#THIS WAS SO GOOD BUT ALSO I COULDN'T STOP LAUGHING IT WAS SO JARRING

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Raphael is the perfect character 10/10 no notes

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Curiosity Killed The Cat

prompt: after rescuing you from kidnappers, you overhear your boyfriend-turned-savior complain about how clingy you've become.

pairing: Mafia!Bucky Barnes x female!reader

fandom masterlist: Marvel

word count: 5.1k+

note: author wants things out of her drafts! also don't take this fic too seriously, it's not much at all - just me writing for the fuck of it until i'm ready to focus on my bigger projects.

warnings: modern AU, Mafia AU, obvious cursing, small hurt and comfort, brief depiction of physical violence and self-destruction in the form of: loss of appetite, lack of sleep, other symptoms of depression. NOT edited! author is ashamed because she knows she can give you something better but oh well.

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Your feet planted, jarring you to a halt the moment you heard your name in a conversation you were not apart of.

You heard the hammering of your heart, echoing beats of your blood pumping with harrowing desperation. Hands turned cold and clammy, sweat breaking out on your brow and then freezing, feeling as if your throat had swollen to a new restriction and you were anchored in you in place.

Rooted.

But for now, all you could identify was the paralyzing anxiety that anchored you to your spot and made your heartbeat thunder in your ears. You stood outside the lounge, unable to comprehend relevant thought; still listening to low, docile tones continue their conversation, but you couldn't hear real words.

You were stunned. Panicked, confused, hurt - so very hurt. That seemed to register, too; you were really, really hurt.

This was perhaps why curiosity killed the cat.

You reprimanded yourself for listening in - transporting back to childhood during all the times your parents would scold you for eavesdropping. You knew it was wrong, you knew this was a private conversation meant to be shared between trusting confidants, but you couldn't help it - you heard your name and stopped. It was natural, right? To feel curious regarding a conversation seemingly about you that you, yourself, was not apart of?

Curiosity, indeed.

Blinking rapidly, you remembered the only other time you felt such mounting, pressurized fear, and while it might be dramatic, the only other time you could remember this level of anxiety was from about two months ago...

"Yes, baby, I got the bacon."

"And the jalapeños?"

"Uh-huh, the biggest they had."

"Cream cheese?"

"Do you know who you're talking to?" You laughed into the phone. "I'm a professional housewife by now, you can relax. I got all you needed for your fancy little dinner experiment."

Bucky laughed down the phone, "Oh, please, like I didn't see you salivating when we watched the segment on Top Chef."

"Hush," you laughed, too. "I'm leaving the store now," you told him, pushing out of the heavy glass doors, "and should be home in, like, 10 minutes?"

"Lemme pick you up."

"I have legs to walk with, so, no thank you."

He sighed, "Well, I'll open the wine to let it breathe. Red's still good?"

"Let's do a white tonight, please."

"Good deal," he mused softly. "Hey, I was thinking earlier - "

"Hang on," you pleaded.

"What's wrong?"

"No, nothing. There's just a van slowing down, I don't want to get hit," you chuckled some, looking up and down the street before crossing. "Sorry, so, what were you thinking?"

"We haven't been to Paris in months."

You smirked, "I'm sure our plants in the apartment are dead by now."

Bucky laughed, "Oh, I am, too. But, look, how 'bout it, Peach? You, me, all the croissants we can consume this weekend. I'll take Monday and Tuesday off, we can leave tomorrow night."

"Oh, that sounds nice," you moaned. "Paris in the spring? Baby, that's so dreamy!"

"So, is that a yes?"

"It's a hell yes," you grinned. "Do you know the weather?"

"Supposed to be nice and sunny, not too warm or cold. Figured this would be ideal," he chuckled. "But does the weather matter if we're in bed the whole time?"

"No, we're not wasting our time!" You laughed. "We're gonna go do shit, okay? Stereotypical tourist-couple shit."

"I'll bring the camera."

"And I was hoping we could have dinner at that little place we love?"

"I wouldn't take you anywhere else," he mused.

"I think it's - FUCK!" Bucky froze when he heard the screeching of tires; a van coming up to a skidding halt, flurry of voices all yelling but he heard yours clearly. "No, no, no, hey, hey, what the hell's happening? Hey! What's this - hey, hey! Don't touch me! Ow, shit! No! Hey! Fuck's sake - oh, my God! Ow! Hey!"

"Baby!? Peach! Hey! The fuck's going on!?"

There was a thudding over the phone, and Bucky listened to more struggling - more fidgeting and fighting - and then the slamming of a car door. Still calling your name, Bucky heard a scrape over the line before a different voice answered your phone, "James Barnes. On behalf of HYDRA, you're overdue on your payment and we warned you there would be consequences. Deliver the full amount of 17 million - "

"It's 15," he growled.

"Two million more for the inconvenience of stalking your woman."

"If you even so much as touch her, I swear to God - "

"17 million at midnight, at the pier, or every minute you're late, she'll receive the brunt end of our frustration."

"Don't hurt her - "

"Midnight, Mr. Barnes, at the pier - you know where. Don't be late, she looks like she won't last long."

The line went dead after he heard your screech of pain, confusion, and fear. The moment the line cut, he dropped his phone and slowly lowered himself to sit on the kitchen floor, shock coloring his system. It wasn't that he didn't have the money, quite the opposite - but he and his men had a plan in motion to take out HYDRA, their org's competition, and this was totally against all they anticipated. After a minute to sit in his own worry, Bucky jumped to his feet, grabbed his phone, keys, wallet, and two handguns; holstering them both before shrugging his suit jacket on.

He made every phone call he could, gathering the men he trusted most to (one of) his warehouse(s).

For hours, you were strung up by your wrists in a joint-pulling position while the Brooklyn Mafia formulated a plan of attack. It was the most pain you've ever known, but then the abuse started and you were blinded by this new pain. You had bruises most places, cuts that wept blood; scars that would never heal, wounds that wouldn't ever close. You were delirious, miserable, confused, just dazed and confused; praying to a God who didn't listen.

"Oh, look at that," your captor mocked, holding a thick-bladed hunting knife in hand, "it's one minute til midnight, and I don't see your loverboy anywhere."

You sniffled, unable to respond.

He stared out the lone window, tisking and narrating, "Nope, I see not a soul - and with how protective he is over you, you'd think he'd want to ensure your safety. Not leave it to chance, huh?"

You whimpered as the clock struck midnight, your heart hammering in heavy-hung worry. You had tears in your eyes, heart nearly beating out of your chest, feeling incredibly nauseous. The desire to scream never lessened, just fearing what was to come; the men in the room making you fear for the state of your life, their knuckles cracking. You only begged, "Please. Don't."

The main captor laughed, "You can do better than that! C'mon, give me the satisfaction of tellin' ol' James you begged for mercy - but it wasn't enough to sway me. I'll lie, for sure, and say it happened but it will be so much sweeter if you actually do it."

"Please," you shook your head, avoiding eye contact. "Just don't do this, please."

"Oh, honey," he mocked, "it's not our fault he's late. Lads! Have at her, but leave her face for now - she's still real pretty."

You listened as he gave commands in Russian, understanding after the years at Bucky's side; whimpering when the first blow landed to your gut and knocked the wind out of you. The minutes drug by and you felt your resolve crumbling, heart still hammering to a never-before-felt speed that made it feel as if it were jumping out of your very body at every single pulse point. You struggled in your restraints, but it was futile by how tight you were bound; unable to protect yourself.

At 12:03 am, the doors blew open in a resounding blast; concrete crumbling and sprinkling the floor. You cried out as the smoke choked you, coughing through the haze; only barely able to make out certain figures to know Bucky had brought his best men. However, despite the sting to your eyes from the swirling dust and smoke, you saw a lone man stalk through the blasted wall, through the fray, and straight up to you.

"Bu-Bucky!" You choked in relief as he reached to untie your feet first. You dangled for only a moment as his metal prosthetic ripped off whatever held your wrists to the torture contraption. "Oh, my God. Oh, my God, Bucky, holy shit, baby, please, please, please," you rambled as he freed you and instantly caught you on his broad shoulders.

"I got you, Peach, I'm here, I've got you," he promised in your ear, hoisting your legs around his waist so they latched and then wrapping his arms around you securely. "Don't let go and don't look up, okay? Hear me, Peach?"

You nodded into his neck, only able to cry.

Bucky jolted and jerked slightly as he moved through the fight again, but not a minute later, you were stepping outside into the sobering, brisk spring air. This was the moment you understood how dangerous and fleeting life with Bucky could be, making a promise to yourself that if he says take the car, you'll take the fucking car.

And now, here you were, outside the high-rise apartment's lounge (which was just a converted bedroom), listening to your boyfriend complain about you some 2 months after the whole fiasco. HYDRA had been all but wiped out, and in the weeks since, Bucky's men had gone on smaller missions to eradicate the HYDRA members they heard rumor of being local. Yet you didn't feel safe, yet.

You didn't feel safe if you weren't around Bucky.

Everything made you jump: the beep of the done-dryer, that spritz of the automatic fragrance mister in the bathroom, the "duh-dunnn" of a loaded-up Netflix. Keys jingling, car horns, the barking of the dog in the apartment a floor below you... Everything.

Being around Bucky was just like holding a safety blanket. He would always protect you, and for about a week after your rescue, he laid in bed and around the home with you; being lazy; time off work to simply hold you and assure you were safe. Safe in his arms. Safe in his embrace, his presence.

So now... To hear this... You were devastated.

You didn't mean to eavesdrop, it just sort of happened. It was still earlier in the morning, but Bucky hadn't been in bed beside you and based on the feel of the sheets, his body hadn't been there in a while. So, you made some coffee and then ventured around the home in search of your lover; coming upon the lounge and hearing voices from within.

You knew it was common for Steve Rogers and / or Sam Wilson to stay late or visit early, so, you weren't shocked by that, but did falter in announcing yourself when you heard Sam ask how you were doing since the kidnapping. He used your name specifically, making Bucky sigh, and for your curiosity to peak.

"She's different, man."

"How so?" Sam wondered.

"She doesn't like being without me now," he chuckled without humor. "I'm serious, she won't go to the gym until I do, waits to have meals together, won't leave the house if I'm out, and," he scoffed to himself, "you can forget going to the grocery store or anything - she's even stopped going to work - "

"You told her to stop working, like, two years ago when y'all first moved-in together," Sam deadpanned.

"I know," Bucky shrugged, "but it feels tenfold now that she's so reclusive."

"It's normal," Steve sighed gently.

"Yeah? Is it normal that I can't even go take a shit without promising her I'll be right back?" Bucky snapped in exasperation. "It's that bad, she's that fucking clingy, man. I go in the kitchen to make dinner, she's in there 30 seconds later to 'help' me. I take a shower, she finds a reason to linger in the bedroom, but that was better than before, when she wouldn't even shower by herself. It's just a lot, she's everywhere I look. I'm starting to find new reasons not to come home, man, she's always fucking here - and when I walk in the door, she's on me. I need to fucking breathe, but I can't tell her to stop, she'll get her feelings hurt and then I'm the bad guy."

"Man," Steve laughed, "you can't be the bad guy if you go to her in a calm and collected manner, but it's only been two months. She's still recovering."

"Exactly why if I say anything, no matter how calm and collected, I'm the bad guy. I get she's hurting and tryna recover, but Goddamn, does she have to be in every room I'm in? Do everything with me? How do I tell my traumatized girlfriend to back off? Let me breathe?"

Sam laughed, "You don't! You just said it - she's traumatized! Cut the girl some slack, she's got a lot to fuckin' deal with!"

"I'm not negating from that fact," Bucky argued, "I'm just trying to say, the way she's clinging onto me like she can't function without me is just grating at my nerves. I just need to breathe and recharge, but I can't tell her that - fuck's sake."

"Buck," Steve smirked, "you're worried Peach isn't gonna listen, but that's her literal superpower. Just communicate, she can't read your mind, but you need to remember how traumatic all of that was for her to experience - she's scarred from that kidnapping, man. So, sure, you need to recharge, but she needs the support."

"Is it wrong to ask for a day here and there to do that? To recharge?" Bucky asked quietly.

"If you communicate, it's perfectly reasonable to ask for," Sam assured softly. "And whatever you do, don't tell her you think she's clingy. Chicks hate that, that word is, just, like, taboo or something. Real heavy, negative connotations."

"But she is," Bucky growled quietly, "'s like she's afraid to let go 'cause I'll disappear or something."

"Oh, noooo," Sam mocked, "I'm Bucky and my girlfriend loves me too much and trusts me too much and actually feels safe and dependent on me too much - ohhh noooo!"

There was a thump, Sam's cried, "Ow!", and Bucky telling him to shut up. You slowly backed away from the door, trying to settle your breathing as you made your escape down the hall. When back in the kitchen, you whimpered and let the first tears fall... The first of many you shed in the hour it took you to prepare breakfast for everyone; doing your best to eat as you cooked so you didn't have to linger around the men. You took Bucky's words to heart, and maybe you were too sensitive, maybe you should venture outside again.

So, when the lads came out, you set the table without making eye contact with any of them. "Here," you directed, setting the pancakes down, "I made breakfast, come eat, it's still hot."

"Wow," Sam smiled brightly, "thanks, Peach!"

You hummed, still avoiding their eyes as you just set the abundance of food to the table. "You... Cooked without me?" Bucky asked you with skepticism.

"Mhm," you hummed, setting the coffee pot down to a hot pad, "and I'm going out shopping with Nat, so, eat up, lads, I'll do the dishes when I get home. Love you, boys, bye," you waved them off, snatching your keys and then moving to the door to stuff your feet into your sneakers.

"Woah, woah, woah," Bucky left the table, approaching you urgently, "hey, what do you mean? You're goin' out?"

"Yep, figured I've stayed in too long, might as well get out and remember life doesn't stop just 'cause I'm sad."

"Peach - "

"I'll see you when I get home, Buck, okay?" You mumbled, slinging your purse on your shoulder.

"Well, here, here, hey, wait, hang on," he pulled his wallet out, handing you over a wad of big bills. "Spend it all, okay? Have fun, call or text if you need me, yeah?"

"Sure."

Bucky leaned in to kiss you but you just opened the door, ready to leave. He frowned, watching you, barely managing to call a quick, "Love you!"

You didn't return the sentiment, feeling hallow and all too silly to return the affection. In your purse was your laptop, headphones, chargers, and whatever else, so, instead of meeting your friend, Natasha - being just a ruse to avoid Bucky - you started small and just went to the local café. You used to frequent it back in the day, but times were changed, and yet, they were all the happier to serve you the same as before. Getting cozy in the corner, you set up camp and ordered your favorite coffee basically every other hour - letting the day waste away as you caught up on work emails.

Might've wasted time on Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest. Got shopping done on Amazon. Browsed through Target's online selection. Checked out the sale items at Kate Spade. Perused Fenty Lingerie because you could.

Before you knew it, a message was coming in over your MacBook from Bucky, asking where you were - why had you turned your location off?

You packed up and with a to-go cup, made the short trek back home. When you got back, Bucky was pacing in the living room; staring at his phone and typing, then deleting, retyping, groaning, glancing up, typing again, then doing a double take. "Where've you been, Peach? Huh!?" Bucky demanded. "You're late!"

"Out with Nat," you eased.

He huffed through his nose, nodding slowly, "You have a nice time?"

"It was okay," you answered. "I'm gonna go to bed after I shower."

His brows furrowed, "I have a meeting tonight."

"I know."

"O...kay?" He let you go, wanting to ask why you didn't ask him to join like you had so often in the past few weeks.

And it didn't stop there, in fact, it got worse. When Bucky got home from his meeting, he was actually shocked to see you nestled in the bed; teetering on the edge of the shared space while snuggling a weighted body pillow.

When he tried to give you a snuggle, you stirred to life and pushed him back, muttering, "Too hot."

The following morning, he was relatively surprised to see you up and about before him; barely getting a word in before you were slipping out the door to go on a morning jog. He was confused by how all of a sudden, where you were once everywhere he looked, now, you were disappeared and distant and gone. You worked out alone, cooked alone - but always left him a plate, but long gone were the cute little sticky notes you left for him. You once haunted the apartment by never wanting to leave, and now, ghosted in and out of it on a daily basis.

You never bothered to go far from home. You liked hanging at the coffee shop and luckily, your job let you work from home most days, and the rare time you were due back in the office, it was only about a 20 minute walk. You got better at lying, couldn't even remember the last time you and Bucky had sex, and even now, the last time you had a meal together. You didn't text him about your day; where you once might've told him about an adorable dog you saw on the street, now, you only ever texted him if he asked a direct question.

Food lost appeal, your appetite vanished.

Sleep evaded you, plaguing you with nightmares when you did rest.

Interest dulled, passions were snuffed, and only fearful, confused anger remained. It showed in the way weight seemed to shift around your body, thinning; the lack of sleep creating dark rings and bags under your bloodshot eyes.

After two weeks of this, Bucky grew irritated and short with everyone around him. It reflected in his work, the way he spoke to everyone; even Steve and Sam getting the brunt end of his anger. Without you to assure him, Bucky was off his rocker; losing his cool; his patience stretched far too thin. So much so, the two mates approached an outside associate, Natasha Romanoff, after a particularly snappy meeting to plead for her to talk to Bucky.

"James," Nat greeted as she strode into his office without knocking.

"I know you're my oldest friend, but you don't have that privilege yet," he mused, never looking up.

"What?"

"Not knocking. What is it, Nat?"

"Just came to check on you, you know, like friends do."

"Hm," he chuckled without humor, "and what did Peach say to you?"

"About...?"

"Me."

"Nothing, I haven't gotten ahold of her for weeks."

Bucky paused, slowly lifting his head in confusion; brows furrowed and mouth set in a firm, straight line. "What?" He grit.

"Huh?" Nat wondered.

"She's been telling me that she's hanging out with you for the past two weeks," he revealed.

"Nope, not since the incident with HYDRA."

Bucky's (right) flesh hand crushed the pen in his grip, taking a long breath. "All right," he sighed, "so, why come today?"

"What's really going on, Buck?" She worried softly. "Is it really whatever's going on with Peach? You're this pissed off? What'd she even do?"

"She just..." He cut himself off with a long sigh. "It's nothing."

"Bucky," Nat gave a pointed look.

"She's just avoiding me," he muttered. "It's like she's barely home, almost like a ghost."

"Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Yes, and no," Bucky snipped, rolling his neck out. "I'm just worried about her now, she's never not communicated before."

"Something's bothering her," Nat shrugged. "She probably needs you right now, Buck."

"I can't do it all," he whispered. "I can't be who she wants and run this organization at the same time."

"She doesn't need that, she just needs you to be her partner," Natasha spoke softly. "She needs to feel loved and supported, and surely, she maybe felt weird about whatever you were projecting. Instead of taking it out on your men," she smirked, "why don't you just talk to her? 'Cause I hear you're bein' a more-than-usual asshole lately. You need to ease up or get laid, 'cause you're taking it out on good, loyal men, and that's entirely unfair."

"They can take it."

"Sure, but they shouldn't have to," Nat rolled her eyes. "Look, since you won't answer me, I'm assuming the sour mood is in regard to whatever relationship issues you have right now?"

"Sure," he tossed the pen away, opened a skinny drawer to his right and select an identical one.

"Bucky," she growled.

He sighed, "She's lying to me, Nat. Saying she's with you when she's not... Is this an affair? She's gone all the time now."

"No way," Nat laughed. "Baby girl doesn't have the energy to entertain anyone - let alone two men. You're just the exception."

"Why lie, then?"

"Maybe she didn't want you questioning her..."

"No shit."

"Well, did you get into a fight?"

"No."

"Any reason she doesn't want to be home?"

He shook his head with a sigh, "Not that I know of."

"You had to do something."

"Honest, I haven't. She was being all clingy, but then one day, a switch flipped."

Nat frowned, "You think... Your girlfriend is being clingy... Because she was kidnapped and beaten up... Because of your fucking job... And is probably scared...out of...her mind...? I get that correct?"

Bucky paused for a long moment, muttering, "Oh, my God."

"Yeah, you asshole. Think of it that way! She's afraid!" Natasha snapped. "And probably picked up on your energy, so, she made herself scarce."

"I didn't mean - "

"I don't care, go home, apologize to that sweet angel - she doesn't deserve this."

Bucky paused, "What is 'this' exactly?"

"James. Focus on the present - your woman. Go make this right. We all know you're this big, bad dude - but it's okay to be a little sensitive towards the woman who loves you without condition!"

Bucky relented, figuring the redheaded Russian mobster was right.

The entire drive home, Bucky considered the ways you had changed in the few, short weeks since he vented to Sam and Steve about your clinginess. You didn't take meals with him, didn't cook, work-out, or do anything you used to do together. Sex? Forget it. Dates? Nope. Cuddling? No, you're always 'too hot'. And when he thought about it, he remembers seeing the wads of cash he'd leave for you stuffed in his sock drawer - surely trying to make him think it was just another emergency fund he had hidden. You never spent his money, feeling humiliated by his choice of words.

