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shkudss · 1 year

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Weakened by Eywa Pt. 1

Masterlist

Summary: Ao’nung finally realizes that his actions have consequences

Warnings: curse words, bullying, mental breakdown, English isn’t my first language

Author’s note: it my first Avatar writing, so I hope you like it! This idea was spontaneous and I’m not really good at writing, but I hope you’ll enjoy it! I’m still learning how to use Tumblr properly since I don’t really use it 🥲

Yawntutsyip - darling, little loved one

Yaymak - foolish, ignorant

You thought that all these days when you flew to the water clans were the hardest in you life. Little did you know that life with Metkayina would be harder. You expected to finally live a normal life, doing your chores without being sacred to be shot by sky people. Now you’re safe, but things didn’t get better.

Since your arrival, these boys were bullying all your siblings, including you. You have no idea why it is important for Ao’nung to see totally similar to him Na’vis. You all are same avatars with slight differences that were unavoidable due to the environment you’re supposed to live in. Oh, yeah… supposed to live.

“What are you even doing here?”

“You’re so useless to our tribe”

“Go back to your monkey house”

All these words almost engraved in you mind without leaving space for other thoughts and hope. It’s been two weeks since you arrived and you still haven’t ridden an Ilu successfully, you can’t hold your breath as Metkayinas do. This makes you feel horrible and believe all these mean words.

“C’mon, Y/N, you can do it!”

Neteyam is trying to teach you how to deal with ilu and his voice is so calming, he really believes in you as an older brother. You wish you could just believe him, but insecurity lays too deep and securely in your mind.

“I don’t know… I can’t…”

Your voice was really soft and quiet as you’re the calmest child in your family. You don’t like loud sounds and fast actions. That’s just the way you are. Neytiri says that Sylwanin was just like you.

Despite being slower and more sensitive that other Sullys they loved and protected you with all their heart. Jake knew that Kiri and Tuk are different, they can deal with their problems a lot easier, while you cannot. When something bad to your family or yourself happens, you worry a lot and you won’t tell anyone about your worries unless they make you to. That was the hardest part of you character.

“Hey, are you okay? Do you need to take a break? We can continue tomorrow, don’t worry yawntutsyip.”

Neteyam was worried about your mental state, you were too quiet these days and it never meant anything good. Trying to make you speak about your feelings was completely impossible. You always think that your family has too much to worry about to burden them with your own issues. You want to be like Kiri and Tuk. That’s hilarious, Tuk is way younger than you but she’s able to deal with her emotions way easier than you.

“I’m good. Can we just take a break for like half an hour? I think my brain melts.”

You awkwardly smiled at the end trying to lighten the mood. Neteyam smiled back, feeling relief as you seemed to be just tired. He didn’t want you to hide anything from him and your family.

“Okay, yawntutsyip. I’ll go find Lo’ak and make sure his ass hadn’t get in trouble again. Kiri is on that side of the beach by the way. You can join her, she’s probably flirting with plants again. Let’s meet here in an hour.”

You laughed at his little joke about Kiri. But that’s a fact. Since you arrived here all she’s been doing is examining all local flora and fauna. You missed your time together in the forest, maybe now you’ll have a chance to talk and just be together.

“Okay!”

“Tell me if something goes wrong.”

You knew this look. The big brother look. Sometimes you think how hard it would be for you to live without your family, the way you’re connected to them something really fascinating. And one of your love signs is time. Spending time with your family and each member is the way you show love, the way you feel protected and loved.

You see Kiri laying down in water and looking for something. She didn’t see anyone around, attracted by… water? You didn’t try to understand what’s going on in her mind.

“Hey, pandora geek.”

You stood in front of Kiri and the shadow from your body covered her. Only after that she raised her head and squinted at you.

“I thought you’re with Neteyam. What’s wrong?” She sat on the sand, water was covering her legs a little. You did the same thing, hugging your knees and placing your head on them.

“We took a break, my brain doesn’t work properly. I still can’t ride ilu.”

Hopeless sigh made your sister chuckle, but then she saw your eyes. They were full of sadness, you were not happy. Kiri felt guilt, as your sister she had to be with you, she forgot that Sullys stick together.

“What bothers you?” You were not sure if it’ll be okay to tell her everything. But you family always encourage you to speak what lays in your heart, so you decided to do it.

“There’s a lot… I miss home, I miss flying with you, Neteyam and Lo’ak around Hallelujah mountains.” You were vulnerable now and this is one of those rare moments when you opened your feelings easily. Kiri was the only one you did it with. You could feel tears coming to your eyes, you needed this. “I just miss our way of life. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to get used to it. Especially, when you always hear…”

“Hey monkeys! Still can’t ride ilu? How can you be so yaymak? You’re both freaks!” you could recognize this voice in millions. “One sister has demon blood, another is too dumb to do things that even infants can do!”

Ao’nung and his friends were coming towards you. Kiri’s body immediately tensed, you could feel it.

“What do you want? Is there nothing to do?”

Ao’nung and his friends came closer and you both stood up. Kiri was looking at him angrily, ready to fight. You were supposed to have such a good conversation, opening each other your soul, but this bully spoiled everything.

“My goal for now is to get rid of such fake Na’vis like you two and your stupid little brother.”

You were furious, how dare he talk like this about your family. Yes, he did say mean things to you, but he still picked his words. Now it’s too much. Nobody can talk about your family this way.

“Shut up and don’t get close to me and my siblings!” You tried to get into protective sister mode. Kiri was shocked by the way you raised your voice. She’s never heard such tone from you before.

“Look at this! Little girl knows how to talk?” Ao’nung was teasing you and laughing with Roxto and the rest of his friends. “Maybe you’ll learn how to swim properly soon by the time my future brother or sister will turn 10. Hopefully.”

You clenched your fists, trying to hold all your emotions. Anger, offense, sadness. It felt like a hurricane of extremely high spectrum of emotions, which was hard for you to bear.

“Don’t you dare…”

You didn’t control yourself that you were coming closer and pushing him. The reason why you felt this way was in him.

He did this to you.

You didn’t care that he was taller than you and all you faced was his shoulders. You didn’t care that he barely moved as you tried to hurt him as much as he hurt you. All he did was laughing. It seemed like Ao’nung didn’t understand anything you said, like he didn’t see you breaking into pieces right in front of you.

“Calm down, you little skxawng!” It was a joke for him. For you it was your last piece of composure.

“You’re dumb! So dumb that you can’t even understand how much pain you give me! Every day I wish I don’t meet you so you won’t shower me with all your shit! Every night I cry myself to sleep because all your mean words you’ve said hurt me! And you don’t understand me, how can you be so mean?”

You were screaming at him and trying to hit, mental breakdown took over your senses. You could physically feel how your heart hurts and legs weaken. All sounds were heard as if from under the water, you didn’t see what’s going on around you. Someone’s holding your shoulders and pushing you to their chest to not let you fall on your knees.

“Don’t touch her!”

Furious voice sounded from afar. Neteyam. Your brother who always protects you, surrounds you with love you need. That’s why he calls you yawntutsyip. Little loved one.

You could feel your brother as he came closer to you. His steps were as heavy as his mood. When he saw you breaking down in front of this asshole and because of this asshole, he almost lost his temper. The way chief’s son was holding and looking at you, finally realizing that his actions have consequences. He had to drive you crazy to understand it.

“Back off! Now!”

He pushed Ao’nung as he got closer to him, taking off his hands off you. You didn’t realize it was him, who held you all this time. Was it long? Actually, everything happened in less than 2 minutes, but for you it was like an infinity.

“What happened?”

Lo’ak was here, he saw you crying in Kiri’s hands and Neteyam fighting with Ao’nung and his friends. He didn’t need to check on all details to punch Roxto and other guys.

“It’s fine, we’re here. Don’t worry.” Kiri was sitting with you and slowly swaying, while tapping your head to calm you down.

“I’m sorry, I…” that’s all you could say.

Neither you nor Kiri noticed how the fight stopped until Neteyam came closer and examined you. His eyebrow was cut so as his lower lip, but he didn’t care. Now he could feel only your pain.

“Yawntutsyip… my sister.”

“I’m sorry, Neteyam. I didn’t…” You were gasping for breath from crying, not being able to collect your thoughts.

“Shhh, that’s fine, you’re fine. We’re here, nobody will hurt you again.” Kiri gave you to Neteyam, he was calming you down repeating the same moves as Kiri did. You were crying, letting all pain, that was suppressed inside of your soul, to flow through you.

Your siblings knew that you need to feel it to let it go. That is the only way for relief.

“Let’s go home, yawntutsyip?” Neteyam’s voice was calming as always, he hated seeing you crying.

You just nodded in agreement, hiding your face in brother’s neck and holding him as if someone can take you from him in any moment.

Yes, most Na’vis are brave, ready to fight and protect their beloved ones. But you just can’t do it. You are the one who needs to be protected. Eywa created you that way and you can do nothing about it.

“Don’t ever come to our sisters, you little bitch! Are you so insecure that you’re afraid to battle with me and choose those who are weaker than you?” Lo’ak didn’t miss to say the last goodbye before following after all of you. He didn’t wait for the answer, he didn’t need it.

Ao’nung was standing up there and looking as your figures disappear. No words are in his mind, except for one.

“Fuck”

————————————————————————

I hope you liked it! I’m not sure if I’ll write the second part🫣 I have an idea but idk if it’s worth it, we’ll see!

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roosterforme · 1 year

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You Want Me Anyway | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley wasn't your boyfriend. He didn't owe you anything. But after months of hooking up, you expected more from him than what you were getting. It was time for you to move on. But Bradley has other ideas.

Warnings: Fluff, smut, angst and swearing

Length: 1500 words

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

This was written for Sensational Smutfest! Check out my masterlist for more!

You and Bradley were by no means official. But you had been hoping you were at least exclusive. For months you had been trying to have the conversation with him, trying to define the relationship, but he just brushed you off.

And now you knew why. Because tonight at the bar while you were surrounded by your friends, you were forced to watch Bradley flirt with some girl in a mini skirt who boldly bought him a beer and had her hand planted on his chest. He was eating it up, leaving you to silently stew in your anger, because nobody even knew he spent most nights tangled up in bed with you. This girl was laughing hysterically at everything he was saying, and you'd simply had enough.

It was time you forgot about Rooster Bradshaw. You didn't need to keep letting him string you along with his vague answers and half truths. There was no way you'd let him think you needed his attention exclusively if he was going to spread his around.

Recently you found that Hangman was good for a few things: the occasional laugh, keeping you on your toes in the air, and tons of flirtation.

"Hey, Hangman. Teach me how to play darts," you called out to him, and a second later he was guiding you toward the dartboard with his arm draped across your shoulders.

"I thought you'd never ask, Sweetness," he drawled, his lips close to your ear. "You're about to learn from the best."

You couldn't help but laugh at how cocky he was. "Is that so?"

"You thought I was only good in the air? I'm good everywhere. Here, stand like this," he told you, guiding you into place with his hands on your hips. Soon you were throwing darts with his help, nearly hitting the bullseye a few times. "You're a natural," he whispered, letting his hand glide up to rest on your shoulder. "You want a drink?"

"Please," you told him, and when he went to the bar, your eyes caught on Bradley. His cheeks were beet red, and he looked fuming mad.

"What the fuck is that?" he asked when he approached. His voice was low and harsh as he got in your personal space.

You shrugged. "Just hanging out with Jake."

Bradley scoffed. "Okay, well Jake can just keep his hands off you!"

"Why should he?" you asked, keeping your expression completely neutral.

Bradley's eyes narrowed to slits. "Because you're with me."

You laughed in his face. "Really? I had no idea. You seem to like flirting with other girls more than talking about-" His mouth met yours in a rough kiss. Right in the middle of the Hard Deck.

"No, you're with me," he growled again, gripping the back of your neck and kissing your lips and your jaw and your ear. "Say good night to Jake. I'm taking you home."

But you didn't say good night to anyone. You just tripped along next to Bradley as he guided you toward the exit. "What's gotten into you?" you asked him once you were outside.

But he didn't answer you. In fact, he didn't say anything as he picked you up and carried you to his Bronco and drove to his house while you complained the whole way. "This is ridiculous. You can't just suddenly decide that you're in charge of what I do!"

But you were just met with more silence.

"Bradley," you finally said, caving and talking first once you were in his bedroom.

He took your chin between his thumb and index finger, tipping your face up to look at him. He kissed your lips softly, brushing his mustache across your skin. "You're mine. Don't flirt with Jake. Don't flirt with anyone. You're with me."

You moaned at his words. "And just what do you think you were doing tonight, Bradley? You don't get to have a different set of rules for yourself."

He kissed you again. "I won't. Not again. Now get in bed, and spread your legs wide."

You watched his brown eyes flash with something exciting as you peeled your clothes off and climbed in his bed. But you quickly learned that what he had in mind wasn't going to be as pleasant as you originally thought.

At first, his mouth on your pussy felt amazing. His tongue felt possessive, like he was claiming you. But then when you were so close to the edge, he stopped cold and eased away from your body.

"What happened?" you gasped, panting as a sheen of sweat crept along your neck and chest.

"Say my name." His voice was harsh, and you clenched around nothing.

"B-Bradley."

"Louder."

"Bradley! Please, Bradley!"

Then his fingers were inside you and his lips were on your breasts, and you ran your hands up and down his neck. He was being possessive, and you loved it. This is what your body was craving from him. But just when you were close again, he released you.

"Fuck!" you gasped.

"Say it."

You swallowed hard, head tipped back in frustration as tears filled your eyes. "I'm yours, Bradley!"

Then he was filling you with his dick, and you felt perfect for a few moments as he pinned your hips down and moved so slowly. You could feel everything, each tiny thrust and every twitch of his cock. But he was making sure you knew he was in control, because he never went faster. He worked you up until you were a panting, gasping mess beneath him. Every vein in his neck was on display, and you wanted to cum so badly. Your legs were shaking, back arching off the bed as he stroked your sweet spot with expertise.

But as he brought you to the edge again, he seemed to reluctantly pull out. Then he growled, "Don't even think about cumming yet," next to your ear, and you cried out in frustration as he rubbed his tip across your clit. You watched him straddle your thighs as he smirked down at you, and he grabbed his cock while you gasped for air.

You watched him jerk off as you bit your knuckle in frustration, thrusting yourself up against him to try to get some more friction against your clit. Within a minute, Bradley was coating your pussy, belly and chest with his cum. Marking you. Then he dipped his fingers in the mess and held it up to your lips. He fed you his cum while you whined and begged him. "Please?" you gasped, after cleaning his fingers for the fourth time and rubbing yourself against his balls.

He pressed his lips to your ear as he dipped his sticky fingers in your mouth one more time. "You think Jake can take care of you like I can? You think anyone else can?"

You shook your head and mumbled, "No," around his fingers.

"That's right. Now who's about to make you cum?"

"Bradley!"

Finally he removed his fingers from your mouth and eased them through his cum and down to your pussy. He fucked you with his fingers and teased you with his tongue until you were hiccuping with relief as your orgasm quickly washed over you.

"That's my good girl," he crooned, running his mustache through your wetness and pressing his nose to your clit while your body shook for him. "So good. Don't forget who you're with now." He kept stimulating you until you had some tears falling from your eyes, but his lips were so gentle now as he worshipped your pussy.

You started to sit up as you whispered his name, and Bradley's eyes were on yours. He kissed you, and you moaned at the taste of yourself on his lips and mustache. He eased you back again, the mess of his drying cum rubbing between your bodies as you held him close.

"What made you change your mind all of a sudden?" you asked as his lips migrated to your jaw.

"I didn't change my mind all of a sudden. I've wanted to be exclusive for weeks, and start calling you my girlfriend."

Your eyes drifted closed at the word girlfriend uttered in his raspy voice. "Then why were you flirting with that girl? And avoiding my conversations?" you asked, taking his face between your hands.

He looked at you with his big, brown eyes and smiled. "Because I know you're too good for me, but I want you anyway."

You bit your lip and smiled at the ceiling. "I'm way too good for you."

"But you want me anyway," he supplied, making you giggle as he kissed your ear. Then he scooped you up and headed for the bathroom while he asked you to start referring to him as your boyfriend. "I made a mess, and I'll clean it up."

You weren't sure if he was talking about coating you in his cum or talking about your relationship, but either way, he was going to take care of it.

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

Thanks for reading this blurb that turned into a one-shot.

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tropes-and-tales · 8 months

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Lieutenant Steal-Your-Girl

Day 8: Cuckolding (Bob Floyd x F!Reader; Jake Seresin x F!Reader)

(For the 2023 Kinktober event that I created on my own because I am boring and basic and am trying to keep it simple this year...found here!)

