#allieboop

[ageofnations]

Table For Two - Part Thirteen

In collaboration with @welightthefire

Jake Kiszka x OC x Josh Kiszka

Summary: “What started out as a new job unexpectedly became something more for Sydney Baker. There’s only room at the table for two… How will she navigate her feelings and come to a decision? How can she choose between two sides of the same coin?”

Warnings: angst, anxiety, tiny bit of platonic fluff (let us know if we should add anything)

Word Count: ~5.4k

taglist // playlist // masterpost

A/N: thanks for being so patient with us and we hope we can make it up to you!

Part Thirteen

The view that stretched out before him resembled something like that of a nature documentary he had found himself time and time again mindlessly watching at three in the morning. The vast canopy of verdant fauna seemed to roll in waves across the dips and rises in the valley below. The sun was blinding, illuminating everything in its wake in a grand display of color. 

As the heels of his boots sunk into the rocky earth beneath his feet, he let his eyes wander further. His gaze spanned the width of the rocky ledge that jutted out before him, stopping once they landed on her figure. Her bare toes threatened to curl around the jagged edge of the basalt as her long hair swept in the soft breeze behind her. The sun shone directly over her bare legs, the tanned hue of her complexion somehow glowing as she bathed in the light. He couldn’t help the shiver that crept its way along his spine when he noticed the denim fabric hanging off her shoulders. 

His chest hurt as he watched her motionless form gaze out over the sight before her. Her body language was the epitome of peace and grace, yet the soulful connection he had formed with her over the past months led him to feel her inner conflicts. 

Jake knew she was beating herself up and he hated that he couldn’t do anything but stand there and watch as her arms moved to wrap around her middle and her thumb twisted against the ring on her index finger. He could feel her anxiety and her sorrow, her remorse and her regret, her confusion and uncertainty just as if they were his own emotions, and in a way, they were. 

He wanted to hold her, kiss her. He wanted to reassure her that everything would work itself out, that it would be fine. That one way or another, they could figure it out together. 

But he couldn’t. The marks embedded in the dirt from his weight seemed to ground him, glue him to that one spot. His pulse raced as he watched her fingers trail up along the path of passion left on her breast up towards the sweet spot behind her ear. A place where she couldn’t see but remained a reminder of the early hours they shared together, wrapped up in each other’s limbs. 

In the distance, he could hear the piercing call of an eagle cut through the sound of the wind blowing through the trees. Then, that same breeze, it kissed the bare skin of his arms in such a way that it caused his flesh to crawl. There was darkness amidst the light, greater than any feeling shared along the invisible red string between the two. 

He wasn’t welcome here. 

No matter how beautiful, how heavenly, how wondrous this escape to nature was, he couldn’t shake the horrible feeling that was burrowing itself deeper inside his gut. There was an inescapable dread that threatened to climb up his throat and escape his lips in a silent scream. 

Something was wrong. 

Maybe it was his presence in such a beautiful place, somehow tainting the air around him. Perhaps him being there was the reason Syd stood as still as a statue while her mind ran rampant. 

He wished he could be the lighthouse in her harbor, the anchor that weighed her down and kept her at the shore. The terrors she was feeling inside… He wished nothing more than to take them away so she could find peace. 

But that was all it was. 

Wishful thinking. 

Before he had even realized it, he found the familiar hum buzzing along his throat as his voice carried across the space between them. “Slip.”

Jake took a few short steps towards her, his dark irises eyeing her intently as her shoulders fell from their tense position. He swore he saw the apple of her cheek swell from his viewpoint, but he couldn’t be sure. 

“Baby, please,” he pleaded, not stopping his footfalls until he was right behind her. Close enough to touch, but he wasn’t brave enough. Her broken emotions that seemed to flicker like a picture show through his mind held him back. 

As she abruptly turned her head to face him, the familiar aroma of vanilla lifting up towards his senses, clouding his mind in unbridled comfort. For just a moment, her eyes held a certain kind of sadness, one of longing for a lost lover. 

He wished her expression would fall, change into something brighter. He wished a meek smile would turn the corners of her lips upward, but they stayed. 

“Jake,” she breathed with tears evident in the glossy coat that caused her eyes to sparkle in the late-afternoon sunlight. 

“Hi, baby,” he smiled sadly, his own tears silently creeping over the defined structure of his cheekbones. 

It hurt him to see her like this and to know that he couldn’t take it away. There wasn’t anything he could think of to do, except to exist there within her presence. 

He watched as the tension lifted from her shoulders once more and she began to relax under his gaze. It was for only a second that her arms fell to her sides before they were wrapped around her torso once more. 

“I miss you,” he spoke, hesitantly, fearful that if he said too much, he would scare her away. 

Make her leave again. 

