#This was from the night of the Dallas show right before... Anyways be free my baby go out into the world

[marciliedonato]

Mcr night at the gay emo club....

[thishintoflove]

“I Think He Knows” - A Kingsman Fanfic

TSwift Songfic Week Day 5

Pairing: Agent Whiskey x M!Reader

Warnings: 18+ Explicit (Pining, dirty talk, hand jobs, oral sex)

A/N: I feel like there’s a lack of M/M in the Pedro cinematic universe fandom, so here’s some bisexual Whiskey having a good time with a fellow male agent.

Summary: You and Agent Whiskey are paired together for an out-of-state mission. On your last night, your pining and his flirting finally come to a head.

I think he knows his hands around

A cold glass

Make me wanna know that body

Like it's mine

The mission was long but you were finally finished with it. Three weeks in Dallas were more than enough for you, and you were looking forward to getting home to your own bed and your own office in Kentucky. You were aching for the privacy it offered, after spending almost a month sharing a hotel room with your fellow agent. This time you’d been paired up with Agent Whiskey, and because of that you were glad the trip was almost over.

It’s not because Agent Whiskey- Jack - was incapable. Quite the opposite. He was extremely efficient and good at his job but he was also… extremely attractive. Which was a huge distraction.

You took pride in being a capable agent but Jack and his pretty face compromised that. You’ve never been in a situation like this before. Lusting over your coworker felt extremely unprofessional, but it was impossible to ignore him. He was an in-your-face kind of guy, always butting in with a comment or joke, always using his body as a weapon. He’d lounge around your shared hotel room in nothing but a thin towel, his wet hair draped across his forehead, and you swear he did it on purpose. The man knew how attractive he was and he obviously loved flaunting it.

He was tall and tan, with soft brown hair, a pair of beautiful round eyes that seemed to sparkle with amusement, and a smile that made your knees weak. The downside was that his smile made just about everyone weak. You were living in your own personal hell. Every single day having to watch Jack be attractive without even trying, and then watch as everyone in his vicinity tried to flirt with him. Tonight he was wearing a black leather jacket and extremely tight jeans, looking more like a movie star than an undercover agent. The man could pull off anything. It’s actually unfair.

You were out at some dive bar, celebrating the end to a successful mission before flying home tomorrow. It was Jack’s idea of course, but you’d agreed because you needed a stiff drink after these three long weeks and honestly you couldn’t say no to him.

“Another round, kid?”

You glanced up and saw him staring at you, a twinkle in his bright eyes. His hand gripped his empty whiskey glass and you eyed your own half-full drink. You couldn’t throw it back like him.

“I’m good for now,” you answered.

He nodded and slapped you on the shoulder as he stood up, “I’ll get you another one anyway. You better finish that by the time I get back.”

You sighed as you watched him walk away. His ass looked fantastic in those jeans. All the training and harsh exercise routines that Champ put the team through really worked for him. No wonder he could get any pretty thing he wanted.

Speaking of which, he seemed to have turned his affections on someone else. You groaned, your eyes never wavering from where Jack stood. He was currently making small talk with the pretty brunette bartender. He was giving her the full Whiskey treatment- gazing at her with those soft, mocha-colored puppy dog eyes and giving her a charming half-grin. Watching him flirt was simultaneously entertaining and torturous. He threw his head back, laughing at some dumb joke the bartender must have said, and you almost growled out loud as you hungrily stared at his neck.

Stupid horny bastard.

He got that boyish look that I like in a man

I am an architect, I'm drawing up the plans

It's like I'm seventeen, nobody understands

No one understands

You were getting really sick of hiding your partial hard-ons and jacking off in the cold shower, but everything the man did was hot. The deep voice and accent alone were enough to get you going on most days. God, you hadn’t felt like this since high school.

If Jack noticed you staring or caught on to the fact that you took extra long showers, he didn’t say anything. You were openly out at the agency and your sexuality wasn’t a secret. When you first joined the Statesmen, you felt you had something to prove at work, as if you had to demonstrate your masculinity by keeping up with the largest members of the team. But you’ve excelled in your role for years now and you were beyond proving yourself at this point. You were just glad that Agent Whiskey wasn’t one of the people who cared that you liked men.

In fact, he treated you just like he treated everyone-- this meant he wasn’t shy about flirting and teasing you. Sometimes it seemed like he was coming onto you, but you had to remind yourself that he was like that with everyone-- you weren’t special and there was no way he was actually interested.

Before falling asleep each night, you’d listen to Jack’s soft snores and run scenarios through your head of every possible way that you could share your feelings. You thought about all of the things you could say, and all of the ways Jack could react. It was agonizing but your analytical mind couldn’t stop. You wished you had the courage to just ask him out. The worst that could happen is he’d say ‘no’ and maybe request to never work with you again, but then at least you’d be free of him.

Wanna see what's under that attitude

Like, I want you, bless my soul

And I ain't gotta tell him

I think he knows

A loud laugh suddenly interrupted your thoughts and you looked over to the bar again. The bartender was giggling and grasping at Jack’s arm. The sight made your stomach turn, and you made a quick decision to get out of there before you had to watch them start making out over the bar.

You stepped up next to Jack and finally drew his attention away from the girl.

“Hey, hold off on my drink. I’m gonna head out,” you told him.

“What? Come on now, it’s so early!”

“Yeah. I just don’t really feel like hanging out anymore. I’ll see you back there.”

Before Jack could respond, you threw down some cash on the bar and turned away. You were already across the floor and on your way out the door when a hand on your arm stopped you.

“Hey. Are you pissed at me or something?”

“No,” you muttered, trying to ignore the shot of arousal you felt when he grabbed you, “I just don’t feel like sitting in the corner, watching you flirt with some chick.”

You tried to turn away from him, but Jack let out a quiet “ohhh” of understanding. His grip on your arm tightened.

“We’ve been on this mission for weeks now, and on our last night you finally decide to say something?” Jack laughed, turning you around so you were facing him again. He invaded your personal space, ducking his head and trailing his nose along your neck and jaw.

“What?” you asked, confused because he couldn’t possibly mean...

“You're so slow, that’s what,” Jack mumbled, his lips tracing along your neck. It felt amazing, but... was Jack- your fellow agent and known womanizer- really nuzzling your neck right now?

“I'm confused, are you really into this?” you asked again, trying to hold back a moan. Jack pulled away and looked at you with huge eyes.

“God, you’re an idiot. I've been sending you obvious signs, makin’ eyes at you and showing off what I got, and now I'm literally biting your neck, and you're still asking?” Jack said incredulously. You searched his face and saw eyes that were filled with desperation and lust.

“I just assumed…”

“I like it both ways, kid. Is that clear enough for you?”

He then took one step forward and kissed you fully on the lips. There was only a moment of shock before you melted into the kiss, pressing your bodies closer and running your hands over Jack’s shoulders and back. All of your worries disappeared then. You didn't feel the terrible anxiety that constantly filled you with dread. Your mind stopped frantically thinking about every possible worst case scenario. Everything stopped. There was only Jack.

“Oh ohhhh right. Yeah I’m an idiot,” you quietly mumbled against his lips, “Want to go back to the hotel?”

“Fuckin’ finally,” he replied with a grin.

Lyrical smile, indigo eyes, hand on my thigh

We can follow the sparks, I'll drive

So where we gonna go?

I whisper in the dark

You weren’t sure how you made it back to the hotel so quickly, but as soon as you tumbled through the door, Jack had you pinned to the bed underneath him. His hands roamed all over your torso, and he pulled the shirt over your head and tossed it aside before quickly doing the same to his own. The room was filled with your little whimpers every time Jack ground his hips against yours. You stared up at him, his lips swollen and red bitten and eyes blown with lust, and you were positive that you looked just as debauched. He looked just as beautiful hovering over you as you’d always imagined, and you wanted to feel him everywhere.

“More,” you whined, canting your hips up into Jack’s.

He groaned and trailed his hands down your chest, his fingers brushing against your nipples, causing a moan to slip from your mouth. He continued his journey down until he reached the fly of your jeans.

“Lift up,” Jack mumbled, leaning in to kiss your neck as he tried to tug your pants down. You obeyed and soon your pants and your boxers were off, leaving you completely exposed.

“Fuckin’ hell,” he moaned, his fingers barely brushing over your erection, “You’re even prettier than I thought, darlin’.”

You groaned, pushing your body closer to Jack’s. As his hand slowly learned the feel of your cock, your own hands wandered all over his body. From his strong shoulders to his muscular back, to his waist, his hips, his thick thighs. You slipped one hand into his jeans to grab his ass, finally getting the chance to touch the part of Jack’s body you’d fantasized about the most. You could feel his clothed erection rubbing against your thigh as Jack continued steadily stroking your cock.

“Jack,” you whimpered, gazing into his dark, lust-filled eyes. You were barely able to control your thoughts properly since Jack’s pace was getting quicker and way too distracting. He grinned down at you.

“This good, baby? You want it a little rougher?” he asked, a groan slipping from his lips as you squeezed his ass in response.

Jack pushed forward and kissed you harder this time, moving his hand faster along your cock. Then he kissed his way down your neck, sucking and nipping all your sensitive spots. Suddenly he bit down hard on the skin between your neck and shoulder, following it up with a long lick with his wide tongue. That show of possessiveness was enough to push you right to the edge. You cried out as pleasure tore through you, coming in ropes all over Jack’s large hand. You gasped for breath, your chest rising and falling as your head lolled against the pillows.

Jack hovered over you, continuing to kiss your neck and upper chest as you came down from your high. “I’ve been told I’m good with my hands, can I get a confirmation on that, darlin'?“ he asked with a cocky grin.

Your eyes blinked open and you smirked at him. “You’ve got the confirmation all over your hand.”

“Ooooh, so he’s mouthy all of a sudden. Guess I just had to get you in bed to see the sassy side of you, huh?” Jack tutted.

“I’ll show you mouthy,” you muttered, blushing at the stupid euphemism even as you trailed a line of kisses down Jack’s sternum and belly.

When you reached the top of his jeans, you surprised your fellow agent by flipping him over and yanking his pants down in one fluid motion. Jack growled at the switch, but when you took his cock into your mouth, he gasped and surged forward. You enjoyed the desperate moan he made as you swallowed him completely, his hips bucking into your mouth. But you wanted to take your time with this. You grasped his hip bone with one hand and held him down, before pulling off his cock and moving to lightly lick his balls. Jack was making beautiful, desperate noises and you loved the idea that this strong, confident agent was falling apart because of you. You smiled against him and swiped your tongue along the bottom of his shaft before taking him fully into your mouth again.

“Holy hell, you’re fuckin’ amazing,“ Jack groaned as you bobbed up and down on his cock, “I’m so close-”

You sucked harder and reached your other hand down to fondle his balls again as Jack thrust into your mouth. Soon he was arching forward and shouting your name. You let him come in your mouth, swallowing his seed down like it was another shot at the bar.

When you looked up at Jack from between his legs, you grinned. He had his head tilted back, one hand thrown across his mouth as he stared at the ceiling, breathing heavily. When he felt your eyes on him, he looked down at you with a satisfied smile.

“Damn, that was…”

“Amazing,” you cut him off, “Even better than I imagined.”

“So you imagined it, huh?”

Unable to control the urge any longer, you leaned forward and pulled Jack into a sweet, affectionate kiss. You ran your fingers through his soft hair and you could feel him grinning the whole time. When you finally pulled back, he was still smiling but he also looked a bit confused.

“Why haven’t we done this sooner?” he asked.

“I was convinced you were straight. I’ve been a fucking mess trying to decide if I should say something or not,” you replied.

Jack hummed and reached for you, but you chuckled and pulled away.

“You need a shower,” you said, “Then we can talk some more.”

“Only if you join me, sugar...”

I want you, bless my soul

I ain't gotta tell him

I think he knows

[browneyedhex]

Unfaithful Rumor

(This will be mostly if not all centered around Dally and this is my first time writing this way so it might feel weird)

A/N: Also small TW and this is sad so be mindful

He stared down at the stained basin that had dried stained of blood and dirt from his numerous times coming home from fights and cleaning his wounds by himself.

His slim finds wrapped around the edges tightly until his skin turned pure white before looking up at the mirror in anger. There was already a clear slash through the middle of it and he had to resist the urge to just smash his fist into the center, disconnecting himself from what he saw in the mirror.

He could not believe he had let his guard down. What has he taught himself? It definitely wasn’t to just put up a front because he didn’t want love, no, he had an endeavor. It was to not fall in love unless he felt it was the right person and dammit! He thought he had finally grasped what people in romance movies blabbed about- what he had heard Soda talk about when it came to Sandy.

It took years of protecting himself emotionally, mentally, and physically to just let it all go to waste. He thought he was strong, that he could take it. Though, it could be self sabotage or it could be his intrusive thoughts foreshadowing their relationship. He put it to the back of his mind like: “Nah, man. she ain’t like that.”

But as he stares down with a growl buried in his chest, screaming to come out as he looks down at the familiar shade of red breaking out of his knuckles and down to his finger tips.

He didn’t care. He didn’t stop.

He lets out a painful damn right down to the point of heartbreaking yell as he takes hit after hit towards the mirror until there was no more glass left behind held up, but just surrounding his feet.

“How could she?” His voice breaks, his chest feeling tight and his vision gets blurry. It’s how he always saw life until she came around: fast, so fast it felt like everything was in slow-mo. It felt hot and heavy with tension and the need to prove something. It felt like being wrapped too tight in binds- suffocating, the need to be free and reckless.

All he did daily was smoke, drink, pick up easy girls that came to parties or even on the streets, hang with the gang and of course do trouble on his own. That’s all he had going for him and all that he thought ht had.

But with Y/N. It felt like there was more to achieving with her besides just getting inside her pants. There was uh, getting to know each other, late night talks, early morning hellos or goodbyes, setting some sort of communication, knowing parts of each other’s history; y’know the stuff that take a bigger part in a relationship and shows the reason why someone is the way they are.

He thought they were going great, so great in fact that he was gonna convince her to move in with him at Bucks or hell if she was okay with it, a small apartment. He didn’t know about marriage, but what the hell do you need witnesses, priest, and signed papers for?

Maybe it was the fact of legal commitment that got him, he doesn’t know, but he was real close to wanting to try, in fact he was on his way to go see her when Steve told him about something that was going around town.

It hadn’t been the first time that something was said about Dally’s girl. He’s a JD, a hoodlum, a no good greaser with an itch for trouble so when someone like you started to date with him and everyone saw how well you two have managed, they couldn’t believe it.

Usually, Dally dumps chicks after a few weeks if he hasn’t cheated, them, or just grew bored. He couldn’t stand the same shit over and over with girls. With you, it was different- a challenge he was willing to accept.

Anyways, something was said about how you- Dallas Winstons’ girl was hanging around some soc named Marc and had been seen together going to the movies and him buying you popcorn.

He couldn’t take it. He felt like he had suddenly gone deaf from instant rage while Steve kept trying to get his attention. All he did was walk away and ended up where he is now.

“She...” he gulps, trying to swallow the lump in his throat but it just hurt more. He didn’t know how to cope. He had so much unchecked energy from all these years with no guidance and with him being no help to himself, he was ruining himself mentally.

He ran his hands through his hair as his nerves were off and he felt beyond shaky. His eyes traveled around the room until they landed on a destination.

The amber colored liquid still filled the bottle enough to where it was inviting and would satisfy his needs- if not just submerge them under for a bit for him to do some stupid and end up back in the cells.

He stepped over with determination and grasped the bottle tightly, opening it and chugging it down ignoring the already existing burning sensation in his throat. He squints his eyes shut, forcing himself to down the whole bottle before chucking the glass bottle against the wall.

It smashes and once again glass is all over the floor. He knew he had to have some more somewhere, so there he goes onto his personal investigation as he rips open his dresser drawers, rummaging through his clothes waiting to feel a familiar mold of glass that held his antidote.

Growing frustrated, he yanks the drawers out of their place, tossing them wherever, making the wood break and chip out of place, letting his clothes not be kept safe anymore in them.

All the drawers were empty and now broken. He looked under the bed and in the corner was a quarter filled bottle that he reached desperately for, rolling it until it was in his hand.

He sat up, twisting it and chugging it down as well. Everything looked as how his life was before you came. Blurry, everything looking so fast that it was slow, nauseating, hot and heavy. Lonely, rage filled.

Tears continued to form in his eyes, making the glass around him twinkle a bit in his vision. He wasn’t going to bother cleaning up the mess he made, why should he? It’s your fault.

You’re the reason he did this. You’re the reason why he couldn’t bother to look at himself directly in the mirror without wanting to punch it. You’re the reason he’s relapsing and having intrusive thoughts as he stares at the glass.

How dare you think he’s not good enough! He opened up to you only to be filled with so much lies and bullshit that slipped through that beautiful smile! How dare you try to change his mind that he’s more than what people saw he is- what his reputation is!

How dare you even laying your dainty hands on him at night and expanding his mind to interesting topics or filling his heart with throbs from you promising him he’s all you’ve ever wanted- that he’s more than enough.

How dare you get to know his friends, get him to push other girls away, make him change his perspective on life only for you to just take that light with you just to probably show it to someone else.

He mumbles to himself as he looks down at his bruised knuckles, the ones you would kiss after he had gotten into a fight and he thought it was stupid when you said your kisses make everything better.

But this time your kisses could not make it better.

[slafkovskys]

me, you, and the stars / j. norris

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

my masterlist!

title from summer days by martin garrix

warnings(s): swearing, nsfw content (18+), jealousy, josh is just an asshole for the first half idk, alcohol, mentions of underage drinking

word count: 4.9k

-

“look y/n, we're leaving whether you’re with us or not!” you hear josh’s familiar voice shout from the other side of the closed door. you hear a deep sigh before a thump, which you’re fairly certain is him propping himself against the wall.

“no you won’t!” you respond. you brush the tinted wand of your lip gloss over your lips before twisting the cap back on and dropping it back into your makeup bag. you take your phone off of the charger before walking back into your bedroom and across the floor to the door. you pull it open to find josh (unsurprisingly) still on the other side. “well well well, what do you know? you’re still here.”

“you don’t have to act like such a brat,” he grumbles. he pushes away from the wall and takes in your choice of outfit, raising an eyebrow, “that’s what you’re wearing?”

“i’m not doing this with you tonight, josh. last time i checked, i’m an adult and i didn’t ask for your opinion. if you don’t like my outfit, you are more than welcome to stay behind and cry about it and i’ll make sure to have a couple drinks for you,” you roll your eyes as you smooth down your dress, a loose little number that fell from thin spaghetti straps and fell just at the middle of your thighs.

“i just don’t want to have to watch over you all night. guys are- they’re gross y/n,” he’s a couple of steps behind you on the stairs as he starts his little spiel. “i don’t want you to be exposed to that.”

“then why the hell did you invite me to come if you’re just going to be overbearing the whole time? besides, like i said before, i’m twenty years old and i haven't needed a babysitter since the third grade. if i can survive your friends, i should be able to survive a bonfire with a couple of strangers.”

you don’t tune in for his response as you walk out of the front door of the rented cabin and towards the truck. the passenger seat, which had always been designated as yours ever since he’d gotten his license, was empty and the rest of the group that was riding with you was piled into the back. you pull open the back door and will looks at you confused. you jut out your bottom lip and look at him with pleading eyes, “will you take shotgun?”

“what’s the problem now?” he slides out of the backseat anyway and takes the passenger seat while you take his seat.

“i don’t wanna talk about it,” you buckle your seatbelt and cross your arms over your chest, turning your head to look out of the window when josh opens the driver’s side door.

“seriously?” he scoffs when he finds one of his best friends where you were supposed to be. it wasn’t rhetorical, but you act like it was as you turn your body away from his watchful eyes. “whatever.”

he pulls away from the house with the rest of your group following behind in a separate car. your destination was another cabin not far from your own for a bonfire put on by someone who you didn’t even know. hunter had found out about the party on his trip to the grocery store with coale earlier in the day and once the information was shared with the group that there was allegedly going to be free alcohol, it wasn’t hard to get everyone on board.  

the cabin was a little ways down the road, not that far but still too far to walk. when josh pulls behind the already long line of cars in the driveway, you all pile out and head for the house where everyone immediately splits up into their own groups.

emily tried to convince you to come with her and kate outside, but you declined, promising to join them a little while later instead. you quickly found the alcohol piled into a plastic bin on the counter, fish yourself out a can, and retreat to the living room.

your eyes scan the room. there were already loads of drunk twenty-plus-year-olds stumbling around and you even noticed some teenagers who had either convinced their parents to let them come or snuck out, making the rounds as well. your knack for observing caused you to focus on a boy.

he couldn’t be older than you, not by much if he was, and he was staring right back at you. unlike you, though, he wasn’t alone. he was quick to abandon whatever conversation he was having before to make his way across the room once he realized that you had noticed him. you turn your head quickly and your cheeks burn at the realization that you had been caught.

you don’t have time to slip away before he’s standing in front of you. his grin is soft as he speaks, “hi.”

you swallow, heart-pounding for some unknown reason, before lifting your head to meet his eyes. you muster your best ‘i’m fine i swear’ smile, “hey there.”

“i hope i’m not bothering you or anything. i just saw you standing over here by yourself and figured i would just come over to make sure that you’re okay?” he scratches the back of his neck.

“aw, that’s sweet of you,” you say, running a hand through your hair. “i’m okay, i just kind of like to know my surroundings, get a feel of the place before i really do anything. weird habit i guess.”

his eyes track your can as you raise it to your lips, “no, no, you’re fine. i’m ben by the way.”

he holds out a hand to which you raise an eyebrow at. he notices and pulls it away quickly. you shake your head and giggle softly, “i’ve just never had a guy try and shake my hand at a party before, ben, but i’m y/n. it’s nice to meet you.”

“you too,” he moves to lean against the wall beside you, his shoulder barely touching yours. “are you from here?”

“no actually. just visiting with some friends on vacation. i’m from oxford,” he raises his eyebrows. you wave your free hand around, “it’s in-”

“i know where it’s at. one of my buddies is from there, i’ve just never met anyone else who was,” he grins. “i’m not from here either. grew up outside of toronto for a little bit and i’ve kind of been a bit of everywhere since.”

“so you’ve traveled a lot?” you ask, turning your body towards his. he hums and you raise your eyebrows, “i want to do that so badly. it’s, like, on the top of my bucket list.”

“you don’t get to travel much?”

“i mean, not really. i’ve been to dallas, new york, the ‘bigger’ places. the only place outside of the us that i’ve been is ottawa which is not that extravagant if i’m honest,” the thought of josh crosses your mind at the mention of ottawa, but it’s gone almost as quickly as it came when ben chuckles.

“why specifically ottawa? it’s not usually people’s first choice,” he raises his eyebrow and you shrug. “it’s complicated?”

“a little bit. anyways, what brings you here? do you know who owns this place?” you ask and his face flushes.

“um, i do. well, not me. my dad does. he let me borrow it for the week so i packed up a couple of my friends and borrowed the family dog and here i am,” he watches as you perk up at the mention of a dog. “do you want to meet him?”

“he’s here? can i?” it doesn’t take much for you to follow him away from the living room and down the hallway. he pushes open a door and (though it wasn’t your smartest decision to follow a stranger into a room) you're met with the sight of a dog. you gasp and he lifts his head, standing up with a stretch as you bend down. he moves off of his very comfortable-looking bed and moves in between your open arms. you squeal, “hello!”

“his name is tex, short for texas,” ben takes a seat on the bench beside the washing machine and watches as you embrace the golden retriever. “he likes you.”

“what’s not to like?” you question, looking up at the brunette with a smile. tex huffs as he takes a seat and you squeeze him gently, “you’re just the sweetest boy, aren’t you? i bet you’ve never done anything wrong in your entire life.”

“he’s does have a knack for shoes-” you cut ben off with a glare and he raises his hands in surrender, “you’re right. he’s never done anything in his entire life.”

“good answer.”

you don’t know how long you were in there with ben, playing with tex and making small talk before someone stumbles inside. he looks between ben and you and smirks, “sorry ben. we’ll find somewhere else.”

you realize then that there was a girl behind him and your cheeks burn as he closes the door. you find a neon green rope and dangle it in front of tex who eagerly snatched it from your hand. “i should be getting back out there. thank you for letting me play with him.”

“actually, i was going to ask if you wanted to get out of here? we could drive around a little bit,” he’s nervous and that was something that you could tell right off the bat. “you just said that you don’t travel much and i know it’s nothing astronomical, but i could just show you some places around town.”

in your slightly not sober mind, it didn’t even click that it was well into the night. you smile, “that sounds good. let me go and tell my friends and i’ll meet you back in the living room?”

“sounds good,” he watches as you bid tex farewell and follows you out of the room. you part ways as you head off to look for someone that you knew. it didn’t take long before you found josh outside surrounded by people. while he was the last person you wanted to tell, almost everyone that you knew was with him and you were beyond ready to leave.

you make your way over, tugging on the sleeve of his t-shirt to get his attention. he tilts his head to the side and when he realizes it’s you, his hand comes to rest on the small of your back as he pulls you to his side. he bends down to hear you, “what’s up?”

you're very aware of the attention that you’ve drawn from the group, the females who didn’t know about yours and josh’s abnormally touchy relationship especially, but you just push yourself on your tiptoes so that your mouth is beside his ear, “i’m leaving.”

he makes a noise of disapproval, “with who?”

“ben,” you shrug as though it was nothing.

“who the hell is ben?”

“we met earlier. he’s gonna show me around.”

“it’s past midnight, y/n. the only place you’re going is back to the cabin and i’m going to be the one taking you there. now, if you want to go so badly, give me five minutes and we’ll leave.”

“no, josh,” you try to pull away from him, but he doesn’t allow it whatsoever. “let me go!”

“y/n,” he sighs, handing his cup off to will who dumps whatever was in there into his own and turns you both away from the group. he keeps an arm slung over your shoulder as he slowly walks you towards the house “i don’t know how much you’ve had to drink tonight, but obviously too much if you think i’m letting you leave with someone that you just met.”

“we met the other day, at the grocery store,” the lie slips easily from your lips but josh shakes his head. he’s known you long enough to know when you were lying and the way that you were avoiding his eyes told him everything that he needed to know. that and you had been very adamant on not tagging along for any grocery store runs since you had arrived. you groan once you realize that he’s not letting you off that easy and try, once again, to pull away from him, “it wasn’t even that much! and what about you? i don’t want you driving me home if you’ve been drinking!”

“i’m 6’1 and almost 200 pounds, princess. i’ve barely had one full beer and i’ve been sipping on that for about an hour. i’m perfectly fucking fine to drive,” he rolls his eyes. he walks you both through the house and points to the couch where two couples were making out, “if you don’t believe me we can sit right there and wait for half an hour. will that appease you?”