Clingy...

You didn't text or call him when he was gone, you hadn't even so much as kissed him in what felt like ages... Well, more like you hadn't initiated any kisses...

His heart weighed in his chest as he realized he hadn't even so much as hugged you in days. You were rarely in the apartment together, and when you were, you were just silent and busy with chores. It was as if you operated on the exact opposite schedule as he did, went to new extents to avoid him, and his heart clenched in his chest.

When he got home, you were caught cooking in the kitchen - being obvious that you weren't expecting him. The door slammed and his baritone voice snapped, "Peach!"

You gulped, holding the sauce-covered wooden spoon to your chest. When he rounded around the corner, he found you and slowed down, sighing in relief. "What's wrong?" You worried in a timid tone.

He panted lightly, relaying, "Needed to find you."

"I'm here."

"I know," he relented, charging up to you and engulfing you in a tight, heavy hug. "I needed to talk to you, Peach," he whispered.

"What's wrong?"

"You. You're what's wrong."

"What the fuck does that - "

"No, no," he pulled back to stare down at you fondly, "I don't mean it like that, just that... You're struggling. I can see that. But you're not alone, I'm here with you, and I got a little caught up in my head when I realized someone was so very dependent on me - it fucking scared me. But then... Then you just shut yourself off and hid away from me, and oh, my God, it's so much worse, baby. Don't do that," he breathed, "okay? Don't ever shut me out - don't stop loving me, don't stop talking to me, don't give up on us. I can't read your mind, you can't read mine, it's not an excuse - but we understand better when we trust each other enough to communicate what's required. I'm so sorry I got caught up in myself, I didn't know what you needed - but I'm here now, I'm here - I'm not leaving you."

You collapsed into his chest, taking a shuddering breath.

"Don't ever stop talking to me, Peach," Bucky whispered, kissing the top of your head; keeping you close. "I'm so sorry, baby, if I - "

"If?" You snapped, pulling back to glare at him through your tears. "I heard you, Bucky. I heard you talking to Sam and Steve, and about how clingy I am."

"I was wrong," he insisted. "I was overwhelmed and tired and just stretched thin, the easiest thing to do is attack those closest to me, and that's you. It's not right, it's the worst I could do to you after all you've been through, and I'm so sorry. I was wrong, you're not the person to take this out on - and I'm so sorry, Peach."

You sighed, "I don't mean to be... I don't mean to cling - "

"Nah," he chuckled, caressing your cheek, "you cling as much as you want. Cling as tight as you want, baby, don't let me go. I'm sorry for what I said and the way it made you feel, it was wrong - so fucking wrong of me, and I see that. When you pulled away from me, I just... I couldn't think. It felt so wrong, and I knew it was my fault." He took your face in both palms, promising, "I'm so sorry, Peach."

You shrugged meekly, "It's okay."

"It's not."

"No, but apologizing is a step in the right direction."

He nodded, "What else can I do?"

"Nothing - "

"Peach."

You paused to think, smiling shyly, "Movie night?"

"Whatever my pretty girl wants," he nodded.

"Hmm... Get a bath with me?"

"All right... Sure, okay..."

"And face masks."

He sighed, "Okay."

"And mani-pedis."

"Baby."

"You said you were making it up to me, right?"

He smirked, "That's right... All right, yeah, sure, fine, we can..." He sighed again, "We can do all that, Peach, whatever you want."

"I just want you," you told him softly. "I didn't mean to be so clingy. I was just afraid... I felt afraid everyday, just so very unsure in this life. You're the only thing that makes sense to me, Buck, and when I heard you, I just... I guess I realized how dependent I'd been and wanted to give you space. Last thing I want is to smother you, to drive you away from me."

"Not ever gonna happen," he promised softly. "I just didn't handle it like I should've. I'm sorry, Peach, but I'm here now - for whatever you need. Want me to take a few days off, just be together? I'll arrange it. Want to get away for a bit? We can go."

"I just need you," you whispered. "Only you and I should be okay - I can be okay if I have you, but feeling like I lost you? Even a fraction? Buck... James, it was such a harrowing feeling, I wasn't sure what to do to move forward. So, I think I just panicked, shut down; thought if I could just get back to normal, you'd love me again..."

"I never stopped loving you," he swore, "I just had a bad lapse in my own judgement. Nothing against you, baby. Nothing."

You nodded again, letting him tuck you into his chest; perfectly snug under his chin as he coiled his arms around you. He let out a long sigh, his guilt swelling to new heights, but for that present moment, everything seemed okay.

Felt okay.

Appeared okay.

And you'd both do whatever it took to remain as okay as you possibly could.

requesting rules and masterlist

Marvel masterlist

Clingy Baby collection masterlist

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elope with me (ross x reader fluff)

day 5 of promptober75!! ross and shy gf have some mad realisations in the backseat of birthday party!matty's car on the way to edinburgh. that sounds dirty but actually this is the fluffiest thing of all time lol. i've missed writing for ross, and i really hope you guys like this as much as i do <3

"and then she says, and this is no word of a lie, that she thinks the cannibalism is romantic. romantic!"

matty's tone is incredulous, and so is his face, visible in the rearview mirror. the car swerves slightly as he looks back at you and ross, both of you giggling in the backseat at your friend and his impassioned rant against some film he'd watched recently. 

his fiancée lightly slaps his arm. "stop bitching about me and keep your eyes on the road, please! honestly. sorry, guys."

you laugh as she turns to you and rolls her eyes, before her attention is diverted by matty picking up her hand and kissing it in wordless apology. ross squeezes your own hand and winks at you, letting the peaceful silence linger for a second before he speaks again. "so do you recommend the film, then?"

"yes!"

"absolutely fucking not."

"it's genuinely a good film, ross, it's not matty's fault he's too much of a coward to enjoy it," your friend glares at matty, then turns to lock eyes with you. "you actually might like it, babe. it reminded me of that ethel cain song you told me to listen to."

"oh, strangers?" you say, straightening up in your seat. "yeah, that's romantically cannibalistic, i s'pose. i might give it a watch once we're home."

"christ, not you as well, babe," matty groans, lightly thumping his head off the steering wheel. "i thought you were sane."

ross laughs. "nah, she's just so quiet that she lulls you into a false sense of security, before she reveals her weirdo tendencies," he says cheekily, snuggling into you as your cheeks heat up. "what's that museum you want to go to, again?"

"the surgeons' hall."

"that's the one. brains in jars, and weird shit like that," ross shudders. "creepy."

"i'm cool not going, if you don't want to," you say meekly. "i just don't know the city, s'all, so i don't fancy going alone in case i get lost. streets on top of other streets and all that."

ross opens his mouth, but matty's fiancée gets there first. "no, i'll go with you, lovely! we could make an afternoon of it, get a drink afterwards. or food, if we can stomach it."

the relief on ross's face is so obvious it almost makes you laugh.

you smile at your friend. "if you're not too tired after your event, absolutely. thank you for offering, babe."

"yeah, thanks indeed," ross grins. he catches his best friend's eye in the rearview mirror. "while the girls are off being weird… pub?"

matty nods. "pub."

"i would also like to go to the pub, though," his fiancée interjects. "s'been too long since i had a drink in a good scottish one. we could meet you after our museum trip, couldn't we, babe?"

"that sounds good," you reply. "i take it you're excited to be back in edinburgh, then? you spent some time here before you moved to london, didn't you?"

"babe, you have no idea how much i'm looking forward to it," your friend sighs. "i'm kinda nervous, though. the book festival is a big deal. and i'm worried nobody will ask me any questions at my talk."

ross scoffs. "oh please, you have more fans than we do - don't deny it, matty, you know i'm right. you'll be fighting off people trying to ask you stuff, mate."

"yeah, it'll be great!" you add, smiling warmly.

she smiles just as warmly in return. "well, i hope you're right. maybe you'd better prepare a question, though, just in case no one else wants to talk."

your eyes widen, and you shake your head. "i love you, but there's no way i'm talking in public."

"i'll do it," comes the voice from the driver's seat.

everyone else in the car rolls their eyes. "anything to pull focus," ross mutters under his breath.

matty hears him, though. "oh, shut up, ross. anyway," he clears his throat. "we're about to cross the border, into the land of the soundest people on the fucking planet."

ross cheers when he sees the "welcome to scotland" roadsign, which makes you all laugh. "you know, i always forget that gretna is literally right on the other side of the border."

you look out of the window. sure enough, you're already driving past houses and shops and little grey stone buildings. "this is the place where people come to get married, right? why is that?"

"oh, history lecture incoming," matty laughs - again, his fiancée smacks him on the arm. "go on, rass."

ross rolls his eyes, but turns in his seat to face you. the warmth in those deep brown eyes of his is so distracting, but you're interested in the history of the place, so you try your best to focus on your boyfriend's words as best you can. "short version is that in the 1750s, you couldn't get married in england or wales without parental consent if you were under 21, but that rule didn't apply in scotland, so people used to sneak off and get married here because it was right across the border. and as long as there were two witnesses, practically anyone could officiate - loads of the blacksmiths performed ceremonies at their anvils, probably because couples needed to get wedding rings somewhere, and now every wedding that takes place in any venue here is done over an anvil. obviously laws are different now, but people still flock to gretna for quick, almost clandestine marriages - total opposite of what the pair of clowns in the front seat have got planned, basically."

"oh, shush, it'll be beautiful. i'm excited," you say, smiling at your friends before turning to gaze out at the town. "and that's interesting, that story. it's also kind of beautiful, i think, the urgency of it all. loving someone so much that you just run away together and get married as soon as you can, no circumstance, no fuss, just love compelling you."

even though you're not looking at anyone as you talk about love and marriage, you find your thoughts focusing on a familiar pair of dark brown eyes, a soft smile, dimpled cheeks, strong arms that feel like home. suddenly a little bit lightheaded, you open your window slightly and turn back to face the rest of the now-silent car's occupants, and immediately wish you hadn't.

ross and your friend have turned to look at you directly, and matty's peering at you through the rearview mirror; all three of them are smiling, but the lack of response sends you into panic mode. 

cheeks aflame and heart racing, you start speaking again, far more frantically than before. "i didn't mean to offend the two of you in saying that, by the way, i know you guys are so in love and it's so sweet to see because i love you and i love seeing you happy, and your wedding is going to be perfect and so romantic and i'm so touched that you asked me to be a part of it, and as much as i find the urgency of a gretna wedding romantic i also think it's very sensible to plan the day out in advance because obviously it's such a huge deal, marriage, and i do see the appeal in marrying surrounded by everyone you like and love, i just don't know that it would be for me, but like i said i think your day will be beautiful and-"

"love, slow down, breathe," ross takes your hand in his, rubbing slow circles into your palm - your breathing and heart rate both begin to regulate merely because of his touch. "nobody's offended."

you look nervously toward the front seat. "you're sure?"

"not offended in the slightest, babe," matty says, in the gentle tone you've learned he reserves for the people he loves most in the world. "my girl and i just like showing off."

"speak for yourself, freak," his fiancée scoffs, but her face softens as she looks at him. "nah, it's not about showing off, for me. i just didn't think that true love - like proper romantic fairytale stuff - existed in my world until i met matty. and i want our wedding to reflect that."

your heart glows for them. "that's beautiful."

she shrugs. "it's just my experience. what's yours, if you don't mind me asking? i love the way you two are with each other. i'd love to know how you describe it."

"well, i'm nowhere near as eloquent as you, but i'll try," you say. but the words come easy - all you have to do is look at ross, and your love for him becomes too much to keep to yourself. "for me… it's all about comfort, safety, dependability. i know some of the great love stories have their drastic peaks and troughs, and love can drive you absolutely insane, but that's not the case for us. that's not what i want, or need. i need somebody who shows up for me consistently, who makes me feel secure enough to be more myself, who loves me exactly the same way every day. ross does that for me so effortlessly without ever being boring; there are always new things to learn about him. and i hope he feels the same way about me. it's a quiet kind of love, i think, but it's definitely deep, and true."

you smile bashfully at your boyfriend, who leans forward as far as his seatbelt allows to kiss you softly. "yeah, i think you hit the nail on the head with that description, darling," he murmurs, thumb gently caressing your warm cheek. "just you and i in our own little world."

your tender moment is interrupted by sniffling from the front seat. "for goodness' sake," matty says, wiping his eyes. "i can't believe the pair of you are making me cry in my own car. illegal move."

"shhhh, baby," his fiancée - also teary, you notice - coos, ruffling his hair. she leans over her own arm to grin at you and ross. "you two are so lovely, you know that? coming here with us to support me, and sharing your thoughts like that. i love you, i love your love, and i love that we're all feeling the love today. it's sweet."

"yeah, it is," ross agrees. you snuggle into him as best you can, breathing in the cologne and fabric softener scent of his hoodie and soaking up his warmth like he's the sun. it's not an inaccurate metaphor, actually - he is the centre of your universe, after all. "are you tired, my love?"

"little bit."

"here," ross quickly unfastens your seatbelt and pulls you into the middle seat, thus pulling you closer to him. he gently makes sure you have your new seatbelt on, before wrapping an arm around you and repositioning you against his chest. "go to sleep, darling, we still have a bit of time left in the car."

"will you wake me up when we get into the pretty part of edinburgh?"

ross smiles down at you, so tenderly you could cry. "course i will."

you smile back, eyelids already growing heavy. "alright."

sleep comes easy to you, cosied up safely in ross's arms. as always, he's the subject of your dreams, but the plot of this particular one is a new one to you. well, not totally. you've dreamt of marrying ross before, but the setting has never been so hyper-specific, or recognisable - little stone grey buildings, your hand and his both adorned with wedding rings, clasped together over an anvil, him in a kilt, you in a long white dress, your friends from the front seat of the car smiling and crying happily in the background.

the dream permeates your brain from that point on, even in your waking hours, too. you aren't sure whether it's the abundance of tartan dotted around the royal mile making you think of dream-ross's wedding kilt, or the grey façades of the buildings in the old town making you think of the far less elaborate ones in gretna, or if it's just ross's hand in your own as you wander around the city making you think of wedding rings, but you can't get the thought about running off to gretna with him out of your mind. 

it's funny, you think; you've only spoken about marriage enough to know that it's something you both want at some point, so your brain's constant defaulting to thoughts of eloping, of all things, should utterly terrify you. but like everything else in your relationship with ross, it feels easy, and natural, and right. the thing that scares you the most, actually, is how best to bring it up to your boyfriend.

as it turns out, though, you don't even have to. because, on your final night in edinburgh, ross mentions it first.

it happens after dinner, after drinks, after a singalong in the pub with the trad folk band playing songs none of you knew. you'd laughed and smiled until your cheeks hurt, and danced until your feet did too. ross carried you the whole way back to the hotel - no mean feat, considering he had to go at the same pace as an overly-tipsy matty and his wife-to-be - and he hasn't really let go of you since; not in the quick shower you took to rid yourself of "pub smell" and makeup, not while you brushed your teeth, and not in bed, where he's curled around you protectively as you lie on your side.

he's straight to the point, as usual, however. "you've been thinking about us eloping in gretna, haven't you?"

if you were any less intoxicated, you would panic. instead, you roll over lazily to face him, smiling shyly. "how could you tell?"

"your eyes lingered far longer they usually would on the window of that jewellers near victoria street," ross smiles, reaching to brush a stray bit of hair from your face. "that, and when you let me use your phone to google taxi numbers the other night i saw 'gretna marriage license rules' in your recent searches."

"you're very perceptive, macdonald."

"i try. so… what are the rules?"

"well," you begin, thinking back to your findings. "you have to apply for one 29 days before you want to get married, so the registrars can do all their checks."

"29 days?"

"yeah."

ross grins. "well, i've waited this long. what's another month?"

"really? you want to elope, too?" your breath catches in your throat as you speak - out of sheer joy, though, not fear.

"love, if we could've, i'd have married you on the way home tomorrow," ross says softly. "i mean, we have witnesses - who i think we should ask to come back up with us again next month, by the way - and semi-nice outfits, and i could get us rings easy. what else do we need?"

"you're right, we're ready," you giggle. "and i agree with you about the witnesses. if only to see matty weep when we say i do, honestly."

"oh, he'll be a mess," ross snorts. he brings your hand to his lips. "so it's settled, then? we're doing this?"

you lean forward to kiss him - softly, but not without an undercurrent of love and passion and desire. "yeah, we're doing this. one month, sweetheart, and i'm officially yours forever."

"looking forward to it, my love."

[xoxo-sarah]

Deserved it

↝a/n: I need a better title for this. Also this has been in my notes app for so long and I've been too scared to post it.

↝pairing:Steve Harrington x fem!Hargrove!reader

↝ Warning: Billy, Reader is Billy's twin sister, angst , fighting, blood, arguing, slight smut, making out, not proofread

↝⎙ 9.9.23

"I have a hard time believing that." Oh- your smile. How could you look so much like Billy, yet so different? In a good way, of course. One thing that you didn't physically have that was the same was your smile. Yours was, well, nicer. More friendly. Less intimidating.

"I'm serious! Look- ask Nance." If you didn't know any better, you'd probably say he was practically begging you to believe him.

"I dunno, I just can't picture a guy like you being a ladies man."

"Okay, ouch."

Laughing, you couldn't help but enjoy the feeling of playfully picking on this poor soul.

"I was literally known as King Steve-"

"Bull."

That's how it all started. Playful banter between a kid who peaked in highschool and a new girl who had everyone's eyes on her and her own brother. Apparently, your family moving to Hawkins was a huge favor for everyone. You're welcome. You'd probably tell everybody, given the chance.

•••••

"Stay away from that Harrington boy." Billy puffed at his cigarette, before flicking it absentmindedly onto the dry ground.

"Steve-"

"Oh, first name basis now?" He scoffed, drumming his fingers on the car roof.

"He-"

"-Is trouble. He's looking for some dumb broad to pick up and have a good time."

"Billy, I don't really care what you think. And even if I was into him, that isn't any of your business." He slammed his hands down on the roof of the car, making you jump.

"Y/n," Billy tsked, "you are a lot of things, but a dumb slut isn't one of 'em. Now get in the car." Before you could respond, he sat down in the driver's seat, starting the engine.

Slamming the door, you slung your backpack over your shoulder and turned around.

Billy threw his arms up and huffed as he watched you walk away. Grabbing another cigarette, he lit it, letting you walk a bit ahead before he started driving. If you were going to act like a brat, he was going to treat you like one. He wasn't one to give in to anyone, but you had moments that made his cold heart ache for you, he was always going to be there for you, but only for you. You literally shared a womb together. There's obviously a connection that no amount of sibling back-and-forth could wilt, right?

Hearing an engine roaring, you didn't need to glance back to know who it was. Billy slowed, looking at your side profile, noting your sour expression. "C'mon, Cookie. The weather isn't looking too promising for you to be acting like this." Cookie. The nickname he had made up when he caught you stealing a cookie out of the cookie jar that was on top of the fridge. You were lucky he was the one who caught you. If it had been Neil, you wouldn't have gotten the cookie and a new nickname out of it.

"Fuck off, William."

That, right there, pissed him off to no end.

He sped past you, kicking rocks and dirt behind as he went, swerving in and out of the lane to taunt you.

You scoffed, "Fuckin' dick."

"Watch the floor!" Stopped in your tracks, it took everything in your being to not spin around and smack the shit out of Neil. Here you stood, soaked head to toe, along with your backpack and everything in it, and he was worried about the floor.

"I'll try to keep the water from falling until I get to my room." Giving him a fake smile, you marched to your room, slamming the door.

Almost as soon as the door shut, it opened again and Billy came in. He had to of just came out of the shower, steam rolling off his skin. Walking over to your desk, he picked up your deodorant.

"What do you want now?" You practically barked.

He held his free hand up, "Relax. I ran out." He harshly applied the stick with his other hand.

Yanking the stick from his hand, you scowled. "Buy your own. Get out."

"I don't have any money." He yanked it back, lathering his other armpit."

"Get. A. Job." You now harshly yanked it.

"I have a job, I just haven't gotten paid yet."

"That sucks for you. Get out, now."

"I don't think I will." Billy pulled out your desk chair, running his fingers through his wet curls.

"I will scream at the top of my lungs if you don't get your ass out now."

"Fine, whatever. Don't forget to clean the water up." Looking down, you watched as more water continued to drip from your soaked clothes to the hardwood flooring.

The deodorant went hurling against the door and clanked against the floor as he slammed the door shut behind him.

"Stop slamming the doors!"

The feelings of wanting to claw at your skin was intensifying each time your father opened his mouth.

You were in deep need of a relaxer.

•••••

"Billy would kill me- mmph~" As soon as Steve's lips pulled away, yours were chasing them.

"Shut up."