Her silence was deafening as she opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, seeming to try and find the words that wouldn’t come out. She stuck out her tongue and swiped it along the plane of her plump lower lip, intaking a deep sigh after what seemed like hours but was only mere moments before her body crashed against his like a tidal wave. 

‘I miss you,’ Syd’s voice sang through the creases and crevices in his brain, sending neurons firing left and right at the sound. ‘I’m here. You don’t have to miss me, because I’m here.’

Her arms snaked around his neck as she pushed herself up on her toes to press her chest flush against his. The floral scent of her shampoo intoxicated him as his nose kissed the hollow of her cheek. Her action froze any and all attempts at a reaction from him towards the embrace that she was holding him in so tightly. It was all he could do to steady their bodies by holding firmly to her waist. 

As the pair stood there, Jake’s breath grew uneven and staggered. He wished he could feel at peace in this beautiful place with her. He wished he could take away all of the hurt and sorrow he knew she was feeling inside, but was too proud to admit to. 

He couldn’t help but feel as though this was some sort of goodbye. His chest hurt, overflowing with his own pain. A dark and twisted kind of emotion that snaked and constricted tighter and tighter as it threatened to suffocate him completely. The feeling wasn’t panic. In fact, it was something else entirely.

It was the fact that he felt her slipping away from him. Her voice in his head was nothing but a wishful response to what he wanted her to say.

Needed her to say.

Jake couldn’t imagine a day without her shy smile filling a room, her witty remarks stunning him into silence, the soft touch of her fingertips against his arm a gentle reminder that she was there. After so many moments in time where they found themselves together, they had gotten to the point where they could share themselves unabashedly. 

So much work, so many memories.

Little conversations that turned into special blips of mind space stored away to find happiness within the melancholy. 

The tears slid down his cheeks in a slow trickle, losing themselves within the strands of her dark hair. He didn’t want to lose her, but he didn’t know how to make her stay. There was an innate fear deep within him that any word spoken about that morning would cause her to flee like an unsuspecting deer caught in a field. 

So he kept quiet, kept his thoughts at bay. 

But someone else couldn’t help it. 

“Why?” The raspy voice sounded, coming from neither Jake nor Syd. It was Josh. 

Jake could feel his twin’s eyes boring holes into the back of his skull. It caused a feeling of unease to arise in his chest, ceasing the constriction but heightening the pressure. It was a wonder why Syd couldn’t hear his heart begin to pound, and if she did, she didn’t let on. Josh was watching them, observing their embrace, scrutinizing their intimacy. 

The grip he had on Syd’s waist tightened as he paused his breathing, waiting for his brother’s words that would never come. He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt Syd’s body shift, her torso bumping against his as she rose to stand on her tiptoes. Jake choked back a whimper as Josh spoke again. 

“Why?” He repeated. “Why, why, why-?”

Jake could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end at the chilled, dead tone of his brother’s voice. He didn’t have to turn to see the man staring, not at them, but almost through them. The visual of Josh displayed clearly in his mind.

Usually tan, glowing skin gone pale.

Warm, chestnut eyes grew dark and cold.

Bouncy curls fell flat.

Tall, confident shoulders sunk low, defeated.

Yet, Jake still felt threatened. Syd could see them both and he knew she was watching Josh from over his shoulder. The shift of her shirt against his didn’t go unnoticed by him. 

He could feel her bury her head into his neck, her shoulders shaking just enough to indicate that she was crying. The gesture only made him feel that much more intimidated by his brother’s presence. It seemed as if this were the end of the hug he had quickly lost himself in. As if her movement foreshadowed her impending departure. He felt as if she was letting him bask in her presence while he still could, crying only because of the pain she would cause.

“You can leave, if you need to,” he croaked out, voice hoarse as he tried to keep his composure. He didn’t want her pity, not if it meant she suffered in the meantime.

Still, she shook her head. And for reasons he couldn’t understand, she clutched onto him tighter.

“You can,” he insisted. As much as it hurt him to let her go a second time, he would do it a million times over if it was what made her happy. 

He had heard that dreams were the mind’s way of processing things. Preparing for possible situations, accepting that which has passed. And with that knowledge, he made his decision. He’d fully lean into what was to come. What had already happened.

He’d accept the fact that he lost her. He’d come to terms with a reality that was just as bitter on his tongue as the name of any of his past lovers. He would let her leave.

And with Josh’s voice becoming clearer and clearer, more dangerous and disgusted, it felt as if her departure would arrive sooner rather than later. Her fingers twisted into the fabric of Jake’s t-shirt the moment Josh’s open palm connected with his brother’s shoulder. 

In an instant, Jake’s arms tightened around Syd’s frame to keep her pressed flush against his as the earth fell out from beneath their feet. As her eyes widened with surprise but not with fear, they descended through the free fall.

Together.