“i fucking hate you,” you spit, finally pulling away from his grasp. you storm towards the front door and throw it open, finding ben perched on the swing out front. he stands when he sees you and your eyes soften, “ben, i’m-”

“oh, so you’re ben?” josh slides up behind you and holds out his hand for ben, poor ben, who looks very confused as he reaches out to shake it, “‘m josh. thanks for offering to give my little y/n here a tour of the town at one o’clock in the morning, that was very, very kind of you, but she’s going to have to decline. you have a good one though.”

“i want to hear that from her,” ben looks at you almost hopefully. “y/n?”

“i’m sorry,” you mumble, turning away from him and making your way down to where josh had parked. he takes his sweet time making his way down the driveway and refuses to unlock the truck until his hand covers yours on the handle, “will you please just unlock the door?”

“lose the attitude,” he scoffs, “you didn’t even know him.”

“i was getting to know him josh. you always fucking do this,” you huff and he finally unlocks the door. his hand tightens on yours as you both pull on the handle. you rip your hand away as you lift yourself into the truck and sink onto the passenger seat. he watches as you reach out to pull the door closed. you pause to utter the words, “and i’m not yours so you can stop fucking saying it.”

before pulling the door closed rather forcefully. he scoffs and shakes his head, making his way around the front of the truck. he starts it and throws it in reverse, putting his hand behind your seat to look out of the back glass, “we’re talking about this when we get back.”

you lean forward and turn the radio up, drowning him out.

-

the second that he kills the engine, you snatch the keys from his hand and stomp towards the front door. you throw it open, not bothering to close it as you tossed the keys onto the counter and made quick work of going to your room, rushing to beat him because he could move a lot faster than you were able to.

you hear his loud footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet house as he ascends the stairs after you. you make sure to slam the door when he’s barely six feet away and twist the lock.

“leave me alone!” you shout as you pull out a pair of shorts from your bag. you peel off your clothes and throw them in the pile along with your other dirty clothes and make your way into the bathroom.

you grab your toothbrush just as you hear the lock turning and you want to scream. you ignore him when he walks in, leaning against the door at first. when you don’t pay him any mind, instead grabbing your toothbrush. he grins knowingly, used to your antics, “you’re ignoring me now?”

when you don’t answer, he moves to stand behind you so that you would have to look at him in the mirror, but you only turn towards the door. he chuckles, “oh, you’re good.”

you for sure thought that he wouldn’t wait you out, but he seemingly had no problem doing so. he takes a seat on the edge of the bath and props his head in his hands, watching you intently as you start to take off your makeup. you pick up a bottle and he points his finger, “what’s that for?”

you continue your silence.

“you have to talk to me at some point. we’re here for three more days, y/n,” he sighs and you shake your head. you look into the mirror, connecting your eyes with his, and you open your mouth to speak. his eyebrows raise and he smirks, which causes you to close your mouth and grab a towel to dry your face.

you weren’t going to let him win.

when you turn to exit your bedroom, he follows quickly behind. you make your way into the kitchen and turn on your phone, connecting it to the speaker that sat on the counter. it was jack’s and he had specifically told everyone not to run the battery down because he had forgotten to bring the charger, but it was the only way that you would be able to drown josh out.

you pick your playlist and turn your volume all the way up before tucking your phone in the waistband of your shorts. you move over to stand in front of the sink, fishing out some of the dishes so you could start to fill the sink. josh leans over the other side of the counter, “you’re so pissed off at me that you’re doing the dishes? are you serious?”

you look up at him and point to yours, a silent way of saying ‘i can’t hear you.’ something changes in his eyes and you look down at the sink as he pushes away from the counter. in a matter of seconds, the speaker is turned off and his hands are on your hips. the music is still playing and you feel his hand pull your phone from its place. with one of his hands holding your phone, you're able to turn around, “hey!”

“hi,” he smirks knowingly. he pauses the music and pockets your phone in his jeans. you go to reach for it, but he grabs your wrist, “now, you can either continue to act like a brat or we can have an adult conversation.”

you glare at him, “i’ll keep being a brat, thanks. now leave me alone and give me back my phone.”

in an instant, he’s lifting you onto the counter. his hands cage you in and you look at him with wide eyes, “what is your problem, y/n?”

“i could ask you the same question, josh,” you hold his gaze. you wanted so badly to reach out and place your hand on his cheek, press your lips to his own, but you couldn’t. you shouldn’t. you were still mad at him. “you’re such a fucking cockblock and i’m sick of it.”

“it’s not my fault that you can’t take a fucking hint,” he rolls his eyes. you take a deep breath and he looks at you with an expression that seems almost shocked, “are you- why do you think i did that?”

“because you’re an asshole?” you accidentally touch your hand to his and you pull it away quickly.

“please don’t do that,” he sighs. he reaches for your hand and you let him curl his fingers around your own. it felt strange, it felt- it felt good. “you’re the only one that matters to me, y/n. why can’t you understand that? because i don’t know how much clearer i can be.”

“you’re drunk josh,” you repeat what you had said earlier when he offered to drive you home.

“you know damn well that i’m not, y/n.” and he was right. you know josh, been around him enough to know what he was like when he was under the influence and this, this wasn’t it.

“what do you mean?” you squeeze onto his hand. “you said that i’m the only one that matters to you. what do you mean?”

“i haven’t taken anyone home in almost a year because of you. even in belleville, even when i got called up. they tried to get me to hook up with someone but i couldn’t. you’re the only person that i want in my bed and you-” he pauses, shaking his head.

“what did i do, josh? you’ve been a total asshole to me and i’m supposed to realize that that means that you want me? what are we, eight?” you shake your head, untangling your  fingers from his. you lean back on the counter and he looks at you almost pleadingly, “you aren’t my boyfriend and you need to stop acting like it. this shit isn’t going to fly anymore.”

he goes quiet before he leans forward. his lips press to yours and a warm feeling takes over your body. you melt into him when he moves one of his hands to rest on your back and the other to rest on your cheek. his hand pulls you forward and you wrap your arms around his neck. he’s the one to pull away first, breathing heavily. his eyes are glazed over and by the way he’s gripping onto you, you can tell that he doesn’t want to let go. “was- is this okay?”

you squeeze his wrist on the hand that rested softly on your cheek as though he would slip away before you leaned back in after taking a deep breath. his hands slides up your back, slipping under the hem of your shirt and you pull away this time, pressing your nose into his neck, “not here. someone could walk- josh!”

you tighten your arms around his neck as he takes you down the hallway to what you knew to be his bedroom. he pushes open the door and drops you down onto the bed, which causes you to squeal as his body covers your own.

you run your hands along his shoulders and he slides his fingertips under your shirt. he’s nervous, you can tell, maybe a little hesitant as well.

“josh,” you call, running your index finger along his jaw, “this is okay with me. i promise you. is it okay with you?”

“more than okay,” he confirms, “are you sure that you want to do this? things won’t ever be the same if we do.”

why did he have to say that?

if it was anybody else, you wouldn’t have even had to think about it. if it was ben, it wouldn’t have meant anything. but this wasn’t just anyone. it wasn’t just ben who you had known all of an hour before you were willing to get into his car. this was josh who you had known since you were kids. josh that you had harbored a crush on since you were thirteen and he was fourteen. josh who you were forced to watch from a distance as he got older and buffer from the hours spent training, who you had to watch as he brought the occasional girl home to meet his mother.

you had never told anyone how you felt and no one ever seemed to notice, which was fine. perfect even. but now-

you look into his eyes as you whisper the single word, “please.”

that seems to be all he needs before he hooks his fingers in your shorts and tugs them downward, taking your panties with them easily. he tosses them to the side and chuckles as his fingers lightly run across your slit, “you’re already soaked.”

“i’ve been waiting a long time for this,” you admit, biting your lip as his thumb runs over your clit.

he sinks his index finger in slowly, pressing his lips to yours as you gasp. it doesn’t take long for him to work in a second before he speaks again, “why didn’t you say anything?”

“to be fair, i thought i was the last person that you wanted to sleep with. you aren’t the best at showing your emotions,” you grumble and he grins.

“you and your attitude,” he shakes his head, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he stretches you open. “what am i gonna do with you? don’t think that i’ve forgotten about how much of a little brat you were being earlier.”

“well,” in a sudden act of boldness, you move your lips to dance over his ear, “what are you gonna do about it? because as much as you seemed to want me out in the kitchen, you’re moving awfully slow.”

that seemed to ignite something inside of him.

it was only a couple of minutes later when both of your clothes were thrown about the room and he was ripping open a condom. you grin as he presses the tip to your slit, taking some of the wetness.

“josh,” you moan as he sinks in, slowly filling you. “fuck.”

“worth waiting for?”

“you pick the worst times to be an ass- holy,” you arch your chest into his as he bottoms out. you try and pull away but he wraps his arms around your thighs, keeping you still.

“that’s it, princess,” he coos, sucking a mark into your neck. “look so pretty on my cock. can’t believe i waited this long to see you like this, fuck.”

a whine forms in your throat as he pulls out, only to thrust right back in. he lets you dig your nails into his back as he finds his pace, finding your g-spot almost a little too quickly.

his hips snap against yours and his mouth makes its way from your neck to your breasts, taking the opportunity to leave hickeys there as well. there was no way in hell that you were going to be able to hide what had happened and you somehow find the words to voice that, “everyone’s gonna know.”

“fucking good,” he lands a particularly harsh against your spot, “want them to know that you’re mine. that they can’t have you. i’ve seen the way they look at you and i don’t like it.”

“we’re gonna have to work on that but now, i’m gonna-”

“you’re gonna ask me nicely,” his thumb finds your clit and he begins to circle. “you’re gonna show me that you can be good and say please.”

“i hate you,” your words have no real meaning and he knows that by the chuckle he has the audacity to let out. “please josh, please let me cum. i’ll be so fucking good, let everyone know i’m yours.”

“say it again,” he demands.

“i’m yours,” and that was the end.

you feel him spill into the condom before he give you permission, spilling over his cock as you tighten your arms around his neck and press your lips to his as you ride through the aftershock. he rocks upwards a few more times before slipping out and resting his head on your bare chest. his fingers run over one of breasts, “didn’t show these enough attention.”

“they’re covered in hickeys,” you breathe out, “they got the memo.”

you find yourself tangled under his covers not thirty minutes later, both fresh from the shower. you had spent minimal time actually under the water and more time-pressed against the wall with his lips pressed against yours.

your hand ran through his hair as his head rested on your naked chest. you can’t help but stare over his shoulder out of the large window that overlooked the lake. the stars were twinkling high above while everything else was quiet. too quiet.

wait-

you patiently wait until you were positive that he was asleep when you start to shift backward, trying to escape his grip. you had your feet on the ground, ready to search for your clothes before he makes a noise of protest.

“woah,” he says when you move to get out of the bed. his hand curls around your side and pulls you back to his chest, “what are you doing?”

“i’m going back to my room,” you look at him confused. “everyone’s bound to be home soon and i don’t want them to find us like this.”

“i don’t care if they see us, y/n. what part of you being the only one that i want didn’t you understand?” he sighs as he pushes your hair out of your face. you wrap one of your hands around his arm as he does so, “i don’t just want you for tonight. i want you for the long run, y/n. i don’t know exactly what that entails, but i do know that i want you to be here when i wake up in the morning. we can talk about it then, okay?”

you look into his eyes, trying to find any hint that he wasn’t telling you the truth, but you couldn’t. you relax into his chest and let his arms wrap around you once again, “in the morning.”

“in the morning,” he agrees and presses his lips to the top of your head.

[imagines-r-s]

sticking it

chapter 9 

a/n: idk why this chapter took so long, but here it is. for reference - in gymnastics, US Championships are the last meet before Olympic Trials, they’re a two day competition. any feedback is welcome. i’m kinda upset that this series (or at least this part) is almost done, but there is more to come with this series i promise. also had to repost bc it wasn’t showing up in the tags 

taglist: @butgilinsky @barbienoturbby @sunsetholland @lovenhlboys @sortagaysortahigh @hockey-racing-fubol @oopsiedoopsie23 @iwantahockeyhimbo @dreamsndior @itsurgirlgracie @heartshapedkissxs @lwstuff @handwrittenheroes

warnings: uh, i don’t think there’s anything, but if i miss something just let me know (the jamie mentioned is jamie oleksiak, not j b*nn)

sticking it masterlist

wc: 5.8

(not my gif)

“Are you sure that you have everything?” Joel asked for the twentieth time in the past hour, “we can run back to yours if you need anything else”

“I feel like you’re just trying to get me to stay with you longer,” you said, skeptically.

“Is it working?”

“No, Bee, I have to leave at some point,”  you said, putting another bag of yours in his car,”I won’t be gone long.”

“Yeah, but you’ll be closer to the Stars and that has me worried,” he said, causing you to chuckle. 

“You worried about Seggy? Or Roope? Or Big Rig? Or Mi-”

“Okay, I get it.”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, I love you and only you, shawty. Besides, I can only tolerate Texas weather for so long,” you said, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek.

“I love you, too, shawty,” he paused,”Wait,- that was rude.”

After packing the last of your bags into the car, you made your way to the airport to meet Marcus and Michelle. Once you arrived at the airport, Joel parked the car before the two of you headed into the airport. The four of you caught up for a while before Marcus suggested giving you and Joel time to say goodbye. 

“Is this how it feels when me and the guys leave for the road?” Joel asked, softly. 

“Yeah,” you said, smiling sadly. 

“Well, good thing I’m the one on the road all the time, I mean, I don’t like leaving you, but when I’m leaving it’s a different feeling, you know.”

“Well glad it makes you happy, buddy.”

“Did you just buddy me?” Joel asked, incredulously. 

“Did I?” you asked, laughing as Joel gasped in shock.

“Wow, I see how it is. I’ll remember that.”

“Go ahead, babe. Remember it however you want,” you paused when you saw the sad look on his face, reaching to hold his face in your hands, “hey, I’m only a text away, I might not be right here, but I will answer as soon as I can and we’ll facetime as much as you want these next few days.”

Joel nodded before looking up and seeing Marcus and Michelle headed your way, “we hate to cut this short, but we have to get going pretty soon.”

“I know I asked, but do you really have to go?”

“Yeah, Bee, I really have to go.”

“You better kick ass out there or else you’re just leaving for nothing,” he said, jokingly, “but honestly, I wish you the best of luck - I know you don’t need it, but I’ll say it anyway. Make sure to tell Nicole I said good luck and please make sure to wipe that smug look off Kathryn's face. Okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” you said, wrapping your arms around him as he pressed kiss to the top of your head. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you, too, but if you don’t go, the only thing you’ll be missing is your flight.”

“Wow, Bee, you are so funny.” 

“Well, one of us has to be the funny one in the relationship. Your mom jokes only get you so far far in life, babe,” he said, causing you to elbow him in the stomach. 

“I’m leaving now. I love you and I will text you when I land,” you leaned up for a quick goodbye kiss before grabbing your carry-on bag and heading to your gate. You avoided looking back, knowing that if you did, both of you wouldn’t let the other leave. 

“I think you chose a good one,” Marcus said once the three of you had sat down. 

“What?” you asked, shocked. 

“Joel. He seems like a good guy. He clearly cares about you and I can see that you care a lot about him, too. He clearly makes you happy,” Marcus added. 

Heat rushed up your face, to which you simply looked out the window, “yeah, he’s a good guy.”

“A cute one, too,” Michelle interrupted. 

“Yes, that too. But Michelle, you better lay off,” the three of you laughed as the flight attendants started to announce the safety procedures for your flight. The three of you did your own thing the rest of the flight: Marcus planning out how podium training would go, Michelle analyzing your routines, and you sleeping.

“Alright, so as soon as we land, we get luggage and go to our hotel. There is a small media event tomorrow morning before podium training, then podium training, then probably some more media. You will have the rest of the night to do whatever, I know you’ll probably go see your Dallas friends and that’s fine, just make it back in time. Then, Friday is the first day of competition, Saturday is the second day, then we have some free time Sunday,” Marcus read off to you, even with you half asleep. 

“Sounds lovely,” you grumbled. 

…..

“So, y/n, with your injury being a top priority, how different have practices been since you are still somewhat in recovery?” one of the journalists asked. You had stayed prepared for a multitude of questions having to do with your injury, so this question had an easy response.

“I would say, it’s definitely a totally new experience. I’ve had to tailor my focus to other aspects of this sport since the start of my recovery, whether that be drills, more conditioning, or changing up my routines. My team and I definitely have figured out what things work and what doesn’t and we continue to learn as I continue training,” you answered, swiftly. 

“Now obviously, you were the highest scorer in most of your competitions, even before your injury, how has competition changed for you? And what has inspired you to train harder?” another journalist asked. 

“I have to say, competition is slightly more nerve-wracking than before. I mean getting injured at a major competition definitely changes perspective for all aspects of it. I feel that I have to be more cautious when performing, whereas before I would just go with the motions. Something that’s inspired me has been that my competitors have continued training, I have a fair amount of competition - all of which are excellent athletes - which has helped motivate me a lot, but I also have an amazing support system back home who have made sure to give me that extra motivation when I need it,” you smiled. 

“Now, having to deal with that support system at home, who and how have they influenced your decisions of your journey through recovery?” which was the first question that made you smile. 

“Well first, a huge shoutout to my family, especially my cousin, Kevin. Without his support, I wouldn’t have ever tried to get back in the gym, he’s been there this whole time and I couldn’t be more grateful. Um, my coaches were so supportive of my comeback; my physical trainor, Adrian, who told me all the doctors were wrong and gave me the reality checks I needed; the whole Philadelphia Flyers roster and their families cheered me on the whole time, especially my boyfriend, Joel Farabee. My friends, my teammates, all of them pushed me where I needed to be,” you said, gratefully. 

“Thank you for your time, y/n. We wish you the best of luck this weekend,” the main announcer said to you before you went off to podium training. 

Marcus and Michelle had both told you only to warm up simplified versions of your routine, so that you could bring shock factor when you were actually performing. You had upgraded almost all of your tumbling back to where it was before injury, but no one needed to know that besides you and those in your gym. Podium training had gone very well, better than you had anticipated, so you were looking forward to how championships would go. 

As you packed up your gym bag and grabbed your phone, you saw all the messages you had from the Flyers group chat you had somehow found your way to. 

Bee: did you guys see that too?

Tiki Bar: if we are talking about the same thing, i think we did.

Patti Lapone: did she actually say nice things about us?

Kev: i really think the texas heat is getting to her already

G: she’s probably just feeling under the weather about competition, otherwise we might want to check if she is okay

Scotty: i think i misheard or i got hit in the head and didn’t realize it

Frosty: hell has frozen over

Bee: haha. frost. frozen. get it

Tiki Bar: beezer. 

G: i’ll make you do laps if you make another frost joke

Laughing at the texts in the group chat in reaction to your interview, you simply typed up a simple response: this is what i get when i’m nice, now you know why i’m not like this all the time. 

Luckily for you, you didn’t have to do any media after podium training, so you were able to leave whenever you wanted to. After checking with Marcus and Michelle, you made sure it was alright that you went off to go see Tyler and the rest of the guys. Assuming that they would be at practice, after changing out of your leo, you took the drive to the Stars practice facility.

Having come to Fort Worth so much for gymnastics and Dallas for a few hockey games, you had run into some of the Stars roster on multiple occasions. By the third time you had ran into them, and this time ran into was a very literal statement, you had exchanged social medias and most of the roster kept an eye out for any updates in your gymnastics career. During your recovery, the whole team constantly asked for updates about how you were and how gymnastics was going. 

Once you parked, you quietly made your way inside - not wanting to interrupt the practice. There were a few officials walking around, but most either paid you no mind or recognized you from times before you had been here. Walking towards the rink, your eyes settled on the boys doing laps for the last part of practice. It wasn’t until most of the guys were only talking and about to get off the ice that they noticed you. 

Tyler was the first to notice you, smiling and waving towards you, which caused most of the team to follow where he was looking and notice you. As the team headed to the locker room to change, you simply waited on one of the benches for them.

“I feel like you only came all this way to see my dogs,” Tyler said, making his way towards you. 

“No, I would never do such a thing, I obviously came here to say hi to you,” you stood up to give him a hug. 

“Mhm, whatever you say. Didn’t you have podium training today? How’d it go?”

“Well, it went pretty well actually. I did a few of my dismounts, but kept most of my landings safe just to be careful. But other than that everything went well.”

“As long as you kick ass tomorrow, I’m fine,” he said, honestly, “do you have anything else to do for the rest of the day or did you just come to say hi?”

“Well, I have no plans for the rest of the day, but I don’t want to intrude on any team plans.”

“You know you would never be intruding on anything with us, even if you are dating a Flyer,” Jamie O said from behind you. 

“God, Jamie, what the fuck? Where’d you come from?”

“Your mom’s house,” he said, earning a fist bump from Tyler. 

“I can’t even be upset, that was a good one,” you smiled as Jamie hugged you,”and don’t bring Joel into this.”

“My condolences.”

“Condolences? No one died?” you questioned.

“You are dating someone that plays for the Flyers,” Tyler said. 

“Damn, that’s harsh,” you replied. 

“Anyways, moving on. Me and a few other guys were coming over to mine for lunch and to hangout, if you want to come you are welcome to,” Tyler said to which you simply nodded. 

“Is that who I think it is?” another familiar voice rang out, causing you to whip your head around to see Roope and Jake heading your way. 

“Well, if you thought it was me, then you would be correct, my friend,” you retaliated. 

“I’m surprised they let you in here, considering you are dating a Flyer,” Otter said, jokingly. 

“Quit bringing the fact that I’m dating Bee into the conversation.”

“At least Nicole is in the safe zone,” Roope said, causing your eyes to widen, “y/n. What was that?”

“What was what?” you questioned as Roope simply narrowed his eyes.

“You did the thing.”

“What are you talking about, bestie?” 

“Oh, you have a habit of your face changing when you know something that will ruin the whole perspective or something or if you know a secret that will change the entire story. Very entertaining and concerning that you didn’t know,” Tyler added. 

“Um, well, didn’t expect to be psychoanalyzed by a bunch of hockey players today, but here we are.”

“Ok, I think we should head to mine and then, we can continue psychoanalyzing you,” Tyler suggested to which you all agreed. Roope, who had gotten a ride from Tyler in the morning, immediately hopped into your car as soon as you unlocked it. 

“What’s up with Nicole?” he asked as soon as you started driving. 

“What happened to hello? How are you?” you joked. 

“Listen, I’m asking now because I don’t want to talk about this with the guys there. But what did you mean?” he said, causing you to take a deep breath. It wasn’t like Roope and Nicole were ever together, but it was always an unspoken fling of sorts, that they never made official. 

“Look,-”

“Please, just tell me what’s happening,” he pleaded.

“Nicole and Nolan are sort of together,” you rushed out, causing a moment of silence to break out. You didn’t know what to expect as a reaction, considering they weren’t official and hadn’t really talked since the last time you and her were in Texas.

“Is she happy?” 

“Yeah, she’s happy.”

“Okay, that’s all I care about,” he said simply, which made your heart almost break for one of your closest friends. 

…..

Being able to spend time with some of your close friends that you hadn’t seen in a while was just what you needed to destress about championships. Maybe an intense game of uno with five of the most competitive people was exactly what some might call a destressor, but here you were. 

Tyler threw down his cards as he stood up dramatically, “no, because there is no way that a.) she already has an uno and that b.) all of you used your draw two cards against me.”

“Don’t be upset, Ty, that’s just how the game of uno is sometimes,” you replied, hiding a laugh. 

“Oh, shut up. I think you guys cheated,” Tyler accused. 

“I think you just don’t know how to play uno,” Jamie mumbled.

“Oh, yeah, real funny. I think you all teamed up against me and Jake dealt that way on purpose.”

“And we all think, you just can’t accept a loss in uno,” Roope added. 

“Fine, let’s settle this like men,” Tyler grabbed all the cards, attempting to shuffle them before accepting he couldn’t shuffle and handing them over to you to shuffle, “I’m watching you.”

“Oh, wow, so scared,” quickly shuffling them, doing a little bit more than usual to get Tyler off your case, you handed them back to him, “there you go.”

Another final round of uno, which ended up with you and Roope head to head as far as who would win, while Tyler had ended up with at least 15 cards to which Jamie was the first to speak up, “I think we should end here before someone gets hurt.”

“No, no, we’re fine. It’s fine. y/n, take your turn,” he said, eyes narrowing as he watched from beside you. Even if it was your last card, you dropped the draw 4, which made Tyler draw more cards. 

“Damn, that sucks,” you said, hiding a laugh. 

“What was that, y/n?” Tyler said.

“I said, damn, that sucks,” you repeated, watching Tyler closely as he stood up quickly once again, before practically chasing you. “Tyler, it’s just uno. Stop chasing me.”

“Oh, wow, ‘damn, that sucks’” Tyler mocked. 

As the other three watched, Jamie just grabbed the bowl of popcorn as they watched their friends running around chasing each other. “I see why we don’t play uno much,” Jake said. 

“Yep. Exactly. But no one listened when I advised against it,” Jamie said, taking a drink of his beer. 

“Tyler, watch yourself,” you said, as he stood on the opposite side of the couch. He started running one way, as you ran the other to avoid him, but he quickly sidestepped and caught up to you. Practically throwing you over his shoulder, he made his way out to the pool, “Tyler, let’s not do anything crazy here.”

“Oh, you mean like hold a draw four card until the end of the game,” Tyler said, as he tossed you into the deep end of his pool. 

“Children. Literal children,” Roope said, shaking his head, going to grab you a towel. 

Rising up from the water and quickly moving the hair out of your face, you swam over to where Tyler was, “hey, can you help me out?”

“Nah, I’m not falling for that one,” he stated. 

“Seriously, I won’t do anything right now, I promise,” you said, as you saw him reach his arm out to which you quickly grabbed and stood out of the pool. Walking towards Roope, who had grabbed you a towel, you turned back around to see Tyler still walking near the pool. Using this to your advantage, you ran and pushed Tyler into the pool. “Sorry, bestie,” you said, running to get the towel from Roope and running back in the house. 

After getting changed into one of Tyler’s extra shirts he had lying around, you were just hanging out with the guys when a familiar contact flashed on the screen to FaceTime, Jake who was right next to you immediately noticed, “ooh, better go talk to your man, y/n.”

“Shut the literal fuck up,” you called back, standing up to go the kitchen for privacy. Answering, you noticed that Joel was at Nolan and Kevin’s apartment, “were you that lonely without me, babe?”

“No, well maybe, but I’m helping them set up for the watch party tomorrow,” Joel said, taking a seat at their kitchen island, “how’d podium training go?”