"M'kay." His hands tightened on your thighs as he felt your hips wiggle and closing against his own. Moaning as your pulled at his hair, he didn't have time to be embarrassed. He wanted you. Needed you. Right now.

You had gotten dried off and practically ran to the Harrington's. At first, it was just to blow off some steam, vent, if you will. But Steve had gotten some weed off of a friend and who were you to say no? A relaxer is a relaxer. Things got a little out of hand and you ended up saying a few things no sober person should ever admit. It didn't take much green for you to end up like you were. You were going to blame the plant either way.

Your other hand slid under his shirt, feeling the skin and hair under it. You groaned against his lips, feeling him unbutton your jeans.

Reluctantly, he pulled away, helping you pull his shirt over his head and throw it somewhere on the floor. His hands went back to your thighs as your lips went down his neck, starting at his jaw and going behind his ear and down. You kissed his body as if you were praising it. Every touch of your soft hands left a fire-hot trail, begging for your lips to follow with a cooling effect.

This is surely heaven, he thought.

Steve made a sound, causing you to quickly pull back just as quickly as you had put your hand in his pants and moved lower down his body. Be slowly shook his head, shifting in the seat. "Mmm, no. I want to touch you." Your unsure expression quickly vanished, replaced with a wicked smirk.

"Yeah? How?"

Steve was so glad he has matured from his King Steve days. Younger him would never take the time to worship a woman's body. But yours, oh God, yours deserved every bit of praise and everyone should worship your perfectly imperfect body. Every stretch mark, every crevice, every indent that society deemed 'ugly'. Hell no. He was set on showing you just how much he adored you and your body.

•••••

Steve chased after you, having trouble keeping up. "I didn't - I didn't mean for this to-"

"Stop following me."

"Cookie, please."

You spun around, a look of fury in your eyes. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"Stop following me." You repeated, "I never want to see you ever again."

"This wasn't supposed to happen- not like this."

"Oh please, stop with this bullshit." Steve had to stop himself from wincing at the choice of words. Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit. "Imagine how humiliating this is for me."

"It was stupid! Carol and Tommy-they made some stupid bet and I was drunk and I just couldn't say no for some stupid fucking reason. Please,"

It was true, they were all plastered when the bet was made. You had just shown up, a fresh face and already the talk of the town. Every boy in their grade had said something about you and your body. At first, Steve ignored the cruel, disgusting words and acted like your arrival didn't affect him. You two hadn't talked much, but he had heard the way you talked to Billy, someone you had literally known since birth, your sweet voice yet snippy remarks.

Carol had made some jab, and Tommy had found it weird when Steve didnt laugh. Sure, they had grown apart, but it wasn't that long ago when Steve would make those same remarks. The liquid courage had Steve argue with Tommy on how you would totally not date Steve or anyone like him. The next morning, the terrible hangover has Steve promising himself to never drink again. The horrid memories haunted him until he got to school. Tommy had a group of preppy kids huddles around Steves locker. Apparently, Tommy had opened his mouth and spilled out all of what Steve had said. Multiple guys clapped and went to high-five. "King Steve is back!" What was he supposed to do? Almost everyone knew about what he had said, well, not you or Billy. God. Billy would kill me, he thought.

He was surprised no one had told you when you walked though the school doors. Everyone kept quiet, until 3 weeks later. To be honest, Steve had forgotten about it. Or tricked himself into thinking so. At the beginning, you guys getting closer was purely for the bet, but you were so quick witted, so smart, so pretty, so easy to talk to.

Carol didn't keep quiet for long. Just as you and Steve got so close, skin to skin, breath to breath, heart to heart, Carol had gushed about how Steve actually won some bet. Confused, you listened as both Carol and Tommy told you all about it and about what Steve had said. It didn't help that so many people were standing around, watching everything go down. Steve was lucky Billy wasn't there at that moment either.

He tried to reach for your hands, sighing in defeat when you yanked them away. "Please. I can't- we have something good."

"Do we? You embarrassed- humiliated me. You let it happen. No matter what we have done, it never meant as much to you as it did to me."

"It did. It does. Everything we did meant everything to me. Y/n, please."

"She warned me about you, ya know. Everyone did."

"What?"

"Nancy. She warned me about you. You only ever want one thing."

He was at a loss of words, flabbergasted. "What?"

"You got it. So you can leave me alone now."

Steve watched as you walked away, mouth hung open. He didn't know whether to go after you, or marinate in what you had said.

What did Nancy say and why?

Turning a corner in the supermarket, you didn't expect to almost run into something, or someone. "Shit-sorry."

The girl waved you off, fixing her hair. She looked up, watching as you picked up the loaf of bread you had dropped.

"Y/n, right? Billy and Max's sister."

You looked at her curiosity. "Yeah, you?"

"Nance. Nancy."

"Nancy Wheeler?" Her cheeks became red. You had heard of her.

"Steve has told me alot about you."

Oh.

Her face fell a little. "What has he said?"

Alarm showed on your face. He hadn't specifically talked about her, just about how they used to be together and how she could vouch for him being a total took a year or two back.

"Oh, just about how you were together."

Well, this is awkward.

"Yeah." Yeah.

"Ya know, he told me to ask you about his King Steve days." Her own face didn't have the same playful smile yours did. It was unsettling.

"Did he now?"

You looked at her confused, what had you just unleashed?

Apparently it was a lot.

•••••

Steve tried everything to get you to talk to him. He called, never getting an answer, or when someone did pick up, it was either your dad, the clueless mom of Max, or Billy. He brought you flowers that stayed on your porch and rotted. He tried talked to you in school. He never got a response out of you. It was as if you didn't see him.

He deserved it.

One night, he thought it would be a good idea to try one more time when the parents left for date. You were surely home, he didn't know about Max and Billy, but he didn't really care.

He knocked on the door, 1, 2, 3 times.

"Y/, come on, please! I'm sorry!" His head dropped against the door. He was desperate at this point. Even if you opened the door and told him you hated his guts, he would be beyond grateful to just hear your voice on last time. He'd understand you.

Hearing someone making their way to the door, he fixed his posture, waiting.

Right after the door opened, a blow was delivered straight to Steve's left cheek. He staggered back, his back hitting a pole keeping the screening up around the porch.

"You gonna make another bet about my sister, Harrington? You just can't leave her alone, can you?"

Billy's hands continued to pushed at Steve, pushing him further off the porch and into the yard. Insult after insult was thrown at Steve, he could only take it, keeping his mouth shut. He deserved it.

"William!"

Was he hearing things? Had Billy hit him one too many times? Your sweet voice rang through his head, bouncing around, wrapped his throbbing brain in a silk bandage, kissing it better as if it was a simple scratch. "Get off of him! Damn it!" The blows at Steve's side stopped. This time, Billy went staggering back after you had pushed him off of the hunched over boy.

You were too nice.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Billy bellowed. He threw his bloody hands up towards Steve. "You're gonna let him get away with humiliating you?"

"You're gonna kill him!" You made a point to look at the blood dripping from his knuckles and then to Steve's bleeding nose and swelling eye.

"He deserves it!"

"That is not your place!" Billy closed his mouth, looking at you in pure disbelief. You had just yelled at him, truly raised your voice, not one ounce of familiarity behind those eyes that burned in hatred. Your eyes softened, biting your lip before going to apologize. "Billy," before you could continue, he stomped towards the house, bumping into Max, who watched the whole thing.

After looking at the door, contiplating what to do next. You would deal with Billy later. Steve had to be gone by the time your father got back.

"What we had-"

" ‘what we had’? We fucked, Steve. That's it." You sounded tired, exhausted.

Steve stood hunched over, at a loss of words. It wasn't just a simple fuck. There was something there. He felt it, surely you did too. Your bodies fit together too perfect for a simple fling. His hands wouldn't remember every curve of your body for a simple fuck that didn't mean anything what so ever. He refused to take that for an answer. Even if it took a while to show you that you did mean more, he'd do just that.

"Alright."

He turned, walking towards his car.

"Steve," you called out, "you're hurt-"

"I got it."

He didn't waste any time getting in his car and leaving.

If you wanted space, he'd give you space. He'd find a way to make it up to you, even if it took a lot of time and a lot of different ideas and apologies. You both needed time to heal, emotionally and physically.

-----------

•2021-2024 by xoxo-sarah on Tumblr•

•My work is not to be translated, copied, modified, and/or reposted on any other site without my permission. [!I don't give permission!]

[wifeofnatasharomanoff]

Pretty Girl

Warnings: Fluff, pregnancy, pregant!reader, soft!nat, light smut, daddy/praise and degradation kink, and R getting edged again as always.

Words: 886

A/N: Thinking of writing angst after this, soooooo enjoy my loves! <3

(also this may be "Kiss Me More" and "Cookie Jar" Reader and Nat, their son is 3-4 so he can't talk properly yet.)

Kiss Me More, and Cookie Jar ♡☆

You couldn't contain the wide smile and tears when you saw the positive test in front of you. You sit around at home, waiting for your wife to come back from her recent mission. “Mommy why are you crying?” the toddler says, climbing onto your lap. You laugh softly, hugging the little boy tightly. “These are happy tears buddy.” he frowns, flashing a confused smile, “Tears can't be happy!” you fake a glare, tackling him with tickles. “Oh yes, they sure can!”

He lets out uncontrollable laughs till tears prick the corner of his eyes, “Mommy I happy cried!” he says, throwing himself back onto you. You laugh, kissing his cheek, “You happy cried sweetie.” he smiles, “Ali's sleeping.” you pause, “Where?” he sighs, “I' a nice big brother and put Ali in her crib and not on the floor.”

You smile, “Good job Alex!” you say, lightly pinching his cheek. You hear the door open, followed by a; “I'm home moya lyubov!” you get up, picking the toddler up in your arms, and leave to go greet your wife. “Hi darling!” you say, kissing her softly. She ruffles Alex's hair, making him let out a little laugh. “Hi mama!” she kisses his forehead, “Hi buddy.”

“Where's Aliana?” you look up at her, “Alex put her to bed, and not on the floor this time. Isn't that right sweetie?” he beams, nodding his head. “I' cry happy tears mama!” she furrows her brows in confusion, glancing at you for an answer. “He just– laughed a bit too hard, that's all.” you didn't want to tell her here, not in front of the kid at least.

She nods, “O..kay.. is there something you two aren't telling me?” you freeze before shaking your head 'no'. She eyes you suspiciously, “Mhm..” she says, walking back into your bedroom. You sigh, setting Alex down, “Go to your room and play games buddy, mama and I need alone time okay?” he nods, running off to his room.

You walk into the bedroom, sitting next to your wife on the edge of the bed. She glances at you, “Hey detka.” she says, laying her head on your shoulder. You bring a hand up to her wavy, red hair to stroke it gently. “What are you hiding from me baby?” your hand stops moving, and your breath hitches.

“I wanted it to be special..” you say, running a free hand through your hair. She lifts her head from your shoulder to look at you properly, “Wanted what to be special?” you get up and open your nightstands top drawer, getting out the positive pregnancy test.

Her facial expression laced with confusion, grabbing the test from your hand. “I– Y/N are you being serious right now?” you let out a shaky breath, “Yes– Nat why would I joke about this?” She smiles, tears pooling in her eyes. “Detka I can't believe it!” she says, pulling you into an embrace.

She inhales, taking in the scent of your perfume. “We're gonna be moms! Again.” she pulls away, kissing you deeply. “Natasha..” she smiles, kissing your cheek, your neck, collar bone, all the way down to your breasts.

“I love you so, so so much kotenok.” you smile, pulling her in for a proper, slow kiss. Eventually needing to break it to catch your breath. “I love you too Tasha.” she takes her hand up to your face, pushing a stray hair strand behind your ear. “My pretty girl.” you look up at her with reddened cheeks, and wide eyes.

She backs up, pushing you onto the bed. You gasp softly at the impact. She leans down, trailing kisses down to your thighs, “You're so beautiful detka..” she grips your thigh with her hand, rubbing your clothed clit with the pad of her thumb. “Natasha s-stop teasing..” you whine.

She smirks, peppering kisses to your inner thighs, just below your already dripping cunt. You whimper, squirming at her touches. She pulls off your panties, letting out a soft gasp, “You're so wet baby.. is this all for me?” you quickly nod your head, letting out a throaty moan when she runs her cold finger through your folds.

“D-daddy.. please.” you beg, gazing up at her. She slips in the tip of her finger, “Beg harder kotenok.” she whispers out, voice raspy. You roll your eyes, huffing impatiently. “..Daddy, please 'need you to fuck me so bad.” she smirks, pushing in two fingers deep inside you. You widen your eyes, moaning loudly.

“Taking my fingers in so well like a good little whore, hm?” you whimper, moaning softly. “I just wanna ruin you detka..” she says in between thrusts. “Fuck daddy I—” you get interrupted by a knock on the door.

“Mommy! Mama! Ali woke up, she's hungy!” you stifle a moan, Natasha's fingers still knuckle deep inside your pussy. “Yup– we'll be there buddy! Just one sec.” you hear his footsteps fade away, taking your attention away from the door, you look back at the red-head. “You're gonna have to pull out now Nat.”

She pulls out, leaving your needy cunt empty. “You better fuck me properly after I feed Ali.” you say, pulling your panties back on. “Whatever you say printsessa.” she winks at you as you walk to the door to leave the bedroom.

[strrvnge]

Teacher’s Pet

Pairing: Stephen Strange x Reader

Warnings: 18+ MDN, porn with(out) plot, oral (f receiving), power imbalance, slight daddy and doctor kink (I don't know if it even exists), Also I wrote this instead of sleeping so forgive any mistakes, tell me if I miss any

Summery: Stephen Strange is your tutor and you’re his student, only that today there will be a different kind of lesson

‘’I can’t do this’’, you said with a huff and let your hands fall on the sides. Stephen had been trying to teach you a new spell for almost an hour and for almost an hour you had been failing to do the movements right.

‘’Of course you can’’, he reassured you and got back into position to start again. "Lets-"

‘’No Stephen. That’s it I can’t, I can’t do it’’ You've always had trouble concentrating no matter how thrilling or mind-blowing the new spell was however you were dedicated and passionate about it so you always did it right after a few tries. Also you didn't want to disappoint Stephen.

You had always been interested in the notion of magic as a child, I mean who wasn't. But after some unfortunate events caused by some Avengers' mission that turned your life around you found out that magic wasn't that much of a children's story, it was real and there was a place where you could be taught. So you went for it.

Entranced and curious you always had a thirst to learn more. You were at the top of your class, with knowledge beyond it so when Stephen became the Sorcerer Supreme and took notice of your performance he decided to quench that thirst of yours. You knew it was a chance of a lifetime and soon you had moved into the Sanctum and you had a tutor. What you didn't expect was to develop feelings for that tutor so strong that you couldn't focus on your studies anymore.

"Come on Y/N! Stop whining and let's try again" You really tried to convince yourself it was a stupid school crush. He was older, illegally handsome, intelligent and you spent almost everyday together but then you noticed you couldn't stop thinking about him.

"No I- What are-" You looked at him as he walked behind you.

"Just let me show you. Is that alright?", he cut you off and your eyes widened

"Sure" you looked away staring at the wall so he wouldn't see the scarlet colour across your cheeks. You stood firmly on your foot terrified of the slightest step back as there was a high chance you would fall to his chest. You weren't sure how far behind you he was but you could smell his strong perfume, tingling your sensations.

"Don't forget how to breathe", he chuckled and you realised you've been holding your breath for too long.

"Good point", you whispered. Still from behind you he brought his hands in front of you and slowly, making with his hands the movements that you so much hated. "Just watch my hands"

You hummed in agreement as you observed his hands closely, the lines starting from his fingertips and then going down till all of them meet. You had noticed before-those long, skillful fingers could never go unnoticed- making you wonder what else they could go.

Yes you were desperate. Almost two years without sex of course you would think like that about fingers.

"You're paying attention aren't you?", he chuckled, snapping you out of your thoughts. Like a kid being caught with their hand in the cookie jar you gave him a guilty look and smile, realizing you had been staring at his fingers rather than the movement they made.

"Of course I am", you laughed awkwardly and abruptly turned around to look at him,losing lightly your balance you took a step back and hit his chest.

"Caught you" He had a firm hand on your side before lightly squeezing your waist to keep both of you still.

"Thanks", you said embarrassed

"Sure, just be more careful. Now let's continue" You nodded obediently and went to step away and take your previous position, however his firm hold held you in place, making your bodies press against each other. "

Pressing himself harder against you to come closer, his face rubbing your hair as he spoke to you, reminding the movements your hands were supposed to do.

"Like that?" You asked, finding it impossible focusing on the lesson rather than how his hold went further down your waist or how good he smelled.

"No Y/N it is nothing like that" Once more your hands fell on your side and you huffed and disappointed. "Weren't you paying attention when I showed you- Come on don't give me that look"

"What look?" You turned and looked at him confused, before realizing how close you were standing.

"The crying puppy look" Placing a stand of hair behind your ear, his fingers, your eyelashes fluttered as he stroked lightly the side of your face before he quickly pulled back. "Let's try again, hm?" He coughed.

Placing first his hand on your waist your voice hitched as he pressed his body against yours and gripped your wrists.

"You should do it now" He softly and you took a deep breath. He felt muscular against you and firm yet his touch on your wrists was so careful and gently, as if he was scared he'd break you.

Deciding to get over with it you started performing the movements he previously showed you, pushing aside any inappropriate thoughts.

"There you go" your jaw dropped slightly at the sudden sensation of something hard pressing against you. A soft whine escaped your lips as you realised what exactly that was; Stephen hard member pushing against your ass.

"You're doing so wonderful" he pressed you harder against his body, now his tip teasing your ass.

"Oh, Stephen-" your head dropped on his shoulder and with half open eyes you looked at him.

"You're the sweetest thing I've ever seen", he mumbled against your neck, as he traced kisses down your cleavage. "Tell me you want this too"

"Please more than anything" his cock twitched and he possessively his grip on your waist got tighter before starting kissing the side of your face.

"Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to keep my hands off you? Or should I mention how hard I get every morning? You have to use my shower because yours isn't supposed to work. You're such a dirty liar"

"It really doesn't work", your chuckle soon got lost under some heavy panting as he started sucking your jaw.

"Is that why you leave your panties in my bathroom? You know I have three pairs of thongs and fun fact they aren't mine" He couldn't count how many times he finished just by holding your panties. He was fascinated by them, their vibrant colours, the lace, the little bows on them.

"You're filthy" You joked and his teeth sunk down onto the sweet spot of your neck.

"Maybe" a small smirk curved on his lips, before his hand moved from your stomach down to your clothed core and then palmed it. "But I'm not the one who's wearing the shortest dresses when we're having lessons. Now that's really filthy"

"Jesus Doctor" Pushing past your panties he entered a finger in your core making you shiver under his touch. Your walls squeezed his finger, trapping it inside you. Moving away from your neck he quickly took his finger out of your pussy, making you gasp. Putting it in his mouth he sucked the sweetness off his finger.

"You sweet sweet thing" He hummed, still tasting you on his lips.

"Please need you"

"Go sit on the desk, sweetheart" He ordered, suddenly letting you go.

Hesitantly you walked to his desk before looking at him, any previous confidence now all gone leaving behind a shy little girl.

"Sit on the desk baby and spread those legs for me" He watched you walk across the rolm and then squeezing your legs together as you sat on the cold surface. Stephen approached you before sinking down on his knees, his hot breath heating your core. "Come on, show me what's between those beautiful legs?"

Pushing your legs over his shoulder and your skirt over your hips, he lustfully gazed over your mound before kissing your inner thigh. You jumped back the tick hair of his goatee tickling your soft skin.

He had been waiting for months for this moment, sitting face to face with your warm aching to be touched pussy, ready for him to suck its juices. He wanted to take you apart slowly, sensually tracing your body with his fingers and tongue, before taking you against that very desk and fuck you dump till you can't think of anything but his cock. But he couldn't. Not when he spent months longing to taste your sweet cunt, suck those pretty folds of yours dry.

He pulled you by the hips closer to his mouth, before kissing from your ankle up your inner thigh and then biting it. Shocked, you gawked at him who proudly looked down at the mark he had left.

"Let's take those awful panties off" Supporting yourself on the desk you hoisted your hips and watched as his hand got lost under your skirt and then pulled down a little pink thong. "You really wanted me to see this hm? I'm keeping those" With a dirty smirk on his face he stuffed it in his pocket, adding it to his collection.

"Now let's pay attention to this needy pussy" He doesn't waste time licking a flat strip up your pussy before latching into your clit, making you gasp loudly."Such a sweet cunt. All wet for me" his voice muffled in your tight walls.

"Please" you moaned, spreading your legs further for him to go deeper and help with the ingrowing heat. "Fuck, please Sir"

He groaned at the name, one of his hands leaving your hips to palm his hard bulge through his pants. "It's Doctor"

His tongue flicked against the bundle of nerves before sucking on your leaking juices, your eyelashes fluttered at the feeling.