—

It had been two weeks…

Two weeks of living in the confines of his wandering mind, spinning in circles as if he were a lost puppy in search of its favorite human. There was a sense of listlessness as Jake went through his days, repeating the same old actions from muscle memory.

He would wake up to the sound of his alarm blaring a monotonous tone, but instead of getting up once it was silenced, he would lay there staring at the ceiling as images of Syd danced before him. Jake spent his mornings longing for her, imagining what more he could have done to make her stay. 

Each moment, every memory of her, replayed in his mind like an old home movie. The bittersweet sense of nostalgia creeping in and anchoring him down into his mattress as the weight of wonder sat heavily atop his chest. 

That first fateful encounter on the curb out behind the diner while her dark lashes glistened in the orange light. 

When Syd slipped and fell in the diner and earned herself a special nickname, cheeks painted red from embarrassment while a silly grin turned her lips upward. 

The car ride home from Green’s when she kept drunkenly repeating her address aloud to him in between giggles as if she would forget it. 

The morning after she spent the night and Jake played and sang her the song he wrote, and she sat there soaking up every moment with wide, adoring eyes. 

When they danced in her kitchen so gently, it was as if neither of them were moving a single muscle. 

And the morning before everything went to shit, when he laid there soaking up all of her and traced swirls and loops along the surface of her skin with his calloused fingers. 

It all seemed like ages ago. 

As the days turned into a week and that week turned into another, he seemed to live through those little moments in time before things changed. He’d rather be there than in the hell he was currently living in. 

The diner was dull without her bustling around, yet the elephant in the room added a layer of tension that was seemingly unavoidable. Occasionally, he’d still look for her when he placed an order in the window, anticipating to see her trotting to retrieve it with a smile on her face. Instead, it was always his little brother, and Jake only hoped he understood why his expression would fall. He seemed to be the only one that was hopeful of her return.

Josh was much quieter nowadays. His laughter and boisterous attitudes were now stamped out by anger. He was quiet, only responding when absolutely necessary, sometimes even going out of his way to relay messages through Sam instead of talking directly to his twin. Jake tried to not take it personally, but deep down, he loathed the situation. He hated how something so trivial could alter his brother’s spirit, and ultimately, change their relationship completely. He wished he could find the same resentment that Josh had, the bitterness evident in each corner of his demeanor. 

That bitterness that resided until Josh saw her. The new girl with the shorter, dark curls that had been hired on to take Syd’s place. The girl who was doing everything she could to fit in but seemed to be a ghost of her predecessor. Even some of her features resembled Syd’s. From the soft slope of her nose to the small stature she stood and many small things in between. She was wonderful at her job, great with customers, kind and charismatic, but just not Syd. 

It was enough for Josh, though. He had latched on to her as soon as she was hired, greeting her each day with a warm and welcoming smile. Carrying on conversations anytime they were near, much unlike the niceties he’d grant his brothers. He seemed to have an easier time at work because of her - able to forget everything that had transpired and gotten his brother and him to where they are now - just because of her. 

But Jake couldn’t forget. He didn’t want to forget. 

Sam seemed to be doing everything he could to juggle the questions and suspicions that Jake would present to him. Anything that pertained to Syd in the least bit - concerns about her wellbeing, inquiries of her current situation, attempts to know more about her - were all returned with vague responses and nonchalant answers. 

“Is she okay?” Jake had asked, desperate for any information he could squeeze from his brother. He had seen her image flash across the screen of Sam’s phone mid-shift, and the sound rang through the diner before he had rushed outside to take the call in a more private area. As soon as he returned, though, that need for privacy was disregarded.

Sam sighed. “Jake, I already told you-.”

“No, you told me that she’d be fine. Not that she was okay, not that she was safe, nothing.” Jake followed him as he weaved through the area. “You won’t give me any more than that?”

He didn’t flinch. He didn’t return any indication that he had even heard Jake’s questioning. He simply carried on with his tasks.

“Sam, seriously, this is getting ridiculous-”

“I think you have a few orders you need to work on, don’t you?” 

His words were cold, unrelenting - avoiding the discussion at hand. He paid no mind to the anguish that was laden in his brother’s tone. He seemed to only care about the measly duties that the diner provided as a distraction. 

What Jake didn’t know, is that it was quickly becoming just as hard for Sam as it was for his brothers. He had spent months accustomed to seeing his best friend essentially every day. Months of inside jokes and teasing, ranting and gossiping, all replaced by the occasional text or phone call. 

Of course, he found it difficult to avoid the slew of questions that Jake came to him with, but in reality, Sam knew much less than the others thought he did. Syd talked to him some, but not nearly as often as she would before. He could only assume she was trying to save him from the burden of her secrets. 

