#So I thought I would get started early to get the ball rolling. I actually managed to keep up with it through the last few days of work

[oscargender]

Made some really good progress on my novella today!!

[onlyhereforthestories]

Worth It? Or Not? (Alexia Putellas x Reader)

Hi guys! It's been too long. Please enjoy this long ramble that slightly resembles writing 😂. I have a few more things written and I am trying to finish Chica for you all. Happy weekend.

It was a new season, and you were so ready for what it was going to throw at you. The last season you participated in had been your best yet you think, although that was most likely due to the fact that it was your first with your girlfriend. You and Alexia had been dancing around your feeling for each other for a few years and in the off-season last year the older woman had finally asked you out. By the time the season just gone had started you were already official, and it had made last year that much more special. You got to share your achievements with the one you loved and that really was wonderful.

Now for a new season and possibly a new step for your relationship with Alexia, she had been hinting at moving in together for the last few weeks. Little off hand comments like “That would look nice in a master bedroom.” And “I wonder if we would have a feature wall if we had our own living space.” You thought it was about time you started hinting back. You needed to be sure it was something she actually wanted before you out right asked her if she was ready to move in together.

You were currently waiting for Aitana to pick you up, Alexia had to be in earlier than everyone else this morning for a meeting and so you had slept separately, at your own apartments last night. This was the first time in weeks that you could remember not sharing a bed with the older woman. She said she didn’t want to wake you as early as she needed to be up and after trying to argue with her for 10 minutes you had given up, she just wasn’t getting that you would happily wake up early if it meant spending the extra time with her.

“So why do I have to come get your whipped ass? Where’s the wifey?” You rolled your eyes at the woman as you climbed into the passenger seat of her car. Aitana had been one of the first people you had talked to about your crush on Alexia and now the slightly younger woman took every opportunity she could to tease you about your obvious love for the team captain.

“I’m telling her you called her that, but in answer to your poorly asked question, she had an early meeting and didn’t want to wake me up at the early time she had to be up.” You shrugged your shoulders in a gesture you knew was for your benefit not hers, you had been up half the night letting your anxiety get the best of you.

“It’s Alexia, you know her, she is probably just nervous for the new season and how the new signings will fit in.” You knew that Aitana was most likely right but you also couldn’t shake the creeping feeling that she was already getting bored of being with you. You knew you shouldn’t let these thoughts get the better of you but that was easier to say than actually do, it wasn’t that you doubted Alexia at all, it was more your growing anxiety over your own worth in your head. In fact you knew it was you and your head and that just made it even more frustrating, it was another thing that made you question yourself.

“Yeah, you are probably right, she has been feeling the captain pressure a lot over the last week or so. She has been watching tapes of the new girls and talking a lot with the staff after weights. Sometimes I wish she would just switch off from work and be a little more present with me, but she’s Alexia queen of Barca. She puts 110% into this club and that’s what I signed up for happily.”

After that the conversation switched to a lighter topic and by the time you pulled up at the training ground you were feeling a lot lighter and laughing with one of your best friends. Any thoughts of Alexia not wanting you any more were long gone and all you wanted to do now was get your cleats on. Football would always be a great escape for you, it was like your mind could relax whilst you had a ball at your feet.

After getting ready in the changing room, without the appearance of your love, you headed out with the rest of the girls to find Alexia in the middle of the field with another woman you didn’t recognise. Your attention was pulled from them when Pere spoke, “Okay ladies, we have a new signing starting with us today. Alexia has been getting to know her a little bit so it’s easier for her to settle in. Please be welcoming.” You all nodded your heads in agreement and followed him over to the two women.

“Hi it’s nice to meet you all, I’m Chloe.” You could tell the woman was nervous and so could Alexia as she moved everyone onto warm-ups rather quickly. Over the course of the session everyone introduced themselves to the new girl individually so that she felt as comfortable as possible.

You had just got out of the shower and was putting the last items in your bag when Alexia approached you for the first time today. “Hola, can I ask you for a favour por favor?” You could tell she was sort of in a hurry by the lack of affection she gave you. You would normally at least get a peck to the cheek, but she barely even got close enough to you for you to hear her properly.

“Si of course.” You would do anything for the woman in front of you and everyone knew it.

“I’m taking Chloe out to see the city so she knows her way around a bit better, but I didn’t get to walk Nala this morning. Can you run round mine and do it for me? I asked Alba but she is working.” There was a lot to pick out of that passage of one-sided conversation. First you were hurt that she had gone to Alba first when Nala was like your own dog too. Second, she must have forgotten your lunch plans with Claudia and Patri that had been made a while back and you knew was on her calendar as you put it there. Something you decided not to bring up, she was just trying to help the new girl settle in you understood that.

“Yes of course. Do you want me to make dinner tonight?” You thought at least you could have some time with her that evening being as you’ve barely interacted all day.

“I won’t be back for dinner, I told Chloe I would help her sort her apartment out after showing her the sights. I don’t know what time I’ll be back y/n so maybe we should sleep in our own apartments again tonight.” You really didn’t know what to say to this, so you just nodded. You got a lot of the women’s time, so you didn’t think it was fair for you to be upset over a couple days, especially not when she was just trying to help someone out.

“Okay, I’ll see you at training tomorrow then.” You turned round and walked out of training with a slight weight on your chest and your mind running with thoughts you wish you didn’t have.

After you walked Nala and dropped her back into Alexia’s apartment, an apartment that started to feel like your own until the last 24 hours. Part of you knew this was silly to think but you couldn’t help it, you are always an overthinker and this was something that you struggled with. You didn’t even take the time to make sure Nala was settled you just open the door let her in, checked her water bowl was full and left again. Being there just felt wrong today. Deciding that your mood was really not good enough to go out and have a lunch with your two friends you texted Patri to cancel, and after assuring her you were okay just a little extra tired today, she wished you a good evening and said she would pick you up for training if you needed the next morning.

An offer you ended up taking when your texts to Alexia the next morning went unanswered. You were tired and starting to get a little annoyed with the older woman, you were trying to reason as to why she wasn’t replying to your texts and even when she did it was so spaced out it felt like she didn’t care or want to talk to you. You were trying to change that thought process, but it was hard when that’s where your mind had gone.

“Hola, you don’t look so good. Should you be coming to training.” Patri’s concerned voice almost sent you into a wave of sobs, but you held it together, your thoughts were stupid so you know you couldn’t show you were sad. You didn’t want Patri to think you were an idiot for the way you were feeling about your current situation, if it was even a situation.

“I’m just tired Pats, I’ve not slept well the last few nights and I think its just caught up to me a bit today.” You sighed in relief when she didn’t push you any further just gave you a once over and then pulled away from the outside of your apartment complex.

You were hoping the journey to training would help your mood and thoughts, but it didn’t much. Patri tried her best to cheer you up and you really appreciated the younger woman’s efforts, but you were struggling. You made your way into the changing room behind your best friend and didn’t both to look up as you made your way to your cubby. You placed your stuff down and changed into your boots, leaving the changing room straight after as the first out.

You decided some air and keepy ups might help sort your head out before training. Pere and the staff were out setting up when you went to ask for a ball, they gladly gave you one and you headed to the far end of the field to have your space. The sun beating down on you felt good and a ball at your feet always helped.

Your peace was short lived as you heard the chatter of the rest of the girls and Pere calling you all in. You grabbed your ball and headed over, looking at the group for the first time. What you saw hurt your heart more than you would say to anyone, Alexia was stood near Pere like normal. That obviously wasn’t the upsetting part, the upsetting part was that Chloe was pretty much pressed against Ale. You tried not to look too long or think too much but you struggled. You really struggled.

Training started and your thoughts just kept going. You couldn’t concentrate, you couldn’t pass right, your touches were off and none of the shots you took even went close to the goal. By the end of the first half of training everyone could tell something wasn’t okay with you, so much so that Pere called you over in the drinks break.

“What’s up today? This is very unlike you. If your sick you should have just let us know I don’t want to see you get injured if you are pushing yourself too much and then end up being out for longer than you need to be. Health is important y/n.” The way he said it wasn’t scolding which you were thankful for, you were slightly worried that he would be annoyed with you for your performance.

“I’m sorry coach. I’m not feeling my best today, I thought I’d be okay to train but I think maybe I was wrong.” You wouldn’t normally miss training unless really necessary, but you were too far gone mentally and staying here wasn’t what you needed right now.

“That’s okay some days we just need the break and to rest. Go home and we will see you hopefully tomorrow. Please pop and see the medical staff on the way out to check in with them.” With that he patted your shoulder and went back to call the team back to training.

As you walked past the group Patri caught your eye and gave you the are you okay look. You waved her off with a half-smile and continued to the changing rooms. You decided that a shower at home would be the best for you and so just changed your shoes, grabbed your stuff and headed to the medical room.

They just did some basic checks on your temperature and blood pressure before sending you off with the promise to come in first thing tomorrow if you were planning on training just to have another check before you did.

You half expected Alexia to be waiting for you outside the medical room when you walked out but she wasn’t. You walked out of the grounds to remember that you got a lift, you were just about to walk home when your name was called. For a second your body warmed thinking it was who you really wanted it to be before your shoulders slump slightly. You knew that was Patri.

“I’ll drive you home come on.” You didn’t argue you just hopped in the passenger seat. You were quiet the whole way back to your place, the only words you said to the younger woman was thank you when you got out the car.

You took your shower turning the water to as hot as you could handle. Going for comfort after that you changed into your (Alexias) comfiest hoodie and a pair of tracksuits that you really weren’t sure whose they were. You settled yourself onto your sofa and turned on a random old show you didn’t need to concentrate on.

You have no idea when you fell asleep, but you must have at some point because you were blinking yourself awake in the now pitch blackness of your living space. The only light you had was coming from your phone on the table that you now realised was ringing and must have been the reason you were currently waking up.

You reached over to grab it off the table to see who it was, glancing at the screen you were faced with your favourite photo you had ever taken. Ale had this smile that reached her eyes as she stared at you through the camera, it was taken last month when you were on vacation before the season was due to start.

You were stuck in a sort of daze so you didn’t answer the call, after it rang off you were faced with 5 miss calls from the woman. You noticed the time, you had missed lunch and dinner. You almost missed bedtime if you were being truthful to yourself, so you got up off the sofa and turned the tv off. You grabbed your phone again and headed to your bathroom to clean your teeth and get into your pjs. Once in bed you called Alexia back, who picked up after a couple rings.

“Y/n where did you go? Why did you miss training?” Her words were rushed as soon as she answered, which you felt a little bad about as she had been trying to get hold of you for a while now.

You took a deep breath, trying to organize your thoughts before answering Alexia’s question. You could hear the concern in her voice, which only made your heart ache more. It wasn’t anger or frustration—it was genuine worry. And yet, the events of the past couple of days had left you feeling vulnerable and disconnected.

“I wasn’t feeling well,” you started quietly, not wanting your voice to crack. “Pere told me to go home, and I guess I just needed some time to rest. I’m sorry I didn’t answer your calls before I fell asleep on the sofa.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. You could hear Alexia shifting slightly, probably trying to figure out the right words. She was good at taking a moment to make sure she said the correct thing, that she said everything she wanted and in a way that would be understood for what it was.

“I would’ve come with you if I knew,” she said softly. “Why didn’t you talk to me? Or at least text me when you got home?”

“I did try to talk to you,” you replied, a bit sharper than you intended. You quickly softened your tone before continuing. “I was going to tell you before I left the training grounds but when I went to go over, I saw you were in a conversation with Chloe and I didn’t want to interrupt. I know what making her feel welcome into the team means to you so I just left, Patri dropped me home.”

Alexia was silent again, and you hated that your mind immediately went back to the image of Chloe standing so close to her earlier. You knew it was unreasonable to feel threatened, but the distance you’d been feeling from Alexia over the last couple of days was making everything worse. You knew Alexia and you knew that if she was even thinking about someone else in the way she thought about you, she would end things. It was a conversation the both of you had had very early in the relationship, it was better to say and end things than cause more heartache with something like cheating.

“You’re right,” she finally said. “I’ve been caught up with the new signings, especially Chloe. I wanted to help her settle in, but I didn’t realize I was neglecting you in the process.”

You felt a lump forming in your throat as you listened to her. The fact that she acknowledged it made you feel a bit better, but it didn’t completely erase the weight that had been sitting on your chest. It still has happened.

“I get it, Ale. You’re the captain, and you’ve got responsibilities, but…” You trailed off, not sure how to express what you were feeling without coming across as needy or insecure.

“But what?” she asked gently, encouraging you to keep going.

“I just… I don’t know. It feels like we haven’t really been us these past few days. Like we’re slipping apart, and I don’t want that.”

Alexia sighed softly, and you could almost picture her rubbing the back of her neck the way she always did when she was thinking hard about something.

“I don’t want that either,” she said after a moment. “I’m sorry, really. I’ve been so focused on the new season and everything happening with the team that I haven’t been present with you. That’s not fair.”

Tears stung your eyes at her words. You hated that you had been feeling so anxious and unsure about where you stood with her. The logical part of your brain knew that Alexia loved you deeply, but sometimes, your emotions got the better of you.

“I just miss you,” you whispered, finally letting a bit of the hurt spill out.

“I miss you too,” she replied, her voice soft but firm. “I promise, when I get back, we’ll spend some real time together. Just the two of us.”

You wanted to believe her, to hold onto the comfort her words should have brought you, but as you lay there, phone pressed to your ear, something still felt off. The doubts that had been swirling in your mind all day didn’t vanish—they just simmered beneath the surface, waiting for another moment to creep back in. You tried to smile, to let her words sink in, but it felt hollow.

"Okay," you whispered, your voice weaker than you intended. There was a pause on the line, and for a second, you wondered if she could hear the uncertainty that was sitting heavy on your chest.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Get some rest. I love you,” Alexia said, her tone soft but distant, and somehow it made you feel even worse.

“I love you too, Ale,” you replied automatically, though the words felt like they got caught in your throat. You wanted to believe them, wanted to believe her. But as you hung up the phone, the heavy silence in your room returned, and with it, the creeping feeling that maybe things weren’t as solid as you hoped.

You curled up under the covers, pulling them tighter around you, but instead of the calm you craved, a lingering unease settled deep in your chest. The conversation hadn’t been enough to ease your mind, and the distance between you two felt more real than ever. Alexia cared, you knew that, but it didn’t stop the doubts from pulling you under.

As much as you tried to push it aside, the little voice in your head that had been whispering insecurities all day grew louder. What if she’s getting tired of me? What if this distance between us is because she doesn’t want to be with me anymore? The more you thought about it, the more it felt like Alexia was slipping away, even though she’d just promised to spend more time with you. The doubts began to swirl again, faster now, and the pit in your stomach deepened.

Sure, Alexia had apologized, but what if it wasn’t just about her being busy with the new signings? What if she was using that as an excuse? You started picking apart every little detail from the past few days—how she barely interacted with you this morning, how she chose to spend time with Chloe instead of you, how easily she’d forgotten your plans for lunch with Patri and Claudia. Maybe she wasn’t as invested in the relationship anymore. Maybe she was realizing that being with you wasn’t what she wanted.

You buried your face in your pillow, fighting the creeping sense of rejection. No, this is just the anxiety talking. She loves you. She said she loves you, you reminded yourself, but it felt like a hollow reassurance. Even as you repeated it, the lingering doubt wouldn’t leave you. You wanted so badly to believe her words, to take them at face value, but the overthinking was louder than reason right now.

The phone in your hand vibrated again, pulling you out of your spiral for a moment. Alexia had sent you a text: I really don’t like how we left things. Can I come over? I’ll bring dinner. We can talk.

Your heart skipped at the message. On one hand, you wanted her here. You wanted her arms around you, her presence to quiet the storm in your mind. But on the other hand, you felt like having her here would only make your insecurities worse. What if she could see right through you? What if she could tell that you weren’t okay, that you doubted her? What if she was already tired of dealing with your anxieties, your overthinking?

Before you could stop yourself, you typed back: I think it’s better if I stay alone tonight. I might be getting sick, and I don’t want to give you anything. You’ve got enough on your plate with the new season and all.

You stared at the message, second-guessing every word. It wasn’t entirely a lie—you did feel off, emotionally and physically, but that wasn’t the real reason you didn’t want her to come over. You were scared. Scared that spending time with her would only confirm the worst of your fears. That she was growing tired of you, tired of your relationship.

After a few moments, your phone buzzed again with Alexia’s response: Are you sure? I can bring soup or tea, whatever you need. I don’t mind at all.

Her willingness to drop everything and come over only made you feel worse. How could you doubt someone who was so thoughtful, so caring? But the voice in your head persisted—what if she was just doing this out of obligation? What if she felt guilty? It wasn’t long before you convinced yourself that Alexia was only offering out of a sense of duty, not because she actually wanted to be with you tonight.

Yeah, I’m sure. You replied, forcing yourself to hit send before you could change your mind. I’ll be fine. Just need some rest.

You stared at your phone, waiting for her response, hoping she would fight harder to come over, hoping she would insist. But her next message came quickly, and it felt like a punch to the gut. Okay, rest up. Let me know if you need anything, cariño. I’ll see you tomorrow at training.

Simple. Kind. But it wasn’t the push you had been hoping for. She wasn’t coming over. Maybe she was relieved, you thought bitterly. Maybe she didn’t actually want to spend time with you after all. You hated that your mind kept going there, but the doubts kept clawing at you, relentless and cruel.

Curling up tighter in your bed, you told yourself that some space was good. Maybe tomorrow would be better, maybe by then, you’d feel less overwhelmed, and Alexia would feel closer again. But as you lay there, staring at the ceiling in the dark, the weight of your insecurities was heavier than ever. You didn’t want to lose her, but right now, it felt like that’s exactly what was happening, and there was nothing you could do to stop it.

you need anything. I love you. Get some good sleep, okay?

You read the message over and over, feeling a strange mix of relief and disappointment. Relief, because Alexia wasn’t pushing you to talk when you didn’t feel ready. Disappointment, because a part of you had hoped she would sense your need for more; more reassurance, more connection, more confirmation that everything between you two was still okay. But she didn’t press further, and that left you with an emptiness that was hard to shake. Part of you knew that was silly, she had texted after your call and that should have helped but it just left you with a half full feeling. Like you were only worth that small extra effort.

As you lay there, your mind kept spiralling. You wanted to believe that this was just a rough patch, a phase, something that would pass after the season got into full swing. But the fear that something had shifted between you and Alexia lingered. You tried to push it away, to focus on the fact that she had said she loved you, that she was willing to drop everything for you. But the overthinking kept creeping back, whispering that maybe this was the beginning of the end.

You closed your eyes, pulling the blankets tighter around you, willing yourself to sleep. But even as exhaustion tugged at your body, your mind wouldn’t let go of the nagging doubts. You kept replaying the last few days in your head, every moment where Alexia had seemed distant, every conversation that had felt stilted or rushed. You hated how insecure it made you feel, but you couldn’t help it.

Alexia sits on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone, fingers hovering over the screen. She wants to call you, wants to check in, but hesitates. There’s a lump in her throat, a weight in her chest that won’t shift. You’d asked her for space, asked her not to hover, and she’s been trying, really trying, to respect that. But it’s hard. It’s so damn hard. It feels wrong to stay away, especially when she knows you’re not feeling well.

She runs a hand through her hair, frustrated with herself. She’s been distant lately and she understands that she’s not been around as much as she should have. Training, media obligations, new signings, everything’s been pulling her in different directions, and now, when you need her the most, she’s afraid she’s failing you. Alexia’s not used to feeling this way, like she’s not enough. But here she is, second-guessing everything and wondering why she let it get to this point.

What if you don’t even want her around anymore?

The thought hits her harder than she expects, and she feels a pang of guilt. You deserve someone better, someone who can be there, be present, and she’s been anything but lately. And now, with you sick, the fear creeps in even more. She worries that her attempts to give you space that you asked for might just be making things worse, that you might feel abandoned, even if that’s the last thing she ever wanted.

She presses her palms against her knees, trying to calm the whirlwind in her mind. The idea that she might not be enough, that she might not be the perfect girlfriend you deserve, gnaws at her. She’s scared she’s messing this up, that every move she makes might be the wrong one.