You couldn't believe what was happening. Just a mess in a pretty dress with your so much older tutor between your thighs, eating you out like a starved man and you were letting him.

You were so dirty. Squirting on his face so desperately for him to pleasure you."Thats it make a fucking mess baby. Let daddy clean you all up afterward too"

Pulling his hair he shoved him closer to your pussy, his nose nuzzling on your clit in the process.

The combination of sweet burning feeling his tongue and lips left behind and the harsh rubbing of his goatee had you on edge.

His tongue flicked against your clit, his warm breath fanning over your wetness you’re so out of it, you can barely stay still. Your legs started trembling, your hips moving up and down, grinding down his face needy for release. "Fuck"

"My stupid, sweet girl. So fucking desperate for me. Are you gonna cum for me? Show me how well you can follow orders?”He already knew the answer to that, he could tell from your unsteady breaths and unfocused eyes. If he knew Wong wouldn't return back in a few minutes, he’d take you to his bedroom and try to see how well you'd take his cock now that he had stretched you all nice and open.

You looked at him with a pout as he beckoned for you to cum and massaged your little nub. He kept an eye on you, watching as you mumbled so shamelessly his name as you came undone, grinding on his face. "Yes, yes, yes"

He slurped all of your juices, your grip on his hair becoming more loose while you rode the last waves of your orgasm. Suddenly keys were heard and the large door of the Sanctum opened.

"Shit Wong's back", you cursed and Stephen raised his face for your pussy His beard glistening.

"You're the fucking pretty" He said still between your thighs but you wasn't sure if he was talking to you or himself.

"Come on" You stood up and fixed your dress before bringing a hand to his beard and whipped the evidence. He watched mesmerized as you licked your palm and then walked away with a smirk.

"Looking forward to our next lesson, Doc"

[salmonpoki]

Rose petals

Pairing: Yuji Itadori x Reader Content: setted after the Shibuya incident arc, manga spoiler, mentions of suicide if you look closely. In this future sorcerers have defeated Sukuna and Yuji Itadori is not executed. All characters are aged. w/c: ~2,3 k

♡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•ᥫ᭡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•ᥫ᭡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•♡

The sun was rising and the singing of little birds was filling the quiet room. Even the sunlight was entering the room, lighting up the bed. The covers were all wrinkled on one side, wrapped around the figure of your body, keeping you warm. You opened the eyes and all you could notice was the other side of the bed, empty and abandoned. And no one was there.

And you're alone again. Despite the external sounds and the dim light that was coming from the window, you couldn't help but thinking about you were alone, the room seemed quiet and dark. You sighed, your chest moved slightly up and down at every breath. Maybe if you close your eyes again everything will end... yes, it could work. But what Nobara would think about that? No, you shouldn't remember her, your best friend, it hurts too much. Damn, if you could you would have stopped her from going and risking her life and she would still be here with you.

Your days have became lonely without her presence. It was like something have taken away an important part from you, a person that you always liked and loved in your life. You hated that, you hated that with all of your heart. You couldn't do anything, at this point it had happened. You didn't even know why the fate had choose her. But, as we told, you couldn't do anything to change the past. Another sigh left your lips.

Your gaze moved to the sill of the window, where there was a little jar with a red brown rose inside. The flower had been given by none other than Nobara, the person you were crying for. Once straight and brightly colored, now its petals were partly brown and they deteached away from it one by one and his stem was a little saggy. It was as if it reflected your sad state of mind.

You sat down, your feet touched the floor and you stood up, not so ready to start your day. While you were walking to another room, a petal deteached away from the flower, resting on the sill.

♡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•ᥫ᭡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•ᥫ᭡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•♡

Sometimes when it was raining you used to watch outside the window and looked at the water drops sliding on the glass, almost competing on which drop would reach the bottom first. A game you often played when you were a lively and playful little kid. But years had passed by then and at that time you still didn't know what a psychological pain, a trauma, was. So now you were hypnotized by this drops which ended up uniting, becoming one. You felt like you weren't enough for this world, like someone who shouldn't be here. Perhaps if you take a good knife, maybe you could-

«Ehy, did you hear me?»

«Mhm?» the voice had woken you up from that daydream, bringing you back to reality. You tirned your head, only to see the pink-haired man who was watching you a bit worried. «Sorry, did you said something?»

«I just... I just asked how were you» he answered.

You wanted to cry and scream, again and again, but you also wanted to laugh to mask your pain and your tears. You wondered how he just managed to get through it all, or at least hide his pain well, seeing as he was just a kid when the accident happened. Damn, he may had suffered more than you. «I'm fine» you said with a fake smile. Those two words were probably a defense mechanism against the harsh truth. Maybe it was just a psychological matter: a person asked another person how were they, and then they, the one who was having a bad time and were emotionally destroyed, they tried to hide the problem, perhaps because the person who answered, you in this case, had thought that asking for help was a signal of weakness. Maybe. After you had said that, you continued to sip your drink.

He looked at you with an understanding look, as if he knew how you actually felt. «You don't need to lie»

«You talk as if you don't do it too» you replied. And he looked at you again with the same look, perfectly knowing you were right. Even if everytime he came to visite you he used to say he was fine, you couldn't help but notice he constantly touched the scar on his cheek. A little memory of his opponent.

«But if you ever want to talk I am here...»

«Yuji...»

«...I have experienced your pain too...»

You grabbed his wrist with a little squeeze as if to tell him to stop. He looked at you a bit surprised, but you could also feel his confusion in his look. The pain in your chest returned,your heart seemed to explode at any time. And his eyes met yours, almost disappointed by your trying to avoid the topic. «Stop...» you whispered, trying to hold back the tears.

He sighed, giving up. When your grip has loosened, he stood up from where he was and he walked over, stopping next to you. You stood up as well. You saw him spreading his arms slightly and you understood. You hugged him, and he wrapped his arms around you as well, holding you against him like he was trying to protect you. The tears formed in the corners of your eyes, sliding through your cheeks and falling on his jacket. «Everything's fine» he whispered in your ear, giving you a few light pats on the back «I'm here».

Despite he grew up, you noticed that over the years his character didn't seem to have changed: he still cared more about others than himself and wanted to protect people at all costs. «Yuji, I-»

You heard a ring, and then he walked away from you. He took his phone and put it next to his ear «Hello?». You could hear little voices talking through the phone, but you couldn't understand what they were saying. He mumbled something, the words «Yes» and «No» sometimes had left his lips before he said «Ok, I'll be right there» and hung up. He looked at you again «Sorry, I have to go... they said there's a curse in...» he swallowed «Shibuya...»

There was a bit of bitterness in that word. Shibuya, where all started, where a lot of people died, even Nanami and... Nobara. It still hurt to remember her. You accompanied Yuji to the front door and said goodbye, before closing the door behind you. You were alone again, no one here to listen to you. Tears were still sliding down your cheeks as you curled up on the floor.

Without you knowing, the rose in your room had lost more petals and there were only two left.

♡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•ᥫ᭡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•ᥫ᭡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•♡

Valentine's Day was a day you hated. Not that you had always done it, in fact, before the accident you liked going out with your friends. But now you're alone and you are forced to watch all the couples walk before your eyes. It seemed like on that day the world was reminding you that people had abandoned you to fate and that you weren't exactly lucky. To avoid reading those words in the looks of lovers, you had decided to stay at home. And now you were alone, alone and more alone. Seems this story talks a lot about loneliness, don't you think? But, if you want to know, you still have Yuji, right? Even if he doesn't pass a lot of time with you, he cares a lot for you. Because you are important for him, aren't you? No, you should stop thinking certain things and question yourself.

You heard someone knocking at the door. You walked through the room, you turned the door handle down and opened it slightly to see who was outside, only to see him «Yuji?!».

The pink-haired man seemed to have been attacked during the battle against the curses; his face looked bruised and was covered in small scratches. Even his clothes were ruined: the sleeves of the jacket were practically gone and some parts of the jacket were torn. You opened the door wide and let him entered the house. You saw how he was limping: hadn't he used the reverse technique to heal his wounds? You carried him to the couch, where he sat down and started breathing almost normally again. Almost, because as you could see, he was on the verge of crying. You could see how he gripped the armrests, how his eyes began to get wetter every second. It made you feel bad for him.

He let out a sob, something that have surprised you. You hadn't seen him like this in a long time, at least since... well, you know when. His bottom lip was slightly trembling and you remembered the guy he once was, affected by a trauma. Death and destruction, that's what he had experienced and he had always blamed himself. You could hear his heartbeat like that time. «I...sorry...I couldn’t...» he tried to speak, but he couldn’t help but stumble over his words «It happened again... I couldn’t do anything...» He seemed on the verge of having an emotional crisis «It's all my fault...I want to-»

«Hey no, look at me» you replied, moving in front of him and cupping his cheeks «It's not your fault. Anything that happened there, it's not your fault» you paused for a moment, only to see his reaction. You could see how he was looking at you, but you couldn't recognize any padticular emotion beyond the sadness and the sense of guilt «You said that if I ever needed you, you were here for me» you continued «And the same goes for you».

He continued to look at you with those big eyes, he was still sobbing and the tears rolled down his cheeks, slightly wetting your fingers «But I-»

His insistence was starting to annoy you, so you decided to shut him up in the only way you could think of at that moment: you gave him a tight hug, practically sitting in his lap while you did it. You had noticed he tensed up as you did so and his breathing hitched. But immediately afterwards his body had relaxed and he had brought you even closer, wrapping you in his arms and burying his head in the crook of your neck. You could feel his chest moving up and down against yours at every breath. It was... strangely comforting to you too. You let out a sigh as you felt him calm down with his sobs, even if a few tears still fell. «Sorry» he whispered, continuing to keep his head still on your shoulder. You passed your hand through his hair, they were soft and silky to the touch to your surprise. You felt your heart beat a bit faster. Why did you feel like in this way? Why had your heart started beating so fast? Anyway, you didn't have the answer for this questions, or at least you didn't have a sure answer. «Can I ask you something?»

The sudden question surprised you and brought you back to reality «Tell me» you said.

«Can I...» he started and his face seemed to have a slight blush «Can I stay here for the night? Just for today, I promise» Was he blushing?

You chuckled, finding his small reactions quite funny. «Of course you can. Whenever you want, you will always be welcome here»

A long sigh escaped his lips while he was still hugging you. Even his heart was beating quite fast as you noticed. You stepped away from him, placing your feet back on the ground as you stood up, and he slowly did the same. As you looked at him again, you saw how he seemed a little sleepy and his cheeks were stained with tears. You ran your fingers over his cheek in a gentle gesture, trying to remove any remaining tears. He let out a small gasp, but then he relaxed again, closing his eyes for a moment. «Sorry again» he repeat himself «I think I am just tired» he looked around, seeming to avoid your gaze. Why was he suddenly shy? Oh well, it didn't matter. You led him into the bedroom, then he lay down and looked at the ceiling. You lay down next and you saw him turn towards you. You felt as if his eyes were penetrating your soul, almost reading your thoughts and the sensations you felt. You touched his cheek lightly and then he smiled weakly at you. Whether the smile had been real you didn't know exactly, but seeing it it seemed so. He hugged you again like before, holding you close to him, as if you were the most precious treasure he had ever found. His breath was more normal than before and he let out a sigh, seemed to be relaxed, for real this time. He gently kissed your neck, that was something that made you blush amd shivered a little, but... he did this because you were just his friend, right? Even when you heard him whisper «I love you» to your ear, but it was probably your imagination, wasn't it? Oh well, at least you spent Valentine's Day with someone you loved.

Before closing your eyes you looked at the windowsill, where that vase with the flower was still located. And you smiled when you saw what was happening.

The rose, once brown and saggy, was growing back in all its beauty.

♡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•ᥫ᭡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•ᥫ᭡•°○●ᥫ᭡●○°•♡

a/n: Happy [late🫠] Valentine's Day~

[sissylittlefeather]

This is the Story: Epilogue

A/N: You know I couldn't leave Elvis and Grace forever. I love them too much. So here is a fun little epilogue of them together that makes my heart sing. I hope it brings you joy as well!

Warnings: 18+ minors DNi. Kissing, fingering, p in v penetrative sex, unprotected sex, creampie. Also pregnancy and birth.

Word count: ~1.2k (this is just a lil drabble for ya)

Epilogue

Elvis wakes up to notice that Grace is not in the bed. He has a moment of panic, realizing his pregnant wife is gone. He jumps out of bed, grabs a robe, and heads down the stairs to see if he can find her. Eventually, he does and he laughs. She's in the kitchen eating peanut butter out of the jar with a spoon.

"Honey, you scared me!" She smiles sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, E. I woke up starving." He walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her, resting his hands on her very pregnant belly. She's due any day now, so the baby is low on her hips.

"I told you to wake me up when you wake up." She takes another spoonful and answers with the peanut butter thick on her tongue.

"I know; I'm sorry. You were just sleeping so good." He takes the spoon from her hand and sets it on the counter. Then, he turns her towards him and holds her, swaying gently. He starts humming and then begins to sing.

"And I love you so

The people ask me how

How I've lived till now

I tell them I don't know

I guess they understand

How lonely life has been

But life began again

The day you took my hand

And yes, I know how lonely life can be

The shadows follow me 'n' the night won't set me free

But I don't let the evening get me down

Now that you're around me

And you love me, too

Your thoughts are just for me

You set my spirit free

I'm happy that you do

The book of life is brief

And once a page is read

All but love is dead

That is my belief

And yes, I know how lonely life can be

The shadows follow me and the night won't set me free

But I don't let the evening get me down

Now that you're around me"

They slow dance as he sings. She'll never stop loving the sound of his voice as he holds her.

He leans down and kisses her lips softly. He kisses her again more passionately this time and they're both overcome with a need for each other. She's constantly surprised at how much he wants her, even with her pregnant belly. But what she doesn't know is that carrying his child has made her sexier than she's ever been to him. He reaches down below her stomach and rubs his finger on her clit through her panties. All she's wearing is a nightgown, so he has relatively easy access to her. He pushes her panties to the side and slips a finger inside her. She moans into his mouth and he continues what he's doing with his hand. She reaches her hand down and feels his hardening cock.

"You want me?" She asks coyly.

"You know I do, honey." He responds, his hips bucking into her hand. He turns her around so that she's bending over the counter and pulls his dick out of his pants, dragging her panties down her long legs. He bends his knees slightly and enters her pussy from behind, groaning with the sensation of her around him. He begins to pump in and out of her with more speed, reaching his hand around to rub her clit. He slides in and out of her quicker and quicker, moving his other hand up to massage her breast gently. She feels her orgasm tightening and then the release washes over her, sending heat from her center to her extremities and back again. It doesn't take long for his climax to follow hers.

"Fuck, yes, Grace, baby." He cries out as he pumps into her weakly a few more times. He turns her around to face him and kisses her mouth deeply. He pulls her panties up and puts himself away as they stand in the kitchen together, breathing heavily.

"I love you so much, honey." He whispers as he kisses her neck.

"I love you too, Elvis." She whispers in return.

Just then, there's a small pop and she's wet all of a sudden.

"Elvis! Something happened." He looks at her concerned.

"What? What happened?"

"I think my water broke." Panic sets in and his eyes flash.

"Really? Do we need to go?" A contraction slams into her and she holds onto his shoulders.

"Yes. Yes we do."

******

At the hospital, Elvis runs around frantically trying to make sure Grace has everything that she needs.

"E. Calm down." She tries to reassure him. "This isn't the first time for either of us."

"I know, but I just want to make sure you have everything just right." Just then, another contraction hits her and she reaches out for his hand. He comes close and takes her hand.

"As long as you're here, I have everything I need." She says through gritted teeth as the contraction washes over her. He stretches his hand as she breathes and then gives it back to her.

Her labor continues for several hours as Elvis tries to stay in the room instead of pacing outside the door. The nurses try to usher him out several times, but he refuses to leave.

"I'm staying with my wife!" He hollers when they try to encourage him outside. When it's finally time to push, the nurses give up and focus their attention on Grace. The doctor finally comes in, ready to do his part.

"About damn time, doc." Elvis groans.

"Babe, let the doctor do his job." Grace whines. He stops antagonizing the doctor and directs his attention to her.

"What do you need, honey?"

"Just you. Come stand here and hold my hand." She starts to push and Elvis is amazed at her strength. He wasn't able to be in the room when Lisa Marie was born, so he's not exactly sure what to expect. After another 20 minutes, the doctor catches the baby.

"It's a boy!" He hollers as the nurses take him to clean him off.

"A boy?" Elvis looks at Grace with tears in his eyes. She rests against the pillows on her hospital bed and smiles softly.

"I had a feeling."

They hand her the baby and she sits up to hold him. Elvis leans in close, sitting on the side of the bed. He pulls back the edge of the blanket to get a better look at his son. He's beautiful, with his blue eyes and her dark hair.

"Can we call him John Jesse?" She looks up at him.

"Of course we can."

******

A few days later, everyone is home and settled. This time Grace wakes up to an empty bed. She goes to get up and hears Elvis's voice. He's in the rocking chair they've put in their room next to the crib. He's holding John Jesse close to him and singing quietly.

"You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine,

you make me happy when skies gray

You'll never know dear

How much I love you

Please don't take my sunshine away."

The scene warms Grace's heart and she sinks back into bed against the thick pillows as he continues to sing. Her heart is so full of love for her husband and her son. The story of how they built this beautiful life together is her favorite of all time. Their family is happy and she can't imagine loving anyone more than the way she loves Elvis right now in this moment.

Tomorrow, they'll introduce the baby to his sisters. But tonight? Tonight is just for them and the love that they've built together. Elvis lays the baby back in his bed and comes to her side. He nuzzles into her neck and kisses her gently.

"I love you always, Grace Presley."

"And I love you, Elvis. Forever."

They sink into the bed together, happy to know that they'll never be apart again. This family is theirs and nothing can tear it apart.

******

The End

(For real, this time.)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taglist:

@ccab @elvisfatass @elvisalltheway101 @ashtag6887 @aliypop @your-nanas-house @dkayfixates @everythingelvispresley @xanatenshi @returntopresley @p0lksaladannie @deniseinmn @jaqueline19997 @that-hotdog @18lkpeters @joshuntildawn13 @rjmartin11 @littlehoneyposts @epthedream69

[mrsjavierpena]

All the roads lead to a jar of pickles | Pickled Peña

summary: Javier keeps finding promises to make every New Year's Eve

pairing: Javier Peña x f!reader

warnings: fluff, alusions to smut, mentions of narcos, no use of y/n, just javi being so in love and receiving the love he deserves

word count: 4k (yeah i got carried away

IMPORTANT: English is not my first language, i've done my best with grammar but there will be mistakes (fuck prepositions i hate them), so pls overlook those

an: this is a one shot to the @pickled-pena writing challenge! i was super excited to write this and it was indeed a challenge since tumblr decided to delete what i wrote twice, but i loved to participate. also, i procrastinated and literally wrote this right before posting to no lose tbe deadline (not proud, but i made it

hope you enjoy it!

Javier didn't use to be a man to make many promises. He made a few during the years, promises like quit smoaking, clearing Colombia from cocaine, to take care of himself for his mother on her deathbed; he didn't keep any of them. It wasn't like he didn't try, though, Javier was a man of word, things just went out of his control: he did arrest Los Pepes, but the traffic of coke was at full stem ahead even without them, consuming the country, ruining and taking lives of innocent people; it was logical to imagine that taking care of himself was more under his control, but honestly, Javier didn't even know how to do that anymore, his life going south for so long it felt like changing wasn't a possibility.

He still had his father, and living with him back in the ranch again definitely had Javier in the most healthy state of his life that time. His return to Laredo caused quite the commotion, him abandoning Lorraine in the alter was never forgotten, but being part of the chasing of Escobar got him in Laredo's good grace again, he was a hero after all. He hated all of it: the praises and congratulations he didn't deserve, the back pattings and hugs that invaded his personal space, the audacity the people had to 'forgive' him, as if they were people whose opinion he valued.

It's not like he wasn't used to it, he was born and raised there and small towns had small towns' issues, but that didn't mean it didn't piss him off still. His big, nosy family was a part of it, all over his head asking "what was his plan now that he was back home", about "getting a girlfriend to become a wife and finally have kids", because "he wasn't getting any younger" and "was the only single cousin". It was like all his concerns were thrown in his face. He loved them, they were all he had left, but god, didn't they make him feel like shit. Because he had accomplished nothing in forty years, and it was clear that every person around him could notice that too.

The coming of a new year was another reminder of that. During his years in Colombia, he didn't do much other than a dinner with Steve and Connie, neither of them was in the mood of anything fancy at that time, and when they left the country, he simply worked or, in the best scenario, slept. In Laredo, though, his family wouldn't miss an opportunity to throw a party.

"What are your resolutions for the next year, Javi?" his cousin asked.

