if I ever lost you. So, shut the fuck up about how I didn't want nothin' to do with you, we share a fuckin' apartment - "

"That's because of space issues," Joel sighed.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," you took a long breath. "Joel?"

He rolled his neck out, "What?"

"I care about you," you simply said. "And I'd much rather lay in that bed awkwardly without clothes on, sharing body heat, than stand here another moment. We're both drenched, my ankle is throbbing, and you know what? I'm tired. I'm really fucking tired and that rain isn't letting up."

He sighed, nodding, "We might have to keep shelter for a day."

"So long as I can get warm, that's fucking fine," you shrugged. "Now, are you good? Is it okay to try to rest?"

Joel sighed, glancing at the bed and feeling his throat tighten. The bed was smaller than he hoped, and in honesty, you two would be lucky laying on your sides, pressed against one another, and not fall off. "Fine," he agreed, seeing how you were now trembling without control. "Fuck, I'm sorry, look at you, you're shakin'," he sighed, approaching you with rushed steps.

"Just cold, Joel," you complained, stiffly letting your pack fall off.

"No, you're fuckin' frozen," he sighed. "C'mon, get this jacket off."

"I-I'm tryin'."

"Want help?"

"Please, I'm just fuckin' tired," you groaned, letting your forehead fall to his shoulder as he worked to shed your outer jacket.

"Work with me, sweetheart, lift your arms, there you go, that's it, good girl," he whispered, trying to help you peel more layers off. "You look like hell," he frowned, the flickering oil lamp providing minimal visuals from the shadowing, but in a warm, honied light.

"Feel like hell, too," you looked down your leg, sighing at the mud caked up them. "You look at peachy as ever," you tried to tease, but it came out in a shudder from a shocking wave of cold.

"Sit," Joel directed, turning you to lean on the bed's edge. He knelt to take your boots off - taking care of your injured ankle - and left your shoes at the bottom of the bed. He peeled your socks off, sighing as your toes were turning a slight shade of blue. "All right, quickly now. Lift your hips, let me get your pants off."

"Tryna get me naked, huh?" You grunted, flopping backwards on the bed.

"Keep talkin'," he grunted, unhooking the button on your jeans to start peeling them down. It turned into more of a shucking, and he tried not to notice how your panties tugged down, too.

"This is stupid."

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. Bill gave us fried information, Joel, ain't shit out here."

"He was right about the motel, though. Maybe we get a fresh start when the storm clears."

"Maybe we just say fuck it and go live with Bill and Frank."

Joel chuckled, "Yeah? That's what we should do?"

"Yeah, fuck people."

"All right, now," he sighed, successfully getting your pants to your thighs without your panties following. "So, fuck people, we go live like hermits?"

"Yep, better than under FEDRA's heel."

"They pay good money for pills," he reminded, sighing deeply. "All right, little one - "

"I hate that nickname."

Joel sighed, seeing your eyes closed but brows crinkled. "Peach?"

"Yeah, that's the one I like," you hummed with a soft smile.

Joel allowed himself a solemn chuckle, "All right, peach, let's get you under the covers."

"Poor excuse for 'em," you grunted, rolling over a bit to shuffle under the blankets. "They're scratchy."

"They're wool," Joel noted, petting the blanket. "They'll warm you up."

"Can't feel my toes."

"Let's hope your lips go numb soon."

"Fuck off, I blame you for this."

"You blame me for the storm?"

"Yes," you grumbled, shifting under the blankets to take your last layer off - your tank top - and tossing it at Joel. Your bra followed. "Lay those out for me, will you?"

"Mhm," he grunted, doing as you bid, but also laying out your other clothes. Your eyes didn't open out of pure exhaustion, and after a few minutes, Joel's weight was dipping the mattress. "Feelin' all right, peach?"

"Mhm."

The oil lamp went out, and Joel shifted in bed. "Fuck's sake," he muttered, trying to adjust, but every movement jolted your body. The mattress was worn and old, sinking under your weight but still loose enough to jostle you around. "Sorry, sorry."

"It's all right, but just settle down, Joel, please," you sighed, eyes cracked as he still twitched around. "Oh, my God, please, just - spoon me or something. Just whatever gets you to lay still."

"It's just too small a space."

"Then get closer."

Joel sighed and shuffled once more, but then, his chest was pressed right up to your back and soon, you were being cocooned in his warmth. Another readjustment, and his legs were forming around yours. "All right?" He checked again.

"Mhm."

He sighed, "Can I lay my arm down?"

"Yeah," and now, your eyes were wide open, but in the pitched darkness of the room, Joel couldn't tell. His arm, thick with undefined muscle due to natural age-deterioration, laid over your hip and waist - trying to find a comfortable angle. "You're warm. Feels nice," you mumbled.

"I'm... Sorry?"

"No, no, it's good," you assured, trying to throw him a bone and took hold of his arm to pull him the last inch closer. You cradled his arm to your chest, and Joel sighed almost in relief. He soon started to relax - but you couldn't help but notice he still felt tense.

"You're shaking."

"I'm cold, shut up and go to sleep," you snipped, but your lips stretched in a smirk. His nose slowly traced the skin of your neck to rest just by your ear, pausing, and then tightening his arm to let himself rest in the crook of your neck. His breath was warm over your skin, and oh, fuck, did it feel good. In fact, you even hummed, mumbling, "Warm."

"You sound drunk."

"You fucking wish."

Joel sighed, his other arm easily sliding under the skimpy, thin, decaying pillows you used. For a singular, secular moment: everything was normal. There were no Infected. There was no end of the world. There was just you and Joel, maybe on a camping vacation and this was your night in a motel before hiking into the wilderness. He was warm, he was alive, he was breathing against your back and neck that you couldn't help but give a brief moment of thanks for the gentle reminder you two were okay for the present.

You were alive, and that was a huge relief.

Things seemed to quiet for a moment, until Mother Nature made her cruel reminder that She was the only force on Earth to be reckoned with by cracking a large boom of thunder. One so loud, it rattled the window. One so loud, it created small tremors in the pooling-waters. One so loud, soaking-wet leafs dropped from branches. One so loud, it made you jump and recoil back into Joel.

"You're okay," he eased in your ear, cracks of lightning flashing behind the thin, moth-eaten curtains. "Scared of thunder or somethin'?"

"No."

"Then why's your heart racing?"

It was only then you became acutely aware that when you jumped, you had subconsciously pulled Joel's arm in and his hand was nearly pressed over your entire breast. Just a hair's adjustment and he'd have hold of your nipple; the feeling exhilarating but also somehow forbidden. "Oh," you flinched in embarrassment, "sorry, I just... I'm not the biggest fan of thunder when it cracks like that."

"You're breathing funny."

"All right, this isn't gonna work if you're just gonna keep pointing out shit. I can do it to you, too, you know."

"But I'm not - "

"You're hard," you pointed out smugly, Joel going silent.

But then, you didn't expect him to gruffly reply, "Can you blame me?" Your breathing stuttered when his hand freely moved up to palm your breast tightly; kneading as if holding a fresh loaf of French bread. "Got the prettiest thing pressed against me, bare fuckin' naked, it'd be impossible not to be hard," he all but growled in your ear, you trying to clear your head as his actions were mesmerizing you. "Don't even know what you do to me, doll, do you?"

"No," you squeaked, gulping to clear your throat. "Gonna tell me?"

He chuckled, "Remember that real bad fight between Tess and I? Few years back? When she stormed out and slammed the door so loud, it knocked over those books?"

"Yeah?" You panted, slowly pushing your hips back to let your bottom grind into his bulge. You wore only your panties, feeling Joel hot and heavy against the curve of your ass through his thin and wearing-out boxers. He usually only liked wearing them for hikes for chaffing, so, most days in the QZ, he forwent boxers.

"It was cause of you," he whispered, both hands sure to leave bruises behind as he let his hips meet yours.

"I didn't - "

"No, doll, you ain't do nothin'," he cut you off, grunting slightly as he dry humped into you. "But I fucked up. I was so stuck in my head, it was durin' that heat wave. You wore that fuckin' grey tanktop and I was done for, girl. Hear me? Fuckin' done." You shuddered against him. "Felt like a God damn teen again, not sure what to do when he saw a woman's skin."

"What's you do?" You wondered.

"Might've said your name," he admitted, the hand not palming your breast snaking under your form to wiggle between your thighs. "Women don't like you bein' balls-deep in them, sayin' another woman's name."

"No, we certainly don't," you mused, reaching back for his neck.

Joel took this as invitation and rutted harder into you, letting your breast go to guide your leg back over his hip. Then, it darted back to grope the warm flesh. He grunted in your ear, "You were in my head, darlin'. Always have been, but it was real bad back then."