“It went really well actually, I didn’t work the 3.5 just so that way I have something over their heads, you know. But other than that, it was all good. How are things at home?”

“Well, I mean no one is dead, which is always good. Um, debated getting a dog, my mom called, I told her about you. Uh, already told you about the watch party. I don’t think anything else interesting happened,” he said, shrugging as if he hadn’t just mentioned bringing you up to his mom. 

“Wait, you told your mom about me?”

“Well, she does follow me on Instagram, so after seeing the post she texted me asking and then she asked while we were on the phone. She wished you good luck, by the way. She’s  also visiting here with my dad in a few weeks and I’d really love it if you would meet them,” he said, shyly.

“Uh, yeah, yeah, of course,” you rushed out, hoping you didn’t sound as nervous as you were. 

“That sounded very unsure.”

“No, it’s fine. I just have never been at the spot in a relationship where I meet the parents, I’m just nervous. I don’t want to mess it up.”

“Babe, my mom already loves you, she was getting on my case about not telling her, but she already thinks very highly of you and I definitely hyped you up a little bit. You have nothing to worry about,” he reassured you, which made you smile. 

“Hey, y/n/n,” Kevin yelled. 

“Hey, Kev.”

“You were very nice in your interview today, it had all of us worried,” Kevin said, which caused you to roll your eyes in response. 

“Hey, I can be nice sometimes.”

“On very rare occasions, yes,” Joel added. 

“Whatever.” As you talked a little while longer with the guys, eventually Roope and Tyler had come in to say hi to everyone as well, which had you dying laughing as both of them gave the ‘you hurt her, we fly to Philly and hurt you’ talk that almost everyone had given him. 

Telling Joel you would call him back whenever you made it back to your hotel, you stayed with the guys for another couple of hours before heading back to your hotel. Nicole had spent most of the day after podium training resting and had met you in the hotel lobby when you got back.  

“So,- “ she didn’t even have to finish her sentence before you knew what she was saying. 

“Roope is doing good, he said he hopes things are going well,” you said, watching as a small smile crept up her face. 

“Well, good to know. Did you know KD is also staying at this hotel?”

“Well, considering this is the host hotel and most competitors are here, I am not all that shocked.”

“Yeah, but you probably didn’t know she’s legit a few rooms away from us, did ya?”

“No, guess not,” you said, “how’d you find that one out?”

“Well, let me set the scene for you. I go to get ice and then I hear her talking with, uh, whatever her name is, Callie or Carly, it starts with a C. Anyways, they were talking about you and me and how our skills have been less than recently and all this stuff about you not catching up to where you were - which I found so fucking funny because who has won gold at the past few meets? Not her. Anyways, all is fair in the sport of gymnastics, but I’m just excited to see her reaction to you doing the 3.5.”

“Damn, no pressure there, Nic.”

“Okay, but the thing is, you have the skill,” Nicole said, as you got into the elevator. “You have it down. It’s all up here, in your cranium,” she said, pointing to your head. 

“Alright, let’s just go to bed now,” you said, slowly removing her hand and opening the door to your hotel room. 

…..

“Hello everyone and welcome to Day One of the 2021 US Gymnastics Championships. We are very excited to see how today’s competition goes as this competition will decide who makes it onto the National Team and who will qualify for Olympic Trials,” Joel heard the announcer say as he made his way to sit with everyone in the living room. 

“Did you talk to her this morning?” Claude asked from beside him. 

“Yeah, usual pre-comp anxieties. Nolan talked to her and Nicole to give the usual pep talk and then we talked for a while on their way to the arena,” Joel answered, looking back to the TV to see you prepping for bars, “she said podium training went well, but Kathryn was talking shit, so all I know is she better kick her ass.”

“You know she will, it happens everytime. She gets in her head and still does amazing, just a casual Tuesday,” Scott added. 

“It’s not Tuesday?” Travis questioned.

“Yes, I know,” Scott said, confusing everyone. 

“Alright, moving on,” Joel reiterated. 

“And starting on bars, we have y/n y/l/n. Now if you remember, less than a year ago, y/n was injured at another competition doing a beam dismount that she might be competing in today’s competition. She is definitely one to watch as she has a reputation of scoring high in these meets, before and after her return. Her teammate, Nicole Carter, will be following up.”

Joel watched as you stepped away from the chalk box to start your routine, he watched intently as you jumped from the springboard to reach the high bar. He watched intently as you went through your routine. Release skills. Giants. Pirouettes. More release skills. More giants. Dismount. Stuck landing. 

“A great start to Day 1 for y/n, who seems pretty proud of how that routine went,” the announcer said, “rotation two will be beam, where we might see that 3.5 twist, which is currently in the process of being named by Kathryn Davis, who was the first to compete it at a major competition. Now the question everyone is wondering is will we see this skill from y/n today?”

“She’s doing it. Fucking dumbass,” Joel grumbled at the announcer. 

“Damn, Beezer, tell them how you really feel,” Travis replied, as everyone else laughed at Joel’s behavior before watching Nicole compete. Nicole’s routine ended with a stuck landing, the camera following her as she made her way off the platform and hugged you before the two of you did your secret handshake.

Knowing the next event was beam, Joel waited as other competitors did their routines as you were warming up. He knew this moment would make or break how the rest of the meet went and with this only being your second event, it needed to go well. 

Everyone watched anxiously as you saluted the judges, shaking your hands out before you reached to mount the beam. You took a deep breath before actually starting your routine. Starting the beginning choreography, you kept your movements sharp and clean. All the skills in your routine were sharp - doing this so if the dismount didn’t go well, it hopefully wouldn’t affect your score too much. 

Joel had memorized your routines, knowing you were approaching your dismount, he saw your movements become slightly hesitant. Watching as you did a quick pivot on the beam to prep for the dismount, he watched you take a deep breath. 

“C’mon, babe. You got it,” he said, and by whatever power was listening he watched your lips twitch up to a smile as you started your dismount. Going for the round-off and starting the twists, you did the three and a half twists, opening up to find your landing, and stuck your dismount. Joel’s smile grew even more when he saw how happy you were with your routine.

The rest of Day 1 of Championships went well for both you and Nicole; the two of you ending in the first and place spot in all around, with Kathryn following close behind. After the competition, both of you had your media conferences before you made your way back to the hotel. As both of you checked your phone, you saw the multiple notifications from various social medias.

“Dude, did you see what Ryanne posted?” Nicole asked, a look on her face that you couldn’t easily recognize. 

“No, hold on,” you opened Instagram to see she had tagged you in multiple posts on her instagram story: starting off with a picture of all the guys wearing a jersey with your and Nicole’s name on it, a picture of all the guys watching warms ups intently, a video of Joel and Travis debating the name of a skill from Nicole’s routine (Travis was right), a video of Joel watching you do your beam routine and cheering you on right as you go for your dismount, and then a video of everyone cheering as you and Nicole as they announced the end of day 1.

…..

After falling asleep with Joel on FaceTime, you woke up to your 6am alarm to get ready for Day 2 of championship, Joel - who had told you he would wake up with you - was still sound asleep. Getting you and Nicole an apple from the lobby, you talked to a few of your competitors and a few fans before heading back to yours and Nicole’s room. 

“Wake up, bitch, it’s Day 2 of Championships,” you said, jumping to lay next to Nicole on her bed.

“Leave me to die here, I don’t want to go. USAG can suck a homeless man’s dick,” she mumbled into the pillow. 

“That’s truly something, wait til the media teams hear about that one,” you joked, only to get a glare sent your way. 

“You know what? You can suck on one, too,” she responded, pulling the blanket over her head. 

“Well at least, there's less competition,” to which she quickly peaked out of the blanket.

“Oh, you wish. We’re neck and neck this time, so we’ll see who gets bragging rights.”

“Well if you don’t get out of bed, then we’ll never know,” you said, to which she only sent a glare your way. 

“Do we really have to get up and compete today? Do you think we could petition to reschedule?”

“I mean, I’m sure if we talked to people, we’d get a lot of signatures, but I don’t think it would go over well,” you said, grabbing your garment bag that held your leo for today, “I’m going to go get ready because I know if we end up talking to Joel and Nolan first, we won’t be ready in time.”

After you got ready, both you and Nicole got your pep talk from Nolan and Bee. On the way to the arena, both of you got a bunch of good luck messages - not just from your friends and family, but also from teammates and even some from most of the Stars roster. You had a feeling in your gut that today would be a good day. 

….. 

“Alright folks, Day 2 of Championships have been off to a great start and are about to come to a close. With Nicole Carter in first with a 57.605 All-Around score and Kathryn Davis in second with a 57.1, Cassie Riley in third with a 56.2, it comes down to the final rotations. y/n y/l/n is one of the last to go on floor today, who will need a score of at least a 13.5 to get first,” the announcer said. 

“And compared to her average score, this will be easily attainable. If she scores at least a 14.5, she’ll be first overall for both days of competition. She already has a for sure spot at Trials, even when you don’t consider scores. As long as she is able to hit all elements of this routine, she’ll be fine,” another announcer said. 

“Ok, you’re good, you just have to hit this routine and there’s no doubt you’ll make it to where you want to be. Deep breaths, Twinkle Toes,” Marcus said. 

Walking up the platform to get up to the floor, you took your spot at the edge of the floor, ready to salute the judge, and get the last meet of championships out of the way. After anxiously waiting, the judge finally saluted. Entering the floor with a determined walk, you took your spot waiting for the familiar sound of your floor music to ring out.

That familiar feeling of doing the sport you loved, once again, rushed through your veins. Block everything out and complete the routine, that’s all you had to do. Going to your starting pose, the music started. Going through the familiar motions of your routine, you stuck your first tumbling pass. Then came the leaps and jump sequence and all that was in between, with the additional three tumbling passes. 

You didn’t give yourself a chance to overthink about your routine, you knew that it wouldn’t benefit you in any way, but as you stepped off the floor you knew that you did what you could. As soon as you made it back to where Marcus and Nicole were sitting, you waited to see what your score was. 

Joel and everyone watching at home watched as you sat down to see what your score was. He had this dopey grin gracing his features from the amount of pride he felt in that moment. He didn’t care what your score was, he knew you had put whatever you could out on the mat. He listened to Travis for a moment until the announcer started up again for scores and awards, “and y/n y/l/n pulled through with the score that she needed, a 14.9 on floor. She placed first in All-Around, Carter following right behind, and Davis in third. If all goes this well at trials, I’d say we have a lot of good representation for the Olympic Games.”

…..

After the meet and countless amount of interviews both you and Nicole were extremely worn out and had both passed out on the flight back. As you and Nicole stepped out of the terminal, you were met with the familiar faces of your friends and family. You smiled as you saw Bee for the first time in a few days and despite how tired you were, you couldn’t stop yourself from running to him. 

He immediately caught you and did the cliche spin (the one you swore you would never do) before pulling you into a regular hug, “I’m so proud of you, babe. You have no idea.”

“Thank you. I surprisingly missed you,” you joked, laughing harder when Joel pulled you away slightly to catch a glimpse of your face. 

“Wow, aren’t I glad I was blessed with such a nice girlfriend? It’s crazy.”

“Absolutely insane.”

“Preposterous.”

“Can the two of you shut the fuck up?” Kevin asked, coming over to give you a hug, “you did good out there, y/n/n. You also kept all your bones intact, I’m proud.”

“Shut the fuck up, Kev.”

“Okay, aside from you getting onto Kev and Bee, I missed you, too,” Karly said from beside Travis. 

“I kinda did, too. You did amazing though, y/n/n. I’m proud,” Travis said. 

“Thank you, thank you. All in a hard day's work,” you said, shrugging. 

“Dude, you might want to go back to Beezer, he looks like a lost puppy watching you talk to us,” Travis pointed out, nodding in Joel’s direction who smiled when you caught his eye. 

“Yeah, not a shocking development,” you said, before walking back in Joel’s direction, “hey, Bee.”

“Hey, honey,” he said, wrapping his arms around you again, “you ready to go home?”

“Yeah, of course,” you leaned up to kiss his cheek. 

“Ew, guys. Get a room,” Kevin called out, fake gagging. 

[jjfics]

Rosemary and Thyme - On The Run | 02

ship: Five Hargreeves x Female!Reader 

summary: The Reader has killed someone and now the Hargreeves and her have to hide. So they look for shelter in the only place they know would welcome them: The Reader’s former employer. 

series: read part 1 here

author: jane jack aka your girl jjfics 

words: 3250 

warnings: mentions of death, murder, blood and homelesness, feelings of uncertainty and anxiety, flashbacks, angst, guns, allusion to smut (does not happen though, i’ve cut it right before), smoking 

a/n: i definitely did not expect it to be seen. i know 100 notes is not a lot, but i think i did pretty well for my second imagine out there, huh. thanks guys, for reading. i hope this one is just as great (or who knows, maybe better?). let me know if anyone would like a part 3. -jj

tags: @nimusicaltrash​ :3

Vanya and Allison were asleep in the backseat. Klaus, cramped between them, waved around a magazine he picked up from the last gas station you stopped at. Luther and Diego were discussing plans in the back, on the second row of seats. 

Five took the passenger seat, he was very tired from all the driving. He refused to make any stops at all until it was absolutely necessary. The dark circles around his eyes begged him to sleep, but he couldn’t. All he could feel was stress and desperation. I have to get my family to safety, he would think. 

Your now clean hands were clenched around the wheel of the car. The city was getting closer every moment and you unconsciously pressed harder on the gas pedal.

“Hey, hey! Careful there, I can’t read well when you go that fast” Klaus whined and you sighed. Right.

You saw Five look at his watch as he started bumping his right foot anxiously. Just a couple of metres away stood the “Welcome to Dallas” board.

“On time?” you ask, trying not to panic.

“Exactly on time” he reassures you with a nod. “Are you ready?” Ready? You were terrified.

“You’ll be okay. I’ll come inside with you, just in case.”

“What do you think old John can do to harm me?” 

John was your boss in the 60s. Your salvation. He was mesmerized by your voice that day at the bakery, and he kept asking people around until he found you. It was your second night sleeping under the open sky, and little did you know it was all going to change. He made you a star. One makeover later and a lot of clothing stores you basically swapped lives with Allison. He let you live in the apartment above the club. 

And he was probably also six feet under right now. 

“Oh I wouldn’t be worried about him.” Five replies sarcastically. “Maybe he has a son. Whoever is in charge of the place, might be an issue for us.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just… What if he won’t cooperate? What if he won’t understand, or worse, give us to the police…” after he said that, he looked zoned out for a moment, as if he was going through all the possible ways your plan could fail. 

If the police found you, you would be going straight to jail. There was no doubt that the Hargreeves could pay for your bail. So no worries with the police, really. But you were never going to be a free woman. The Commission would search for you, and if you killed one of them again, they would send new men after you until they made sure you were gone for good. As gone as the one you saw bleed to death. 

You put your hand on his knee as you turned left onto the main street. If the club was still standing it should be just around the corner. 

His attention switched back to you and he scoffed quietly. “Look at us. Just a couple of hours ago you were the one having a panic attack and now it’s my turn.”

A small smile appeared on your face. “We’re a team, remember?” And he mirrored the expression just before you parked the car. 

“Alright everybody, listen up!” he shouts so that everyone would turn and look at him. The sisters woke up too. They were all on the same train now. “Me and y/n are going to walk inside this club and arrange something so we’ll sleep safely for tonight. Vanya is going to wait in the car, ready to drive away and help us escape. Diego and Luther will wait outside. Got it?” Diego raised an eyebrow but Five continued “Just in case anything happens. You never know.” 

“I’ll wait with them, I need to breathe some fresh air” Allison said as she stretched her arms as far as she could in the small van. 

“Alright then” Five said, looking at the main entrance of the club through the passenger window. “Let’s get to this y/n” he gave you a small smile. 

You searched for his hand and squeezed it gently. 

The doors of the car closed behind you two as you got out of the car. Diego, Luther and Allison were pretending they were just locals talking about what not, getting closer to the big glass doors. When they stopped walking Diego turned a bit to the left and started laughing. This was it, your sign to go. 

“Hey, be safe, okay? Leave as soon as anything gets out of hand. We can find some other place to stay at.” Vanya told you when you were ready to get out of the car. Your best friend was worried about you, of course. She is always a bit anxious. But you had no other choice.

On the way here you were mentioned 8 times on the radio. You and the Hargreeves. Wanted criminals. This was your only chance to find shelter. If this didn’t work, you couldn’t really find some other place. You would pretty much have to sleep in the car or on the streets. No, impossible, you couldn’t go through that again. 

“We’ll be fine Vivi.” She chuckles sadly at the nickname you gave her in the early stages of your friendship. 

“Klaus, hand me that magazine! It’s my turn” Vanya said while tapping her fingers on the steering wheel.  

“Ah, fine.” he whined. “Turn on the radio.”

Hand in hand with Five you made your way to the front hall of the club, heading towards the bar, which was on a platform just above the empty dance floor. You took your sunglasses off as you sat on one of those black stools at the bar. Same leather like 50 years ago. It felt surreal to be here again, with Five sitting next to you. 

“What are you doing so early? And with a kid? There ain’t no party yet ms.” you couldn’t help but smile as you recognized the southern drawl. You pushed your foot on the floor and rotated the chair. There she was, with her hair pinned up the same way as always, wearing short heels that matched her dark lipstick. It had been so long since you had seen her. 

Amy Stephens, your boss John’s little sister. She should be 74 by now, and even though she was just 17 when you started working at the club, you still knew who she was. Amy was the only friend you had during those months when you were alone. You showed her how to do her make up, you went shopping together when you needed new stage outfits, you taught her how to fight, something John would’ve scolded you for if he found out.

“Hello.” you said looking kindly at your old friend. “I’m not here for any party. I’m just looking for someone.”

“Oh well, let’s see if I can be of any help to ya. What you got?” 

“Do you happen to know a Stephens?” Five asked her. 

“Stephens? Yeah, yeah, that’s me kid. With what business are you coming here?” she questioned resting her arm on her hip. 

“Are you in charge of the place?” you said putting your glasses in the pocket of your jacket.

“Sure am. Can I help you?” 

“Yeah… we… uh… a friend told us you used to give the apartment for rent? Is that… still available?” You didn’t quite know how to carry the conversation without blowing your cover. 

“Ah, yes. It’s been a long time since anyone slept in there. You knew the famous y/n Hargreeves used to live here?” Five suppressed a smile, winking at you, but the woman didn’t notice. “Do you kids even know her? You look young. Anyways, popular singer back in 62. Or was it 63?” she muttered.

“Big fans” Five told her.

Your name wasn’t Hargreeves, of course, but you had no certificate when your boss found you. So you did everything you could to associate yourself with Five and his siblings in hope you might find them.

“Would you be interested in staying here?”

“Yes, that’d be really nice” Five said eagerly.

“Follow me, I’ll show you around.” 

The door to your old apartment opened and little dust particles could be seen floating in the morning light. Amy pushed the wooden door with her shoulder and walked inside. 

“My God, we haven’t been in here since Ms Hargreeves moved out. Seems like she really was our last tenant” she whispered, but you heard her well. “But don’t worry children, the place is clean. There’s two bedrooms and a bathroom, a small kitchen and a balcony. Come come”. You knew that grin, it meant the apartment has probably been rotting ever since you left.

She led you to the bedroom that wasn’t used when you lived here. “See, two rooms, perfect for you and the kid, huh” She tried to convince you. Five chuckled and put his arm around your waist when she turned around to walk to the main bedroom.

“And this… this is the second one. There’s still a luggage full of her stuff under the bed but I can get rid of that for ya.” she slapped her hand on the mattress and more dust came out of it. “So what you thinkin’? You like it here?”

“Oh that's not a problem girl, bring them in. As long as you don’t make too much noise after 11 pm, we’re all good.”

You shared a look with Five to tell him This is the best we could do. He nodded and you both turned to look at Amy who was now staring uncomfortably at the two of you. Yeah, you would have to hide your relationship around her. He moved his hand casually and then you spoke again. “Yes, this is quite what we were looking for. But it’s not just us. We’ll be 7, including me, my boyfriend and his 5 siblings.” 

“Isn’t there noise from the party downstairs anyways at that hour?” Five asked her. The expression on Amy’s face changed as she looked down. 

“The party huh… you’re not from here are ya? Well, I was just joking earlier, kid. When y/n Hargreeves left the club, the people got angry. She was the main reason why people still came. Most stopped coming after some time, it simply wasn’t smart to keep the club partying. Now it’s nothing more than a property.” 

They… went bankrupt, because you stopped showing up? You knew people loved you, but John never told you you were the one holding up their business. A tear rolled down your cheek. All that fame, all the posters. You had bleached your hair when you returned to 2019 and you wore sunglasses everywhere. No one could know who you were. Some get their 30 seconds of fame, you got your year. One year could mean your whole life sometimes. 

You were laying on Elliot’s couch with the phone pressed between your ear and shoulder as you were trying to take off your coat. Five reached to help you mouhting I got it. He took your coat to the hanger and then disappeared into the kitchen. 

“Hello, this is John Stephens speaking.” 

“Hi, John. It’s just me, y/n. I- uh, I’m calling from a friend's house. I think I’m going to spend the night. Just thought it’ll be fine for you to know in advance.” 

“y/n, yes. So, what you’re saying is... that you won’t be here in time for tonight’s show?” he said anxiously. You didn’t know this at the time, but he was worried about losing profit.

“No no, I just- I would really want to hang out with my friend and it’ll be just for tonight.”

Gosh, you were reasoning with him as if he were your dad.

“Oh,come on, Hargreeves. Not even one song?”

You laughed at how disparate he was. “Sorry. Not even one. I’ll be gone til morning. But I’m sure no one will miss me that much. Besides, you can always ask Amy to sing. She’s been getting better. For real, John. That girl has potential.”

“There ain’t no well in hell I’m letting my sister get up in front of all these drunks to sing. She’s just 17, woman!” 

You couldn’t stop laughing now. “Goodnight, John. I’ll- Well I’ll see you on Monday if we don’t run into each other.”

“Have a nice evening, y/n” 

You hung up the phone and rose from the couch. When entering the kitchen you saw Five pouring coffee in two big mugs. You went and hugged him from behind, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. You could feel him smiling as you kissed him again. He took the mugs and turned around to face you leaning on the counter.

“Did you miss me?” he asked innocently, making you giggle. 

You leaned in and kissed him. You could still taste the coffee on his lips. He kissed you back and you felt him smirk as you laced your hands behind his neck. 

“Did I miss you?” you asked him back rhetorically. And you could see how eager he was to meet your lips again. You gave him a quick peck on the lips, and one on his shoulder, and then you hugged him tightly. “I did. A lot.” 

“I know what it’s like to be alone. I promise you, we won’t have to go through that again. I’ll try everything I can do to be together forever.” 

“Forever?” you asked.

“Assuming you won’t kick me out, of course.” You smacked his arm.

“Idiot.” you said between laughs. “Give me one of those mugs.” 

He hands you your coffee and you take a sip. “Black?”

“We have a lot to talk about,” he said.  

You both sat back on the couch and went over anything and everything. How you got famous. Where the others were. How he just arrived. What he saw. How long everyone had been here. 

“How long do we have?” you asked, searching for his eyes. 

He leaned back on the couch. “A lot more than last time. Enough time to find out what causes it, and more importantly, how to stop it.” 

You smiled at his words. After all this time, you were finally reunited, and no one was rushing you now. You had nothing to lose anymore, except time. Your hands unconsciously inched towards his thigh and you traced small hearts on his leg. “That means we can breathe safely for a while, right?”

Five brought you closer to him, straddling him now. He brushed your hair behind your ear so you could see him better. Your fingers explored his face carefully. The bump of his nose, his cheeks, his dimples as he grinned at you. Gosh, how you had missed his dimples. You missed everything about him. 

“We have almost one full year,” he said. 

“Then we better make the best of it, right?” you said as your lips brushed against his. 

He laid his head on the fluffy cushions and you followed, not breaking eye contact. His blue eyes scanned yours and your soul ran wild. You towered over him and pressed your forehead on his. Suddenly, the sound of the cars outside stopped and it all went silent. In this moment, there was only you and him. And this moment would exist forever.

You had to make up for all the time you were apart. You kissed him passionately, closing your eyes. His hands flowed along your curves and rested on your hips, pressing you hard on his chest. The kiss tasted like his favourite kind of coffee. Every movement of yours was matched instantly by him. He didn’t need words to know. Neither did you. 

Five pulled away for a second, looking at you lovingly, desire clear in his eyes. He took your left hand in his and shifted you so that you were laid on your back. He sat on his elbows just above your head. Your hands hugged his shoulders, getting him to slowly bend down. You could feel your eyes fill with tears as you watched him watch you. A flash of worry appeared on his face, but just for a moment. 

Five wiped your cheeks with the back of his palm, and kissed your cheeks. You kissed his hand and he kissed yours back, his hot breath fanning over your sensitive skin. His kisses started to travel upwards, to your elbow, then shoulder, then neck, then down again. You closed your eyes as his kisses passed your collarbone. He tugged softly on your shirt. 

“May I?” he hummed with a boyish smirk you hadn’t seen in a long while. You nodded, brushing his hair back.

“Yes, please.” you flushed.

He started unbuttoning your shirt, enjoying every second of it. With every button, he would press one more kiss. With every breath, you would inhale his sweet scent, praying to never forget it.

The morning was cold. Diego and Lila were asleep in the bedroom, Elliot on an armchair. Oh, the poor man couldn't even sleep in his own bed. Five was on the couch, next you. You pushed the blanket closer to him and got up after pecking his forehead. 

“Goodmorning, y/n.” he whispered, not even bothering to open his eyes. 

“Morning, Five.” 

“Where are you going?” he whined.

“Oh don’t worry, I’ll be right back”

You searched for your shirt and pants only to find them underneath your pillow. Getting dressed up in a hurry, you covered your shoulders with what seemed to be another blanket… or a really long scarf. Either way, it was warm enough. You reached for a cigarette in your pocket and made your way outside. 

You sat on the cold stairs that led up to the entrance of the building and watched the people pass the alley. 

“Look at them, rushing to get to their shitty jobs in time, to get their kids to school, rushing, rushing, rushing.” you scoffed under your breath.

“Good thing we don’t have to rush anywhere, right?” a voice startled you. You turned your head to the door to see Five already dressed nicely with a mug of, probably, coffee again. How convenient it could be for him sometimes to jump through space. Always a step ahead of you.

“That's not healthy.” he pointed at your cigarette. 

“That’s not either” you said gesturing to his drink and he chuckled, amused.

“Yeah, well, at least I won’t get sick” he sat down, resting his head on your shoulder. 

“We can’t have that happen. Even a cold can be deadly for an old man like you.” You bumped your cigarette on the side of his mug smiling. “Cheers” 

Making your way back to the car you saw everyone was outside. 