She had told him about the new job she had landed, the bookstore that she had frequented on the other side of town. After texting Danny and apologizing for the such short notice of her resignation, she had immediately searched for another job to occupy her time. Sam knew that once she arrived and presented herself for recruitment, the owner hired her on the spot. Sam knew that she still lived at the same address - not minding the extra distance to travel for work nowadays - but that was all. 

He didn’t know how she felt detached from her new reality. How nothing seemed right to her anymore. How she had to force herself to become familiar with this new routine, and how she moved through her days as if she were a robot, programmed to live through the hell she had made for herself.

Her work schedule looked different now, her shifts now taking place every morning of the week. One might’ve complained about such a transition, but for Syd, less time to herself was seen as a gift.

She would come home to cuddle up to Delta, who always seemed privy to the situation and change in her demeanor, and cycle through whatever she could find to distract herself with. Within minutes of watching a new movie, she’d find herself thinking back to Josh’s fascination with film and Jake’s gesture of constructing the pillow fort for their movie night - eventually having to abandon the activity altogether. Reading was never the same, the consideration of Josh’s potential interests in the book caused a turn in her stomach and pain in her heart. 

Even the simple hobby of listening to music was different now. Instead of the song at hand, she would only hear Jake’s soft strumming and singing. She even felt herself rocking back and forth as they had in her kitchen, the movement both comforting and agonizing.

To say that she missed them was an understatement. She was consumed by the sense of longing left by her thoughts and memories with them. Although her first and last interactions with Josh were less than sweet, she cherished everything their relationship had blossomed to become. They bonded over quirks and shared interests, and eventually grew to the point where they relished in the company of one another. Josh pushed her limits. He pushed Syd out of her comfort zone to find the beauty outside of her normal routine. He encouraged the pursuit of spontaneity, and his presence was her reward.

But Jake. Jake’s presence was her solace. 

Jake was the embodiment of acceptance, of home. He had shown interest in knowing her, and in learning everything that made her unique. As she opened up to him - allowed him in the depths of her worries and anxieties - he welcomed her with no judgment. He pulled her in and surrounded her with love and intrigue. And that’s what she missed the most. 

How different they were, despite their similarities. The push and pull. Yin and yang, day and night. 

With both, an offer of friendship and intimacy, but a requirement of choice. And how could one choose between the sun and the moon?

As obvious as her choice should have been, she couldn’t bring herself to hurt one by choosing the other. It seemed irrational to her, to reject Josh because of the possibility of there being more with her and Jake. It wasn’t reasonable to deny the obvious feelings she had garnered for the eldest, simply because of her infatuation with his counterpart. But in a way, not choosing was a decision in itself. A decision that led her here. To be alone and hurting. 

She had no one.

Occasionally, she considered what she could be doing with her time if she had made the choice she had longed to make in the beginning. She imagined how her nights of working at the diner would play out, stealing kisses and glances when she could. She could envision nights full of teasing and taunting each other, playful banter and innocent touches. Carpooling to work to “save gas” when deep down it was just another excuse to see one another. Coming back to either apartment and unintentionally falling asleep together, waking in the morning to do it all over again. 

If she had only made that choice, she’d be in his arms Sunday morning instead of trudging along at work. A folded-up piece of notebook paper weighed heavy in her pocket, a reminder of what could be. 

As Syd stood amongst the musty bookshelves in the shop, boxes of inventory scattered around her, she looked over her shoulder to find her boss busy at the desk working on the computer. The quiet man wouldn’t mind if she took a few moments to give in to her curiosity, right?

She pulled the note out and fingered the corner of the page that was left on her doorstep just that morning. Her name was scrawled across the front in Jake’s hand, written in dark ink that was smudged just slightly. She had found it resting on the doormat when she had fumbled and dropped her keys while trying to keep Delta from escaping the confines of her home.

The instant recognition of his handwriting struck a sense of irrational fear into her core and she swiftly shoved it into the pocket of her jeans in hopes of forgetting about it. However, that wasn’t the case. As the minutes turned into hours, creeping by at a snail’s pace, the flimsy piece of paper burned a hole through the denim. 

She couldn’t get the thought of it out of her mind. The contents of the note were unknown to her, but held the promise of closure. The words he had written were from the heart, regardless of what they were. She could feel the embossed imprint of his heavy hand from where he filled the page as she rubbed her thumb over the blank back of the lined sheet. 

If she could close her eyes and separate herself from where she stood, for just a moment, she could imagine watching him from afar while he scrawled the words onto the paper and folded it carefully. 

In her mental image of him, she could see him chewing on his bottom lip, an obvious sign of the anxiety and fear he was desperately trying to hold in. She could see his trembling hands, him wiping his sweaty palms on the fabric of his pants and getting frustrated by how clammy they felt. She could see a bouncing leg, the movement shaking the knick-knacks on the surface of the desk.