What if she’s not what you need right now? What if she’s been too caught up in her own world, too wrapped up in everything else to see what’s really going on with you?

Her phone buzzes, and for a moment, she thinks about texting you. But what would she even say? She feels torn, pulled between wanting to rush to your side and the fear that doing so would push you away.

She exhales sharply, setting the phone down, her hands now trembling slightly. She loves you, that much is very clear to her. But loving you and being there for you the way you deserve; it feels like two different things right now. She’s scared of being inadequate, of not living up to what you need.

In her heart, she wants to be the perfect girlfriend for you, the one who knows how to navigate all this with ease. Wants to know what you need without you having to say, wants to show you that there isn’t anyone better for you than her. But she’s scared, scared that she’s already failed.

That night, Alexia drives to your place. The streets are quiet, dimly lit by the occasional streetlamp, and the familiar route feels strange tonight, like she’s seeing it through a different lens. Her heart races the closer she gets, hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than usual.

When she finally pulls up outside, she kills the engine but doesn’t move. The silence in the car feels thick, almost oppressive, like it's pressing down on her chest. She knows she should get out, knock on your door, and just be there for you. It’s why she came, after all. But something keeps her glued to the driver’s seat, eyes fixed on the dashboard, mind spinning with uncertainty.

What if you don’t want her here?

She takes a deep breath and glances up at your window. The lights are off, maybe you’re already asleep, maybe you’ve had a long day. Her mind starts to drift even further. Maybe she’s too late. But even if you're still awake, there’s that nagging voice in her head that tells her she’s crossing a line, that you’d rather be alone. That she should have done this a few days ago not now, not when you asked her to stay away.

I shouldn’t have come.

She exhales, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her jacket. Every part of her wants to be close to you, to show up the way she should have sooner. She even reaches for the door handle, her heart pounding as she tells herself, Just get out, Ale. Just go inside and talk to her. Be there for her.

But her grip on the handle loosens, and she pulls her hand back.

What if showing up makes things worse? What if you’re still upset, still needing space, and all she does by being here is prove that she can’t respect that?

She closes her eyes for a moment, willing the doubts away, but they only get louder. She’s scared, scared that you’ll see right through her. Scared that, no matter how hard she tries, she’s already failed you.

With a frustrated sigh, she pushes the door open and steps out of the car. The night air hits her, cool and crisp, and she stands there, staring at your front door. Her feet move her a few steps closer, but then she stops, frozen halfway across the street. To any passerby she would look slightly crazy, standing in the middle of the street, car door open behind her and staring at a closed door. But alexia didn’t care, she couldn’t think about anything else other than you.

She could knock, could tell you everything that’s been going through her head, but what if it’s too much? What if it’s too soon?

Alexia takes a deep breath and steps back, retreating to the safety of her car. She sits there, hands resting on the wheel again, feeling like a coward. But the thought of doing the wrong thing, of making things harder for you, keeps her from getting back out the car.

Tomorrow, she thinks. Tomorrow I’ll speak to her.

It’s a promise she makes to herself, hoping that maybe, with a little more time, she’ll find the right words.

The next morning, you woke up feeling no better than the night before. If anything, the pit in your stomach had only grown. You glanced at your phone, half-expecting to see a message from Alexia, but there was nothing. No good morning text, no follow-up to check on you. That left a really bitter feeling inside of you, one that you hated feeling for two reasons. One, you knew in your heart she wasn’t trying to make you feel that way, and two because you felt that way.

As you dragged yourself out of bed, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. You tried to convince yourself that Alexia was just busy, that she was giving you space like you asked. But deep down, the doubt gnawed at you. What if the space you asked for was pushing her further away?

You knew you needed to talk to her, to clear the air, but the thought of confronting your feelings made you anxious. What if she confirmed your worst fears? What if she said she wasn’t sure about the relationship anymore? You weren’t sure you could handle that.

Still, as you got ready for training, you decided to talk to her today. No more avoiding the conversation. You needed to know what was happening, you needed to clear things up. Not only for your relationship but for your own mind. There was a small voice at the back of your head telling you that speaking to Alexia about why this has happened might be a good idea, but you ignored that for the moment. That would mean showing those deep insecurities. And you weren’t sure if you were ready for that yet.

With the decision made, you grabbed your things and headed out the door, hoping that today would bring some clarity and maybe, just maybe, the reassurance you desperately needed.

Stepping out of the building, you're caught off guard. Alexia is there, leaning against her car, arms folded, sunglasses perched on her nose. She straightens up the moment she spots you, waving casually as if this is the most normal thing in the world. Which a week ago it would have been.

"Hey," she says lightly, her tone casual, maybe a little too casual. Stop reading so much into it y/n.

"Hey," you respond, trying to hide your confusion. "Didn’t expect to see you here."

She shrugs, unlocking the car with a beep. "Thought I’d give you a lift to training. I know Patri picked you up and dropped you home yesterday. I also wanted to check on you properly. How’re you feeling?"

There’s a pause, you are unsure if she’s asking about how you're feeling physically or mentally. "I’m... fine. Maybe a bit tired." Short and sweet, that will do for now.

"Yeah, it’s been a long week," she comments, sliding into the driver’s seat. You follow, buckling in, and the car hums to life as she pulls out onto the road. For a moment, the silence sits between you two, neither of you quite sure how to fill it.

"Traffic’s light today," she notes, glancing briefly at you. "Should get there in no time."

You nod, grateful for the small talk. "Yeah, that’s good."

Another beat of quiet passes.

"Did you see the new kit design?" she asks, her tone light, as if she’s trying to keep the conversation safe.

"Yeah, I did. Looks pretty sharp, though I’m not sure about the neon stripes," you reply, relaxing into the seat a little.

She chuckles softly. "Not a fan?"

You crack a small smile. "Not really my thing. Maybe it’ll grow on me."

The conversation fades again, but this time it feels easier, more comfortable. She’s not pushing, not prying into anything deeper. It feels like both of you are skirting around something bigger, but for now, the surface level is just fine.

Before long, you arrive at the training centre. Alexia leads you inside, where the trainers are waiting. The check-up is routine, some stretches, a few prods here and there and soon, they clear you to train.

"You’re good to go," the head trainer tells you with a nod.

As you step out onto the pitch, Alexia lingers nearby, not hovering, but subtly making sure you’re all right. During the water breaks, she’s quick to hand you a bottle, reminding you to stay hydrated. It's nothing overt, just small gestures that don’t go unnoticed by you.

Training passes, and as you finish up, wiping the sweat from your face and stretching out your tired muscles, you see her approaching again. This time, there’s something different in her expression.

"You did well today," she says with a small, approving smile.

"Thanks," you reply, sensing the shift in the air, the conversation about to take a more serious turn.

She hesitates for a second, then takes a deep breath. "Look... do you want to come back to mine? We need to talk. I think we’re overdue for it."

Her words hang between you both, but the way she says it feels less like a confrontation and more like an invitation. There’s no pressure, no demand, just a simple request.

You meet her gaze, unsure of what this conversation will bring, but knowing it’s inevitable. Whatever is currently going on with you two needs to be addressed and soon. Neither of you enjoying your current situation and definitely not wanting it to continue on this way.

"Yeah," you say, surprising yourself with how quickly the word comes out. "Let’s go."

You hesitate to take the hand Alexia reaches out in front of you, but when she gives you that small smile and slight tilt of her head you can’t help but grab on. You are once again conflicted when she lets go once you are on your feet, but when she awkwardly scratches at her neck as she gestures for you to start walking you can’t help the affection for her that rises in your chest.

The drive to Alexia’s is quiet, not awkward, but there’s a tension that hangs in the air. The radio plays softly in the background, a low hum of noise filling the silence as neither of you speaks much. You glance at her now and then, noticing how her hands grip the wheel just a little too tight, how her jaw seems tense. She’s trying to seem calm, but you know her well enough to see the nerves beneath the surface.

When you arrive at her apartment, Alexia unlocks the door and once again gestures for you to go inside first. You step in, and the familiarity of her space washes over you, a space that’s been shared so many times, but tonight feels different. She lingers by the door for a moment, taking a breath before following you in.

You both sit down on the couch, a little distance between you. Alexia fidgets with her fingers, playing with her rings, clearly trying to gather her thoughts. Finally, she speaks, her voice softer than usual, almost unsure.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner,” she says, her eyes not quite meeting yours. “I wanted to, but... I didn’t know if you’d want me there.”

You sit quietly, listening, waiting for her to continue. You know it is only fair to let her finish without interrupting, your time to speak will come.

“I know I haven’t been... the best lately. I’ve been distant, and I can’t even explain why in a way that makes sense,” she admits, her voice wavering slightly. “And then when you got sick... I wanted to be there for you. I should have been there, but you asked for space, and I didn’t want to make things worse.” You could hear the sadness and longing in her voice as she spoke, it made your heart hurt a little more thinking about how this has negatively affected her as well as you.

She looks down, her fingers twisting together nervously. “But I just kept second-guessing everything. Like, if I showed up, I’d be doing the wrong thing. And maybe... maybe you don’t even want me around anymore.”

Her words hang in the air, heavy with uncertainty and vulnerability. She’s never said anything like this before, never doubted herself like this when it came to your relationship. When it came to you.

You feel the weight of her worry, and it’s clear that she’s been wrestling with this more than you realized. Had you not been the best girlfriend either? Had she been worrying about this for more than just the last few days? There’s a long pause before she speaks again.

“I’m scared I’m not the girlfriend you deserve,” she finally says, her voice barely above a whisper. “I feel like I’m failing you... like I haven’t been there when you needed me most.”

Her eyes finally meet yours, and they’re filled with doubt, something you’re not used to seeing in her. Alexia, who’s always so composed, so sure of herself, now looks like she’s bracing for something, maybe rejection, maybe confirmation that her fears are true.

You take a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment. You know this talk has been coming, but hearing her say it, seeing her so vulnerable, hits you differently. There's a part of you that wants to just reach out and hold her, to tell her it’s all okay, but you know this conversation needs to happen. You know that the both of you need to communicate these feelings and work on how you can do it without it getting to this stage again, if there is going to be again.

“Alexia...” you start, choosing your words carefully, “I never said I didn’t want you around. I asked for space because I needed it, not because I wanted you out of my life.”

She nods slowly, but her expression remains uncertain. You continue, “I’ve been going through a lot, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you here. It’s just... sometimes I need to figure things out on my own. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.”

Alexia exhales, her shoulders sagging a little in relief, but the tension is still there. “I just... I feel like I haven’t been enough lately. I’ve been so focused on everything else that I haven’t made time for us, for you, and then when you needed me most, I just... froze.”

You shift closer to her, your hand gently resting on hers. “I know you’re busy. I never expected you to be around all the time, Ale. I don’t need you to be. I just need you to be... present. To be you.”

Her eyes soften at your words, and she looks down at your hand that is soft on top of hers, her thumb brushing over your knuckles. “I’m sorry,” she says again, her voice steadier now. “I’ll do better. I want to be better, for you. For us.”

You nod, understanding the weight of what she’s saying. It’s not about perfection, not about always getting it right. It’s about showing up, about trying, even when it’s hard, even when doubts creep in.

“I just need us to be open with each other,” you say. “If you’re feeling off or distant, tell me. If you’re unsure about something, we’ll figure it out together. But don’t shut me out, and don’t shut yourself down thinking you’re not enough. And I’ll do better too. I have had so many insecure thoughts over the last few days and I’m sorry for those. I’m sorry that you get affected by them and I’m sorry I didn’t communicate with you about them. That wasn’t fair of me.”

You take a second to think about what you want to say next.  Alexia’s eyes stay locked on yours, her expression softening even more as she listens. Her hand tightens just slightly around yours, a silent acknowledgment of the weight of what you’re both sharing. The tension between you eases further, but the conversation isn’t over yet.

You take a breath, choosing your next words carefully, wanting to make sure she understands where you're coming from.

“I’ve been in my head a lot,” you admit, your voice steady but full of emotion. “I thought that maybe you weren’t showing up because I wasn’t... worth it. That you were pulling away because I’ve been too much to handle. And instead of talking to you about how I was feeling, I just let it build up. I guess I was scared that saying it out loud would make it real.”

Alexia’s brow furrows as she shakes her head gently. “You’re never too much,” she says quietly, her thumb still brushing softly over your hand. “I never want you to feel that way. I hate that you’ve been carrying that, and I didn’t know. That I couldn’t help.”

You nod, grateful for her words but also aware of how important it is to keep the lines of communication open moving forward. “I know you care, I do. I just... I need to trust that more. And I need to talk to you when I’m struggling, not shut you out. I’m sorry for that.”

Alexia leans in closer, her voice filled with sincerity. “We’ll both do better. We’ll figure this out together. You’re not alone in this. I want to be there for you, and I’m sorry if I’ve made you feel like I wasn’t.”

You feel a wave of relief wash over you, and for the first time in days, it feels like the distance that had crept between you is finally closing. There’s a warmth in the room now, a sense of mutual understanding and a willingness to do better, together.

“I don’t need us to be perfect,” you say softly. “I just need to know that we’re in this together. That we can lean on each other, even when things aren’t easy.”

Alexia nods, her eyes shining with emotion. “We are. I promise. I love you, and I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

A small smile tugs at your lips as you lean forward, pressing your forehead against hers. The silence that falls between you now isn’t heavy or filled with uncertainty. It’s peaceful, comforting.

“I love you too,” you whisper.

For now, the words are enough. There’s more to work through, more conversations to be had, but you know that you’re both committed to making this work. And for the first time in a while, you both feel like you're on solid ground again.

Alexia pulls you closer, wrapping her arms around you, and you sink into the embrace. The weight of the past few days begins to lift, replaced by a quiet sense of hope for what comes next.

After the heaviness of the conversation finally lifts, you and Alexia share a soft smile, the tension replaced by a quiet, comforting peace. The air between you feels lighter, and as if sensing the shift, Alexia’s lips curve into a small grin.

“How about we get some takeout?” she suggests, her voice playful yet warm. “I don’t feel like cooking, and I think we both deserve a break tonight.”

You chuckle, nodding in agreement. “That sounds perfect. I could definitely go for some comfort food.”

It doesn’t take long before you’ve both decided on your usual, something easy and satisfying. The soft glow of the kitchen light reflects off Alexia’s face as she places the order, her expression more relaxed than it’s been in days. You can’t help but feel a sense of relief, like things are finally settling back into place.

Not long after, the smell of freshly delivered food fills the room, and you both settle on the sofa, plates balanced on your laps, the comfort of being together in the small, familiar space wrapping around you like a warm blanket.

“Movie?” Alexia asks, already flicking through the streaming options.

“Nothing too heavy,” you say with a smile. “Something we can just zone out to.”

She nods in agreement, finally settling on a classic comedy that always makes you both laugh. As the opening credits roll, you finish your food and tuck yourself into her side, her arm instinctively wrapping around your shoulders, pulling you closer.

As the movie plays, the light from the screen flickers softly against the walls, casting a warm glow over the room. You’re snuggled close into Alexia’s side, her arm still draped around your shoulders, fingers lazily tracing small patterns on your arm. The comfort of it all makes you feel more at ease than you’ve felt in days.

At some point, the film becomes background noise. You’re more focused on the way Alexia’s thumb brushes your skin or the occasional glance you catch of her watching you instead of the movie. You shift slightly, turning your face up toward her, and her gaze softens as your eyes meet.

Alexia smiles, a tender warmth in her expression, and you can’t help but lean in. The first kiss is soft, almost shy, like you’re both still figuring out the rhythm after the tension of the last few days. Her lips linger against yours for a moment longer than usual, and when you pull back, you see the quiet joy in her eyes, a silent thank you for being open and honest with her, for being here.

Without a word, you lean in again, your lips meeting hers in a series of soft, gentle kisses. They’re unhurried, sweet, filled with a quiet kind of affection that says more than words could in this moment. Alexia’s hand comes up to cradle your cheek, her thumb grazing your jawline as she deepens the kiss slightly, but it’s still slow, still soft.

When you finally pull away, her forehead rests against yours, her breath mingling with yours as you both smile, the movie all but forgotten now.

“I missed this,” she whispers, her voice barely audible, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the quiet moment.

“Me too,” you whisper back, brushing a kiss on the corner of her lips, your hands finding their way into hers.

She presses another kiss to your lips, this one lingering, and you both relax into the warmth of each other, the world outside fading as the night slips by.

There’s no rush, just the two of you, lost in the soft comfort of being close, the rest of the night spent in quiet kisses and shared smiles, wrapped up in each other as the movie plays on in the background. There is no need for more words tonight. You both know you’re in this together, that the promise made earlier will be something you will both work at together. And for right now, that’s enough.

[bbydoll18xx]

Plotting and Scheming

Paige Bueckers x reader

When UConn’s wbb team gets tired of Paige’s pining, they concoct a plan to get you into her arms.

Themes: Mutual pining, slight angst, fluff

Word count: 3.3k

I've gotten a lot of love on my other three little fics, so I hope this one is okay, as well. Let me know if you guys have anything specific you'd like me to write!

Here we go!

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

You sat on the sidelines of UConn’s basketball court, admiring the girls fiercely practicing. It was still early in the season, but the dream of winning the NCAA championship kept their grit going.

Having met several of the girls on the team early in your college career, the women’s basketball team had adopted you as one of their own. As a nursing student, you were deemed ‘the fixer of boo-boos’ and you were often around to tend to their cuts and scrapes or to answer their ridiculous medical questions.

That’s where it had all started, and you couldn’t believe where you had ended up because of it.

Your eyes bounced back and forth, following the balls and the whipping ponytails. You always felt so much pride watching them; they were your girls.

Your gaze finds Paige, as it always tends to, and you are mesmerized. She runs, throwing the ball from half court and making it into the basket effortlessly. Without thinking, you stand up, whooping and clapping rambunctiously. She makes eye contact with you, sending you a wink and blowing you a kiss dramatically. Your stomach lurches at the display of affection towards you, and you blush, causing you to glance around making sure no one saw.

Your feelings for the tall blonde had only grown as you got to know her throughout the last several years. She made you feel giddy, like a child with a school crush. As much as you enjoyed being her friend, you had wanted something more for a long time now.

You’d never admit that though. To anyone.

The other girls had spent countless hours trying to get you to admit your feelings for Paige. You held firm, though, vehemently denying any pull or attraction. They would over analyze every interaction between the two of you, and they loved the way your cheeks would bloom with pink from Paige’s compliments and affections. 

In fact, they were absolutely sure that the reason you broke up with your douchebag ex-boyfriend, Zach, was because of your feelings for Paige.

They did not need to know that was actually the case, thank you very much.

It had been on the forefront of your thoughts for weeks before the night where everything had finally exploded. 

You had dragged Zach along to the bar where the basketball team was partying it up, hoping your man would distract you from the longingness you felt for your friend. You felt such a pull towards Paige, and it fucking terrified you. 

You had walked into the bar with Zach, his hand around your waist possessively. The touch reminded you of the last time you and Paige had gone out drinking together. Trying to ignore how you wished it was slimmer and more feminine, you had allowed Zach to lead you towards where the team had gathered in a circle. 

The girls cheered as they saw you approach, thrusting a drink into your hand, encouraging you to catch up to their drunkenness. You glanced around, trying to find Paige in the crowd. 

“Well look who it is,” you heard from behind you. Whipping your head around, you were met with the familiar smirk of your favorite blonde.

“Paige!” you exclaimed, running up to give her a hug, eliciting an eye roll from your boyfriend. You pretended you didn’t see it to keep the peace. You melted into Paige’s embrace, feeling more comfortable in the moment than you had in days.

“K, Bueckers, you can get your grimy hands off my fuckin’ girlfriend,” Zach had sniped, walking away. Pretending as if the man did not even exist, Paige had looked down at you with a wide grin. It was getting harder to overlook her effect on both you and your relationship. 

 The rudeness and nastiness directed at Paige had immediately sent you over the edge.

‘How fucking dare he talk to my girl like that,’ you had thought.

In a sudden fury, you stomped over to him, already busy staring lewdly at some girl who was dancing provocatively in front of him. 