“Vanya why are you not in the car?” Five asked immediately.

“It just took too long and I was worried.”

“Is it so hard to just stick to the rules? Is it? All you had to do was sit there.” he sighed.

Everyone looked worried, so you smiled softly. “We got the key guys, it’s all good. Let’s go upstairs, I’m tired.”

“Thank, God.” Allison said so relaxed, unaware of the gun pointing at her from behind a tree nearby. She walked to the club’s doors. “Let’s go.”

[bqstqnbruin]

Protection

I just want to say that his roster pics do not do him justice. But this was requested like A WEEK ago but as mentioned I’m the worst. I also had a really weird week emotionally and I’m still not sure what happened other than a lot of crying but oh well ? Please let me know what you think! Hopefully I get into more a rhythm with writing requests!

_______________________

“Staring at your drink isn’t going to give you the answer,” Tyler teases you. 

“Well, it’s not like I’m going to find the answer any way!” you squeal, your voice high in frustration. 

“Babe, it’s fine, they’re being assholes.” Roope wraps his arm around your waist, pulling him closer to you, kissing your cheek.

“Yes, I know that. But what’s the answer?”

“42,” Tyler says, the guys laughing, Jamie smacking him in the chest for saying something so ridiculous. 

You just stare at him with your mouth open, “You’ve got be kidding. How is the answer a fucking number?” Everyone bursts out in a loud laugh, everyone around you starting to stare at the scene you’re causing as a group. “Can I smack him? Am I allowed to do that?” you look to Roope, him beaming at you.

“I’ll get him for you at practice.” 

“Ok, kid, you try,” Tyler smirks. 

Roope shrugs, pulling you closer, mirroring the smirk on Tyler’s face, “If it’s for my girl.” He was so protective over you, but not in an overbearing way. You loved it, actually, having someone watching over you. You were free to be your own person, but if you needed some Roope was there when you asked. 

“Y/N, let’s go get something else to drink,” Katie says, prying you away from Roope and the boys, leaving them to ask each other as many dumb questions as they want. She pulls you to the bar, your hand probably about to break hers from the grip you had on her so that you wouldn’t get separated. The bar was crowded and loud, you only knew the guys and their girlfriends, and you really didn’t want to get to know anyone else tonight. “So, it seems like things with Roope are going pretty well?” she asks once you both make it to an opening at the bar.

You can’t help but blush at the sound of his name. You had been together for about four months; the relationship was just new enough that you still seemed to be in that honeymoon phase, but you had been together long enough that it seemed like it was going to stick. At least for a while. You hoped. “Yeah, it’s amazing. He’s amazing.” 

“Jamie even said that he’s been playing better since he started dating you. The guys think you’re their good luck charm.” 

“I doubt that,” you laugh.

“No, I’m serious!” Katie insists, “When was the last time you saw them lose when you’re at a game? Jamie only wants me to go to games when he knows you’re going to be there because otherwise, he’s sure they’ll lose.”

“See, Roope only wants me to go to games when he knows you’re going to be there.” You both stop for a minute. “Hockey players are so weird.” 

You both start cracking up until the bartender gets your attention. “Vodka cran for me and Corona for her, we’re with that group over there,” Katie tells him, pointing back to the guys. One of the guys had drunkenly offered to pick up everyone’s tab last time you all went out, and Roope got him saying it on camera. The guys’ goal that night was to make him regret it. 

“Put the Corona on my tab.” You turn around to see this guy leaning up against the bar behind you. He was cute, sure, but he was no Roope. 

“Oh, no, I’m covered already, but thank you,” you say, telling the bartender, turning back to Katie. 

“You have to tell me though-” Katie starts.

“No, I insist. I can’t let you pay for that drink,” the guy interrupts.

“Don’t worry. I’m not the one paying for this.” You hold the drink up to him, before turning back to Katie. “What were you saying?”

“What weird stuff does Roope do before he leaves for a game?” she asks.

“Oh, c’mon,” the guy says behind you, again. Why isn’t he getting the message that you’re not interested? You give Katie a worried look, her just shaking her head and rolling her eyes. “I’m Tristan.” 

“That’s nice. I’m talking to my friend though, sorry,” you say, pulling Katie away from the bar. “Do we go back to the guys or just away from him?” you whisper to her, not really sure where to go.

“Let’s find the guys. If he sees you with Roope all over you, he might leave you alone.” You lead Katie back to the booth where you left the guys, only to find them gone. “Those idiots left?” she nearly screams, causing some people to turn and stare. “They had one job! They weren’t supposed to leave us!”

“Technically, we didn’t tell them not to leave the booth, and we left them, to begin with,” you point out. “But where the hell did they go? They left so much of their crap here.” You pick up Roope’s jacket that was on the seat, putting it on because you were cold anyway. “I guess we can just sit here and wait for them to come back.”

“The fact that you just put his jacket on!” Katie gushes, taking out her phone, hopefully to text Jamie.

“I’m cold, Roope would have put it on me anyway.” 

“Nice outfit change,” praying the familiar voice was that of one of the guys. You tear your eyes away from Katie to see Tristan standing at the table. “Mind if I sit?”

“Yes,” you and Katie say in unison, as he decides to sit anyway.

You whip out your phone, hoping to find a message from Roope telling you the guys went somewhere within the bar. With Katie still on her phone, and you not wanting Tristan to ask more questions, you send her ‘Anything from Jamie???’

‘No, I’m gonna go find them.’

‘NO! Please don’t leave me with him!’

You text Roope an SOS text, only to feel a vibration in the pocket of his jacket. ‘My dumbass left his phone here. Get Jamie or Tyler to tell him to get here ASAP please!’ you send to Katie, trying your hardest to ignore whatever it is Tristan is babbling about, him moving closer and closer to you as you try to inch away. 

“So are you from the area?” Tristan asks. You can feel his hand getting closer to your thigh as he tries to lean in, probably so he can ‘hear you better,’ as you can imagine he would try to claim.

“Yeah.” 

“Where do you live?”

“Around.” 

“With your friend here?” he motions to Katie, who is still on her phone trying to get a hold of the boys.

“No.” 

“So do you live by yourself?” His hand is inching closer and closer to your leg. No matter how much you squirm away from him, he still tries to get closer.

“No, I live with my boyfriend,” you lie. He doesn’t need to know you don’t actually live with Roope. But who cares?

“Boyfriend? You don’t have a boyfriend,” he says confidently, his hand finding his way onto your thigh.

You push him off, practically jumping into Katie as you can feel the anger inside you boiling up, “Excuse me? Who are you to tell me I don’t have a boyfriend?” Katie gets out of the booth, pulling you with her as Tristan does the same, following the two of you.

“If you had a boyfriend, he would be with you right now.” He follows you, trying to grab onto the hand that’s holding your drink.

Katie leads you through the bar, twisting through the people for what seems like forever, trying to lose Tristan but not succeeding in the meantime. You finally think you see one of the guys, towering over the rest of the people. 

“Is that Jamie over there?” you point to the back near the wall, looking for the blonde mess of hair that would be Roope.

“Oh, thank god,” you hear Katie let out, Tristan still following you and asking you about your boyfriend. All you can do is try to ignore him once you get up to Jamie. “Where’s Roope?” Katie asks him, not letting go of your hand, Tristan a few feet behind.

“He should be with Tyler,” Jamie says, scanning the area for the two. He takes Katie’s free hand, leading the two of you like toddlers through the bar over to Tyler and Roope. 

You let go of Katie’s hand, feeling tears start to form in your eyes once you see Roope, knowing Tristan is still behind you. You practically run into Roope, wrapping your arms around him in a tight hug, as he does the same. “Babe, are you ok?” 

“Please always have your phone with you when we’re out, especially if you and the other idiots decide to wander,” you tell him, taking his phone out of his jacket pocket, which lights up with your text message from earlier. 

“What’s this?”

“No, it’s fine now that I’m with you.”

“There’s a guy bothering you?” You can see the anger in his eyes, Tyler and Jamie rushing over once they heard Roope’s voice.

“It’s fine, I promise.” 

It wasn’t fine. Because who else but Tristan would show up, “This guy bothering you, hun?”

“Uh, no. I think you’re bothering my girlfriend, actually.” Roope walks right up to him, Jamie and Tyler behind him. With all three of them being over six feet, Tristan seemed so small as they towered over him. 

“Roope, do not.” You sandwich your way between Roope and Tristan, trying to get Roope to look at you. You know he wants to hit him. It was the protective part of him that was taking over him, especially once he read the SOS text. The last thing you needed was for him to get into a fight and get all of you kicked out of the bar. “He’s not worth it.” 

“Excuse me?” you hear Tristan say, “I’m not worth it?” 

“No. You’re not. You have been nothing but a creep this entire night, even when I said I have a boyfriend,” you start to get mad yourself, Roope’s arm snaking around your waist to try to calm you down. “So unless you want to get into a fight with three of the Dallas Stars, I would suggest you leave.” 

Tristan does as you demand, his eyes wide open as he runs away from you and the guys. “I can’t believe I just did that,” you spit out, turning to Roope and practically crumbling in his arms. 

“I want to go after him.”

“No. Stay here with me. Take it out on Tyler next practice,” you joke, referring to earlier.

“I don’t think I want him to anymore,” Tyler says, backing away from the two of you, the guys laughing around you.

[jawritter]

The Arrangement

Part 7

Summery: You are a young girl that was raised in a small church in Dallas, TX. One of the only churches left in the state that still practices arranged marriages. When your betrothed ran off to California you thought you'd escape the fate you were trained for ever since a small child. Now upon the death your parents your fate seemed to be inescapable as he's returned, and is ready to take you as his bride.

Book Warnings: Arranged marriage, loss of virginity, smut, unprotected sex, angst, language, suicide attempt, battles with anxiety, struggles with mental illness, age gap (about 11 years), I think that’s it, chapters will have warnings of their own!

Chapter Warnings: Hints of anxiety on the readers part, getting settled in, I think that’s pretty much it, this one is pretty mild.

Word Count: 1541

A/N: This book is a book about Christian and church based arranged marriages, I would like to take this moment to say that I DO NOT have ANYTHING against the Chirstian faith, and mean absolutely no harm to anyone! Especially Jensen’s family! This is a complete work of fiction, and should be treated as such!

Beta’d by the amazing @deanwanddamons who was awesome enough to do all this for me! It was a lot of work, and she deserves all the praise for it!!

Pairing: Jensen Ackles x Reader

Want More? Check Out My Masterlist!!

***MASTERLIST***

***SERIES MASTERLIST***

You and Jensen  had been at the B&B for two days. The day after your wedding Jensen spent the day pampering, and cuddling you, not letting you cook, not letting you do much of anything, except lay there in each other's arms and watch TV.

Well, what little bit of time he didn't have you otherwise preoccupied with his lips. Which if you were being completely honest you didn't mind even a little bit.

He hadn’t left you alone for even one minute, even took a shower with you this morning. You thought you had successfully beaten him awake, but he slipped right in behind you, wrapping his arms around your waist, and continued to pamper you. Showing you things about yourself you didn’t even know. 

It was almost amazing, the way he could play your body like a fine tuned instrument, and you didn’t think you’d ever get tired of the feeling you got everytime he touched you.

Last night, before you'd gone to bed Jensen had told you that today you were going to go back to Austin to the home that he had there.

You were grateful that you weren't being dragged to California, but you were also grateful to get away from Dallas.

You wanted to leave all the hurt that the memories of your hometown brought behind. You wanted to start over with Jensen, to create the real marriage he was talking about, maybe have a little family of your own, even if he didn't want to have children, as long as you had him, that was all you needed.

You'd been up for a few hours, and had packed everything and placed it by the door, everything that you could anyway, leaving Jensen out a change of clothes and his bathroom bag so that he could get dressed when he got up.

You had, had two days off of being a wife, which was now your main duty and concern, and it was time to start doing what you knew you were supposed to do. Provide a comfortable living environment for your husband.

Watching the pile of covers move up and down with each of Jensen's deep breaths, you couldn't help but smile as you watched him sleep through the door you had left open.Sitting at the small bar in the middle of the kitchen you could hear the distant, soft sounds of his snoring filtering into the kitchen from the bedroom.

In just two days, he’d managed to make you fall in love with him. You don't know when exactly you'd fallen head over hills for him, though you knew that it was too late for you, you were in love with him. Now you just had to make sure he was happy and allowed you to stay.

Three hours later Jensen had got up, got dressed, and got his coffee. The car was loaded and you were on the road headed toward Austin, Texas, what was soon to be your new home.

"You're going to like it here sweetheart, I've got a house in the hill country outside of Austin. It's peaceful here, no one to bother us. We got all the time in the world to ourselves. I'm not going back to work, not right now anyways. I might do some local stuff around Austin, just to keep myself busy, but I want to spend as much time with you as possible. I want to get to know my wife."

Lacing your fingers with his, he brought your hand up to his lips, kissing the back of your knuckles as he kept his eyes on the road. The traffic thickened up as you got closer and closer to Austin.

You smiled at him a little, and then looked back out of the passenger side window, watching the scenery go by in a blur as the car moved down the highway.

Jensen was doing everything he knew how to do to make you happy, you could tell that much. He was going above and beyond to make sure you were comfortable and had everything you needed. That was a behavior you didn't really expect, though it wasn't unwelcome.

You were wrapped up in your own thoughts when Jensen pulled you back into reality. 

"Y/n, you sure you're okay? You haven't said a word since we left Dallas."  He looked at you with concern in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I guess I'm just a little tired still. I am fine though Jensen, you don't have to worry about me." you tell him , and he grips your hand tighter.

"You've been through a lot over the last week, I just don't want to overwhelm you." he said, looking back to the road, holding your hand tightly in his, making little circles on the back of your hand with his thumb.

The rest of the car ride to Jensen's house was pretty quiet. You watched your surroundings as they went by you, trying to make sure you could find where you needed to go if you had to do it alone. You'd never really driven anywhere outside of Dallas, so when you had to go grocery shopping for you the first time it was probably going to be quite the experience.

"Here we are. Home sweet home." Jensen said, pulling up in the front of  a house that was hidden in a little cove of trees just outside the actual city limits of Austin.

"What do you think?" 

Jensen was watching your every move, trying to decipher the look that was on your face. You'd never seen anything like this little house. You definitely never thought you'd see live in anything like this.

"Jensen I love it." you say, looking around the peaceful grounds. You could totally see yourself sitting out back in the cool of the day, enjoying the quiet peace that seemed to surround this place.

"Good. I'm glad you like it." Jensen said, leaning down giving you a quick peck on the cheek before he got out of the car to go and open your door.

Once you got into the house it was the most gorgeous house you'd ever seen, cute, modern, and sleek, yet very inviting and comfortable. Not at all what you expected.

Jensen walked in with you, watching you closely. 

"Will this be okay? We can change whatever you want, or hell if you're uncomfortable here we can just move." 

He watched you with bated breath. He wanted this to work between the two of you, he wanted you to be comfortable. He wanted you to feel like you had a home.

"Jensen, it's perfect, we don't have to change anything, and we don't have to move." you tell him, laughing a little at his nervousness.

It was the first time he'd ever heard you laugh, and he couldn't help but smile. Sitting the bags down on the floor, he closed the distance between the two of you in two short strides, wrapping his arms around your waist he pulled you to him, and hugged you like his life depended on it.

"Good, I want you to be happy here baby." 

He put his lips softly to yours for a moment. A slow, sweet kiss. Nothing needy, nothing pressing, just the two of you enjoying the feeling of each other lips moving and working together.

Even though you have been through a lot, and if you were being completely honest you were more than a little overwhelmed, you could get used to this.

His arms wrapped around you, holding you close to him, his lips on yours. It was a feeling that was absolutely indescribable. Perfect even.

Jensen's phone started to ring, breaking the sweet moment you were having between the two of you. Jensen groaned and pulled away from you just enough to look at his phone.

"That's Jared, he’s a friend of mine I used to work with on Supernatural. He's a little upset that I didn't tell him about the wedding until the day it was supposed to happen. He's not so into the whole arranged marriage thing. I probably need to call him, and tell him that everything is okay. Let him know we're back in Austin." 

Leaning down he gave your cheek a peck, and grabbed your bags off the floor where he’d laid them.

"Go get settled in, get to know the house. When I get back, we will figure out what we want to do for dinner. I don't want you to have to cook tonight. I want us to just spend time with each other tonight. Okay?" he said, reaching up with his free hand, and brushing a loose strand of hair away from your face with this hand.

That burning desire that you recognized in his eyes from the first night the two of you were together, combined with the soft little gesture makes you blush, and look away from him.

"Okay" was all you could whisper back to him as he walked away from you into another room to call his friend.

Was it normal to feel this way about this man already? God he knew how to make you weak in the knees without even really trying. It was definitely going to take some practice to get to where you could think clearly around him, because he had a way of captivating you, and completely clouding your mind from anything but him.

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

Tag List: @deanwanddamons​ @imabitch4jensen​ @rvgrsbrns​ @bi-danvers0​ @onethirstyunicorn​ @i-love-superhero​ @akshi8278​ @lyss-dw79​ @magssteenkamp​ @lemondropirwin​ @squirrelnotsam​ @hobby27​ @spnbaby-67​ @mrsjenniferwinchester​ @defenderrosetyler​ @screechingartisancashbailiff​ @thecreatiivecorner​  @aflamboyanceofgays @vicmc624​ @busy-bee-angel-misska​ @justanotherwinchester​ @brilovesdeanwinchester​ @idksupernatural​ @lyarr24​ @amandamdiehl​

[katgreeves]

a case of the biggest cards (a tua holiday fic)

Cards, muffins on the way, and a slightly tired (tipsy) family that have competitive and snarky written in their bones and running in their veins. A sure fire way for total absolute mayhem on earth. Oh this is gonna be fun. Klaus can't wait."

Or: The Hargreeves make the best of their royal fucking up of the timeline and spend Christmas Eve together at last.

heyyyyyyy @a-fucking-velociraptor it’s me your secret santa for @secret-santa-klaus!! wanted to do a little sibling bonding fic for you and then I went overboard LMAOOO I hope you like it anyways and happy holidays!!! I hope you’re having the best times this season!!

it’s also on ao3 to read for your reading pleasure!! (if you have an ao3 acc by all means lemme know so I can gift it to you on there!)

Fine hands move quickly to practiced motions. Long, nimble fingers sent cards flying as they shuffled around in the deck.

The five of them were all sitting on the floor, wrapped around a worn coffee table and leaning against the sofa and armchairs around them. Assorted pillows strewn about to comfort them, they were slowly going through the 3 bottles of whatever shitty drink they had trusted Diego with getting for the night. One of them was already empty.

Since the whole Dooms-didn’t/Apoca-nope-lypse/The Sparrow Academy timeline fuckery to the highest of degrees, they were all pretty much left in the dust. After a not so great first encounter with the “Sparrows” (none of them had even begun to comprehend the big emo looking elephant in the room, let alone address it to each other) they were promptly kicked our of the Hargreeves mansion. It took a while after that, but eventually they found a flat somewhere in the city for cheap to hide out in. The place wasn’t really cozy, totally not big enough for all of them together, but it was a roof over their heads to keep them safe enough till they could figure how to bring back their own timeline and finally have this behind them once and for all.

If that even existed anymore.

Klaus leered tiredly at the movements. Had it been himself dealing with the deck, he’s sure it would not be nearly as graceful, instead the cards would probably move clumsily with his fidgety hands and scrawny fingers, spewing all over the place. Then again, it might just be the signature “Rumor Charm.” Alli made everything look elegant, it was one of her best skills, one she gained with no powers, no rumors, that she did without even trying. It was just her.

“Allison. Darling sister of mine. While this in no means to rush you at all, I just want you to know that I’ve murdered entire Commision boards in shorter amounts of time that you’re taking right now.”

That, the source of the uncannily on cue quip, was Five. The grouch wasn’t letting up his smartass act up for one bit, even for the goddamn holidays. How predictable.

“First, you’ve only killed one commision board. Second, this is a Christmas Eve party, aka fun night party, aka we are not having discussions of our more colorful histories for one night party, please-”  

“Can we actually start the game? I hear Santa hates it when he's’ trying to do his job and sneak like a ninja or whatever only to see six idiots in a small dingy, dark as shit living room bickering over cards and oh wait- they've been at this since when?”

All eyes focused on whom that voice belonged to, which was Diego. While he was working at defrosting himself of his bitter and snarky facade, it didn’t really help that he was both tired and annoyed as shit at the wait right now.

“Quite a bold accusation that Santa wants to see any of us after all the shit we’ve pulled Di.”

“Even if he did, does he even know how to find us now? You know, technically not existing anymore and all-”

“What did Allison just say guys-”

“Hey Vanny, we’re just-”

“Okay, I think it’s time we get this show on the road shall we?” Allison pointedly interrupted with, brandishing the now shuffled deck of cards to veer the group to their original intentions (She does that a lot nowadays).

“Thank goodness. At the rate that we’re going it’s only a matter of time before we become itty bitty old grannies sitting on porches in rocking chairs.” Vanya crooned, scrunching up her face at the end to emphasize her point.

“Five’s essentially a grandparent already Vanya-”

“Well, he’ll just become a jurassic fossil I gue-”

PWACK

“Five!”

“That-” he gestured to the pen in Vanya’s hand he has just whacked her in the face with (Klaus had admittedly, bursted out a sharp spark of laughter at the sight) “is what happens when you are the only one I tolerate slightly more than average and you use this weakness to lead me to a complete and utter betrayal.”

“Betrayal?”

“You know, we actually promised Luther we’d let him bake in peace this time.”

Indeed, as Allison had oh so clearly reminded them, while the others were engaging in whatever was going on right now, Luther was trying baking some red velvet muffins (“No, don’t look at me like that, this is a totally normal amount of food coloring to put in the batter. They have to be the brightest red guys! Come on, it’s Christmas!”) in the kitchen close by. He was in there a lot nowadays, essentially becoming their new Grace in terms of their meals. He claimed it was a cathartic process for him, and in return they all just enjoyed the free meals.

“Jokes on Luther if he’s dumb enough to actually belive that.”

The last comment earned an eruption of laughs all around the table, a scandalized “Vanny!” here and there. Such was expected from their Vanya, the now youngest of the group (and isn’t that wild? Their entire lives were dictated by nothing else but the fact they were quite the peculiar, unlucky septulets and time travel and fucking Dallas took even that away from them). A complete contrast from the Vanya that was so long ago, sarcasm and laughter were her now weapons of choice as she’d talk and tease non stop about anything with a grin. Honestly, good for her.

With cards now flying across the table, it was time for the real shit. The game was one that Klaus had actually taught them. It was one of the many “souvenirs” that he had brought back from Vietnam. He had learnt it, along with the rest of his squadron from one Private Darren Teow. “T” for short, although the boys called him “Croc” after an embarrassing incident where he was the main star of a disaster march across a riverbank (oh boy was that a wild day).  

His parents had come to the United States back in the early 40’s for a chance of something new, and for their son, a chance of something better, a life of his own that could be so grand.

“And what a real great life this is, isn’t it?” He had said one night, a one in a kind night where the jungles were silent of the noises that shook them all for once and instead was filled with the laughter and cheering of the squadron as days old beer was being passed around like candy. Raising his can in the air, the bitter cynicism in his voice rang clear. “Trying to save my head from blowing up to bits everyday on the floor these fucking jungles. A goddamn blast if I’ve ever seen one. Three cheers for the Land of the Fucking Free-”

It wasn’t played as much as a usual game of poker, but whenever there was a fleeting moment here and there, or nobody had any cigs left to bet after Katz snatched them all (Rule Number 15 of the 173rd: Do not let that All-American face and charm fool you. That man will have your rations in his godly chiseled arms and the palms of his hands before you can even put down a card).

Sometimes, when he and Dave were cooped up in some motel room in Saigon during leave, trying to avoid another Sky Soldier who would try and drag them along for a night on the town,  they’d decide to play it together, just the two of them. And by that it meant Dave would offer to play a round of poker, and Klaus would beg to play this instead for a “fun change of pace, you know?”

“You mean, when you don’t want to eat utter shit at the hands of your awfully gifted beloved and can’t face the fact that you can’t keep a straight face for shit?”

“Be thankful you have a god gifted jawline from Adonis himself, or else I would have busted out of this motel aeons ago.”

“What can I say if I learnt it from the best?”

“Fuck you Kitty Katz.”

“I love you too, starlight.”

“That’s it, you are disqualified for hitting me with that sappy shit. I love you too.”

He smiled, chuckling softly at the memory as his hands reached for the familiar chain of cold steel around his neck, the motion second nature at this point. God, Klaus missed that dork so much.

Teow had called the game Big Two. At the very core of it, spades’ the best, then hearts, then clubs, and last and very least: diamonds. The bigger the better. Except for two. That little fucker gets you far. Put down as many as you can at rapidfire speed. First one to finish their cards in hand is winner winner chicken dinner!

Cards, muffins on the way, and a slightly tired (tipsy) family that have competitive and snarky written in their bones and running in their veins. A sure fire way for total absolute mayhem on earth. Oh this is gonna be fun. Klaus can't wait.

He wishes Ben were here. God knows how much that little shit would be enjoying this right now.

The cards were swiftly dealt. He inspected his hand, as the others were talking about theirs. On top were the first two cards, two threes.

The game carried on as a normal one, duets of cards spilling on the table. And then, a lull as yet again his siblings had started another feud. This time, Diego was convinced Five was cheating somehow. Hell, knowing the little menace, he probably was.

Klaus must have dozed off somewhere, because it was only when a hand slammed into his shoulder that his head whipped back to the table, about to mutter a quick apology to what he expected were a circle of tired faces. Instead, he saw a cacophony of grim expressions. Something was going awry.

“What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Klaus-”

“You know, the last time I checked, I was the Seance around here-”

“Klaus-”

Klaus mocked a gasp, dramatically placing a hand on his chest as he feigned a look of shock on his face. “No! Don’t tell me you all are putting a Lila on me-”

“Five’s on his last card!” they all exclaimed, exasperated by Klaus’ usual antics.

Oh. Well, that's where the problem quickly emerged. Shit.

“Put something! Anything! Don’t let him win!” Allison shrieked.

“How can she? He’s got some damn strong cards there!” Diego added.

They had to be pulling his leg. Already? Things had just started getting good around here. Or you know, Klaus assumes it was before he was lost in wherever the fuck his mind went. But alas, a hesitant glance at the table and indeed, on the stack of cards, were two aces. Goddamn aces. Scouring through his hand, a sigh came over the medium. Those were some goddamn miracle cards.

Again, if only Benjamin was here. Sure, after their last poker fiasco, the little shit would probably decide to just screw him over again cause he had such a fun ride the last time around. But still, it was at least better than nothi-

Wait. Eyes perked up as Klaus saw a lifeline of a card in his hand.