You remembered, "Because I was seein' that guy? Oliver?"

"Think so," he panted.

"Jealous?"

"Terribly," Joel growled, toying with your wet (from rain) panties for a moment before easing his hand into the front of your panties. "Jesus fuckin' Christ, girl," he noted in appreciation.

"It's from the rain."

"Yeah? That so?"

"Uh-huh."

"Even down here?" He smirked, middle finger ghosting over your slit to make you twitch with the smallest of gasps. Long forgotten were your freezing cold state, finding Joel similar to a personal furnace.

Okay, time for a little bit of truth. Ever since you started having "regular" sex, you learned that while cocks are nice, it's so much more pleasurable for you to have a man with skilled fingers. You liked that stimulation so much better for some reason - but hey, hey, hey, if Joel wanted to offer you a romp in the sheets, you wouldn't say no.

"Yep," you gulped, answering your companion and reaching for his other hand to forcefully grope your breast. It'd been far too long since you were intimate with another person, so, you didn't want nice and gentle. You weren't even sure if this thing with Joel would (or could) ever happen again, so, you really didn't want it nice and gentle.

"Darlin'," Joel warned, moaning in your ear as he slipped his finger inside you - wetness welcoming him like a vortex into your unknown. "I don't think I can stop - we should stop now. We should stop now, doll, c'mon."

"I'm not doin' anythin'," you whispered, whining when he pushed a second finger in.

"So fuckin' good for me," he grit.

"Joel? Joel?"

"What's wrong - "

"No, nothing, I just - I want this, too. I don't want you to stop."

"You don't mean that - "

"Joel, however long you've wanted me is probably almost as long as I've wanted you. Please," you whispered your beg. "I just want to feel you. Give me a bit of life, Joel, baby, please, I just want to feel alive."

Joel sighed your name, and you pushed his hands off to lift onto your hands and twist around. He looked up at you for a moment before reaching up to hook his hand around your neck and pull you forward until your lips collided in a frenzy of lips, teeth, and tongue.

Joel knew kissing you was a bad idea, but he was out of fucks to give at the moment. He wanted this, so, he'd relish in it.

He had you, he finally had you - and he wasn't about to give you up for the fucking world. He sighed before completely submitting himself to your charm; to you.

Knowing he had fucked someone more recently than you, you reached for the outline of his straining member and reacquainted yourself with the feel of a cock - of a hard cock hidden beneath fabric. Joel was right, you were starting to feel that juvenile excitement as if this was your first time again, and how you loved it.

Your lover moaned into your mouth, nearly hissing at the feel of your hand over his hot cock; trying to gulp down the feeling and not bust his load right then and there. "Can I take these off?" Joel asked, toying with your panties.

"Please," you breathed, helping him shed your last layer of decency before hitching your leg up his hip again and exposing your cunt to his wondering hands. Your moan was broken and whimpered when he pushed two fingers in again, letting go of him for a moment before latching onto his arm when Joel increased the speed of him tempo.

You begged his name for reprieve, but there was no mercy to be found in Joel's actions. You whimpered and shoved your face in his neck, unconsciously humping into his ministrations as Joel slowed himself into sweeping motions to search for you G-spot. You couldn't remember the last time you had such a diligent love, most simply thinking the clit was enough - and while it was with a vibrator, it wasn't if your sexual partner didn't know where the fucking clit was!

However, Joel proved he was well-versed in how to please a woman, and while he wasn't a regular Casanova, he was determined to bring you to your peak. "There, there," you jolted when his finger pad found that spongy-good spot inside your inner walls that, when stimulated, had you seeing stars. "Oh, my God, yes, yes, fuuuck yes," you whimpered, needing to open your mouth to latch onto his shoulder as your climax reared its white-hot head.

"C'mon, darlin', lemme feel you," Joel muttered, his Southern accent coming out into play more as he reached for your clit at the same time. The combined efforts had you ready to cry. "I know you're there, c'mon, c'mon, baby, want you to cum all over my fingers, c'mon - yeah, like that, good fuckin' girl, there it is," he coached, watching you closely as you briefly forgot to breathe.

You would've been ashamed of the moan you let out if anyone else was around, and if the storm didn't drown you out; Joel praising you for doing 'so good' for him as he stared down to watch you twitch and cum - coating his hand.

You didn't usually squirt unless your G-spot was hit, and Joel seemed mesmerized by the messy action as well as the sight. It made him feel both prideful and primal to see himself splattered with your juices. However, it wasn't enough to distract Joel for long - who didn't let up. He kept you going by never removing his fingers, and instead, watched as he coaxed you through your epic ride. "That was better than I imagined, baby," Joel admitted quietly.

"You might change your mind before the sun comes up."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yep. I wanna be on top."

Joel paused for a moment, blinking at you, then decided, "Maybe for one of the rounds - but the first one, I'll be the one fucking you."

With a growing smirk, you taunted, "Bring it on, cowboy."

author isn't very confident writing NSFW, but hey, practice makes perfect, right?

requesting rules and masterlist

TLOU masterlist

[parmawiolets]

Fruit Salad

Eddie Munson x fem!reader

Summary: Eddie Munson's ex-not-quite-girlfriend Hannah Newby is pregnant. But it's not his. And she won't say whose it is. Very slow burn. Exes to friends to (eventual) lovers.

A/N: Chapter 2 of my first ever fic! Still not really sure why I decided to do such a big project for my first, but I'm enjoying it! Again, thank you soooo much to @shybunnie20 for being absolutely wonderful and helping me so much. Definitely go check out her work, she's amazing.

Contents: No upside down. Pregnancy. Fluff and angst. Reader is called Hannah because I didn't want to use Y/N but no physical description of reader (so maybe an OC? I don't know). Bob is her dad, because I love him. The Byers are still in Hawkins because I love them too.

Word count: 5.1K

Previous chapter

Chapter 2: Blueberry

Flashback to Hannah finding out she is pregnant. Lots of fluff, some angst.

July 4th, 1985 - 7 weeks pregnant

— 

Jules is worried about Hannah.

Hannah has been nauseous for over a month. And more irritable than usual. If Jules thinks back on it, it's also been a while since Hannah has complained of cramps. 

Jules thinks she knows what's going on. She just doesn't know how to broach it with Hannah.

—

Jules is standing in the feminine hygiene section of Melvad's, pretending to mull over two different boxes of tampons, waiting for the other woman in the aisle to just leave already. How long does it take to choose a deodorant?

The woman finally seems to decide and shuffles away to a different part of the store. In a flash, Jules is where she wants to be.

Shit.

Why are there so many different ones?

Does it make a difference?

Jules quickly looks around to check the coast is still clear, and opts for the second cheapest. She gets two. Just to be sure.

She struggles to hold the boxes conspicuously, so dashes back to where she had been standing and grabs a box of tampons to hold in front. No one's going to look too close at that.

Jules makes her way to the end of the aisle and peeks around the corner. Hannah's dad's girlfriend is working one of the tills. Jules knows Hannah likes her, and she seems to keep out of the small town gossip. Jules hasn't taken her driving test yet, so she can't get to the next town over on her own. This is her best bet at discretion.

"Hi Joyce." Jules puts down her purchases; tampon box on top, and reaches for a brown paper bag.

"Oh, hi sweetie." Joyce starts scanning. "How are-" Joyce's eyes snap to Jules' as she picks up the second item. Joyce clears her throat. "How are you doing?" She quickly scans the offending items and reaches over and drops them in the bag.

"Oh, um, yeah, you know." Jules grimaces at her stuttering.

"Mmhm." Joyce gives Jules her total, and takes the money offered.

"How about you?" Jules attempts a smile.

"I'm good, sweetie. Thank you." Joyce takes Jules' hand as she gives back the change and drops her voice. "You let me know if you need anything, ok?"

Jules nods her head quickly, giving a weak smile, and dashes out the door. "Bye, Joyce." 

She runs all the way to Hannah's house.

—

"I thought it would be fun!"

Hannah eyes Jules skeptically and deadpans, "You thought it would be fun."

"Yeah!" Jules grimaces, forcing out a laugh. "Who hasn't always wanted to pee on a stick, right?"

Hannah slowly raises her hand. "Uh… me?"

"Come on, it will be great!" Jules grabs her by the arm and starts pulling her towards the bathroom.

"Jules! What? No!" Hannah pulls her arm from her friend's grasp. "What's going on? Are you ok?" Her eyes widen. "Oh god, do you think you're-"

"No! I think you are!" Jules slaps her hand over her mouth. "Shit. I'm sorry. There was definitely a better way to do this, but I'm panicking now. You've been nauseous and more grumpy than usual and you haven't complained about cramps in ages."