CW: Light angst (relationship woes); open relationships; cuckolding, but not really, I think I did this one wrong but got too deep to turn back; Jake is a bad boyfriend; smut (Oral, F!receiving; PiV, unprotected); 18+ only.

Word Count: 5536

AN: This was requested for Kinktober by an anon!

AN2: This might not be for everyone. People feel A Certain Way about open relationships, and this is very much a Reddit revenge version of that. Cuckolding? Maybe if you squint. I dunno. It got away from me and my original intention for this. Also, if you're a Jake fan, this won't be for you. Read at your own peril.

The sentence makes Bob Floyd short-circuit. A question, in English, uttered by Jake with his smarmy grin, but it’s so incongruous, Bob’s mind cannot grasp it.

“You wanna fuck my girl, Baby on Board?”

Bob sputters at the question. He feels his cheeks heat up as blood floods his face in a furious blush. He wonders if it’s a joke, a put-on by the other pilots. He glances around—to the piano where Rooster is perched, to the bar where Nat and Javi wait patiently for a fresh pitcher—and finds himself without backup. It’s just him and Bagman by the pool tables.

Bob can’t help but glance out the windows of the Hard Deck to see where you’re sitting.

Where you’re waiting patiently for Jake to rejoin you. Where you often sit alone while Jake flirts with the local girls. Where the other members of the Dagger Squad often sit with you, an apology of sorts, a paltry way of making up for your boyfriend’s inattention. Where Bob, more than any other Dagger, often sits with you, distracts you from your wayward boyfriend, makes you laugh with his corny jokes.

You explain to him one night how you and Jake are trying an open thing, an open relationship, a way of spicing up your long-term thing—but Bob hears the misery in your voice, and he sees the hurt look in your eyes when you see your boyfriend openly flirting with his next conquest—

Jake snapping his fingers brings Bob back to focus. He opens his mouth, manages to answer Jake (“of course not, she’s your girl, Bagman”), but it’s the flimsiest of lies. Bob knows it. Jake knows it.

Bob has wanted you from the moment he clapped his eyes on you.

-----

Another night, another moment where Bob finds himself alone with Jake.

The same question posed to him. “You wanna fuck my girl, Bob?”

This time, Jake doesn’t let Bob sputter out a lie. The man shakes his head, offers a rueful grin, then claps Bob on the back hard enough to nearly jolt him off his stool.

“It isn’t an accusation,” Jake clarifies. “It’s a question. An offer. You interested?”

Another lie when he stammers out, “no, I wouldn’t…I mean, I don’t think—”

Jake cuts him off with another hard clap on the back. “Let’s take a walk, huh? Me and you. We’ll talk.”

-----

That’s the night Bob learns that his understanding of kinks is incomplete. He always thought of kinks as things like role-playing or handcuffs or outrageous lingerie. He never knew of cuckolding beyond, perhaps, a vague memory of reading the word in high school when they read Shakespeare in English class.

That’s the night Bob learns that beyond opening up your relationship, Jake has a thing for cuckolding. It’s only theoretical; you haven’t slept with anyone but Jake, but Jake has taken full advantage of the open relationship and has had many lovers beyond you.

And Jake finds the idea of you with another man intoxicating. However, when he’s broached the subject with you, urged you to go out and find yourself a one-night stand, you’ve balked.

Hence, the need for Bob.

“She is comfortable with you,” Jake explains, and it sounds so commonplace, so everyday that he’s offering his girlfriend up as a potential one-night stand for his fellow Dagger. “And I know you like her.”

Bob ends up declining. Of course he likes you. He’s wanted you for as long as he’s known you. He lies awake at night, plagued by insomnia that has its origin in you. Evenings cheering you up at the Hard Deck haunt him—your sad eyes that always track Jake around the bar, but the way you laugh at Bob’s jokes, the way you chat with him earnestly about books and movies, about hiking trails you want to conquer, places you want to travel to. You’re Bob’s dream girl but you’re taken, whether your relationship is open or not.

Bob declines Jake’s offer. Besides, it feels too close to a business deal, edging too close to something akin to sex work, albeit without money changing hands. Jake and his smarmy grin feels too close to being a pimp. Just two men making a deal about a woman without her input.

So Bob declines, but when you make a similar offer weeks later, that’s something else entirely.

-----

It happens at the Hard Deck. You’re outside nursing a drink, separating yourself from where Jake chats up a local woman. Bob sits beside you, and he tells you a story from when he was stationed in Pensacola, but you’re not really listening.

You cut him off halfway through his story, turn to face him. Your eyes, usually so sad, have a fire in them he’s never seen before, and it pulls his up short, strikes him mute.

“Do you want to go out with me sometime?” you ask, and if Bob stammered his way through Jake’s offer, he doesn’t hesitate a single second when you ask.

“Yes,” he replies. “Absolutely.”

-----

Bob has no idea what the rules are. Jake made it sound like a tawdry hook-up, a late-night meeting with sex and nothing else.

You? You ask him if he wants to go out with you, and Bob interprets that as a date night. He gets your number, texts you throughout the week, and makes plans.

A proper date night. Bob can’t tell if Jake knows or not. He’s unclear if there’s a don’t-ask, don’t-tell policy in place, despite how open Jake seems to be with his own dalliances. Bob keeps it hush-hush, and late Saturday afternoon, Bob finds himself at your apartment.

-----

Years later, Bob will be able to admit to himself: this isn’t just a date for him.

It’s an audition. It’s a job interview. It’s Lieutenant Robert Floyd doing his damnedest to show you that he’s a better bet than Jake.

Bob sees how unhappy you are with Jake, how miserable you are to be in an open relationship you didn’t want. It’s Bob trying to show you that Jake isn’t the only man in the world; that there are other proverbial fish in the proverbial sea, and that maybe another man (Bob, specifically) would cherish you, would love you, would never offer you up to other men. Cuckolding isn’t Bob’s kink at all, so he misinterprets Jake’s insistence as guilt. Jake must feel guilty, Bob reasons, and offering you up feels like a twisted version of atonement—a chance for you to explore other men.

It occurs to Bob that Jake chose him because he doesn’t feel threatened. Bob Floyd—quiet Bob with his terrible, Navy-issued glasses, with his quiet voice and lack of braggadocio—is no threat to the handsome, cocky pilot.

Years later, it will only demonstrate: Jake Seresin doesn’t know Bob Floyd at all, but more to the point—Jake Seresin doesn’t really know you.

*****

As far as first dates go, Bob knocks it out of the park.

Not that you have a lot of experience. You’ve only ever had one first date—all the way back in sophomore year of high school—when Jake took you out to Sonic and then felt you up in the cab of his truck.

You try not to compare Adult Bob against Adolescent Jake. It wouldn’t be fair.

It doesn’t stop you from comparing Adult Bob to Adult Jake, and the differences are stunning.

Bob greets you at your door with a bouquet of flowers, cheerful daises that nod their fat little heads as you invite him in to put them in water. Bob does his usual Bob-stammer, a faint pink tinge to his cheeks as he tells you how beautiful you look.

When was the last time Jake got you flowers? When was the last time Jake complimented your looks?

You often feel invisible with your boyfriend, and it’s always been that way. Star running back Jake, hometown hero, dating the perfectly average, perfectly middle-of-the-road girl. Jake with his good looks, his perfect smile, his perfect tan, his perfect muscles…and you.

Jake’s idea of a date night is typically the Hard Deck, and since the two of you have opened up your relationship, date night has ceded to hunting for new prospects. You dread it every time; you sit outside and listen to the ceaseless roll of the waves, and you wait with a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach to see if you’ll go home alone or if your boyfriend will turn up at last call, disappointed to have struck out, disappointed to go home to boring old you.

You are desperately unhappy. Your emotions veer wildly. You swing between extremes: manic periods where you work out, get your hair styled, where you scrub and polish and pluck yourself as near to perfect as you can get. Depressive periods where you can barely summon the strength to shower, ground down by the thought of your boyfriend fucking other women.

You know you should end it. When Jake sat you down all those months ago, your stomach had fluttered with butterflies. This is it, you thought. He’s going to ask me to marry him. You’d waited so long, patient and unswerving in your devotion. Through college and flight school, bouncing around in his wake as his assignments and deployments dictated.

Instead, Jake told you he was bored. That he read up on it, and he thought opening the relationship would be good for him. For you, too.

“As long as we always come home to each other, I don’t see it as a bad thing,” he had told you, and you—always invisible, always trailing behind him like a lost puppy—had hated yourself when you nodded in agreement.

-----

Bob takes you first to an independent bookstore, a tucked-away little gem, and you realize immediately that he isn’t playing fair. When you tell him so, shaking your forefinger with a mock-frown, he only gives you his soft Bob Floyd smile.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he claims, and he holds his palms up in surrender. “We just have a little time to kill before our reservations.”

Bad enough he’s brought you here. The two of you talk books all the time, and it’s a thoughtful date idea. But what makes it worse is when he sidles up to you as you read the book jacket of a new release and says, low near your ear, “get whatever you want. My treat.”

It’s the moment the bottom falls out for you. It’s like you’ve been wading around in the shallow end of the pool, and Bob’s sweet date paired with Bob’s surprisingly low, grumbling voice near your ear is your foot slipping into the deep end. You find yourself treading water. You find yourself fighting off the panicky urge to flail.

-----

Dinner is at a restaurant overlooking the ocean, and you wonder if Bob timed it so that you’d be there during sunset.

You suspect he did. You’re starting to suspect that this isn’t just some prelude to fucking, the crude reality of this open relationship you and Jake are doing, the cuckolding fetish that Jake seems to have. Bob could have just invited you over to his place, but he’s planned such a lovely first date.

You are out of your depth, but when the panic starts to grip you, you only look across the table to see Bob: his bright blue eyes, his gentle smile, the tips of his ears pink underneath the soft wave of his hair. You look at him and it feels natural, and the panic ebbs away but it’s replaced by something else.

Doubt. This date with Bob is a crack in the foundation of your relationship with Jake. A tiny little trickle of doubt slips through.

Why does this feel so easy, you think as you pick at your meal. Why does this feel so easy but everything with Jake feels so fraught?

It feels easy because Bob talks to you, not at you. He’s endlessly curious about you: your history, your likes, your dislikes. What your job is like, what your childhood was like. Where you see yourself in five years, in ten, in twenty? Do you like the country or the city? The ocean or the mountains? Do you like dogs or cats or both? What’s your favorite book, what’s the last movie you saw?

Jakes doesn’t ask you those questions, and you half-convince yourself that it’s because you’ve been together for so long. Jake knows everything there is to know about you.

But you know that’s not true. Bob pays for dinner, then takes your hand in his. He walks you to a nearby gelato place for dessert, and it’s nearly perfect. This second first date with Bob Floyd while your boyfriend is out doing god know what (or who).

It’s nearly perfect but not entirely because you admit to yourself that Jake doesn’t know everything about you at all. He’s never asked what you’re reading, who your favorite author is, and it hits you suddenly that Bob—who you’ve known for a handful of months, if that—might know parts of you better than your boyfriend.

At Bob’s truck, he puts the key in the ignition but doesn’t turn it yet. He turns to face you, and his face is a furious red. He’s blushing, you realize. Something is making him blush.

“Take you home?” he asks, and his voice has a strange tension in it that you’ve never heard before. You think of this date, all the effort he put into it to make it perfect. You think of all the times he’s kept you company at the Hard Deck, how sometimes he sits in front of you, makes his body block your line of sight so you can’t see Jake leaning in on some girl who is prettier than you, more adventuresome than you—

“No.” You shake your head, then smile at Bob. You don’t care about Jake and his stupid cuckolding kink; you’ve been on a low-simmer of growing desire ever since the bookshop when Bob leaned in and growled in your ear. You want Bob for Bob’s own sake.

“Take me to your place,” you say.

*****

It’s a dangerous thing, how Jake never once crosses Bob’s mind once he gets you to his apartment. Bob forgets the reality of this situation: that you’re taken, that this is a one-time thing, that it’s actually feeding into Jake’s kink, not yours or Bob’s.

Bob forgets all of that. He’s only focused on you: lovely, perfect you. The best date he’s ever been on, and Bob feels like a million bucks at how surprised you’d been with each part of it. The way your face lit up at the flowers, at his compliments. The squeal of surprise at the book store, the shy way you only chose one book for him to buy you—he would have bought you the whole store if you’d asked. The content sigh each time you looked at the sun setting over the ocean, and how natural it felt to hold your hand as he walked you back to his truck.

Bob doesn’t think of Jake until afterwards, and it’s dangerous because Bob instead thinks about second dates, third dates. He forgets that you’re spoken for, and instead he spins out an entire future where he meets your family and you meet his, where he cleans off a shelf in his bathroom for you, where the two of you move in together…

Who could blame him, though? Once he gets you inside his apartment, he turns to ask if you want a drink, but you’re right there, standing so close to him that he can see the little amber flecks in your eyes and the question is only halfway out of his mouth when you kiss him.

Of course Bob doesn’t think of Jake. He’s wanted you since he first saw you, and here you finally are: your hands on him, holding him steady as you press your lips to his, as you bump against his glasses and knock them askew, then break the kiss to gently reach up and set them right again.

“Sorry,” you mumble, and Bob doesn’t link your sudden reticence—you avoid his eyeline—to Jake. He doesn’t make the connection between your bashful expression and how you’ve only ever kissed Jake, slept with Jake, and how monumental this all must feel.

“Don’t apologize.” Bob cups his hands on your bare shoulders, pulls you in for a hug. “Nothin’ to be sorry for.”

“I’m not very good at this.” It comes out muffled, your face pressed against his shoulder.

Bob has always guessed that your rocky relationship with Jake has shaken your confidence, but he doesn’t think of that now. He only feels you sigh against him, embarrassed, so he pushes you away gently, touches his forehead to yours.

“You’re fine,” he assures you. “You’re perfect.” Then he leans in, kisses you this time, and when his glasses get knocked off-kilter again, he just takes them off, folds them into his pocket, then leads you into his bedroom.

*****

You’ve spent a lot of time on the internet researching cuckolding as a kink, and you had settled on the belief that Jake was into it because he was turned on by the idea of another man using you.

Or maybe he just feels guilty that he’s the only one taking advantage of the open relationship.

Who can say? When you try to talk about it, Jake brushes you off, tells you not to worry about it too much, so you never are quite clear on what motivates the man you thought you’d marry one day.

But as far as being used goes, nothing about your dalliance with Bob says used: the man worships you. He kneels in front of your body like a penitent, and his hands are so gentle, his voice so soft as he asks permission every step of the way.

“Can I kiss you here?”

“Can I touch you here?”

Is this okay? Does this feel good? Tell me what you like. Tell me what you need. I’ll do anything. Let me make you feel good.

Is this what Jake wanted—a change from the usual? Because being with Bob feels like a revelation: you’ve never been loved like this. He kisses his way down your naked body, then reverses course until he’s between your legs, his broad shoulders holding your thighs open. His mouth on you, the shy little swipes of his tongue until he gets a taste of you—then he devours you like a starved man, completely unabashed at the groans leaving him, at the way he grinds into the bedding at how turned on he is to feast on you.

You open your mouth to tell him not to bother, that you’ve never come from oral alone, but then you feel how your body is responding, the answering arousal to Bob’s skilled tongue, and when he slides a finger inside you, you’re reminded of that too-deep feeling from earlier.

But instead of feeling panicky, you feel a sharp throb of arousal. You aren’t afraid of being in too deep now. You aren’t straining to return to shore.

You want to be swept out to sea, and you want Bob to be the one to do it. When your orgasm approaches, you reach down and tangle your fingers in Bob’s hair—it’s as soft as it looks, just as silky—and Bob looses a groan that vibrates up from your pussy to the very top of your head. He reaches up and holds your hand against his head, mumbles against you to use him, to grind against him, so you do. You lift your hips and press against his mouth, feel the bump of his nose against your clit, and you realize that you’re about to come from oral for the first time in your life and that it’s not your boyfriend who’s done it.

When you come against Bob’s mouth, every single thought of Jake is erased from your head, and you won’t think of him again afterwards.

*****

Bob takes a long beat to get control of himself. He was dangerously close to coming as he ate you out, and he waits for his own orgasm to fade into the background before he continues.

Instead, he props himself on one elbow and just watches you. If you looked beautiful before, you look even more so now: all of the tension is gone from your face, and blink up at him sleepily, dreamily. Your smile is lazy, and when you sigh, it’s nothing but content.

“Good?” he asks, grinning down at you.

You nod, just as lazy as your smile. “The best.” You purse your lips, pout up at him. “Kiss me?”