Aces may have been big.

But they weren’t the biggest.

And with that a couple of two’s were places on the table, and Klaus, with a calm, low tone uttered-

“Last card.”

An array of sounds could be heard. Gasps, exasperated groans and sighs echoed across the table as cards were chucked in the middle in a show of surrender. Five glared daggers, as one would at the person who caused their defeat. It didn’t really matter to the medium anymore because-

“Victory is mine, bitches.”

A scoff, then an eyeroll before Five uttered “Beginner’s luck.”

“I’m the one who told you how to play you little shit.”

“Well, then it’s just a stroke of luck then. The game’s all chance anyways.”

“You goddamn pri-”

“Could it kill you all to be a bit quieter?” Luther asks, cutting the action as he finally stepped into the room.

“Lutherino!”

“Big guy finally decided to show up huh?”

“My apologies Razor Boy, didn’t want to give you guys burnt shit now, didn’t I?” he says, placing a pile of whatever he had made on the table, which was met with an applause all around. Oh damn they looked good.

“You guys only love me for cooking, don’t you?”

“Well, now that you’ve said it-”

“Five!” With a whack on his shoulder, Allison chided the former assassin while scooting a bit into Diego, patting the empty space she’d just created for Luther to plop into.

“Think you could come in with a cute little apron, you know, really sell into the chef role you’ve set for yourself here? One with an abundance of frills, preferably.”

“No, absolutely not Klaus. Now pass me the goddamn cards to shuffle before you guys start some shit again.”

“Wow, our Numero Uno now joins in on the gambling fun? Whatever happened to our ever so righteous bro bro?

“Klaus, I worked with Jack Ruby for a year. You don’t wanna know half the things I’ve witnessed.”

And that was it. That was their breaking point. It wasn’t long before the whole room erupted into laughter and wow this is so good.

It isn’t perfect. They all struggled to fit, it was way too chilly for comfort even under assorted layers of tight knit sweaters. Their hearts still panged for what they had already lost and what they were afraid they could still lose.

But, they were all together, and they haven’t been able to say that for so long. So, they could set all those worries and lingering annoyances aside for a bit to just be. Right here, right now, enjoying the warmth and joy of each other’s presence in a way they never thought they’d be so lucky to feel.

Later that night, Klaus resolves that if ever found Teow again, he’d have to thank him.

[hockeyboysiguess]

Honey

a/n: what else can you do when you’ve had a bad day? not entirely super innocent content below

You could feel music vibrating the floor in the bar. The light were flashing, making your eyes strain a little. You’d gone straight from staring at your computer screen where you’d been forced to sit for over twelve hours today to get through the extra report your boss had thrown on your desk at ten this morning with a deadline of before tomorrow, to a trashy Dallas bar. Definitely wasn’t your smartest decision, but it was also definitely not your worst one. However, your need for a drink and outweighed any desire to not wear your work clothes to the bar.

“How strong of a drink can you make me?” were the first words to leave your mouth when you finally got a bartender’s attention.

“Depends on how bad of a day you’ve had,” he joked with you. “Scale of one to ten?”

“Somewhere in the definitely needs a double verging on a triple depending on how loose you are with your pours range,” you countered, making him laugh. “Vodka soda with lime, please.”

“Put it on my tab, Rick.”

You rolled your eyes in at the poorly veiled demand for your attention and spun on your stool to face the man to your right who had cut in on your conversation. You paused instead of launching immediately into your well rehearsed speech explaining that you were a professional woman who could and would buy her own drinks. He was objectively the hottest guy that had ever cut in and tried to buy you a drink. The tattoos running down both arms, the dark scruff covering his still defined jawline, his dark, curly hair peaking out from under the edges of the hat sat backwards on his head; objectively attractive, but a concept you did not have the energy for today.

“Hey, I appreciate the offer-”

“It’s just one drink,” he cut you off. “Only cost is knowing your name.”

“Except I don’t actually need you to buy me a drink at all. It’s eight dollars and I think I can handle the financial burden.” You put your card down in front of the bartender as he set your drink down. “I’ll start my own tab, please.”

“You got it,” he told with with a soft smile.

The stranger smiled, his soft laughter showing in his face. His shoulders shifted down as he sighed and reached for his beer. The muscles in his arm tensed as he reached forward and your mind briefly wandered, but you pulled yourself back in with a sip from your drink that was arguably more vodka that soda. It burned going down your throat, but it’s what you needed after the day you’d had.

“Take two,” he said as he geared up to trying again with you. You rolled your eyes, but he continued anyway, “I’m Tyler. You are?”

“Somehow less interested now then I was when you asked me a minute ago,” you replied, annoyance costing each syllable as it left your mouth. “Thanks for the compliment of trying to pay for my drink, I guess it’s a compliment, but I’m really not interested tonight. I’ve had the worst day, I’m exhausted, I’ve worked for over twelve hours today, I just got dumped, and your whole thing just isn’t gonna improve my situation.”

“My whole thing?” His eyebrows raised as a small smile played at the corners of his mouth. He took a sip of his beer before continuing, “What’s my whole thing?”

You rolled your eyes and just gestured in his general direction with your free hand, “You know, you.”

“What about me?” Tyler said playfully.

“Your entire vibe,” you elaborated. “Tattoos, backwards hat, beard, slidding in and putting a girl’s drink on your tab. It’s a whole vibe and I’m not exactly on your wavelength this evening, dude.”

You paused for a second as Tyler tried to keep it together and lost. He bust out laughing. His laugh broke the image of him for a second. It was light and bright and immediately brought you along with him, making you bend over the bar in laughter at yourself.

“Okay, okay,” you managed to get out as you tried to contain your laughter. “That was really stupid and I’m sorry.”

Tyler nodded and followed it up with the comment you’d walked right into, “If you tell me your name, I’ll strike it from the record and we can move forward with our relationship as two people alone at a bar on a Friday night.”

You took a sip of your drink before telling him your name. He mused it under his breath a few times, making sure he had it right and committed to memory before trying to actually strike up a conversation with you.

“If it helps at all, I kinda got my ass handed to me at work today so I feel you,” Tyler told you.

“Oh? Pray tell. Did you annoy your boss to no end to try to get what you want?” you joked back, making him laugh.

“He thought was wasn’t giving it my all or something, thought I was half-assing it, which is fucking ridiculous.” He lifted the hat off his head to run a hand anrgrily through his hair, the curls separating between his fingers. Your mind wandered despite your best efforts not to do so, imagining what it would feel like to have your hands in his hair. “But, can’t control what they think. Guess I just have to hit harder or something, I don’t know.”

“Who are you hitting at work?” You asked with an eyebrow. “I mean, not to brag or anything but I once threw a stress ball at just the perfect angle in a fit of rage at work that I bounced off my cubicle wall, bounced off the stock photo on the wall, then hit my boss square in the nose. She ate shit because it scared her so much, but she could never figure out who it is. That’s my only work violence story though, so not sure you should bring hitting people as a constant thing into your office.”

Tyler had started laughing ten words into your story. Apparently the idea that your arms could throw anything with that amount of force to deliver a kill shot like that was hilarious to him. You might not have been sure about everything else about Tyler, but you definitely liked his laugh.

“I play hockey, actually,” he informed you. “Hitting people is pretty much in the job description, even though I don’t actually do it that often. I’m a lover, not a fighter.”

“Just what any woman you’re trying to get in bed wants to hear. That you’re soft and lack passion.”

Tyler raised an eyebrow at you his mouth parted in shock as a smile pulled up the corners of his mouth and his tongue darted out to wet his lower lip. You shrugged and took a sip of your drink to try and hide the proud smile forming on your face. You’d shocked him, which has been the goal, but he shocked you next.

Before you could fully notice, his lips were grazing across your ear, his hot breath dancing across your skin, pulling you right into him. You hadn’t even noticed him get up from his seat, but now you were wrapped up in him. His cologne drowned out the scents from the bar. He was much taller than you thought he’d be, dwarfing you and blocking out everyone else at the bar.

“Oh, honey,” the word left his lips in a way that made them cut straight through you, “me lacking anything should be the least of your worries tonight.”

His hand moved to rest on the small of your back. Until you felt it on you, you hadn’t realized how large his hands were and your mind continued down the path, wondering how his hands would feel everywhere else too. You subconsciously leaned into him and he obliged, adjusting to let you in closer. You swallowed hard, finding the courage in you to take the situation back under your control.

You briefly remembered how you felt when you’d got here tonight. You’d been done with everyone and everything in the world, wanting only to distract yourself with what was in the bottom of your glass. Tyler was definitely doing a much better job of distracting you than the vodka had been doing, so why not see how good of a job he could do. You shifted up on you seat, bringing you lips to his ear.

“I guess you’re just going to have to prove me wrong,”

You watched a shudder come over his shoulders. Tyler was as turned on as you right now and you were pretty sure you were in for a good night. He leaned back from you to upend his beer against his mouth, knocking the rest of its contents down his throat.

“So I guess I’ll be calling a car then?” Tyler mumbled, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

“I actually drove,” you cut him off, “so if you want to finish my drink and tell me where we’re going, then we can just head out.”

“A woman who knows what she wants, how she wants it, when she wants it,” he chuckled and he grabbed your drink. “It’s sexy as hell.”

He downed your drink, wincing a little at the amount of vodka sitting at the bottom as you caught the bartender’s attention to close your tab. Tyler motioned for his too as he set the now empty glass on the bar.

���It’s eight fucking dollars,” he grumbled under his breath. “Still won’t let me pay, eh?”

“Nope,” you said, popping the ‘p’ as you signed off on the receipt. “I guess you’ll have to figure out another way to pay me back?”

“Oh, I’ve got a few things in mind. At least three of them mean you’ve got to be pretty flexible and one definitely involves getting a bit sticky. Depends on what you’re in the mood for.”

His voice was like honey. It coated you as he spoke, hanging heavy on every part on you, the sweet taste of it drawing you in for more. You had made it to your car parked around the corner, but that was the most you could take not knowing what it felt like to touch him. You grabbed the collar of his t-shirt and yanked him down so his mouth met yours. He instantly responded. One of his hands cupped your face and the other found your waist. He guided you back against the nearest wall as he nipped and sucked at your mouth and tongue, threatening to draw sounds you would have preferred not to make in public. His hands started traveling over your body, gripping your hips, ghosting over your stomach, giving your ass a squeeze for a moment. The contrast of your back against the cool wall and his warm plans was making you fall deeper and deeper into the moment, into him. He was all you could feel.

“Fuck,” escaped his lips when you broke away from his mouth to kiss his neck. He sucked in a quick breath through his teeth as you tortured a particularly sensitive spot you’d already found.

You were proud of yourself. As much as you were becomg a mess, you were dragging him down with you. He was falling apart under your mouth until one of his hands suddenly pressed firmly against your hot core over your jeans. On instinct, you ground down against his hand as a moan escaped your lips. Your head fell back against the wall as you got your first real taste of what was to come.

“Fuck,” was now apparently all Tyler could say as his lips found your neck and the heel of his hand pushed hard against your jeans to give you some friction “God, I need to get you in my bed, right fucking now.”

“Then let’s get out of here,” you said breathlessly. “We’ve got a whole night ahead of us, right?”

“Honey, you have no idea what you’re doing to me right now,” he mumbled against your throat, his hot breath fanning out across your skin.

“I’ve actually got a pretty good idea,” you replied as you copied him, palming his obvious hard on through his jeans. He sucked a quick breath in through his teeth again and cursed, nipping at the soft skin of your neck in response. “So, you still going to take me home here, Tyler? Or are you about to lose it here in the street?”

“Get in the car and fucking drive, woman,” he managed to get out as he finally pulled back from you.

You laughed as you unlocked your car. Tyler was in and buckled up before you had even managed to get your door open. He was antsy. His feet were bouncing up and down on the floor. He shifted in his seat, trying to figure out if there was a more comfortable position for him with his current situation. You tossed him your phone unlocked so he could put his address into the GPS.

“So, remember how you said you had three ideas if I was flexible and one if I was okay with things getting a little stick?” you recalled to Tyler as you pulled away from the curb. “What if I told you I was four teaching hours away from getting my yoga teaching certificate and didn’t mind getting sticky as long as there’s a hot shower in it for me after?”

Tyler audibly groaned and shifted again in the passenger seat. You smirked to yourself, satisfied you’d gotten another rise out of him.

“Oh, honey, you have no idea what you just signed yourself up for, but god is it gonna bea fun night. Can you drive any faster?”

[wowweeharrystyles]

Part 12 | Sunsets & A New Normal | 6.7k words

‘Sequins & Zippers’ Summary: An internship with Harry Lambert transformed into a job of a lifetime - Aurora Del Gatto finds herself touring the world with the one & only Harry Styles as his ‘Head of Wardrobe.’ Aurora is nothing but nerves & excitement as she packs her bags & almost 100 custom designer suits that belong to an unbelievably kind rockstar. She never thought she’d fall in love on top of it all.

A/N: &&&&& we’re back !!! I’ve set a new posting schedule for the rest of this story & will be posting every other week until the end of July. cannot believe there will only be 3 more parts after this one 😩 

Sequins & Zippers Masterlist

General Masterlist

Here’s Part 12 ! 

She’s gotta stop comparing things, Aurora thinks. Her “normal” doesn’t exist anymore. This is her normal now. 

A sweaty, t-shirt wearing, tattooed rockstar is her new normal. Who would’ve thought? Definitely not Aurora. 

The familiarity of the dark, low lit SoulCycle studio feels like her old normal though. At one point, this was a home away from home in NYC, even in London. It’s comforting to clip the clunky cycle shoes into the pedals after adjusting the seat exactly how she needs it. The feeling of the rubbery handlebars on her dry palms causes her to release a breath. Aurora almost forgets that Harry is sitting at the bike next to her. They’re towards the back, Aurora prefers it here and Harry seems to as well. She can feel him look at her. A smile flashes across his face when she meets his eyes.

The room gets a touch darker and the music gets louder and then there’s a voice over the speakers. If Aurora thought the Dallas heat was high but this studio feels like it’s surrounded by fire compared to it. She doesn’t mind it though. After 3 months in new countries and unfamiliar hotels, the heat is the least of her worries. Aurora’s been craving some sort of familiarity. This studio is the closest she’ll get for a few more weeks. 

Aurora lets herself forget about everything around her; about the stress, about Harry next to her, about the jetlag, about everything. She focuses on the beat of the music that she can feel rattle the room, the voice of the instructor and how her legs pedal to the rhythm of the song. It doesn’t take long til she forgets it all. 

Class ends sooner than Aurora would’ve liked. How is it that 45 minutes can seem so long on a plane but so short when you’re enjoying something? 

Aurora's unlocking one of the white lockers in the lobby when Harry groans. She hands him his shoes, phone and wallet then grabs her own bag. She gives him a questioning look, but he doesn’t see it. 

“Ror, I’m sorry,” he says looking towards the windows that line the front of the lobby. She follows his sightline. “We’ll have to go quick,” his eyes dart across what is visible on the street outside. “I think there’s only one.”

Aurora can’t see what he sees but she can feel his change in demeanor. Harry tucks his laces into the inside of his shoes and slips them on, not bothering to tie them.

“One what?” she asks as she puts her own shoes on. Harry moves himself to stand closer to her, almost blocking her into the small space by the lockers. 

“Pap.” Aurora looks up to him, shoe laces in her hands, foot propped onto the open locker. He drops a hand to the small of her back. “It’s not ideal, but it’ll be fine.” 

Aurora ties her shoes and tosses her bag over her shoulder. “Alright, lets go.” 

Harry’s hand moves from her back to grab her hand. As they walk towards the door Harry switches hands and moves to her other side, seamlessly. “The car is parked on the street towards the right. Pap is towards the left. I’ll give 'em one shot and they should leave us alone, but let's not hang around.” Harry squeezes Aurora’s hand. She squeezes back. 

“Okay.” 

Harry opens the door and moves his torso abnormally to block Aurora as much as he can. He can’t stop the paps from being here but he can limit what they see. He’s sure to keep his hand tight around Aurora’s. She can feel him pull, only slightly, away from her to show his face in the opposite direction. She keeps her head down and within seconds Harry is by her side again. Aurora can feel the slickness of sweat on Harry’s arm as he gets closer. The heat didn’t bother either of them, the sweat either. The sleeves of Harry’s tshirt are still rolled up and it only allows for more of his skin to press against hers. Aurora focuses on that rather than the possibility of a stranger in a bush taking her photo. 

When they get to the big black rental suv Aurora can feel Harry relax his grip. He doesn’t let go of her hand until he opens the passenger door, helping Aurora in. He closes the door once she’s settled in the seat. Once Harry is in the driver’s seat he starts the car and blasts the AC. 

Now the Dallas heat is top of mind. Harry takes a large gulp of his water and then offers it to Aurora. She takes it gratefully. Neither of them say anything until they stop at a red light a few blocks away. “Think you could hold off on a shower for a bit?” 

“What?” Aurora asks with a surprised laugh. 

“The sun is starting to set and heard about this garden to watch it from.” 

Aurora leans over the consol and presses a kiss to his cheek. “Okay.” She kisses his cheek again before settling back down in her seat. 

“I have it bookmarked, will you pull up the directions?” Harry asks as he hands Aurora his phone. 

The automated voice of the GPS guides them as they drive down unfamiliar streets. There’s a small smile on Harry’s face when Aurora turns to look at him as they drive into an almost empty parking lot. Before Harry turns off the car, he turns around and peers out all the windows. Aurora doesn’t comment on it and Harry doesn’t say anything but Aurora knows he’s looking to see if anyone has followed them. No cars and no new people stroll into the lot or walk down the path near the water in front of them. 

Harry gets out of the car wordlessly and Aurora gets her jacket out of her bag at her feet. She’s met with Harry opening the door for her and helping her out of the car after she slides her arms into her jacket. 

Harry is quiet and Aurora can feel that he’s still tense, the opposite of what he should be after working out. They walk in silence, both clearly seeking out the open bit of grass near the water where the sun is starting to fall at the horizon. 

“Everything alright?” Aurora asks, voice soft. She reaches out to him and pulls him to a stop by his elbow. Harry turns around and smiles at her after shaking his head and running a hand through his hair,

“Yeah, alright, just thinking.” 

“Harry.” 

“Just feel bad that there were paps there.”

“You can only do so much.” 

“I still feel bad.” 

“Please don’t. If it helps at all, I felt completely safe. It’s awful that you’re good at it, but it is what it is. You took care of me. It’s fine.” Aurora smiles at him. “Honestly, I’m surprised we got through an entire SoulCycle class without anyone saying a thing to you.” 

“Yeah, sometimes it’s surprisingly easy,” he says with a shrug of his shoulders. 

Aurora sits down on a soft piece of grass and Harry sits next to her. “Come here,” Aurora says to him, hand rubbing on his shoulder. He shuffles himself in close to her, his back falling against her chest and shoulder. Harry immediately grabs Aurora’s hand that is resting at his shoulder. Leaning partly against her bent knees, she supports his weight fully. Her free hand moves to push his hair back, uncaring to the sweat that still lingers at his roots. 

The sun in front of them is starting to disappear behind the horizon and the orange and pink haze that covers the water and grass and all the trees makes Harry’s skin appear much tanner than it is. He looks up to Aurora for a moment, his eyes more golden than green in this light. She smiles at him and can’t believe the sight in front of her. Her lips find his in a drawn out kiss and when they open their eyes the orangeness of the sky makes everything into black silhouettes. Aurora can no longer see the golden and green flecks in Harry’s eyes. He turns his head back to the view in front of them and sighs. 

“Thanks for this,” Aurora says softly.

“Thought we’d enjoy a calm night before getting back to work,” Harry explains. 

“Harry?” Aurora questions after a few minutes. “Have you thought about what’ll happen at the end of all this?” 

A scoff comes from Harry’s chest, “End of all this? What d’ya mean by that, Ror? Got plans to dissapear once your jobs done or something?” 

“No! End of all this as in end of tour, like come July, last show is done…” Aurora trails off. “How’re we gonna do us?” She asks the last question quietly. 

“We’ll figure it out.” Harry’s answer seems so sure, like he knows there’s no way they won’t make it work. “Are you worried that the last show will end and you’ll go back home to New York and I’ll fuck off to LA or London and that’ll be it?” 

“Don’t think it’s that.” 

“Cause you should know that I would never do that to you. If anything, I’d follow you back to New York.” 

“Would you really?” Aurora aks, surprise evident in her voice. 

Harry turns his head so he can look at her, even though the almost set sun has casted a shadow across her face. “If you’d let me, think I’d might.” 

“I don’t even have an apartment in NYC anymore, I technically live at home right now. Would you still follow me knowing it’s my childhood bedroom at the end of the trip?” 

“As long as those old 1D posters are put away.” 

Aurora laughs and gently pushes Harry’s shoulders. He barely moves, only jostles a bit, still all of his weight relaxed on her. 

“We’ve got time to figure this out, yeah? Don’t worry about it too much.” Harry sits up then and twists around to face Aurora on his knees. Both of his hands land on the grass on either side of Aurora. “Anyways, you might be sick of me by the end of tour,” he says with barely a centimeter between their noses. 

There’s only a split second before Aurora decides to close the gap between them. And there’s only another split second before she feels blades of grass poke through the fabric of her jacket as she falls the short distance to the ground. 

On the drive back to the hotel, Aurora enjoyed the calm silence between her and Harry, his calloused hand in hers and both of their lips a bit more red than normal. Aurora thinks she can get used to this new normal. Evening workouts. Drives to go watch the sunset. Whatever comes in between. Maybe even making a routine out of it when tour is over, in whatever city they find themselves in. Even the hiding from paps part she doesn’t mind having to add in her new normal if it means feeling like this; loved, safe, content, happy… she could go on and on.

| | | | | 

Aurora applies a face mask to her skin using precise motions, evenly coating the pale green clay like substance all over her face. She isn’t applying this face mask as her normal skin care routine. It isn’t a sunday morning or evening like it when she normally applies a messy face mask to rid her skin of any residue left from the week. She’s applying this face mask to feign a feeling of being put together, to feign feeling normal. 

Her breathing is surprisingly calm considering the way her phone was blowing up only 15 minutes ago and the erratic heartbeat that was escalating with each notification. Said phone is face down on the chair across the hotel room and on silent now. Aurora washes her hands and towels them dry before leaving the bathroom, the facemask barely starting to set. She turns on the small coffee maker that sits on top of a small table across from the bed, next to the annoyingly large hotel tv that she never turns on. When it beeps and the light turns on, instead of brewing a cup of coffee she runs the machine just with water, a random hotel tea bag in the chunky class mug. 

An unnecessary face mask and a random cup of tea. Aurora knows what’s happening. She wishes it wasn’t, though. She sits down on the chair that’s sitting in the corner by the window. The hot cup of tea in her hands keeps her present in some way even though she won’t ever be taking a sip of it. 

She starts making a list in her head, a way to organize the chaotic thoughts that are clouding any sense of judgement she has, a tool from her college provided therapist. 

She’s in Houston, Texas, in a hotel room, on her own. 

She’s exhausted, maybe a bit hungover after too many drinks at dinner with Sarah and Helene after the Dallas show last night. 

There are photos of her and Harry leaving SoulCycle in Dallas. 

There’s a video from the show in Melbourne when Harry turned to Aurora during Sweet Creature.

There’s a photo of her standing in the mix wearing Harry’s black and white Gucci jacket.

There are thousands of tweets with photos and videos of Aurora, now, some from older shows, a lot from the Dallas show. 

Many of those tweets are terrifying to her. 

She has people coming out of the woodworks trying to contact her. She wasn’t secretive about her job. She posted about it on instagram when the tour started. It’s not like her instagram had a huge following (though it grew day by day). But now it’s getting 100’s of followers, likes, and comments by the second. Aurora didn’t even think about this, didn’t even cross her mind. 

There are so many notifications coming through on her phone, she can’t even filter out the ones from her family, from Lelia, from Issac, from Harry. 

She’s not upset that people know about her and Harry. She’s upset about the things people are saying. Flashes of news article headlines appear when she squeezes her eyes shut.

“Harry Styles falls in love on the bike, a soulcycle date for the books”

“Rumored Girlfriend of Harry Styles also works for him!”

“Spotted: Harry Styles’ new GF wearing the jacket from his voted worst outfit, ever”

“Harry Styles fans upset over rumored new GF” 

“The top 15 tweets from last night after fans found out Harry Styles is dating his stylist” 

She doesn’t like that she’s reacting this way. She knew that this was bound to happen. 

She’s scared to move, scared to go anywhere, to do anything. 

There’s a knock on her door. Aurora doesn’t recognize it at first. The sound of her heartbeat is loud in her ears and sounds just the same. There’s another knock on her door. It shakes her out of her thoughts. She stands up, the list in her head on pause. She’s shaking like she’s cold. She’s not cold. Aurora looks through the peephole in the door. She recognizes Harry’s eyes in a millisecond. Reaching for the door handle, she takes a deep breath. She opens the door slowly and only enough for Harry to slide in quickly, the door falling shut behind him. 

“Ror,” he says with furrowed eyebrows and his head tilts slightly. “Why aren’t you answering your phone?” The sight in front of him is confusing. He expected Aurora to have shut down and panicked by now. Jeff called him and told him what he woke up to that morning-- emails from media sources, calls, texts all of it. The second Harry got off the phone he got Rory’s room number and here he is now. Surprised, concerned, broken hearted for her, and now confused. She seems calm, a face mask covering her face, her eyes aren’t red or puffy. Maybe she’s okay. Maybe Harry worried for nothing. 

“I-I I turned it on silent. Haven’t looked at it in a bit, now,” she answers quietly. She may appear to be fine, but she doesn’t sound it. Her shoulders start to hunch, her arms wrapping around her own torso. 

“Rory, are you alri-” Harry doesn’t even get the question out. She’s sobbing now, tears abruptly falling from her eyes. She looks surprised, like she’s confused by the way she’s reacting. Harry lunges forward to hug her but her hands land on his chest, keeping him at a distance. She motions to her face. 

“Don’t wanna-” she chokes out, “get this all over you.” He nods, a small smile on his face at her priorities in this quick second. Harry instead places a hand softly at her lower back and walks her into the bathroom. He pushes her lightly to sit on top of the toilet seat. 

Harry wets a washcloth in the sink once the water runs warm. Neither of them say anything. Harry lightly wipes at her face, trying his best to remove the cracking mask, but wanting to be gentle with her skin. He has to use his free hand to hold her head up by her chin. She doesn’t have the strength or want to hold her head up and she lets it drop, chin to chest everytime Harry steps back to the sink. Silent tears fall from her eyes now, her shoulders shaking every few seconds. Silence fills the bathroom and after Harry wipes away the last remnant of the clay off Aurora’s face he tosses the cloth to the counter not paying it much attention. He drops to his knees in front of her. 