“You can fuck off. Paige can put her hands on me any time she’d like. We’re through. Kiss my ass!” you spat. You spun on your heel and marched back towards the team feeling lighter than you had in months.

“Let's do shots!” you screamed, missing the fond look Paige was giving you.

You snap out of your daydream as you see Paige sauntering over to you where you sat in the bleachers.

“Enjoying the show, huh?” she questions smugly. 

Feeling generous, you nod with a genuine smile. “You guys are doing so great already. You’re gonna go far this season; I can feel it.” The candor of your words causes Paige to beam.

“Listen, we’re all getting drinks tonight at Ted’s. You gonna come with us?”

“Oh I don't know, I've got homework and stuff…” you trail off, trying to find a suitable excuse.

Paige all but pouts. “The girls really want you there. They all told me,” she says knowingly. As if she had planned it, Azzi, KK, and Nika walk over to join you two, all sweaty from practice. 

KK all but jumps on you, causing you to groan under the sudden weight of her body being thrown against you.

“Y’all, please convince this one over here to join us tonight,” Paige pleads, turning back toward you with wide eyes.

You giggle as the girls all jump in, interrupting each other in an attempt to persuade you to come out with them.

You cut them off, trying to stop the cacophony that was echoing off the walls of the gym. 

“I would love to come, but I really have a lot of work to catch up on,” you reason. “If I finish up early, I’ll text you, Paige.” 

Paige nods at this, but you don’t miss the glum look that flits across her face. You sigh half-heartedly, suddenly feeling guilty. You hated making excuses. It was just so hard sometimes, liking her.

“Have fun, guys,” you wave before making your exit from the arena.

As you walk back to your dorm, you feel the pit in your stomach grow larger, enveloping you. Of course you wanted to spend time with Paige, but pining mixed with alcohol and the sensual music of a bar would cause cracks in the hard foundation of your skillful indifference. 

You had been perfecting it since freshman year, but with the way Paige had you feeling lately, you knew it wouldn’t take much for everything to come crashing down.

Walking through your door and sitting at your computer, you get to work, trying to distract yourself. After reviewing your notes for the tenth time and finishing your nursing care plan, you glance at the clock.

Fuck.

It was only 10:30. The girls would probably just be arriving at the bar now, and you really wanted to go meet up with them. 

‘Screw it,” you think. You are going to get drunk tonight, and you’re gonna look hot. You whip out your phone and send a quick text to Paige. Your heart races as she instantly responds. You needed to get your shit in order. Your emotions could not get the best of you tonight.

Over at Ted’s, Paige’s bored expression had quickly turned into an excited grin, causing her teammates to exchange looks of interest.

“What’s got you smiling like that, P?” asks Nika.

“More like who,” smirks KK, glancing at Paige’s phone at your text.

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about,” Paige grumbles, trying to hide her blush with her drink.

“Oh c’mon, Paige, this crush is getting ridiculous. Just tell the damn girl you like her,” Azzi demands. “We’re all getting tired of watching you pine over her.”

“Pine?” sputters Paige. “I’m hardly pining. If anything, I’m just admiring…” she trails off.

“Sure, P,” KK drawls sarcastically. “Nothing like admiring your friend’s ass.” 

The other girls snort derisively. KK was not at all off base with that observation.

“Whatever, I need another drink,” grumbles Paige. “Gotta be drunk when my friend shows up.”

Paige walks off, and the second her teammates lose sight of her, they circle up to discuss.

“Jesus, we really need to do something to fix this shit,” Ice says firmly. 

“For real, this is straight embarrassing now!” KK agrees loudly.

Azzi contemplates for a second, before a smirk slides onto her face. “I know what we can do. The only way to get Paige to make a move is to make her super jealous. We can all take turns flirting, and boom! We’ll have two happy lovebirds before we even know it!”

The ploy causes the other girls to laugh hysterically, reveling in the idea of a jealous Paige.

“Sounds perfect!” Nika laughs. “Paige is gonna hate us, but she will be fine once she finally admits her feelings.”

The rest of the girls agree, sipping their drinks and taking great pleasure in what would be coming. 

About an hour later, you walk into the bar feeling incredibly anxious. You were confident in the way you looked; tight jeans with rips that allowed the smooth flesh of your upper thigh to peak out, and a top that showed off your curves deliciously. Lips glossy and hair blown out, you were alluring, wanting all eyes on you tonight. You figured if you got hit on enough, you could distract yourself from Paige’s enticement. Little did you know it’d be at the hands of her own teammates.

You stretched your neck, scouring the bar for the basketball team. Considering their height, they were easy to spot. Flouncing over, you are greeted with the loud, drunken cheers of your favorite girls. 

You giggle at their enthusiasm, suddenly feeling more at ease. You look around, trying to spot the long blonde hair and the wide smile that constantly occupies your consciousness. 

“Where’s P?” you ask casually, trying to avoid any suspicion. This causes the faces of the aforementioned teammates to exchange sly glances that immediately have you worried.

“Oh, she's just over by the bar talking to some brunette,” Nika responds, attempting to gauge your reaction. Luckily, you had been training for this over the last several years.

Did it fucking hurt? Sure, it was like you were being stabbed repeatedly with a fucking knife, but no biggie. You could handle it.

“Cool,” you mumble, staying aloof. “I’m gonna grab a drink...”

Your reaction causes the girls to hoot with laughter once you’re out of reach.

“This is so mean. I feel bad,” mutters Caroline. “I thought we were only going to make Paige jealous…”

“It’s more fun this way. It’s like a secret mission!” KK exclaims. “Getting both of them jealous is fuckin’ perfect.”

As you walk over to the bar, you see Paige talking to a girl. She is smiling in a way that had your stomach doing somersaults, and your face screws up into a look of annoyance. Attempting to ignore the obnoxious giggles of the girl Paige was wooing, you flag down the bartender and order a double of your favorite drink. Lord knows you would need the extra alcohol tonight. 

You look around apprehensively, trying to move time forward with your brain. Your sobriety, in addition to the crammed bar, had you feeling panicked. You needed to get away from Paige before you combusted from jealousy.

Thanking the bartender, who finally slides your drink towards you, you head back to the basketball team, eventually catching Paige's attention.

Pretending you didn’t see your blonde best friend, you bring your straw to your lips in a seductive manner, catching it with your tongue and relishing in the way the alcohol begins to cloud your inhibitions. 

Paige trails behind you, desperately trying to avoid staring at your jean-clad ass.

KK doesn’t miss this. Neither does Ice. They share shit-eating grins, making mocking faces towards Paige, who flips them off in return, a look of embarrassment covering her face. 

You finally turn around, giving up your bit of pretend indifference. 

“Oh hey, P,” you say breezily. “Didn’t see you behind me.”

Before Paige could respond, Azzi is already wrapping her free hand around your waist, bringing her closer to you. She says, “I missed you. C’mon, let’s go dance.”

The blonde’s eyes narrow, but Azzi is already leading you towards the brightly colored dance floor before she could respond to you. 

“The fuck?” Paige mumbles under her breath as the rest of the team exchanges deranged giggles at her shock.

The truth was that Paige was terrible at sharing. Especially you. Even before she wanted anything more than a friendship with you, Paige slightly resented anyone who took away your time and attention from her. 

The signs were so clear. So fucking clear.

Half of the girls follow you to the dance floor, leaving the others to stay with a pouting Paige. Her reaction to Azzi’s contact gives you the tiniest amount of hope, and it gives you a second wind of confidence. 

You dance with the girls, slightly confused at their antics. You were close with all of them, but the touching and incessant compliments had your head spinning.

What the hell was going on? 

Paige was usually the one clinging to you, wanting to make you blush and giggle. Tonight she was acting like a wounded puppy. Her face continuously flashing between a clenched jaw of annoyance and straight bitterness. 

Your attempts to avoid looking at her were futile. This did not go unnoticed by the team, who looked like they were enjoying your longingness way too much. 

You look up at Azzi, begging her with your eyes to tell you what was going on with Paige tonight. 

“Why is she acting like this?” you ask no one in particular, just trying to deduce the weird energy that had accompanied the entire night. The girls shrug and avoid the question altogether, carrying on with their laughing and gyrating.

You sigh, exhausted from the game they were clearly playing. You needed more alcohol or it was going to be a rough night; you were too sober to deal with this. 

“C’mon, shake those hips,” an evidently very drunk Nika, whispers in your ear with a smirk. She brings a hand down to rest on your waist, the other trailing down your back…lower and lower. You look at her, slightly shocked at the affection. Before Nika’s hand could even reach your ass, you feel yourself being ripped away from her by a swearing Paige.

“What the actual fuck, dude?” Paige all but yells at her Croatian teammate, her eyes wild with anger and her jaw clenched with an impressive amount of control. 

Nika just laughs at Paige’s overreaction, along with every other girl on the team.

“What’s wrong, P?” Azzi asks with a mocking tone. “Pissed that someone other than you touched your girl?”

Paige’s voice falters as she responds, “she’s not my girl…just don’t want her to be uncomfortable or whatever…”

Hearing Azzi refer to you as Paige’s girl made your head spin. What the fuck does that mean?

Your head quickly bounces between a smirking Nika, an uncomfortable-looking Paige, and the rest of the team, who were trying and failing, to hold in their laughter.

“I’m confused…” you trail off in a quiet attempt to get some answers.

A few seconds of silence pass before KK breaks it. “Girl boo, just talk to Paige. And use protection.”

Excuse me, what?

The girls vacate the area, leaving you and the blonde staring at each other, both afraid to make the first move.

“Let’s walk back to my apartment. We can talk there,” Paige finally mutters. 

You let out a breath you didn't even realize you were holding. Things felt vulnerable. Like one wrong move and everything would come crashing down into oblivion. You didn't want your relationship with Paige to be ruined; your one-sided crush already disrupting the delicate balance of it all.

The ten minute walk back to Paige’s felt like years. The air was heavy, constricting your entire being. You held back a sob as the dread seeped into your soul. You couldn’t let Paige see you cry; it was embarrassing enough knowing that she probably already knew of your feelings.

You would get through this. Just let her let you down easy and then you could escape.

As you mentally plan the funeral for your friendship, Paige reaches for your hand, cold from the bitter chill of the night. Your reflexes are quick, wanting to rip it away from her in an attempt to guard the tiniest bit of pride left in you, but you still. 

Nevertheless, you wanted her. And even worse, you needed her. So you allow her to gently take your hand, interlacing your fingers and rubbing a thumb over the smooth skin soothingly. 

It felt so intimate, and the tears in your eyes threatened to spill over your cheeks once more. You glance up, feeling relief as you spot the parking lot of the apartment building. 

As you enter Paige’s room, you look around, trying to memorize everything that made up your friend. ‘This’ll probably be the last time I’ll be here,’ you think solemnly, gazing at the purple comforter thrown haphazardly over the unmade bed. No more giddy nights spent pressed against the blonde, praying she can’t feel the thumping of your heart as she cuddles you.

You sit on the bed warily, readying yourself for the rejection from your most favorite person in the entire world. 

Paige can tell you’re anxious. You unconsciously pick at your fingernails, and your bottom lip is already swollen from being habitually bitten.

She sits beside you, placing a hand over yours again, as if she thinks it belongs there for some reason. In your version of the story, it did. Everything that was yours belonged to Paige.

“I have to tell you something. And I'm really not sure how you’ll react…” Paige trails off, hesitant of how to approach the situation. She clears her throat and continues, “I have feelings for you. I know you probably don’t feel the same, but it’s fine. And the girls knew tonight and were messin’ with me. They thought if they made me jealous enough, I’d do somethin’ about my feelings. And I guess they were kinda right.”

Upon hearing the long winded confession, your ears start ringing and your heart feels as if it might actually combust. 

She has feelings for you? 

You pinch your thigh, slightly wincing at the pain before your face slides into an elated grin. This was actually real.

She has feelings for you. 

Paige searches your face for some sort of guess on how you were reacting to her maundering. With the alcohol still in your system and the shock of her words still reverberating through you, you could do nothing except launch yourself at her gorgeous mouth.

She squeals, momentarily caught off guard by your sudden movement before realizing that the pining she had been doing the last several years was in fact mutual.

Your lips collide, fuckin’ finally, in a kiss that could only be described as heavenly. It was passionate and slow, deliberately savoring the feel and taste of what had been only daydreams for a very long time. 

Ultimately needing to break away for some air, you gaze at each other, reveling in the idea that the pain and heartbreak of years of pining and jealousy was no longer. It was peaceful. It made sense to you, though. Paige was your peace, and you were hers.

Laying down together, you whisper fondly, “I love your teammates so much. Even if their methods are a bit crazy, they really do mean well.”

Paige chuckles in reply. “We are so getting them back for that little stunt, though, right?”

“Of course,” you hum. “Two can play at that game.”

[that-nerd-who-writes-fanfiction]

Headcanon that Merlin listens to Arthur and the knight’s rambling because he just really enjoys listening to them talk

I’ve had this headcanon for a while and I’ve written about it a few times but never anything I liked enough to post. But I got reminded about it again so I thought I’d share here.

If anyone writes this, please just tag me here or on Ao3 and give credit. Thanks :))

Merlin realises pretty early on in Camelot that nobles are never forthcoming with information or talking.

He also learns that Arthur loves to ramble about his special interests or hyper-fixations, despite it being trained out of him from an early age.

ADHD Arthur has me in a chokehold most days and I really really hate Uther despite the source of angst.

Anyway, Merlin will act like he doesn’t know anything about hunting or swords even after he’s had a few months in Camelot and he’ll ask Arthur more and more questions till he starts rambling.

And Merlin loves it. He loves listening and getting a chance to relax and not be the constant ball of energy in the relationship. He gets Arthur talking about longbows or developments in battle strategy throughout history while they’re on rides or walking through the halls, or he asks about breaking the horses for riding, Camelot’s history, pretty much anything.

Arthur just thinks Merlin is genuinely curious about these things, but he realises Merlin hates hunting, he shouldn’t care about bow weight or arrows. And he can’t handle a sword to save his life so why would he be interested in why the discovery of counterbalance is important?

It’s not till he looks over during one of his rants and sees Merlin completely at ease that he realises Merlin just likes listening. Arthur pauses and Merlin frowns to ask why he stopped. Arthur isn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth when it comes to Merlin and he knows better than to try and understand him. So he rolls his eyes, says something about making sure he was actually listening, to which Merlin reassures him he’s listening by repeating the last few things Arthur’s said, with his own understanding to show he’s interested, before telling Arthur to keep talking.

It spreads around the knights eventually and Merlin becomes the guy who listens to people. Leon, in particular, will spend time talking to Merlin about things he finds interesting because he’s never had anyone to listen to him before. Gwaine knows why Leon and Arthur are so happy to talk to Merlin because he experienced it too when Merlin said he wasn’t sick of having Gwaine around and talking ‘too much’ after his first time in Camelot.

He also gets a few skills along the way, he can pick a perfect sword for Arthur’s birthday present, learns a lot about the Druids from Percival and a lot of other things from the knights.

And the fics I wrote for this were entirely an excuse for me to ramble about why the capes in BBC Merlin were stupid and inaccurate, and the various other historical inaccuracies in the show, but that’s another thing.

[ticktokrobotsnot]

Cooking Up Speculations

Pairing: Carmen Berzatto x fem!reader

Summary: With y/n rushing around to doll herself up for an event, it's only a matter of time before things get out of hand.

Word Count: 6.7k

Notes: I have never written something like this before, and I thought I would give it a shot. I haven't checked the grammar, but if Google Docs missed anything, that's none of my business.

warning: alcohol and mentions of throwing up out of nervousness but no one actually does, or even comes close.

__

The prep work was close to done and for once in The Bear’s short existence it was not a screaming disastrous mess. Everyone was on track and prepared, the sauces were sitting in the fridge, the cakes were waiting to be sliced, the rolls were warm and ready to be cut open and it was all thanks to (y/n) coming in extra early this morning. She had started the prep work for most of the chefs that had yet to arrive in the effort of softening the blow. She would be abandoning them for the dinner rush on what was predicted to be a very busy day.

What sport was being played? Who is playing? And who won were all unknown to y/n but all she knew was that the restaurant was going to be filled with rowdy and obnoxiously drunk men who were going to make everyone’s life miserable and she was going to get a “get out of jail free card”. She felt a small pang of guilt for basically leaving them for dead but sacrifices had to be made and if she could cover anyone’s shift with little to no notice she was allowed one day to herself.

The restaurant was expecting the dinner rush to crawl in at about 6:30 pm which left y/n about an hour and a half to get ready. Y/n was finishing up cutting up some garnishes so that everything would be perfect. The sounds of a spoon slapping skin was approaching and y/n knew that she needed to state her case convincingly so she could leave early. Fighting the urge to not bring anything up, work through her shift and miss her event was deviously tempting but with a deep inhale she put the knife down and turned on the balls of her feet.

Her (e/c) eyes meet his and before she could choke out a lame excuse as to why she was blocking him she spit out, “I was wondering if I could have a word with you.”

Carmen looked expectantly, he thought she was going to ask him to taste test the braised beef she had just finished prepping, or ask an obscure question about the food science between ingredients. Y/n had once asked if he found it annoying during one of their late night clean up sessions and he said it was a nice change of pace and he really didn’t mind. How could he when you were so eager to learn?

Y/n didn’t want to do this out here, people are working and if she was going to beg, which is how she expected the next 5 minutes to go, she didn’t want any witnesses. The damage that would do to her pride would force her to change her name, move to Vegas and make money by selling timeshares to idiot tourists.

She cleared her throat, “Privately, chef”

Although his face didn’t betray anything, y/n knew that she had caught him off guard. After a while of spending most of their time together cleaning the kitchen after hours and talking about every minute detail in their lives, y/n knew that she had raised a few alarm bells in Carmen’s head. If she paid attention she could hear the sounds of a car alarm blaring in the back of his head signifying that he thought something was wrong. He always assumed the worst possible would happen, like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

He wordlessly guided y/n to his office. The door was closed and it felt like they were transported to a different dimension where there was nothing outside but the vacuum of space, it was just the two of them in this room and if one of them were to leave the outside pressure would make their body implode and smash into the size of a ping pong ball. She really didn’t want any of them to leave.

With a silent inhale, “I have to leave early today.”

Carmen softened the crease in between his eyebrows, “ Yeah sure, take the day off.” The imaginary crisis was averted and the car alarm stopped blaring in Carmen’s head.

Y/n was surprised that he was being so easy today. Y/n had yet to ask for a day off but she had spent last night imagining the worst possible scenarios possible, she would get yelled at, rejected, or worst he would guilt her for leaving them to deal with the upcoming shit storm.

“Honestly, I was expecting a bit more of a fight.” Y/n joked, “I even made this whole pitch to convince you.”

“ I can hear the pitch so that it doesn’t go to waste,” Carmen said with a glint of humour in his eyes.

Carmen was giving her an inch and so she might as well take the whole mile. Knowing she was about to push her luck and Carmen’s patience a bit more she continued.

“I came in at 4am and started everyone’s prep and helped Tina with the sandwiches during lunch, and did all of Syd’s prep because she had that doctor’s appointment. And I think it's cruel and unusual that you wouldn’t give me a day off when all I did today was prove how much of an angel I am. The least I can get is a measly day off…What you're not gonna give me a day off you selfish prick? You see this is what always happens, little guys always get pushed aside by the Big man. Carmen you're supposed to be better than those billionaire pricks who probably hunt their interns for sport. And I think it's so unfair that I grace you and this business with my presence and I don't even get a single day off- ” Carmen let out an exhale from his nose and covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smirk. The move had almost made y/n fall to her knees, the way his hair was tousled, the way he looked up at her with his sharp blue eyes, the tattoo flexing on his hands that were a calloused and dry from years of washing them nearly a hundred times a day, the veins trailing up from his hands to under his white shirt.

“Okay, I get gist.”

Y/n knew he didn’t ask for an explanation but she wanted to keep him here for just a bit longer.