How can he resist? He leans down to kiss you, and you wrap your arm around his shoulders, pull him closer to you. Eating you out has relaxed you, banished whatever doubts you had from earlier, and you kiss him now with a passion he’s never experienced before: you part your lips, you slide your tongue into his mouth, you lick against him. You must taste yourself on him because you make the cutest damned whimper, and it goes straight to his dick, hearing how undone you are.

Then you do this cute little wriggling move underneath him, and Bob’s body moves independently of his brain: he slots himself between your thighs, slick from his earlier attention, and his erection bumps against your hip, your belly before you reach down and guide him to where you want him most.

Bob breaks the kiss long enough to mumble his question about protection, and it won’t occur to him until much later—what it means when you say you’re on birth control but also that you’re clean, that there’s no risk.

It won’t occur to Bob until later, what it means for you to say you’re clean. It won’t occur to him that you’re in a committed relationship, that your boyfriend has regular hookups but you remain STD-free since your last checkup.

It’ll hit Bob in the middle of his workday at Miramar, what you are telling him now: that your bedroom with Jake is dead and has been for a while, and that this moment with Bob is the first time you’ve had sex in months.

He’ll realize that later. Now, there’s only the feeling of your pussy—warm, wet, perfect—as he pushes into you. There’s only the sound of your sharp inhale, your whine as you tell him to go slow, to be gentle, but you don’t need to tell him that. He’d never hurt you, and he can feel how tight you are, so he goes slow. He works himself into you carefully, watches your face for any sign of pain.

He sees none. He goes so slowly that he only sees your expression go from worried to stunned: the lines in your brow smooth out and your lips part as you gaze up at him, a perfect oh of surprise.

When he’s fully seated in you, buried in the silky depths of your pussy, Bob stills—and he realizes that you are trembling underneath him.

“Honey,” he breathes out, the sweet nickname falling from his mouth without thought. “You okay? You want me to—”

“No.” You cut him off, gift him with a shaky smile. “Stay with me, okay? Just stay with me a minute.”

“’Course.” He leans down, bumps his nose against yours until your smile firms up, seems steadier. “Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Bob only moves enough to settle more of his weight on you, and then he takes the time to kiss you: he trails featherlight kisses across your face, your forehead, your flushed cheeks. He kisses the tip of your nose—it pulls a giggle from you, and the sound makes him smile. He kisses along your jaw. He dips his head near your ear, whispers how gorgeous you are, how good you feel, how he’d happily stay like this forever. He doesn’t miss the little shudder you give at his praise.

Bob doesn’t realize that he’s shifted your worldview entirely. Just this simple liaison—not even complete, and nothing extreme—has rearranged everything you thought you knew. You aren’t actively thinking of Jake at all—he’s been banished until afterwards—but you’re considering the balance of your entire erotic history against this single moment with Bob.

You’re realizing that sex can be so much more than just an act…and with Bob, a man you haven’t known that long.

You eventually stop trembling. Bob feels it when you relax; the tight clench of your cunt slackens a bit. He feels your hands on him, shy at first and then bolder as you run your warm palms over the planes of his back, along his shoulders and arms. As you thread your fingers through his hair, comb out the tangles there. As you rest your palm along the back of his head and lead his face back to yours.

“Thank you.” You whisper it, and your eyes are wide. Earnest. Bob isn’t sure what you’re thanking him for, so he just kisses you again.

“I’m ready,” you mumble against his searching lips.

“You sure?”

A nod, a purposeful roll of your hips that makes Bob see stars, makes the edges of his vision turn hazy with desire.

“Take me, Bob,” you tell him, and he’s never heard you so assured. “I’m yours.”

So he does. He takes you in small movements, focused on your pleasure. He is used to sitting in the backseat of a billion dollar plane, all those systems to keep track of, so focusing on you is an easy, wondrous thing: the expression on your face, the moans he manages to pull from you. The way your eyes flutter shut or roll back or fix on him like he’s responsible for setting the sun in the sky. The way your hands touch him or hold him, sometimes soft and stroking, sometimes clinging to him like he’s your life preserver. The way your cunt feels, slick and warm and gripping him, obscenely wet as he fucks into you harder, the sound of skin on skin, the heady scent of sex filling his room, and he hopes it lingers for days afterwards, he wants the moment to never end.

He focuses on your pleasure as it rises, crests around you: the way you tighten up, bear down harder on him until he loses some of his rhythm. He reaches a shaky hand down to touch you there, the slick, swollen place where he disappears into the confines of your body, and he rubs a tight circle against you. He begs you to come for him; he’s so close, he feels his balls tightening against his body, and he needs you to come for him first, needs to feel you before—

When you come, you say his name. You breathe it out, a hot pant against his ear, and Bob is grateful for it because it pushes him over the edge. He groans out your name too, chokes out a curse, and you come together—your pussy pulsing around him as he buries himself in you, comes inside you.

Marks you as his.

-----

Afterwards, Bob remembers Jake and feels a sting of conscience—but not enough to send you home. That had been integral to the cuckolding thing, Bob sending you home thoroughly fucked, to sleep beside Jake, for Jake to know you’d been with another man and to be turned on by it.

A mean little part of Bob wants to. He wants to send you home satisfied, his cum dripping out of you. Part of him sees the allure of it from his side; Jake doesn’t consider Bob a threat, so it’d hit the smug bastard hard to see you satisfied, happy from your dalliance with the back-seater.

But Bob doesn’t give a shit about Jake. Not when you’re sitting in his bed with the sheets wrapped around you, uncertain all of a sudden, and Bob kisses you on the forehead and tells you to stay.

“Just stay the night,” he says. “Please. I’d love for you to stay.”

He sees the doubt on your face. He knows you’re thinking of Jake, and Bob feels a flare of something—anger, protectiveness, whatever. It gives him the courage to speak up. He takes your hand in his, settles on the bed beside you.

“Honey, is this even what you wanted? I had a fun time with you, but would you have asked me out if Jake hadn’t wanted it?”

Your expression turns from uncertain to surprise in an instant. “No! I mean, I asked you out because I like you. And because I’m in an open thing. I thought…” You trail off, stare at him as you try to assemble your words. “Did you only agree to take me about because of Jake?”

Bob shakes his head. “No. I took you out because I wanted to. I brought you here because I want you.”

Your surprise turns to a shy smile. “Really?”

He squeezes your hand. “Really.”

Your smile fades away by degrees, and your eyes shine with unshed tears. “I never wanted any of this, you know. I…I wanted to get married, have kids, all that, but he…” You sigh, drop your head. “I don’t like the open relationship. It makes me feel like I’m not enough, you know?”

“Honey—”

“Like if I were better somehow, he wouldn’t have to go out and find other women—”

“Hey, no, don’t—”

“Like, what is wrong with me? Why aren’t I enough? Why—”

“Stop.” Bob places a finger over your mouth to silence you. He hates all this doubt, hates how little you think of yourself, so he stills your words. “You’re enough,” he tells you. “Hell, honey, you’re everything.”

You blink at him, surprised. The shimmering tears shake loose, start to course down your cheeks, and Bob pulls you to him, holds you as you cry. He wraps you in his arms as you sob against him, gasp out that you don’t know what to do, that you’ve felt lost for months now—

“You don’t have to do anything tonight,” he murmurs against your head. “You just need a good night’s rest. That’s all you need to do tonight.”

Your tears taper off. You push away from him gently and swipe at where your tears have made his bare chest wet.

“Stop being so wise, Lieutenant,” you grumble, but there’s a teasing quality there that makes Bob smile. You sniffle and glance up at him, and he’s struck how beautiful you are even with swollen, teary eyes.

Maybe you’ve rearranged his world too.

No, there’s no maybe to it. You’ve definitely rearranged his world.

“Stay with me tonight,” he says, and he keeps his voice low and even, tries to keep the excitement out of it. He can sense that a sea-change is coming, and he doesn’t want to jinx it.

“Stay tonight,” he repeats. “Things are always clearer in the morning, I find.”

So you do. You nod at him, and you wave off his offers to get you clothes to sleep in. The two of you fall asleep in record time—the cure for Bob’s you-induced insomnia is you, both the cause and the cure, your warm, naked body curled up alongside him as he fades into sleep.

And you were right: Bob is wise. You’ll wake in the morning to an empty bed, a room full of sunlight, the lingering scent of sex. You’ll pad out into Bob’s kitchen and find the man putting the finishing touches on breakfast, and you’ll let him feed you before you let him fuck you again—this time on his kitchen counter, the room full of light so you can see the blatant love in his expression as he claims you again. And then a third time, together in the shower, a slow moment so full of feeling that you’ll cry when you come, and Bob will hold you, will choke back words as he comes too, and you’ll wonder later why those bitten-back words sound so much like I love you.

And then you’ll let Bob drive you home where Jake will be waiting for you. His smug smile will fall as you breeze past him, his cuckolding fantasy falling apart in front of him because he was the only one turned on by it, the only one turned on by opening your relationship. Jake will realize too late that he only opened the door for someone else to come and steal you away, and that the thief will be Robert Floyd, who taught you that love should never be such a fraught, painful thing, and that you may not be enough for Jake, but for the right man, you are everything.

#bob floyd #bob floyd x reader #bob floyd imagine #robert floyd #robert floyd imagine #robert floyd x reader #top gun maverick #kinktober 2023 #tropes and tales

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asimpwithfreetime · 1 year

Note

May I please request a Yandere! Platonic Sully Family x Daughter! Reader fic? Where she’s Lo’ak’s younger twin and she’s very much like her dad’s twin Tommy. Maybe she’s the brains and would often be the mature one between her and Lo’ak? And they’re just protective over their baby girl. Was thinking of the fic showing what her life was like, like with all the scenes from the movie that were all family-focused up until they join the Metkayina and they learn their ways, maybe she gets some attention from boys of the Metkayina clan. Maybe she’s the one that gets shot and ALMOST dies and the family is just enraged and go on a killing spree with the RDA? And when she recovers she’ll be doted on?

I love the idea. In my whole life as a fanfic writer (I have another account we’re I’ve been writing since I was 12) I have never written platonic relationships so I don’t know how it is going to go. But I’ll try my best! I hope you like it.

It was going to be too much if I did everything that was asked there, so I just did the daily life of her with her family and what would happen if, once in the Metkayina clan, boys would flirt with her.

My family (Yandere! Platonic Sullys x younger daughter! Reader)

Pairings: ALL OF THEM PLATONIC. Yandere! Jake Sully x daughter! Reader, yandere! Neytiri x daughter! Reader, yandere! Neteyam x baby sis! Reader, yandere! Lo’ak x younger twin! Reader, yandere! Kiri x younger sister! Reader and Tuk x older sister! reader

Content warning: not proofread yet, English isn’t my first language

General warnings: Yandere actions, obsessive behavior, violence

[ 3rd person POV ]

The Sully family was well structured. Everyone had a role. Tuk was the only one that could do what she wanted. Apart from her, everyone’s role was to protect Y/n and be there for her. From Jake to Kiri, even her twin brother Lo’ak.

No one had made up that rule or spoken about it. They all got the idea the moment she opened her eyes for the first time.

She was a blessing from Eywa and her family loved her very much. So much that they had the feeling that they had to protect her until their very last breath.

She hadn’t noticed yet, but she had triggered the “yandere” gene in her family. In a platonic way, all they wanted was for her to love them as equally and to be protected.

Jake needed his goodnight cuddles with his baby or he felt sad and he begged Neytiri to tug Y/n into bed every night. Neytiri loved to teach her how to hunt and to protect herself. She felt proud of her baby, even though she would never let her go on her own.

Neteyam loved to have his little sister around. Cuddles were his favorite. But just having her in his line of vision was enough to keep him calm and collected. He also adored the way Y/n had him as her hero.

Lo’ak sometimes bickered with her, they were twins after all. But he knew how much he needed her, she had the brain and he had the muscle. He loved seeing her laugh when he said something funny.

Kiri enjoyed time alone with her sister as well. Kiri was far more introverted than the rest and she liked a good book an telling her sister curious things about Pandora.

Tuk was just happy that everyone loved Y/n and her. She was the real baby of the house.

Y/n, completely oblivious to all of this she was happy to have such a loving family. She loved each one equally and she enjoyed time with each of them. She didn’t see the arguments the siblings sometimes had over who would spend time with you that day. Usually if things got too serious Neytiri would intervene while Jake pulled you aside so you wouldn’t have to witness it.

Even if they loved each other, all of them longed to be the protector of Y/n. If something ever happened to her they would go completely crazy.

Changing homes wasn’t something easy for anyone, but they pulled their feelings away to take care of Y/n’s. Even though she assured them she was doing fine.

She flew in Jake’s ikran. She had one but the family thought it would be safer. A few hours before taking off they fought over who would hold you. Neytiri was going to go with Tuk so she acted as a mediator. Jake won being the dad.

Once in the Metkayina clan, all of the other Na’vi could see the circle that the family instinctively made around Y/n. Ao’nung and his friends had their eyes on her right away, they made Neteyam and Lo’ak give them death glares.

A few days into the clan, everyone was adapting just fine, on their own rhythm. Neteyam was sly and made Lo’ak go with Tsireya. He did find the young Metkayina cute, but he shouldn’t look anywhere but Y/n. What if she hurt herself? What if Ao’nung tried to harass her for having demon blood?

WHAT IF HE TRIED TO WOO HER?

Lo’ak’s blood boiled at the thought. No one was good enough for his sister.

“Teyam!” Y/n smiled from her ilu, she waved at her brother with a sweet smile and that beautiful nickname he loved. “Look!” She splashed around.

“Very good, Y/n!” He beamed at her. Rotxo stopped helping Neteyam for a moment. “If you want to get an ilu we should get further from them” he said. Neteyam shook his head. He needed to be close, otherwise something could happen to her.

And he would rather die before letting her alone with Ao’nung. “C’mon demon child, try to go into the sea with your ilu” he said with a mischievous smile. He was flirting with her, no doubt.

Neteyam’s expression darkened and soon Lo’ak joined him. “Are you trying to flirt with our baby sister?” Lo’ak said, getting awfully close to Ao’nung. “So what if I am?” The Metkayina taunted.

“This happens” Lo’ak said before punching him. Y/n’s eyes widened. “Lo’ak! Stop!” She said, she felt scared, she had never seen her brothers be violent with anyone.

“Come with me, Y/n” Neteyam ordered. The sweet tone king forgotten. Y/n did as told when he pulled her wrist. “Teyam! Why is he doing that?” She said getting further from the fight. They reached were Kiri was. “Take her to the hut” he informed. Kiri nodded. “Let’s go, you don’t wanna see that, do you?” She asked, raising a brow.

“No, of course not!” Y/n replied. When they got to the hut it was empty. The fight had gotten out of hand, Neteyam and Lo’ak were in bad condition, but Ao’nung and his other friends were worse.

Jake came into the hut first, looking awfully angry. “Now you two are going to explain to me WHY THE HECK YOO WERE FIGHTING RIGHT AFTER WE INSTALLED OURSELVES!” He roared to his two sons.

“Ao’nung was hitting on Y/n” Lo’ak informed. When he named her all of them looked at her. “Then good job son!” He said, his mood swinging completely.

“But dad! Fights aren’t good” Y/n tried to reason. Jake’s arms trapped her in a bear hug. “They were protecting you, baby. We all do. If they fight to keep you safe it is perfectly fine” he kissed the top of her head with love.