“Hey,” he says, wiping a tear from her cheek, the pad of his thumb warm and comforting on her skin. “I don’t want to push you and we don’t have to talk about it right this second, but we do have to talk about it. We have to.” His voice is strong but still soft--caring but concerned. 

“Okay,” Aurora whispers as she locks eyes with him. She can tell Harry’s not okay, but he’s better at dealing with this stuff. He’s done it for years. 

“How about you get changed and do what you need? I’ll make some coffee and then we can talk about it. Getting ready and some sort of normalcy helps me when this stuff happens.” Aurora nods and tries to manage a smile but she’s sure it doesn’t translate. 

Harry kisses her forehead before walking out of the bathroom. Aurora does as Harry advises. She goes to her suitcase and pulls out a pair of clean leggings and a white t-shirt. She takes off her pajamas from the night before and gets dressed, combs her hair into a low ponytail and even puts her jewelry back on. When she looks in the mirror, the bright bathroom lights make her squint but she can still see the splotchy skin on her cheeks, the redness of her eyes and her chapped lips. She doesn’t bother to do anything about it now though.

“Ror, I didn’t know you ever drank tea?” Harry questions from the other room. She turns off the lights and goes to find him.

“I don’t.” 

He tilts his head again, “Love, you’ve got a full mug of tea here,” he says, motioning to the mug that has gone cold now. 

“Uh yeah…” she trails off, “it’s a weird habit I have.” She grabs the mug and pours it out in the small kitchenette sink. “When things get all,” she motions around her head with both hands, fingers separated, “jumbled, chaotic,” she drops her hands before continuing, “I tend to do things that make me feel like everything is okay. Like I’ve got my shit together.” She lets out a hefty sigh, feeling the exhaustion from the panic start to weigh on her. “Not a weird habit I guess, more a bad habit.” 

“Makes sense,” Harry validates as he messes with the coffee maker. “Do what you gotta do for it to feel okay. When I was little and got upset or something happened at school, I would watch Alice in Wonderland.” Aurora smiles a bit. “Nobody really caught onto it until everything with the band started happening. Something would happen, either I’d mess up or something online would mess with my head and I would go back to it. My mom called me on a bad day and I had just started watching Alice,” he shrugs. Aurora moves closer to him. “It was then she put it all together. She always kinda knew that I would watch it but thought I just loved it so much that it made me happier, but really I just needed to see the chaos that Alice went through. It helped me forget what was going on with me.” 

Aurora hugs Harry from behind, her hands resting across his stomach. Her forehead presses between his shoulder blades before she lands a kiss against his t-shirt. Harry turns around in her arms after a minute or so. When Aurora looks up to him, his green eyes are more muted than normal and it doesn’t quite sit well with her. She figures it’s the stress. Harry’s touch is featherlight when he tucks Aurora’s hair behind her ears. 

“Thank you.” 

Harry’s head tilts in question. 

“For telling me that,” she clarifies. “and for being here and just being you. For loving me, even through all this.” 

“Hey,” Harry says softly, brows knit together, “Ror,” he grazes his thumbs over her cheeks, “I love you no matter what.” His thumb pulls at her bottom lip that she’s worrying between her teeth. “We both knew that this could be hard sometimes, but, I don’t wish to be doing it with anyone else.” Harry presses his lips to Aurora’s forehead and he can feel Aurora let out a breath, her shoulders falling. Her warm breath hits his neck. “Go sit down, I’ll bring you your coffee and we can talk about this a bit more.” 

Aurora does as he says, sitting in the corner of the small couch. Harry comes over with 2 hot mugs and sits down next to Aurora, making a point to sit down facing her. Aurora lets out a deep sigh. 

“I’ve dealt with this a lot, I know how hard it is. It’s still hard for me,” Harry sighs and runs a hand over his face, across the stubble that is scattered across his cheeks, jaw, and chin. Aurora can tell he’s thinking about what he wants to say next. “I’m really sorry, Ror,” he settles on. 

“Harry, please, no reason for you to be sorry,” she tilts her head, eyebrows raising and heart sinking. Aurora hadn’t taken a moment to see how Harry had been dealing with all this. Now she can see it. She can see the effect on him, the stress he’s holding in his shoulders, the worry in his eyes. She knows he’s been here before, somewhere else in the world, with so many different people; friends, family, lovers, just about anyone he’s held close to him. But he’s here now with her, with his Rory, and she knows he hates this part. This is where it’s bound to change. “This was all gonna happen sometime.” 

“But not like this,” he stresses. He’s clearly thought about it, planned how he would have preferred the news getting out, how he’d be there with her when the articles came out, when the tweets would surface. 

“There’s no way we could’ve planned for this,” she shares and Harry seems almost surprised when she practically reads his mind. “I knew something like this would happen.” 

“I’m still sorry that it did and I want to help you get through it.” 

“There’s no getting through it though, is there? It’ll happen time and time again.” 

“Ror-”

“Harry, it’s not like I didn’t expect this. We’ll figure out how to deal with it together, yeah? That’s what we have each other for.” Aurora can’t help but find some clarity when she realises she isn’t in this alone, when she realises Harry needs her just as much as she needs him. 

“I’m supposed to be the one helping you through this,” Harry says with a light laugh and then a clearing of his throat. Aurora smiles at him. 

“You may have experience with all of this, but that doesn’t mean I’m the only one being affected by it.” Aurora reaches her hands out to him and he takes them gratefully. They’re clammy and she can feel a slight tremble in them. “We’re in this together. I’m not going anywhere and there’s no reason that you should have to take care of this on your own. If I don’t have to do this on my own, neither do you.” 

Harry squeezes Aurora’s hands. “Haven’t really dealt with this not on my own before.” Aurora’s brows furrow now. “I always have to pick up the pieces, try and make it right, try to make it okay, but it’s hard when it seems like it’s all on me in the end. I’ve lost so many people because of this. I just want you to be okay… and to stay.” There's a slight hitch in the tone of his voice and it makes Aurora lurch from her seated position. She climbs onto her knees and her arms loop around his neck and shoulders. Harry’s surprised by her sudden movements but his arms enclose around her waist just a second later. His shoulders start to fall and Aurora can feel his even breathing on her neck. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” she whispers just loud enough for him to hear it. Harry’s arms tighten as confirmation. “We’ll take care of each other.”

| | | | |

“Sweet Thang” begins to blare through the speakers and they know they’ve got to get going. Harry pulls away from Aurora, regrettably. The familiar twang of the song means 1 thing and 1 thing only, Harry’s got to be walking up the stairs onto his stage in 4 minutes. 4 minutes and 12 seconds. Harry turns to jog down the hall but turns back around quickly, to press a messily aimed kiss to Aurora’s lips. 

“You taste like strawberries,” he rushes out, “did ya know that?” and then he’s gone. Aurora can barely focus on the shiny red boots running down the hallway away from her. 

She runs a finger across her bottom lip. They feel numb, tingly, swollen as she stands in the middle of Harry’s dressing room. 

| | | | |

Harry arrives at the arena with a new melody stuck in his head, a bright, sunshiny, just-for-aurora smile, and an iced coffee (also just for Aurora) in his hand. 

“Have you seen Aurora?” Harry asks the first person he sees. 

“Uhm, I know a lot of the crew were hanging out in the parking lot today. They set up tables and tents out there because it’s so nice out, maybe there?” 

Harry hums and then yells a thank you as he picks up his pace, almost jogging away and down the hall. He follows the signs until he can hear a roar of a group, laughter, chatting, some music. 

He squints his eyes when he walks through the propped open doors, the Nashville sun shining bright, a light breeze blowing through his hair. It doesn’t take Harry long to spot Aurora and his mother sat in 2 chairs and another 2 chairs have their feet propped up. They’ve taken it upon themselves to pull the chairs out from under the large white tent to sit in the sun instead. 

It’s a sight in front of him--his mother and his Rory laughing together. Harry makes a beeline towards them, waving and smiling at those who say hi. Instead of grabbing a chair of his own, Harry picks up Aurora’s feet and sits down across from her. 

“‘Ello, ladies,” he greets them, dropping Aurora’s feet onto his lap. 

Aurora and Anne say hello in unison and turn to each other and giggle. 

“Have a nice time today?” Harry asks with a dimpled smile. 

“Such a lovely time,” Anne answers. “We went for lunch and got our nails done.” 

Harry hums and reaches out for Aurora’s hand. He examines her nails, “Black, not surprised,” he comments with a squeeze. “Mum?” he asks, now motioning towards Anne’s hands. “Red, also not surprised. Both of you are very predictable.” 

Aurora rolls her eyes before asking, “So how was the studio?”

“Really, really, good, managed to knock out almost an entire song.” 

“Oh? and will we get to hear it?” Aurora asks with a sweet smile. 

“Mhmm, not quite ready yet,” he shares and when Anne turns away from them for a quick second, Harry gives Aurora a wink. A blush rises to her cheeks and she presses her lips together in a line to hide a smile. 

A welcomed silence settles between the 3 of them. They all relax as much as they can into the folding chairs, heads tilted up towards the sun. Harry slides off the sandals on Aurora’s feet and drops them to the ground. He starts to dig the pads of his thumbs into her arches, his other fingers trailing along the top of her feet. Aurora lets out a content sigh, eyes closing,  as another gush of the wind passes. 

The sun is warm and so are Harry’s hands on Aurora’s feet and calves as they trail up her leg slightly. Her skin is heating up as the minutes pass, Harry’s hands leaving searing paths over and over again. He breaks the silence slowly as he subconsciously starts to hum. The melody causes Aurora’s ears to perk up and pay more attention. 

“Why’s your foot twitchin’ like that?” Harry asks around a laugh. 

Aurora opens her eyes and looks at her foot then up to Harry, “must’ve been tapping along to your humming,” she figures. Harry tilts his head and some curls fall out of place. A mischievous smirk slides across his face before he lets out a short, deep, “hm,” like his brain is piecing something together. Aurora’s brows furrow for a moment, “What?” 

“Nothing, nothing,” he brushes it off, face going neutral again. Aurora shakes her head and lets it go. Harry’s hands are back on her skin and massaging the muscles of her feet, her eyes closing once again as she turns up towards the sun. Aurora doesn’t see the smirk that sneaks back up on Harry’s face. 

Harry and Anne had gone back into the arena a little while ago--soundcheck, a few people to meet, some time with his mum after spending the afternoon in the city. Eventually the sun begins to set and Aurora can’t help but think about summer sunsets on Lake Erie at the family lakehouse back in New York. She’ll have to bring Harry there one day. It could be the perfect post-tour getaway, after everything settles down. Late august at the lake house is Aurora’s ideal end of summer farewell. She had missed it last year as she was still in London. Aurora sighs when the alarm on her phone interrupts her daydream. 

 Wiping at her eyes, tired from the sun, she finds her way back to the dressing rooms. Aurora goes through her routine; Adam and Mitch first, they’re never in their dressing room, then onto Sarah and Claire, who are always in theirs (most of the time, Mitch and Adam are there, too). Then she makes her way to Harry’s dressing room, Anne is sitting on the couch when she walks in. Aurora notices the absence of nerves that would fill her stomach when Anne was around. She happily greets her as she begins to get Harry’s suit ready. 

Meeting Anne for lunch whilst Harry went to the studio, Aurora was 90% nerves. They disappeared as the minutes passed. She got more and more comfortable around her. Anne asked Aurora about the whole ordeal that happened in Texas. “Want to check in with you, sweetheart, how are you doing from earlier?” Anne didn’t have to outright say what she was talking about, Aurora knew. Harry must’ve told her, she didn’t mind though. 

Aurora assured her she was okay, that she’ll learn to deal and knows it comes with the territory. Anne shared some sound advice and reminded her that it’s all what they make it. She told Aurora how the first time Harry got upset over an awful press post, how it was that moment, once he calmed down, that he vowed to keep his work and personal life separate. 

“Kinda hard to keep it separate if I work with him,” Aurora jokes sheepishly. 

“Oh sweetheart,” is what Anne kept saying to calm her. Anne is at a loss for words for a moment and Aurora is too. When they meet eyes they start to laugh. “New territory I suppose,” Anne decides to say. 

“Definitely is for me,” Aurora responds with a smile. “But I’m being honest when I say i’m okay. and I know what you mean with keeping work and personal stuff separate. We’ll figure it out.” 

“Harry told me you said that.” Aurora raises an eyebrow in question. “That you 2 will figure it out. That you were quick to be there for him just as much as he was there for you.” 

“We’re in it together. That’s what relationships are about, yeah? Taking care of each other.” 

“You know,” Anne’s smile begins to widen as she speaks, “I’ve never heard anyone say that outloud, especially when talking about my own kid. You always think that that type of thing is implied in a relationship but you end up finding out that not everyone sees it that way.” 

Aurora isn’t sure how to respond, so she shrugs. 

“It’s refreshing, especially as it’s my son that’s involved. So, thank you.” 

“Please, Anne, don’t thank me. There is absolutely no reason for that. I love Harry,” she shrugs again after finding it so easy to say that outloud in the moment. “He deserves the same amount of love and care he gives me. I just hope I can do that for him.” 

“The way he talks about you,” she shakes her head, “he’d be so cross with me if he knew I was telling you this but,” Anne shrugs, “he thinks you walk on water. He just adores you, really haven’t seen him this happy in a long time. Most of the time he gets to a point where he realises what this other person really wants and he  ignores it and is miserable and it’ll end in a horrible way. He’s tried so many times to try to see past it, the way people use him, the lack of compassion, he tries so hard to ignore it.” 

Hearing Anne talk about Harry like this makes something click in her head. 

“I think we’re very similar in those regards,” Aurora says before taking a sip of her water. “We’ve both gone through some hard relationships in the past. Think we’re done with playing around.” Aurora is almost shocked at how she voices the thoughts running through her head. Anne can tell that she’s surprised and she reaches out to Aurora’s hand and squeezes it lightly. 

“It’s good you’re on the same page there. I can definitely see the difference this time around. I think he’s happy with his work and being back on stage has been so good for him. There’s obviously no need to rush anything but I can see you both are pretty serious about it all.” Aurora smiles and at the mention of Harry’s work Aurora feels the need to be clear about her work as well. 

“Anne, I do want you to know that I didn’t intend for this to happen,” Aurora shares. Anne’s face scrunches up in confusion. “I came on tour to work, to move forward in my career. It was always about work and it still is. I don’t want you to think I took this job with the plan to go after Harry.”

“Sweetie, I don’t think that at all.” 

“I think you might have a little bit at first and that’s okay. I knew it was a cliche. ‘Stylist falls in love with rockstar’, the whole shebang.” Anne laughs with Aurora. “And I also want you to know that I did not get involved with Harry to get further in my career either. I had no malicious intent behind anything that has happened.” Anne nods with a smile. 

Their food comes to the table and they thank their waiter. After a few bites in, Aurora continues.

“I just want you to know that I know how it could look and it’s an unusual situation. I hope you can understand that, just like Harry, my career is incredibly important to me and that it was always the ONLY reason I had taken this job. And in the end, we got lucky, I guess.”

“Aurora, you don’t have to explain yourself. Like I said, the way Harry talks about you, and how I’ve seen you do your job at the shows, I don’t question anything at all. And maybe I did at first, but that’s a mum’s job right?” They both laugh again. 

“Mother’s know best,” Aurora compliments. “They always do and always will.” 

Now back in the dressing room, Aurora joins in with the conversation being had with Harry and Anne, and Ayae too. She’s comfortable, at ease and most importantly happy, she can’t deny that. The royal blue suit in front of her is bright even without the stage lights and the rhinestones that line the edges of the jacket as well as the cuffs and lapel are iridescent and remind Aurora of an old dance costume she had when she was little. Aurora swears she had jazz pants that looked just like the ones she’s steaming for Harry, rhinestones and all, but hers was most definitely made by her mother and didn’t have a Gucci label on them. She shares a photo she had from the dance recital that year. She was 8 and Anne did all but cry at the photo. Harry was convinced he had never seen anything cuter and it made Aurora’s cheeks go bright red, the heat radiating from the steamer didn't help either. Aurora directed Anne through the album of all her old dance photos and Anne promised to share some of Harry’s baby pictures later. To which Harry whined about but Aurora shushed him with a quick kiss to his jaw after she situated his button down shirt on his shoulders and before she began buttoning it (Harry ended up unbuttoning about 2 of the top ones only seconds later).

When Anne leaves the dressing room, Aurora finds her usual perch on the counter in the echoey bathroom, Harry’s royal blue rhinestone suit coat resting on her lap.

“There’s something different about you today,” Aurora says as Harry wipes his mouth after brushing his teeth. 

“How so?” 

“Not sure, exactly,” she says squinting her eyes at him. “Might be because your mom is here? But there’s something else too…” Harry shrugs his shoulders and begins humming the same melody from earlier. Aurora watches him finish his routine as he starts to fall into a few vocal warm ups.

He’s singing words and melodies she’s never heard. 

“Wonderful and warm…. Da da daaaa, da da daaaa,” he trails off. 

“Is that the song you were working on today?” He doesn’t respond but keeps singing, in his own world. “Could ever go without… tastes like strawberries on a summer evening…” He repeats a few phrases over and over again. 

It’s right before the 5 minute stage call that it clicks. 

“It’s the song,” Aurora states. “That’s what’s different. It’s the new song you’ve written, huh?” 

Harry pulls Aurora in, pulling her off the counter  with a strong hand on her waist. “I think it has more to do with the inspiration behind the song rather than the song itself.” 

Never did Aurora think Harry would write a song about her, but she guesses this is what her new normal looks like. 

comments & feedback ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS welcome & appreciated !!!

[spookyfbi]

Untitled, Unfinished Commission Dave fic

This premise wouldn’t leave me alone but I have NO idea where to go with it so I offer this up to the void with no strings attached if anyone wants to take it and run with it, because I’d sure love to read more! Hit me up if you want to chat about it, or don’t, up to you. If you want to change anything here, feel free. Honestly I just had to get this idea out of my head and onto digital paper and now I have, whatever happens next is just gravy!

———

1963

Dave looked around his bedroom as he lay on his bed. It wouldn’t be his bedroom for very much longer, soon he’d be shipping out. Dave wasn’t really sure how he felt about joining the army, but he supposed it was about time he did something, so it might as well be this. He wasn’t a coward, he wasn’t a… well, he wasn’t a coward. He was willing to die for his country if that’s what it took. It was the right thing to do… wasn’t it?

Dave’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on his door. He grinned when he saw who it was and, quick as a flash, he jumped up and raced to hug his sister.

“Liz!” he exclaimed, then he leaned back from the hug and looked her up and down. “Wow, you sure look fancy!” She looked about as elegant as Audrey Hepburn. “How’s New York treating you?’

“New York is amazing!” Liz gushed. “It really makes Dallas feel like a drag.”

“I’ll bet.” Dave sat down on his bed, while Liz took a seat on his old toy chest.

“I just got a lecturing from Uncle Brian.” Liz rolled her eyes and Dave pursed his lips sympathetically. “You’re never gonna find a husband if you keep being so high and mighty about this career of yours.” She repeated their uncle’s words mockingly. “Like I’d want to marry a man who’s intimidated by my success. I’d rather be a spinster! The right guy should be proud of me for my accomplishments.”

“Well, I’m sure proud of you!” Dave told her. “My sister living the high life in New York City!”

Liz beamed. “Thanks, Dave! I knew there were enlightened men in the world.”

“It’s really good to see you, Liz. It’s good to be reminded that Uncle Brian’s opinions aren’t the only ones out there.”

The mood in the room shifted and after a moment, Liz said: “He told me you enlisted in the army.” There was no pride in her voice, the way there was whenever Uncle Brian talked about his decision, and it made Dave feel even less certain about it. 

Dave nodded, but he found himself unable to look her in the eyes. She looked at him and said nothing and after a while Dave found the silence deafening so he filled it with what little he had of an explanation. “You heard about the President? Uncle Brian said it’s gonna make America look weak. He said the Commies might invade and the army will need every man they can get.”

Liz shook her head. “You’re so young…”

“I’m eighteen!” Dave shot back. “I’m an adult!”

Liz got up and sat beside him. “I just meant that you’ve still got your whole life ahead of you. I don’t want to see you dying a young man in some war. I want you to fall in love and get married and have kids and live a long life.”

Dave raised an eyebrow at her. “The same life Uncle Brian wants for you?”

“Or find a career that you love, or travel the world, or… whatever makes you happy, Dave. And the army isn’t it, is it?”

Dave looked at Liz, knowing she could tell how unhappy he was with this decision. He collapsed back onto the bed with a sigh. Liz lay down next to him and he was suddenly reminded of their first night at Uncle Brian’s house after their parents had died, when he’d crawled into her bed because he was scared and she’d told him not to worry because she’d always look out for him. “I can’t stay here.” He said softly, and for all his talk of heroism and the right thing, deep down he knew that was the real reason he’d enlisted.

Liz hummed in agreement, then she nudged him with her elbow. “Why don’t you come stay with me!”

“What?”

“Yeah!” Liz sat up, her eyes sparking with excitement. “I could probably pull a few strings and get you a position with my company. They’re always looking for new recruits. You’d probably have to start at the bottom but it’d be better than the army.”

“I don’t know…” Dave said cautiously. “If I back out now after enlisting, Uncle Brian’s for sure gonna think I’m a coward. Or worse… And I’m not a coward!”

“Who cares what Uncle Brian thinks? You never have to see him again if you don’t want to. Why do you think I haven’t been here in 5 years?”

Dave considered for a moment. Then he sat up. “What exactly does your company do anyhow?”

Liz turned to face him. “Okay, this is gonna sound real batty. The company I work for is called The Commission.”

———

Somewhere outside of Time and Space, 11 years later

…Dave? Dave!

…Medic!

…Stay with me, Dave! Stay with me!

Dave bolted upright. Klaus’ cries ringing in his ears, the sharp pain in his chest, the blood… He was panting and sweaty and confused. The memories felt distant. Where was he?

“Morning, Sleeping Beauty!”

Dave looked at Liz, sitting in a chair next to the… hospital bed? “I was shot.” Dave touched his chest where he was sure he’d felt searing pain only moments ago. There was no wound.

“Yeah, and I had to call in a shitload of favours to get you all patched up.”

Dave lay back down on the hospital bed. So he had been shot, but the Commission had saved him. Liz had saved him. She looked pissed. He took her hand in his own. “You’re the best.” He gave her the most charming smile he could muster. “I love you.”

Liz withdrew her hand and rolled her eyes. “What the hell happened, Dave? You were in Vietnam for 10 months! Did you get your mark?”

“Yeah, I got my mark!” Dave replied indignantly. Of course he got his mark, he always did. Like a good soldier.

“So what happened?”

Dave closed his eyes and sighed. “I don’t want to work for the Commission anymore, Liz. You know I never wanted this, I only joined so I could avoid the army. But how is this any different?”

Liz looked at him for a moment, her expression softening. “It’s not that simple. You weren’t shot by an enemy soldier. It was the Commission.”

“What?!”

“You should’ve told me, Dave. I could’ve talked to my bosses and we could’ve worked something out. The way you handled it, it just looks like you abandoned your mission.”

Dave sighed. “I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t plan this.” Liz didn’t respond, just looked at him expectantly. “I met someone. He’s another agent, at least I think so. We didn’t talk about it, I don’t know why. But he had a briefcase. I think maybe it was his first mission or something. He looked so scared and confused so I stayed for a bit to help him adjust to the time period. I swear that’s all I meant to do at first… Every day I kept telling myself I’d go back to HQ tomorrow, but…” Dave felt one of the corners of his mouth pinch into a smile. “I really liked spending time with him.” He looked at Liz and shrugged wistfully. “I fell in love with him. And before I knew it we were making plans to get an apartment together in San Francisco once our 12 months in Vietnam were up and Liz, I’ve never wanted anything in my life more than I want to live in that apartment with him, or anywhere with him.” Suddenly Dave remembered. The blood, the pain in his chest, the panicked cry. Medic! Dave! Stay with me! He scrunched his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Oh god… He probably still thinks I’m dead.” He looked back at Liz frantically as he started to sit back up. “I have to find him, I have to let him know him I’m alive!”

Liz put a hand to his chest. “Slow down, Romeo. Look, I don’t think you realise how serious this situation is. They wanted you dead, they still do. You need to lay low until this thing blows over. Do a few more missions, show them you’re willing to toe the line, and then when you’re back in their good graces we can talk about you leaving to go find this Sweetheart of yours, okay?”

Dave sighed reluctantly. He wouldn’t even know where to begin looking for Klaus anyway. “Fine, but then you’ll get me some time with the Infinite Switchboard and help me find him, right?”

“I’ll do what I can.” Liz said with a tiny smile. “I gotta meet this guy who finally lit a fire under your ass.” Dave grinned and then Liz handed him a canister. “Your first mission, and it’s a doozy. There’s six on that list. I think they’re a family though, so shouldn’t be too hard. Hopefully they’ll all be in the same place.”

Dave felt sick as he unscrewed the lid. “There’d better not be kids on this list.”

“If there are, you’ll do as you’re told.” Liz said firmly.

Dave ignored her and looked at the order he withdrew from the canister. His blood turned to ice when he read the order.

TERMINATE LUTHER HARGREEVES DIEGO HARGREEVES ALLISON HARGREEVES KLAUS HARGREEVES NUMBER FIVE VANYA HARGREEVES

Terminate. Klaus Hargreeves. Klaus must be in the same trouble Dave was for going off mission, only he didn’t have a sister in the Commission to bail him out. Dave didn’t know who the other names on the list were. Klaus didn’t talk much about his family, and Dave knew what it was like to be on less than stellar terms with a family member so he hadn’t asked. He looked desperately at Liz. “Klaus Hargreeves.” he said, showing her the order. “That’s him.”

Liz glanced at the order and then closed her eyes, letting her head fall into her hand and massaging her temple with a sigh. Dave searched her face for any indication that she had a way to fix the situation. Finally, she looked at him and spoke with an eerie calmness. “Dave, if you don’t kill everyone on that list, the Commission will kill you, and I won’t be able to save you this time.”

“Liz, I can’t!”

“Yes you can.”

“I won’t.”

Liz looked at Dave for a moment, and he couldn’t read her expression. She took the order from him and cupped his cheek. “Okay. I’ll fix this, don’t worry.” 

Liz stood up and started to leave and for the first time in his life, Dave was afraid of his sister. He knew she was ruthless. He also knew she would do anything to protect him. And that was exactly the problem, because apparently it was either Klaus or Dave. Dave knew who he would choose. And he also knew who Liz would choose. Dave leapt out of the hospital bed and put himself in her path. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to fix it.” She said, and it would sound so innocent if Dave didn’t know her better.