Hannah is frozen. Staring straight ahead with a look of pure horror on her face.

"Han, please don't freak out." She reaches out and takes Hannah's hand. "Not yet anyway." She laughs weakly.

Five minutes later, the two girls are sat on the bathroom floor, shoulders pressed together, leaning against the bath. Hannah is hugging her legs with her forehead on her knees.

"How much longer?" 

"30 seconds."

Jules' hand is circled around Hannah's ankle in an attempt to comfort. She doesn't want to overwhelm her, but wants her to know she's not alone. She gives it a squeeze. "Times up." Jules is whispering. "Do you want me to look?" 

Hannah takes a deep breath and leans her head back. "No, I can do it." She picks up the stick, not looking at it. "What am I looking for again?"

"Two lines means pregnant."

Hannah scrunches her eyes closed and takes another deep, steadying breath. She opens her eyes and sees two lines staring back at her.

—

Jules is still worried about Hannah. She hasn't spoken in nearly half an hour. The pair are lying side by side on Hannah's bedroom floor, hands linked between them. 

Jules tests the waters by squeezing Hannah’s hand. Hannah crushes hers in response.

“Han, I need you to tell me what you need. Do you want to stay like this for a while, or do you want a hug? Or a cry, maybe? Food?”

Hannah lets out a shuddering breath and tears slip out down her temples. 

“Do you want me to call your dad? Or, um, Eddie?”

Hannah groans. “I’m supposed to go to the carnival with Eddie tonight. We were going to watch the fireworks from the ferris wheel.”

“That sounds nice.” Jules likes Eddie. Likes him for Hannah. She’s watched Hannah grow comfortable around him, which is rare for her. Hannah finds it difficult to let people in and let them see her vulnerable side. Jules has relished watching Hannah’s irritation at Eddie worming his way past her defences. She always worried that Hannah would push away anyone good for her, for fear of getting hurt. Eddie's determined though, and he’s good for her.

“Shit!” Hannah shoots up with a look of horror on her face. 

“Shit, what? Han, what?”

Hannah stares at her best friend, her eyes filling with more tears. “I don’t know whose it is.”

Jules freezes for half a second, then springs into action, scrambling to her feet. “Ok, we can definitely figure this out. We’re just talking about the two guys, right?”

Hannah nods, yes.

“Did they overlap at all?”

Hannah shakes her head, no.

“When was your last period? And any missed ones.”

Hannah rushes over to the calendar on her wall and flips through it, looking for the last time she drew a little star on a date. “I’ve missed two periods. A week and a half ago, and the month before that.”

“And how long have you been sleeping with Eddie?”

“Less than a month.” Hannah’s face falls. Tears spill from her eyes again. “Fuck,” she whispers. “Fuck, this just got so much worse.”

Jules pulls her into a tight hug. “No, hey, no we’re gonna figure this out, right? It’s all going to be fine. I’ve got you, ok?” Her own eyes are welling up now, the worry she was feeling earlier is nothing compared to now. “There’s options, right? You don’t need to do anything you don’t want to, but I will be here whatever you decide.” She pulls back and holds Hannah by her shoulders. “Ok?”

Hannah sniffs and wipes her cheeks. “I can’t think about any of that right now.”

Jules tucks a lock of hair behind Hannah’s ear. “You don’t have to.”

“I need to- Shit. I need…” Hannah buries her face in her hands and her voice comes out muffled. “I need to break it off with Eddie.”

Jules’ heart breaks for her best friend. “Are you sure? You can wait, if you want to. Since you don’t even know if you’re keeping it yet. I know how much you like him.”

Hannah shakes her head. “No, I don’t want him involved when he doesn’t have to be.” She rubs at her eyes. “I don’t want him to feel like the bad guy if he doesn't want anything to do with me; or, god, feel some weird obligation to be with me.” Hannah drops down onto the edge of her bed. “If I decide to… y’know, then I’ll talk to him about it. But not before I know what I’m doing.”

Jules sits next to her and takes her hand again.

Hannah sniffs. “And there’s no way I could avoid him until then if I don’t. The boy would just break down my door if I tried to dodge his calls.” She lets out a watery chuckle.

Jules smiles sadly. “You really like him, huh.”

“Yeah,” Hannah huffs. “It’s gross.”

—

Wayne Munson is getting himself ready to go to work when there’s a knock at his trailer door. He finishes tugging on his worn work boots and puts an unlit cigarette between his lips before stomping over and opening the door.

His gruff, furrowed face brightens immediately upon seeing Hannah standing nervously on the other side. “Hannah, darlin’. Come on in.” Wayne turns to the side and swaps places with her. “I was just heading out. Ed’s in his room, so just head on through.” 

Wayne lights his cigarette as he watches Hannah look warily into the trailer. She’s often quiet, and a little prickly sometimes; Wayne thinks she’s a little like him in that way. But right now, she just seems anxious.

“You alright darlin’?”

Hannah’s wide eyes turn to him. “Mmhm.”

“Well, like I said, you just head on back. Let Ed know I’ve left for work, will you?”

Hannah nods. “Yeah, sure.”

He eyes Hannah again, unconvinced. But he has to get to work. Wayne raises his cigarette in a wave and shuts the door behind him, leaving Hannah alone in the quiet room.

Hannah takes a moment to steady herself. She looks around the snug trailer. She loves this place. It’s always so homey and welcoming. The Munsons clearly take care of their home and their belongings. Everything is well loved and well kept. 

It’s at least a full minute before she moves again, toeing off her shoes and creeping down the small hallway towards Eddie’s bedroom door. She doesn’t want to alert him to her presence yet. She wants to delay what she came to do for as long as she can. Hannah knows she should do it, knows it’s the right thing to do. But she wants to be selfish. She wants to indulge in Eddie and live in denial for a little while longer.

“Eds?” Hannah’s voice is soft as she pushes the door open, peering into the dimly lit room.

The main light is switched off, the blinds closed. The only light in the room comes from the small lamp on the cluttered desk that Eddie is hunched over, headphones over his ears and Hannah can hear the deafening blast of whatever music he is listening to. Eddie’s hair is tucked behind his ears to allow for the foam pads from his walkman. Even from her angle, he looks adorable. She longs to run her hands through his hair; twirl a spiral of it around her finger; pull at it and hear him moan. A muscle by his shoulder blade twitches as he furiously scribbles at a drawing. Hannah is itching to run her hands over his sinewy back and drape herself over his shoulders. She wants to wrap herself around him. Surround herself with him and never leave.

But she can’t bring herself to.

Instead, Hannah shuffles towards him and walks two fingers across his shoulder before laying her palm on it when he jumps, whipping off his headphones and turning in his chair.

“Hi Eds,” she lets out in a breath.

“Sweetheart!”

Hannah winces at his shout.

“Shit,” Eddie looks around. “Am I late? Wait, did you walk here? I'm supposed to come and pick you up. Jesus Christ, how late am I?!"

Hannah turns Eddie's chair to fully face her and moves between his spread legs. She puts both hands on his shoulders and squeezes, digging her thumbs into the dips in his collarbones. "You're ok, I'm early." Her voice is still soft despite Eddie's volume.

Eddie's voice joins hers in a murmur. "Well, shit, sweetheart." He takes one of her hands from his shoulder and holds it to his chest, massaging his thumb into her palm. "You should have called, I would've picked you up early if you wanted." 

She shrugs. "I wanted to walk. It's still light out." 

Hannah turns her attention to his desk, eyeing the drawings splayed across the surface.

"Did you want to go early? The fireworks aren't for a few hours yet, but we can go and look around for a while if you want."

She shakes her head. 

Hannah’s hand moves from Eddie’s shoulder to drift over his drawings. A vicious, sharp-toothed mermaid; a snarling, fire breathing dragon; a grotesque zombie, flesh dripping from its bones. 

“These are really good, Eds.”

The tops of Eddie’s ear burn red and he grins bashfully. “Thanks Han.” He kisses her captive hand. “Got nothing on you though.”

Hannah frowns. “Don’t do that.” She pinches his bicep, causing Eddie to yelp.

Eddie studies her for a moment, she seems off. "You ok?" He reaches up and takes her chin between his forefinger and thumb, skimming her chin with the pad. 

This is when she should tell him. She should break it off now. It's the right thing to do.

Eddie can see that Hannah's eyes have glazed over; she's gone somewhere else in her mind. Eddie stands up and cups her shoulders, bringing her attention back to him.

"Listen, I know you really wanted to go to this thing tonight," He's lying, they both know it. It was him that suggested it. "But I'm pretty beat. Would it be ok if we stayed in and watched movies? We could order a pizza and just veg out."