“I have this thing I have to go to and I live too far away to go home and change so I need your office to get ready. I would get changed and stuff in the bathroom but the lighting is really bad, the outlets don't work, it’s smelly-”

After a quick glance at his watch he realised that he had a few vendors coming by and he needed to get back to the kitchen. “I know, that bathroom is a real shit show. I told Fak to fix it but nothing he fixes lasts for very long. The office is yours.” Carmen rushed out.

“I'm going to be here till 12 so if there is anything you need me to do before I leave just give me a holler.”

Carmen gave a nod of appreciation before his eyes lingered on her face for a second before grabbing a few papers and a clipboard and then opening the door to leave. It was stupid and childish but y/n held her breath wondering if he would be crushed to the size of a ping pong ball as soon as he left but when she heard him yelling at Richie she knew that the “alone in space” fantasy had died.

Y/n slipped out and went to her locker where she pulled out a dress, makeup and a straightening iron. She had an hour and a chance to make herself look like she just came out of a Mattel box and it was a daunting task for someone who didn’t have much experience dressing up.

Makeup was a bit of a disaster at first because she didn’t want to ruin any of Carmy’s papers but after she accidentally dabbed a bit of concealer on a light bill she just stopped giving a fuck and finished up. The hair was tricky, the outlet was near the ground and she had to crouch to straighten her hair.

The last and most daunting task was the dress because y/n was about to strip in her bosses office and although she had dreams about something this amazing, the reality was much less sexy. In a small burst of paranoia she rolled the chair over to the door so no one would walk in by accident and quickly changed. In the back of her mind all she was thinking about was the small glimmer of hope that Carmy would be the one to walk in. In reality, it would be Rich or Fak because boundaries were a foreign concept to the both of them.

And with 10 minutes to spare, y/n was done. She sprayed some perfume and hyped herself up to leave. She knew she would get teased so she wanted a smooth exit, an Irish goodbye would be perfect, fingers crossed hoping that Richie was out back so she would get out before he made these stupid jokes.

After a few deep breaths, y/n picked up her things and opened the door. The coast was clear and she made a beeline to the lockers to grab her purse, change her shoes and go. She would leave most of her stuff, because if you want to survive you have to be light, like those firefighters that ditch their equipment so that they don't get burned alive. Everyone looked busy and with a quick once over, y/n tried to walk through the kitchen. And although women and heels have had centuries of history, the heels still managed to betray her at the very end. The long sound of heel on tile brought Syd’s head up. Y/n eyes widened as she shook her head as to signal to Syd to drop it but Syd let out a playful gasp and Y/n knew that the jig was up.

“You look amazing.”

And a sea of eyes were looking at y/n.

“You get all dressed up for me?” Syd joked and for a split second y/n wondered if she could make a run for it before she realised that she would fall and crack her head open.

“Who else?” Y/n joked back hoping to get out before she was held captive by their questions.

“You look so nice, where are you headed?” Tina said as she came closer and dragged you closer to everyone.

“Umm- I was actually going to-”

“You know who you look like?” One of those women who seduces James Bond at a casino.” Sweeps commented unhelpfully. A hum of agreement was shared among the crew. Y/n’s face grew warm.

“So where are you going?”

“A date, women don't dress like that if it's not for a date” Ebra chimed in.

Another gasp, “ IS it a date, is he handsome?” Sydney probed.

“Actually, I'm not- '' Y/n tried to finish before she was interrupted.

“What type of car does he drive?”

“We'll see when he picks her up. When is he picking you up?”

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU CLOWN JABBERING ABOUT '' Richie burst through the door to see what all the commotion was about and he looked like he was in utter disbelief.

“I didn’t know that it was possible for you could look like that”

Y/n was slightly offended.

“You normally look like death.” Richie laughed. Scratch that y/n was very offended.

“I could look like this everyday if I wasn’t in front of a stove, you clown.”

Ignoring her, Richie asked the room,“ Where is she headed?”

“A date”, Sweeps added.

“I'm going to my friends-” y/n tried to interject.

“A date huh, our little y/n is all grown up now. Soon we’ll be sending her off to college.” Wiping a fake tear and leaning on Tina for mock support, “They leave the nest so soon, it was like it was just yesterday when I saw her struggling to walk.”

“It WAS yesterday and I was only struggling because I hit my knee on the shelfs in the walk-in.”

“Who’s the guy?” Richie asked

“ Your dad.” Y/n knew it was childish and unoriginal but she was too flustered to be a bit more creative.

Richie ignores her and continues, “You know what you look like? You look like one of those girls who kills Johns”

“Are you saying I look like a prostitute?”

“A classy one for like the president and shit.”

“or an ambassador,” Ebra added.

“or a CEO,” Richie continued.

Y/n knew it was going to be tough but she wanted to get out before she was stuck forever.

“I have to go now, I’ll see you guys bright and early tomorrow. Richie you suck major ass. And just so you know, i'm not going on a-”

Carmen walked in with a clipboard and a pen not even sparing a glance up.

“Ok, I just got the beef delivered so we should have enough for Ebra till the end of the week.”

“Heard, chef”

“And Marcus”, who watched the whole thing and didn’t offer any help to y/n except the occasional chuckle.

“I have your eggs”

“Heard, chef”

Although no one said it, everyone was waiting for the moment that Carmen looked up and saw y/n. The dishwashers who never really left their stations shut off the water and were subtly watching this mess unfold.

It was the longest that y/n had seen Richie quiet. He just stared at Carmen, while hiding his mocking smile under the guise of rubbing his stubble.

“I know we are low on onions but the guy is coming in a bit so sit tight”

“Heard”

Maybe, y/n thought, she would be able to walk past Carmen unnoticed if she walked on the balls of her feet so that the heels made less noise. Y/n took a step forward to hightail it out of here so she could make it in time and even though the heel was a lot quieter then last time, the unusual silence in the kitchen made it impossible to disguise the sound.

The sound of heels on tiles brought Carmen back to reality.

He looked up and y/n didn’t know if she imagined it but she thought she saw him raise his eyebrows. And if she was really going to feed into her delusions, she would say that his eyes widened and his pupils dilated too.

All that came crashing down thought, because after a beat of silence barring the sounds of sizzling and bubbling. Carmen questioned, “I thought you would have left by now chef.”

“I got held back but I really do need to leave now. I'm going to miss you guys and I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.” And with a quick wave y/n brushed shoulders with Carmen as she left. The smell of her perfume lingered and Carmen felt a bit dizzy.

Carmen wanted to ask where y/n was going but he didn’t want to overstep any boundaries, not when the two of you have already gotten so close. Richie had different plans, “Hey cousin guess where y/n going?”

“I don’t know cousin, that isn’t really any of our buis-”

“She is going on a date”

“A hot one” Syd chirped

“With a nice car” Ebra added

Richie’s comment felt like a ton falling on his head. Now he felt a different type of dizziness. He quickly composed himself

“Chefs, we have a dinner rush coming, now is not the time.” Carmen said with a bit of an edge.

Richie led Carmen to the front under the guise of asking a question about the tablet. The crew looked around and shared a knowing snicker.

“I can't believe that you let her go like that?” Richie added. “Right now she is in some guy's car about to get wined and dined to high heaven while you wait here with your cock in your hand like some cuck.”

“ Cuck?” Carmen said with venom, it's like he was giving Richie a chance to take it back before he killed him.

“I would be fucken pissed. I wouldn’t let someone take my girl out like that, all dressed up for someone who isn't me”

For a second Carmen imagined you sitting across from your rich new date with the nice car and the handsome face and felt like throwing up. He was angry, he was angry with this “date”, he was angry at Richie for saying all that stupid shit to get a reaction, and embarrassingly enough he was angry at y/n. He had no right to be but he just couldn’t help it.

“Richie if you don’t knock it off, I’m going to send you flying out the fucking window”

“Yes, chef.” Richie mockingly replied.

And with a swift turn Carmen returned to the kitchen with a different temperament then he had 10 minutes ago.

The dinner rush was a nightmare, but the kitchen was hell. There wasn’t a single thing that didn’t set Carmen off. He wasn’t screaming like he was with the to-go orders but he was on edge. They could feel it when they had to remake dishes because he didn’t like them, or when they had to listen to him criticise innocuous things after housekeeping. When that dinner rush ended, the crew looked like they wanted to be anywhere else but there. The second the restaurant closed, chefs cleaned as fast as they could to get the hell out of there. It was the fastest they had cleaned since the morning rush with the pre-orders.

With a quick goodbye, everyone but Carmen left the restaurant hoping that he would be in a better mood tomorrow.

Carmen did what he did every night, got on his knees and scrubbed the floor with a towel. Carmen knew it was unfair and he knew he had no right to dictate what you did. You weren’t his and he waited too long. A part of him understood where y/n was coming from, during one of their late night conversations he had mentioned that he had never had a girlfriend and he didn’t really have the time. This conversation took place some time after the two had gotten close but before he realised that he might have liked her for quite some time. Things were different now and Carmen wanted more.

He tried his best to be understanding but the thought of y/n clinging onto someone else’s arm and laughing at their stupid unfunny joke, made him livid. What if they kiss? Or what if they sleep together?” That thought made him stop scrubbing and sit on the balls of his feet and throw the wet towel with an unnecessary amount of force to another corner of the kitchen. He couldn’t do this today, he couldn’t be here. He got up and cleaned up the towel and bucket of dirty soap water and walked home.

He ended his night with a nightcap hoping that he would fall asleep easily but it didn’t work. He spent a good amount of time staring at y/n contact hovering over the call button before flaking out because it was 2 in the morning and he had to get to work at 6:30. Maybe Richie was right and he was a coward but before he could think too long, sleep had overcome him.

The restaurant was a bit of a walk away from Carmen’s house but he never minded it before, it felt like a good buffer between “Home Carmen” and “Work Carmen”. Today was different, he couldn't not think about y/n and that annoying date of her’s so for the first time in his time in Chicago he listened to music on his way to work. The music was so loud that it was just obnoxious noise and allowed him to stop worrying for a few moments. Carmen couldn’t think about y/n without feeling a bit… he didn’t know how he felt he just knew it was not a great feeling.

Being the first one in the restaurant was not new to him but it felt strange that after 30 minutes he was still the only one there, normally y/n would be there by now asking Carmen about a baking show they both happened to catch the night before, or ask what he ate for dinner last night and breakfast this morning. Carmen would always fight the urge to lie and say that he cooked something magnificent when in reality he probably ate a bag of chips and drank some flat soda. One of the things that these AA meetings emphasised was honesty, to both himself and others, and even if it was embarrassing he told you the truth. You never really judged him because you did the same thing.

After sorting through fuck ton of bills, a few of which had brown power on them and one of them had a (s/c) smudge on the corner he heard a buzz in his pocket. He looked at it hoping it was you saying that you'll be there any second.

(Y/N): I'm so sorry to do this to you but I'm going to be a bit late today, not super late but like an hour. I have to grab my extra apron from my place and I'm a bit far from there. I'll be there by 8 the latest. Again, super sorry :(

Carmen read the text a few times to check if he read that right, you were going to be late because you weren't home and slept somewhere else and needed a change of clothes. Which translated to, you were with someone else, which means you might have done something with someone else. He just stared at the text for a few more seconds before he heard the sound of the front door opening, Carmen didn’t have to look to know it was Sydney. He snapped out of it and sent back an “ok”, lowercase just to be a bit petty. Was it immature? Yes. Did he regret it? Not really.

Y/n spent the rest of her food budget for the week yesterday in a drunken haze with an uber from one side of Chicago to the other. The bachelorette party was a success and y/n was glad that her friend had a good time at the fancy restaurant that she picked out. Y/n was trying to be responsible and limit herself to a few drinks but it's hard to say no to the bride to be and before she knew it she had to leave her car at the restaurant because they took her keys and y/n and her friends crammed into an uber headed towards one of the bridesmaids houses.

Y/n woke up in a hurry, she grabbed a random shirt and joggers from her friends closet because all she had was that dress, which now had wine spilled on it. She quickly gathered her things and texted the group chat that she had to leave early so she could get to work. They would read it when they woke up. Not repeating yesterday’s mistakes she took the train to the restaurant, got her keys back and drove at illegal speeds to get to her place where she took a shower, changed back into her friends clothes because she was way behind on laundry. She took one last look in the mirror before grabbing the apron and sprinting out the door to drive to work. She got there at 7:30am and she felt like death. The hangover was finally catching up to her, and she poured herself some water from the dispenser out front. She knew everyone was in the kitchen by now. She gave herself a few more seconds of quiet before she opened the door to the kitchen and gave a quick hello and rushed towards the lockers to put her stuff in and change into her non-slip shoes and apron.

Richie raised his eyebrows. This was too good, it was too easy, all he needed was for Carmy to get out of that depressing office of his to bear witness to this.

Richie was the first to ask, “New shirt? Never seen it before? ”

“Good Morning to you Richie, if you need to know I borrowed it from my friend.”

Carmen wanted to rush out as soon as he heard your voice but he refrained. He promised himself that he would give you a bit of space to respect you and your date/boyfriend. That didn’t stop him from listening through the door.

“Some friend you got there, real close.” Richie jokes

y/n didn’t know what he was talking about, “Friends tend to be close, Richie. You would know that if you had any.” Y/n barked back.

“How was it?” Syd asked as she sliced what looked like gallons of onions.

Y/n knew that last night was probably a good night but she was so drunk then and so hungover now that it all made her a bit nauseous to think about.

“Honestly, I don't remember much but I do know it was fun.”

“Hungover?” Tina asked.

“Very, my whole body feels like i was run over by a semi”

Marcus handed y/n a gatorade before going back to work with the cakes.

“You come back to us in new clothes, showered, late, hungover, and sore. You must have one hell of a night!” Richie said louder than necessary just so that Carmen would hear, he had a feeling that Carmy was eavesdropping.

“Im telling you guys i didn’t actually go on a-”

Carmen didn’t want to hear anything after Richie spoke because he felt like he was going to hear something he didn’t want to know. He picked up a clip board, slammed the door open and began walking around.

“Chef.” Carmen said mechanically

“Chef.” Y/n replied back fully expecting this, she left early, came late and was now distracting everyone.

Y/n quickly busied herself with peeling garlic and the rest day fell back to its usual rhythm. The prep finished right before the restaurant opened and they worked on filling to-go orders along with the regular lunch and dinner orders. One thing was noticeably different to y/n, Carmen hadn’t looked or approached her once. Normally he would walk by all the chefs and ask how they were doing, checking the quality, etc but the second he got to y/n who was at the far end of the kitchen he circled back. He made comments to everyone’s dish and he had yet to even get within a 3 feet radius on y/n.

Y/n could feel that something was off and to test it, after the dinner rush she finished making one of the test items that Sydney and Carmen had wanted to try out and after a small taste she knew she killed it.

Y/n walked up to Carmen with the dish and set it down. “Can you taste it and tell me what you think?” Carmen didn’t look up, he just grabbed a fork, took a bite and said a quick “It's fine, chef”.

Y/n then looked the dish over to sydney and asked her to try it.

“It added a bit of chocolate because I read somewhere that Japanese people put chocolate in their curry”

“Chocolate huh?” Sydney grabbed a small notebook and made a note.

“It’s okay?” y/n asked.

“It's fire, chef. Great work”

In y/n mind that confirmed that something was wrong with Carmen. Y/n waited till the restaurant closed and everyone left to bring it up. It was just Carmen and y/n alone in the restaurant and y/n could feel there was something in the air.

“You don't have to stay late, you should leave early” Carmon proposed while not looking at her.

That was strange because Carmen never asked her to leave early. She walked up to Carmen who was sweeping the floor and ripped off the bandaid.

“Thanks for the offer but I want to stay with you for a bit longer.” Carmen’s grip on the broom toughened till his knuckles turned white. It was a risky thing to say and after a beat of silence y/n took the coward’s way out by diverting and changing subjects.

“I'm sorry I was so late today Carmen, are we good?”

“We're good.”

Another awkward silence.

“ I don’t think we're good, you seem, I don't know, pissed?”

“I'm good, you're good, we’re good” Carmen said by turning his attention to a very interesting onion skin on the floor.

“You didn’t say anything about the dish I made, or that I was late. Someone told me that you seemed off yesterday.”

“Was this someone named Sydney?”

“Cannot confirm or deny, Carmy”

Carmy finished sweeping and took a few steps back.

“There it is again! You keep walking away from me and not looking me in the eye.”

Carmen didn’t know that he was being obvious, he thought he was subtle because Richie would have brought it up if he wasn’t. Carmen forced himself to look up at y/n and felt like the wind was knocked right off his lungs, he really hadn’t seen her at all today and he missed her.

“You can tell me what's happening so that I can help or at the very least listen to what's wrong.” y/n offered

Carmen bent down, and started to scrub in silence. He looked like he was piecing something together and y/n didn’t want to intrude so she continued to scrub assuming the conversation was over and that they were going to spend the rest of their lives in this uncomfortable silence. A few minutes pass and then a long sigh is heard from the other end of the kitchen. Carmen looked up.

“I’ve been a bit..” Carmen started. Y/n wanted him to finish his thought before she called him a dick.

“It's been a weird day.. I know it shouldn’t but I can't help but ask..”

A pregnant pause passed.

“How was..” y/n leaned in so she could hear.

“How was your “thing” yesterday?” He spit out.

Y/n looked a bit confused, “Umm it was fine, I mean we were at a restaurant so it wasn’t anything to crazy”

“Why were you so late today?”

The other shoe dropped, “ I knew you were pissed that I was late.” With an exhale she continued “We went to dinner and then got shit faced drunk and ubered over to a friends house. I had to go by that restaurant in the morning to pick up my keys and drive to my place so I could take a shower and not smell like a walking liquor store.”

“How was he?” Carmen choked out after a few more beats of silence.

“How was who?”

“Your umm…”

“Mmm” Carmen continued.

Y/n waited but it felt like he was testing her patience,

“Your date?” Carmen finally conceded while swinging his head down.

“What date? I went to a bachelorette party with a few of my girlfriends.”

Carmen’s head shot up, “ I thought-”

“The people in here are so nosy, I kept telling them that it wasn't a date and they wouldn’t bother to listen.”

Carmen’s shoulders relaxed and he felt like he could finally look at you without feeling guilty that he was looking at another guy’s girl.

“What’s been on your mind, Carm?” Y/n probed and Carmen's shoulders tensed up again.

Y/n could feel the atmosphere change and she wanted to capitalise on it while she still could, she could trick herself into thinking that Carmy was jealous of some imaginary guy that he thought she went on a date on, when he probably was just diverting attention to avoid talking about his own problems.

More silence.

More scrubbing.

Carmen looked up with a look of determination, y/n assumed that he had finally hyped himself to tell her what has been bugging him. Although the tension was killing her she did want this moment to last for a bit longer. In this moment she could convince herself that Carmen was troubled because of her and not because work was drowning him or that he is a mess because his brother left him this shithole and left.

She wanted him to have a problem with an easy solution. If he liked her, the easy solution was that she would kiss him and tell him how much she longed for him. He would then confess how much he yearned for her and she would give all of herself to him and he would finally have a win in his life, something that wasn’t tainted by his love/hate relationship with cooking, his family, his brother. Something that he would have all to himself, her love.

Just for a few moments she repeated, that's how long she had till the dream died. This wasn’t the first time something similar had happened. They would stay late and in the comfortable beats of silence Carmen would look up with such a look of determination and y/n heart would flutter hoping for those three special words but she would get something completely different but still equally important, information about a very private part of his life whether it be the AA meetings, or the guilt he felt for resenting his brother. And everytime y/n’s heart would break a bit and then mend itself knowing that even if she couldn't have him like she wanted to, she would still be important to him.

That type of relationship, friendship, used to be enough, but not anymore. With his plans to change The Bear he was getting further and further away from her. It used to feel like it was the two of them but y/n was starting to wonder if she was going to be left behind. If she would stay friends for a while until the longing grew too strong and y/n would leave The Bear. Even if Carmen misses her for a while, y/n knew he would bounce back like he always did and she would slowly be replaced by Sydney or whoever. The thought that in a few years he will have learned to cope with his grief and trauma and move on from the past, move on from y/n, and maybe settle down with someone else made y/n feel like throwing up.