#yandere avatar #avatar neytiri #yandere avatar (james cameron)#kiri avatar #avatar headcanons #avatar 2 #avatar james cameron #avatar #avatar x reader #avatar neteyam #neteyam sully #neteyam #yandere neytiri #yandere jake sully #yandere #yandere neteyam #yandere Lo’ak

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koiiiiijiii · 2 months

Text

being in big deals from beginning with Sinu, but leaving with Samuel after

pairing ; samuel seo x reader x jake kim

tw ; polyamorous, mfm, possessive! samuel

author note ; my first time writing for lookism and for this two, also im on chapter 343 only, so if something not accurate enough im sorry!! ALSO celebrating 400 followers!! and even tho ask box is closed, i still want to do something nice for you, so if you want you can leave your requests for SHMOL sketches under, i will do it super short and put it in one post!! lookism and windbreaker💋✨💐🤸🏼‍♀️

author note 2 ; not proofed, i wrote it after work with one eye open, so i just throw it to chat gpt to check any mistakes, if you find any you know who you can judge😤🫸🏻

‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈౨ৎ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹

⋆𐙚₊˚ you have been with big deals even before Jake and Samuel joined, which means you were more close with Sinu, who was like a older brother figure for you

⋆𐙚₊˚ you always were good with calculating and make predictions so you literally was the reason why big deals didn’t have any debts to any other gangs or companies

⋆𐙚₊˚ when Jake and Samuel joined big deals they firstly didn't pay too much attention, just another girl spinning around Sinu, nothing new

⋆𐙚₊˚ but then they started to notice that you always appears at every meeting, even if it were just for big deal, not including girls who work on their street, always whispering something on Sinu ear and checking some papers

⋆𐙚₊˚ it was slow burn in beginning, they payed you more attention on meetings, started more small talks time to time, as soon as they caught that you are actual part of big deals. also, later they learned that you actually liked Sinu as older brother, and that was the moment when they start... acting…

⋆𐙚₊˚ of course you had your small moments together before. like you accidentally fall asleep on Jake’s shoulder when everybody celebrated another holiday, or when you asked both of them to show you some actions, - in case if you will be alone on the street, so you can protect yourself - and seemed that Samuel got a little carried away and pushed you too hard, but catching you by your wrist just moment before your head was about to hit the ground

⋆𐙚₊˚ there were always that moments between three of you

⋆𐙚₊˚ but first one who started to show off were Samuel

⋆𐙚₊˚ he already were jealous over the fact that Sinu choosed Jake as his favourite one, so he can’t let Jake to have yours attention as well. later it will be worse, when he will learn who Jake’s father was

⋆𐙚₊˚ Samuel would always flirt with you making it crystally clear that he likes you, and you wouldn't even notice it because of amount of work for big deals and of homework you still had in school

⋆𐙚₊˚ and when Samuel brutally flirts with you, trying to get your attention, Jake would snort, turning his eyes somewhere else, trying to ignore it and telling Jerry to "stop say stupid stuff like this" when he, once again tried to push his boss to admit his feelings towards you

⋆𐙚₊˚ for Jake it's complicating because he see how Samuel likes you, so he doesn’t want to ruin everything even tho he himself had so many feelings towards you

⋆𐙚₊˚ and Jake waited for too long...

⋆𐙚₊˚ when Samuel took leading position in big deals you were forced to stay by leader side to help him earn as much money as possible to pay to big four, but when Samuel left big deals for workers he asked you to go with him

⋆𐙚₊˚ Samuel was far from gentle man, but when his huge arms hugged your shoulders from behind, softly murmuring into your ear to come with him in new gang, to join him and stay by his side, offering you simply better life, where you won't need to calculate how to save more money until next month, where you will be able to buy expensive clothes, where you can offer yourself jut... more... it was hard to resist to Samuel espesially when you lived your whole life expecting how to safe money to the next month and economize as much as you can

⋆𐙚₊˚ so thats how you left big deals with Samuel, still with heavy heart for Sinu and big deals in general

⋆𐙚₊˚ Jake was feral when Jerry told him that. in his head it was more like Samuel forced you. oh, Jake were fully aware that Samuel were able to use power over girls, and Jake blamed himself for the fact that you had to leave the big deals

⋆𐙚₊˚ when you and Samuel become part of workers, he won’t let you go far away from him. you would be his personal assistant and manager. everything but always by his side. you always. by his side. always. Samuel even went that far that he rent big apartments for both of you, of course with separate rooms, you still didn’t accept his feelings and were naive about what kind of emotion you rise in him

⋆𐙚₊˚ Jake tried to contact you few times but, oh wow, what a surprise, Samuel always were the one to pick up the phone, telling him to leave you alone

⋆𐙚₊˚ to say less Jake felt terrible back then, things that happened to Sinu, Gun Park and his big four gangs, praises about money and the heir at his place, big deals, everything at one time…

⋆𐙚₊˚ and then prison… Jake felt like biggest loser on this planet

⋆𐙚₊˚ and he would never wish you to see all horrors of this place, but here you are sitting on the other side of safety glass, looking too beautiful to place like this, too pretty in your fitted white shirt and pleated skirt. Jerry probably yanked you right out of the office. another self note - to chastise Jerry next time for bringing you to place like this

⋆𐙚₊˚ “Jake… im sorry, i had no idea what happened to you” you murmured softly into the receiver of the phone connecting the two sides. “Samuel never said anything about that… I was shocked when Jerry just caught me near office and crammed me in the car”

⋆𐙚₊˚ after that day, you came to Jake more often, slipping away from Samuel under the pretext that you wanted to meet an old friend from school and he didn't need to attend girls' gatherings

⋆𐙚₊˚ when Jake finally got out of prison, one of the first things that he did was ask you to eat ramen together. you told him everything about your new life, that now you live with Samuel and he takes care about everything, starting with payments for apartments, finishing with fuel for car, as he always ready to ride you to any part of city

⋆𐙚₊˚ Jake felt feral when you told him whole story.

⋆𐙚₊˚ not only that bastard not tell you what happened to Jake, but he also controlled the calls and forced you to live with him. Jake knew what Samuel's feelings were for you, even if you perceived his care and relationship as friendly or brotherly, Jake still guessed what was behind it. but he never imagined that his friend would get to the point where he would keep you with him 24/7 and secretly control your phone calls from anybody from big deals

⋆𐙚₊˚ after that meeting Jake knew that he can’t offer you to stay at his small room he rent, even if he really wanted you to stay more by his side. he didn't tell you about his guesses about Samuel, you don't have to worry, yet you were safer with him than with Jake now. the only thing he did before sending you home in a taxi was hug you so tightly - tightly, it seems that his hands were a little lower than he should have allowed himself, and his hot breath was a little off when his lips were too close to your neck.

⋆𐙚₊˚ in the end, Jake pushed your hair off your forehead, and pressed his lips firmly to your forehead, shut his eyes and quietly promised himself to deal with Samuel later

‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈౨ৎ┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹

#[ ~ koi.talks🗣]#lookism #lookism imagines #lookism headcanons #lookism x reader #lookism webtoon #lookism manhwa #lookism thoughts #jake kim #samuel seo #jake kim x reader #jake kim x reader x samuel seo #samuel seo headcanons #lookism samuel #lookism jake #samuel seo x reader

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stargirlrchive · 1 year

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ocean eyes: chapter three ✩ jake sully

masterlist ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ ocean eyes masterlist

summary: widow!jake sully x female!reader, 10 year age-gap. jake is lowkey sunshine <3 reader is grumpy! arranged marriage/marriage of convenience, eventual smut, arguing, Jake being a flirt, that’s all + wc - 2,424

comments: part three lovers, reader x ronal interactions are my fav to write fr so this was fun, also i know this has been more reader!centric as opposed to reader x jake but just wait ;) chapter four is literally my favorite from the whole series i am so excited, kk bye <3

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⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

You walked into the marui, Tsireya instantly running into your arms as she cried. The younger girl was at times too sensitive for you. Still you wrapped your arms around her, pulling her closer, “Are you okay?”

“Yes syulang, I am fine. Calm down.”

She took a deep breath, removing herself as she looked over you once more. Her ears pinned back roughly in fear as her mother entered their home. “You are so irresponsible!”

You huffed out an annoyed breath, removing Tsireya from you as you moved deeper into the home. “Yes sister, whatever you say.”

Ronal despised how much you dismissed her, her frustration with your lack of care finally reaching its boiling point. “Tsireya, Ao’nung- out!”

“Sa’nok-”

“Out!”

Both of the younger children scurried away, scared to be caught in the crossfire. “You have no regard for anyone but yourself! You are so careless! Stupid girl!”

“I am not a child, Ronal! Stop treating me as such!”

“No, you are far worse! You behave worse than any child I have ever raised!”

Your anger was rising quickly, causing the deepest throb to pound on your temple, ringing angrily in your ears. “I do not know what you want from me sister. When I was younger you wanted me to step out of my shell, now that I am happy, doing as I please you find issue in it. You find issues in everything I do!”

“Yes because you are too wild, you do not understand responsibilities because Tonowari and I have let you run amuck for far too long!”

An angry hiss left your lips, “How many times do I have to tell you? You are not my mother! I was fifteen when you took me in, I had accomplished my Iknimaya well before you began to acknowledge my existence again. I do not need you to mother me!”

Ronal was not sure when her relationship with you got this way, when had your strings tangled so horribly that neither of you recognized the other? Unwilling to see eye to eye. “You have changed so much from when you were a child. I do not recognize you.”

Despite wanting it to, her words hurt you. “You choose not to see me. Refuse to acknowledge that I want to be my own person.”

“Being your own person entails you to be selfish? You hurt the people that care for you! And if that is who you are, then no. I refuse to get to know this new person.”

Selfish.

Her words stung, all you wanted was the attention she ripped away from you when she left your home. You missed her terribly, and since then never found your place with her again. “You will continue to fight this, but know you will be mated. Whether that is with JakeSully or someone else. But I will make sure of it, I want you out of my home as soon as possible.”

Hot tears instantly fell from your eyes and this time it was Ronal who walked out on you.

Jake nervously made his way to his family’s marui, his palms were sweating uncomfortably as he thought of how he should bring up the subject with his children. It had been a few years since Neytiri had left their life, and though they had learned to live without her, he wasn’t sure how they’d take the news.

Worried he’d need to make arrangements for them to leave once more. He sighed quietly, nerves bubbling in his chest as he walked in. His youngest, Tuk, instantly ran into his arms. “Sempul, you’re back!”

He scooped her up in his arms, smiling as she clung to him, “Told you I would be back quickly.”

He moved deeper into the home before setting her down, “Sully meeting, fall in.”

All his kids crowded around him, curiosity filling them as they saw their father fidget with nerves. “You know back in the forest, as Olo’eyktan I needed to make decisions that benefited the clan?”

He was answered by nods, “Well-Tonowari has the same responsibility as I do. He must make decisions with the assistance of the Tsahik, to make sure the safety of their people is ensured.”

Tuk’s lower lip wobbled, “Have they changed their mind?”

Jake instantly brought her into him, flattening her hair as he tried to soothe her. “No babygirl, but they have asked something of me. And I have agreed. But-”

He let out a deep breath, “If you all do not want me to, I can back out and we will take our leave once again.”

Lo’ak was the one to ask, “What do they want, sir?”

“They need to be sure that I am loyal to the clan, that just as they are welcoming us, we are doing the same. Holding loyalty for if any issue ever came to be they need to know I will stand with them.”

“And how will you do that?”

“By taking a mate.”

He waited with baited breath, trying to memorize the micro-expressions on his children’s faces, “Oh.”

“Like I said-I can back out, and we can leave.”

“I don’t want to leave, Sempul.”

Tuk laid her head on his shoulder before she continued speaking, “I like it here.”

Lo’ak stared at Neteyam, he didn’t know how to feel but he knew his older brother's stance on the matter would be the correct one. His expression was unreadable, “With who, sir?”

Jake’s eyes fell to his oldest, “Ronal’s sister.”

Kiri laughed as Neteyam sucked in a breath, “I heard she’s more reckless than Lo’ak, sir.”

It caused the four of them to laugh, Lo’ak sulking in the corner as his oldest brother teased him. “If you believe it is the right thing sir, we do too.”

Jake let out a quiet breath, sending a smile to his oldest three. “We still have a few weeks to go, give you some time to get used to her, yes? And if any of you change your mind, say the word and we’re gone.”

The night after that slipped away comfortably, and in the quiet of the night when his children were asleep Jake made his way towards the beach. He sank into the cool sand and called upon Neytiri, asking her to give him a sign that this was the right thing to do.

He was about to head back when a small glowing figure in the water came towards him. He instantly recognized the shape. An atokirina.

Jake let out a deep puff of air, a heavy weight lifting from his shoulders as the seed swam around him, his fingers dipped into the water and the atokirina tickled his fingers. After a few seconds it retreated, floating deeper into the water.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

You spent the majority of the night tossing and turning, Ronal’s words unable to let sleep come to you peacefully. It was short circuits of bliss, being ripped away by nightmares as her words taunted you. You sighed quietly, the sun barely peeking out by the horizon and you decided it would be best to just start your day. Changing into some of your more comfortable pieces of clothing, deciding to take a quick swim before fetching the Olo’eyktan.

You tiptoed out quietly, not wanting to wake anyone. Once you stepped out of the marui, your pace increased. Your feet digging into the warm sand as you sighed quietly.

You could tell by the tides that the day would be beautiful. Your feet dipped into the water before diving in.

The coolness shocked your senses awake and you couldn't help the giddiness that nestled into your chest. You swam deeper into the freshwater, a small laugh leaving your nose as one of the ilu’s nuzzled their head against your own. You signed to the animal, ‘Hello.’

The animal clacked back at you, only swimming backup to feel the warmth of the sun. Your eyes locked on the blur of dark blue, hands on his hips as he watched you. Your eyes rolled slightly, dipping back into the water to swim for a bit.

Jake’s day had started early too but unlike you the Toruk Makto was well rested. He laughed quietly when he noticed you turned away from him, dipping into the water once again. He decided to wait, he did not have much to do besides learning whatever it is you need to teach him.

Nearly ten minutes had passed and Jake was starting to feel a bit foolish, thinking you must have swam away. He sighed quietly going to turn around and head back to his marui but you reappeared once again. “Well, come in.”

Your voice dripped with annoyance, Jake once again found joy in how he pushed your buttons despite barely knowing you. His feet were moving quickly into the water, it was cold, shocking his senses and it caused a shiver to run down his back. His teeth began to clank roughly the closer he got to you, and it caused a laugh to rip from your throat. “Is the water too cold for you, Toruk Makto?”

“Just a bit.”

“Well, you better get used to it. I enjoy getting my chores done early in the morning.”

Your jabs did nothing to his ego, he enjoyed it actually, “Very well. Do me.”

Your mouth dropped in shock, eyes narrowing in on him as you splashed him with the cold water, “Stupid man!”

“You called me a chore, so let’s get it done.”

You huffed quietly, turning away from him before clicking your tongue softly, an ilu rising from the water. The docile animal nuzzled its head against your hand, chirping happily at the attention, “This is an ilu.”

“Really?”

You looked back at him, throwing him an angry glare. “Go on, mount her.”

“Can we go ahead and skip to the Tsurak?”

You rolled your eyes, “No we cannot. They are very difficult animals to tame and you are not ready.”

That jab did annoy Jake, only a bit, but still. He scoffed quietly, “I claimed a Toruk, I can tame a Tsurak.”

Maybe it was your annoyance with the whole situation, with your sister and Tonowari, with the man next to you, but you wanted to see him fail. You wanted to rub it into his face that he was in fact, not ready. “Very well, Jake Sully.”

He was a bit suspicious at your willingness to oblige but decided against commenting on it, excited to show off to you. “Either way, the Tsurak do not swim by here, you need to mount an ilu so we can get there.”

You swiftly connected your queue to an ilu that was swimming by, mounting the animal with ease. Jake followed your motions, feeling the strength of the animal course through him. You said nothing else, only moving forward through the water. He was glad you were ahead of him, you missed the way his body jolted roughly as the animal began to move. Maybe he was getting a bit ahead of himself, but he was never one to back down from a challenge.

The swim to the Tsaruk was quiet, the only noise was the sound of the water crashing against your bodies. You cut the Tsaheylu bond, diving into the water for a brief second before coming back up.

“We are here. Off.”

Jake tried his best to follow your motions, but dismounting his ilu was far less graceful than yours. It was only for a brief second but he felt nerves bubble in his chest. “Since it is only the two of us, I will need your help to catch one. Which will only make this all the more difficult for you.”

“Thank you for your words of encouragement.” His words dripped with sarcasm, and it caused your eyes to roll. “I am not here to coddle you. I am here to teach.”

Jake said nothing else, just watching you swim by the animals, “Much like your bird, a skimwing will pick you. By trying to attack you, so be ready.”

In the next instant you were swimming away from Jake and he was surrounded by the large animals. The majority of them scattered away, only nipping in his direction lightly before leaving. But there was one, larger than most, that began to circle Jake, nipping harshly in his direction. Jake’s ear barely missed and his heart started to thump roughly against his chest. “Okay! Now you must grip on the handle, and use the rope to tie yourself to the animal!”

You had begun to swim towards Jake, ready to pounce on the animal to deter it from thrashing around. Jake listened to your instructions, gripping tightly onto the handle before throwing half his weight on. The animal trashed around, screeching in annoyance as Jake tried to wrap his wrist. You jumped on the animal's lower end, trapping its lower wings between your legs, “Hurry up!”

Jake grunted in exhaustion, he was not as lean as he had once been, the task proving to be more difficult than he liked. With a final wrap of his wrist, Jake threw his leg over the animal, “Go!”

You released the animal's wings and he was off in the next instant, “Let your legs fall flat against him before you dip back into the water!”

Jake tried to follow your instructions, after easily positioning himself when the animal took flight, but he lost his footing when dipping into the water. The leather strap unwrapped from his wrist as he got dragged deeper and deeper. He felt the sting as he finally released his hand, swimming up quickly to try and fill his lungs with air. “Fuck!”