She shouldn't. It’s selfish.

"Yeah, ok."

—

As Eddie opens the fridge to grab two sodas, he peers into the living room at Hannah settling on one end of the couch. He can tell something is up, but he knows better by now than to press. They’re still getting to know each other, but after hooking up for several weeks, Eddie knows he needs to warm her up when she gets like this. If he lays too much affection on her too quickly, she’ll freeze up and push him away. 

Hannah is squirming on the couch trying to get comfortable. She slouches in the seat, then sits up straight, then crosses her legs. She’s wriggled between at least five different positions by the time she looks up and realises Eddie is standing next to the couch and watching her with an amused expression. 

“Comfy?”

Her face flushes and she nods sheepishly. Hannah tucks her legs underneath her and sits still. 

Eddie puts the cans and some napkins down on the small table in front of them and sits down beside her. He leaves a small space between them, but takes one of her hands in both of his and holds it to his chest. He can see that Hannah is still stuck in her head. Eddie hums a soft melody and runs one calloused palm back and forth along her forearm, kneading with his fingertips. 

He watches Hannah’s face carefully for her reaction. She blinks a few times, coming back to herself, and looks over at Eddie, resting her head against the couch cushion. 

Eddie's voice is a murmur, "I ordered one plain, one pepperoni. Wayne can eat whatever we don't when he gets in tomorrow."

Hannah hums in acknowledgement and leans in slightly towards Eddie. "I'm sorry for making you miss the fireworks." 

Hannah is speaking so quietly, Eddie has to lean in too. But he copies her speech. "Nothing to apologise for, Han." He wants to say that it doesn't matter as long as he's with her, but instead he tempers his sentiment. "I'd rather do pizza and a movie anyway." 

She understands what Eddie isn't saying. "Me too." 

Eddie resumes his tune. Along with the drone of the AC unit in the window, and the buzz of Eddie's hand along her arm, Hannah is starting to relax. She decides to deal with real life tomorrow. Right now, she wants to stay in denial; stay in this moment with Eddie.

Eddie's ears perk up as he hears the crunch of tyres coming from outside. He doesn't want knocking to burst their peaceful bubble, so he squeezes Hannah's hand and places it in her lap, bounding off the couch and opening the door before the pizza guy is even up the porch steps. Eddie pays and thanks him before padding back to Hannah, placing the boxes on the table and flopping down next to her with a grunt. This causes Hannah to fall towards him, shoulder to shoulder. 

Eddie’s heart sinks when she immediately sits up and away from him again, but he smiles when he sees her shining eyes as she zeroes in on the pizza. Hannah pulls out two slices and passes one to him. When she settles back into the couch, she rests her back against his arm, and wiggles until he takes the hint and puts it around her. A small smile on her face, Hannah raises her pizza to Eddie. “Cheers.”

Eddie chuckles and taps his slice to hers. “Cheers, sweetheart.” He nudges his temple against hers and she turns to press her forehead to his.

—

Hours later, The Princess Bride is quietly playing on the TV across the room from the couch, where Hannah is now laying on top of Eddie; him flat on his back with her cheek to his chest, torsos pressed together and her hips between his raised knees. Eddie is running one hand up and down her back. His other is entwined with Hannah’s, hanging down to the floor as she plays with the rings on his fingers.

This is Eddie’s favourite version of Hannah: soft; warm; affectionate.

Eddie’s hand drifts further up Hannah’s back into her hair and scratches at her scalp. She hums and nuzzles into Eddie’s touch. She props her chin on his chest, gazing up at him. Her free hand reaches out and begins tracing aspects of him with her fingers, skimming over his soft cheeks and strong jawline. She presses her thumb into the dip in his chin and her fingertips whisper along the skin under his eye, admiring his faint crows feet and the light smattering of freckles. Hannah ventures further up, hungry for more of him; she pushes her fingers into his bangs and sweeps her thumb across his forehead, smoothing out the crinkles from his concentration on the movie.

Eddie turns away from the TV with a smirk. "Help you?"

Hannah's index finger ghosts over his plump, pink mouth and settles in his dimple. "Just looking." A fond expression on her face. "You're so pretty, Eds."

The tops of his cheeks bloom pink. Hannah's fingers dance across the blush, giggling at the effect her words have had.

Eddie cups the back of Hannah’s head. “Can’t compare to you, sweetheart.”

“Fuck off.” She’s beaming now.

Hannah shifts her weight back onto her knees and crawls forward, nestling into the crook of Eddie’s neck. She places a kiss behind his ear. Eddie makes a happy noise from the back of his throat and hugs her closer. Hannah pulls back slightly and dots kisses over his face, both of them giggling, their faces pink with affection. Her kisses follow the path of her fingers before finally pressing a soft kiss to his lips. She goes to pull away, but Eddie threads his fingers through her hair and pulls her back to kiss him again. 

She’s fully indulging herself now. Being greedy.

"You know,” Hannah’s lips brush Eddie’s as she speaks. “If we went outside, we could probably see the fireworks when they start."

"Yeah?” Eddie grins. “You want to?"

Hannah nods eagerly.

Immediately, Eddie rolls them both off the couch, Hannah screeches at the sudden fall. He jumps up, standing over her in a heap on the floor. 

“Jerk!” Hannah kicks out at Eddie and he catches her by the ankle. “Let me go!” She whines, grabbing at him as he laughs.

“C’mere.” Eddie captures Hannah’s hands and hauls her up into an embrace. He cups her face and smacks a kiss to her mouth. 

Eddie thinks for a moment. "Trust me?"

"Well that's never a good start to anything."

He cackles. "I'm taking that as a yes." 

Eddie pulls her to the front door. The pair of them scramble to put their shoes on, giddy at the prospect of doing something foolish. They stumble through the door and Eddie drags Hannah by the hand around the side of the trailer where he gets down on one knee under an open window. He taps his thigh and looks up at Hannah expectantly.

“I… don’t understand what’s happening right now.”

Eddie grins wickedly. “We’re going up, sweetheart.”

“Fuck that. No.”

“C’mon, we’ll have the best view from up there!” He pouts at her, using his best puppy dog eyes.

Hannah groans, but moves to step up onto his leg, mumbling about “those fucking eyes.” 

“Ok, now step onto the windowsill, and I’ll push you up onto the roof.”

Hannah grunts as she heaves herself up and clings onto the edge of the tin roof by her fingers. “If this is just an excuse to feel me up, I’m gonna kill you.”

Eddie gasps dramatically. “Me? I’m the picture of integrity, Han.” He grips her by the hips and encourages her upwards, giving her a tap on the ass as she wiggles over the edge into a heap on the roof.

“Perv!" 

Eddie appears a few moments later and collapses on top of her; forearms braced either side of her head. “You love it.” He buries his face in her neck, making her squeal as he blows raspberries against her skin.

They're interrupted by a loud boom echoing through the trailer park.

"Shit, it's starting! Get off me!"

They scramble up to face the fireworks exploding in the sky. Eddie sits with his legs spread out and pats the space between them for Hannah to sit. She settles with her back to his chest and he wraps his arms around her front, pulling her flush to him, his chin resting on her shoulder as she hugs one of his arms tightly.

The pair stay like that, watching the rest of the fireworks display, Eddie occasionally pressing kisses to Hannah's shoulder and neck. When the last bang rings out and the sparkles fade, they remain silent for a while, enjoying the quiet of the trailer park; all the other residents probably at the fair. 

Eddie burrows his face into Hannah's hair. "Do you want to stay up here for a bit longer or go back inside?"

Hannah turns her head to nuzzle him back. "Maybe we should go inside. I can't feel my butt." 

"Oh thank god, me neither!" 

Both of them fall to the side, giggling. Eddie manoeuvres them so that Hannah is laid out beneath him. He cradles the back of her head, weight braced on his forearm, with his other hand on her waist. He nudges his nose against hers and she lifts her chin to press a sweet kiss to his lips. 

Eddie draws back a little, his gaze flicking between her hazy, adoring eyes. "Do you want to talk about whatever is going on with you?"

Hannah stiffens and her eyes snap fully open.

"Shit." He fucked up. "Han, I-"

Hannah sits up, pushing Eddie back onto his heels. She presses her palms to her eyes and huffs. "I shouldn't… we should… fuck-" Hannah looks around. "Can we get down, please?"

“Yeah! Yeah, of course.”

Eddie scrambles to the edge of the roof and over, landing with a grunt, and then turns back and helps Hannah slide down. The second her feet touch the ground, Hannah rushes off around the trailer, up the porch steps, and through the front door. She stops in the threshold, hugging her arms to her chest. Eddie scurries after her.