This time y/n didn’t fall for Carmen's “look”, she had a neutral face and was ready to hear what Carmen's issues were. She wouldn’t assume that she was going to get a confession. This time she will help him with his problems and move on from this one-sided crush. Maybe she WILL go on a few dates to forget about him.

“Carmen, do you want to talk about it?We don’t have to do anything you don't want to.”

Determination morphed into apprehension.

“I am feeling something, it is n-n-not…” He exhaled through his nose.

”It's selfish y/n. I'm being selfish. You have every right to do whatever you want but I..”

Y/n tried to look as comforting as possible trying her best to hide any confusion, if Carmen was any other person she would ask if he was sober right now because he was a total mess.

“I’ve never done this before, and I-” and he ran his palm through his hair.

Y/n refrained from thinking about how amazing he looked under the fluorescent lights with his tousled hair and apprehensive gaze. He could bring up his nightmares or sleepwalking, and she would feel so guilty for perving over his eyes.

“You looked very nice in that dress yesterday.” Y/n felt like a lump was forming in her throat. He was going to say something like this and think it's an off handed comment but she would go to the bathroom and cry because she knew nothing would come from it. Y/n thought it was a bit cruel.

“You looked so beautiful yesterday it was hard for me to look at you without making a fucking idiot out of myself. I wanted to run over to you and tell you that as soon as you left but Richie told me you're going on a date and it was…”

Carmen continued, “You are special and you deserve someone who isn’t…me. And you're free to do whatever and if this is completely …wrong…bad…i don't know, just stop me and we will never talk about this ever again…”

He searched y/n’s eyes looking for a sliver of doubt or disgust but he was met with glassy eyes and a look that longed for him to continue.

“When I thought you were going on that date I knew that I couldn’t not have you and that made me feel….” A sigh reverberated through the kitchen.

“ I like you…romantically.” Carmen uttered.

Y/n didn’t say or do anything for a moment, she spent a few moments wondering if she was hallucinating or dreaming. And in a moment of pure adrenaline, she scooted over to Carmen who was still on the floor before cupping his face in her hands and whispered, “Can I kiss you?”

The kiss wasn't electrifying; it felt like a wave of warmth seeped into every corner of their beings. It felt like dipping your hand in warm water after shovelling the show, the type of warmth that sends shivers down your spine. Y/n fingers get lost in his wavy hair and his hands hesitate, not knowing where they should go before landing one on her hip and the other on the back of her neck to pull her closer. Y/n heart was beating so hard she wondered stupidly if he could hear it, Carmen was wondering something similar. They slowly pulled away for air before getting a good look at each other, both their lips were swollen and red and their eyes were dazed.

Y/n knew he was a flighty person, one wrong move and he would go running for the hills so she refrained from asking if they were dating now, this could have just been a one time thing and she didn’t want to ruin it. Thankfully Carmen held her hand and stroked it with her thumb before swinging his head down and looking up at her.

“I want to be with you y/n”

“I like you too, Carmen, for a very long time.” And their lips meet once again.

Y/n resisted the urge to say that she only bought the dress in the hopes that he would take it off of her, that was a story for another time.

“Let's get you home” Carmen mumbled into her lips, the vibrations and the friction making her lips burn in sensitivity.

Carmen helped y/n get up before they both packed up their stuff and headed out the door. Both hiding the smile of triumph from each other, not really knowing how much the other loves them yet, and only time would remedy that.

[wooattackrr]

Opposites Attract

MDNI

word count: 1,704

a/n: as I was writing this I realised most of my fics are school plot

——————————————————————

You had always been the studious one, the kind of student who could ace exams without breaking a sweat. Mingyu, on the other hand, was the quintessential class clown—loud, unpredictable, and always the center of attention. His antics had made him a legend in your high school, but you never expected the two of you would ever spend time together outside of class.

However, that all changed when the teacher announced mandatory tutoring sessions for struggling students. To your surprise, the person assigned to your group was none other than Mingyu himself. You were apprehensive about it at first; after all, you knew how he could be. Would he be serious about his studies, or just use the time as another opportunity for jokes and laughter?

The first few sessions were exactly what you expected. Mingyu would arrive with a quick grin and a barrage of puns that could make anyone groan. You would roll your eyes and get back to work, trying to make the most of your time with him. But slowly, as the days passed, you began to appreciate his humor more. Beneath the façade of the class clown, you discovered a more thoughtful side to Mingyu. He wanted to improve, and with your help, he actually started to.

Your meetings eventually shifted from awkward and frustrating to enjoyable and filled with banter. You would laugh at his silly jokes and tease him about his notorious reputation, while he would engage attentively with the material, even occasionally asking for clarification on topics he found difficult. It was surprising how he could change from a playful joker to a focused student in the span of just a few minutes.

One Wednesday afternoon, as winter settled in and the sun began to set early, you both found yourselves deep into a particularly challenging math problem in the quiet confines of the local library. You were seated at a large, wooden table illuminated by the soft glow of a desk lamp, surrounded by bookshelves stacked high with novels and textbooks.

"Okay, explain this part again," Mingyu said, resting his head on one hand, his expression half-focused, half-exasperated. Your fingers traced the numbers on the paper as you explained the concept of quadratic equations.

“Imagine it like a jump,” you said, enthusiastically drawing an exaggerated parabola in the air with your free hand. “When you throw a ball, it goes up, then comes down. The highest point is the maximum value, and the whole trajectory is shaped like a curve, just like this.”

Mingyu mimicked your hand movements, a smirk dancing on his lips. “So you’re saying if I throw a ball really hard, I’ll pass this math test?”

You laughed. “If only it were that simple.”

The hours flew by, marked only by the ticking clock on the wall and the occasional rustle of paper. You had both lost track of time. It wasn't until the library announced its closing for the night that you realized how late it had gotten.

"Oh no, we're locked in!" Mingyu exclaimed, looking around furtively as you both realized the entrance doors were indeed shut tight. "What are we going to do? We’ll be trapped here forever!"

“Calm down,” you said, trying to mask your unease with a shrug. “We’ll just wait for someone to come back and let us out.”

“Yeah, right,” Mingyu said, plopping down in a chair dramatically. “I’d probably just start doing my stand-up routine to keep myself entertained until then.”

The playful banter continued as you both settled into the unexpected situation, and soon, you found yourselves in a comfortable silence surrounded by the stories that lined the walls of the library. But in that quiet moment, Mingyu turned to you, a glint of mischief in his eyes.

“Since it’s just us here, do you want to hear a secret?” he asked, leaning closer with intrigue. There was a moment of tension, a thin line drawn between the humor and seriousness you both shared.

“A secret? From you?” you teased. “I’m not sure I trust you to keep it.”

Mingyu feigned offense. “I promise! No jokes. Just… honest.”

“Alright, then,” you said, your interest piqued. “Let’s hear it.”

“I think you’re really smart,” he said, his voice dropping to almost a whisper. “And I mean, smart-smart. Like, you get all the answers and I can barely figure out which number comes next.”

You blinked, taken aback by the honesty in that statement. “That’s sweet of you to say, but it’s just studying.”

"But you study because you care," he replied, sincerity etched on his face. “You don’t just do it to get grades… you want to help others, too.”

His gaze was steady, and for a moment, the classroom antics and the laughter faded away. It was just the two of you—Mingyu and you caught in an unexpected act of vulnerability. You felt a warmth rise within you, something you hadn’t anticipated.

“Mingyu…” you began, unsure of where this conversation was leading. But before you could finish your thought, he shifted closer, the distance between you shrinking until it felt electric.

“Mingyu!” you exclaimed, half in surprise, half in protest, yet your heart raced with an excitement you couldn’t quite analyze.

“I’ve been thinking…” he murmured, inching even closer, his face a mere breath away from yours. “Maybe I’ve been hiding behind jokes and laughter… but I really like spending time with you.”

Your breath caught in your throat as his honesty washed over you. It was unexpected but refreshing. In that moment, the world around you melted away until it was just the two of you, the quiet library filled with unspoken possibilities.

And then he leaned in.

The kiss was tentative at first, a gentle exploration filled with the hope and curiosity that had been building up over your shared laughter and late-night study sessions. As his lips brushed against yours, the world seemed to stand still. It felt like the climax of a romantic movie—two unlikely characters drawn together by the most unexpected circumstances, finding a connection they never knew was possible.

When you finally pulled away, both of you breathless, you knew that this moment would redefine everything. Mingyu’s expression shifted from the playful, buoyant energy that was so familiar to him to an earnest vulnerability that left you speechless.

With newfound determination, you guided his hand back to where you had left off. As his fingers traced the sensitive folds of your skin, you couldn't help but moan in delight. He teased and pleasured you until your body was quivering with anticipation.

Just as you were about to reach your peak, Mingyu gently turned you around and lowered you onto one of the library tables. The bookshelves loomed over you, their silent pages bearing witness to your stolen passion. Mingyu entered you slowly and deliberately, his every thrust setting off fireworks within your body.

You cried out in ecstasy as he filled you completely. Your nails dug into his back as he pounded into you, his hips moving in a rhythmic dance that sent shockwaves through both of you. You wrapped your legs around his waist, pulling him closer until you could feel every inch of his hardness within you.

The climax hit you both like a tidal wave. You screamed out in pleasure as Mingyu's seed erupted deep inside of you, mingling with your own sweet fluids. He collapsed on top of you, exhausted but still buzzing with the afterglow of your shared passion.

As you lay there entwined in each other's arms, you realized that your hidden love for Mingyu had blossomed into something more profound. It was a love that transcended the confines of the library and the boundaries of your wildest dreams.

With the first glimmer of dawn, Mingyu helped you to your feet and kissed you softly. 'I never would have imagined this,' he whispered, his voice filled with wonder. 'But I'm so glad it happened.'

You smiled up at him, your heart filled with a joy that you had never known. 'Me too, Mingyu,' you replied. 'Me too.'


——————————————————————

fromis comeback !

[anniebass]

baby don't be mad

1.3k word actverse ficlet under the jump rating: M tags: dialogue-heavy, beginning of the relationship, the boys are arguinggg, old man eddie's being a clueless slut, and also a dweeb, and steve's being... a person that rly needs therapy lol

Rapid catchups, they name it, though it doesn’t really need a name, it’s basically just talking. Early on Eddie realizes he doesn’t know all that much about his sexy old-but-new long distance serious boyfriend, that he possesses a fuckton of outdated information, that, duh, people change, especially in the long-ass time they spent apart. That the habits and opinions of a twenty-year-old shithead don’t necessarily last until someone’s forties.

That evening, they do the rapid catchups, starting off easy, prompted by the takeout dinner they have at Steve’s: best Asian food, go, at which without a second thought Steve says Chinese, while Eddie goes with Japanese, love me some sushi, yum. Later, when they’re full of kung pao and mapo tofu, lazily digesting on the couch, half-watching an old movie where Sharon Stone saunters across the screen and smolders at bad men, Steve says: you have to sleep with a woman, any woman in the world, dead or alive, go.

Eddie groans and slides down the couch, throws his hands up: dude, I don’t know! Uh, like maybe— Cleopatra? Or maybe one of those amazonian greek warriors with one boobie?

So, no one you actually know the face of? he says, with a little smirk.

Man, I don’t— I mean, there are some beautiful women walking this earth, like stunning stunning women I can’t get enough of, but that don’t mean I want to fuck them! My willy shrinks at the thought, he explains meekly, and shrugs, clicking his tongue: I dunno, maybe Eartha Kitt? She seems very fun.

Good choice, mutters Steve, and to Eddie’s your turn he tilts his head, scratches his nose: I don’t know if that question really applies to me. But if I had to have a sex list, it would be… Linda Evangelista? Or Sharon, she’s hot. Or— yeah, Monica Belucci, Jesus. Her, definitely. If not her then Cleopatra, that’s actually a great answer, she must have been good for all that shit to go down around her, he says with a smile, and Eddie sighs dreamily, oh, I’d love to watch. From the closet, imagine myself in her place. In a little egyptian wig, he adds, to which Steve snorts, rolling his eyes.

Alright, my turn. Best casual sex you’ve ever had, go, says Eddie, and Steve hums at that, leans back on the couch, rubbing his chin, mumbling under his breath, until he sighs and says: I actually didn’t have that much of it beyond my teens, and what I had back then was very… teenaged, y’know. And in that short gap between my first and second wife I slept with just three people, two dudes and one woman, and neither of those was mind-blowing. The guys were kinda disappointing, I thought after so many years of straight sex I’d be blown away, but it was just… okay. Actually—, he adds, shaking his head: it sucked. I was drunk, they were drunk, I don’t remember much of it. Or don’t want to. I remember stinky balls. So, I dunno—, he says, and sighs, and glances at him: am I a big loser if I say the best one was when we reconnected? Could say it was still casual back then, right? When we fucked in the church, or by the pool, or—, yeah, there was a lot of it, on that trip.

It really was magical, agrees Eddie, smiling at him.

So, uh, your turn, says Steve. Best you've ever had, go.

Oh, man, mutters Eddie. I know my answer to that. Japan, in the mid-nineties. We were on tour and stayed for a few nights in Tokyo, and I got to explore the city, research shit with the help of a very discreet translator, and finally, on our last night there, I ended up in a gay bar. Very hush-hush, a basement place hidden away in some grimy back alley, he says, lowering his voice into sultry tones of gossip. Met a guy there, this… slightly chubby middle-aged businessman type, suit and tie and briefcase, wedding ring on his finger, very regular looking guy, and we drank sake through the night, sang some karaoke, and ended up in some seedy by-the-hour love hotel. He didn’t know who I was, didn’t speak a lick of English, I was obviously drunk, but I still remember that night like it was yesterday. God, just— the way that guy fucked me, the way he seemed to know every inch of my body without having seen it before, the way he just knew what I wanted without any language, it was insane. We did it a few times that one night, practically without stopping, and never saw each other again. I actually jerk off to that memory to this day.

To this, Steve lets out a small hm, purses his lips and leans back, crossing his arms, and Eddie clicks his tongue, leaning closer, touching his shoulder: aw, don’t be jealous. That was casual, but out of all people, of course you are my number one, no contest. I just— remember that one time in Japan, because it worked so well without language, and that’s always kinda hot. Language of love, all that cheesy stuff. Up to that point and following it, it'd mostly happen with some hot Brazilians.

Okay, he says.

Eddie sighs, watching his face: Steve, you know that’s what my life was like back then, this neverending barrage of hookups. And most of those weren’t even that good, like, you talk of stinky balls? I met dozens, slobbered over them anyway like they were fucking Ferrero Rocher!, he says to a small groan in return, then sighs, speaks softer: being with you is a completely different quality from that, even from my previous relationships. It’s way different. With Marcell, we both slept around, there wasn’t much that we had in common beyond, like, incredible attraction at the beginning, and the fact that we work in the same industry, could endlessly talk about that. And with Zu, we— we really loved each other, but we weren’t a good fit. It was this weird thing where she needed someone more masc, but also I needed someone more masc, he says with an amused scoff. We were two bottoms in love, and it’s hard to make it work in the long term, without fucking other people. We’re way better off as friends. And the other dudes I dated, it was just— me being a drunken asshole, most of the time. I was a very shitty boyfriend for a looong-ass time.

There’s a stretch of silence, and Steve slides down the couch, still frowning: man… I just wonder why you asked that question in the first place. Because it seems to me like you wanted to brag a little about this incredible hookup you had in fucking… Japan. Do you miss fucking other people, Eddie?

He sighs, rakes a hand through his hair: Steve, I literally just told you I don’t. I might romanticize it, the— the way I might romanticize being on drugs, but I don’t want to go back to that. I asked because I want to know everything about you! I dunno, I— I guess I like Japan. It’s such a weird place, I really want to go back there, he says and inches closer, placing a calm hand on his thigh: come with me. Like, for two weeks or something. We’d take the girls with us, go in the summer or for the spring break. Would be cool to just wander around, shop, sing karaoke, eat tons of good food. Go to Kyoto, see the geishas, tea ceremony. Go to hot springs. Japan’s truly like no place you’ve ever been to.

I didn't know you liked it that much. A trip does sound nice, says Steve, with a small smile. Emily would go crazy, she loves those cartoons. Chels would like it too, I think.

Eddie smiles and squeezes his leg: sounds like a plan. Also, just to— get it out of the way: from the moment you first kissed me, I stopped thinking of us as casual. I was, like, fully fully back in love with you in point two seconds. Even before that, to be honest. If I ever for a single moment considered that a hookup, it’d totally blow that businessman out of the water. If you want, I could show you, uh, how I blew him out of the— fucking—, he falters, then snorts: sorry, failed metaphor. But you catch my drift.

Yes, please, says Steve.

[pablitogavii]

Hii i love your story’s I wanted to know if you can do a jealous Pablo/reader please thank you sm I love you

She’s my girl, tío!

You came to one of his trainings which Pablo usually ADORED but right now he was in a particularly bad mood seeing Joao staring you down.

“Que haces tío!?” He said after Pablo kicked the ball and it hit his head which angered the boy. You just giggled knowing exactly why your boyfriend did this. You know him that well ;)

“You’re not paying attention! Not my fault!” Pablo raises his arms as Xavi walked up and told them both to quit it.

“Do you see what happens when you distract my boys??” Xavi joked seeing you as his daughter and obviously knowing how crazy you are in love with Pablo, and only Pablo.

“Lo siento mister! Can I take my boy home early today??” You asked with puppy dog eyes and the man shook his head saying you can take him home right now.

“Before he kills my new striker!” He added as you jumped up running down towards the pitch to tell Pablo good news.

“Xavi said that we can go home cariño..” you said when Pablo ran to see why you were not sitting on the stands anymore.

“Cierto mister??” He asked having extra trainings every morning for the past week and the man nodded knowing he deserved a break before a big game.

“But no hamburguesa chaval!” Xavi said and Pablo blushed while you giggled promising be won’t eat anything off his diet day before the game.

“She’s the boss..” Pablo tapped Xavis shoulder and the man ruffled his sweaty hair.

“They always are chico” Xavi said and you thought it was adorable the relationship they had always looking like a father and a son.

“Vamos princesa!” He snaked his arm around your waist about to walk away but then Joao called you name and you turned around feeling Pablo’s hold tighten.

“Let me give you that signed shirt before you leave!” He said and you nodded while he ran back to the changing room. Your friend is his HUGE fan and begged you to ask for her so you did. Pablo didn’t know that and wondered why HIS girl wanted some other boys jersey!!? Oh now he was really in a bad mood!

“Here you go” he said giving you the T-shirt and Pablo watched your hands slightly touching as you grabbed it thanking him and leaving with Pablo shortly after.

He was in no mood for the rest of the day and you can clearly tell it was something to do with Joao so you started the topic firsts.

“Let’s just talk about it amor..porf?” You say sitting next to him feeling awful that he was not holding you like he always would during movie nights. Boy is a giant cuddler!!

“Nothing to talk about. You have every single version of my jersey but you want his! You wanna wear it for the next game!!?” He was already fuming mad but wasn’t yelling because he knew you didn’t like that. He always respected your boundaries even during arguments like this.

“Wear it!? It’s not even for me Pablo! Tu eres tan tonto cariño!” You chucked seeing his very much confused face.

“Pero..why did you ask for it then??” He asked and you moved closer straddling his lap and kissing his lips.

“For Maria! You know she’s crazy about Portuguese boys” you roll your eyes moving closer grinding slightly on Pablo’s lap and whispering into his ear “I don’t get what she sees tho..it’s the Spaniards that drive a girl loca” you kissed the side of his neck and he moaned smirked to himself.

“Spaniards!?” He said referring to the plural tense you used in your sentence.

“Hm..actually one Sevillano in particular is driving me absolutely loca!” You said and he smirked kissing you passionately and he kissed you back grabbing your bum roughly. Let's just say you had a fun night together ;))

The next day, you got ready wearing his jersey and some shorts knowing it would make your boy's mouth water like always. You liked he effect you had on his very much. Little did you know, it would catch someone else attention as well.

"And Y/n is so nice. Such a sweet girl!" Joao was talking to Lewa who took it upon himself to teach Pablo some proper English lately so he knew the boy could understand everything.