But she could also see tears in his eyes, threatening to fall with every blink, and although it was only her imagination, her heart yearned to be there with him. To hold his hands in hers as she knew he would if it were the other way around. To rub soothing circles along his skin. To wipe his tears and hold him close.

But would he want her to? Maybe he was writing his final words to her. Maybe this note was his goodbye, his acceptance of how things panned out and finalizing the end of whatever relationship the two had nurtured to this point. Maybe this note would be her last memory of him. She was unsure of what to anticipate.

Syd hadn’t realized she was holding her breath until her lungs began to burn. She took a sharp breath and peeked over her shoulder at her boss. He still sat at the same spot behind the desk, busying himself with whatever task was in front of him. With shaking hands and a lip sucked between her teeth, she opened the letter to reveal its truth.

“Syd,

I couldn’t leave, and I don’t see how you did it. You left without a word, without even the slightest glance. I know you felt like you had to, like everything was falling apart and you had to run before it all caved in on you. I know you felt hopeless, alone. But you weren’t. You aren’t. And I wish you would’ve just stayed, Syd. I wish you would’ve let me tell you that before you let your thoughts get the best of you.

I hope you’re okay.

You won’t answer my calls and I’m so fucking scared. I hoped you would at least tell me where you went. I hoped you would tell me that you’re okay. I need you to be okay.”

As she read, she could hear his gravelly tone echo in her mind as he spoke the words. Even though she was standing there reading and analyzing his writing, all along he had been observing her, learning her. A sharp pang shot through her chest as she came to the realization that he had taken his time earning her trust. Jake had done more than anyone else ever had to understand her and accept her exactly for who she was, not what she could be.

Even now, as his pain and confusion were bleeding through the page, it was clear to her that while choosing one of the brothers would inevitably hurt the other, not choosing was just as hard on at least one of them.

The guilt of leaving crushed her, now more than ever. Knowing that it caused such an intense reaction from him, knowing that these words could only express half of what he was feeling. It was all too much.

She almost stopped reading then and there. She could feel the tears begin to well and her heart begin to break. Especially as she forced herself to continue looking upon the page in her hand.

“I love you, Slip. More than the stars in the sky. More than life on Earth. More than guitar or music or the air that I breathe. I love you so much that it’s scary, and that fact has never changed. It will never change. I don’t care what happened. It doesn’t make me love you any less, and I just need you to come back. We can work through this together, if that’s something you’d want. God knows I do. I want you. I want us. I’ll never stop wanting that, and I’ll always be here whenever you’re ready. If ever.

All my love,

Jake”

He loved her.

Jake loved her.

She thought she would always remember the first time she heard the words fall from his plush lips. She thought she would have the time, date, and setting stamped into her mind forever, molding her into a new person as soon as the words danced in the air. 

She didn’t think that she’d have the words permanently written on a piece of paper, multiple times. She didn’t imagine this being the circumstance of why the words were being said. Things were supposed to be different. The words weren’t meant to be spoken out of desperation, in such a pleading manner with a sense of uncertainty behind them. It was supposed to be them and only them.

But she somehow still managed to fuck that up, too. 

Syd couldn’t believe the last few lines of the note, no matter how many times she read them. He claimed he wanted her, them. He insisted that he would always be there, waiting for her return with the same amount of love that he had blessed her with before everything. But how could he?

How could he forgive and forget so easily? How could he move past the fact that she had shared such an intimate part of herself with his brother? How could he love the person who came into his life and destroyed his relationship with his twin and left him alone to deal with the aftermath? 

It seemed impossible. She couldn’t even give herself the same amount of grace.

The soft bell of the shop’s door opening was almost unnoticeable, but the gruff sound of her boss’s voice was what drew her out of her thoughts and brought her back to reality. She heard his greeting and a mumbled “thank you” from the customer that entered, causing her to fumble with the note as she stuffed it back in her apron. 

She hurried to grab one of the books she was supposed to put away, much too focused on looking busy that she didn’t notice the customer getting closer and closer to where she stood. 

She glanced back to the empty spots on the bookshelf that awaiting their fulfillment with the new novels in the box before her, checking multiple times that the tag matched the title of the book in her hand. Her frazzled state made her second-guess herself, but eventually, she was convinced that she had the correct placement. Just as she raised her arm to set the book down, though, she heard the soft sound of footsteps growing louder behind her, the owner of the noise clearing their throat as they approached.

“Excuse me? Ma’am?” 

The voice caused her to pause her movement, stalling once more from getting the task completed. Despite the last syllable being more pointed and sarcastic than one would normally use when acknowledging an employee, it sounded inviting, familiar. But it couldn’t be- 

“Could you help me find a book?” Finally, a full sentence to confirm her suspicions, a wide grin already forming on her lips. “Maybe one on how to text your best friend back?”