Eddie steps up behind Hannah. “Hey, look, I’m sorry.” He coos, turning her around gently. “Let’s forget about it, ok? We can just finish the movie.” He desperately doesn’t want her to leave. He doesn’t want to lose that closeness, that loving version of Hannah he just had.

“You don’t need to be sorry, Eddie. It’s my fault, I know I’m being weird.”

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

Hannah stiffens again and whispers, “I can’t. Not right now.”

“Sweetheart… please?” Eddie pulls her to him by the waist, cradling her head with his other hand, pushing his thumb into her cheek. “You’re worrying me now.”

"Listen, I've just… I've got some stuff going on. And," she puts her palms flat on his chest and steps back from him. "It means I won't be able to see you. For a while, at least."

"What?"

"Eddie," she pleads, eyes darting around the room. "I can't explain right now, ok?" 

He steps closer to her again. "Han, look at me." He grips her hands in his and ducks his head to catch her gaze. “Please, talk to me. I just want to help.”

Hannah squirms. “I don’t need-”

“I know! I know you don’t need help, Hannah! But I want to.”

She looks up at Eddie, eyebrows furrowed. “Why?”

Eddie splutters. “Why?! Because we’re-” he gestures between them. “Because I like you! I really fucking like you!” He’s gesturing wildly now. 

Hannah buries her face in her palms, her voice muffled. “I know, Eddie and I really- I- FUCK!” She throws her hands out, her eyes glassy now. “Why do I find this so fucking hard!”

“Hey, it’s ok-”

“No! It’s not, Eddie!” Hannah swipes at her eyes. “I’m emotionally stunted. I’m grumpy and irritable and I can’t express my fucking feelings.” She takes a deep breath and shakes her head. “I just need some space, Eddie. I’m sorry I just can’t say why right now.”

“Sweetheart, you’re really worrying me.” Eddie goes to cradle Hannah’s face again, but she immediately pushes him back.

“Stop, Eddie. I don’t need you to worry about me.”

Eddie is having trouble tempering his emotions. He just wants to help. “Well, tough shit, Han! You can’t exactly stop me caring about you.”

"You're not my boyfriend!"

They both freeze. She shouldn't have said that. She didn't mean it like that.

"Shit. Eds-"

"No.” He cuts her off. “You're right. I'm not your boyfriend." Eddie's voice is quiet, but icy. His eyes hard. "I'm just some guy you’ve been fucking."

Hannah flinches at the venom in his words. "No, you’re not- I didn't- I can't… I just can't!"

"Right, my bad. The ice queen can't have a boyfriend. She'd need to have actual feelings for that."

Hurt flashes across Hannah's face and she blinks back the tears threatening to spill. Her voice is strained when she speaks. "I should-" she clears her throat. "I'm gonna go." 

“Fine.”

Hannah steps past Eddie to the door. He doesn’t move to stop her.

“Bye, Eds.”

Hannah closes the door behind her and trudges down the steps. She takes a shuddering breath and rubs at her eyes. Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry.

“Son of a BITCH!” 

The exclamation is muffled from inside the trailer, but still makes Hannah jump. Seconds later, the door slams open and Eddie stomps after her with his keys in hand.

“If you think I’m letting you walk home in the dark, you’re a moron as well as an asshole.”

Hannah lets out a strangled noise halfway between a laugh and a sob, tears finally spilling over her cheeks. She rushes to Eddie and throws her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. The action knocks the wind out of him.

Eddie sighs, but doesn’t hesitate to hug her back.

“C’mon sweetheart. Let’s get you home.”

Hannah pulls back and nods, sniffing and wiping her eyes.

Eddie takes Hannah’s hand and leads her to the passenger side of the van. He helps her up and closes the door behind her before rounding the front and pulling himself into his seat. He starts up the van, but immediately shuts off the music, choosing to drive in silence in the hope that Hannah might start talking to him.

As the van pulls out of the trailer park, Hannah reaches over and takes his right hand, holding it in her lap. She knows she shouldn’t, but she can’t help it. She wants to indulge in little bits of him while she still can. Hannah twists the lone ring on this hand around his finger.

After a little while, Eddie breaks the silence.

“It’s my favourite, you know.” Eddie’s voice is low and he doesn’t look over at her.

Hannah doesn’t look at Eddie either, but continues to stare at his hand cradled in hers. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He sighs. “This really amazing girl got it for me. You probably don’t know her.”

"No?"

"Nah, she was actually nice to me."

Hannah scoffs. "Well that's just not true."

Eddie grins, but there's a sadness in it. He parks the van outside Hannah's house and finally turns to look at her.

"Hannah?"

Hannah stares blindly straight ahead out the windshield. If she looks at Eddie, she’ll definitely cave.

"Hannah, please just talk to me. Tell me what's going on. What can I do?"

If she tells him now, he might hate her. He might be angry and not want anything to do with her; which would hurt. Or he might stay with her out of pity; which would hurt more.

"Nothing, Eddie. There's nothing you can do." Hannah resumes fiddling with Eddie's ring. "I need some time to get my shit sorted."

"Can you at least tell me if you're ok?"

"Yeah, I'm…" She rests her head back on the seat and sighs. "I don't know. But I think I will be." 

That didn't reassure Eddie at all. "Do you at least have someone helping you? If it can't be me."

"I've got Jules. And I'm gonna talk to my dad." 

She wants to tell him she doesn't want to do this. She wants to ask if he'll let her be self-centred, let her be greedy and keep him. She thinks he'd say yes.

But that wouldn't be fair.

"I'll see you around, Eds." She squeezes his hand and opens the door, but pauses before getting out.

One more moment of indulging herself.

Hannah turns back to Eddie and leans over the centre console, pulling him towards her with a hand on his cheek. She presses her lips against his in a lingering kiss. Eddie sighs and holds her hand to keep her there a little longer. 

Their foreheads stay pressed together as their lips part, neither of them wanting the moment to end. Hannah places another soft peck to the corner of his mouth and whispers, "Bye Eddie."

[zuureleena]

i drew the mercs, miss pauling, admin, and my tf2 oc on the plane to uni 😭

i did all of these a week ago and completely forgot to post them HAJAHAH miss p, the admin, and a rlly simplified ver of my tf2 oc miss lynn!! (zoey lynn hehe + js rambles abt her) under the cut

IM ACTUALLY REWORKING HER DESIGN RNNNN bcs i made her on the sims 4 LMAO and realised how much better and concise she looked, but i really wanna try and make her look like someone you'd js see irl? sooOOo tryna make her also recognisable from silhouette alone and blahablahblah tho she isn't the kind of character that would rlly make too much of a difference in the tf2 universe

i js wanted to make a loveable character LMAO who'd have more of an impact on the relationships and kinda the story?

i liked the idea of miss p having an extroverted bestfriend who's also her wingwoman bcs miss pauling is obvs an awkward lesbian mess who needs help in the love department, and vice versa bcs zoey is into scout and miss pauling is js so glad to have him move on n realise that they r better as friends!! and that he needs to be with someone who isn't annoyed by him 24/7 (IM SORRY, LWNAKS MY SELF-INSERTEDNESS GOT IN THE WAY HAHAHAHA I CANT HELP IT) also, i haven't rlly thought of any orientation for zoey... i'm thinking of her js being a het woman or js whatever u wanna interpret her as!! cuz her sexuality isn't a core thing abt her

she's an absolute harbinger of chaos who'd do anyt for money and some company (this girl has been hella lonely n stressed out of her mind and i'll explain why in an oc post🤭🤭) and even tho she never outright admits it, she does enjoy the freedom of violence she gets to have as a mann co assistant 😭 (which will ALSO make sense when i explain her background to u guys later on)

and bcs of her long experience w shady bosses and asshole customers she's had to deal within all the jobs she's had, she catches onto the administrator's whole thing with the australium fairly early into the job, but she's in tooooo deep now and is like "damn. do i get myself out of this fucked up job (that i am fucked up enough to actually enjoy) or do i stay bcs i literally have everything i've ever wanted....shit." like,, she did say she'd do anyt for money but at the cost of what 😭 [also MAN i wish we got that final comic so i can js make zoey's suspicions make sense??!?@ but in a way it js works bcs it's js this massive mystery that we don't even know of ourselves???? so likeee, im js assuming its smth rlly dangerous or smth bcs helen literally goes to the most insane lengths to get australium and finish off her final... thingy.. that uh DEBT is it... i forgot what she called it BUT WHATEVER BUSINESS SHE HAD TO ATTEND TO B4 SHE DIED QOABJASH]

OH AND YEAH, zoey hates how bossy the admin is and is an ass abt it at times, and the admin wants zoey gone so badly bcs shes an annoying little shit (which she is and honestly, her and scout can be annoying shits tgt <3) but miss p always convinces her to keep zoey BAGAHAHA and they do get things done much faster w zoey there sooOoOOo 🌝🤭

i mean she does try to kill both miss p & l anyway but still, she can't deny that they r both good at what they do

BWOSBQJS BYE I DONT THINK ANYONE IS GONNA READ THIS AHAGAH BUT THANK YOU IF U DID 😭 I HAVE SM ABT ZOEY AND I RLLY WANT HER TO BE LOVEABLE AUGHWGS

[soldateins]

'Down with the Alien Sickness' - Rick Sanchez x Female Reader

I deleted my account last year and I remember how much people loved this fanfic so, I'm posting it again <3

Basically, I'm really sick. I can't talk or anything. So, I decided I'd write my first ever R&M fanfic! Where OC is sick but it gets worse in a way that you'd not expect (hopefully!) I hope I write Rick well. He can be slightly out of character but... He's nice sometimes in it which is MEGA OOC for Rick. I also hope it's pretty good anyway, I haven't written in about a year so, holy shit. Hope you enjoy!