Dave’s mind raced. If she really had a way to fix this without Klaus being harmed she’d tell him. He knew exactly what she was going to do and he could only think of one thing he could say to get her to back down. “No, I’ll fix it.” He said, taking the order back from her. He walked around her back towards the bed and faced away from her because he wasn’t sure if he was a good enough liar to pull this off if she saw his face. “I got carried away. It was exciting, being with someone, but I’m not gonna die for this guy. I’ll get back into the Commission’s good graces, don’t worry.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” He still didn’t turn around, but Liz came to him, and he knew it would be suspicious if he avoided her now so he looked at her.

“Alright.” She agreed. “But if you bail on this mission I will finish it for you. I’ll always look out for you, Dave.”

Dave nodded, remembering a time long ago when the though had made him fee safe and loved.

———

2019, the next day

Dave looked around the alley that the briefcase had landed him in. He wasn’t sure why he’d expected to land in 1968, but this place was much more modern. He started walking aimlessly trying to get his bearings, then he stopped at a phone booth. He took out the phone book from the shelf underneath and opened it to H. “Hargreeves, Hargreeves, Hargreeves…” he muttered as he searched.

Hargreeme, Olga Hargreeves, Reginald Hargreeves, Vanya Hargref, Kenny

No ‘Hargreeves, Klaus’ or even ‘Hargreeves, K’. Damn. Dave looked at the Commission order again. Vanya Hargreeves was the last name on the order, and it seemed the only one of these listed in the phone book. If they really were a family, perhaps this Vanya Hargreeves would know where he could find Klaus. Having nothing else to go on, Dave tore out the page and folded it up. Now, he just needed a map.

———

[sunshinemackay]

it for me - bill turcotte x reader

inspired by 11.22.63!! loved the series and i loved george’s character bill! wordcount: 1899

-It smells like shit here.

-We’ll be here for less than a year.

Bill looked around, people were everywhere and it seemed like a great neighbourhood, even though the building they were going to stay at was old. He looked at some of his new neighbours and frowned when he saw the guy looking at him from one chair:

-We should rent this as soon as possible. 

Bill nodded, walking up the stairs to what it would be his new home and Jake opened the door, greeting a man inside, who showed them the small apartment:

-My brother Bill is looking for a job.

-It is your lucky day then! The bar in front of here is looking for a new bartender. They used to have a man but he left and now they need one. You know women can’t serve beers, only coffee.

Bill frowned again and thanked the man, leaving Jake in the apartment. Jake would be going from Dallas to Jodie to work so he would spend most of his days there, whereas Bill would stay in Dallas, continuing their investigation. He walked to the bar and opened the door, a few women were by the bar stool and some men were already grabbing their first beers of the day. 

He walked around and found the girl the landlord told them about. She had her hair up and Bill blushed. She was the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen:

-Hello, welcome to Peter’s, how may I help you today?

Even her voice was as sweet as honey. He coughed a couple of times, trying to calm himself:

-Heard they needed a bartender.

-Oh. The boss is in that table. May I serve you anything?

-It’s okay.

-Ok. 

The girl smiled and walked to other costumers, his eyes never leaving her.

***

-First day. son. Remember, you’ll serve the alcohol, even if they ask y/n, you should be the one to serve it.

-Okay.

The boss, Peter, patted Bill’s back and walked away, leaving Bill on his own until the girl, y/n appeared:

-Hey, you got the job.

-I did.

-That’s good.

She smiled and walked behind the bar:

-I’m y/n.

-Bill.

She was wearing a long green dress and her hair was long, flowing down her shoulders. She started serving coffee to some of the men and women that were around and she earned good tips thank to her sympathy that clearly attracted people, including Bill, who couldn’t stop thinking about her the whole time he was next to her. 

-So, where do you live?

-Huh?

-I didn’t mean to ask like that, I’m sorry.

-It’s okay. I live in those apartments, what about you? -Bill blushed when he saw that they were practically neighbours.- You must be from around here if you’ve decided to work here but I’ve never seen you around.

-I just moved. To that apartment. -Bill looked out of the window, showing her his apartment door.- I live with my brother, Jake.

-That’s nice.

-Do you live with someone? Husband?

y/n laughed softly and shook her head:

-I still live with my parents. I won’t leave until I find a suitable husband. 

-Strange.

-What?

-Strange that you don’t have a husband. I mean, everyone would love to be in that position, right?

y/n looked at him and blushed. When she was about to answer him, a woman approached the bar and asked for a coffee:

-I should get that.

***

-My dad told me that I should start looking for a husband.

Bill looked at her. They were behind the building, drinking some beers after closing (even though Peter told him not to give y/n a beer because as he said, women can’t control themselves after a drink):

-Oh.

-Yeah, he found someone that may be suitable but I don’t like him.

-Have you seen him before?

-Yeah, he took me to dinner yesterday.

Bill could feel his blood boil. Some man took y/n out for dinner and it wasn’t him. He, who fell in love with her the day they met and has been in love for months now:

-My dad likes him because he’s rich and may give me a better life. I could even stop working. 

-That’s... Good.

-I don’t like him. He...

-He what?

-He tried to touch me yesterday after I told him that we should wait. 

-He touched you?

y/n nodded, taking a sip from her beer and sighing:

-I shouldn’t have said anything, you are going to think that...

-What?

-That I’m a whore. 

Bill looked at her, placing his hand on her cheek:

-You’re not a whore. 

-Do you think so?

-I know so. 

She smiled, reaching for his hand, caressing it softly, his hand warning up her face:

-I think you’re drunk and you are just saying it because you don’t want me to feel bad.

-I’m not. You’re special, y/n. You’re so kind and nice to people, even when they are hopeless drunks trying to get one more beer for free. Even that time when Rafael came into the bar, screaming at you because you served him “wrong” and threatened you with getting you fired from this place. Your smile is just so... So contagious and-and, I don’t know. You’re just special. -Bill reached for her hand and kissed it, her cheeks red from all he said.- And I believe you deserve someone who truly loves you.

-No one loves me.

Bill wanted to scream so bad that he loved her, but he didn’t.

***

-You’re moving?

-I am. Jake earns a lot of money and we’re moving to a bigger apartment. 

-Oh.

y/n looked down, not wanting Bill to see her watery eyes:

-I guess you won’t work here anymore, then.

Bill nodded:

-I already have a new job. 

-That’s good, I guess -y/n looked at him.- I guess this is goodbye.

“Please, Bill, say that you love me”

-I guess.

Bill hugged her, his hands on her back. She did the same, her hands caressing as softly as possible his back, the feeling of his shirt making her sad and gloomy. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, that her parents knew about him because she thought he was the one but she couldn’t bring herself to do it:

-I’ll visit you everyday. 

-You know you are not going to do that. You have a new job.

-Okay, then I’ll visit you every weekend. -She smiled.- I promise.

-You better not break it.

“I want to tell you that I love you, but I’m scared”

***

He visited the first weekend, and the second. But that only lasted for a month and y/n was tired of waiting. He didn’t love her and she knew it. It he loved her, he would have told him. Bill was brave and and always spoke about everything.

One rainy night, she couldn’t sleep. She didn’t know why but something inside of her was telling her to not sleep. The clock on the wall showed that it was already three a.m., and suddenly, she heard soft knocking on the main door of the apartment.  

She could hear her dad getting up from the bed and walking through the corridor. Worried about him and who could possibly be knocking on their door at three in the morning, she decided to get up and walked to the main door.

Her dad stood in front of the door and opened it:

-Hello?

-Hello. Sorry, are you Mr. y/l/n?

-I am, who are you?

y/n’s mouth opened:

-Bill...

Her dad turned around, looking at his daughter behind him and the boy in front of her. The boy his daughter told him about:

-I’m so sorry than I’m here at this hour....

-Come in, son. You’re soaking! I’ll bring you a towel. 

Bill smiled and entered the apartment. He looked around, looking at the brown sofa, the small coffee table and the different pictures. y/n couldn’t keep her eyes off of him, his hair was wet, as well as his clothes and his nose was red from the cold:

-What are you...

-I just... -bill sighed.- I just need to talk to you.

-But...

-I’m here. -Her dad gave Bill some towels and spare clothes.- Son, change your clothes. 

-Thank you, sir.

-y/n, show him the bathroom.

y/n looked at her father confused, he would never let a boy enter his house but she nodded, guiding Bill to the bathroom of the house:

-Why don’t you prepare some coffee? I’ll leave you guys to talk. -He kissed y/n’s head.- Good night.

-Good night. 

His dad closed the bedroom door, leaving y/n on the corridor next to the bathroom, where Bill was changing into one of her dad’s pyjamas. Nervous, she walked to the kitchen, wondering why Bill was at her house in the middle of the night:

-They are soft.

She turned around and smiled, remembering how handsome he was. His nose was still red and his hands were shaking a little bit so she gave him a cup of coffee, which he thanked:

-What are you doing here?

-I know I haven’t visited you for the last month and a half.

-Oh yeah? I haven’t noticed.

-You and your sarcasm. Missed it. -She smiled, biting her lower lip.- Anyway, I’ve just been so busy working double shifts in my new job and I’m sorry. I... -he sighed.- I left without saying the most important thing and I haven’t been able to sleep in the longest time.

-What is it?

-I... -He stood next to her, the height difference making him smile.- I just... I’ve loved you since the first time I saw you. Since the first day you told me the boss was on a specific table. And I fell more and more in love with you, every time I saw you.

y/n looked at him, her eyes wide:

-And when you told me that guy touched you and that you thought I would think you are a whore... Gosh, I wanted to break his face for ever touching you and making you feel that way and I wanted to tell you that I loved you in that exact moment but I was so scared that you would reject me because you deserve so much better than Bill.

-I...

-I wanted to tell you the day I told you I was moving but I was scared that you would not feel the same and... I’ve been taking double shifts to give you what you deserve, because you deserve someone who is willing to give you everything and I worship you. And I wanted to have savings to get us a big apartment for the both of us if you’ll have me. I love you, y/n. I love you with all my heart. 

y/n placed her hand on his cheek, smiling:

-I love you too.

-You do?

-I do. You’re it for me, Bill. And as much as I would love to move in with you, you’ll need to talk with my father.

-Of course.

-I love you.

-I love you. Can I kiss you?

y/n nodded, smiling when he softly kissed her:

-You’re it for me, y/n. Can’t wait to spend my life with you.

[trying-write-fanfics]

Shouji Mezo X Reader part 19 Remember

The girls early that morning went straight to the school asking if Y/n was allowed to bring her to the mall for the camping trip. Before the school could say anything they promised most of the class was going to be there and that they wouldn’t take their eyes off the girl. They were talking about her like a dog. The school agreed, and reminded that Y/n does not have a phone, but does have a tracker implanted in her. The school was being lenient because not only did Y/n show she was on good behavior, but if something happened the students would learn a good lesson on capturing someone. Aizawa had already told the school that he was sure most of his students would be able to outsmart her in this area. 

 The next step was to actually let Y/n know. It’s not like she had a phone they could just text, it was like the 1800s, no phones squat! They knocked on her door. She silently opened it, she was in her robe, her hair was up and her eyes tired. She shut the door and reopened it to reveal she was all ready for the day. She was in an outfit that stood out, had her hair flawlessly in place,  shoes to complete the drip and make up done.

“How did you do that?” Jirou yelled.

“I don’t even think you let go of the door.” Tsu said.

“What is up girlies?” she asked.

“We wanted to know if you wanted to come to the mall with us today.” Hakagure said.

“Well, legally I’m not allowed to have plans, so sure.”  Y/n said.

“Wait do you have money? We’re going to shop for the camping trip.” Momo said.

“Yeah, my mom’s card.”

“What!” Urakaka said.

“Well she saved a lot of money without having to buy any back to school stuff when she had me switch to online. This can make the difference up.”

Y/n got her stuff and started walking back with the girls to the dorms so they could pick up their things for such a shopping trip.

“So what did you and Shouji do last night? Mina asked.

“Well, I lost my eyesight so he watched me stumble around because I wasn’t gonna tell him I was blind.”

“Why?” Tsu asked.

“I wanted to see how well my other senses could work it out.” She told them. “What am I? Open about all my issues? You guys get the crime stuff, but I’m entitled to my secrets.”

“Did he not help you?”Jiro asked, a little shocked about the word choice.

“I mean I guess.” She played it off.

The girls were hoping for this epic romantic little secret meeting and instead they just imagine Y/n walking around in a circle and tripping on stuff while Shouji watches. Shouji was a kind gentle giant who does help others, but the image they were seeing was Y/n would bite his hand off if he tried to help the girl. 

“Is the rest of the class coming with us today?’

“Yeah, mostly everyone.” Momo said.

“Wait, are you going camping with us?” Tsu asked.

“Yeah, Aizawa is gonna do the government a favor and get some baselines set for my quirk. He got approved for  quirk stabilizers too so I can use my quirk lessening the pain.” She said. 

“Are you sure it's safe?” Jirou asked.

“Well, I bet I'll be fine since Aizawa will be there.” Y/n said. 

 In all honesty, she did want to learn more about her quirk and it’s limits. She wasn’t allowed to for so long and now that she has permission! What a concept! Some freedom with her quirk. This might be what she got instead of a prison sentence, this was a lot better than she thought it was gonna be. It was separated by girls and boys. 

 The students met up and went to the subway. They were all planning what they needed to get for the trip. 

“I think I’m gonna get  bug spray.” Urakaka said. 

“That’s all you need?” Y/n asked.

“Well I already have enough clothes and-“

“I’ll buy you the bug spray.”

“What you don’t have-“

“I’m gonna ask to borrow it anyway, now it’s one less thing for me to pack.” She said. “Besides if my mom reads the credit card bill she’ll think I’m being responsible, it’s a win win.”

“I wanted to ask you something, just between us.” Urakaka whispered.

“What’s up, cutie?”

“Deku is always asking you for help with his training, and I wanna know if there’s anything I could do to make myself better as a fighter or just someone to rely on. You know a lot about that stuff.” Urakaka explained. 

“I don’t know  your areas of weakness besides your quirk being overused. Gunhead gave you some pretty solid training, I could try and teach you what I know, but it might not be what you need. I can’t really help with your quirk, but I’m sure this summer camp will help you. You’re already pretty light on your feet, that’s what most people here have troubles with.”

“You don’t think I’m weak?” Urakaka asked.

“No. I know you might think that because your quirk isn’t the best fighting one there is, you don’t shoot stuff out of your hands or anything, but it seems like you actually work on other things beside your quirk making you a whole hero.” Y/n explained.

“You know, I’m kinda jealous of you. You speak so easily what’s on your mind and it just comes out so easy for you.” Urakaka told her.

“That’s just because I’m not around my family. When I’m with them in public it’s just best to keep my mouth shut, but I’m not really worried about the consequences here.” Y/n told her.

“Are you parents...cold people?” She asked.

“They’re trying their best. They’re very career oriented people.” Y/n explained.

After they got off the subway, the class made their way to the mall. They were surprised to be recognized by civilians. People did surround them and asked questions. Y/n felt like the odd one out. She wasn’t part of this class, and yet now she was. Hagakure made a plan for the class to split up to divide and conquer and to come back in the meeting space.

“Shouji, you should ask Y/n to join us.” Tokoyami said.

“Why, so you can tease me more?” Shouji asked.

“I just figured she would order lunch from the cashier for us.” 

“Y/n” Shouji called out to her.

 Y/n turned her head to look at him and then stuck her tongue out. She made her choice to join Momo and Jirou instead.

“Looks like she’s not coming with us.”

“You should have flirted with her better.” Tokoyami said.

“That wasn’t flirting.”

“I’m talking about last night.”

Betrayal again!! Shouji didn’t let it bother him too much since the two guys had shopping to do. Should he talk to her about last night? She didn’t seem off or anything...was that normal for her? To open her bed and have a whisper conversation. They weren’t really flirting, just talking about silly concepts. It wouldn’t be weird if Momo were to do that. They were just having a sleepover…except there was that almost kiss…she couldn’t even see him. There was no way she was prepared for a mouth like his. She was just caught up in what right. Like a little summer romance.

“We should play truth or dare at camp.” Y/n told the girls. 

“That might be sensitive for you, you gotta tell the truth if you play truth or dare.” Jirou said. 

“Then I’ll just pick dare.”

“I dare you to pick the truth.” Jirou said.

“You got me there.” Y/n said. 

Momo laughed. 

“C’mon can’t you tell us there’s obviously something between you and Midoriya or you and Shouji.” Momo said. 

“Why not both.” Y/n teased. 

“Awh!  You’re too good at this!” Jirou complained. 

“I may secretly be in love with Sero, he liked my alligator stapler.” Y/n joked.

“Don’t make it harder to think.” Jirou said. 

“Maybe then we should drop it if Y/n doesn’t wanna be open about-“ Momo said.

“No, I’m digging this attention. I wanna hear more how I live rent free in your minds.” Y/n said. 

“I don’t remember you ever being like this.” Momo said. 

“It would be unladylike of me to have such selfish desire.” Y/n mocked her mother. 

“So if you two knew each other before this does that mean, do you remember Momo well?” Jirou asked.

“Momo was the pearl of her parents eyes.” Y/n said. “She may have been a little shy, but she made it a mission to talk to me, because I looked so cool.” Y/n said. 

“I just figured since we were the same age-“

“Admit it my frilly little dress and tap shoes was the fit of the century.” Y/n said. 

Momo laughed at Y/n’s teasing. They went back to talking and as the rule of three goes, Y/n took the back so her two friends could walk in the front. Life felt normal again. Well her version of normal. She was out with friends with little worries in the world. Her parents were mad at her, but that was expected. Being a teenager is hard and her parents cannot fathom what it’s like. As life goes on, their problems get more complicated. All was well in the world, but when people think that, that’s when disaster strikes. Momo and Jirou got further way as Y/n slowed down. A hand covered her mouth and pulled her to the side, to a privacy behind a store. She was thrown against a wall, one hand went to the side of her face. A blade was pressed against her neck in a threatening way. Her capture was none other than old business partner Dallas. The cold blade shivered against her neck.

“L-long time no see, Dallas.” Y/n said. 

“I don’t wanna do this...but I know you were captured by the police .”

To save him. 

“I have to know what you told the police. Spill it, everything.”

Not a single thing. 

“You know I wouldn’t betray you.” She said.

The blade we pressed deeper into the skin, causing blood to shed. 

“You’re lying you have to. What plea deal did they give you, huh?”

“You know if you kill me you’ll lose your best client.” She said hoping that would get him to think rationally.

This wasn’t rational at all. From the knife to the kidnapping. They’re in a mall, in the back of a store, a million cameras had to have caught him. The knife, if she does piss him off, the blood will go everywhere, making endless evidence. But he wasn’t training rationally, this was a last ditch effort. What was the police doing that made him so scared? 

“Damn it!” He pulled the knife back and then slammed it into the wall, causing another slice on her neck. “You think I don’t know that? I’m losing way too much. Your mother is trying to go sober to avoid suspicion. I can’t sell anything anyway! And the police haven’t led up at all! They’re choking us out with those damn heroes. You’re caught and you go walk free, what privilege you must have, being so rich you can’t even be kicked down.”

This was not the storyteller that was sneaking drugs into her mailbox. This was someone desperate. He never cared, but he used her loneliness to his advantage. He got too comfortable with the view up top, but now with one of his key players gone, he’s angry.  

“What’s killing me going to do? You would have known by now if I betrayed you or you would have been caught .” She told him. 

“Shut up!” He punched the wall beside her face. 

 She was scared despite her remarks. Her warm blood against the cold blade was reminding her how clumsy he was, that he could kill her on accident, here. He was pressing it enough to let some blood out. It trickled down her neck, onto the blade and her shoulder. She didn’t want to die here, but what was the plan? What does he want to know? She doesn’t have anything she can give him.

“What do you wanna know?” She asked. 

“Why would I believe for one second you got away with not telling the police anything?” He told her. 

“If you stayed behind, you would have seen how injured I got.” She told him. “Excessive brutality.”

“You know I’m kinda jealous of you. People will always pity you and feel like they’re going too hard on you for just existing the way you are. It must be nice to live in one giant cradle!” His voice is like a madman. 

That was it. She didn’t want to fight him, but he was picking his words poorly. She undercut his chin. He moved his knife like he was going to strap her in the arm, but missed and got caught in the hit. He jumped back instead of attacking forward. Their eyes locked, shocked out each other’s actions. He ran back into the public instead of finishing the job. She survived. He never wanted to kill her. Maybe he was just consumed with rage when he saw her here at the mall...

[hermankopusortizorsumshite]

Y’all this is part one! I repeat!! There is a part two!! Literally no one has read yet!! ❤️❤️

She was a friend of Trager’s, from his past. A young girl he’d saved almost twenty years ago now a grown woman thriving. She worked as a waitress at a bar in Sacramento, and Tig often made visits to see her. As he visited last, he had mentioned that he was concerned for her health and wellbeing. He’d said things were getting kind of crazy around Charming. She took that as a warning to get out of Dodge, so she did. She found a place in Dallas to hunker down, found a good job, and made a little life for herself. She was alone, of course, but she had a few friends.

She got ready for work, putting her hair up into two cute little braided buns, pinning back any loose hair before putting on some winged eyeliner and mascara, some fake lashes, and bright red lips. Smoothing her black button down shirt and fixing her collar, she gets on her bike and heads to work. A few Hispanic bikers showed up as soon as the doors opened. They drank and cheered, celebrating something. She smiled as she wiped down the bar, hands pressing onto the wooden top stopping her circles. She looked up and met the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes.

“Hi! What can I get for ya?” She asks, biting her bottom lip ever-so-slightly as she finished speaking. The blonde’s grin only got wider as he ordered a drink, the leather kutte that rested atop his bare shoulders at first had her heart racing. He was gorgeous. Tall, blonde, wide shoulders, beautiful blue eyes, my god. He was a sight for sore eyes. Her eyes scanned the leather, reading his patches. Sgt. at Arms, Tacoma. Those two meant something to her, as she thought about it while she poured him a drink, and when it hit her she slid the drink to him without another look before disappearing. Her heart was pounding so heavily she thought it might explode. She was leaned against the cool brick wall when Jade found her with a concerned look.

“You okay?” She asks, grabbing the woman’s shoulder. Tig was a sergeant at arms for SAMCRO, and if this guy was the same for Tacoma, she had a bad feeling this guy wasn’t here on pleasure.

“Yeah, sorry. Just felt sick for a second, I’m fine.” She grins, heading back inside to find the blonde still planted at the bar. A few more men made it to the bar, and she could feel the blonde’s eyes on her every move. “You need a refill, Darlin’?” She asks, and his eyes meet hers for a moment as he nods, winking at her. Her knees went weak for a second as his fingers brushed hers when he took the glass.

“Thanks, doll.” She almost visibly choked at the nickname. She’d only been called that by one other person. Her eyes jolted to his and he winked once more, sipping from his drink and watching the golf on the TV above the bar. She hurriedly got the other men their drinks before returning to stand in front of the gorgeous biker.

“You know Trager?” She hushes, eyes pleading him for something. He couldn’t quite tell what she wanted him to say, so he gambled on a yes.

“Yeah, I’m SAMTAC, here on vacation. Trager and I go back pretty far.” He chuckles, taking another sip from his drink.

“Right, got a name blue eyes?” She asks, giving him a little smirk.

“Kozik.” He chuckles, reaching for her knuckles. He takes them into one big, ringed hand for a second before dropping it on the bar.

“Well Kozik, what brings a Tacoma bad boy like you to Dallas on vacation?” She asks, wiping out a couple glasses as her eyes scan the bar for anyone looking for a drink.

“Just got sick of Washington, I guess. Needed a change of scenery. And I gotta tell ya, I’m lovin’ the view.” She snorts, rolling her eyes as she pours another drink for one of the men down the bar.

“How many poor unsuspecting crow eaters you use that on?” She scoffs with a smile. He laughs, giving her a great big smile making her heart jump.

“Probably too many.” He admits, shaking his head.

“Where ya staying?” She asks, writing down her name, apartment, and phone number on an old tab receipt.

“Mariot. Lemme tell ya, those beds suck ass.” He chuckles, eyes watching her scribble. Tig made Kozik a deal, if he could get the girl back to SAMCRO he could patch in. He took the job confidently, how hard could it be to convince a chick to get on a motorcycle with a hot biker? He chuckled to himself as he thought about Tig’s conversation.

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

“Kozik!” Tig shouted through the shop, finding the blonde in the lot working on his bike. “Dumbass! I got a job for ya!” He shouted, waving the big blonde into the clubhouse.

“What’s up?” He asks, wiping his hands off on a grease rag in his pocket.

“Tell you what, with all the shit that went down with Gemma, it got me thinking about a girl I saved.” Kozik snorted, raised his brows at the older man. Tig scowled, swatting him upside the head. “Not like that you fuckin’ idiot. Anyway, this girl is really important man. Be serious, or I’ll find someone else.” Tig warned, pointed a finger at the younger man.

“Sorry, man. Go on.”

“Anyway, lockdown is in four days. You gotta get this girl back here so I can keep her safe.” His eyes were darker than normal, Kozik noticed. Tig really cared about this girl.

“Okay, what’s in it for me? Where is she even at?” Tig looked to the floor.

“I’ll let you patch in. She’s in Dallas at a hole in the wall bar, I’ll give you the address. You up for the challenge?” He asked, scribbling down the information he needed. He watched on as Tig pulled his chained wallet from his pocket and pulled a picture from it. His thumb brushed over the little Polaroid.

“Dallas, man? That like twenty five hours away without stops dude.” He groaned, frowning. Tig grabbed his shoulder and Kozik met his eyes.

“I know, I know it’s a lot. But if anyone has a chance at convincing her to come home, it’s you. Please.” Kozik could tell he was so serious. With a heavy sigh, he grabbed the photo from Tig’s hands and the address and got ready to head out. “Kid? Be careful. She’s a firecracker. She could, in fact, kill you if you piss her off, courtesy of me by the way.” He chuckled before he headed back to the garage.

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

“Well here, I’m not sure if my fold out couch is any better but Pop wouldn’t want me leaving you in a shitty motel.” She chuckles, sliding her information across the bar to the man before disappearing out of sight. Her shift is cut short by Jade appearing and grabbing the towel from her hands.

“You and blondie get outta here, Dax wants me to close up since we’ve been pretty dead. Go on!” She laughs, pushing the younger woman out the bar’s two-way swinging door and handing her her purse.

“Oh no, he’s a friend of Pop’s. So no. I won’t be ‘getting outta here’ with him.” She laughs, hopping on her bike and starting it, when his Dyna roars up next to her.