A sigh of relief and a quick turn later, she was met with Sam’s bright-eyed expression, a kind smirk adorning his features. Somehow, he looked different than the last time she had seen him, the day feeling like years prior.

The book fell from Syd’s grasp in a flash, and without an ounce of hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She strained to keep her balance with her body stretching to meet his, but he welcomed the embrace, sighing as his arms enveloped her to return the hug and hold her close to him. 

“You-” she spoke into his neck, laughing in disbelief. “-are such an ass, Sammy.”

A soft chuckle rumbled from his chest and landed into the strands of her hair. “I missed you, too, birdie.”

—————————————

Table For Two Taglist: @joshkiszkas @haleylovesgvf @poofyloofy @hoeforstevienicks @gretavanfleas @myownparadise96 @safarithong @tearsofbri @lvnterninthenight @gretavansteph @angelbabyyy99 @sammiejane22 @doodle417 @way-to-go-lad @fan-girl-97 @weightofdreams-gvf @ashabeannn @jenna-gvf @callmebymym @sammyslappers @gretavancreep @streamingcolors-gvf @ascendingtostardust @gretavanbitches @pinkcardinalsuitsam @josiee-gvf @shesawomaninadream @niallsboxx @luverleaver @jakekiszkasbestie @Dakotadovato @interstellar-shores @freckled-wonder @richjaaasss @theweightofjake @josh-iamyour-mama @ageoffleet @brinlygvf @fight-the-fire @pippin-jay @writingcold @daniellefersblog @jmkiszka @thecoldwind @gardensgatedaisy @seventieswhore @lo-pe-ak @Gertavanfeet @dolceacquario @thetroublegetssoloud71 @Bbkpisces95

If you’d like to join the taglist, just send an ask or fill out the form above! If your name didn’t work, let us know and make sure to check out your privacy settings!

[streamingcolors-gvf]

Coming Soon…

🎃🎃🎃

In honor of Spooky Season coming up @allieboop and I have decided to pair up for this wonderful collaboration. Throughout the month of October, we plan to post each Friday (6 pm EST) starting September 30th. There will be a Halloween themed story for each member of the band. So stay tuned because we are beyond excited to share these with you!

*Warning: All of these fics will include 18+ content!*

Taglist

@allieboop @josiee-gvf @weightofdreamz @sammyslappers @sammiejane22 @doodle417 @prophetofthedune @maverick-rose  @weightofdreams-gvf @loofypoofy @gretasmokerising @keighoe @brokenbellz @gvfrry @gretavanfleas s @baguettejuliette @jakeyboiiiiiii @kdarling1 @welightthefire @dannyandthekiszkas @kerryxoliver @shesawomaninadream @Neptune2324 @ashabeannn n @ksmiz711 @gretavanbitches @alexxavicry @luverleaver @kissthekiszka @milkgemini @freckled-wonder @ksmiz711 @josh-iamyour-mama @gabs-gvf @richjaaasss @dolceacquario @lvnterninthenight @daniellefersblog @strangersimp @milkgemini

[welightthefire]

Table For Two ~ Part Twelve

In collaboration with @allieboop

Jake Kiszka x OC x Josh Kiszka

Summary: “What started out as a new job unexpectedly became something more for Sydney Baker. There’s only room at the table for two… How will she navigate her feelings and come to a decision? How can she choose between two sides of the same coin?”

Warnings: angst, mentions of eating habits, mentions of blood, anxiety (lmk if there are more)

Word Count: ~6.5k

taglist // playlist // masterpost

A/N: again, a big apology on missing yesterday’s update and thank you for your grace!

Part Twelve

The greenery seemed brighter than before. The wind seemed cooler. Sun seemed brighter. The expanse was almost unrecognizable.

Yet, as she stood with her toes at the edge of the rock, she witnessed an eagle fly in the distance. And with that, she knew. She didn’t know how she got there, but she knew exactly where she was standing.

Josh’s spot.

It almost felt eerie. Not just being in a space that resembled and reminded her of him, but being there without him by her side. She had done it once before, but now, after everything, it felt… off. Something felt wrong.

He should be here.

But even that felt wrong. Simply thinking of him, being curious of his whereabouts, wishing she were sharing this moment with him. It was wrong. Even now, she couldn’t seem to make up her mind.

She still hadn’t learned from her mistakes.

She could hear the slap of skin on skin, the crack of bones breaking, the hot, venomous words bouncing off of the walls of her home. She was reliving the nightmare of her own creation, but in a much more relaxing, tranquil environment. She was there, without having to face it. Yet again avoiding the consequences. 

She almost laughed at the irony. 

Then, she heard another voice. One that was calmer, but just as hurt. One that was raspy from tears rather than shouting. Softer, tentative, yet still full of forced poise.

“Slip,” it called out. 