Pairing: Rick Sanchez x Female Reader

Any warnings: Sickness, OC gets ill with something, panicking, Rick bring Rick, it's also fluffy and cute at the end - Word count: 2,957

It had been a few days since I'd come home from college sick. Rick forced me to have the past 4 days off and despite my protest, the true look of concern on his face made me follow his advice. He even 'advised' (forced) me to stay at the Smith household, sharing his surprisingly comfortable but small camper-bed with him. Luckily, Beth and Jerry didn't seem to mind, due to Rick doing a 'good deed' in Beth's eyes. In my eyes, it was Rick finding any excuse to have me near him and by the looks Summer gives Rick, the smirk and raising of an eyebrow, she knew it too. I'll admit it, we have a.. 'thing', we just don't really talk about what the 'thing' is - And I find him more than good looking, but I just don't want Beth to find out, y'know, age gaps and all.

Anyway, I'd been sick for a few days, and it was only getting worse. Rick told me it was the common flu, but he had no idea how my stomach had felt, and today was the worst day, by far. I'd spent most of the day lying in his bed, groaning. Quickly, I rose from Rick's camper-bed, suddenly needing to cough something up. Wrapping the thin green duvet around my shoulders, I barged through the door with my shoulder and bolted it to the bathroom.

I slammed the door, threw the duvet to the floor and knelt over the toilet. Shuddering and retching, I heard a gentle knock on the wood of the door, "Uh, Y/N? You- You okay? You don't sound uhhh- okay." Morty's voice whined it's way through the wood. I gagged, and my eyes widened as I brought up the weirdest looking neon green goop that I'd ever seen. I immediately felt relief, gasping for breath, "Yeah.. Uh.. I'm okay now. I think. You can come in, Morty." I shivered as Morty slowly opened the door.

He emitted a slightly unsettled whine as we locked eyes, "I- Ho- Holy shit, Y/N. What the fuck ha- What happened to you? Did- Did Rick do something? Ar-Are you pregnant or?" Morty quickly grabbed the soft duvet and wrapped it around my shoulders tightly, helping me up to sit on the side of the bath. I pulled a disgusted face and scoffed, "I'm sick. I'm not pregnant, and no, Rick had nothing to do with this. Or at least, to me, it happened out of nowhere." Raising my hand with a pointing, shaky finger, I took a breath in, "Can- can you look at whatever the fuck I just hacked up into the toilet? It didn't look real."

Morty cautiously took a step toward the toilet bowl and leaned over a little to look, then immediately recoiled, eyes wide and hand over mouth, "OH! What the FUCK?! Oh, oh! What is- what is that- that green stuff?!" He leaned forward again for another look but looked away just as quickly. I began to panic, shifting as I shouted, "What?! You- What do you mean?! You should know! You sho- Should know, right?" Morty reluctantly took a photo, the first time was with flash, he cursed himself, then took another, flushed the toilet, and came back to me, a firm hand cupping my shoulder, "C'mon, Y/N, let me take you down to Rick."

We got to the garage door and that's when Morty patted my back and gave me his phone, "Here, don't let Rick look through my shit, okay? I've got homework to do." He waltzed his way back into the lounge. I sheepishly knocked on the door, hearing an annoyed grunt in response, "What now, Jerry? There's no serum that'll give you a *burp* a job." I smiled, shook my head, and took that as my cue to open the door, "It's actually me." I croaked, entering the cool garage, wrapping myself tighter in the duvet. Rick took a quick glance at me, "What's up, sweetie? You want some mo-eurgh cough sy- syrup?" His voice had immediately changed, he actually sounded nice, "I um.. Actually.. Morty said.." I trailed off, trying to keep my balance as a shocking pain wreaked havoc in my stomach, "Oh fuck, oh shit!" I pressed my hands into my stomach, falling to my knees with a painful thud, "Morty said you've gotta- gotta help me. He said- He said something's really wrong!" I strained as Rick turned so fast that he was right next to me as I hit the floor.

My breathing turned heavy as my eyesight went slightly fuzzy and green. Rick grabbed my waist, lifted me up like a baby, and held my face up to give it a good look, "Jesus Christ, what the fuck have you been doing, Y/N?! It was just a cold!" He dragged my almost completely limp body to his desk, pushed all of the stuff to the side and sat me on it, leaning me against the cold wall to which I jolted up and let out a horrific screech, "I don't like that! Too co- cold!" I fell forward, my head landing on his right shoulder, "OKAY! Okay, we won't uh- *burp* Won't do that then!" He lay me down on my side as he ran to get the duvet off of the floor and shut the door to the garage. I cried out in pain, "Rick! What's going on? I can't see! It- It- It's so painful!" I writhed on the desk, kicking my feet out violently.

"You can't see?! Oh my G-*burp*-od!" His voice was choked and high. I could hear Rick's shoes clicking around quickly as he came over, covered me in the blanket, and began searching for things around the garage. I rocked myself side to side, trying to settle myself until I felt Rick's arms wrap around my body, sitting me up and slipping me down onto his work stool. I felt the excruciating pain in my stomach as he set me down and emitted a loud scream, "Oh Jesus! Okay, Y/N! I'm gonna have to examine you, okay? You're gonna have to put up with this for a little longer!" Rick shouted over my raw yelling. I gritted my teeth as hard as I could, "Okay." I growled.

The garage door opened quickly, slamming against the wall, "What is going on in here?!" Beth shrieked. Rick didn't even turn around, "Beth. Honey. Not a good time." He spoke through a clamped jaw, I assume Beth looked at me because I heard her gasp "Oooookay.. Uh... Dinner will be on the table very uh.. Very soon." She left as quickly as she came. I began to lean into Rick's chest, losing consciousness, "No. Y/N. Stay with me. C'mon, sweetheart!" He slapped my face a few times and I felt him turn rigid as a deep aggressive growl erupted from my stomach and I began coughing that same sticky substance up onto his shirt, "Ohh shit." He shined a white light into each of my eyes, causing me to raspily howl, "Okay. Your eyes are all glazed over, red and bloodshot." I felt his fingers on my lips and he pried my mouth open, shining the light inside, "Eugh. Glowing sticky green mucus in the mouth. Mouth is also deep red in colour."

Suddenly a cold glass tube was scooped into my mouth and out again. I gave a guttural groan, "COLD!" Without thinking, my hand grabbed Rick's, tightly, he shouted out in pain, "Y/N. Let go.". I felt an inhumane scream ripple through my body as Rick grabbed me by the throat, "Let me go or I'll kill you." His breath was puffing against my face as he spoke and I felt my hand weaken, despite me not telling it to, "Thank you." He spat. His hands then returned to me, shining his light everywhere, "Your skin is grey. Each orifice is very dark and wet." His voice was calm as he poked and prodded, I, however, was becoming more frustrated, "Rick! I don't wan- wanna put up- up with this any- more!!" I sobbed, trying to tear myself away from him, unsuccessfully, "C'mon, shut up. Almost done."

I heard a lot of beeping and switches being flicked and buttons being pressed for a few minutes as Rick held one hand gently against my neck, just in case I tried to hurt him again. A few seconds later, Rick gave a quiet gasp, and made an almost guilty sounding 'damn it'. I then suddenly felt a very painful intrusion in my left thigh, "RICK!" I screamed, "It's for your own good, Y/N." He stated as I felt a thick string of aches flow through me.

Instantaneously, I started coughing and shaking, "Please let this work." I heard Rick mutter, as his arms wrapped around my body in a warm, tight embrace. My eyes moistened up and my sight slowly came back as I cried loudly, "Shh, c'mon now, it's okay, you're okay.." Rick whispered into my ear continuously until the shaking and coughing stopped and I was reduced to a heavy breathing, weak mess. Everything felt better. Well, my throat still killed and my nose was runny, but, everything else was completely gone.