"I would watch my mouth, or Gavi might kill you kid!" man said walking towards Gavi tapping his shoulder and winking. He leaned in whispering "she's yours, so there is no worries" before leaving to the pitch to warm up.

"Felix!" Gavi called asking him to stay behind while everyone else left and Xavi asked them to make it quick.

"I'm gonna say this only once..she's my girl, tío!" he said touching Joao's shoulder and the boy nodded his head knowing that he needs to watch out his comments since he just now realized how serious Pablo was about you actually.

It wasn't unusual for footballers to be in non serious relationship, but yours was definitely not one of those and the boy needed to back up (or Gavi just might kill him).

"You're a lucky man" Joao said and Pablo nodded his head letting go and grabbing his water bottle.

"I know" he smirked before running out towards the pitch looking up at your happy face from the stands. He waved and you sent him a kiss turning around to show him his name on your back..yeah, you were all his and everyone knew it now ;)) <33 !!

In the end of first half, Pablo scored being assisted by Joao and they both rushed to celebrate together. It made you happy that they were still friends and colleagues at peace that it wouldn't affect their play.

Pablo kissed his jersey touching his heart and pointing to you as his new celebration and you blushed cheering and sending him a kiss as camera caught it.

"Amor!!" Joao pointed at the two of you yelling in the camera and Pablo smiled hugging him as they returned tot heir positions for the rest of the game.

I hope you like it <333

[imraespace]

LIFE'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE INLOVE ─

─ WITH RIN ITOSHI !!

"I dare you."

"No."

"Triple dare you!"

"..."

"Ohh Rin!!"

"MEGURU!"

You shoved your hand in the boy's face, looking around to see if anyone heard him but everyone else was too focused on their own conversations, thankfully.

Your eyes landed on Rin's spot and realized that he isn't there.

You let out a sigh of relief and sat back down, glaring at the laughing male, who sits on your desk.

As of right now, Meguru is trying to get you to step inside of the library and find textbooks for HIMSELF along with Yoichi.

You promised your friends that you would help them with the areas they are currently struggling in but no one has yet to move to gather the materials.

Of course, Yoichi will browse around to find something that might help him, but Meguru wants you to personally see what will help him, AND physically help him as well.

And he's using his knowledge about you, against you.

"Hmm, yummy sweets, all for me!!?" He taunted, digging his hand into your bag.

"OKAY FINE!"

And with that, you stomped out of your classroom, looking back to see if Meguru actually ate any of your sweets.. He did, but at least it was only one.

It was an early school morning, normally you would arrive at school late, but these days you three arrive at the time you normally start to get ready.

So there are some new things you get to see like you noticed how Rin isn't present in the class in the early mornings, but always arrives late. He's in the school building because his shoes are switched in the cupboard.

Mindlessly walking, making your way to the library building, you had to step out of the main building but thankfully the field is near the area because if it wasn't, you wouldn't get to see the view you accidentally caught a glimpse at, it wasn't your fault honestly.

You stepped out, letting the morning sun soak into your body. It was a nice feeling. A few students passed by, some talking to their peers or some just exiting the library building.

Whoever's on the field right now was a bit too into their zone as suddenly a ball came rolling towards you and collided with your legs. It wasn't a forceful hit but it was enough to nudge you a bit.

Your eyes looked down at the football, that lays next to you. You looked up to see who was the culprit of the accident and found it to be Rin.

He was panting, a bit sweaty, and looking right at you. He was practicing early before school. Damn, just thinking about how much dedication he puts into this sport makes you wonder how much dedication he will put into his girlfriend.. Just thinking about it is making you blush like crazy.

Wait, he's making his way here, the ball!

Stopping your crazy delusions, you grabbed the ball from your feet and slowly brought it up to your face, inching it more and more to hide the heat on your face as he came closer. Your stupid thoughts..

"Sorry.."

"Huh?"

"For that." He said, gesturing at the ball.

"Oh, it's okay, I promise." You told him, smiling as if he could see it through the ball.

You gripped on the ball for a bit, he's waiting for it.

He's waiting for the ball, but the more you stare at him, the way his breathing slows down, and how that one strand sticks to his hair. Oh look at his eyes, they're staring down right at you, not to mention those eyelashes you're jealous of.. for many reasons now. Finally, the uniform that hugged his form so perfectly, you wished it was you.. WHAT?

On the inside a bomb just blew up, on the outside, you're finally giving him the ball, with a bit of force though. It caught you off guard, so you opened your mouth to make up some excuse. Yeah totally..

"Sorry! I was just admiring how much you put into football, y'know? Just thinking about it makes you seem so hot- WHAT! I mean, it's hot.. out here.. so.." Woah! How embarrassing can you be!!?

LUCKILY FOR YOU, Rin paid no mind to your words, just agreed to it.

"It is hot."

"It is.. like me." You muttered. Now he's staring at you, nodding.. NODDING?

"Yeah, you're sweating." Oh, he meant it like that.

"You too."

"Because I'm practicing."

"Yeah, I know."

Not a conversation you wished to have with Rin but at least it's one!

"Okay.. I'm gonna go to the library, have fun practicing!" And with that you ran off, leaving him alone with the ball in his hand.

He sighed, staring at your back.

He forgot to give you that silly sticky note. Again. As in the third day.

For some reason, for the past few days, after that one lunchtime you came to visit the team, you annoyingly caught his attention.

It's annoying and confusing the poor boy. Before he barely acknowledged your presence, you were in class and that's all. He only knew your name because it was the first in all subjects, that's all. So why now, all of a sudden, you're in his head?

Ever since that stupid shit you did with Yoichi's name on a note you gave him, he thought of you as weird and annoying. Then you began to open your mouth, admiring this and that, something he hadn't heard of from anyone besides his brother probably.

You're noticing the small things like his morning practice, and his empty water bottles all because you admire him.

Not only that, ever since you were given the role of helper in this team your whole behavior shifted, asking random questions and making friends. Just before that big match you always slept in class and never moved an inch. Is that why you maybe caught his attention?

Rin is so into his own motives and doings that these random thoughts that sneaked up on him is confusing him. Just before you apologized to him his mind was straight and set. Not anymore and he doesn't know why.

"HYOMA!!" Your loud voice alerted the boy on the field.

━ 12:30 PM

They haven't started practice as yet and so before they did, you had a deed to do.

Hyoma, who was in the middle of braiding his hair, turned around to face you as your ran up to him.

"Last night I was bored and made some sweets and I made your favorite so this is your share!" You told him.

"Homemade food from a lady?" Otoya perked into the conversation.

"Yeah what about it?"

"Your fruit sando was tasty." A voice from behind said.

You turned around and saw that it was Gagamaru. He's one of your new friends on the team, he helped you save a stray cat!

"Thanks Maru, but I only planned on giving this to Hyo." You confessed.

The males around you let out a series of groans, which didn't affect Hyoma!

"Thank you Y/N." He said with a smile, which caused you to return it.

"Are you sharing that?" Otoya asked your friend.

"No."

You laughed a bit.

"How about tomorrow I bring more?" You suggested.

"You're offering your Karinto Manjuu to them?" Hyoma complained.

It caused a small smile to form naturally on your face.

"Okay I won't, but I will bring something else tomorrow then."

"Okay!"

With that, you left them to do their kicking of balls and thought it was best to visit the library to find any books related to baking or sweets, your favorite hobby.

Without your knowledge, familiar piercing eyes followed your movement as you made your way toward the building, remembering this morning's event.

His ears listened to his teammates' praises for your sweets, and now it's piqued his interest a bit.

You made it to the library and began your search for some bakery-related books.

You scanned every row, touching every spine of the books as your finger passed by it. You stopped in your tracks as your ears picked up on some students conversing.

"..L/N."

Huh? You?

You stood still as a statue, not making a sound. to hear what they were talking about.

"You know her? Same! I heard she might visit Japan soon."

"Same!"

The voices died down as they walked away, completely ignoring their surrounds and carrying on with their day.

But you stood there confused, until it hit you.

"No way.." You mumbled.

They won't ever come back. You sighed, pushing the thoughts away, and went back to your original plan here, look for sweets.

..Fruit Tart, Sherbert, Canulé, Éclair, Madeleine..

Those are the ones you're mostly familiar with because she always made them for you. With a smile on her face, she would always help you make desserts. But he always used to complain about too many sweets..

What's wrong with munching on the happiness here on hand? Just the thought of munching on those yummy sweets brings a smile to your face.

The same smile that formed when your eyes landed on a book filled with desserts.

"Found one!"

You grabbed the thick book and made your way to a table, off to Candy Land to find one sweet treat.

Your eyes scanned the pages, turning them one by one as time passed by until you found one.

Why not cheesecake? A strawberry one.

Feeling content with your new plan, you put the book back in its original place and left the library.

━ 10:01 PM

".. Can't believe I'm saying this but go to bed."

You looked up from your phone and saw Reo.

"I will."

"Okay.." He muttered.

You planned on making this cheesecake earlier as soon as you came home from school but you had your afternoon nap until 9 PM. Who's fault is that?

So now you're making the cake!

You stared at the recipe in your hand. You went digging in your recipe cards and found the one you had for cheesecake.

All the items that are needed is right in front of you, all you need to do is to start the process.

You got the biscuits of whatever choice and placed it in a zip-lock bag then got your rolling pin and took your anger out on it!

Too into it, you failed to notice the sleepy Reo sneaking up behind you.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT 10 PM!?" He asked you, with a bit of attitude.

"Well as you can see, I'm making cheesecake!" You answered him, pointing at your station.

"Why at 10PM you decided to do this?"

"It's for your team."

He sighed then walked away, back into his room.

And so you too went back beating it!

The rest was easy, you decided to make two cakes and now it's chilling in the fridge, finally you can get some sleep!

━ 6:09 AM

"Y/N?"

You turned your head in the direction of your name and saw the one and only Otoya!

Your face lit up as soon as you saw one of the people you were looking for.

He noticed your other bag and began to approach you.

"Do you need help with that?" He asked, already motioning to grab it but you were quicker and shoved your hand inside.

There, you grabbed the cheesecake that you neatly placed in small boxes, where did you get the boxes? From a store duh!

Anyways, you pulled it out and both Otoya and yourself were greeted with a box in your hand!

"What's that?" He asked you.

You gave him it and then signal to him to open it.

His face lit up a bit when his eyes landed on the treat, that was gifted to him by you!

"For me!?" He exclaimed.

"I made for everyone, but yeah that one is for you." You stated.

Out of the blue, his hand found its way around your shoulder and a smirk was formed on his face.

"So.. how about we-"

"Y/N!" Nevermind, he was cut off by Meguru!

You took his hand off of you and ran towards your hyper friend. Sadly, Otoya was left alone but oh well!

Your hand entered your bag and pulled out the treat for your friend.

"For you." You confessed, with a bright smile.

Meguru accepted it, the same smile on his face, and turned around, looking for someone.

It was Yoichi!

His smile grew a bit larger when his eyes landed on his friends.

As usual, you dug for the treat and placed it in his hand.

"What's this?" He asked, eyeing the box with interest.

"Cheesecake."

"Thanks."

"Yeah, what he said!" Meguru added.

Yoichi looked around, visibly ignoring Otoya as he noticed that he already had a box in his hand.

"Are you giving it out to everyone on the team?" He asked you.

You nodded at his words, scanning the area for anyone else. Of course, there's one place where you're guaranteed a teammate there but you decided to go there last.

"Then let's help you, c'mon!" Meguru suggested, grabbing your bag and running off.

"WAIT."

Their help was needed as a lot got done, and you even made friends with Hiori!

You draw sparkles on Aryu's box before handing it over to him, for no reason of course.

As normal, Barou had his attitude but he accepted your gift, next time you might give him a sponge so he can appreciate your kindness.

You found Gagamaru in a tree but he got his portion as well!

You forgot that your roommates are also on the team, so you personally visited them.

Upon entering their class, Hyoma was in there, which made things easier.

Seishiro was first to notice you because the door interrupted his train of focus towards his game.

"Hi." He simply said, greeted you.

You gave him a small smile and placed the box on his desk.

"Is that the cheesecake you were packing this morning?" He asked.

"Yes it is, that's yours." You pointed out. He nodded and then returned to his game.

Reo and Hyoma on the other hand approached you.

"You actually made it for them?" Hyoma muttered, taking his share.

"You were up at 10 PM making cheesecake for them?" Reo also muttered, but this one has an annoyed tone to it.

"Yep!" You exclaimed, with a smile and gave him his piece, then made your escape.

You had three more pieces, so you made your way to Anri's office to give her two, one for herself and for Ego.

You knocked on her door, which she gave you access to enter and you were greeted with her pleasant smile.

You placed the boxes on her desk, which confused her but you explained everything to her.

So of course she thanked you, with a hug and after a small conversation, you said goodbyes and left the office.

Now finally, the one person you avoided.

Nervously, you made your way to the field. Before you did things for him like fill his water bottle with ease so why are you nervous?

Is it because last time he squashed your treat? Ha totally not..!

Well.. This time you both have a somewhat acquaintance, so he will accept it anyways right!

Whatever, with all that nervous thinking, you mindlessly made it to the field anyways.

He was there, practicing his heart away, only focusing on getting better and not you nor your treat, so you should walk away!

Nevermind, he turned around. He stopped in his tracks, eyes lingering on your body for a bit, which caused some heat on your cheeks. You sighed and made your way towards him.

His eyes landed on the box in your hand, then back to your face.

"I don't know if you remembered from yesterday.. but I made this for everyone so.." With each word you muttered, it got softer and softer until he couldn't hear you anymore, but he got the idea.

You stared at the grass on the floor, holding the box with sweaty palms.

He waited a bit for you to gave him the box, but with your eyes on the floor and not on him, you failed to notice that.

So he took it upon himself to get the box from you, gently prying it out of your hand, which caused your fingers to touch a bit. It took you out of your staring contest with the grass and focused on the box in his hand.

"Thanks.." He muttered and made his way over towards his bag and placed it inside.

No squashed treat this time, which caused a warm feeling to appear in your chest.

You slightly waved goodbye, and ran away, with a smile on your face.

When you finally left, leaving him alone, he stared at the cake for a bit and he wondered how your cooking tasted. He remembered everyone praising it but because of circumstances, he couldn't taste it.

He sighed, returning to his practice. He will enjoy the flavor later in the day.

## LIFE'S HARD WHEN YOU'RE INLOVE. --

╴“ WITH RIN ITOSHI?? „

ฅ^._.^ฅ : some things about y/n !! she mostly sleeps through the day, only does stuff IF needed !! with her given gift of being effortlessly smart , all she does in her free time is : nap , eat , sleep. hmm what if.. one day y/n develops a crush and now has to ACTUALLY work to achieve a goal ? : date rin itoshi !!

14 // 16

note: idk if you've noticed so far but the fic gonna have y/n lore soon with her parents hehehehhe..

TAGLIST: @deezy12299 @kuroronana @khoiyyu @swagkittybear @shidousprincess @starbarfbunni @jealovsie @imtiredmf @hainge (OPEN)

! if you didn't get tag, that means your acc didn't show up :(

-`♥︎´- for this story, i'm trying a something new, which includes words/phrases, foods and hometowns from japan and germany. if there's any errors please point it out !

-`♥︎´- word count :2.8K

[daydreaming-en-pointe]

the swan and her princess (part 1)

summary: Swan Lake isn’t all beauty and grace, contrary to popular belief. And you experience firsthand that as you wage a one-sided war with your “rival” for the role of the Swan Princess, Odette.

pairing: Gwen Stacy (Spider-Woman) x fem!Ballerina!Reader

word count: 842

warnings: uses of Y/N, lots of ballet terms and references, the teacher displaying blatant favouritism ig?, mildly petty reader 💀

a/n: I finally got around to doing it! yay :D academic rivals to lovers ftw honestly

gearing up for my first official chapter-based fanfic WHOOOOOOOOO

dividers by me btw! it’s my first time doing dividers so any feedback would be appreciated <3

part 1 // part 2 (pending)

glossary:

Swan Lake: Swan Lake, Op. 20, is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. It is now one of the most popular ballets of all time. The ballet is based on a German fairy tale, and tells the story of a prince named Siegfried who falls in love with Odette, a princess who has been turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer

Odette: Odette is the main female protagonist in the ballet "Swan Lake," which is composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. She is the White Swan, also known as the Swan Princess/Swan Queen.

Anna Pavlova: Anna Pavlovna Pavlova was a Russian prima ballerina of the late 19th and the early 20th centuries. She was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev. (basically, every ballerina’s idol)

first position: In the first position, the heels are together, with toes turned out until the feet are in a large, open V or a straight line.

relevé: Relevé is a French term meaning "raised up." It is one of the basic ballet moves. The dancer starts in a demi-plié (a move where the dancer bends their knees halfway while keeping their feet on the ground) and then rises up into demi-pointe (on the balls of the feet) or en pointe (on the toes), either on one foot or both feet.

“Let’s take it from the top, Y/N. More turned out this time. And your ‘wings’ aren’t flowy enough. You are the very Swan Princess, not a struggling cygnet. You die gracefully.”

You blew air threw your nose a little more forcefully than you usually would, trying your best to follow your ballet teacher’s instructions.

“Ah, Gwendolyn! So nice of you to join us.”

That statement was usually used sarcastically in most settings. So why did your teacher’s voice take on a note of adoration? You resisted the urge to roll your eyes, not even looking at the new arrival. All she ever did was drop into class half an hour late - without even doing her hair in a proper bun - and get showered with praises for everything she did. Always Gwen this, Gwen that. You were so sick of it.

“Gwen, if you decide to try out, you would be a perfect fit for the White Swan,” Your teacher eagerly told her, and your ‘flowy feathers’ tightened into fists. Just brilliant. In her eyes, you had no chance at Odette, did you? Once again, Gwendolyn Stacy would swoop in and snatch up something you had worked so hard for, spending hours upon hours on late nights at the studio practising alone, all because the teacher thought she was the next Anna Pavlova. But every time, you bit your tongue and kept your head down. One day, you would show them. You would show them all how good you were. And little Gwendolyn Stacy, the number one teacher’s pet, would watch and weep.

You cleared your throat to jolt your teacher out of her rambling. “Miss? My audition?”

She blinked as if she were just noticing you. “Ah, right. Yes, you may continue.”

You were ready to hurl your pointe shoes at both of their annoying faces, but you focused on making yourself extra turned out and extra graceful. Oh, how the tables would turn when you got this role.

You risked a glance out of the corner of your eye and noticed with a smug satisfaction that Gwen was staring at you, eyes wide. Completely enthralled.

Ha-ha, Gwendolyn Stacy. Look upon actual, hard-earned talent and despair.

You finished the Dying Swan - the Swan Lake piece you were doing for your audition - and bowed, standing in first position with your head held high.

“Thank you, Y/N. That was very nice. Everyone, let’s get started. Get your shoes on and get into your positions at the barre, please.”

Ugh, the barre positions. Your arch-nemesis, apart from a certain Gwen Stacy. Well, maybe not apart from her, since your barre position was right in front of her.

“One, two, three, four - hold, two, three four…”

You tuned out the voice of your ballet teacher; the exercise was purely muscle memory to you by now, and her voice was only distracting you at the moment.

“Hey, Y/N.”

You were pulled out of your intense focus by the voice behind you. Once you realised who it was, you had to resist the urge to scoff. “What is it?”

“I, uh… I just wanted to say that you did amazing. It was very graceful. You’ll make a good White Swan.” That almost made you lose your balance in a relevé and twist your ankle, because what?

Gwen Stacy thought that you’d get the role?

Oh. That was new.

Or maybe it wasn’t, and you were just imagining the whole ‘undeserving slacker’ thing and painting her as the bad guy…?

You almost giggled at that. Nah. This was definitely some ploy to get you to relax a little, to stop practising almost obsessively. Yeah, she was just trying to ensure you weren’t a threat. The moment you let down your guard, she would snatch up the role of Odette. You just knew it. Well, she could try all she wanted; you would not make it easy for her.

“Oh, I know,” You replied coolly, ending the exercise with everyone else and turning to offer her a politely bored smile. “But thank you.”