She sighed, feeling a wave of calm flash over her. For a moment, she could focus on something other than the insults being repeated in her mind. She smiled at the memory of him, content with just hearing the nickname he saved for her and her alone. 

“Baby, please.”

The plea sounded too close, too real. She had written everything off as her imagination’s hyperrealistic abilities, but this, this was different. 

She whipped her head around, and as soon as she did, she saw the voice's owner, right there in front of her. 

“Jake,” she breathed.

“Hi, baby,” he returned softly. There was a pained smile that tipped his lips, barely making a crease in his wet cheeks. He was crying. He was upset.

Other than his obvious state of distress, he looked the same as he had that night - black jeans, white tee, all without his denim button-up. That’s when she noticed her own appearance. She was wearing the button-up. 

In fact, that was all she was wearing, save for a pair of cotton panties that were more comfortable than cute. 

She felt exposed, vulnerable. But she was there with Jake. She didn’t have to worry.

“I miss you,” he spoke hesitantly. 

But I’m here now, she wanted to say. I’m here. You don’t have to miss me, because I’m here. But the words wouldn’t come to her. No matter how many times she opened and closed her mouth, no matter how many times she wet her lips or swallowed, she couldn’t speak. So she settled for the only gesture her body allowed her to do- hug him.

Her arms were wrapped around his neck in an instant. Her body leaned into his as she teetered on the tips of her toes, his hands resting on her hips to steady her, but never returning the embrace. She could smell him, feel his hair in her face, his nose pressing gently into the skin covering her cheek. His breathing was uneven, staggered and unstable.

At some point, she had closed her eyes, letting herself live in this moment here with him. A moment she didn’t think she’d ever get again. A gift from the gods, one might say.

“Why?”

The question didn’t come from the man in her arms, but it was just as familiar. She knew he was there, watching them, observing their embrace, scrutinizing their intimacy. 

Jake could feel his presence, too. His hands seemed to tense up, his grip tightening as he held her to him. He held his breath, a choked whimper contained within his throat.

“Why?” The voice repeated. “Why, why, why-?”

Syd opened her eyes, hoping that her attention would stop the relentless questioning. But it didn’t. Even when she looked right in Josh’s eyes from over his brother’s shoulder.

It was sickening to look at him. Even without the persisting feeling of guilt that she was experiencing, seeing him was nauseating. He looked frail, as if he hadn’t eaten in weeks. There were dark bags under his eyes. His hair a mess. A bright red trail of blood cascading from his right nostril. 

But he didn’t seem worried about any portion of his appearance. He was only concerned with asking a simple question that she didn’t know the answer to.

She buried her head into Jake’s shoulder, hoping that this version of his twin would disappear if she stopped looking. That his tenacity would lessen if his voice seemed muffled. That bringing herself closer to Jake, she’d forget any and all feelings she had for anyone else. 

“You can leave, if you need to,” Jake spoke.

She still couldn’t speak, but she wanted nothing more than to scream at him. To tell him to stop giving her an out that she didn’t want. An out that she didn’t deserve. She didn’t want to leave. But all she could do was shake her head.

“You can,” he promised. 

Was he paying attention? Was he so stupid that he couldn’t see that she needed him? That above all else, no matter how much shit she had gotten herself into, he was everything she wanted?

But Josh was getting louder, he seemed to be inching closer and closer. His repetition becoming faster, more consistent. She could feel the fear rising within her, and she tried to hold on to Jake tighter to will him away. 

They needed to get away from Josh. His body language, everything about him, seemed dangerous, threatening. They needed to leave, but standing at the edge of the rock she had let her feet dangle over all that time ago, she knew there was nowhere to run. Especially when her foot almost slipped off of it completely.

And when he got within arm’s length of Jake, his voice seemed to surround her. She couldn’t think, she couldn’t speak. All she could do was hold on to the man she was in love with, hoping that if they were to go down, they would go down together.

And after a quick shove from Josh to Jake’s shoulder, that’s exactly what happened. 

—

Syd sat upright in Sam’s bed, her legs crossed. The late morning sun cast slated shadows upon the wrinkled comforter as she absentmindedly pushed the scrambled eggs around the ceramic plate with the fork held lazily between her fingers. She couldn’t stop thinking about her dream, how insanely real it was. How vivid and remarkable every scent, sensation, and emotion could be felt, even in the few short hours after she had woken.

The breeze that ruffled her hair and kissed her bare legs.

The sunlight casting a perfect golden glow over the valley below. 

The scent of Jake’s hair, the warmth of his skin, the rumble of his chest against hers as he spoke. 

The fear and uncertainty that coursed through them, between them, from Josh’s presence.

It felt as if she had found an alternate universe within her dreamscape, something completely terrifying, yet somehow grounding at the same time. Jake’s presence held her captive and kept her mind at ease while Josh’s seemed so foreign. It wasn’t him. It was as if he was pure rage, betrayal, heartbreak, and hurt personified. 