“You out already?” He calls, giving her a sweet, sexy smirk. With a nod, she zooms away with a smile, letting him follow behind her as she headed to her apartment. Pulling into the lot, she hops off her bike, waving him into the same spot she was parked in. As she heads up the stairs, she finds Missus Cipriani sitting on her porch, coffee cup in her wrinkled hands. Grabbing a chair, she sits next to old woman and offers Kozik to lean against the rail.

“Sweet girl, you found yourself a man?” She asks, grinning at the blonde leaned against the iron railing.

“Yes ma’am,” Kozik responds before she had a chance to get the words out. Kozik steps up, patting your shoulder.

“You look nice, tell me young man, what do you do for a living?” She asks, sipping her chamomile tea with honey. Lyra could smell the sweetness and desperately longed for a cup of it.

“I’m a mechanic in Charming, California.” He smiles, gripping the ebony-curled woman’s shoulder.

“Very nice, you two are cute. Have a good night, sweet girl. I love you.” Missus Cipriani smiles as Lyra stood to head to her door. “Lyra?” She asks as Kozik stepped into the small apartment, her apple doll face scrunched up as she smiled wide. “He’s a cutie. And a keeper. Good night, baby.” She grins, all big teeth and wrinkly skin. Lyra grinned back, blowing her a kiss.

“Night, Elsie. Love you. Sleep tight. If that damn cat wakes you up again let me know, I’ll kill that scraggly bastard.” Elsie laughed so hard for a moment, Lyra couldn’t help but laugh along.

“Of course dear. Goodnight.” Lyra steps into her apartment shutting the door. She turns to face the blonde, nervous and a little scared.

“So, Kozik. That’s it? Just Kozik?” He chuckles, looking her up and down, soaking in her petite body, licking his lips.

“It’s Herman Kozik. Don’t call me Herman.” He nips, pointing a finger at her. With a giggle, she unbuttons her black shirt, pulling it off to reveal a floral tattoo on her shoulder, and a plain black bra.

“Feel free to get comfy. I’m gonna go change and I’ll be right back.” She disappears, leaving him to collect his thoughts. They should be on the road by morning or they’d never make the first night. Though if he were honest, he’d rather they stay holed up in her apartment, finding out more about each other, maybe on a deeper personal level. He found her insanely attractive, he found himself having a hard time controlling the urge to touch her.

“Hey, want a beer?” She calls from the kitchen, drawing him back to earth.

“Yeah, that’d be good. Hey, I got a question.” He states, popping his beer cap and putting it in the pocket of his kutte and taking a swig.

“What’s that?” She asks, a small smile on her lips.

“I need you to come back to Charming with me.” He croons, eyes pleading with her.

“Oh no. No you don’t.” He tries to stop her but a fire rages in her eyes, hand gripping the neck of the bottle.

“Listen, I gotta bring you in one way or—“

“No.” She states plainly, sitting on the couch next to him and sipping her beer.

“Come with me.”

“No!” She barks, glaring at him.

“You don’t have a choice. I’ll kidnap you if you wanna look at it that way. Against your will, you can tell everyone in Charming I did it. I kidnapped you, but Tig knows and so do I, it’s for your safety. Get up, we gotta go. Pack a few bags, nothing major, it’s only a week.” He informs, taking another drink trying to calm his nerves.

“Make m—“ He hand covers her mouth and he gets within inches of her face.

“Don’t. Trust me, love. That’s not gonna end well.” He growls low, watching her eyes widen under his hand. With a quick, swift kick, he was flat on his back heaving for breath as she was sprinting away. Catching her ankle, he drops her on the floor and handcuffs her. “Tig was serious.” He huffs, trying to catch his breath.

Lifting her to her feet proved difficult, especially when she slammed her head into his. Grasping at his eye and growling, he tackles her to the ground leaving her there as he headed to her bedroom to pack a couple bags. When he was finished, he dragged her to his bike. Padlocking her handcuffs to the seat strap, he tucks her bags into the saddlebags.

“Christ, you’re such an asshole.” She hisses, her wrists burning from the tight cuffs.

“I’ll take those off if you promise to behave.” He coos darkly, trying to look scary. She chuckles with a glare.

“Behave, Pop did tell you I wouldn’t go willing, didn’t he? That would be why you have the cuffs, right? I mean, unless your a motorcycling badass who plays rent-a-cop.” She snarls. He was tired. He’d been up for almost twenty-seven hours, and he was exhausted. He gave a yawn, and she felt a little bad for being such a pain. Deep down she knew Tig was doing it out of love, but had he really sent this big brute to drag her back kicking and screaming? Of course he had. He sent this big blonde on purpose. He thought she’d be so swooned by his looks that he thought he’d be able to whisk her away. “Fine, I’ll cooperate, but take these off please. Number one, it’s not safe, and number two, I’d rather hold on to you. For safety reasons of course.” She giggles.

“Oh no you don’t. I’m unhooking them on one condition only.” He growls, fingertips feeling his cheek gingerly and wincing. He’d have a black eye from her little excursion.

“And that is?”

“You look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t plan on running, kicking my ass again, or ya know, any crazy horse shit Tig taught you. He’s just trying to keep you safe, and honestly, I don’t know why he sent me. He still blames me for his dog dying. So I don’t know why he sent me, but he did. He trusts your life with me, and I plan on delivering you to him alive. How alive you are, depends on how you wanna act.” He heaves a long sigh, sucking in a huge yawn.

“I know. Listen, let’s sleep tonight and leave in the morning. You’re too tired to drive. You can even handcuff me to you if it helps.” She assures, resting her head on his warm, bare shoulder.

“Yeah, sleep sounds good.” He whispers, unlocking the padlock and helping her off the bike. They went back inside and he did like she suggested he handcuffed her to himself and they laid on the couch. He laid down first, offering on top of him as a totally viable place to be comfortable. Giving a giggle, she agreed. Laying on him, she shivers against him, reveling in the warmth and sweet cologne and smoke that swirled around them. Yanking the blanket off the back of the couch over the two, in seconds they were fast asleep.

“Morning.” She calls from the kitchen as she hears him roll over. He’d left the cuff-keys within reach, and this morning at six when she had to pee, she found them and unhooked herself. She’d considered running, he wouldn’t find her for at least a few hours. She’d decided against it. It might be nice to go back to Charming and see everyone she’d missed. With a sigh, she found herself feeling a little excited.

“Tell me, Tacoma. You originally from Tacoma? Or somewhere else?” He sat up when he heard her voice so far away.

“How did you—“ She tosses the keys to him and disappears again, returning with a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast. “Thanks.” He smiles, taking a bite. “I’m originally from Charming, but me and Tig had a falling out. I left for Washington and Tig became Sargent at Arms for SAMCRO.” He nods finishing his breakfast and standing to stretch. “Hey, I gotta drain the radiator.” She points him towards the bathroom as she heads to his bike to grab the bags he packed. As he stepped out of the bathroom, he went looking only to find the apartment empty. “Fuck!” He shouts, grabbing the door handle just as she stepped back into the apartment to get rid of half the stupid things that he packed.

“Miss me baby?” With a snide remark, she watches as he heaves a deep breath.

“Fuck off.” He breathes, grabbing her tight against him. Was he scared for her safety? Was he worried that she’d run away? He didn’t know what made him do it, but he did, arms tightening around her. Dropping her bags at his feet, and grips his shoulders. “Next time say something.” He snips, pulling himself away from her and eyeing her bags.

“I was gonna repack really quick. I figured you didn’t pack anything I’d actually wear. Which means I’m either going naked or I’m repacking. And that’s totally up to you.” He grins darkly, grabbing her up and making her squeal before he put her back on her feet.

“Go ahead, I’ll be out here.” He smiles, smacking her butt as she scampered down the hall. Appearing a moment later with her bags, she grins at him as she slips out the door, Kozik following quickly behind.

“Missus Cipriani!” She knocks on the woman’s door. As the little old woman appears, she grins when she sees the bags and the big blonde behind her. “Hey, I’m gonna be gone for like a week. You think you could water Jethro and Lucille for me? I’ll leave you my keys.” She hands over her door key, and with a smile, they disappear down the stairs.

He pulls into a gas station and fills up, heading in for a drink.

“You want a drink?” He calls to her. With a little smile, she gets off the bike and heads in with him. His eyes caught a camera in the corner and a man with a swastika on his chest. Grabbing her hips, he pulls her against him, pulling her hood up over her head. “Don’t question me.” He hums in her ear as he leads her to the case for a drink. They both grab energy drinks and head to the counter. His leather kutte should have tipped they off, but they never saw her face. He got her to the counter paid for their things and headed out, hopping on the bike. “Don’t move.” He whispers, pulling a Kevlar vest from a saddlebag and haphazardly pulling it over her head and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“Kozi—“

“Don’t.” He whispers as the man heads out of the store to a green and off white bronco. Grabbing his cellphone, he dials Tig. “Hey! What does Weston drive? Is he bald?” He asks, his face scowling as Tig answers.

“Is she with you?” He asks, and Kozik assures she’s safe.

“Yeah, she’s got the Kevlar on. Don’t worry.” He murmurs, “listen, does Weston drive a green two tone bronco?”

“Yeah, why? He there?” He asks.

“Yeah. I got it. Just gotta lose him.” He mutters. Climbing on the bike in front of her and shedding his beautiful kutte. “Stuff this between us.” He whispers, before he hears Tig.

“Hey, can I talk to her?” Kozik hands back the phone.

“Hey Pop!” She cheers, getting a sideways glance from a half-mad Kozik.

“He keepin’ you safe?” He asks, voice somber.

“Yeah pop. He’s pretty cute too. Good choice.” She giggles, hearing the blonde huff. Peeking around his shoulder, she sees a smug grin on his face.

“Stay with him, darlin’. I know it’s not ideal, but that Weston guy is gonna try to hurt you. Let Kozik do what he needs to. Don’t fight him. Okay?” He asks as his eyes filled with tears. He was terrified that Weston found them and they hadn’t even left Dallas yet.

“Yeah, Pop. You got it. Hey, is he a good one?” Kozik listened in for a second.

“Yeah, kid. Hold on tight.” He chuckles, swiping quickly at the tears that rolled down his cheeks as Clay walked in.

“Alright, Pop. I love you.” She whispers, feeling her throat start to close.

“I love you too, doll face. You and dumbass keep each other safe, okay? I’ll see you when you get here, hunny. I love you so much.” He whispers, letting her hang up. Tig’s hands smoothed up and down his lap for a while to calm himself down. He should’ve just gone by himself. He should have just done it. Gone and brought her home. He should have never made Kozik that deal. He knew she’d find him attractive, but she sounded genuinely interested. “We need to arrange someone to pick them up the minute they hit California. Make it look like a heist. I’ll send someone else for the bike with a tow truck. Kozik already has a tail. Weston.” He growls.

“Who’s Weston?” She asks as they floor it onto the highway. Kozik checking his mirrors to see the bronco get on right behind them.

“Hold on, babygirl.” He yells over the whipping wind as he cranks the speed. Revering in the feel of her arms squeezing tightly to him, he guns it harder as he weaves through traffic. He hadn’t even meant to call her that, but it slipped out and he didn’t take it back.

“Kozik! He’s gone!” She shouts, giving a shriek and hugging tighter to him as he guns it harder. They headed up to the panhandle of Texas and into New Mexico. As they pulled off into a big gas station and he pulls the bike between two big semis.

“Hey, you can take off the Kevlar. It’s okay. Weston got off in Albuquerque, I got a scout leading him back to Charming.” The pretty blonde heading into the store after filling the bike. She slipped into the bathroom and sat down to pee when she heard the door open and her heart stopped.

“Darlin’?” His rough sweet voice calls from the doorway.

“Yeah.” She calls, finishing up and heading out to find something to drink.

“Hey baby, you okay?” He asks, his arm loosely hanging over her shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m good. Let’s go eat somewhere.” She coos, grabbing onto the front of his kutte.

“Yeah, I suppose we better. You up for breakfast?” He asks, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

“Yeah, that sounds good. You okay?” She asks, eyeing him. He looked tired and scared. He looks up for only a moment before he grabs her hand and leads her to the counter with a couple energy drinks and a bag of pizza combos.

“I’m just tired.” He chuckles, dropping a ten on the counter and heading out the door, his favorite black-haired girl in tow.

“Yeah, you ready to find some grub?” She giggles as he swings her in a sweet circle, one arm around her waist, the other clasping her hand. “And you can dance.” She grins, laughing as he swings and twirls her.

“Not a lot.” He laughs, helping her onto the bike before climbing on, her small arms wrapping around his abdomen and holding tightly as he searched for a breakfast place. Pulling into a parking lot across from a Mariot was a little diner he prayed served breakfast. It was close by, they could walk over for actual breakfast in the morning. They had finally made it to Milan, that Kozik read on a pamphlet at the door. Heading into the restaurant, Kozik’s hand doesn’t leave her waist. They’d fallen into an easy routine of being in love, and they barely knew each other. He found he wasn’t curious. He’d loved just being around her. He lets her into the corner against the wall, sliding in next to her.

“Hi! Welcome to Milan! What can I get you two to drink?” Asks the bubbly, curvy waitress, with a happy smile. Kozik assessed her quickly before giving her one of his biggest smiles, making the young girl blush. Lyra felt her heart drop for a second, gripping his thigh.

“I’d like a coffee, just black.” She smiles, giving the blonde dirty look.

“Coffee too, got a long trip ahead.” He smiles, patting her upper thigh in contentment. As the girl nods and wisps away, he presses a kiss to her forehead and murmurs in her ear. “Darlin’, the only person in here with my full attention,” his fingers danced up her thigh, making her shift, “is you, babygirl. Don’t you worry.” He rasps, nipping at her ear before straightening up and flipping open a menu. She let out a few shaky breaths as the waitress reappeared with their coffee.

“You need a few minutes to look over the menu?” She asks, pulling her order book and pencil out.

“I do, you?” She looks to the blonde, kissing the bare skin of his upper arm where the tattoo sat.

“I need just a minute. Sorry, we’ve never been here.” He chuckles, one hand absently gently running back and forth along her inner thigh, exciting her senses and making her knees pull together squeezing his fingertips to make him stop.

“What are you doing?” She hushes into his ear, pressing an ardent kiss to the corner of his lips. He turns his head and kisses her square on the lips, his own warm and inviting. The waitress appeared back with her book, ready to take an order.

“If we order, can we get it packaged to-go?” He asks, one arm slung over her shoulders lazily.

“Yeah absolutely! What can I get packed up for ya?” They ordered breakfast, each getting two different things and got their bag of breakfast food and headed to the hotel across the street. He handed off the food to her and carried their bags in. After checking in, they all but sprinted to the room. He was ready to get her undressed, find out what that big tee shirt and shorts were hiding.

As they slipped into the room, she dropped the food on a table, yanking her clothes off in a whirlwind of flying objects, their clothes landing in a pile together. His warm, strong body met hers feverishly, holding her tight as his lips found hers in a passionate meet of tongues and lips. Her fingers combed through his soft blonde spikes, his fingers tangling in her dark ebony curls as they fell to her shoulders when he broke her hair tie. With a laugh, they continued to get more heated. Digging his wallet from his jeans pocket on the floor, he pulls over a condom, rolling it on as she watched. Grabbing his wallet chain, he unhooks in from his wallet, hauling her back against the bed and wrapping the wallet chain around her wrists twice and clipping them to the bannister of the metal bed frame. He stretched her legs straight down under him and she sucked in a breath when his lips met her cool skin with hot kisses and nips. He ground his hips into hers with smooth rhythm.

He gave a low growl as he slid into her, her eyes blown wide legs wrapping around his waist and her ankles crossing. Unhooking her hands and unwinding the cold chain, he drags it along her clammy hot skin sending shivers down her spine and leaving her gasping for air. The cold shocked her and he grinned as he dropped the chain to the floor and her hands found his back, nails biting into his muscular shoulders.

Hands digging for a hold on him as they reached their peak, Kozik grunting against her as he rode out his high, leaving the two breathless and sated. He padded to the bathroom and she heard the shower start. With a deep breath, she headed in after him with her little travel shower kit. They climbed in the shower and she grabbed her kit and handed him a bottle of men’s shower gel and grabbed her own floral scented body wash.

“Should I ask why you have men’s shower gel?” He chuckles, giving her a little smile.

“Tig sends me a bottle every year for Christmas. I told him I missed having him around so he sent me a bottle of shower gel to put in the corner like he still lived with me, or least visited.” She explains shyly, scrubbing his back, using the loofah to trace the letters etched into his wide shoulders. Something about the black ink against his lightly golden skin, the blonde hair and those beautiful ocean blue eyes that drank her in so often, she fell in love. She was totally in love with this perfect, gorgeous stranger. Pop had done it on purpose. He took the loofah from her hands and squeezed out the men’s body wash before putting her floral pink shimmery wash and scrubbing up and down her body. He found himself mesmerized by her beauty.

A few hours pass and she was reading a pamphlet about the twenty-four-hour pool. Shaking Kozik’s shoulder, he rolls and grunts, waving her away from him. Grabbing her cell phone and a towel, she changes into her two piece swim suit and heads down to the pool. Oddly enough, at two in morning, there was a man at the pool, short dark hair and a swastika tattoo at the base of his throat. He was tall, gangly, all arms and legs as he did laps around the pool seemingly minding his own business. She sits her towel on the fold out chair and saunters into the hot tub.

“Shit, it’s early.” He peeked through one eye and looked at the clock that sat on the side table. 3:45AM gleamed red. He reached for her waist to find the bed empty. Shaking his head, he waited a few minutes before getting up to check the bathroom to find the door open and light off. His heart started to pound as he started down the halls to the pool. Shoving into the pool room, he’s woken completely by the bleach smell starting a fire in his nostrils. He looked through the room and found it empty, expect for a SAMCRO towel hanging on a chair. “No.” He mutters, grabbing the towel and hunting around for any other idea as to where she went.

“Jump in, the water’s fine.” A dark voice calls from behind the blonde man. Kozik turns slowly to face a tall brunette, gangly with a swastika tattoo on his chest. Kozik leaned over the edge to find her sitting on the bottom of the pool.

“Christ!” He jumps in, jeans and black tee, grabbing her and dragging her to the surface and ripping the tape from her mouth and pulling her against him. Smoothing the hair from her face and starts chest compressions. “Come on! Come on! Please! Don’t do this to me!” He shouts, giving her chest compressions until she coughs up some water, sucking in a breath and sputtering up water. “Christ.” He heaves, gathering her against him and undoing the ties around her arms and legs. Lifting her up, he carries her to the chair, grabbing her towel and wrapping it around her. Carrying her up to their room, he calls Tig to let them know what happened. He puts the phone on speaker as he continues to bustle around, pulling all of her wet clothes off of her. No answer. Slapping the phone shut, he tosses it aside to dry her off with a towel and tugging one of his tee shirts onto her and dragging the three layers of blankets up over her. He dials Tig once more, tucking his piece into the band of his jeans and getting everything packed up. They were leaving. In six hours she’d be the safest she could be at TM and he couldn’t handle her wandering off anymore. Why couldn’t she just listen to him? He paced back and forth until Tig finally answered.

“She’s okay.” Kozik starts, “but one of Weston’s guys tried to drown her.”

“What?” Tig storms.

“She’s fine. Sleeping right now. But I have everything packed and we’re leaving in a few hours. We’re six hours away. I’m gonna get her ready to head out in two hours. I’ll call before we hit the road. Tig I’m sorry. I’ll kill that son of a bitch.” He assures, still pacing.

“Lemme talk to her.” He asks.

“She’s sleeping, man.” He looks to her, eyes closed chest gently rising and falling.

“Kozik.” He warns. Carefully, he shook her shoulder and woke her up.

“Sorry, babygirl. Your pop wants to chat at ya for a minute.” She takes the phone, looking at him with a sad, tired smile.

“Hey, you okay?” Tig asks.

“I’m okay.” Her voice is almost non-existent as she rasps out the words.s

“Good to hear, baby. Kozik wasn’t with you when you went to the pool?” Tig drills her with questions and she starts to hunker into the blankets and drops the phone.

“Hey! She got really scared. What ever you were saying she got so scared, man. Listen, she’s safe. I’ll have her there in eight hours.”

“You better.” He growls. “You’ll be lucky if I even let you patch in after this.”

“Listen man, I don’t even care. As long as I get her back in one piece, I’ll go back to Tacoma.” He assures, clicking shut the phone and looking to her. He finds her staring at him in wonder. “Hey pretty girl, don’t worry. We’ll get you to Tig safely.”

“You come cuddle me?” She gets out, grasping her throat. Grabbing a bottle of water, he holds it gently to her lips, pouring the littlest amount into her mouth. The soothing cool water made her sigh and he crawled under the blankets with her for a second, warming her. “You can’t go to Tacoma. I love you.” She murmurs softly against his chest . He smooths her wet hair as she cuddles closer to him, falling fast asleep.

“Oh baby, I love you too.” He whispers, his heart pounding as she lightly snored.

[bqstqnbruin]

Hoops and Pucks

I have more requests to do but this is something that has been on my mind for a bit so I had to write it before I wrote my lesson plan (as you can tell I’m a great student OOPS).

But please keep sending in requests! I don’t know about you, but gives me something to do other than watching TV.

Hope you like it! _________________________

“Welcome to the Palestra for a game day matchup between the Saint Joseph’s Hawks!” The announcer starts, the Penn side, booing, the Saint Joe’s side cheering, “And your University of Pennsylvania Quakers!” 

Every year, the Saint Joe’s Hawks played Penn at the Palestra. It was a Big 5 game that all the students went to; every other year it was considered a home game for the Hawks since the Palestra used to be your team’s home while Hagan was being built.

Well, they were your team. You did your undergrad work at SJU, now you’re doing your grad work at Penn. But, after four years of going to SJU games and half a semester of Penn games, you still knew the SJU cheers better.

“Oh, when the hawk!” clap, clap, “Goes flying in!” clap, clap, “Oh, when the hawk goes flying in! I wanna be in that number! Oh, when the hawk goes flying in!” clap, clap. Then it goes again to the tune of ‘Oh, when the Saints go marching in,’ followed by ‘Let’s go Saint Joe’s,’ four times. Before the start of every half, the students would be screaming that, just like they did today. You were chanting along, much quieter since you were technically no longer a Hawk, especially since you were wearing UPenn gear.

“Seem weird that you know their cheers?” the guy sitting next to you says.

“I just graduated from Saint Joe’s in May and spent the last four years as one of those students,” you point over to the student section. 54th and Airborne, the name of the group of students who were ‘in charge’ or the student section, was in front next to the dance team with the drum. You were one of the students who would walk on the court at the start of each game and beat the drum to symbolize the ‘heartbeat of the Hawk.’ 

“Wouldn’t wearing Penn gear make you a traitor?” 

You look over to him. Damn, he’s attractive, and he looks so familiar, but you start laughing, “I’m a student at Penn now. You can take the girl away from Hawk Hill, but you can’t take Hawk Hill away from the girl.” Both of you start laughing because of how corny that was. 

“I’m Tyler, by the way,” he extends his hand to you. “I just wanted to see a game.”

“What do you mean?” You ask turning back to the game. The Hawks were up 13 to 9, which was shocking considering how bad they had been while you attended. Their rebuilding phase was a long one for sure.

“I’m in town for, uh, work, and I had a free day, and I’ve heard about the Palestra and wanted to come see it. I didn’t really care who they were playing.” He explains. Just a guy who wants to see a basketball game. That was you with hockey; you didn’t care who was playing, you just want to watch a good game. You had loyalty to your hometown team, but other than that the ending score was irrelevant.

“Stop going for three’s, you never fucking make it!” You screech as the team has four failed three-point attempts in a row. “Learn how to get the rebounds instead!” 

“You know your stuff.”

“I know the team. But what do you do for work?” 

“Uh, I play for the Dallas Stars.”

Your head snaps to him so fast you practically have whiplash. You get a good look at him and finally make the connection. “Fuck, you’re Tyler Seguin, how the hell did I not recognize you? I was going to go see you play the Flyers tomorrow night but I couldn’t afford the tickets.”

“Oh, you were coming to see me?” He says, smiling at you with a stupid cheeky grin on his face. 

“Yeah. I was. You’re my favorite player on the Stars.” You shrug and blush, knowing that gives him permission to egg you on for more. 

“Oooh, favorite? The more you talk, the more I like,” he says, the grin not leaving his face.

“I’m from New Hampshire and have been a Bruins fan before I could comprehend anything else. I was even at Game 7 in 2011. I was losing my mind watching you guys win the cup. I honestly cried when you were traded.” Play stops on the court because one of the players for Penn traveled. “Wait, listen. I started the chant the student section is about to do.”

Both of you sit for a moment as you hear the students yell, “You walked, you traveled, you took too many steps,” three times as the Penn player looked over his shoulder with pure anger on his face.

“It’s not hockey, but I would love to see a fight,” Tyler says, leaning back as far as he can in his seat. The Penn player wouldn’t tear his eyes off the student section as they kept cheering. Their coach was doing everything he could to get his attention, but the student section was egging them on for being down 32-14. 

“I am definitely guilty of yelling ‘let em fight’ and almost getting thrown out of Hagan,” you admit. You were a hockey fan before you were a basketball fan, and it showed a little too much. Other things you would yell include two minutes for pushing, fine him for embellishment, and throw him in the box. 

Half time comes up and you and Tyler just keep talking. He’s being flirty and you’re having a hard time controlling yourself from flirting back. You can’t flirt with an NHL player. He’s Tyler fucking Seguin. 

“So you said you wanted to go to the game tomorrow?” he says as the second half is about to start.

“Yeah, but tickets are too expensive. I’m just going to stay in and work on a paper instead.” Tomorrow was Sunday, so you had class the next day anyway. Might as well work on the paper before your week started.

“What if I got you a ticket?” he grins, raising an eyebrow, his arm extended so that it lays on the back of your seat, begging for you to lean back into it. But you knew that NHL players get comped two tickets per game. At least Boston did that for the Bruins according to Charlie Coyle. 

“Oh, no, you don’t have to do that. How would I be able to pay you back?”

“How about you let me take out after this game and that could pay back?”

“I’ll pay for dinner if you give me free tickets? I’m down.” You lean back into your seat, just letting his arm wrap around your shoulder. The touch of his fingers sent chills down your spine. It also, oddly enough, felt comfortable, like this was just how it was supposed to be. 

“Oh, no. I’m taking you out on a date. I asked, I pay,” he smiles, pulling you in closer to him. If it weren’t for the armrest separating the seats, you would probably be cuddling right now. In public. And for some reason, that didn’t bother you at all. 

“So that just means next time you’re in Philly, I get to pay.” 

“I guess I’m coming back to Philly very soon then.”