They both were in the kitchen, the task to cut pickles in very thin, even slices given to them by one of their aunts. Javi stopped his work with the knife to not lose a finger as he side eyed his cousin.

"Don't look at me like that!" she laughed "I'm asking you a question"

"What do you mean?"

"Resolutions, Javi" she rolled her eyes "Like your wishes for the next year"

"You mean, like, manifesting? Are you into that shit?" he couldn't hide the frown on his face.

"No, Javier, not manifesting, even though there's nothing wrong with that" she gave him an irritated look "You write down what you would like to change in yourself, to be a better person next year"

"Is that your way to say that I'm an asshole, prima?" he narrowed his eyes at her and she laughed loudly.

"Well, not just that" she shrugged "I like to do that every year, helps me to keep focused in what I want. And I see the look in your eyes, Javi" she wore a sympathetic smile as her hands caressed his "You have dreams you want to chase, why not start by that?"

A loud scream made them both jump in their places, a tiny human coming through the kitchen threshold with his hands thrown up in the air.

"Mijo" she laughed at the child's prank and the boy giggled.

His cousin had been married for almost ten years by then, a little boy and one girl on the way. Her being younger than him and having accomplished his dreams made a claw made of jelousy wrap its nails around his throat.

Javier wanted a wife, he wanted to marry someone he loved, he wanted to build a family of his own, he just was focused on the wrong things at the wrong time.

So he decided to start with something that should be simple, only one promise to himself: to meet someone in the coming year.

It should have, didn't mean it was, though. It was scary, he found out, to get to know someone after so long, especially at a small town where he knew almost everyone. Javier never had problems to get laid, but most of the woman he hooked up with didn't really seem interested in more than that, after a while it started to feel like a him problem. That being said, Javier didn't know how to start, so the next time another cousin of his said that he would really get along with a co-worker he had, he finally accepted.

The date was... awkward, to say the least. They went to the most popular restaurant in Laredo, every person there looking at him the whole evening; she didn't seem to mind the attention, but Javier did. He tried to make conversation, to ask about her interests, to compliment her, but he was as rusty as a cheap aluminum pot left in the rain for months, years, in his case. She would ask a lot about him, too, but not his hobbies or what he liked to hear on the radio, she would ask about Escobar, how was it like to catch bad guys, if he still had his gun. Javier tried to change the subject, but she would insist on talking about Colombia. She was curious, it was normal, he was used to it, but what a damn turn off it was. Javier felt like being in an interview, the atmosphere heavier and heavier as the questions were getting more and more personal, and by the first hour of the date, he was wishing he was at home.

Javier had this happening before, during his time chasing Los Pepes, the media would be all over him asking all sorts of questions, work related or not, and he hated it. If she wasn't an acquaintance of his cousin, he would even consider her being a fucking journalist, because it was not normal to act like that with someone you had just met.

So after that, Javier was pretty dismotivated to continue his chasing, but his family had already found out he was giving love a chance and wouldn't leave him alone. Apparently, there were many "young women" interested in Javier, according to his aunts. Javier wasn't really comfortable being putten in that position again, but decided to give it a try - few tries, actually. Blide dates were exhaustive and the most of them very unpleasant. In a blink of eyes, it was New Year's Eve again and Javier was still not in a relationship, another failed promise in his mind.

"Well, your plan was to meet someone, and technically you met, like, twenty new women. I would call it a success" Javier rolled his eyes at his cousin's attempt to cheer him up.

"There must be something very wrong with me" he sighed and she pouted.

"Don't say that, Javi! All of them wanted to go on a date with you, you were the one to reject them"

"I know, but- I don't know" he scratched his chin "They all looked at me as if I saved the world, and it's not like that, you know it's not"

She moved the newborn to her other side and sitted closer to him in the couch settled outside the house where they had been chatting for the last hour. Javier looked at the baby in her arms and felt his throat tighten.

"You think so little of yourself, Javi" all her attention was on him, but his eyes didn't meet hers "I know you didn't "save the world", but you tried to make a difference and gave your best to do so, you can't reject a girl just because she admires you"

Javier had done things terrible enough for the good ones to be irrelevants, had let shit happen when he should have tried to stop them, and he had told her that, not in details, but she was the only person beside him and Steve to know, and still thought he was a good person. And yeah, maybe he wasn't so bad after all, but he imagined letting one of those women inside, their eyes shining with pride, letting himself love her, feeling safe enough to tell her about everything and her never seeing him the same way, giving up on him because of his baggage, he knew he would if he could, so how could he put such a burden upon someone's shoulders? Who would want that?

"But I understand, I think" she spoke again, her free hand patting his shoulder "It must feel strange having someone knowing so much about you and you knowing nothing about them. Maybe you shouldn't go on these shitty arranged dates and find someone on your on"

"Yeah, I think you're right" he took her hand in his and gave her knuckes a light peck "Thank you"

"Mijo" Chucho's head appeared on the frame of the door "Would you do me a favor?"

"Of course, Pops" he stood up.

"Your aunts forg-" he was interrupted by shoutings coming from the kitchen:

"You stand there and accuse me, but where were you at the time?" was the voice of one of his aunts "Strolling through the corridors looking for fruitcakes when it's not even the season anymore!"

"You leave my fruitcakes alone!" another aunt shouted back "I don't hear you complaining when you're eating them!"

Javier looked at his father with his brows raised in curiosity, and the old man sighed "Your aunts forgot the jar of pickles, would you mind driving to the tienda?"

"No, I don't"

Most of the commerces were already closed at that time of the evening, but the tienda was the one place everyone in Laredo could count to be open at any time. The owners greeted him when he passed through the door, trying to small talk, and he turned them down the nicer way he could, wishing them a happy new year and going straight to the aisle he was supposed to. He heard the sound of broken glass followed by cursings coming from further in the store and found you staring miseraly at a burst jar of pickles on the floor, the vinegar smell all over the air and a basket full of groceries supported on your hip.

"You okay?" you looked up at him and he felt the the wind knocked out of him; you were the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.

"I am, yeah, that isn't" you pointed to the jar and he smiled.

Probably imagining what had happened by the noise, a man quickly showed up with a broom and a cloth to clear it up. You apologized profusely, saying that you could clean it up yourself while the man said it was no problem.

Javier looked at you one more time and left to get what he went there for. He had never seen you in the city before, and it wasn't like he was out of the ranch often - he tried very much not to -, but you should've been new there; the conversation with his cousin still fresh in his head. When he got to the dill pickles aisle, he shouldn't be surprised that you appeared in the other end of it, you had just dropped your jar after all.

"Hi again" you smiled as you walked towards him and he smiled back.

He felt something very similar to shyness creeping in his stomach "Hi"

"Just getting another one of this since mine decided this life just wasn't for him" you raised your hand and said your name.

"Javier" the handshake lingered a little longer than one normally would, your skin soft against his.

He saw the way you looked at him with interest, he should've asked you out. He should've, you were pretty, were his type and, if new in town, probably knew nothing about him. He should've, but he didn't. Thinking once then twice if he could've been reading it wrong, if you were just being nice and in the possibility to make you uncomfortable asking you out after exchanging two sentences in an aisl store. So he just took a jar, said goodbye, and left.

But something inside of him told him that you, with your bright smile and little jokes, could be the one. So he promised to himself to ask you out the next time he saw you.

And he did. After that day, he would go to the city every chance he had. He told his father he would start doing the groceries so he could rest. Chucho didn't buy that, but did nothing about it, he knew his son, so he knew better than to ask, when he wanted to talk to him, he would. It took a couple of months for him to see you again, in the most unexpected place he could think of. He had taken his father to an appointment in Houston, strolling around to pass the time when he saw you inside a café. His eyes widened and he was quick to move out of your sight before you saw him.

He was anxious, but he had been waiting for an opportunity for months and couldn't let it slide away again. Javier took a deep breath and entered the shop, a bell upon his head announcing his entrance. He pretended not to see you, going straight to the counter to ask for a coffee; he didn't want you thinking he was a stalker or something. While waiting for his drink, Javier would take glances in your direction, you sitted three tables away from him, an open book and a mug on the table before you. With his coffee in hands, he looked around and locked eyes with you, who smiled and waved at him. Even though there were plenty of unoccupied tables, Javier took confident steps towards yours.

"Mind if I join?" the smile you gave him made his skin prickle.

"Not at all" you marked a page in the book and closed it as he took a seat in the chair in front of you.

"I haven't seen you in a while" was his subtle attempt to start a conversation.

"Were you looking for me?" you rested your forearms on the table and lightly leaned in his direction.

Javier smirked, was that you flirting, or was he really that rusty? "I was, yeah"

"Good to know" you smiled again "I travel a lot for work, haven't really been in Laredo"

Before he could ask what you did for work, you asked what he was doing in Houston, so he told you about his father's semester appointment that was only available there, and that made you ask about Chucho's health, and then about the trip, since it was a very long one, but he told you he liked driving and used to do that with his parents a lot, which lead to talking about families, you said you weren't really close to yours, the conversation flowing with neither of you seeing the time pass. It was you the one to bring him back to reality, asking which time he was supposed to get Chucho in the hospital and making him realise that he was already late.

"Javier" you said as he quickly stood up to leave "I don't know if I'm reading this wrong, I really hope I'm not and I'm sorry if I am but-"

"Would you like to go out with me sometime?" the words left his mouth before without hesitation.

Your brows raised in surprised, but your smile could have brightened a whole galaxy "God, yes"

He called you the next day, not wanting to wait a minute longer than what he thought wasn't giving desperation. You set the date for the next week, when you would already be back in Laredo. He went to pick you up and got once more mesmerized by the sight of you; you laughed and affectionately squeezed his arm when he told you that. Javier took you to his favorite restaurant in the city, a cozy little place with delicious food his parents used to take him when his mother was still alive. The two of you talked the whole night: he found out that you were a photographer, had moved to Laredo a few months ago planning on settling down "I'm getting too old for all that traveling, and the house's prices are good" was what you told him. Your favorite food was mexican, you weirdly liked the smell of gasoline and wet soil, loved listening to music, still had your grandparents in your hometown so you visited often, wanted to have a dog but couldn't with your schedule, always dreamt of being a mother. You asked so much about him, too. Not the type of questions he was used to being asked, you tried to know him by asking about his childhood, more details about his parents because they seemed to have had such a beautiful love, if he had traveled out of Laredo before, which got him telling you he was a former DEA agent in Colombia, and he saw the curiosity in your eyes, he waited for the questions about that to come, but instead you just said you've had always wanted to visit South America. Years later, when he mentioned tour first date, you would tell him that you knew what was happening in Colombia at that time and that you knew better than to ask what could be invasive questions.

When you couldn't stay in the restaurant anymore because they had to close, Javier still didn't want the night to end, but drove you to your house still. As he took you to your door and wished you a goodnight, ready to leave, you held his upper arm and gave him a light peck on the lips. As if something snapped inside of him, Javier didn't give you the time to even open your eyes before his mouth were against yours again, tongues dancing together as if they already knew one another and had done this before, hands passing through each others bodies. When you asked him to go inside, he hesitated.

"I don't want you to think that's all I want" he vocalized his concerns.

"I don't" you took his face in your hands, brushed your lips on his and smiled "You're a catch, Javier Peña, I'm keeping you to myself"

Javier took his time with you, kissing every inch of your body, having you giggling and moaning and writhing under his touch. Unhurriedly making you his between wet kisses and moans and screams of his name. He would've stayed connected to your body for the rest of his life if he could've, but your agenda was booked for the rest of the year and all he could have was a couple of weeknds a month and long night's phone calls. But Javier took all you gave him without complaints, even though he missed you so much his chest tighted. He missed your smile, your laughter, your body next to his, your fingers through his hair, your kisses to wake him up in the morning, the way his name souded on your lips when he was inside of you, the weight of your head resting on his chest, the way your right leg would twine between his when you slept. The man was head over heels for you and knew you felt the same, all those nights the both of you cried on the phone, sick of being away from each other proved it.

But the both of you survived that tough time like champions, by then, the end of the year was near, and you went to get your grandparents at your hometown to spend the New Year's Eve with Javier's family, the people who raised you obviously being two of the best people he had ever met. His aunts were in love with you, the kids wouldn't leave you alone and his favorite cousin was so thrilled to finally meet you that she dramatically almost passed out. Everyone spent the night laughing and eating and talking, and watching from afar, he couldn't believe how well you fitted on his family, but he hadn't doubted for a second that everyone would love you, how could someone not to? So when he told you he loved you for the first time that night and you said it back without hesitation, Javier promised to be the best version of himself to get you to wear his mother's ring on your finger by the end of the next year.

Not everything was perfect, nothing ever is. You had some fights, you disagreed in a few things, but something you stablished the first time Javier gave in to old habits and tried to run away from the issue was that you wouldn't sleep without talking about it; no hitting doors, no leaving, no fucking the anger out, you talked and made the effort to change what was bothering. Javier had been in only one serious relationship before, with Lorraine, and damn what a difference it was. He couldn't blame neither of them, they were young and didn't know what they wanted; you, on the other hand, knew exactly what you wanted and it still shocked him that it was him. You wanted him, all flaws and errors and baggage included, you didn't let him shut you down when things got tough, and with time he learned to trust you, to count on you, to talk about his feelings, his walls slowly tumbling down. The day he told you everything about Colombia was the hardest he had ever been putten through, years of fighting drug dealers and putting his life at risk, and he had never been more frightened. Tears were shared, you didn't react very well to a few things, but you never dropped his hand, never interrupted, never distanced yourself, even thanked him for trusting you, and at the end he felt as light as a feather. You convinced him to go to therapy, emphasizing that he had to treat the psychological consequences of the terror he confronted back in Colombia.

After that, it seemed like you had reached a goal at your relationship, you spending more time at the ranch than at your own house, a great routine already settled, and you made it very clear you were ready to be asked in marriage when you said those exact words to him. Little did you know he was already planning on it, and one day, after photographing a wedding at a neighbor city, Javier welcomed you in the ranch with candles everywhere, a knee on the floor, tears on his eyes, his mothers ring in a velvet red box and the most heartwarming speech one could ever ask for. The wedding was quick to happen, neither of you wanted a big party, just your families and friends gathered in the ranch with the ceremony realized by a very emotional Chucho. Didn't take you long to get pregnant either, your life settled with you being called to take every photo in Laredo and Javier accepting a job at the Sheriff's Office; the both of you had decided to live with Chucho once he had injured his leg during work, him more than thrilled to have a grandbaby under his roof. Javi fell in love with you a little more every day that passed, more and more mesmerized by you and your growing belly. At the end of that year, he promised to be a father as good as the one he had.

And what a good father he was indeed. He dedicated his life to his family, providing all the love and dedication he had in him, gladly waking up during the nights to comfort his kids; yes, you both got tired as hell, made mistakes, got stressed sometimes, but you got the life of your dreams and the both of you had so much love to give that it didn't matter how hard things could get, you wanted it, all of it. With his one-year-old boy sleeping in his arms as you talked to your grandma on the other side of the room, your ring hand carressing your beautiful round belly that carried your next baby, he saw as his babygirl crossed the room shouting with her hands thrown up in the air to scare you, clearly influenced by her cousin, and you playfully shouted back. The dogs started barking and jumping at the commotion, the three-year-old giggling as you kissed her cheek.

Javier felt like his heart could explode inside of his chest, certain that there was no man alive happier than him, he thought about how lucky he was he went to get those pickles all those years ago. The journy the both of you had wasn't quite easy, the challenges you had to face, the expensive phone bills he got when you were apart, the fears he had to overcome, even those years in Colombia, he would have done it all again and again and again if it meant to be where he was at that very moment, to wake up everyday by your side, to always have you in the passanger seat to rest his hand on your thigh, to have the kids laughing and running around the house, to experiencing the type of love his parents had.

At that New Year's Eve, Javier kept the same promise he had been keeping the last years: to give his all to the family of his own.

"Javi, baby" you called him, your smile as wide as always "I'm craving pickles"

[muddyorbsblr]

measurements

See the full 14 Days Collection here! See my full list of works here!

Summary: After Cora's birthday party, your brother Luke, along with Martha, made a few offhanded jokes about Reverend Ransome being "small", you quickly put them both in their place by explaining what you do back in London: using a man's posture, gait, and overall stature to determine certain "measurements" for your clients.

Pairing: Will Ransome x Reader

Word Count: 5k

Warnings: 18+ | smut (minors & pearl clutchers, to put it mildly, i am not the one, do not fucking try me); unprotected p in v; language [let me know if i missed anything!]

Things to be aware of: just a bit more than strangers to lovers; reader is Luke Garrett's sister

Every bone in your body told you to put as much distance between you and Will Ransome the second you met him tonight at the party your brother was throwing to celebrate Cora Seaborne's party. You'd gotten quite adept at reading situations and his particular one sent your rational thoughts into a tailspin.

A vicar, married with two kids, and yet falling helplessly in love with the very woman that you knew your brother Luke was also pathetically in love with. Exuding this strange repressed sensuality that he didn't even seem to be aware of with every awkward misstep throughout his little dance with Cora tonight.

And then there was the fact that he couldn't seem to stop himself from stealing glances at you, with a heat behind his steel blue eyes that you couldn't rationally attribute to the candlelight illuminating the quaint little home in Aldwinter that Cora and Martha had so warmly welcomed you into. If what you'd inferred from tonight's gathering was correct, then building a meters thick wall between you and the disorientingly beautiful man this town called Reverend was the best course of action.

That was how you ended up here, in the dining area of the cottage sitting at the table with Luke and Martha while Cora ran out of the house to 'think things through' on the way to the Ransome household to return the elder daughter's scarf. You'd thought it was wise not to accompany Cora to that little charade of hers in case her well-intended enough good deed turned into something less than innocent.

Now you were stuck listening to your brother lament on why Cora didn't fancy him and what she could possibly see in Reverend William Ransome that she couldn't see in him.

You had an answer, of course. You'd measured the man within five minutes. You had ten good reasons why he was chosen over your brother.

"She's collectin' 'im," Martha surmised, her words slurred from her borderline excessive intake of wine. "She wants to…put him in a little glass jar. And label his parts in Latin."

That seemed to give your brother a tiny burst of confidence, holding his fingers mere inches apart. "Little?" They both began to laugh at the notion, of which you quickly followed suit, but you were more laughing at their hunch than with it. "Won't need a very big jar, then…bit microscopic," he slurred, putting his eye up against the mouth of the wine bottle and pretending it was his microscope back in his practice in London.

"Oh Luke, dear brother mine, you'd be remiss in your observations if you actually believe that," you spoke up, swirling your wine in your little goblet as the two turned their heads to look at you. "I dare say you're speaking from your ego rather than that superior brain you always seem to be parading around back home."

"And what do you know about it then, little sister?"  He leaned back in his chair, an air of superiority overtaking him as he asked you that question, a clear show of how non-intimidating  he viewed you as compared to himself.

You stood from your chair, placing your goblet down on the table, before beginning. "You're laughably unaware that I actually read through all your medical textbooks, aren't you?"

"No, I've known since I began medical school, Y/N. I just also know that without the proper instructor that a proper school can provide the fine young men in our society, much like myself, that you're ill-equipped to understand—"

"A wise woman once told me that university is just a bunch of young, well-to-do men, paying older and 'smarter' men to read to them. I figured I would save the money and the time and the misogynistic lectures about how women are for the house and the 'little jobs', and instead read to myself," you cut him off, his smirk fading by the slightest at your words.

"And what half-witted misguided woman told you this then?"

Your lips twitched upward in a smirk of your own. "Cora Seaborne." That name made his mouth fade into a grim line, most of his ego suddenly deflating. "Now that that's sorted, I can get to telling you what I've been doing with the knowledge I've acquired from your books over the years. See, Luke, since I cannot become a doctor in my own right and have my own practice, I set up a consultation office in London based on the area I chose to specialize in."

"What area is that?"

You turned to Martha, who seemed genuinely curious about what you'd done with your knowledge. "Anatomy. My clientele consists mainly of women who come to me for my evaluation on potential lovers." Her eyes widened at your description, her curiosity clearly piqued. "I use a man's stance, gait, and overall posture to give a woman a certain set of measurements. Now I'm not saying it's accurate down to the centimeter, but considering some men's proclivities to round up, I reckon my estimates are rather…reliable."

"Bollocks," Luke bellowed, his syllables extended as a result of his inebriation. "Measure me, then, genius." He hissed the last word, clearly meant as a jab rather than a compliment.

Before you could give him your answer, you three were interrupted by a loud knock at the cottage's front door. "It's open!" you called out, feeling your knees weakening at the sight of the towering vicar stepping through the threshold, the bow tie of his suit loosened a great deal and his hair disheveled by the rather violent night air. "Oh. Hello again, Reverend Ransome. Cora isn't back yet, I believe she went to return a scarf your daughter left behind…? I'd have thought you would have seen her on your way back here."