Gwen’s smile dropped a little and her eyebrows scrunched together slightly, her piercings glinting in the studio’s warm light. “Okay, well… I’ll see you around, I guess.”

She reached down and grabbed her duffel bag, unceremoniously dropping her teal pointe shoes into the mess of clothes and who knows what else she kept in it.

You kept your eyes on her until she disappeared out the studio’s door after a quick goodbye to the teacher. She was like a ghost, always appearing and flickering out just as quickly as one. And somehow always getting away with it, every single time. Not to mention… she was also somehow really good. Despite missing classes and coming late.

“Remember, class. Now that I’ve seen all your auditions, the roles will be up next week. Don’t be late,” your teacher called as you all left the building.

You kissed your teeth in annoyance. Yeah, don’t be late. Unless you’re Gwen Stacy.

Good grief, that girl would be the death of you.

Taglist: (reply to be added!)

@hobiebrownismygod @l0starl @therealloopylupin2099

[bcyhoods]

LOVEFOOL 💌 ─── send in a character and a prompt from these lists for a blurb

ohemgee what about eddie brock + ❛ how about a kiss before i go? ❜ I feel like that’s so him. giggles

same universe as this au because i’m obsessed, i fear. also rivals with benefits…and i don’t know if that’s okay but we ball! | 0.8k

warnings: suggestive themes, implied smut (nothing explicit but 18+ pls)

You aren’t so much angry as you are annoyed.

Because normal mornings in your apartment were relatively tranquil. You would usually wake up early enough to not feel rushed for work, sometimes you’d even get some writing done beforehand. The mornings were quiet and smelled of freshly brewed coffee while the rising sun kissed your skin.

This was not a normal morning. The shrill sound of a shattered vase was quick to remind you of such. And so was the half-naked man that produced the sound.

Eddie, with his jeans halfway up his legs, grimaces down at the broken porcelain and holds onto one of the walls in your bedroom for stability. “Oh shit. Was that expensive? Hope not.” He huffs and tugs his jeans the rest of the way up.

You roll your eyes at him from your bathroom doorway, also half-naked and with your toothbrush hanging from your mouth.

Your annoyance isn’t really about the vase nor about how you’re late for work, though you don’t doubt you’ll find time to be upset about that later. It’s more about the fact that he’s even in your apartment in the first place. Cunning as you are, you’d invited Eddie over in the guise of a truce of some sorts. You’re an amazing journalist blah blah blah I need your help on this article blah blah blah. You just needed him to give up some sources for an article that you’d both been writing.

And while it was a hit to your ego to compliment him even if you were only feigning sincerity, it was worth it if you got to publish the piece before he did.

It was going accordingly at first. Sure, you had to share some notes of your own to get him to trust you, but you kept the more relevant information close to your chest. You guys had actually been getting along.

Then the drinks came, and you guys were really getting along. He started throwing compliments at you, his eyes flickered between your eyes and your lips as you sat next to him on your couch, his large hand settled on your knee. He had such a soft smile. You pulled him in for what you thought would be one kiss.

Then he ended up in your bed. Which was not a bad time. At all. The memory makes something flutter in the depths of your stomach. You were annoyed about that, too.

You swipe his button down shirt from off the floor and fling it towards his broad chest. “Would you hurry up? Jesus…” you mutter, the toothpaste impeding your speech before you spit into the sink and run back to your room to get dressed.

Eddie watches with a sly grin as you hike up your own pair of pants, shamelessly letting his gaze wander over your frame. He lets himself remember the way your body felt underneath him and how your lips felt on his neck and how your nails dug into his shoulders and

“What?”

You stare at him, dumbfounded as you finish buttoning your top.

He clears his throat and gestures to you. “Nothin’. You look good.”

“With or without the clothes?” You tease.

“They’re mutually exclusive?”

You’re trying really hard to bite back the smile that threatens to expose your smugness. You finally walk out into your living room with Eddie hot on your heels as he fixes his sleeves. Both standing by the front door, you take in the appearance of the other. His hair is disheveled, his shirt is wrinkled, and there’s a love bite peeking just below his collar. You’re sure you look the same.

“So…uh, that was a very informative business meeting,” he jests as he works to buckle the belt around his hips. You hate the way it makes you pause to watch his fingers. You have to remind yourself that you find him annoying.

“I agree. Very educational.” You stick your tongue into your cheek and rip your eyes away from his hands to his face which is a mistake. He’s smiling down at you and it makes you roll your eyes. You open the door and start to push him out. “Okay. Bye, now.”

Before you can close the door, he presses his hand against it.

“How about a kiss before I go?” His tongue darts out to wet his lips once his gaze drops to your own. His grip tightens on the doorway as he itches to touch you. Your face, your hips, anywhere.

A smirk graces your features as you lean up until your faces are centimeters apart. You see him close his eyes and part his lips, his breath fans across your face.

“I don’t think you’d be able to handle it.”

[nickfowlerrr]

For the valentine's day prompts, could I request Lee + 13 from this list?

it’s you and me

pairing: lee bodecker x curvy!reader

warnings: 18+ only. smut. pet names. lee and reader are married. uhm not really much else lol.

words: 1950

notes: thank you so much for sending this in!! 🥰 it’s two months late lol but here it is! 🩷

thank you in advance for reading and reblogging. i hope you guys enjoy this little drabble. as always, comments and reblogs are more than welcome and so appreciated!

You’d waited all morning for Lee to leave for the station. As much as you loved the days he’d dilly dally to spend extra time with you before he had to head into work, today you were a ball of anxiety - though you tried your best to keep your composure in front of Lee.

He had actually woken up early to serve you breakfast in bed, much to your surprise. The twinkle of affection in his eyes as he looked at you kept you from putting up any kind of protest as he pushed you back in bed, the sloppily formed pancakes tasting better than they looked as he fed them to you, his proud smile at your compliments was a charming sight.

Though his thoughtful gesture was appreciated, it was still throwing a wrench into your plans. You had to be at the antique shop by nine to get the watch you’d had an eye on since you saw it last week. It would be the perfect gift for Lee, you just knew he’d love it.

The owner of the shop was a stingy old man named Arthur. You’d had a couple of conversations with him over the few times you’d been in the shop.

You had asked if he would keep the watch for you until today when you’d be able to buy it, but he refused. “It sells when it sells,” he had said.

But you knew you couldn’t buy it before today, Lee would see the purchase on the bank statement and ask questions. You were an awful liar and there would be no way he wouldn’t find out what the purchase was before you could surprise him with it.

You were planning on getting to the shop right when it opened to get the watch, hoping against all odds that it would still be there so you could give him something nice for Valentine’s Day.

Breakfast in bed was sweet and though you were worried both of you would be late for where you had to be later, you didn’t stop him when Lee cleared off the bed and crawled under the covers with you once again.

His soft lips trailing along your skin lovingly had you completely forgetting what you were just fretting over. You let your fingers slide through his hair as he made his way down your body, his big hands squeezing your fleshy hips after he ghosted them down your curves. He pulled your underwear off with ease and you slipped your night slip over your head in a flash, completely exposing yourself to him as you sat up on the bed. You knew his intentions were dead set on you, but you couldn’t let him get started. Once Lee’s lips were between your legs, there was no stopping him, not until he was completely satisfied. You weren’t complaining, but you didn’t have the time for it this morning.

Instead you leaned forward, hooking a finger in his boxers as you pulled him toward you.

His lips brushed against yours teasingly before he really kissed you. You let your hand slip under his shirt, running your palm along his soft stomach and up to his broad, solid chest before he got the message and took it off for you.

Your hands found his shoulders as you pulled him down on top of you, wrapping a leg around him as you kissed him hotly.

“Mmm,” you moaned into his mouth as he pressed himself against your bare pussy. You were already wet for him, could feel your slick growing with his every move. “Boxers off, Bodecker,” you mumbled against his lips. “Need you,” you whined when he didn’t comply right away. “Need to feel you, please, baby.”

His lips were by your ear as he rolled his hips into you tauntingly, you could hear the smirk on his lips as he spoke, “Love it when you beg for me, sugar.” He rolled against you again, another whine leaving your lips. “Tell me what you want, baby,” he coaxed.

“Want you. Want you to fill me up, need you inside me, Lee, please,” you begged pathetically.

Lee had one hand on your hip and the other on your breast, squeezing your tit in his hand as he growled before quickly ridding himself of his boxers. You could feel his thick cock bobbing against you when he’d freed himself and you moaned at the feeling. You spread your legs further as he lined himself up with your slick hole.

Slowly, he pushed into you. Even with just the tip, he had you clenching around him as he cursed under his breath.

“So fuckin’ tight, darlin’, fuckin’ heaven,” he praised, his words falling into a moan as he seated himself deeper inside you.

Lee let his head drop to your chest as he slid further inside of you, deep groans rumbling in his chest and falling off his lips as you took him in. He took one of your pert nipples in his mouth, eliciting a whimper of pleasure from you as he swirled his tongue around the bud, sucking and nipping, loving how sensitive you always were before he took your other breast in his mouth, paying the same attention to both.

When Lee reached his limit inside of you, your knees nearly against your chest as your legs were on his shoulders, he began rocking into you languidly. The double stimulation on your clit and your sweet spot he triggered with each movement was incredible and had your toes curling as you whined and moaned beneath him.

His weight pressing into you as he fucked you was delightful, and the feeling of being stuffed full of his cock was all you could focus on as you were brought closer and closer to the edge.

Lee was panting as he thrust in and out of you, your breasts bouncing with his every move. You could tell he was close as he grabbed onto you tighter, his hips slamming against you harder as he lost his rhythm. You cried out for him when his thumb found your clit and started rubbing circles on the bundle of nerves with perfect pressure until he had you coming around him. A flurry of moans and cries intermingled with his name fell from your lips as you rode out your high around his cock.

Not long after you came, Lee’s breath hitched before he let himself go with a throaty groan, thick ropes of his come filling you up as he emptied himself inside your tight walls.

His heavy breathing and praises of you filled the air as you both laid there trying to catch your breath. Lee buried his head in your chest as you played with his hair, his thick arms wrapping around you as he held you close.

“Mhm,” you hummed contentedly with your eyes closed as you relaxed further, his presence coaxing you into a peaceful respite. “That was nice,” you laughed. “Not how I was expecting to start the day, but you always are full of surprises aren’t you Mr. Bodecker.”

You could feel Lee’s smile against your skin before he lifted himself off you, kissing your cheek sweetly.

“Always, Mrs. Bodecker,” he grinned at your still relatively new title, “And that’s just the start of it, darlin’. There’s a lot more of that comin’ to you later today,”

“The sex or the surprises?” you questioned playfully. Lee leaned in for another kiss, this one softly on your lips as you kissed him back in kind.

“Both,” he smirked against your lips before he got off the bed to start getting ready for the day.

As he disappeared into the bathroom, you suddenly thought about the time. You turned to check the alarm clock, still not set to go off for another ten minutes. You took a breath, telling yourself to calm down. You’d have more than enough time, and though you’d planned on walking to the shop once Lee left, you figured you could ask him to drop you off at the grocery store on his way to work and then just walk the rest of the way to the shop - that alone would save you on time.

You wouldn’t be so worried if you hadn’t seen the way Mrs. Marshall eyed the watch as you were leaving the shop the other day..

The sound of the shower starting caught your attention before Lee poked his head out of the bathroom door.

“You joinin’ me or what?” he asked, causing you to smile as you climbed out of bed and made your way over to him.

You wrapped your arms around him as you pressed your body to his, looking up to him as he stood tall before you. “You gonna wash me off, Sheriff?” you asked headily.

You gasped as Lee smacked your ass playfully before he responded, “I’ll do whatever you want me to, darlin’.”

He effortlessly picked you up and you instinctively wrapped yourself around him as he walked you into the shower, clinging to him like your life depended on it until he finally let you down under the warm water.

Still, even with your feet safely on the ground once again, you found yourself glued to your husband, not wanting to let him go as the water beat down on the both of you. You could feel the mess between your thighs but you didn’t want this moment to end so soon. You let your hands dance up and down his back as he held you.

You stayed like that for a long while, enjoying each other’s presence until the peaceful lull was broken by your alarm going off.

“Damn,” you cursed under your breath as you pulled yourself off of him finally and turned to grab his shampoo, “you’re gonna be late if we don’t hurry,” you told him.

His hands found your arms, running up and down soothingly as he pulled you back against him, his arms wrapping around your middle as his hands fell to your plush tummy, his head dropping to your shoulders where he left soft kisses on your damp skin. “I’m in no rush, sweetpea. ‘ fact, I was thinkin’ about just calling off for the day,”

“Lee,” you said almost disbelieving.

“What? I can’t recall the last time I took a day off for myself since I became Sheriff. One day without me won’t kill ‘em. Besides,” he said, turning you around to face him, “it’s our first valentine’s bein’ married. I wanna spend it with you, Mrs. Bodecker.”

“Yeah?” you asked demurely as you stared up into his brilliant blue eyes shining down at you.

“Yeah,” he assured you with a boyish smile on his lips as his wandering hands explored your body, squeezing your ass as you pressed yourself against him once again, hiding your face against his chest as you laughed softly, smiling in contentment. “That’s really all I need,” he said with a kiss to the top of your head, “some time with just you.”

His words relaxed you as you took them in. You’d make sure to still go out later today to get him something, but if the watch was gone by then, it just wasn’t meant to be. You wouldn’t stress on time, though. Not when you were lucky enough to spend all day with Lee now, no work to call him or you away from one another like it so typically did. You’d enjoy the day with him, and worry about all the extra stuff later on. As long as you had each other, today would be perfect.

[firstkanaphans]

Maybe 18 for AkkAyan? I know you’ve explored the idea a little already in some of your fics

Oh, yes! It's one of my favorite tropes. Enjoy 🫶🏻 Rating/Warnings: Explicit; Dubious consent Word Count: 1300ish

{waking} them up with oral

Akk was starting to feel like a bad boyfriend. Aye hadn’t said or done anything to make him feel that way—he was simply disappointed in his own cowardice.

The two of them had been having sex for several weeks now and although Akk had been wary at first about how much he would enjoy the experience, he had enjoyed it. Quite a lot. They had tried multiple different positions on multiple different surfaces and Aye had talked him through what he needed instruction in with a patience Akk hadn’t thought him capable of. Every instance was better than the last as they slowly learned the pattern of each other’s bodies.

But there was still one thing they hadn’t done…

Despite the ferocity with which Aye had taken to sucking Akk’s dick, Akk hadn’t actually returned the favor. He was too nervous. He wasn’t ready. He needed to do more research first. And although Aye had told him that was fine, there was no rush, they could do it next week or next month or never at all, it still weighed on Akk because he wanted to, he just wanted to do it well. He wasn’t brave enough to risk failure.

Only now, it was starting to become a problem because it was all he could think about. The night before as Aye had fucked him into the mattress, that’s what he had been thinking about. Afterwards, as they’d climbed into the shower to wash up together, that’s what he had been thinking about. As Aye fell asleep in his arms, that’s what he had been thinking about. And even now, after having woken up to a brand new day, he was still thinking about it.

Akk rolled over in bed to stare at Aye, who was still asleep next to him. He hadn’t bothered to get redressed after their shower the night before and the sheet was pooled at his waist, showing off his tanned skin turned golden by the early morning sunlight. For the first time, Akk found that he wanted to taste him—all of him—but fear still held him back. The thought of Aye watching him struggle. Of Aye watching him fail. 

But then it occurred to him that Aye wasn’t capable of watching anything right now. That he was, in fact, very much asleep…

It was a stupid idea, but once it took hold, Akk couldn’t shake it. He was intrigued.

Akk stared at Aye’s sleeping form for several more seconds and found comfort in it. He was no longer scared. So, as ill-advised as it might be, he threw the covers over his head and disappeared underneath them.

He’d seen Aye’s dick plenty of times over the past few weeks, but there was something intimate about being alone with it under the covers. Aye was hard, but just barely, as if he was lost in pleasant dreams, and it reminded Akk of a wild animal that had finally been tamed. He could do this—he could.

He took a deep breath, staring hard at Aye’s dick, and then slowly reached out with his tongue and licked him from balls to tip before finally taking him all the way into his mouth where he let him just sit there as he got used to the weight of him on his tongue.

Aye’s whole body tensed and logically Akk knew that he had woken him from his slumber, but he tried to convince himself that he had imagined things—that Aye was still asleep, blissfully unaware of what he was doing—because he didn’t think he was capable of doing this with an audience.

So he swallowed him down further and as he did, Aye’s body relaxed. The only sign that he was aware of what was happening was the slight spread of his legs, but Akk ignored it, pretending he couldn’t see. It was just him and his boyfriend’s disembodied dick. The way it was meant to be. 

He moved slowly down the shaft, only stopping when he physically couldn’t take any more, and then moved back up, getting used to the taste of Aye, to the way he was changing, growing thicker with each pass of his lips. Akk swallowed the salty precome on his tongue.

For several long minutes, Akk took his time, going at his own pace, teaching himself, but it was becoming harder and harder to pretend that Aye was still asleep because although he’d tried to hide it at the beginning, he was enjoying himself too much to stay quiet now. Akk could hear his soft, desperate whines even through the blanket, could see his muscles tensing with every stroke, could feel his hand resting lightly on top of his head as if he didn’t even realize it was there—like he just couldn’t help but reach out to touch.

It was an exhilarating rush of power, feeling Aye’s heartbeat change beneath his tongue, but soon even that wasn’t enough. The overwhelming urge to see the effect he was having on Aye came over him and before he could second-guess his newfound confidence, he threw the covers off his head and looked up.

Aye was wrecked. His cheeks were pink, there was sweat beading on his brow, and the hand that hadn’t been on Akk’s head was clenched tight in the sheets. It occurred to Akk belatedly that forcing him to remain still while Akk sucked him off had probably been a bit cruel, but it was worth it for the way Aye was looking at him now. He wanted to drown in it.

He sucked his way up Aye’s dick and pulled off with an audible pop. “How am I doing?” he asked, smirking.

Aye let out a manic laugh. “Good. Very good.”

“Anything I can improve on?”

“Just go faster,” Aye said, throwing his head back and closing his eyes as if looking at Akk was becoming too difficult. “I need to come.”

So Akk set to work again, faster this time, and found that the nerves from earlier had all but disappeared. They continued to lessen as Aye, now able to express himself more freely, began whimpering and thrusting into Akk’s mouth. He had told Akk once that it had been over a year since he’d gotten a blow job and Akk could tell he was desperate for release.

Akk swallowed him down so far he was gagging on it, but he didn’t feel embarrassed. He was no longer nervous about his own inexperience, but simply enjoyed sharing this moment with Aye. The boy he loved. 

Aye’s whole body spasmed. “Akk, I’m going to come,” he choked out with some effort. He gave Akk plenty of time to pull off, but Akk found that he didn’t want to. A few seconds later, Aye came on his lips.

A rush of adrenaline flowed through Akk as he swallowed it down. He had done that, all on his own. Him. He felt like he could do anything.

He pulled off of Aye’s trembling body, but didn’t kiss him even though he wanted to, hyperaware of where his mouth had just been, but then Aye reached for him, lazy and unbothered, making grabby hands like a child, and he pulled Akk close and pressed their lips together, licking the taste of his own seed from Akk’s tongue.

“You were perfect,” Aye mumbled, his eyes fluttering closed. “So perfect.”

“Yeah?” Akk asked, nuzzling into his boyfriend’s chest. Aye wrapped him in a hug.

“Yeah. Just give me five minutes, then it’s your turn.”

Akk smiled, pleased with himself, but he was more than satisfied to just lay there and bask in the fruits of his labor for a little while longer.

[mastermindmiko]

Heart shaped eyes

pairing: Draco Malfoy + reader word count: 945 warnings: none, but let me know if you find any

a/n: Here's a little short story to get me going after the two month break. I hope you guys like it.

Hey! if you think this didn't completely suck, feel free to check out my masterlist.

“As much as I want him to, he doesn’t, Pansy.” I huff and I sit down on the bed to wear my high heels. She rolls her eyes, like she does everytime we talk about this subject. She retorts, “Why else would he ask you for the ball then?” 