I swallowed deeply, "Wh- What just happened?" I whispered. Rick didn't let go of me for a few minutes, "Rick?" I croaked, "I injected you with a serum that reduces what I think you had back down into the common cold. Luckily, it worked and I was right." His breathing was slow and heavy. With a sigh of relief and without a word, Rick took my right hand and hooked his arm around my waist. He helped me up and we left the garage.

"Hey Rick, Y/N! Wanna come an- an- an- and eat?" Morty called out from the dinner table that he and his family were sat at, "Uhh, we're good right now, Morty. Y/N needs time to recover from her si*burp*ckness." We continued walking to Rick's room. He carefully set me down on the bed, wrapping me in his duvet, "Wait here." He brought out his portal gun and left for another dimension, "Hmph. Okay then." I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth impatiently as I waited for him. After a few minutes, my phone dinged. It was a text from Rick: 'Hope ur OK, sweetie. Won't be long. R.'

I was leaned against the wall, peering around the most interesting room I would ever be in. After about 10 minutes, a portal opened up and Rick stepped out, with a small little blue person in a sort of delivery uniform, "This the place, Sir?" The person squeaked, "Uhp, Yeah. Ri*burp*ght over there." Rick pointed to the end of the camper-bed and a slightly odd, fleshy looking flat screen TV materialised in front of my eyes, "What the- the fuck? Rick?" I sat up, looking him right in the face, "Hey. Hey. Don't, don't say that around a Reeptipian, Y/N. They're one of the few alien races that actually understand those words." His voice was monotonous as he lifted his portal gun and it beeped twice, "Thank you, Sir." The little blue person hopped back on through the portal, but not before two giant boxes materialised on the floor, full of colourful packets of things that looked edible.

"I'm gonna say it again, what the fuck, Rick?" I tilted my head with raised brows, "Well excuuuuuse me for tryna surprise you and make you feel better!" He put his arms in the air, "What do you mean?" I asked, "Reeptipians have a thing for cinema and TV. They create the best TVs I've ever used, with interdimensional cable, and the best snack fooooods!" Rick opened the boxes and threw a load of stuff onto the bed before bouncing himself down onto it with me. I laughed at his enthusiasm and leaned my head against his chest as he pulled me close and turned on the TV.

"Oh, before I forget." Rick sat up, pulling a decently sized needle out of his coat, before taking off his mucus covered shirt and lab coat, "I- I- Please don't tell me that's for me!" I scrambled back against the wall at the top of the bed, "Nope. For me." Rick jabbed himself in the gut with it, letting out a rumbling growl, his legs kicking out slightly, "I seriously need to figure out how to vaccinate without injections." He pulled it out and threw it to the floor with a sigh. I watched him sit back, unsure of what happened, "Um, what was that?" I relaxed against the wall once again, "Didn't you hear me? It was a vaccination. Against that nasty shit that was all up in your system, sweetheart. Oh uh.. abo*burp*ut that." Rick's eyes were shifting from side to side.

My eyes narrowed, "What. What about it? That was the worst pain I've experienced so far." My voice was highly suspicious sounding as I stared at Rick, "Y'know that healthy alien cereal you had a few days back that uh.. You really liked and then had more of?" His lips pressed into a thin line and his demeanor was nervous, which is rare, "Yes. I do know it. The one you got me that tastes like strawberry. What about it? Spit it out." Rick scratched his head, "Funny thing. It's filled with alien bacteria that are beneficial for the aliens on the planet that I got it from. But.. It uh.. If a human ingests it.. It.. uh.. Tries to use your body as a host and kills and consumes you before moving on." He braced himself for me to kick off but, nothing came, and he opened his eyes, looking at me with trepidation. I blew a gust of air from my mouth that I was holding in, "Smartest man in the universe, huh? You get your girlfriend infected with some weird fucking alien bacteria?" I crossed my arms and then froze. Rick's eyes widened, "My what?" I began stuttering, "You're uh.. You- You're.." As I tried to search for a different word Rick interrupted me, "My girlfriend!" He laughed deeply, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me onto him, pressing his lips to mine.

I pulled away with a cough and Rick held my face in his big hands, tickling my jaw and making me giggle, "I'm sorry for not checking that cereal. It almost killed you." His eyebrows furrowed. I closed my eyes and inhaled his smell, I loved the muskiness mixed with a faint whiskey scent. I leaned into him, kissing his bare chest, "But it didn't. It fucking hurt, but it didn't kill me. Plus, aren't there other versions of me around? Do- do you know any?" Rick stiffened under me, "Well, yeah but.. They- they're not you. They're.. Different. In a bad way. I'd rather you not die no ma*burp*tter what, sweetie." He flipped through some crazy looking channels on the giant TV and settled on one, "I've checked over all of these candies by the way. They're safe. They won't try and eat you after you eat them." Rick gave a hoarse chuckle and wrapped his arms around my waist, his nails gently scratching the skin of my back under my shirt.

"Uh, Rick?" My voice came out very weak, "Hm?" He looked down at me, then back up to the TV, stuffing a few pink pieces of candy into his mouth. I hummed, "You uh- you wanna try some?" Rick lifted some of the candy up to my mouth, "Yeah, uh, sure." I smiled, letting him feed me some, "But uh, I have a question." I spoke with my mouth full, "Shoot." Rick shoveled more candy into his mouth, seemingly loving it, "Is this.. Is this thing we have.. More than a.. thing?" I looked toward the TV, not wanting to meet his intelligent eyes. He took a deep breath and I felt myself lift atop his chest.

Rick cleared his throat, "Uhm." I felt his fingertips tap against my skin whilst I began to internally panic, "Never mind. Shouldn't have asked." I quickly spoke but Rick shook his head, "Nononono! I- I- I didn't mean-! Fuck. I just.. You really- you really want that?" His voice wavered as he searched my face. I looked Rick straight in the eye and bit my lip, "Yes. I.. I want that. Do uhm.. Do you?" I lay my right leg over his thighs. Rick blinked a few times before answering, "I- Yeah. I want it too." I grinned, "Then I guess.. We're dating now?" Rick nodded with a smirk and gave my ass a squeeze, "I guess we are."

Rick filled his mouth with a different type of candy, it looked like glowing red rocks. I grabbed a handful and popped some into my mouth, they tasted very sweet, until they grated their way down my sore throat, I winced as the second piece of candy made my throat hot. I looked at the packet and there were flames all over it, "Ah! They're so hot!" I blew quick puffs of air out of my mouth, "It's okay, it only lasts until they're in your stomach." Rick patted my stomach with a smile. Rick's eyes shot toward the screen and he all of a sudden jolted, raising an arm, "Yes! Ball Fondlers, baby! This is the best TV show eveeer! Trust me, Y/N, you'll love this!"

And indeed I did love it. Well, until I fell into a deep sleep.

[drenosa]

Inspired by an oc of @evenmorefatallyobsessed (mild nfsw alert btw)

Neptune: *Holding up a dating app on a Scroll in front of Sun, swiping either left or right at the Monkey Faunus' direction* Look, sometimes you got to take some drastic measures to get over a girl. Sure, you're saying you're happy to just be friends with Blake, but that doesn't mean you have to forget about your needs.

Sun: *Listening with half-a-mind* Sure... Left. Left. ... Right. Left. Ooh, Deffo Right. Says she also likes to use her tail for ~fun~.

Neptune: Yeah, you're getting it. Don't worry, bud. This Certified Lady's Man will help you get your groove!

Sun: *Pausing his swiping to give Neptune a pointed look* Certified, huh?

Neptune: *Coughs slightly* Ye-yes, now come on. Just a few more.

Sun: Uh-huh... Left. Right. Left. Left. ... !!! *Snatches the Scroll out of a surprised Neptune's hand* Oh, Right to the Hells to the Yeah! Bona-Fide Major MILF!

Neptune: Woah, seriously?! Lemme see, lemme see! *Grabs the Scroll back*

Sun: Never saw an office jacket and pencil skirt look THAT good before. And on an ass like that?! Gawd DAYUM!

Neptune: No way, someone look that good for you to... to- *Stares at the Scroll in abject shock and horror* Ah... fuck.

Sun: *Blinking away his surprise at Neptune's reaction* Whu... what, she got some super red flags or something?

Neptune: Uh... Yeah?! Holy hell, that's my Mom!

Sun: ...

Neptune: ...

Sun: Bitch. Would! *Starts climbing over the table to get at the Scroll and Neptune* Gimme that scroll back! I got to message her ASAP!