"Erm…no. I did not," he answered you, a tinge of nervousness evident in his voice. Or perhaps it was awkwardness. Perhaps he sensed that the other two people in the room with you held a questionable amount of dislike towards him as well.

"Ah, well perhaps she's still trying to enjoy the night air then. She should be back soon. You're welcome to sit and wait for her, if you'd like." He gave you a timid smile as he sat down at the edge of the couch, rubbing his hands down his expansive thighs.  The action had such an effect on you that you could feel the walls of your sex clenching around fuck all nothing, so you turned toward Martha again, clearing your throat as if the action would also clear your mind of the lurid thoughts that just entered your head. "Where was I again?"

"Your brother challenged you to--"

"Oh, right! Right. Thank you, Martha." You turned to Luke again. "Out of respect for you, brother mine, I did my best to never…but since you did quite literally ask for it, five. But you tell women it's six because you believe that they can't tell the difference, but believe me when I say this, they can. They most definitely can."

His eyes widened at your estimate, his smirk once again fading into a straight grim line on his face. "There's no way—you guessed!" His voice had taken on a petulant tone, rife with his indignance and disbelief.

"Well judging from the lack of smugness on your face, it seems my guess is quite accurate. Now moving on to your earlier jests about…ehem…little jars and microscopes?" The amusement on Martha's face disappeared as her eyes darted ever so quickly to the vicar. "Let me just tell you both that you're very very wrong." You emphasized your point by briefly holding your hands a couple inches less of a foot apart, making them both choke on nothing.

"I may need to pay you a visit when we return to London then, Y/N," she chuckled, taking yet another swig of the wine. "Someone I want you to err…evaluate."

You gave her a coy smile as you stepped in between her and your brother, crouching down so your faces were level with theirs, and you could speak in much more hushed tones. "I don't just read men, by the way. I read situations," you began to explain. "You two have a borderline intolerable tension about you, so I highly suggest that you take it upstairs, explore a connection based solely on your shared experience and, as the Americans would so crudely refer to it, fuck it out."

Luke sounded like he was choking on his own spit at your words. "Little sister!" he slurred. "Since when did you become so crass?"

"I haven't been little in nearly a decade, Luke Garrett," you snapped back. "Perhaps if you'd bothered to actually look in the last ten years instead of constantly trying to prove yourself my superior, you would have realized it."

Your venom seemed to dissipate a touch when Martha broke the tension between you and your brother. "What shared experience?"

A self-indulgent smile found its way onto your face, the uncomfortable shifting on the couch from Will Ransome not going unnoticed by you. "Both of you are pitifully in love with Cora Seaborne," you whispered, feeling an almost addictive power coursing through you as they sputtered and stood out of their seats, the contents of the table rattling in place. "Go on, then." You jerked your head in the direction of the stairs.

"You'll be alright to tidy up here then, sister?"

"Of course. I've been tidying up after you for decades, Luke, this is child's play for me at my age."

The two of them made quick work to vacate the dining area, going up the stairs where you'd hope neither of them would last very long so that you wouldn't be subjected to the sounds of their little tryst for too long. At least for now you were free of the smugness in the air that always seemed to be present when your brother was around.

The only thing you didn't quite think through was that now you were alone in the bottom floor of the cottage with the absurdly tall vicar you'd spent a good portion of tonight trying to avoid, waiting for Cora to finally return from 'clearing her head'.

You gave him an awkward smile as you began to clear the dishes from the party, making the split-second decision to gulp down the remainder of your wine in hopes that it would at least hinder you from feeling how rife with tension the room still was because of the way his gaze was filled with that bizarre repressed sensuality. You stifled the groan that wanted to escape you once the realization dawned on you.

That heat in his eyes had nothing to do with the candlelight.

And the wine only worsened the effect he had on you.

"I could assist you with that," he offered, standing and making his way to the table before you'd even had a chance to accept. You did your best to silence your sigh, feeling exponentially warmer now that he was mere feet away from you as you mumbled your gratitude. "May I ask what that quip of Doctor Garrett accusing you guessing something was all about?"

It was your turn now to choke on the air. "Just something about my profession, that's all," you answered evasively, hoping that it would be enough for him to drop the subject.

"And what profession would that be?"

"Anatomy." You thought it best to keep your answers as vague as possible. "I think it prudent to not give too many details about the intricacies of my job to people I'd only met today, so…perhaps if we were to ever meet again."

You'd both made your way to the kitchen, placing the dishes and glasses into the sink as you carried on your conversation. "Perhaps I'll hold you to that, Y/N."

Fucking hell, you thought to yourself. For a man of the cloth he sure sounds like his entire form was crafted by the Devil himself, sounding like sex when he says my name like that should be a damn crime.

When you turned around to return to the dining area -- and put some much needed distance between you two -- you realized how close he'd been standing, barely a foot separating the two of you from one another, the heat radiating from his body washing over you and making you find it difficult to breathe. The air around you began to thin once he'd stepped even closer, his fingers lightly touching the inside of your wrist, slowly traveling up your arm.

Your brain scrambled for a way out of this, knowing full well that a dalliance with a married man would never sit right in your conscience. Even if he was the one moving closer. Even if he already was potentially committing indiscretions against his marriage.

"Cora," you whispered, already feeling the loss of his touch the moment the name left your lips.

"What?"

"She won't take too kindly to me encroaching on what's already hers." Your words were enough for him to take a step back and grant you enough space to sidestep and make your way back to the living area. They were also enough to sober you to the harsh reality of the situation.

Because he belonged to Cora, no matter how his marital situation may change in the coming months given his wife's health, Will Ransome would never be yours.

Two Years Later

"You're sure about these numbers?"

You faced your last appointment of the day, Celia Marsters, with an accommodating smile. "I wouldn't say pinpoint accurate, but a good enough estimate. As per the feedback from my previous clients who have availed of his particular service of mine, the largest discrepancy I've ever had was…perhaps a quarter of an inch?"

Her eyes widened at your statistics. "Really? That close, huh?" You nodded, a wide grin forming on her face. "I'll have something to look forward to, then." She reached into her purse to take out a handful of paper bills and placed them on your desk. "And you're available for other types of consultation as well, yeah?"

"Of course, Celia. My door's always open for other consultations, not just…measurements." You both let out a fit of giggles at your choice of words. "Truly I do hope for your happiness that this would be the last man you'd need me to evaluate. You deserve a good and happy life."

"I hope so, too, Y/N." She gave you a quick hug before exiting your office, throwing you a look as she reached the stairs as if her knickers had dropped to the floor of their own volition. "Fucking hell, your next one's a looker."

You threw her a look to show your confusion. "Celia, you were my last appointment." Her amusement seemed to increase at that bit of information, giving you a shrug and a cheeky wink as she made her way down the stairs. You chalked it off to her being mistaken, that whoever was downstairs was probably here to see another tenant within the building.

A few moments after you'd started piling together the info you'd begun to gather for another client, you heard footsteps stopping right outside your door.

"Hello, Y/N."

That voice. You knew that hauntingly beautiful voice anywhere. The voice that plagued your lustful dreams ever since you came back to London from Aldwinter two years ago. The man that you'd sinfully fantasized over day in and day out, despite knowing that he would remain but a fantasy. You may be unconventional and some lesser minded men would even go so far as to accuse you of witchcraft, but you had your morals.

You refused to entangle yourself with men who already belonged to someone else. Even though it seemed that Cora held quite a different set of values from you, seeing as she'd been getting exceedingly close with your brother the last few months.

I wonder if he knows about it and perhaps he's simply letting the situation unfold, you thought to yourself. You quickly dismissed the thought, though, ultimately concluding that this was none of your business. A somber smile found its way to your face as you looked up and your eyes met his. Despite the toll the last few years had taken on him, the man was still as unfairly handsome as ever.

"Mister Ransome, it's good to see you again. I didn't know you were visiting London." You stood and motioned toward the couch that Celia had vacated. "Please, come in. I'm afraid Cora isn't here, though."

"I'm actually not visiting, Miss Garrett. And I didn't come here looking for Cora, either," he answered you as he stepped into your office. His words were so soft spoken as if he was hesitant in adjusting into a more casual atmosphere with you, just as you were with him. Understandable. Because the last time you two were in the same room together you quite literally scurried away from him. "I've just finished moving here to London with my children, and I passed by Luke's clinic earlier today to ask him where your office was."

His words had you taking an unsubtle step back. "You asked for me?" He answered you with a timid smile and a curt nod, choosing to stand by the couch as he stared at you with those heated eyes, an almost exact mirror of how he did so in your lurid dreams about the man. "Well I'm positive he didn't appreciate that," you remarked with a chuckle.

"And why would that be?"

"He gets it a fair bit. People coming to him and him believing that he has a new patient only to be asked to be pointed in my direction for…my area of expertise." You finished off your vague explanation with a slight chuckle, stacking the files you had out for Celia's case together. "Would it be so rude of me if I were to organize these while we talk?"

"Oh, not at all. Please. Truly I'm already delighted I even got to see you today." You took the opportunity to walk towards the shelf to hide your face from his view, allowing your expression to mirror your confusion over his words. A few moments passed before you heard him speak again. "May I ask why the walls are carpeted?"

"I'd like to grant as much privacy as I can to my clients, especially from any gossips who would let slip who was here making inquiries and consulting with me. The carpets ensure that to a certain degree the sounds coming out of this room would be muffled at best, lest we be in a screaming match."

Your only indicator that he was moving around your office was the way his voice seemed to be coming from a different spot at his next response. "You know, I distinctly remember a promise from you. That if we were ever to see each other again, you'd tell me what it is exactly that you do?"

An amused grin made its way to your face, taking the next few minutes to explain to him how you'd read your brother's textbooks from medical school, and how you used it as the backbone to build the foundation of your services. "Tell me, Mister Ransome…did you receive some peculiar looks when you informed reception that you were here for my office?"

"How did you--?"

"Majority of my clientele are women," you explained. "The anatomical knowledge that I wield so that I may provide the services that they avail of is…mostly geared for them. The services I offer gives them a rudimentary evaluation on a potential lover." You took a breath, walking back to your desk before you finished your explanation. "I use a man's stance, gait, and overall posture to infer a certain number. A measurement, if you will."

You glanced up to see his reaction to your words, stifling a chuckle as he glanced down to his crotch before looking back up at you,  the expression on his face daring you to confirm his unspoken question. The only response you could manage without bursting into a fit of laughter was a quick nod of your head. His next question, however, had you choking on your own spit. "Did you ever measure me?"

The words came out sputtered and stammered from your mouth. "I-It was purely o-on instinct. An acc--an accident, I swear to you." A chilling realization dawned on you, that he might now be questioning your meeting from two years ago. "I can assure you that Cora didn't invite me to Aldwinter so that I could evaluate you," you spoke in a rush.

"Y/N, take a breath. Please. You truly don't need to be on your guard around me." He held his hands open, arms outstretched towards you as he took a few steps forward. "It never even crossed my mind, really." He made his way to you and gently placed his hands on your arms, rubbing up and down in a soothing motion. "Breathe, sweet girl."

You suddenly became aware of how close he was standing to you once again, nearly forcing yourself to calm down so you could defuse the crackling tension that seemed to suffocate you now that he was standing not even mere feet away, hands holding you as if you were more than a near stranger to him. "Thanks," you said cautiously, giving him a strained smile. "Anyway, I suppose now that I've brought her up, I feel I should ask. How are things between you and Cora?"

You figured that mentioning her name would give him the same pause it did last time. Grant you just enough space so that you could maneuver your way out of his hold.

You were wrong.

Instead he gave you a small smile, his hands traveling down your arms to hold your own comparatively smaller ones, stroking the back with his thumbs. "Cora and I decided it best to not pursue any further romantic relationship. We tried. It didn't work out."

"Oh…" you breathed out, trying to focus on anything other than the strangely comforting warmth of his touch. "May I ask what happened? I mean…she seemed absolutely taken with you and now--"

"Now she's beginning a relationship with your brother, Doctor Garrett." Your eyes widened as you realized he was already aware of the very information you were keeping to yourself. "She was there with him when I visited his clinic." The air left your lungs as he moved a hand to cup your face, stroking across your cheekbone with his thumb. "As for what happened…I didn't think it was fair for her. If I chose to stay with her even though I couldn't seem to stop thinking about someone else."

You were unable to say anything in response as he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to your lips, a timidity still lingering about him despite how brazen the action truly was. That reserve, however, dissipated within moments as he moved his hand to start taking out the pins holding your hair up, pulling you close to him for another kiss as he did so.

Once you felt your hair cascade down your back, the pins once holding it up falling soundlessly to the carpeted floor, you weakened in Will's hold as he maneuvered you to lay down on your desk, your back laying flat against the wooden surface. "I need to know you want this, too," he rasped as he pulled away, placing his hands on the desk at your sides as he hovered over you.

The only response you could muster was a breathy moan of his name. Your mind was a mess, your lungs struggling to let in air in the aftermath of his kiss. Not to mention how the light coming in through the textured glass of your office window cast such an otherworldly glow onto his face, stealing away what was left of your rational thought.

"I need to hear you say it," he pleaded softly, pressing the lightest of kisses to your cheek, his lips ghosting across your skin as he continued his words. "You've lingered in my thoughts since the day you left Aldwinter. And I want nothing more than to kiss you again. To touch you. To take the dreams that have haunted me for years and make them real, but I need you to tell me you feel this too. That I didn't spend all this time fraught with a delusion that maybe you--"

"Feel the same?" you finished for him, your voice taking on a huskier tone as the air around you seemed to thicken exponentially. Feeling like you were inhaling molasses or chilled honey. "I do. I want this. I want you. Please--"

The rest of your words died on your tongue as he captured your mouth with his in a desperate kiss, finally allowing yourself to reach up and curl your hand around the back of his neck, your other grasping a handful of his shirt, pulling him closer to you. There was no resistance left in you when you felt his knee working its way between your legs, moaning into his mouth as he stepped between your parted thighs and you felt his hand begin to hike up the fabric of your skirt.

"These cases of yours…" he trailed off, curving his fingers around the back of your knee, coaxing you to part your legs wider. "You make an inference on whether the men you measure can pleasure your clients?"

You could feel your thoughts swimming at the feel of his hands caressing your bared thigh, finding it difficult to even form words as your ache for him grew stronger. "In a way," you whimpered. With how quickly your desperation for him was growing, you weren't above begging him to keep going.

He pressed his hips to yours, burying his face in the crook of your neck as he let out a groan against your skin. "Then tell me, sweet girl." A sharp moan escaped your mouth as he began to roll his hips into yours, his erection rubbing against your soaking folds. "Do you think I can pleasure you?"

All you could do was repeatedly moan "Yes!" as he kept grinding his hips to yours, pressing his lips along the side of your neck and working his way up to your mouth, kissing you languidly. As if he was savoring you. You moaned wantonly into the kiss as you felt his hand trailing upwards along your inner thigh until his fingers met with your slick entrance.

You gripped his shirt even tighter, starting to weave your fingers through his hair as his fingers left you, the sound of the laces of his trousers being undone sending you into a near frenzy as you grew more desperate for him by the moment. A staggered moan slipped through your lips as the tip of his cock brushing up the length of your slit, a shudder rippling through your body when you felt it tap against your clit before he started to inch his way inside you.

A feeling of fullness overwhelmed you as he buried himself to the hilt inside you, your mind in a state of rapture the moment a stuttered utterance of your name escaped him. You felt your walls clenching desperately around him once he grunted, "Mine." The tips of his fingers brushed across your cheek, making you open your eyes to the salacious sight of Will Ransome standing at full height, staring down at you with almost completely blackened eyes rife with ravenous intent. "May I m-move, dear girl?"

You placed your hand over his, pressing a kiss to his palm as you kept your gaze on him, before murmuring against his skin, "Please, Will."

That seemed to be all he needed to start moving inside you, his initial slow and careful shallow thrusts quickly turning merciless, pulling himself out until only the tip of his length remained, only to snap his hips to yours, fully entering you again in one fluid motion. Murmuring words of praise at you in fragments between each thrust.

About how beautiful you were as you took every inch of him.

About how he couldn't possibly get enough of you.

About how your moans were the sweetest music to him.

Every thrust and every praise seemed to work in tandem to steadily bring you closer to the peak of your ecstasy, like a coil you felt tightening more and more until you were begging him to push you over the edge.

That push came the moment you felt the pad of his thumb rubbing firm, tight circles on your clit, your ankles locking behind him as you pulled your bodies as close as you could manage, your walls clenching uncontrollably around him and bringing about his own release inside of you. The force of his hips bucking against you had him staggering forward, placing his hands on the desk at your sides to hold himself up, all the while he kept his eyes on you. Swimming with what seemed a mix of repletion and yet also a burning desire for more.

Neither of you moved as you fought to catch your breath, his forehead resting against yours as you both had looks of evident satiety on your faces.

"Please tell me you live near here," he breathed out, pressing a tender kiss to your lips.

"A few blocks away but it's a quick enough walk," you answered immediately, your smile growing bigger, anticipating what ever his next words could be.

You let out a faint whimper as you felt him withdraw from you, placing a hand underneath you to pull you up to your feet. "Because, my darling girl, I very much want you again." He pulled you flush against him, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth at the sound you made when you felt his once again hardening member pressing against your stomach. "Only this time on a bed. And naked."

A/N: That's a wrap for the lusty vicar for this collection! I can't believe we're finally here but there's only two days left in this project and really all that's left on my end is…two Loki stories 😳🫡

'everything' taglist: @sailorholly @loopsisloops @unlucky-number-13 @imalovernotahater @coldnique @loz-3 @huntress-artemiss @salempoe @vickie5446 @athalialaufeyson @lokiprompts @sarahscribbles @kats72 @kikster606 @evelyn-kingsley @lokixryss @thomase1 @mischief2sarawr @peaches1958 @lovingchoices14 @goblingirlsarah @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @creationsbyme @maple-seed @mjsthrillernp @ladyofthestayingpower @mygfloki @sititran @glitterylokislut @ozymdias @fictive-sl0th @lovelysizzlingbluebird @lokidbadguy @mochie85 @silverfire475 @joyful-enchantress

[zyhkoo]

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eye candy ♡ willy wonka 2023

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✦✦ 𓏏𓏏 part 2: ms. y/n rosewell, a famous botanist has come back from town after a year. she had returned with special flowers from her trip and famous willy wonka has caught her attention. will they get along? ♡ part 1

a/n: i got lazy for this, so the writing style will be a little different!

The next morning, a jar of chocolate arrived on your porch. It seemed a bit nicer than the chocolate he had given you before, with a more classy appearance and a somewhat larger size. It's Valentine's day, but unfortunately you were closed.

Today was the weekend, and you do not work on weekends. You'd usually sleep in or go grocery shopping on weekends, although they may get boring at times. During working hours, when you had nothing to do, you would normally read or sketch to pass the time.

Your favorite activity, however, was listening to the radio; you enjoyed the music and the issues spoken by others. Unfortunately, your radio had broken down while you were gone. So that's a bummer.

You thought for a moment, why not try something new? You never considered walking around town, it could be fun.

You stood up and dressed more formally. When you were about to leave, you opened the jar of candy and popped one in your mouth. It really tasted good, you loved the bitterness especially.

You locked your shop, dusted your clothes and begun to walk around the town. There were a few changes here and there, but was still the town you remembered. You remembered playing with your sister, while your father would bring home a toy or two every week.

You weren't poor, but you didn't had a lot. You wished you switched places instead of them, because you knew that nothing lasts forever. You wanted to move on, but you couldn't help but think about them.

You walked in the gallery gourmet. You noticed that Slugworth, Ficklegruber and that other guy's shop had disappeared. Could they really have gone? You walked deeper into the place, new candy and chocolate shops were built and in the middle was Willy's store.

Something was telling you that you should go inside. But I don't even like sweets that much. You thought. Never mind, I shouldn't be saying anything. I literally traded over my most expensive flower for chocolate!

Maybe a peek?

You walked forward, it was quite the busy place for sure. You stopped on the front glass, taking a peek inside the store. It looked so beautiful. It looked like the placed you explored in when you were traveling, so wonderful. You made up your mind and decided to enter the store yourself.

Behind you, someone greeted "Welcome to Wonka's Miss! May I help.. Ms. Rosewell?" you recognized the voice behind you and you turned around "Hello, Mr. Wonka." you couldn't help but smile to him.

He smiled back "What brings you here Ms. Rosewell? Are you interested to buy some chocolate?" you shook your head "No, no, no. I just came to look around, this is very beautiful." you complimented him.

"Well, I'm glad you like it! Why won't we find somewhere to sit?"

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He led you in a private room, he took a chair and then offered you to sit down. "Tea?" he offered "Sure." you replied. "I was hoping to see you again, I am quite interested about you from all the stories I heard." you softly smiled "Hm, I guess the town has heard about my deeds from afar.. I'm quite embarrassed."