He raised his hand, it was raw with cuts, throbbing aggressively in his palm.

“Are you alright?” Your voice was dripping with your amusement, you weren't even trying to hide the smile on your face.

“Peachy.”

Your face scrunched up in confusion, not understanding the word that fell from his mouth. After calming down he looked at you again, his eyes glossed over a bit as the sun glimmered off the teal of your skin.

Jake could not place what it was, but he wanted to impress you. He felt the need to prove himself to you. Maybe it was the way you were unwilling to bend the knee to anyone’s will and he enjoyed the challenge. So the words slipped off his tongue as he watched you, “Again.”

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thewulf · 11 months

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I Missed You || Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Summary: Request - Hello again! Hope you're having a wonderful week, I was hoping I could get one with Jake Seresin where the reader flirts with all the time, like all day everyday, like playfully and he always laughs it off, but the reader genuinely likes him but doesn't know how to show it ... Read Rest Here

A/N: I really like how this one turned out! Hope you all enjoy. As always thank you for the request @stuffingbuttsandshit !!

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Y/N

Word Count: 4.1k +

“Hey there handsome.” You slid down into the seat next to Jake trying to fake all the confidence in the world. Truthfully, he made you nervous as hell. The more you got to know him the more nervous you found yourself around him. You liked Jake Seresin. You liked Hangman. You’d known of him but finally met him a month ago when you both started training to become Captain’s. A select group of pilots had been chosen for a new accelerated program to push talent through to the top as the workforce ages out. The Navy finding a solution to the rapidly aging workforce.

He looked up from the manual he was reading over with a ghost of a smile crossing his features. The morning sun hit his face framing it so perfectly. Because of course it did. Even the damn sunlight was attracted to him. Not that you could blame it. Look at him, all perfect and shit.

“Bug.” He leaned back crossing his hands over his chest referring to you by your callsign. You’d earned it after accidentally consuming a pot brownie at a party and you wouldn’t stop talking about A Bug’s Life. You hadn’t a clue where it came from. You hadn’t even seen the damn movie in years. Leave it to the weed to earn a callsign for life. You’d grown to love it though.

“How was your weekend cutie?” Smoothly, you fluttered your eyelids rather dramatically before giving him your full-on smile. You’d fallen for the man quickly and he never even looked your way. Every time you were at the Hard Deck as a group his eyes would trail over to some surfer girl or new pilot that caught his attention for the night. More often than not you’d see him leaving with that same girl. Jake got what he wanted. You learned that quick.

It hurt. You tried to play it off like you never noticed, didn’t care. But you did. You craved for his eyes to be searching yours just like he had those other women. He wouldn’t even look at you like that though. He saw you as one of the guys no matter how hard you’d flirted with him. Nothing seemed to grab his attention. It felt like an endless game that you probably needed to drop but didn’t want to. You hardly thought you’d be able to find somebody else like him. Behind that tough exterior is a heart of gold. Somebody who will care so deeply for you. Put all your needs first. Make sure your happy. That was a rare person. Jake was a rare person. And he’d never see you. That hurt.

He smiled now. At least you could get that out of him, it was something, “My sister and nephew’s came to visit. It was nice.” He closed the manual knowing he wasn’t going to read much more with you sitting there. He’d never admit just how much he loved the attention you gave him on a daily basis. How you flirted incessantly with him. He looked forward to the new nicknames and creative ideas you’d come up with to flirt with him. It’d become a daily routine for him that he’d come to adore.

You nodded, “That sounds lovely. My brother told me to ‘fuck off’ when I told him he should come visit.” You laughed knowing he was just kidding. That was just his way of showing love to his younger sister. Brotherly love and all or something like that.

Jake smirked, “Sounds like a brother.”

“Sounds like a man.” You answered right back, quickly. He ran his eyes over your face, observing you. That’s all it took for your heart to speed on up. You just prayed that blood wasn’t rushing to your face, but you knew it was. Betraying you at your most vulnerable moment.

“You’re something else Y/N.” He shook his head turning back to the front of the room making sure Cyclone wasn’t up there yet. The hard ass was teaching your in-person lessons while Viper and Maverick took to the air.

You looked around too. Classmates were trickling in but paying the two of you no mind. It was still early. Cyclone started class right at 7:00 sharp. No excuses. If you were late you were kicked out for the day. It was noted. Always noted. Better get there early.

“I’m taking that as a good thing Jake.” You leaned over poking him in the bicep.

“Take it however you like.” Not a correction. Not a confirmation. A neutral response. He was impossible. There was no way you were ever going to break into the mind of him. You’d been thinking about it for a little bit now, but it might be time to pull away from him. Step back and give your aching little heart a break for a bit. It was impossible to keep at it only to get half smiles and nodding chuckles. You wanted more and he didn’t. That was okay. You couldn’t force it. Nothing ever worked like that.

You leaned back in your chair looking forward now. Time to pull back from him. Not all at once, no. You don’t think even you could quick Jake Seresin cold turkey. Oh, no no no. There wasn’t a way. He was too Jake. Not perfect, but perfect in his own way. A prize that was just out of reach from your grasp. A prize you had to back off from as much as it hurt.

“Alright.” You mumbled. He looked over at you quickly scouring your face for the sudden change in your mood. That was… odd for you. You were always kind. Always cheery. Always rebutting his non advances. You’d always lead the conversation and suddenly you weren’t. it was too quiet for him.

The rest of class you didn’t take your eyes off Cyclone. You’d normally poke and prod Jake for something, but you were backing off. You needed to focus anyway. At least that’s what you told yourself. You’d caught his occasional peak at you from your peripherals every now and then. He’d certainly noticed something, you thought.

Cyclone wrapped the morning session off sending you off to meet up with Mav after you changed. You shut your notebook without a word before putting it in your backpack. Not giving a damn how juvenile it made you look.

Jake peaked over once more expecting you to say something. But when you stood to leave without saying something he had to, “Everything alright?” He asked you already missing your cute little remarks.

You nodded, “Just fine. Watch your back in the skies.” You winked before turning off calling Natasha. Jake watched as you walked out without him and with Phoenix instead. He frowned watching you turn out of the classroom and out of his sigh.

You walked into the Hard Deck trying to spot the group of pilots you’d grown to love. You head Jakes big booming laugh out of the corner of the bar and made a bee line towards the group. A seat next to Frosty or a seat next to Hangman. You opted for the earlier and sat down next to the guy. Jake frowned seeing you sit down across from him instead of next to him like you’d always have. That’s why nobody took the spot next to him, that was your spot.

Nat raised an eyebrow as she saw your choice in seating. You hadn’t disclosed anything to her earlier in the day. She watched as Jake fought the grimace that so desperately wanted to show on his face. Had he done something?

“Evening, ladies and gents.” You smiled brushing out the dress you’d put on. You’d never understood how the guys could wear their uniforms out. You wanted nothing more than to change the second you were off base.

“Bug.” Frosty tipped his cap towards you, “You look nice.” Jake didn’t like the way his eyes raked up and down your frame. Not one bit did he like that. You looked far too pretty to be degraded like that.

Before you could reply to him Jake decided to speak up, “You look beautiful.” He shot Frosty a cold look, one to match his callsign.

Your eyes slowly turned to Jake, cheeks surely ablaze. That was a first. Jake had never complimented you. His eyes had always glossed over your figure. You’d seemed to just blend in with your surroundings.

“Thank you, Jake.” You smiled kindly at him.

He nodded, this time his eyes taking their time to size you up. You did look beautiful. Stunning even. He’d always known. But you were you. You were in his class. He’d have to work with you. He couldn’t think of you that way. Things never turned out good when that happened. So, he had to ignore it. Ignore whatever pull you seemed to have thrown right at him. He’d resisted as long as you paid him attention. He failed when you started to draw back though. He wanted your eyes on him again. He wanted your flirty words that so effortlessly rolled off your tongue.

He shrugged innocently, “It’s only the truth.” He took a sip of his beer shooting you a wink afterwards. You playfully rolled your eyes before elbowing Natasha in the ribs for whispering an obscene remark in your ear.

It was certainly odd behavior for him. He’d never reciprocated anything when you gave it your all not a day ago. But now that you were diversifying yourself he wasn’t having it? What kind of sick game was he playing? Real you in just close enough to bait you then switch? You couldn’t do that either. That’d crush your heart a thousand times over and you’d keep crawling back. Because who could resisted those tanned skin dimples when he smiled? Not you. Certainly not you at all.

You’d attempted to avoid his gaze most of the night only shooting him a wink and stinking your tongue out at him a few times. When you’d gotten up to grab a beer Jake wasn’t far behind you trying to play it off coolly and not looking like the puppy dog he felt like. Like you had him right on an invisible leash. You did though and only he knew that.

“Bug.” That voice brought you out of the conversation you were having with the handsome man at the bar. You felt how close he was to you, his breath right on your ear.

“Seresin.” You shifted your weight away from him, he was playing unfair now.

“How are you?” He asked stepping to the side respecting your boundaries. The last thing he wanted to do was upset you.

“I’m good.” You nodded smiling up at him. He looked, nervous? His hands were fidgeting with the other. His neck was craned looking for eyes on you.

“That’s good.” He nodded.

How odd this was, “And you?” You asked feeling like a complete stranger to him with the tension coating the air thickly.

“I’ve been better Buggie.” He answered you looking down right at you. He was the only one who could get away with calling you that. You’d shot down everyone else you even attempted to mimic Jake.

“Oh?” You asked raising the fresh beer to your lips. Jake watched as you tilted the glass back to take a sip. How the foam coated the top of your lip. How badly he wanted to brush it away once you set you glass back down. The foam vanished when you smiled. You were acutely aware of how he’d been staring right at your lips the entire time. What in the hell was going on with him? He’d never been so forward before. Not in all your attempts over the weeks. Hell, his actions made you feel like a leper not even the remotely attractive to his gaze. But this, this was something.

He nodded grabbing his glass from behind you making sure to brush his arm past yours, “Mhmm.” He was making you beg for the reasoning. Drawing the conversation out.

“Why’s that Jake?” You caved to his mental game.

“You didn’t sit by me. You always do.” He frowned letting his frustration be visible. He didn’t want to mess around now, afraid you might be slipping away from him.

“I don’t sit next to you every time. Plus, I needed to tell Frosty something.” You tried defending yourself.

He shook his head quickly, “Can’t bullshit a bullshitter Buggie. Didn’t your daddy teach you lying’s not a good thing?”

Jake fucking Seresin ladies and gentlemen. He had a masterful way of riling your right on up. Reading right between the lines you’d so intricately crafted. He broke down your façade within an instance. Reading you like a children’s book and not the high-level shields you thought you’d put up. It worked for everybody. Everybody except for him.

“Shut up Hangman.” You rolled your eyes walking back towards the table. But a gentle hand at your elbow stopped you.

“Did I do something?” He asked earnestly once you spun back around in the middle of the bar.

You shook your head playing dumb, “No?”

He sighed deciding not to press any further for the day, “If I did, you’d tell me?” He asked.

You nodded, “’Course Jakey.” You winked at him using the nickname only you could use. Jake nearly bit the head off of anybody else who tried. Jake watched as you walked back towards the group. He shook his head following behind you. Jake was down bad, and he knew it. He’d known it for a while.

The last straw for him was when you walked into the classroom the next morning and sat down next to Rooster of all fucking people. It’s not like Jake hated the man anymore but he certainly wasn’t best fucking friends with the guy either. Jake watched as the two of you conversed almost in front of him. Did you have any idea what you were doing to him at that moment? Driving him absolutely crazy when you threw your head back in laughter from something he said. Rooster, not him. He was so entranced with your conversation he hadn’t even noticed Nat sitting herself down next to him.

“You could just tell her you know.” She spoke up before the Admiral begun for the day.

He jumped at her voice. Shooting her a glare before answering her, “What are you talking about?” He decided to play dumb.

“That you like her.” Nat rolled her eyes, tired of his shit.

He sighed, “Why would I do that?”

She shrugged, “Because you do?” She said as if it were the most obviously thing in the world, “Look, she thinks you don’t like her. That’s why she stopped being so… forward. She thought she was annoying you. That’s not what she wanted to do to you. So, she stopped.” Nat said quickly and quietly out of the corner of her mouth.

He frowned almost immediately, “You’re shitting me.”

She shook her head, “Nope. But you didn’t hear it from me.” She whispered before sitting back in her seat as if no conversation had happened.

You thought he didn’t like you? How could he blame you though. He’d hardly reciprocated anything in the time he’d known you. How dumb could he be? Fuck, he really messed it up this time.

He was distracted the entire time. When Cyclone called on him and he stumbled through the answer the Admiral shook his head muttering something under his breath. You gave him a soft smile and a thumbs up in encouragement. Little did you know it was because of you he’d mucked that up so bad. He had to talk to you before they went up in the air for the day or he’d probably end up crashing.

When Cyclone wrapped it up he stood quickly, lingering by the door. He watched as you packed your bags up and waved Rooster off probably wanting to walk alone. He had other plans though.

“Y/N.” He said your name softly as you passed him, seemingly in a trance.

You looked up to him smiling softly to him, “Jake, hi.”

“Can we talk?” The look in his eyes said he was being sincere. He wasn’t bullshitting you.

You looked around not seeing anybody else in the classroom, “Sure.”

He pulled you out of the doorway before shutting the door. He turned quickly to you. He grabbed at your hands pulling you closer to him. Your heart was hammering in your chest as your wide eyes looked up at his much softer, sweeter ones, “Jake, what’re doing?” You asked almost breathless.

“I miss you.” He admitted, “It’s been a damn day and I miss you desperately Y/N.” He pulled you closer. You let him of course. This was everything you wanted and more. So much more.

“I don’t understand.” You admitted. He’d given you nothing for weeks. Where was this coming from?

“I’m a fucking idiot that’s what.” He pulled you in even closer. Your chest was flush with his. Surely he could feel your heart hammering in your chest. He looked down at you with a wicked grin as your eyes fluttered shut smelling his cologne mix with his own natural scent. Euphoria struck you in that moment, “Sweetheart.” He murmured so close to you goosebumps erupted almost immediately.

Your eyes snapped open feeling his lips brush your naked ear lobes, “Jake, you can’t…” You stopped seeing his expression cross from one of softness to something much more sinister. A darkened desire flashed through his eyes that sent a wicked shiver right down your spine.

He rolled his eyes. Mimicking you as you’d done it so many times before. Hardly feeling like you were at work anymore Jake took over your strongest desires. He was your strongest desire. Right here teasing you like you like the putty for him you were.

He leaned down to your other ear doing the same. Brushing his lips so dangerously close you could feel him. Jake enjoyed the goosebumps that rippled up from his breath. A physical reaction proving his own thoughts true, “I can, and I will. If you let me.” The vibration from his low drawl sent ripples throughout every part of your body. You shook it off thinking for a second.

He took a chance and brushed a strand of hair behind your ear making sure to drag his fingertips across your neck. Grinning when he felt you shiver at his touch. He knew he’d melt the same way at your own touch, “Sweetheart.” He whispered again before pulling back knowing your brain was likely short circuiting. He had the advantage of knowing your feelings. Although he was making it rather obvious that he reciprocated them.

“Jake, what are you doing?” You asked again. You just couldn’t seem to believe that this was actually happening.

He chuckled letting his arms snake around your waist to pull you impossibly close now. He was so much taller than you. Your head level with the top of his chest. But you molded in so well. It felt so good. So true to what you needed.

“I told you. I was dumb. I like you darlin’. More than a friend does. Way more than a friend should.” He was looking right down at your lips as you were looking up at his.

“You like me?”

“Mhmm.” He hummed not tearing his eyes away, “And I think you like me too. Isn’t that right sweetheart?” He was coaxing it out of you now.

He grinned when he saw your pale cheeks coat with a beautiful cherry pink. A blush he’d never grow tired of seeing. In fact, he made it his mission to see it every day. For some reason, he didn’t think it’d be too hard. He’d find something new to compliment you on every day for the rest of his life. He just knew it. It wouldn’t be hard with you. He was going to start making plans with you. He was sure of this one.

“Jake?” You asked feeling the nerves bubble throughout your body. The look he was giving you was one of pure adoration. One that you burned into your memory. A look you’d never seen from such a beautiful man, or any man before. One that told you that you were loved, no matter what. Through thick and certainly through thin.

He used his pointer finger to pull your chin up towards him, “Yes, darlin’?” He asked with a goofy grin sporting his gorgeous face.

“Can you kiss me?” With little confidence you had left you asked him a question you’d wanted since the second you met him. Immediately you trusted the man. You were so drawn to him. It only took you pulling away for a brief moment for him to realize the same. It was different with you.