Neptune: Hell no! *Shoving a hand in Sun's face to keep him away* Back off, motherfucker! This shit ain't gonna happen!

Sun: *Smushed face* Fwuf hoo! ma honna bu a mahafaha fu wheel! Himme! [Fuck you! I'm gonna be a motherfucker for real! Gimme!]

Neptune: *Using multiple limbs to keep Sun away* Bros before hoes, dick-weasel! My mom ain't no hoe fo' sho'!

Sun: *Face unsmushed, trying his hardest to reach the promised land that is his Scroll* Imma weasel my dick into her! My hoe will plough her fields something fierce. Now give my Scroll back!

Neptune: That's a no from me, Bitch!

Neptune&Sun: *Start wrestling WWE-style*

~~~~~~~~~~

Yang: *Seated with Blake not far from the SeaMonkey Bros* So... that guy at one point, huh?

Blake: *Mildly embarrassed at the short-lived crush* At one point, yes.

Yang: *Grinning bemusedly* Certainly a catch that slipped away. Can't believe I got reeled in instead.

Blake: *Elbows Yang in the ribs* Shush you. I can still do a catch-and-release with you.

Yang: Hehe. Love you too, Blakey.

Blake: *Muttering* You better.

[dickarchivist]

Hello dear Archivist! 

I’m quickly falling in love with your boys, and I love everything you’ve written for Ghost & Banshee 💜 But after reading your NSFW ALPHABET post for the squad, I can’t stop thinking about Specter…  

If you’re feeling up for it, I’d love to request a little fic for him (SFW or NSFW… which ever feels right 🥰)

Since he seems a bit more guarded than his brothers, what would falling in love look like for him? You mentioned he loves photography & is known for taking pictures of everything, so would his artistic hobbies be influenced by the person he’s falling for? Would he know right away, or would the feelings sneak up on him? 

Thank you 💜 (@wings-and-beskar)

Vermillion

Clone oc Specter x fem!Reader

Word Count: 1305

Prompt: How does Specter fall in love?

Rating: PG-14 for swearing, but minors DNI as always 🔞

Contents and Warnings: swearing, Specter being broody and jealous, a break up (not with Specs), laughing, being silly together, passionate kiss, split lip (not graphic)

Summary: Specter's in love with you, every little bit. He'd do anything for you, say the word... but he wants to make sure you're not going to break his heart.

Author's Notes: Specter's POV!!!! He's so rude, I love him!!

Thanks to @wings-and-beskar for being so patient on this one!! You are a kindness unto my life♡

This one is left open ended on purpose, I'm thinking about writing a sequel so we shall see 👀

This fic doesn't hit on everything asked I'm so sorry weh. But!! I do feel like it answers the question "How does Specter fall in love?" On purpose.

Look at you. Hair's all messy, but I know you styled it that way. You make that stuffy GAR uniform look good, even sexy with how it hugs your curves. I'm glad you never wear that dumb little hat, I think it'd ruin your look... or maybe it'd just make you so tantalizing that I wouldn't be able to help myself. I click a few pictures of you, and I hope you don't mind or notice, but just...

Fuck you. Fuck you just standing there, chewing your stylus, looking down at your data pad with a scrunched brow and squinted eyes. Like it's the most important thing in the world, whatever's on there. We're supposed to be together right now, you called me. You asked me to tail it down here to keep you company and of course I did. I'd do anything you kriffin' ask. I want you lookin' at me so focused. Lookin' at me like I'm more important. What does it have that's keeping your attention so-- holy shit.

"OH FUCK OFF!!!!" You fling that stupid pad so hard and so far it shatters on impact when it hits your wall, and I can't stop myself from laughing. "SPECTER SHUT IT!!"

"What the kriff was on there that made you so mad? You were laser focus unti-- hey. Hey what's wrong? Why the tears?" I close my camera and come over so fast I can't blame you for jumping back. Didn't mean to come on so hard, I'd say sorry but your arms are around my waist so quick my words just leave my head.

"My boyfriend just dumped me, over a text..." my anger overthrows my joy.

"I was hoping so hard that you'd leave him, not for that skug to dump you and not even in person. I'll kill him. I could do it. It wouldn't even be that hard, I'm trained, he's a kriffing bar tender and not even a good one. Half his shit is just water and food color, I hate him so much, he was never any good to you... why are you crying harder? Shit shit shit, how do I make it better, shit-- no- oh... oh you're laughing! Why are you laughing?"

"Specs, you know you're talking out loud, right?"

My face in on FIRE. "Uh-- nope. Fuck... forget I said that, yeah?"

"Not a chance," You're smiling... maker I adore that smile. I move my hands to your face and brush my thumbs over your cheeks, "Specter, do you really feel like that?"

I look away from you, my eyebrows raised, a tall frown on my lips as if to shrug them, "I mean... yeah? That smug son of a--" I catch my temper, and sigh, arms around your shoulders again, "He wasn't good for you. Been sayin' that from the get, but did you listen? Nooooooo," You're laughing more, so I keep it up. I mimic your voice, very poorly, "Oh Specs! He's soooo dreamy!"

"Oh knock it off, I don't sound like that!" You push me, making me stagger a little, your cheeks red from laughing. Maker that laugh, I love it so much.

"Specs, he's so beautiful! He says he's in a band! Oh I can't wait to have his babies!"

"SPECTER! MY SIDES, PLEASE!" You're laughing so hard those tears down your cheeks aren't sad anymore, and I'm over the moons about that.

I put my arm around your shoulders, giving you a little shake and a squeeze, my voice back to my own, "I mean it, though... say the word and he'll disappear. Or say another word, and he'll turn into a toad. You know, like he already is."

I love it when you laugh so hard you snort. I know you hate it, you always apologize and cover your face. But I love it. Even Phantom can't get you to laugh like that... "Specs what're you smiling at me like that for?"

It's my turn to laugh. I chuckle a little, give you another squeeze, "What? I can't enjoy you laughing without getting the 3rd degree?"

You roll your eyes, knocking into me harder and giving me a tight squeeze of a hug. I'm all too happy to return it. "Thanks Specs, I don't know what I'd do without a good man like you by my side."

"You'd be a lot more sad over losers who don't deserve your tears, that's for sure," you don't have any idea what I'd do for you, how much you mean to me... how much I love you...

"Specter, new orders from the council. We're headed out in 15, get your ass over here." Ghost doesn't sound to pleased from the way his voice barks from the commlink.

I groan, roll my eyes with my whole body just to get you to giggle again, and then lift the comm, "I'm in the lower levels, it'll take more than 15 minutes."

"Then you'd better hurry."

Ghost's been a hard ass lately, but I can't blame him, I've been blowing him off to spend time with you. Who needs extra training? Not an ARC trooper... probably. Might have to be better about that...

Since I know I'll be late anyway, I take my time finding my boots in your flat. I know where they are, you know I know, but we still take the time to "look". Before I'm out the door, I hold your cheek again, "He didn't deserve you, you know that, right?"

"Yeah... sorry for being so distracted today, make it up to you next time?" When you bite your lip like that, do you have any idea what it does to me?

I don't know if there's gonna be a next time. I think that's why I keep blowing off drills, because I want you, not a war. I want life, with you, always, infinitely more than running laps and fire practice... I lean forward and press my lips to your forehead, taking a deep breath, just to remember you by.

Just in case.

"Next time, I'm asking you out. Don't go falling for anymore shitty bar tenders, okay? If I'm getting one up'd, he'd gotta have quality, and-" Oh fuck me.

I hold you up as you jump onto me. My arms go under your legs and up your back as your lips crash into mine, our teeth knocking together. You split my lip, it stings, but getting to taste your chapstick is more than reward enough.

"Why'd-- mmm-- why'd you--" I can't get a word in, your kisses are feverish in their quickness, I don't want to stop, but-- but it's not right. It's not for me. It's to drown your sorrow and I can't be that for you, I don't want to be, "Stop."

I set you down gentle, you look so dejected, darlin' you're breaking my heart... "You mean the galaxy to me, you know that? But I can't... I won't be your rebound. I'm not going to be a one and done for you, got that? So when I get back, I'm askin' you on a date. I-- fuck this, I love you, I want you to love me too, so just... process, get over that idiot, and then wear red for me when I'm back so I know it's okay..."

Oh maker you're angry- no? That's- okay not crying, not confused I know your confused face... what the hell are you thinking right now? "I don't own anything red... I um... I'll get something, do you have a preference?"

My eyes soften, and yours do too, and I know... I know I won't have to wait, but I do anyway. I want to make sure you love me back... I can't be your rebound. I need to be your last.

"Vermillion is my favorite."

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