"How so?" he asked, "I like attention, just not too much." you said, Willy understood "I see, but you deserve praise! You've been to a land full of danger just to retrieve beautiful flowers." you laughed "Well, aren't we the same though? Willy Wonka would climb mountains and swim oceans to make the perfect chocolate."

"You got that right," he proudly beamed. "But have you noticed that I am also a great magician? Watch this." His eyes were filled with a strange mix of mischief and affection. You tilted your head and, in a blink of an eye, he took out a rose with an unusual pattern.

Wait a minute.

"Hey, isn't that mine..??" you reached to his hand, then suddenly it turned to coins. "2 sovereigns right?" you stared speechless but accepted the coins "Silly.. don't steal from me again." Willy's eyes widened "Willy Wonka never steals! In fact, what I just did there is called: buy now, pay later."

"Well, thank you for paying me back Mr. Wonka."

"It's my pleasure."

You hadn't felt this warm in a long time. You couldn't recall laughing with anyone like this before; it seemed unfamiliar. "You put your pride and love into this store, didn't you?" You said, continuing the conversation, "Truly, what could be better than a candy land? Or.. edible change?"

"You can make anything edible at this point."

Willy grinned. "What matters to me the most is that if people are happy. I'm happy, what about you?" you choked on your tea a bit "Me?" you asked.

What did make you happy? Flowers? Traveling? The radio? You thought for a while "I feel happy right now, talking to you like this." you answered his question, "But, don't get the wrong idea.." Willy answered, "Why would I? Thats not bad at all, I enjoy talking with you too."

A blush crept up your face "You mean it?" you asked "Of course, I've never met someone similar to me." you smiled "Maybe so." you never knew talking with a person you just met would make you happy.

"Do you have any hobbies?"

Strangers never asked personal things about you, it was usually how skilled you were.

"Bouquet design, drawing and I suppose singing.."

Almost everyone asked you the same question. How do you create bouquets? Where do you get your flowers from? How can I get money with flowers? And honestly, you thought that people only saw you as a botanist.

"Singing! I love to sing too." Willy said, "Maybe you should give me a performance, imagine this: (name)'s spectacular singing show!"

You would ignore any signs of friendship and love, because you were scared of losing it. But maybe you should give this a chance.

"You're such a dreamer.." you rolled your eyes "Thats my specialty." Willy smiled.

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Yesterday was nice, the two of you spent your time getting to know about each other. It felt really good finding someone to talk with topics you actually enjoyed. And because he made you happy, you felt like you owed him something.

"Welcome to Timmy's Tailors! Can I help you madam?" you entered a tailor shop, you thought that a coat would be good gift. "I want a coat, he's this tall and hm.. maybe red? Im not sure what his size is, I just want it to be a surprise." you explained.

The tailor nodded "Who is it for? Your brother? Your father? A lover?" you shook your head "Just a gift for a friend, do you mind if I picked a size?"

You ended up picking a coat with a (pattern) felt, it perfectly fits you as well. You were a tall woman, just 3 inches away from Willy. If it didn't fit him you could always come back to the tailor and fix it, it was no problem. This was the first gift you gave that wasn't a flower, you realized he was one of your firsts.

A first friend and a first gift.

That warm feeling came into your senses again, you were changing. What is up with you and that chocolate maker? You felt stupid, you've only seen him twice and it felt like you've known him forever. You snapped out of your thoughts, think! You just met this guy for 2 days, you shouldn't get too attached.

You arrived back to your shop, you went upstairs and placed the paper bag on the table. For a moment, your stomach growled. You couldn't cook, at all. In fact you were a very terrible cook, that was one thing you didn't have common with Wonka. So you would usually get pre-heated food or take out.

Unfortunately, you were out of food so you were planning to eat out for dinner and forgot, but hold that first thought.. why did you even go home in the first place?? Aren't you supposed to give this to him??

You covered your face and groaned in frustration, okay so new plan:

You go out and eat for dinner.

Give the coat some other day.

But maybe give the coat after you eat?? No, it would be embarrassing for some reason. Well if you do give the coat, what on earth are you going to say? Thank you for talking to me, heres a coat! Absolutely not, you need to think this through. You went out your store again and double checked to see if you forgot anything.

Okay, everything looks good.

You walked out, locked the door and started to walk to the restaurant. You decided to treat yourself to your favorite place, you missed eating food from this town. Sure, you've eaten one of the finest dishes before when traveling but nothing hits hard like the ones at home.

The restaurant you were looking for was a bit far from your house so you needed to ride a cable car for fifteen minutes to arrive. But you didn't mind, all you wanted was to eat.

You entered the restaurant, the waiters smiled and welcomed you. Thankfully there was one table available. You placed your bag in your left side and took the menu, no way everything got cheaper!

You double checked the menu to see if you were actually not getting crazy. It is definitely real. You couldn't wait so you immediately called the waitress.

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That was so amazing. You felt like you unlocked a core memory in your mind, you felt so happy. It was evening, there were barely people in the streets in this hour. You walked the streets while humming a tune, you could hear your boots syncing with your tunes.

One things for sure, you loved the night. While you traveled, you would often stare into the stars above. They all had their own place fit just for them. You looked up to the sky, you couldn't see any stars tonight. Instead, it looked rather cloudy.

Drip, drip, drip.

Suddenly it started to rain heavily, at this point you didn't even try and look for shelter. It could be worse. No wonder no one was walking in the streets, they probably noticed that rain was going to pour.

You exhaled, the unexpected keeps happening to you. You could hear footsteps approaching behind you, but you didn't look. You could tell this person stopped for a moment, thats when you decided to turn around. Your breath hitched.

"Rosewell?"

You both looked at each other for a brief moment "Hello again." you said.

Willy approached you, tilting his umbrella for a bit so the both of you could share. He smiled "Now what are you doing getting drenched by the rain?" you huffed "Well, in my defense I didn't expect it to rain." you told him. A hint of mischief was written on his face "Really now?"

You sighed "I was spacing out as well, anyways what brings you here?" you asked casually as if you're not drenched in rain "I live near here. Hold on to this, you're soaked." he gave the umbrella handle to you then he let you hit coat and hat.

"Thank you Willy." he was caught off guard for a moment. "You're welcome (name)." he replied.

"Why wont I escort you home?" he suggested "..You see I live quite far from this place. I only came here to watch at my favorite restaurant." Willy laughed, "Is that so?" you frowned "Don't embarrass me please."

"I'm sorry, alright enough talking. Would you like to come over to my place?" he asked.

You nodded "Yes please, I'm going to freeze."

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His home was nice, it writes 'Willy Wonka' everywhere. "Why don't you go take a shower? I'll gladly lend you my clothes." he offered "Will they even fit?" you asked "Oh, I'm sure they would." he reassured you "Shower is upstairs!" he said.

After a long hot shower, you dried yourself up and wore his clothes. He was right it did fit, you sighed in relief because that meant the coat probably fit him. The clothes you wore were very comfortable, probably something he'd only wear when he was at home.

You wouldn't mind wearing masculine or feminine clothes. Either would fit you well anyway, so it doesn't matter. You walked downstairs, you couldn't see Willy anywhere. You figured he was in a different room, so you just looked around his living room.

He walked in the room, holding two glasses of hot chocolate. He placed the glasses on the table and walked towards you "They fit you perfectly!!" he said, he sounded really excited just the sight of you wearing his clothes. "It looks real good on you too." he added.

You smiled at him "You think so?" you said "Well I most certainly do! You look real nice." he reassured, his hands holding your arms "Oh, sorry. I just felt excited to see it fit you perfectly." you sighed "Its fine, can I sit?" you said.

"Oh, right. I got hot chocolate." he said "Nothing is better than Wonka's late night lax hot cocoa." you carefully took the cup out of his hand, the heat stung your fingers a little.

You drank the hot chocolate, Willy watched and waited for reaction. You looked at him "Is something wrong?" you asked "Not at all," he answered "I just wanted to know if you like it." he said.

You hummed "Well, I love it." you said "Glad, I changed it a little for your own liking." he said. Though his tone was calm, his face was full of excitement and you couldn't help but chuckle. "What's with the face?" you asked "I just feel happy. I've never invited anyone in my house before." he said. "Well it's quite lovely." you said.

It was still raining outside, thunder had already to clap. It would be a real hassle to go back home, hopefully your flowers won't get ruined by the rain though, oh no.

"Mind if I stay for the night?" you asked "Of course you can, you don't even need to ask." Willy said "You can sleep in my bed." you squinted "Well, where will you sleep?" you asked, Willy shrugged "Oh, don't you worry. I'll sleep on the desk."

"No, I can sleep in the couch. I'll feel bad." you told me "Its fine (name). It's really no problem for me." you sighed "You're too nice, are you plotting something?" you asked, Willy shook his head "Of course not! Why would I?" you chuckled "I was just kidding."

The two of you talked the whole night, eventually the clock strikes 12 and you were getting sleepy. "I feel sleepy, I think we should head to bed." you suggested "Sounds great." he said standing up "Are you really going to sleep on your table?"

He extended his hand to you "Well I don't see a problem with that. As long as my first guest is comfortable it's fine." you reached out his hand and pulled you up.

His bedroom felt like healing your inner child, it was beautiful. "I love.. your bedroom." you said, amazed by everything around it. From the glowing stars on the ceilings, and the numerous amount of small lights everywhere. "Thank you! I designed it myself." he said.

"I'd definitely enjoy this if I was a kid." you said "My old bedroom was somewhat similar to this." he said "I took inspiration from that." Willy smiled "You can lay down if you want, i'll just be here. See?" Willy extended out a chair, in front of him was a small cute factory. It was reminiscent to the luggage he carried.

You got into the covers getting comfortable "Thank you Willy, I owe you a lot." you smiled, he looked at you "Its no problem. Anything for a friend." he reassured "You're not going to sleep?" you asked him, you still felt guilty for hogging his bed. "Nope, i'll work on this first. Now go to sleep."

Something about his soft voice would always make you feel warm on the inside.

"Good night, please don't stay up too late, Willy."

"You too, (name)."

You woke up, your eyes still felt heavy and your body was still tired. You recalled everything that happened last night, the rain, the hot chocolate and the clothes you wore. You looked at the clock hanging in the wall, it was 7:13 in the morning. You said to yourself. "Well, I slept real late. And it's still early, so I'll just sleep in."

Then, the door opened "Wake up sleepyhead, time to wake up!"

"..." you stayed silent.

You could sense him sitting down on the bed "Is she awake?" he said to himself "No." you responded. Willy decided to play along with you "Is that sleep talking I hear?" he mischievously said "Do people still get hungry when they're asleep?" he asked you "What's for breakfast?" you muttered.

"Croissant, crispy bacon and some chocolate bread." he said. You told him; "Eggs.. with bacon.. and some milk." he hummed "That's quite a delicious dream. Well, when shes ready to get out of bed. Can you tell her I got her some breakfast?" Willy said with a soft voice.

You slightly covered the blanket to your head "She'll come out in a few minutes." you said, you can feel him stand up from the bed "Alright, then tell her to come to the kitchen." he said, closing the door. You immediately sat up, pushing your knees to your chest.

"What's going on with me?"

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You went downstairs and found the kitchen "Good morning, Willy." you greeted him, your voice was still raspy. Willy greeted back, "Good morning (name)! Huh, I thought you'd get up a little late." he said, cracking some eggs.

"I envy you," you told him "Really? How so?" he asked while you softly sighed "Well, you can cook and I cant. I usually just eat pre-made foods or go out in restaurants." you explained.

"I see, then how did you eat when venturing?" he asked, you thought for a while "Hmm, from what I can remember. I packed a lot of foods like berries and such, a shame to say I ate a few flower petals."

You explained further "I have the fear of fire and heat, so maybe thats one of the reasons why I don't want to cook. A restaurant can be pricey sure, but it's delicious."

Willy hummed "Well, why won't I teach you how to cook?" Willy said as he placed the cooked egg on the plate.

You stared at him "You might not want to trust me to cook." you said, averting your gaze away from him. "It'll be fine, I'll be here watching you! You won't be injured in any way, I promise." he said. That smile of his, how could you say no?

You gave in "Fine," you sighed "What would you like me to start on?" he grinned "Let me prepare these first."

After preparing a few things, he told you to come and cook some bacons. "So, I just.. place them there right?" you were holding some tongs and a plate of uncooked bacon.

"Yep, the stove hasn't turned on yet so it's fine." You carefully placed the 5 bacon strips on the stove.

Willy nodded in approval "Now, turn on the stove and use medium heat." you turned the stove "Like that right?" he hummed "Hmm, the fire is too weak." Willy turned it further "There we go, now you need to wait till it sizzles. Then flip it over till its ready." he advised.

10 minutes passed, you managed to cook decent bacons. Although the last one burnt "See, it wasn't that bad!" he smiled while you were frowning "But one of them got burnt." you reminded him.

"Well, it doesn't mean the others are bad." he reassured you "Lets eat! Can you help me with the plates?" he asked "Of course." you replied.

The two of you settled down the table "It's been a while since I cooked some heavy breakfast." Willy said "Oh, me too. I usually eat cereal and start my day." you told him "I'd say the same, I eat a lot of sweets." he said "I can see that." you chuckled. "I feel quite ashamed for you to let me in your house like this. Let alone borrow your stuff."

He tilted his head "Why so? You're a friend of mine, they're meant to help each other." he reassured you, you looked at him with a soft gaze "If thats what you think." you told him "If I were in your shoes, I'd probably escort them home. I wouldn't trust a stranger whom i've meet for a few days." you added.

"Well I trust you." you huffed "Oh don't say such nonsense." you said, looking away from him "Well, didn't you trust me the moment I gave you shade with my umbrella?" he said. You stayed silent "...Eat the bacon." you turned away from him. He tilted his head, afraid he said something for you to act like that.

"Sorry, did I say something?" now you felt bad "No, nothing. Thank you for taking me in, Willy." you reassured him. His smile returned, "Of course." he said.

After breakfast, the two of you talked again. Your clothes weren't dry just yet, so Willy allowed you to have his clothes. You were about to leave his house, but you wanted to bid your goodbyes first. "Willy?" you called out his name, you looked around and saw him sleeping in the couch.

He must've had stayed up all night, you spotted a blanket on the side of the couch and wrapped it around him.

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hi everyone! ive decided to stick with (name) instead of y/n because to me it feels more normal. but anyways, yay!! another chapter, sorry if their relationship is quite rushed here.. im trying to write slowburn haha but i couldn't help it

happy reading!

[writeforfandoms]

Follower celebration ask!

Prompt: response to I love you is “I love me too”

Character: Soap (because he’s a loveable dumbfuck 🤣)

Also I feel like he’d think it was a joke for a second, hence “I love me too” and then he’d realize they were serious and chase after them lol

Hee hee, this one was fun! I didn't exactly follow what you had in mind but this scenario made me cackle like a madman. So!

Warnings: Drinking, tipsy reader and Soap, misunderstandings.

--

Nights out with the two boys were always something else. You couldn't actually keep up with them in terms of drinking, and had long since given up on that. Instead you stayed comfortably tipsy, watching Gaz and Soap go round for round yet again.

"I am not carrying either of you back to base," you reminded them, grinning, watching as Gaz nearly overbalanced and tipped off his stool.

"Won't need to be carried," Gaz muttered, eyeing the bottom of his beer like he was debating getting another. "New round, yeah?" And he hopped off his stool and headed up to the bar.

You giggled at the look on Soap's face. His hair was mussed from the day, eyes still bright despite the amount of alcohol he had in his system. In short, he was still gorgeous.

"Wha's tha look for?" He blinked at you, slow and mostly focused.

"Nothing, nothing." You attempted to wave him off. You were not drunk enough to think telling him was a good idea.

"Tell me," he wheedled, leaning close to you and somehow not falling off his stool.

You huffed at him, torn between amusement and exasperation. "Just... thinking. You're having fun."

"Aye," the scot agreed slowly, blinking at you again. "Wi' my best mates, aye?"

You warmed at that. It wasn't quite the way you wanted him to think of you, but it was close enough. "Aye."

He grinned and reached over, probably aiming for your hair but missing and nearly poking you in the eye instead. You swatted his hand away, laughing, and probably would have devolved into further tussling had Gaz not come back with the next round.

"What are we drinking to this time?" Gaz asked, passing the beers out.

"Best mates!" Soap crowed immediately, hand steady as he picked up his drink.

"I'll drink to that." You clinked your glass against his and then Gaz's. Because clearly you had the brains tonight, you did not chug your drink, like the two idiots in front of you did.

Instead you sipped your drink and watched the two of them chat, telling embellished stories of past missions with grand motions and exaggerated sound effects (mostly from Soap). It was fun. And carefree.

And really cemented just how much you loved the Scottish idiot in front of you.

Gaz called it a night first, waving to you both as he made his way out. You opted to stay with Soap and make sure he got back okay.

"What's on yer mind?" Soap leaned in closer to you, elbow propped on the table.

"Life stuff," you answered, dry as dust, and laughed at the face he made.

"Aw, c'mon," he whined. "Tell me!"

You shook your head with a smile. "Nah. Just. Thinking how much I love you."

"Aye?" He blinked at you and then nodded wisely. "I love me, too." He quickly devolved into snickering.

Your heart ached but you smiled through it. "'Course you do," you agreed. "Come on. Time to head back, before it gets any later. Or Price will have both our heads."

He grumbled and groaned but gave in. You both paid your tabs and then headed back, stumbling together and giggling probably too loudly for the time of night. But you made it back fine and went your separate ways to go sleep.

And you figured that was the last of it.

Until Soap dropped down across from you at lunch time, a strange look on his face that you'd never seen before. "So," he started, smug and amused and all kinds of things. "Ye love me, do ye...?"

You stopped, wide-eyed, feeling like the kid who got caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "Um?" That was really more of a squeak than an actual word.

"I remember," he said, leaning in closer, eyes so blue and so bright. "Did ye mean it?"

"Would I have said it otherwise?" You shook your head, pushing your tray away. "You were drunk, I think you're misremembering."

"Ah'm no'." Faster than you expected, his hand whipped out to grab yours. "I remember, see, 'cause I love you too."

You stopped dead,s taring at him, eyes wide. "You... do?"

"Mmhm. Have for ages." His smile turned bashful, almost. "Yer stuck with me now, darlin'."

Somehow, as your smile stretched your lips so wide it hurt, you didn't mind one bit.

[sakurapika]

Rose-Tinted Ego

A short story about being in college

It didn’t matter how many hours Azul Ashengrotto spent studying, making review guides, listening to lecture recordings, or reading ahead in his textbooks; when it came to exam rankings, he was always in second place. All things considered, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. To even have a chance at being admitted to the illustrious Night Raven College, one needed to be among the very best students in all of Twisted Wonderland (or have the money to afford the tuition, as some people did). Therefore, it was only natural that he’d find some of the biggest fish in his new pool. Azul’s own academic record was spotless, and as a young entrepreneur with an eye for investments and a thriving business, his future was bright. But the seaweed was always greener in someone else’s lake, and Azul wanted to know what it was like to be the best.

The day before winter break, Professor Crewel returned the class’s lab reports, based on their experiments on extracting poisons from the cyanide found in apple seeds. Professor Crewel had stood before the class, saying, “I’m thoroughly disappointed in this class. Do I need to keep a little jar of treats to condition you to follow every step of the rubric?”

Kalim Al-Asim had raised his hand. “Hey Prof, did anyone get an A?”

“A few did, but mostly because I pitied you useless hounds and knew you'd go home for the winter with your tails between your legs if I didn’t do otherwise.”

The air in the room felt deflated, as everyone felt their morale disappear from their stern teacher’s scolding. Unsure what to do, Kalim blurted out, “Um…did anyone get a perfect score?”

“Do I even need to say his name? Of course it was Riddle Rosehearts.”

Of course, Azul thought.

Although Azul would never show it, it irked him how that boy, Riddle, never failed to be first in every subject. Surely he had a weakness. Everyone did. Not only that, but Riddle had been Azul’s lab partner for this experiment, and they had shared experiment notes. They knew each other well enough. They both studied and worked like it was breathing. So why was one always better than the other?

Since poor Kalim had spoken up, Professor Crewel had picked him to pass out the graded lab reports to the respective students. When Riddle received his, he briefly glanced at their professor’s comments (which read “Good boy! A+!”), then turned it face-down and crossed his arms. Azul approached him.

“Hello, Rosehearts.”

“Ashengrotto,” he acknowledged.

“I just wanted to congratulate you on your perfect score, as always. As we completed the experiment together, I had a chance to witness your meticulous note-keeping and your impressive lab skills. I surely have a lot to learn from you.” Azul smiled as he spoke, but there was a sliver of contempt in his voice, and he wasn’t sure he could stop Riddle from hearing it.

Riddle nodded. “You, too, are excellent at applied alchemy. I seem to recall that you were the first in our class to successfully create a voice-stealing potion. Even I had a bit of trouble with that one, despite following every part of the instructions in the lab manual.” He sounded sincere enough, but Azul couldn't be sure.