He nodded with a feverish grin, “Thought you’d never ask beautiful.” Gently, he pushed you up against the wall before pressing his hips into yours. Jake pinned your hands above your head onto the wall as he took a snapshot of your needy face. Doe eyes begged him to kiss your puffy lips full of desire.

A whine burst from your lips as Jake studied you. You couldn’t take it anymore. You really just wanted the man to kiss you. At that, kiss you he did.

With a swift motion he dropped his hands from your wrists and placed them behind your head. He leaned down pressing his lips to yours. Your knees began to buckle as the kiss turned more desperate, quickly.

You pressed forward lacing your hands throughout his golden locks. He let out a guttural groan before snaking an arm around your waist steadying you. He pressed in further brushing his tongue against your lips. Without hesitation you let him in. Let him explore like you’d so desperately wanted him too before. You bucked your hips against his earning another small groan from the man who knew he was in deep, deep trouble with you. A wild card you were.

He pulled away with displeasure knowing it couldn’t go any further at that, “Sweetheart, we are at work.” His grin only widened when he saw your disheveled state. His hands making a mess of your once perfect bun that you’d have to redo in the locker room. A rosy blush coating your face only making you more stunning. Your blown out pupils telling him the whole story, “I don’t take the Lord’s name in vain, but God Damn are you a vision darlin’. Absolutely fucking stunning.” His eyes now surveyed your entire body.

You shook your head, “Can we pick this up later? My place 6 o’clock?” You asked with so much desperation in your voice it should’ve been embarrassing. But you didn’t care. You wanted him to know. You craved him.

He nodded slowly brushing your hair back down so you wouldn’t look too suspicious walking to the locker room, “Absolutely pretty girl. I miss you already.” Another blush rose to your cheeks as the pad of his thumb brushed across your now swollen lips. He smirked at what he’d done. Hopefully nobody’d be none the wiser. But Jake had a sneaking suspicion Nat would notice. She was probably wondering where the two of you were now.

“As much as I want to continue, we should get going before Mav has our asses.” He grabbed your hand pulling you from the wall he’d pushed you against moments ago.

You nodded quickly, “Yeah, yeah.” Dazed and confused you walked into the locker room with Jake hot on your heels. Nat stood there with her arms across her chest looking at you with a curious grin.

“Don’t say a word.” You mumbled opening your locker and pulling out your flight suit with a swift pull.

She laughed, “Didn’t say a thing Bug. But you’re going to have to tell me later.”

You nodded with a stupid smile that wouldn’t go away, “I’ll tell you everything tomorrow. Promise.”

She gaped at you, “You better.”

You promised once more before walking out of the locker room with her. When you walked out you found Jake’s eyes on your figure quickly. That same loving look he’d shown you before in the classroom adorning his face made you nearly weak at the knees.

You heard Nat chuckle beside you only earning a swift elbow in the ribs from you and soft, “Shut up.” Before you turned back to Jake flashing him your brightest smile.

Permanent Taglist (Message me or comment below if you want to be added!): @loving-and-dreaming @kmc1989 @memeorydotcom @matisse556 @buckylov3r @taygrls @ah-blossom

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marymary-diva17 · 5 months

Text

In laws

neteyam x reader

When you had married your best friend neteyam and thought everything, was finally going well after many challenges getting in the way of your relationship. As the relationship neteyam was seen as something of forbidden love he was navi and you are human born on pandora, but not avatar body yet. That was not the only issues that was getting in the way of your relationship there was also the people around some love the relationship and others hated it. The biggest challenge was the in laws neteyam parents a challenging that you were still deal with to this day.

y/n " ummm"

neteyam " good morning my yanwe"

y/n " morning my husband" neteyam soon got out from the bed he was always a early raiser like his father Jake.

y/n " going scouting with your father again"

neteyam " yes he asked me if I wish to come and I agreed"

y/n " that wonderful wow I can't believe we have been mates for over five months now"

neteyam " five good months I owe praise to the great mother, for giving me a wonderful mate like you"

y/n " you are such a flirt" you soon pushed neteyam back a bit making the man laugh, as you soon started getting the home and yourself ready for the day.

y/n " I love our home it warm and beautiful"

neteyam " well we did make it with the help of my siblings and everyone else"

y/n " yes we owe them greatly"

neteyam " has norm given you any update on giving you and spider avatar bodies"

y/n " well they have been able to make one for me and spider after collect some dna samples for us and, using a formal from the old base and the RDA abandoned base they were able to get enough for us and everyone else"

neteyam " that wonderful ma y/n soon enough you can be navi and I will help you learn all the ways"

y/n " thank you" neteyam soon kissed your right check making you giggle and kiss him back as well, the two of you are a pair of love birds.

neteyam " I will be home for dinner but if anything change I will call you"

y/n " good and no need to rush back home I have enough stuff, family, and friends to keep me busy"

neteyam " that good to hear and if my dd invites us over to dinner will that be good for you"

y/n " yes they are now my family and we should be getting along"

neteyam " that why I love you"

????? " hey there you two" you and neteyam soon looked and saw Jake walking over with lo'ak, kiri, and spider in toe with him.

lo'ak " it seems like you two are getting along well"

y/n " well yes we are we were friends at first and now married together"

kiri " you two are a perfect couple because now I have another reason to call y/n my sister even more"

spider " hey if you can get into the clan so can I ...someday"

neteyam " don't worry you two soon everyone else will come around give them time"

y/n " yes brother don't worry everything will be fine"

spider " thank you sis" you and spider were not blood related but were raised together as siblings, by norm and tsu'tey who become your guys parents.

Jake " neteyam it right change it hard for the people but sooner or later they will come around and expect you two and the others as well"

y/n " thank you sir"

Jake " you don't have to call me sir anymore y/n we are family you can call me Jake"

y/n " yes Jake"

Jake " see oh here comes your father and dad"

tsu'tey "good morning everyone"

norm " yes good morning it seems like all of you are up where is tuk"

lo'ak " at home with mom"

norm " oh"

tsu'tey " so how is our young couple doing"

neteyam " we are doing well tsu'tey are you y/n"

y/n " yes we are five good months of marriage or being mates"

norm " that wonderful to hear"

Jake " well we will be leaving today will you girls be fine here today"

kiri " yes we can find something to keep ourselves entertained and busy I'm right y/n"

y/n " yes we can kiri"

neteyam " please no doing anything dangerous"

kiri " we make no said promise brother and who says you all get to have all the fun today"

spider " hey don't have that much fun without us"

y/n " we wouldn't"

Jake " come on you all can fight about this later we can't be late"

the boys " yes sir" you waved goodbye to the group with kiri as the two of you soon walked around the village carrying some empty baskets.

kiri " so it seems like mated life has been going well for you"

y/n " yes it has but there has been some problems in our relationship, that was there before and now"

kiri " my mother and the rest of the clan"

y/n " yes no matter what I do I think I will never have neytiri approval, or the clan approval they all hate me and think I stole neteyam away ... that my demon ways will brainwash him and doom the clan" you and kiri look at each other and soon fall out laughing,

kiri " they are all foolish there is no way you will bring doom to the clan, and same goes with spider and norm ... you three and the others have been here for us in these many years"

y/n " thank you"

kiri " my mother can be stubborn but I hope she does come around, because she can't hate you forever if you and neteyam plan for a family in the future and you two are bonded to be forever"

y/n " yes I hope she does come around but I will be nice and civil, as I wish to not cause any issues with the family"

tuk " kiri y/n" tuk soon came running towards you and kiri, she soon stopped when she reach the two of you.

y/n " hey tuk oh you are wearing that new top"

tuk " well you and kiri helped me make it and I felt like wearing it today"

kiri " it looks good on you baby sister our dear y/n has amazing weaving talent doesn't she"

tuk " yes she does"

y/n " aww you two are so nice" the three girls had laugh and smile before they went back to walking, soon reaching the field where fruit and herbs were grown with many other stuff as well.

mo'at " girls it good to see you out there today"

tuk " grandmother hello"

mo'at " hello sweetie y/n it good you are here I been meaning to have some more times to talk with you"

y/n " oh yes ma'am have I done something wrong"

mo'at " no I was wish to speak more with my grandson mate, as you are now apart of our family and have been doing well in the clan ... I'm proud of you"

y/n " thank you"

kiri " see grandmother see you are apart of the family and clan, you are seen by many"

mo'at " what the matter girls"

kiri " it seems like after her and neteyam become mates she still facing some issues with the clan"

mo'at " I'm sorry my dear it seems like I might need to have words with the people and my daughter"

tuk " how do you know it mom"

mo'at " I know my daughter well I will deal with the others I had deemed you and neteyam to be mates by my will and eywa will, if they wish to go against that then they are going against me and te great mother"

y/n " wow that taking it a step up"

mo'at " anything to make you and my grandson happy you are one of eywa children no matter what my daughter and the people have to say" you had nodded your head mo'at had left the three girls alone as she was needed back at the village, you are enjoying your time with kiri and tuk.

tuk " I hope I can find love like you and neteyam y/n"

y/n " don't worry tuk you will find love one day"

kiri " I think I rather stay single all my life verse being with someone"

y/n " that good as well do what you want"

????? " you" all three of them had gotten spoked when they heard neytiri voice, she soon made her way towards the three girl and she looked mad.

tuk " mom"

neytiri " not now tuk I need to speak with her"

kiri " mom what the matter"

neytiri " this girl since she was very young has been looking for a way to get into the family and clan, and now that she her she had turned your brother against me and your grandmother .... the once harmony we had in our clan has been ruined"

kiri " mom that not her fault"

neytiri " so you are blaming me for what is happening to our family, when it all her fault you ruined my son life and now you are ruing my family soon enough the clan"

y/n " neytiri with all respect your son and I really love each other"

neytiri " that false love you two will never have a family he need a proper women from the clan and I'm not the only one who think that ... he was meant to be with ninat daughter but you came and ruined everything" neytiri was not backing down as she was looking at you with hate in her eyes and voice.

tuk " mom you are being mean to y/n she our family and we love her, and no matter what the future has for her and big brother they will be happy"

kiri " yes mom what if they have kids what will you do about your grandchildren"

neytiri " that is foolish no way you and my son will never have children and if that does happen I pray to eywa that, are like my son and nothing like you I don't want demon blood on my family"

navi " yes we don't need demon blood or demon children in our clan"

navi 2 " our future oloeythan should be with someone else we have better women then her"

navi 3 " her and all the other demons are ruining our lives with their stuff and way of life, we will be better off if they stay away"

y/n " so no matter what I do you will never expect me neytiri and the same goes for the rest" the silence from neytiri and everyone else proved you right.

y/n " my future children will either get love or hate from you and everyone else ... well neytiri if I do have children I pray to eywa and anything else I have the willing power and strength to keep them happy and love .... I will make sure none on destroy them with their words and looks I have been given"

neytiri " one day my son will see the light and error of his way, and if there are kids I hope he take them far away from you and others like you"

y/n " we will see if that happens but it good to know who will in my future kids lives now before they come into this world" you soon stormed off grabbing you basket as tuk ran after you and kiri standing, to scold her mother before she came as well. The two of them stayed with you at your home as you try to control your emotions, and keep you company until neteyam comes back.

Later that day

y/n " ........"

tuk " y/n don't give mom the time of day she being rude towards you and many others"

y/n " I know but I'm just tried"

neteyam " y/n" soon neteyam came came dashing into the home and looked at you. He soon was followed by everyone else who were not standing at the entrance of the home.

kiri " she very upset about what mom had said to her"

Jake " what happened girls" the three girls had informed the group of what happened and to say no on was happy will be understatement. Jake look so disappointed about the whole situation as he was looking at his son and you.

Jake " right now there will be no major conflict with neytiri I will speak mo'at and we will deal with her, I will also make sure to have some words with her as well"

neteyam " thank you father I will have some words with her tomorrow, after I rest my nerves as I wish not to say anything bad to her"

Jake " I understand"

lo'ak " why don't we stay ...."

Jake " son I know you had good intentions right now but I think it best if we leave neteyam and y/n together you can spend time with her tomorrow, they will need to talk about what will happen in thier future"

lo'ak " yes sir" norm and tsu'tey hugged their daughter before they left, leaving the coupe alone as neteyam was comforting a sad and tried y/n. Everyone was upset about the situation and soon the event of today had been shared with the other humans, and they were not happy as well they felt bad for you.

neteyam " form tonight on I will keep you safe and I will keep our future family safe as well"

y/n " thank you and I'm sorry I tried I really did ..."

neteyam " it okay I understand" neteyam held you close that night he was upset with his mother, and was going to deal with her later on. He was going to keep true to his promise and make sure no one else, hurts his mate again even if that means cut some people out of his life.

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horseshoegirl · 3 months

Text

Set Me Alight: Part 7 - Paint It, Black

📜Life is messy. And complicated. And writer blocky, with a dash of imposter syndrome... I just want to put that out there... Anyway...

Well, the poll won out. You all want to know what Jake said to Midge. This is solely a flashback chapter. I can't say I'm surprised at who you all disliked in the last chapter, though I hope this one will give you some insight into why Midge has held on to this for as long as she has.

Special thank you to @teacupsandtopgun for helping me to write a certain part of this! You can thank her for the puns! And @sarahsmi13s for taking a peak at it!

❗️+18, Minors DNI, Strong Language, Enemies to Lovers, Original Female Character (s), Short OFC, Bradley Bradshaw x Natasha Trace, flashbacks, Halloween college parties, school, angst, sexual themes (overhearing), drunkness/inxotication. I mentioned angst, right? 💀

#8k <- yes, i know

Part 6 | Masterlist | Part 8

*Halloween Four Years Ago*

Giving orders to a football team to put up Halloween directions was not an easy feat. They were kids in a joke shop, only too happy to take every opportunity to jump-scare each other with a spider, a white sheet or slide out from behind a door and shout boo!

Despite the antics, you were grateful for the help. Nat and you wouldn’t have finished in time. And even then, you suspected Nat probably would have given up halfway through, merely deciding to throw Yellow Caution Tape on the walls and call it a day.

You wouldn’t have stopped - even if it became a doomed effort.

Bradley’s friends weren’t what you expected them to be. True, their appearance fit the bill a thousand times over. Tall, broad shoulders and bulging muscles were all the product of hard work - including Bob, who was smaller than the rest, though not by much. Even their mannerisms, from how they acted childish and goofy to how they winked or playfully flirted, everything you saw played into the stereotypical type that was the classic college football jock.

Then you got to know them—really know them—and hated yourself for ever associating them as such.

You already knew Bradley and had met him on occasion. When he stayed over to be with Nat, he was often up before you, and you’d chat with him over a cup of coffee. He always brought her a cup to wake her up when he could, and it always made you smile.

His story was a sad one. His father passed away when he was only two years old, leaving his mom to raise him alone. While he couldn’t regale you with his memories of him, he instead offered you the stories attached to his father’s things: a button-up Hawaiian shirt in pale pastels, a pair of coffee-brown Ray Ban sunglasses, and even a worn Milk chocolate leather-strapped bag he used to lug his books around campus.

Then, his mom passed away in high school, and his father’s best friend took him up until the point decided to leave for school. Bradley chose his words carefully when he spoke of any of them, offering little, and you wondered if the loss was still too much for him to bear.

Or something else had happened, and he didn’t want anyone to know.

But as you helped him blow up a few balloons for the floor, a song from a later decade played through the speakers, and Bradley lit up, producing a smile wider than the nearby Jack-o-lantern. He launched into a story about how much his parents loved music and how his father would play the piano, which alone made him want to learn.

You asked him if and when he did if he’d play for you one day.

Javy Machado, however, couldn’t be more different from Bradley if he tried.

He was just as meticulous as you when it came to detail. The two of you were discussing the best way to tape Velcro to the kitchen cupboards to stick fluff to the sides and mimic cobwebs when you discovered this fact. He was … quietly smooth and persuasive, with a suave smile that indicated he could charm his way into or out of any situation he wanted without needing to flirt or play it thick.

“Angle it like this, Maeve,” he had explained, stretching the piece out. “Principle of maximum contact area equals maximum adhesive stretch.”

You had raised your eyebrows at that remark, which prompted him to chuckle softly.

"Science major," he shrugged with that smile, making your internal monologue stutter to a halt until you went, "Wait... What?!"

He only laughed at your reaction, amused in a way like he’d been expecting it. But it was that look of genuine interest in his eyes that made you ask him properly.

He didn't know what field of science to specialize in, but Javy made all of it sound amazing. From stars to not dirt—it's soil—to understanding how the world worked, he knew he wanted to spend his life trying to figure it all out. If he could throw a ball around and be part of a team with his friends, he considered himself fortunate to do both.

Even if his passion was so far removed from your own, you may have seen some of yourself in his journey, trying to fit in while doing what you loved most.