“Because he had no one else to ask.” I shoot back, and she jumps up from her bed and sits down on the floor in front of me grabbing my arms, steadily, ignoring the way she’s wrinkling her own dress. She says, “Honey, your grades are amazing, so I don’t understand how you don’t get this. He likes you, he asked you to the ball because he likes you.” 

“Then why would he say that we’re going as just friends?” I add a piece of information that I should’ve told her about a long time ago. Her face twists into confusion, and she says, “Did he actually say that?” 

I think back to exactly what happened and I stutter, “I-I mean, he kind of sort of did?” 

“So, he didn’t actually say that?” 

“Well, Draco’s never been very forward about his feelings, but I could tell.” I say, folding my arms, slipping my hands away from her’s. She rolls her eyes once more, and replies, “That is true, but he’s also never been that good at hiding them.” 

I look away from her, not wanting to indulge in the thought that my long time crush of four years would like me back. Pansy starts, “The reason why I stopped liking him-” 

I always hated when she brought up her feelings for him. It was a rocky part of our friendship, both of us hoping he’d like one of us back. She continues, “Is because I wasn’t blind enough to not notice the way he simply adores you.”

Pansy wouldn’t lie to me, I know that, even when she kissed him one night about a year ago, she’d told me straight away, because no boy was worth it. I held back because she liked him, but now that she doesn’t, why am I still holding back?

“I don’t know…I’d hate to do something that would ruin our friendship.” I say, lowering my head to the floor. She nods her head and says, “Alright, that’s a valid concern, but just please open your eyes, tonight, and see what everyone’s been seeing for so long.” 

“Okay, I promise that if I see his heart shaped eyes, I will kiss him myself.” I giggle at the absurdity of my words, and Pansy smiles, but shakes her head disapprovingly. 

She puts on her own shoes, and says, “We should get going, the ball’s about to start.” 

We head down the stairs and Blaise notices Pansy first. He grins and rushes up the last few steps to catch her arm in his grasp. He kisses her and they rush into the great hall, excitedly. I didn't even notice that Draco’s been looking at me till I couldn’t see my friends anymore. 

His eyes are unblinking, but not in a creepy way. I start to feel self conscious as I stand in front of him, and he’s yet to say or do anything. I wave my hand over his face, and say, “Umm, Draco? Is there something wrong with the dress or something?” 

He shakes his head as he snaps out of whatever trance he was in, and he starts rambling. Calm,cool and collected Draco Malfoy starts rambling. He says, “I- no, it’s great, you’re great- I mean uhh, it’s my favourite colour and you’re uh, you’re um…gorgeous, not that you're only gorgeous because of the dress, you’re always gorgeous, beautiful even most of the time, I mean all the time. Even when you’re half asleep during the early classes-”

I really wanted to ignore what was happening, stay on the safe side, to keep our friendship intact, but I really wanted this, I really really wanted him. I couldn’t deny it anymore, Merlin knows how Pansy knew that tonight was the night, but with Draco’s flushed cheeks, and as cringy as it sounds, heart shaped eyes, I couldn’t help myself anymore. 

I cup his face in my hands, and I peck his lips. It’s soft, light, nearly nothing, but it cuts off his rambling and short circuits my heart. He blinks, once, twice, three times, and I start to regret my decision. It’s my turn to ramble, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know that you wouldn’t umm- I should’ve thought of better ways to shut you up like tell you, or slap you or something-” 

He takes a step towards me, effectively silencing me, and pulls me in closer by my waste. He leans down, he hesitates, he looks into my eyes, and I hope that they’re telling him to do it, and he does. He kisses me deeply, the entire opposite of the first kiss. It was strong, and sure. 

He parts from my lips when we aren’t able to breathe anymore. He smiles at me, and I giggle as I see the remains of my lipstick on his lips. I smile, “You’ve got, um-” 

He reaches out to where I’m pointing in confusion, and I stop his hands by holding them, and reaching out my thumb to wipe his lips. Once again, he’s staring at me with so much emotion that I try not to fumble under the attention. I say, “Lipstick.” 

“You shouldn’t have worn any because I think I’m going to spend the entire night with red lips.” He smiles, and kisses me again. When he leads me to the great hall, I’m the one with heart shaped eyes.

[cleighwrites]

Sam/Dean - exploration ;)

Thanks, Buffy!! This one kinda got away from me (1100 words!) I took some liberties, I hope you don't mind! Enjoy!! Fluff ahead!

Read about Dean's (19) dilemma and Sam's (15) curiosity under the cut!

They were in the backseat of the Impala, because where else would they be with their dad doing interview for his job and they hadn’t checked into their motel yet. They were sleeping in after driving through the night to get to this new city, curled up around each other in the back seat. 

Dean was getting tall enough he had to bend his knees to fit in the back, but Sam was still small enough to fit without too much geometry involved. Dean had his back against the back of the seat, while Sammy laid in front of him with Dean’s arm draped across his middle holding him securely on the bench seat. 

This wasn’t the first time they’d been left sleeping in the car. It was, however, the first time being left alone in the car after The Conversation that Sam tried to have with Dean a few days prior. Dean had shot it down so fast, hardly giving it any thought. Of course, that had led to having to share a car with a very grumpy, 15 year old Sam.

“It’s just a kiss, Dean, it’s no big deal!” he’d whined in his pubescent voice. 

“It is a big deal, Sammy, and I’m not going there with you, end of story, so drop it!”

That conversation had happened two days ago and Sammy had barely talked to him since. Even John had noticed that something was up between them. His baby brother had asked him to teach him how to kiss, which was sweet in its own way, but Dean would be too fucked up to take Sam’s first kiss. That should be with someone special, even if you don’t know what you’re doing. It was a right of passage. 

Sam grumbled and rolled over, tucking his forehead against Dean’s shoulder to block out the sun streaming in through the cracked windows along with the early spring breeze. He nuzzled his nose against Dean’s skin and Dean brought his hand up to cup the back of his brother’s head. He secretly missed when Sammy had been so little that he’d have to carry him, and even when he was a baby, Dean would have to cradle his head to keep his neck right. Soon enough, his little brother may likely be bigger than him. He was not ready for that to happen yet. 

Wrapping a leg and an arm around Dean, Sam pulled himself closer, snuggling in tightly to Dean. He was sleeping, so Dean let him get away with it. When he’s awake he’s had to start putting up boundaries, there’s just certain things they couldn’t do anymore now that they’re older. Certain things people that weren’t them, wouldn’t understand. 

Sam let out a little noise, and Dean started running his fingers through his hair. He really needed to get the kid a haircut, and soon. 

Dean jolted into the back of the seat when Sam’s lips pursed against his collar bone. His shirt was thread bare and the neck was so loose it hung down to his shoulder when he laid on his side. So the feel of Sam’s lips on his skin was a shock. He didn’t think anything of it, because Sammy was asleep; until it happened again, this time with purpose behind it. Sam was kissing his collar bone. 

“Sammy,” Dean said in quiet admonishment. 

“Let me,” Sammy begged in his cracking, whinny voice. “Please, De. I just want to see what it’s like.” 

His plea broke Dean’s heart, and if he hadn’t been sleeping and holding him in his arms for the past few hours, he probably would have had the balls to tell him “no.” As it was, Dean could never truly deprive Sam of anything he needed. And right now, it seemed, that this was what he needed. 

Pulling his face back so that he could look down at his baby brother, Dean lifted Sam’s chin so he could look him in the eyes. “You get one kiss, then I’ll answer any questions you have, but you only get one shot.” 

Sammy’s eyes lit up like he’d just found Santa putting real presents under their actual Christmas tree. “Deal,” Sam quickly agreed. He licked his lips then rushed toward Dean’s face. 

Dean put a hand on his chest and held him at bay. “Easy, Tiger. There’s a few things first.” 

Sam went to sit up, but Dean shook his head with his hand on his shoulder, telling him not to. 

“There are cues to look for if someone wants to kiss you. You can test these cues. One way is to lick your lips. If they watch you do it, and they keep looking at your mouth, they’re thinking about kissing you. If someone licks their lips while looking at your lips, they’re probably testing to see if you’re looking at their lips to know whether or not you want to kiss.”

“You lick your lips all the time though,” Sam pointed out. 

“Yeah, well, I have dry lips. That’s not the point.” Dean licked his lips, out of habit from talking so much about it. He watched as Sam followed his tongue with his eyes, then licked his own lips in response. 

This was a dangerous game they were playing.

“So when you know you’re gonna kiss someone, you can lick your lips again if you want, because you want your lips to be a little wet so they don’t just rub together and get stuck.”

“Can I kiss you now?” he asked in the way only an innocent fifteen-year-old could manage. 

Dean rolled his eyes, but cradled Sam’s face with one hand. He held his eye contact until he licked his lips, then he let his eyes flutter to Sam responding by licking his own. Slowly, so slowly, because he couldn’t believe he was actually going through with this, he leaned in and gently pressed his lips to Sam’s. 

His gut tightened, but not in a bad way, and the light flickered behind his closed eyes. Sam pressed just as hard as Dean did, and when Dean moved his lips, Sam mimicked him. Everything Dean did, Sam did. He was a quick study, and when Dean flicked his tongue out to goad Sam into doing the same, Sam’s tongue was right there, exploring and figuring out what to do with this new found skill he could develop. 

Dean was going to go straight to Hell, but helping his little brother explore his mouth with innocent, greedy kisses was probably one of the best decisions he’d ever made in his life.

[pensat-i-fet]

Wrong first impression (Ferran Torres x Reader)

Part 2

**So no one requested this but I wanted to write it and here we are 🤗😅 allow me to be that person every once in a while. And enjoy!! ❤️**

Word count: 2335

Masterlist

Wattpad

“It’s so early”, I complain on my way to Patacona Beach, where we have to do some early morning training.

“It’s the perfect time to train. The only people there will be tourists finding a spot to put their beach umbrellas”.

“I guess”.

But Jorge is actually wrong, because when we get to the area of the beach we always use for our training, there is someone else there.

"Buenos días" (Good morning), we say when we walk past them

"Buenos días".

I know that guy…

"Is that Ferran Torres?", I whisper.

"Who?"

"Right. I forgot you know nothing about football".

"Oh, a footballer player? I can see that. Very fit".

"And of course you would notice that".

"I mean fit body for his job".

"Sure, darling".

We keep placing the equipment on the sand, same as Ferran and his trainer.

"So, who does he play for?"

"Barça but he used to play for Valencia".

"That tone lets me know the break up wasn't good".

Comparing a player leaving for another team with a break-up is a pretty good analogy, actually.

"He left to go to England so whatever. But then came back and celebrated scoring against us".

"Did he take his shirt off? For the celebration, I mean".

"No".

"I can see why it bothered you then".

I just roll my eyes.

Since I don’t want to be here all day, we get on with the training. I’m still recovering from a small injury so it’s vital I make sure not to overwork certain muscles. And that also means we have to stop several times for Jorge to make sure we’re doing it right. He’s my trainer but is also studying sport medicine so no one can help me more than him.

“I need more tape. Let me run to the pharmacy quickly”.

“Ok, I’ll rest”.

He’s always forgetting things so I’m not surprised. And I can use the rest so I sit down, stretching my legs every couple of seconds so the muscles don’t get too cold.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ferran doing the same. His trainer is also gone…I wonder if he forgets things all the time as Jorge does. When he notices me looking, he smiles and I just give him a small smile in return and look away.

“Are you an athlete too?”

“Yeah”.

“I don’t know if you know me. I’m…”.

“I know you”.

“Was that a good I know you or a bad I know you?”, he laughs and some past thoughts flood my mind again. I might have had a crush on him before he left for City.

“Let’s say neutral”.

“I’ll take it. My trainer had to go talk to another client. Where’s yours?”

I didn’t expect him to make small talk but I guess it’s better than sitting here alone.

“He forgot to bring more tape. He’s lucky I can’t fire him because he always forgets something”.

“You can’t fire him…because he’s your boyfriend?”

“What?”, I try not to look disgusted but can’t help it.

“I mean. I get trainers might have to be a bit touchy but he was a lot touchy and you smiled at each other a lot, so I assumed…”.

Was he staring at us the whole time or something? “He’s my brother”.

“Now I get why you looked so disgusted. Sorry”.

But instead of looking sorry, he just starts to laugh.

“You’re so weird”.

“I’ve been called worse”, he shrugs, standing up and walking to where I am.

When we got here, it was still pretty dark but now the sun is rising there is a gorgeous orange hue around us. One that makes him look even more handsome. And the fact that he's not wearing a shirt doesn't help. Damn it! I'll go back to thinking about his celebration.

“Do you want to train with me?”, he asks, offering his hand. “They might take a while and we don’t want to get cold”.

I hesitate for a second before taking his hand and letting him help me get up. “I’m recovering from an injury, I can’t do much”.

“That’s ok. What sport do you practice?”

“Athletics. I participate in as many categories as I can qualify for”.

“Impressive. I just run and kick a ball”.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Torres. You score sometimes too”.

My comment brings his laughter back. “Valencia or Madrid then?”

“What?”

“The team you support. Because you don’t seem to like me much”.

“If you insinuate again I support Madrid, I’d like you even less”.

“So Valencia…”.

He walks to where his equipment is and I follow. Why? I don't know.

"Do you ever do boxing to train?", he asks me, picking up the gloves.

"Yeah, kickboxing too but I probably shouldn't force my legs too much. Not without Jorge supervising. Jorge is my brother, by the way. Not my boyfriend".

"A lot of athletes have affairs with their trainers. It wouldn't be that strange".

"Have you had any with yours?"

"Not with my trainers. But with some of my training partners…well, it happens".

I know it happens because that's how I met my ex but I'm not going to tell him. Also, I can tell he's flirting and I'm not interested. So agreeing with him would only give him the wrong impression.

"Who does the punching first?"

"You need the practice more", I say and he raises an eyebrow. "Because of your fight with Savic. He clearly won so you know, you need to practice for next time".

"Do you think he won that fight?", I nod. "You might have to watch it again. Or we could recreate it so you see I was in control the whole time".

When I look up to meet his eyes, I realise how close to me he is. And how nervous he's making me feel.

"So, do you want to start or not? I'm happy to punch you".

My words make him smirk but he moves back a little. "Show me what you got, then".

I take the gloves he's offering me and look down at them, trying to take deep breaths that aren't too obvious. It's just the crush I used to have. I'm sure of that. Nothing else.

I didn't lie when I said we do kickboxing for practice. And that's why the punches aren't enough. I'm itching to kick too. My legs are a lot stronger and I want to show Ferran how strong I am.

"Move back so I can kick you".

"Wow, I heard about that flirting technique but I thought it only involved insulting. Kicking me too…well, it could be worth it".

I bit my lip, trying to resist his teasing. "You might want to move one of your hands lower".

"Why?"

"Because you're making me want to kick you somewhere else that's not protected like your hands".

But he just laughs and puts his arms up so I can kick.

I try both legs slowly and when I feel more confident, I kick with my right leg. Hard.

"Jesus! You're strong".

"Regretting your teasing now?"

"Kinda…".

I just smile before the next kick and then I feel it, a little discomfort on my thigh. I put my head down and groan, frustrated.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm feeling something on my thigh. It's the same whenever I exercise too much. I can't wait to fully recover because I hate being only 50% fit".

"I get how you feel".

His voice sounds softer and I look up at him and see understanding in his eyes. He's obviously had injuries too.

"We can switch now. So I have a little rest…", but before I have time to finish talking, I see Jorge coming back.

I might have forgotten about him for a second.

He looks at me and then at Ferran, curious.

"I was trying not to get cold but I hurt myself a little".

"You what?"

Hearing about that takes all the weird ideas off his head. Just what I wanted.

"I stopped before I fully hurt myself. It's just the same discomfort I've been having".

"What did you make her do?"

Something people don't get is how protective of me my brother is. Too much sometimes.

"It was my idea, Jorge. Let's just go back and finish our training", I tell him, grabbing his arm. "Thanks for keeping me company, Torres".

"No problem. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow?"

"I've got gym tomorrow".

"Ok. Another day maybe".

"Maybe".

Jorge makes me sit immediately so he can touch the area that hurts and make sure it's not something worse than overworked muscles. And once he's happy, we finish the exercise routine we always do at the beach.

By the time we are done packing our things, I see Ferran stretching after finishing his own workout. We have to walk past him on the way out of the beach and when he looks our way, I wave at him. That gets a smile from him before he waves back.

"How did you end up training with the footballer? I can't leave you alone".

"He asked me and I thought it could be a good way to keep moving while you were away".

"Right", Jorge's tone is already annoying me before he keeps talking. "What was his name again?"

"Ferran Torres".

"Didn't you used to have his shirt?"

Of course, he remembers. "He was supposed to be our next star so I guess a lot of fans did too".

"Was that the only reason…".

"Stop talking", I say, glaring at him.

"Got it. But if you want a new one, he might be happy to get one for you".

Ugh, siblings!

                                      **

The next day, we start the day at the gym and once I'm back home, I shower and put on a nice summer dress to go grab something to drink with some friends.

We’re meeting at a bar we only go to in the summer, since it’s closer to the beach. But when I get there, I check my phone and realise how early it is. Typical. I’m early and they’ll be super late.

I make my way to the terrace anyways. I can have a drink while I wait for them. And then I hear voices coming closer and assume it’s the owners who saw me get here, coming to see what I want to order. But…it isn’t just them.

"Let's go outside to take a photo. Maybe there is someone around who can take it for us", says the lady I recognize as the owner. “This lovely girl can help us maybe. And I’ll take your order in a second”.

She notices Ferran looking at me and I say a very shy hi to him which he returns.

"Oh, you know each other?"

"Sort of”, he says.

"Can you take the photo, darling?"

"Of course".

I get up and pick up the phone she’s offering so I can take the photos. “Done”.

She checks the photos, showing them to Ferran.

"Look at you. I've known him since he was a baby, you know?", she says looking at me. "And now look at him. So grown up and handsome".

Yeah, I can agree with her on that second part.

“Since you know each other, you keep her company for a second and I’ll be right back to get her order, ok?”

I sit down and Ferran stands next to my table.

"Done with training for today?"

"Yes, we did gym in the morning and now time to relax".

"Cool. Are you meeting someone?"

"Some friends but knowing them, they won't be here for another half an hour".

"If you want a drink while you wait, I can ask for it. They never allow me to pay so you’ll get it for free".

"It's ok. I can wait …".

"What do you usually drink?"

"Nestea?"

"Be right back".

"You don't have to…".

But he doesn’t listen to me and a couple of minutes later, he is back with my drink and a little tapa.

“Do they make you work for them?”

He chuckles. “Sometimes. You know, I’m glad we meet again. I got the feeling that your brother, not your boyfriend, was a bit mad at me. I’ve been thinking about it”.

He had? “He’s ok. Just worried about my injuries”.

“Still. I don’t like giving such a bad first impression. Unless he hates me too and it wasn’t really the first”.

“He doesn’t care about football. You’re safe”.

“What about you? Do you hate me?”

I shake my head. “Just got the wrong impression when you celebrated that goal against us. But I guess you’re not that bad”.

We stay in silence for a second and I eat some of the olives to keep myself occupied.

“I’m going on holiday tomorrow”, he says, surprising me.

“Ok?”

“And then I’ll go back to Barcelona”.

“Are you trying to get somewhere with this information? I don’t think I need your schedule”, I say, chuckling slightly.

“Do you ever go to Barcelona for competitions?”

“Pretty often, actually”.

“Can we meet when you do?”

“To go to the beach for a morning training?”, I tease.

“I was thinking about going on a date but I guess there is time for that too”.

We both just look at each other, our faces getting closer slowly. I guess that crush never really left.

“Hi! Have you been waiting here for long? And who is this?”

I move back and turn to see my friends. “Hi, this is Ferran. He was just keeping me company while you got here. And you’re early…for once”. How inconvenient.

“I’ll go now”, says Ferran and I panic a little because if he leaves now, I won’t see him again. “Nice seeing you again”.

He moves closer to me again to kiss my cheek as a goodbye. But before moving away, he whispers in my ear. “Send me your number in a DM on Instagram. You know my account”.