Kalim came by with Azul’s own lab report, saying, “Wowie! A ninety-nine percent, Azul? That’s awesome! Octavinelle students are so smart!”

Azul looked at his lab report and found no notes indicating where the missing one-percent of his grade was. Riddle leaned over his shoulder and said, “Ah, the reason you’re missing a point is because of the font size. Professor Crewel stated at the beginning of the semester that he expects every typed lab report to be in twelve-point font, but yours appears to be in thirteen. It is also written in the syllabus.”

Are you serious?

“My mistake,” Azul adjusted his glasses and laughed to hide his irritation. “I must have enlarged the text as I was typing to read properly, and forgot to change it back. My eyesight on land is rather poor, as I may have mentioned in the past.”

Looking at him expectantly, Riddle said, “I’m sure you’ll do your best to remember it next time, instead of making excuses?”

“But of course.” The nerve of this guy! Who does he think he is?

Behind them, their classmate Ruggie Bucchi let out a snort. “Please, why are you guys being so dramatic over one point? It’s not a big deal.”

They both turned around, utterly aghast. 

“Of course it’s a big deal!” Azul cried. “It’s the biggest deal!”

Somehow, Riddle was more upset. “Don’t you understand? Without my flawless grade point average, I’m nothing!” 

Putting his hands up in defense, Ruggie said, “Okay, okay, I get it!”

Without my grades, I’m nothing.

Although Azul resented Riddle for always being a model student, he understood the sentiment. Maybe he even felt a twinge of sympathy for himーwho knew? The game of academic rivalry was laden with complicated thoughts. He placed his paper in a clear file, dropped it in his bag, and prepared for the next class.

[chaotic-on-main]

The Bakery | ModernAU One-Shot

☾ Pairings ➼ Levi Ackerman x fem!OC

☾ Content/Warnings ➼ fluff

☾ Author's note ➼ This was meant to be a drabble but then I couldn't stop writing I'm so sorry. But anyways! I'm still working on March for Unspoken Words but sometimes you get little ideas and I just can't move on until I do them. So here! TAKE MY DELUSIONS. (this was only proofread once so take it as it is)

☾ Word Count ➼ ~1.8k

The exhaustion of opening the shop at five in the morning is just now starting to hit you as you roll out blue fondant for the tier cake in front of you. You can’t stop the heavy yawn from escaping your mouth, tears pricking the corner of your eyes from doing so. There were only a handful of hours left in the workday but you were determined to finish this order before then so it would be ready for tomorrow’s pick up.

“Aunt Lyra, you have flour smeared all over your face again.” A voice rings out to the right of you, jarring you from your sleepy state for a moment. You see your red-haired niece munching on a cookie with a contented smile warming up her light brown eyes.

“Sasha, how are we supposed to make a profit if you keep eating all of our products?” You give her a stern look and she just shrugs her shoulders and shoves the rest of the cookie in her mouth. You sigh at her.

“I’ll make more before I leave today.” She mumbles through a full mouth, crumbs falling everywhere.

“That’s not the point and you know it.”

“Yeah yeah.”

“Why are you back here? You should be manning the counter.” You look back down to the designs you were currently working on with the freshly flattened out fondant, reminding yourself to wipe your face when you were done.

“Your favorite customer is here, he says he needs to pick up an order he placed last week.” She stares at you with large, sparkling eyes. “When are you going to finally ask him out? I see the way you look at him.” Your face flushes with heat as you drop everything to wipe your hands on your apron before making your way to the large fridge behind you.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, my dear. Go get his payment, I’ll be right out.” You admit that you couldn’t keep your gaze off him whenever he came in, ordering his usual drink and sitting in his usual spot. For the past year, he always brought a book and would sit in the back for around an hour or two reading and sipping on a few teas before heading off to who knows where for the day. And it was only just that, just a few professional words back and forth and then silence before he left. But you always looked forward to his next visit. You take a deep breath and shake your hands out to get rid of the jitters. Sasha had joked about it but you were actually planning to ask him out the next time you saw him. Today is the day, you tell yourself.

You make sure to have a tight grip on the tall cake box before backing out through the swinging doors separating the dining area from the kitchen. You’re met with the bustling noises of your bakery, signifying yet another busy day. When you turn around to make sure you don’t bump into anything, you also see that the building was indeed teeming with chattering and laughing patrons. The afternoon sun beams through your wide front window and bounces off the shining wooden floors.

“Ah! Ms. Brause, let me help!” Your tall sandy-haired employee comes running up from a table, dirty cutlery and cups discarded, with his arms out in assistance.

“No, Jean, it’s okay. I’ve got it.” You grunt as you heave the heavy confection on the pick-up counter then wipe your hands off on your apron. Jean is a good friend and classmate of Sasha’s. According to your niece, he needed a job as soon as possible so he could start saving up for college. He mentioned that his mom owned a restaurant, and that he could work there but would rather chew his leg off than do that. You couldn’t understand that sentiment, but it never hurt to have extra help at one the busiest bakeries in town, so you said sure.

“Alright, but I’m here if you need help!” He chirps as he stares at you for a moment before turning back around to finish the table he was working on. Sasha had made an offhand comment how Jean had a crush on you since he started. You laughed at the time because it was adorable. Of course, nothing would come out of it since you were practically double his age and he knew that. He never made a pass at you thankfully.

When you make your way to the till, you see Sasha running a card as she talks animatedly about the cake. His hooded eyes flicker over to yours and he nods a hello to you, a small smile playing off his lips. Your heart is racing already.

“Levi, nice to see you again. Would you like your usual, to-go?” You press your hands together underneath the counter to keep them from trembling.

“No, thank you. I unfortunately have somewhere to be as soon as possible.” His deep voice responds back, making your heart flutter more.

“Oh? Where are you headed with such an intricate cake?”

“Just a friend’s party.” He shoves his wallet back into his back pocket and checks his watch. “Speaking of. Is it ready?”

“Yeah, just over on this counter. I’ll help you out.” You walk around the counter to get to the customer’s side before picking up the box carefully. He steps over to you quickly with his mouth open a little in surprise.

“I can get it, just set it down.”

“No, I insist. Besides, I’m already holding it. Get the door for me?” You give him a big smile and he just huffs before turning around and doing what you ask. As you step through the door, you’re met with a warm late summer breeze. The sun is shining down, and you take a deep breath in. You’ve been cooped up in the kitchen for so long that you instantly relax at the freedom.

You see him leading the way over to a small black car about 10 feet away and you begin to follow him, holding the cake box close to your chest. He opens the door behind the driver's side for you to slide it in gently. For extra measure, you even buckle the seatbelt around it. When you stand back up to face him, he’s staring at you incredulously.

“What?” You ask him, stepping back to the sidewalk so he can close the door.

“Why did you do that?” His gruff voice sounds almost amused.

“You need to make sure all passengers are safe.” You shrug your shoulders and chuckle at your own joke. He rolls his eyes at you but he’s definitely smirking. You eye his face as he studies yours. You can’t do this, you think. Asking him on a date seems so ridiculous, maybe next time. Yeah, you’ll ask him out next time.

“Well, I’ll see you the next time you stop by. I hope your friend enjoys their cake.” You manage to get out as you give him a nod then turn to leave as you feel your face warm up again. After taking a couple steps back to the bakery door, you feel something tug at your sleeve. You stop and look over to see Levi holding on to you with two fingers. His eyes are averted and a pink flush runs across his cheeks. He lets go quickly and clears his throat.

“Hey, uh. Before you go…” he trails off. You blink hard at him and twist your body back to face him. He’s about a foot or so away from you and he has his hands shoved into his jean pockets now.

“Yes, Levi?” You notice the tips of his ears are the same flushed pink. His raven hair is blowing gently in the breeze. He is so beautiful, you think. He clears his throat again and shifts his weight from foot to foot.

“I know I don’t know you very well, but I would like to. If given the chance.” He takes one of his hands from his pocket to run it through his hair, his eyes refusing to meet your now shocked expression. He wants to get to know you. Wait, is he asking you on-

“A date? You want to go on a date with me?” You squeak out.

“Yeah. I guess if that’s what you want to call it.” Your heart is about to explode out of your chest and because of that, you can’t keep the shit-eating grin off your face. His gray eyes finally lock onto yours, the corner of his mouth twitching.

“I- yes! I would love to. I was actually going to ask you out just now, but I got too nervous.” The amount of relief that floods your system is almost euphoric. He breaks out into an actual smile, one that just takes your breath away because of how much it lights up his entire face.

“W-well great. I don’t have any plans tonight. 8 o’clock okay?” He fiddles with his car keys as he watches you expectantly.

“What about your friend’s party?”

“It should be over by then. Besides, they’ll be thrilled that I’m finally getting out of my apartment to socialize with someone other than them.” He rolls his eyes at the thought, but then looks back at you with apprehension.

“Oh, well…” You look back in the window to your bakery and see Jean and Sasha both staring at you with wide eyes and big smiles. They give you a thumbs up and a vigorous nod. You shift your gaze back to Levi. “Tonight sounds great. Absolutely.”

You both spend the next couple of minutes exchanging numbers so you can both discuss where to meet later. He gives you a small wave as he backs out of his spot and drives off to his friend’s party. You can’t help but jump up and down as you squeal with excitement. This was actually happening! After months of crushing on him, you have his number and you’re going out with him later. You pinch yourself. Yep, it’s real.

As if in a daydream you slip back into your store, the sounds of chatter and clinking dishes muffled by the thoughts racing through your head. The smile from earlier has not left. Your niece comes bounding up with another cookie in her hands and she starts asking excitedly about what you're going to wear and where are you two going. It’s all just buzzing to you. You’re still in disbelief of what just happened.

“Ms. Braus?” Jean’s voice breaks you out for a moment and you look over to him.

“Yes, Mr. Kirchstein?”

“You have flour on your face still.” Your face falls and you start rubbing at your face with your hands. When you pull them away, you see streaks of white powder covering your fingers. You groan loudly. Levi just asked you on a date while you had flour all over your face.

[auveriablue]

Hungy Boy (Chubby!Brahms x Reader)

🧁

- Let's just say that Brahms has a new nanny that doesn't believe in the doll being alive but also overcooks, because you want leftovers.

- But you also follow the rules because you suspect that these crazy old people might have cameras watching you, and the money is way too good, so it's a easy gig.

- Brahms will sneak down and eat his meals when your back is turned, but will also notice that you have made things that he usually isn't allowed to have. His parents never let him have sugar or treats.

- So when you go to sleep, he decides to sneak down and try some of the cake you had made and left on a cake holder, on the counter. He told himself 'just one slice'

- That didn't happen. As soon as he ate some, he couldn't stop. He had never had something so tasty. He ends up eating half of the cake, and is forced to stop at half, because he gets a tummy ache. Even though he wants to keep eating it, he doesn't want to get sick.

- You're like "What the fuck, I made a whole cake, why is half of it gone ?!?" when you wake up.

- Meanwhile, Brahms is in his little wall room, sleeping off a food coma, crumbs and frosting on his mask.

- He becomes practically addicted to sweets after that. He's literally like a little kid, sneaking extra cookies out of the cookie jar.

- While you think that you're really being haunted by the ghost of a dead kid who just really likes sweets, so, thinking that it'll appease the ghost, you start making more treats, as a sort of offering, thinking it's making the ghost be at peace.

- This goes on for a few months and Brahms eventually notices that he's having trouble squeezing in and out of his usual hidey holes and this his clothes aren't really fitting.

- He has to jump to put on his pants and his shirt keeps riding up and exposing his belly. He refuses to believe that its his fault though or because of all the sweets he's been gorging on.

- Eventually, he ends up exposing himself to you, bursting through a hole in the wall. You're fucking terrified, until you realize something after a few minutes of Brahms just sitting there, struggling and squirming. You then look and see how fucking chunky he is and realize that he's the one who's been horking down all of those sweets.

- A normal person would just leave him there. But, hearing him whine and try to squeeze through the hole is just so fucking cute, that you take pity on him. You try to stifle your laughs though, because Brahms is glaring at you.

- You somehow get into the walls and locate the hole that brahms is stuck in, seeing that his round tummy is being squeezed against the edges and his bubble butt isn't making it any easier. So you do plan A. Try to push him through the hole, gripping onto his butt and pushing with all of your might, telling Brahms to suck in. The problem is, that he was already sucking in, his gut is just too big. The pushing plan doesn't work, it just makes Brahms whine and cry out in pain because the edges are biting against his tummy and it hurts.

- So then there's plan B. Getting a hammer and smashing around the hole, making it bigger, so that Brahms will eventually be able to squeeze through, with some assistance from your pushing.

- Eventually, Brahms pops out and falls on the floor, jiggling. You help sit him up and get the drywall off of him. He starts pouting and whining because he's so embarrassed that he actually got stuck. He looks so cute, arms crossed over his chest, his hairy belly poking out of his too small shirt.

- You have to try to make him feel better about the situation. Even though he's the creepy wall man who's been raiding the kitchen and watching your every move, he'll insist that it's your fault that he got stuck because you made all of those tasty treats and made him gain weight, even though you didn't force him to eat them, he did that on his own, but he's never taken responsibility for anything in his entire life, so good luck with explaining that to him.

- Brahms eventually gets over it though when he's offered a cupcake, while you order him a new wardrobe online because his old clothes definitely don't fit anymore.

- Brahms becomes a little more docile when he's chubby and is stuffed full of treats. Sure, he's still a brat who's prone to temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way, but he's least likely to try to kill or hurt you now. Even if he does, all you have to do is present him with a tray full of cookies as a peace offering and eventually, he'll be too full to move, let alone kill you.

- But he becomes more of a brat and wants more attention, specifically, tummy rubs when he eats too much, but remember, it's "your fault because you make too many tasty treats !"

- But he'll also throw a fit if you stop giving him treats too.

- He acts like a spoiled rotten fat cat, who craves food and attention, or else he'll absolutely, positively, lose it. This is the exact reason why his parents never let him have any sweets but for some reason, they forgot to put that shit in their little rules list.

- So you give into his needs. You still make him walk around the house to get exercise, which he whines about, but you absolutely come to adore this chunky brat and he adores you too. And your baked goods.

[dream-meister-translations]

ONSEN VILLAGE CUIT - VOICE COLLECTION

━

"How are you feeling? Even if you love your job, you shouldn't push yourself too hard."

"I heard there is a drinkable hot spring called "Ganbakuyu," I wonder what it tastes like."

"Are you getting your regular health checkups? There's a chance you'll catch something like me. So, be careful on a regular basis."

"Ugh…I'm stuck in another health checkup…"

"I know this is a vacation, but when I'm with you, I just feel like cooking for you! Your happy face is way too cute.

"To have you all to myself like this…I'm so happy I'm almost scared."

"The setting sun is so beautiful, but you are even prettier than the sunset..I dunno~ Maybe I'm just being coy."

"Can I hold your hand? I've always wanted to be closer to you."

"I'm sorry, I'm really nervous right now. To have you this close to me? I feel like I'm going crazy."

"Hm..It's onsen manju…Seems there are many different kinds, so if you don't mind, I'd like a moment to compare them."

"The "Kayuyu" hot spring was amazing. It's a hot spring that heals you with it's scent. Have you been in it yet?"

"I like hot springs that are fun to look at with flowers and fruits floating in the water~"

"Maybe one day I'll get to go in a hot spring with Kuchen and Riche…I'd love to see them laughing."

"Gran has a lot of old wounds, right? I wonder if the World Exploration Guild has a lot of dangers…I'm getting anxious now."

"I asked Gran to draw a picture of bread the other night. His living pictures are so amazing. It really looked edible!"

"I couldn't help but notice Cyrus' body when we went to the hot spring together. He's a knight, so he's got a lot of muscles… I kinda admire that type of body."

"Cyrus asked me about tsubo-yaki in detail, but it turns out it wasn't about cooking, it was about jars."

"Cyrus probably likes walnuts."

"Come to think of it, you said that Cyrus also has a brother and that he's a twin? I'd like to meet him someday."

"People with siblings close in age have a lot of lively conversations. I bet Cyrus and his brother have tons of good memories."

"Your complexion looks better than usual, maybe all this rest and relaxation is to thank!"

"Huh, you look hungry. Maybe we can borrow the kitchen later and I can make you something."

"I heard there is a popular Japanese restaurant around here, would you like to try it? There will be a long line, but we can keep each other company."

"Aren't you tired of walking? Shall we stop by the footbath and head back to the inn?"

"Hm…I still haven't been able to choose souvenirs for my brothers yet…This might take a little while, do you mind helping me?"

"That tickles~ You know, you better watch out, if you keep spoiling me like this I'm gonna get addicted."

"Mm…It's so cozy, I could just fall asleep."

"Thank you. That felt really good. Now it's my turn to comb your hair. Stay still."

"Wow, your hair smells sooo good! It's just the shampoo from the inn? I'll have to try some when we get back."

"I think I did a pretty good job combing your hair. You look cute as always."

"Whoa! Haha, ahaha! Hey stop it! That tickles!"

"Stop! Stop! STOP! Haha, ahaha! I haven't been tickled like this since I was little!

"Haha, ahaha…It's been a long time since I've laughed like this…"

"It's okay if we sweat, we can always go back and take a bath after."

"Do you think there is a hot spring that can make you more ticklish? …I regret asking."

"I wasn't sure what I was gonna do on this vacation, but thanks to you, I'm having a great time."

"Even if we don't go to the hot springs, just having you by my side makes me feel better. Heheh, guess I'm a simple guy."

"Is it the hot spring or you that smells so sweet and delicious~?"

"I get so nervous and my heart can't stop beating when I'm with you…Oh God, did I just say that out loud? Maybe it's an effect of the hot spring."

"I feel like I'm healed just by being with you…Can I maybe hold your hand?"

"Truth is, I'm not ready for this vacation to end. I don't wanna be away from you…Before we return to the guild, do you think I could hold you one more time?"

"This eye mask feels great! I'm sure your eyes get tired from all that paperwork, I'll get a couple of these to take home with us."

"This is called a massage ball…Cooking all the time can make me really stiff, maybe I should get one of these."

"I really like this shoulder massage stick. It's supposed to be used like this. What do you think? Does it feel good?"

"Ooh! This cat pillow is super cute. I heard it gets warm when you snuggle with it. You can come by my room and touch it whenever you want."

"You want to lean on me? The way your begging is too cute."

"Your tired of walking? Lean on me if you like."

"Your body heat is more healing than the hot spring."

"I'm really glad you came with me on this vacation. With you by my side, my mind and body have never felt more relaxed."

"Your hands are nice and cold. I just got out of the hot spring so I'm burning up. They feel good on my body."

"How many times are you gonna touch me in a place like…that? It's a little weird right? I might be small but I'm still a man…"

"No, it's not that I don't like to be touched. It just makes me nervous…"

"Are you getting cold? I can lend you my Haori if you need it…..Or we could just cuddle…?"

"Huh, my cheeks are a little red? It's probably cause of the hot spring."

"The more time I spend with you, the less I want to ever leave."

"Wow! A cake! Thank you! It's freshly baked too! You know, I've always been more into baking than cooking."

"Haha, ahaha! I can't take any more! I'm covered in presents!"

(gift like) "Wow thank you! That's what I'm talking about, Emma! This gift is perfect!"

(gift like) "You are so amazing! You never fail to get me the best things!"

(gift normal) "Oh no, no, I can't take this."

(gift normal) "You took the time to pick this out for me? How can I not be happy?"

(gift dislike) "Oh, um…I'm sorry, I'm flattered… It's just…Haha, I dunno what to say…"

(gift dislike) "This is for me? I mean, of course I'll take it. Any gift from you is special, no matter what it is."

"When you look at me…What do you think of me? Do you see me as a man?"

"You don't have to return the favor, I just really wanted to get this for you."

"I'm a man. How can I not be conscious of it? Please don't do this with any of the other guys…"

━

GRANDFLAIR : Rouge will only increase the debt while I'm gone, and Crow will destroy ruins again…Damn…My head hurts… CUIT : You're having a hard time too, Gran…I can't help but feel a kinship with you. Let's take a hot spring bath and get some rest.

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GRANDFLAIR : I'm thinking of buying a new knife for our kitchen. Any recommendations? CUIT : There's a great store in Dilettanto, if you'd like I can show you around sometime.

━

CYRUS : You were very eagerly looking for a jar when we were in that souvenir shop. Perhaps…You also like jars..? CUIT : No, no, it's not that I like them. I was just looking for a jar for pickles…I'm sorry…

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CYRUS : Cuit, I was told you have brothers. Do you have a secret to communicating better with them? CUIT : Well…Maybe you can eat something tasty together? If you just relax, I'm sure conversation will flow easy.

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CUIT : I thought I'd been watching my diet…But, I've gained weight… FIDEL : You can't maintain your weight by just eating well, you know?