Holding up a string of lights against the wall, Reuben Flitch told you he was floating through school, waiting for the day he could finally be free. On that day, he’d take over his family’s business. Comparing him to the fractured story of your brother and sister following in your parent’s footsteps never seemed to cross your mind.

Because when you asked what the business was, his face lit up with an enthusiasm you hadn’t expected.

“My grandparents own vineyards," he had beamed. "They've been in the family for generations. I've grown up with the land, the grapes, and the entire winemaking process."

He told you stories of growing up, playing through the vines and rows of trellises, making you long for the rows of apple trees at Aunt Viv's. He also talked about spending time with his grandfather, learning the process of pressing grapes and his grandmother tending and picking the grapes. He spoke about the people, everyone from the gardeners to the people who bottled the wine to his siblings, with whom he'd played hide-and-seek within the cellars.

He told you a business major was worth it, as much as he loathed it, if he could own the place one day.

You hoped he did.

But Mickey Garica and Bob Floyd were... characters, to say the least. It was easy to talk with them, even laugh with them, as the three of you spread tiny black spiders all over the apartment.

Mickey couldn’t stop asking if you could paint him one day, though you imagined it would be fandom-inspired rather than a realistic portrait. The second you asked him about his favourite universe, he launched into a word vomit of praise for each and every one. He spoke of Lord of the Rings, Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, and Batman—not DC—as the character deserved to be separated from the rest.

It made you wonder if the one portrait would be enough. Still, you happily humoured him, saying you needed the practice.

He was in Health Sciences, hoping it would be enough to get his foot in the door to become a firefighter. He talked about it so passionately, about being capable of making a difference and saving lives, that you honestly couldn’t see him in any other role.

And given the opportunity, Bob was so full of sass and witty comebacks to the ones you managed to throw his way, you were surprised he was seeking an Anthropology and Archaeology degree. He seemed to have a natural talent for what Comedians had labelled “crowd work.” You honestly would have taken him for a drama major had he not told you differently.

However, once he explained his choice, you understood why. Growing up, having been a Boy Scout, learning about nature, rocks, and life. He wanted to know more about life, history, and how things were.

A visit to an archeological dig site in high school sold it for him. His eyes lit up when he spoke about ancient civilizations, lost artifacts, and all the mysteries surrounding human evolution. He rattled off facts about Neanderthals and cave paintings, which had you urging him for more.

He happily obliged and was encouraging when you offered a few that you knew of.

All of them were so passionate about what they wanted to do with their lives, even Bradley, who wanted to pursue football seriously as a career; you admired all of them for it with your entire heart.

But Jake Seresin was... you didn’t know. Nor did he, it seemed.

Jake was there at your side every time you went back up that ladder, claiming someone needed to catch you should you fall again. You had rolled your eyes, a slight smirk gracing your face, but you let him all the same.

He wasn’t as open as the others, wanting to flirt with you more than anything else. Somehow, you managed to get him talking about football, and when you asked him why he played, he admitted that his father had gone and played at the school. He had been urged to apply, and his family would support him throughout his entire ride.

“Family money,” he said, his tone light when you gawked at him. You didn’t ask what his parents did, but knowing he came from a rich family, you wondered if he didn't want people to know. You certainly didn't. Nat didn’t know, at least not yet.

It prompted him to add his parents weren’t pressuring him into one career or another; they simply wanted him to keep up with the sport. So, he was buying time and taking electives, trying to figure it out, though he would have to make a decision soon.

And it made you wonder, under that confidence, under that layer of charm and ease on his surface, if he was searching for what everyone else in the group had already found. While everyone else didn’t fit the stereotype, you wondered if Jake was attempting to mould himself into it.

How you wished to tell him, he didn’t have to.

But Jake wasn’t a painting you could tear apart or theorize about. And as you pinned that last streamer to the ceiling, you realized over the course of the afternoon, you’d unwittingly developed a bit of a crush on him.

You weren’t stupid. You recognized the signs the second he caught you off that ladder. The second he handed you that shot. He was laying on the charm, the flirty glances, the playful smiles. Even the slight touches on your waist as you leaned back, pining streamers to the ceiling, were waving the red flags in your head.

Jake was either genuinely interested or actively looking for someone to hook up with tonight.

It wouldn’t be you, that’s for sure—not even for someone so charming and handsome as Jake Seresin.

In the last two hours, the guys took turns getting ready first while everyone else finished with the final touches. They wanted you and Natasha to go first, but you vehemently refused, knowing they’d ruin hours of hard work if left unsupervised.

You also wanted to see this through to the end, but you kept that to yourself. You had revealed enough of your quirky, artsy side to them. You did not need to add to it by gushing over the decorations or how the entire apartment turned out, possibly damaging whatever relationship you'd established so far.

People were weird when it came to shit like that.

Jake and Bradley emerged from Nat’s bedroom just as the two of you were headed toward yours. The hallway was already lit in a deep red from the lights now neatly strung up in the corners of the ceiling. Though the sun was beginning to set, shining warm light through your window, you knew the total effect would be entirely eerie when night rolled around. You couldn’t wait to see it.

Bradley was dressed as Indiana Jones: a white shirt, a brown leather jacket, and a fake whip at his side. His outfit was complementary to Nat's Marion Ravenwood, her costume the classic white dress from the first movie you spent a while making. Though she did ask you to take some creative liberties with the design, the dress was more risque than necessary.

The only thing remotely movie-accurate about it would be the puffy sleeves.

You couldn't help but whistle when Jake stepped out from behind Bradley. Instantly perking up at the noise, he let out a sly smirk and straightened the lapels of his deep black leather jacket.

"Danny Zuko, huh?" you laughed softly. "Guess you've got the whole 'bad boy' vibe down."

Jake smirked at you, copying one of the iconic character's signature moves by sliding his hands into his black leather jacket pockets as he strode by. "Only missing my Sandy. You wouldn't happen to know where I could find one, would you?"

You coyly peered at him over your shoulder as you continued down the hall. Unknown to either of you, Nat and Bradley had stopped to watch the interaction, filled to the brim with curiosity.

"Wouldn't know. I'm more of a Rizzo myself. Too much sass and not enough patience for leather pants."

"To get into them or to get out?"

With a glimmer in your eyes and a smirk on your lips, you pivoted to face Jake completely, still walking backwards. “You're quite the smooth talker, aren’t you?”

Jake shrugged, giving off the vibe of, ‘I can’t help my reputation.’ However, you could see the easy grin on his face, and one side of his mouth crooked upwards, making him appear boyish—just like the character he was dressed up as.

It made your heart flutter inside your chest.

“It’s a shame I’m more into the rough-around-the-edges type,” you teased softly, pausing by the corner.

Liar. Oh, you horrible liar.

Jake’s grin didn’t disappear when you saw him press his tongue to the inside of his cheek, arching an eyebrow. Instead, it turned into a knowing smirk.

“Is that so?” he teased.

You flushed, at a loss for words. Jake's teasing gaze lingered, and the lift in the corner of his mouth suggested he saw right through your lie. Your cheeks burned hot.

Jake's chuckle echoed softly down the hallway as you made your escape, somehow making your heart race faster. You didn't dare look back, but you could feel his eyes on you as you turned the corner and down the hallway to your bedroom.

As Jake retreated back into the apartment, Bradley coughed lightly. He exchanged a knowing look with Nat, who had been watching your retreat. He jutted his head once toward you, and Nat replied in kind with a single tilt of her head toward Jake.

They didn’t need to say aloud what they were thinking. They’d talk about what they discovered later, but it wouldn’t stop them from pressing this interesting development further.

When she reached your room, Nat found you already in your robe, sitting at your vanity, brushing your hair. You had already laid out your costumes on your bed earlier in the day, and Nat raced to hers the second she saw it, making grabby hands at the fabric.

"Ahh, it turned out so great, Maeve!" she exclaimed, grabbing the top and holding it up. You glimpsed at her through the reflection of your mirror, smiling when she hugged it to her chest.

“If I had made it any deeper, Nat, you’d be showing off more than just dangly bits.”

She blew a raspberry at you. You giggled, shaking your head.

“You know, I’ve always wanted to do couples costumes. I never thought Bradley would go for it,” she said after a while, standing next to you and straightening her hair in the mirror of your vanity.

“Really?” you asked, concentrating on not poking your eye out with your mascara.

“How else am I going to shoo off all the girls practically clamouring to get with Bradley? It’s a nice way to do it, don’t you think?”

“Maybe. Not every costume as a twin, though,” you said, lowering your hand to gesture to yourself. You hoped Nat would at least acknowledge the effort you’d made or pep you up for a party you'd originally never wanted to hold.

“What about the Danny wandering around the apartment ‘without his Sandy’?”

You dropped your hand from where you had started fixing up your other eye, glaring at her reflection in your mirror. “Really, Nat?”

“What, you don’t dream of a little Summer Lovin?”

You felt your face flush. As if Jake would ever really go for someone like you. “It’s Halloween, Nat.”

“Exactly. It’s Halloween, and it’s getting colder. Maybe you’ve got chills, and maybe they're multiplying.”

You groaned, dropping your head and smacking it against your vanity.

“You’re sure he’s not the one you want?” she bumped you with her hip, grinning.

“Can you stop with the Grease puns? Please,” you squawked.

Nat laughed, twirling a strand of her hair around her finger as she stepped away. "Okay, okay. But if you change your mind, I think Danny Zuko out there wouldn't mind being 'the one that you want.'"

Fingers wrapping around the handle of your hair brush, you didn’t lift your head from the vanity as you chucked it in Nat’s direction. She laughed hard, and you didn’t need to look to know you had missed her completely.

Nat eventually cajoled you into helping her slip into her dress, adjusting bits and pieces of fabric here and there. You sat back down at your vanity as she twirled once in the mirror, declaring she was satisfied. Then her eyes went to the door, and her attention shifted to Bradley and what waited beyond it.

"Are you okay if I go out? Do you need any help?" Nat's voice was laced with excitement, and her eyes gleamed with anticipation of finally having a party as she smoothed down the sides of her dress.

You shook your head, leaning back in your chair. Nat didn’t meet your gaze. "No, I'm good. I only need to touch up my makeup, and my dress is a slip-on," you smiled. "Go make sure Bradley keeps his hat on."

Nat wiggled her shoulders, biting her lip to mute her squealing giggle. The puffy sleeves of her short dress waved with her, and she precariously tip-toed out the door on her high heels. Once in the hallway, she dramatically yelled, "Come and get me, Indiana Jones!"

You stifled a giggle, shaking your head, allowing yourself to turn back to face your mirror.

Staring at yourself, you searched every part of your face, making sure your foundation, blush, eyes, and lips were just how you wanted them to be. You toyed with a strand of curled hair, wondering if what you had done was enough—if all of it had been enough.

Then your eyes came to rest on your costume, so carefully draped across the end of your bed through the reflection in the mirror.

You're not sure why "Flaming June" happened to be your favourite painting, though you supposed it had to do with the girl in the painting so casually draped across that seat next to that fountain. She was curled up almost like a serpent, covered in sheer transparent vibrant orange, the painting's only bright pop of colour.

The painting was supposedly meant to depict nymphs, sleeping Greek nymphs for that matter, or even Victorian society's obsession with beauty. However, you argued differently in the paper you wrote for it.

You cared more about the juxtaposition of fire and tranquillity in the piece than about whatever cultural influence or social construct it had at the time. That one girl was at the centre of the painting, wrapped in sheer, see-through colour. She was meant to be the focus; that much was certain.

Maybe you thought her dress signified the chaos of the world around her, and all she wanted to do was find a moment of peace.

You’d spent countless hours at the fabric store trying to match the correct shade. Once you had completed parts of Nat's, you spent even countless more at your sewing machine, staying up late to make progress on yours.

And each time she asked you to make alternations on hers, the more drastic you made it to be ‘just that much sluttier', the more you thought about what you could do to yours. In the end, the thin straps holding up your dress, revealing bare shoulders and the long slit between your breasts, ending just before your belly button, was all you could stomach.

You held the dress up, contemplating your thoughts. You could do this. You could survive one simple Halloween party - one simple college rager party.

Right?

———

The second the apartment was starting to flood with arriving guests, Jake realized you hadn’t emerged from your room with Nat.

He had been off to the side near a bookcase, talking with Bradley, hoping to stave off the crowd and the rest of the football team for a little longer. He knew they'd want to talk football and strategies for the season, and Jake simply... didn't.

He wanted a night off. He wanted to relax and have a good time. And talking about football wouldn't be it.

Bradley had said something to Jake, but he hadn’t been paying attention. He was too busy searching the gathering pods of people for your face. Why, he didn’t know. But he was eager to find out.

Bradley snapped his fingers in Jake's face, startling him from his search. "Earth to Jake!"

Jake shook his head, focusing back on Bradley. "Sorry, what?"

Bradley raised his eyebrows under the rim of his fedora. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Jake regarded him for a few seconds before finally looking down at his drink, bringing it to his lips, admitting, "I'm just looking for Maeve."

As Jake took a drink, Bradley grinned. "She's probably still getting ready. Nat said her costume was based on her favourite panting."

Jake didn't even look up from his drink when he asked, "What's her favourite painting?"

"Why? You looking to make a good impression?" he said, still grinning.

"Fuck off, Man," Jake snapped, taking another swig to finish his drink. Bradley only laughed, now shaking his head. He would have let Jake simmer in his ask, but this was you. He had to give Jake at least a decent running chance.

"It's Flaming June, the chick in the orange dress. It's a brilliant costume idea. She made it herself."

Of course, you would have made it yourself, Jake thought.

"Surely you came across that painting with your 'rich upbringing.' Nat was practically force-feeding information down our throats a few seconds ago to ensure we recognized her costume. It’s some Freddie Luigui piece. I don't know."

"I know it," Jake snapped. "I've seen it before."

Jake was pretty sure he had, maybe once at one of his father's fundraising parties, though he actively searched his mind, trying to remember what it looked like.

Bradley remained silent, slouching against the bookcase and crossing one leg over the other. He narrowed his eyes at his friend and tilted his head.

"Why the sudden interest in Maeve? She isn't one for..." Bradley trailed off, searching for the correct word. Just as Jake was about to ask him what he meant, Nat's approaching heels on the hardwood floor stopped them both.

She stopped at Bradley's side, red solo cup in hand, looping her arm through his. "What are you two handsome boys gossiping about over here?" she giggled at her boyfriend, her chin plopping lazily down onto his bicep. "See any snakes in the crowd, Indy?"

Bradley pulled his face back into a grimace, reciting the famous line. "Snakes. Why does it always have to be snakes?"

Jake rolled his eyes at their banter, placing his empty cup on the table between them. Nat giggled, tilting her head back, indicating to Bradley she wanted to be kissed. He complied without protest, leaning down, pressing his lips to hers in an overly dramatic display merely to piss Jake off.

"Get a room," Jake groaned, mocking a wrenching noise. The couple separated, turning to Jake with amused smirks. "You've heard and seen far worse, dude."

Jake shuttered, the unwanted memory of walking in on Nat and Bradley from weeks ago flashing through his mind. Sharing an apartment with Bradley had its moments - some good, some decidedly less so. It made him wonder if Maeve had to put up with the same shit he did.

“Where’s Maeve?” Jake asked Nat, ignoring Bradley's remark. "I haven't seen her yet."

Nat opened her mouth, about to tell him you were still getting ready, when she caught sight of a flash of orange stepping out from behind the corner of the hallway. You came into view, your head angled down, mindful of stepping on your dress as thin streams of transparent fabric trailed behind you at your sides.

Javy let out a low-toned whistle from somewhere in the room, and heads turned, one by one, as you took your final step into the apartment.

“Damn girl, you clean up nice!”

Lifting your head, you were surprised to see eyes on you. Javy glided forward to greet you from where he had been standing at a nearby table, and you smiled at him, though a little weary. Deep down, you knew his comment was meant to be a compliment. But something coarse, like sandpaper, rubbed against your heart at the remark, lingering longer than you would have liked.

“What? Not bad for a fine arts major?” you joked somewhat deprecatively, though your voice held none of it.

Javy held out his hand, and you grabbed it, allowing him to lift it above your head. With a pump of his wrist, he urged you to spin under his arm several times, letting your dress fan out. You giggled as he urged you, though you wobbled on your heels. The dreaded things were Nat's only contribution to your outfit, and you were severely regretting it.

He let you go, thinking you had your footing on the last, slowed spin. But when you came to a stop, you were on the verge of falling over, your head dizzy, and your legs unbalanced.

To his credit, Javy tried to reach out and steady you, already regretting the step he took back. However, before he could, another pair of hands, one on your hip and one taking your hand, steadied you.

Jake’s hands were firm on your skin, pulling you close as you lost your balance. You fell into his chest, head tilted back, half falling over. And looking up at his face, seeing the amused grin on his lip, you drew in a sharp breath at the sight.

"Letting me make a good first impression?" he quipped.

“By catching falling women?” you laughed breathlessly, bringing your free hand to his chest. If you had let your hand stall slightly longer than necessary, you would have never admitted to it.

“Seems noble enough,” he replied, helping you to stand. Though he might have let go of your hand, he didn’t let go of your waist. “Or do you make it a habit to test the reflexes of every guy you meet?”

You couldn’t resist the playful jab. “Only the ones who seem like they can handle it. And the pretty ones.”

Jake's grin widened, and he even risked sneaking a quick peek at your lips, letting them rest there for a few seconds before his eyes roamed the rest of your body.

"Flaming June, right? Frederic Leighton's Masterpiece."

You blinked in surprise, letting out a small gasp. You honestly expected to tell people what your costume was, not just some girl in some random orange dress. Jake's knowledge of the painting, let alone his identification of it so quickly, was scoring him some major brownie points.

"You know your art," you commented nonchalantly.

He shrugged, "I might know a thing or two. I always had a thing for the classics. By the way, it suits you."

You practically preened under his gaze. "Thank you," you said, a shy smile creeping onto your face. He beamed at you in return.

Yes, you might have a crush on him. But for the first time that day, you figured it wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

—-

This was a bad idea - Oh, this party was such a bad idea.

Believing you were having a good time and actually having a good time were two separate things. You certainly felt one of those things. As the night went on, and with each drink you tipped back, alcoholic or not, regret built in your stomach.

You weren’t sure what you were expecting. Maybe you were seeking reasons where there initially were none, allowing Natasha’s suggestions to slowly chip away at your resolve until you finally gave in. Maybe it was the promise of letting loose, to embrace the spirit of Halloween with all its creative potential.

Maybe it was the promise of making new friends. Of getting to know people outside the art department. Natasha had told you to mingle. She wanted you to mingle, and yet... you didn’t know where to start.

You didn't expect Nat or Bradley to coddle you, but they could have introduced you to a few people besides the core group before things had gotten this bad. You didn't dare approach Javy or Rueben, who played beer pong and chugged beers back like it was nobody's business. They were off doing their own thing, and you didn’t want to intrude.

Mickey and Bob had gone home earlier in the night. Bob proclaimed he had a midterm to study for, and Mickey wanted to go home anyway so he could call his family in peace. You strongly suspected he wanted to watch Halloween movies instead.

Rocky Horror sounded like a wonderful idea right about now.

You couldn’t hang around Nat and Bradley all night, either. And nobody from your art classes would even dare set foot inside a party where nearly half of its guests were from the sororities.

You knew that. While you did extend the invitation, you told them you wouldn't blame them if they didn't come. They had looked at you with such disregard you wondered if they were seeing you through newly polished rose-coloured glasses. And standing up against the wall next to your bookcase, like an insipid wallflower, you could hardly blame them for it either.

You couldn’t introduce yourself in a place where you were the outsider, even within the walls of your own home. Soon after the first few attempts, that realization settled deep into your chest. And you couldn’t help but feel like you had done this to yourself - an attempt to be part of something like this, even if just for a night.

But Jake… Jake was still here. At least, he should be. He had been by your side for the beginning of the evening, talking to you about what projects you were currently working on over another drink—not whiskey—after you had started to hiccup while putting up decorations.

After he recognized your dress, you weren’t ashamed to tell him. You had launched into the ideas and thoughts behind two paintings and one sculpture, an old table that you were trying to turn into an elemental-type sundial. You told him about the zodiac signs you had already burned into the wood after sanding it down and how each was placed in its own little section as it related to its element.

You had reached halfway through your thought process when you realized how lost you were in your explanation. You froze mid-sentence, blushing harder than the colour of your dress.

"Sorry," you had said. "I ramble when I get excited about my art.”

But Jake’s interest hadn’t waned. If anything, it urged him to ask, “How did you find something you're so passionate about? Creating things... making art?"

His question had made you pause, though not over what to say but merely how to say it. “It was my voice when words fell short or my escape when the world grew too loud.”

You caught a glimpse of something in Jake’s eyes—a flash of longing, a momentary crack in his confident demeanour. What followed was a slight nod. It was there, and then it wasn’t, as if he’d accidentally revealed more of himself than he wanted. Then he caught himself, suddenly straightened his spine, and continued the conversation as if that brief lapse in judgment never happened in the first place.

Ten minutes later, he excused himself to get another drink. And you hadn’t seen him since.

You scanned the room for him, hoping to spot that black leather jacket among the sea of people. But it was impossible. Under the dim, eerie glow of the lights, each costume blurred into the next, and the crowd swallowed any hope of finding him.

Reaching for whatever mixed drink Nat had made you earlier off the table, you pushed yourself off the wall, weaving through the throngs of people, figuring you might as well try to see if she knew where he had run off to.

Liquid sloshed over the rim of your cup onto your hand as you dodged a zombie here, a fairy there, and music pulsing like a heartbeat through the packed room. Laughter and snippets of conversations swirled around you as you scanned the sea of faces, both masked and not for Nat.

Glasses clinked, a witch cackled, and the scent of spiced pumpkin mingled somewhere in the mix with the tang of alcohol and body sweat. By the time you spotted her leaning heavily against the kitchen Island, red cup in hand and her laughter too loud, eyes slightly unfocused, you knew the night had taken its toll on her sobriety.

She was too preoccupied with telling a bunch of people a story to notice how you quickly launched the contents of your cup into the sink behind her. You extended your arm when you were close enough, looping your arm around her waist. Her arm came up at the same time, sliding across your back to pull you close.

Nat tilted her head back onto her shoulders, glancing at you with happy eyes. "Maeve!" she whined tipsily.

Given how far gone she was, you were surprised at how accurately she pronounced your name. She bent slightly, still holding her red Solo cup in her hand, to hug you tight, her face smooshing into your neck.

“It looks like you’re having the time of your life,” you snorted. She nodded against your skin, biting her lip in a smile with a happy, drunken snigger. She lazily pulled back to meet your eye, and you smiled at her.

“Have you seen Jake around?”

Nat paused, her gaze flickering around the room as if she'd genuinely forgotten about him, though she didn’t lift her head off your body. "Jake? Oh, I haven't seen him in a bit,” she slurred slightly. “Why? Do you two likeeeeeeeeeeeeeee each other? Is Jake going to make you scream grease lightin’?”

You reached for her red Solo cup and pried it from her hand. “Okay, yup, you're cut off.”

“Nooo,” she pouted her arm a dead weight as she tried to take it back. Her hand hit the bottom of the cup, and liquid shot up, once again covering your hand in whatever type of alcohol Nat managed to mix together. You could only sigh.

“Here comes the fun police,” she muttered under her breath. “I thought you’d be off doing your own thing.”

Well, that fucking stung just a tiny bit.

“I’m not going to be the one who cleans up your vomit tomorrow morning, Nat.”

“I’ve only had,” she held up her hand, widening her thumb and pointer finger probably further apart than she thought, “this much to drink.”

“Ahm...”

Luckily for you, Bradley appeared, having seen what was going on. He looked amused yet concerned as he slid between the gap of the island and Nat to observe his girlfriend babbling nonsense on your shoulder. “What’s happening here?”

Nat made another grab for her cup, but Bradley gently intercepted her, taking her hand into his before she could even grasp it.

“That,” you offered.

“I think it’s time we get you to bed, love,” he suggested, wrapping an arm around her waist. You let him take her, happy for him to bear her weight.

Nat leaned into him, mumbling something incoherent, a mix of protest and agreement. Bradley spared a glance at you, silently thanking you in your unspoken agreement. You nodded, watching as he sandwiched her to his side and carried her off towards her room.

It always seemed like one of you was always taking care of her. At one point or another.

After getting rid of Nat’s cup, you felt the sticky residue of both of your spilled drinks on your skin and felt the urge to run to the privacy of the bathroom to wash it off. Stumbling down the hallway, blusters on your feet finally making themselves known, you let your hands casually slide along the wall. The music from the party faded into a muffled, dull noise as you walked.

You wanted to smile at the lights. The red eerie glow along the top corners of the ceiling only reached not even halfway down the wall, plunging the floor into a dark abyss. You clumsily stuttered through it, unable to see anything below your waist.

It was exactly as you pictured it, and yet you couldn't bring yourself to manage the slightest grin.

The bathroom door was down at the end of the hall slightly ajar, with the red LED light illuminating its edges from behind. You zoned in on it like a wobbly arrow to a target, tired and completely done with tonight and everything about it.

You reached for the curved handle, about to push the door open, when a high-pitched giggle came from behind the piece of wood. You shot your hand back like you had been burned, and with a quick turn of your heel, you plastered your back up against the wall.

You immediately knew what was happening behind that door, and it made you throw up in your mouth just a little.

Ugh, I’m going to have to disinfect the hell out of that bathroom tomorrow.

The next voice you heard, however, made your heart drop into your stomach.

“You like that, don’t ya, sweetheart?”

You didn't want to believe it, but you had to see for yourself. Leaning forward off the wall, you peered through the crack in the door, only to spot a black leather jacket taking up most of your view—the same black jacket you had complimented Jake on earlier that day. It was a stark contrast to the red glowing light above him, and something snapped in your heart and recoiled back as one slender bare leg in beige fishnet stockings wrapped around his.

There was an overly drunken and seductive 'ahm,' forcing you to glance over his shoulder at the girl he was with—her costume was a bejewelled Taylor Swift outfit to match her long blonde hair.

You swallowed your bile and adverted your gaze, pressing yourself back up against that wall, out of sight and hidden completely from view.

You knew this was a possibility; Jake was merely looking for a hookup and nothing more. You had considered it all afternoon. Yet, you couldn’t help but feel utterly hurt at the sight.

"I mean, Nat's pretty clever befriending that girl.. what was her name, Maeve?" the girl snickered.

"I know. It sounds like something out of those weird fantasy books everyone loves." A whimper from his companion followed Jake's breathy and muffled laugh.

At the dig, your hand went to your chest, your heart thudding painfully under your palm. The realization they had been talking about you, about Nat, made tears flood your eyes.

You didn't understand it. Or maybe you did, and you were too blinded by the possibility of someone like him, someone like Nat, Bradley, Bob, Mickey, and Rueben, to beat the fucking pyramid scheme and care about someone like you.

What other explanation was there except the fact you had been blinded by those who proved to be the exception? Blinded by the fucking elementary school crush cause he had flirted, smiled, joked, and maybe even showed some half-decent interest in you. Clearly, the second he figured out you weren’t going to hook up with him, he sought his sights on someone else.

Jake wasn’t trying to mould into the stereotype. He was the fucking stereotype.

"Even her costume," she sneered. "Like, who the fuck dresses up like that for a college rager Halloween party? You're supposed to dress up slutty."

You couldn't speak, staring down the front of your dress to what you had thought had been a risky enough slit. You couldn't even breathe.

"You kidding me?" he laughed lowly. "Bradley was practically screaming at us what she dressed up as. I'd have no fucking clue what she was otherwise. I'd guess some random Greek Godness obsessed with that awful shade of orange."

Your hand slid up from your chest, around your throat to feel your harsh, rough swallow. Only it didn’t stop there, suddenly finding yourself wrapping it around your entire mouth, stifling any noise wanting to escape. Through shaky inhales in and out of your nose, you fought hard to stop yourself from crying over this.

Over him. Over a fucking jock who would say anything to hook up with a girl. Only to get his dick wet.

But you couldn't prevent the tears from welling up in your eyes, or from one finally spilling over, dropping down your cheek only to stall there, or how the hand covering your mouth curled up around your cheekbone, only to stroke away the tear.

You refused to look back at the door through the crack, so you fixed your gaze on the darkness consuming the ground. And as you lowered your hand, you caught the ugly black smear marring your skin.

How could you not? Standing in the glow of that red hallway light, it was the only thing you could see.

The artistic irony hits you like a freight train. Here you were, dressed as the girl in your favourite painting. Her dress had been the only bright shade of colour in the entire painting, and you, standing in the top half glow of bright red LED lights, had failed to notice what had been staring you in the face all along.

Orange was muted by red, and black bled through all. The only thing about you that stood out the entire evening was this tiny black mark scarring the back of your hand—black tears from smeared mascara.

"I would have guessed an orange," the girl snickered, quickly followed by a mewl. "Though she practically blended into the wall, I couldn't see her with the lights."

Lips plucking on skin echoed off the title and out the door, and Jake drew in a ragged breath as he agreed. "She did blend right into the fucking wall, didn’t she?"

Your eyes burned. The girl giggled.

“How long do you think this one will stay? She seems… different, to say the least.”

Jake sniggered. “Seriously, you think Natasha Trace is hanging around that girl out of the goodness of her heart?”

His laugh was so full of malice that it was nothing like the ones you had heard pleasantly filling your ears earlier.

“Everyone knows after what Nat did, she needs an image clean up. Playing the saint, befriending the weird loner art girl, giving her the best friend badge?”

“If she thinks she’s got a place in the big leagues, she’s in for a rude awakening,” the girl murmured. “Pathetic. People like her don’t belong with people like us.”

There was a pause. “It’s just like Natasha, though. She always needs an audience, something to validate her feelings. It’s brillant really.”

Jake's agreement was a silent blow, his next words the dagger. "Nat's smart. She knows how to play the game. Maeve's just...convenient."

Convenience. The word echoed in your mind, bouncing off the walls of your already crumbling self-worth.

“Give it a year. Trace is going to drop her the second the next new shiny person comes along. And everyone is going to forget about the little art girl she used up and discarded. Or she’ll become the most hated girl on campus.”

Without your back up against the wall, his words might have made you crumble into that dark abyss.

“Can we stop talking about her now?” the girl whined. “I thought you promised to get me off.”

Jake chuckled lowly, the sound morphing into a low, predatory growl. “You brought her up, sweetheart. But don’t worry—I’m all yours now.”

You pushed yourself away from that wall, stumbling down the dark hallway to your bedroom out of instinct, refusing to subject yourself to any further torture. But just before your door, you fell into the wall, your shoulder throbbing as you slouched against it.

The world around you swirled, leaving you consumed by one thought—and one thought alone.

That. Fucking. Asshole! How dare he! How fucking dare he!

To hear Natasha be demeaned, your friendship demeaned and used as a stepping stone in pursuit of a meaningless hookup... anger boiled under your skin. You didn’t care what he or what they had said about you, but Nat?

If Jake thought he’d succeed in sweet-talking you, to play you like a puppet on a string, just as he assumed Nat had been doing, he had another thing coming. If he was going to talk shit about your friendship with her, you’d show him just how spineless you could be.

Oh, he’d wish he’d never caught you off that fucking ladder. Wished he had never met you and flirted with you, obviously a ploy to find someone to hook up with. You gagged at ever having a crush on him in the first place.

But as you leaned against the wall, trying to steady your swirling thoughts, doubt wormed its way into your mind.

What if he was right?

What if your friendship with Nat was just a convenience, a way for her to maintain her status or recover from her sorority fallout? You knew nothing of it, nothing more than what she told you. There could be more to the story, things she hadn’t revealed, things nobody else had either.

No, you shook your head, trying to dismiss the thought. Nat had been there for you in ways no one else had.

Jake was just an asshole. Plain and simple.

But then another thought sucker punched you in the gut.

You couldn’t tell anyone else what he said. You wouldn’t be responsible for causing that type of drama within a friend circle, one that long before you ever showed up. They never would have believed you anyway, and Nat… she worked so hard to get out, escape the rumours and gossip, to put it behind her. She didn’t need to know about this.

You had no choice but to carry this burden alone. It was a lonely decision, but perhaps loneliness was a small price to pay for the semblance of harmony among friends—or so you tried to convince yourself.

But Jake. You could no longer give a rat’s ass about Jake. If he wanted to attack Nat, then fine. You hit him right back. That much you could still do.

Whatever had possessed Frederic Leighton to name the piece you currently embodied, “Flaming June,” whatever possessed him to gift that girl with fire in her name, that fire was suddenly born in you.

A flame that sparked and kerosened your soul to burn, hot and bright. It was a wildfire that rushed under layers of skin and ignited every nerve, ending with a ferocity you never knew you possessed. It was born to protect what you had found - Nat, Bradley, Bob, Mickey, Javy and Rueben. And that fucking asshole would never be allowed to put you down, Nat down, like your family did, ever again.

Pushing yourself off the wall, you stepped into your bedroom. Slamming the door, the lock clicked hard into place.

It never opened the rest of the night.

NOW YOU KNOW....

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