There was no light in his eyes, no comfort to be found there. The normal peaceful serenity of His Spot was lost to the darkness he exuded. The heavy, sinking feeling weighed Syd down as she stared back into the eyes of the ghost of him, hoping and praying that the conflicting comfort of being wrapped up in Jake’s arms would be enough to save her from the dread she felt.

She felt silly, still thinking about a dream. It wasn’t real, it wasn’t important. She should’ve pushed it to the back of her mind - soon to be forgotten about - as soon as she woke up. But what else could she do? Think about the headache that the previous day had left her with? Focus on the dull ache between her legs that served as a reminder of what had transpired between her and Jake, what she had thrown away in less than a day’s time? 

The thought made her sick to her stomach, unable to take a single bite of the food her friend had thoughtfully prepared for her. It would be rude to leave it untouched, but she couldn’t bring herself to do anything other than stare at it while her mind wandered.

How was she supposed to face them? Things wouldn’t be the same as they were before. She would be a fool to think that there was even the slightest possibility. The looks on their faces from the day before paired with the indescribable expressions they displayed in her dream, it was almost too much to bear.

The anxiety threatened to creep up and consume her again, but the soft creak of the door gently drew her attention elsewhere. Sam’s shaggy head of hair poked in, his warm smile bringing a feeling of comfort to her racing heart and mind. 

“Hey, was just gonna grab your plate for you if you’re done,” he spoke softly, gesturing to the ceramic in her hands. He kept his distance, almost as if he knew she was still in an apprehensive state. 

She looked down and shrugged before offering the still-full plate, her eyes not meeting his as she responded. “You can take it, thank you.”

He opened the door wider as he stepped inside the room, but he paused once he got a better look at her plate. 

“You’ve barely eaten,” he noted. There was a sense of slight disappointment in his voice, though not in a way of criticism. More dismay than anything. 

“Not hungry.”

He sighed. “You didn’t even eat the strawberries I sliced for you. I almost cut my fingers off to feed you!”

He knew his feigned guilt trip brought a lighthearted atmosphere to the room as soon as a soft giggle escaped Syd’s lips. She set the plate back in her lap in defeat, but she never reached for the fork. 

“Can I sit with you? I wanna make sure you eat something today, birdie.” 

The nickname made her heart feel warm. It had felt like forever since he used the name for her, something he had coined from their first meeting all those years ago. 

“What was that?” She asked with an incredulous laugh, her half smile as genuine as it could be as she glanced at him. 

“The nickname? You know, like th-“

“No, I know that, but… why?” 

Sam shrugged at her questioning, a smug smile on his lips. Her words were far from being as interrogative as she meant for them to be. “Because it's you.” He gestured to the plate again, moving across the space to sit at the edge of the bed. “Eat. I need someone to tell me how good of a cook I am.”

Syd shot him a glare before rolling her eyes and taking the fork in her hands again. His high spirits and jesting nature slowly began to bring her out of the funk she was in. 

As she ate, Sam broke the relative silence occasionally to show whatever funny meme or interesting topic he happened to scroll upon, checking the various apps as if they were the newspaper. She listened to him no matter the subject, but she couldn’t help but feel distracted because of the elephant in the room. Everything unsaid was gnawing at her, and she knew she’d have to tell Sam about yesterday’s events eventually. 

Soon, she returned to the same act of pushing the remaining bits of food around with her fork. Her thoughts had returned once again, and although she was proud of herself for eating breakfast, she couldn’t push her feelings away long enough to eat anymore. 

They had settled into a more consistent state of quiet, doing very little to distract her from the inevitable. She sighed, the breath being much louder than she had intended. 

“I should probably… talk. About what happened.” 

Sam’s head snapped up to her, his eyes a little wider than they normally would be. He hadn’t expected her to talk about things, especially not so soon. He certainly hoped she didn’t think that was why he chose to sit with her. “Syd, you really don’t have to-“

“I do, though,” she cut him off quickly, afraid that she’d let his words convince her that she could avoid this for longer than she already had. “You need to know before you see them. Before I see them.”

Sam only nodded in response before locking his phone and tossing it to the side, giving her his full attention. 

She took this as a sign to continue. “J-Jake came over after work on Saturday.” She kicked herself mentally for already stammering over her words, the mere thought of Jake making her feel butterflies. 

“Yeah? How’d that go?” As if he didn’t know.

She felt her cheeks run hot at the teasing quality in his voice. She kept her eyes glued to the piece of egg she was pushing and pulling across her plate. “It went well. Really fucking well. He told me he liked me. We… kissed.”

He scoffed, barely muttering, “Looks like you did a little more than kiss.”

Suddenly reminded of the marks Jake had made on her, she blushed from embarrassment, shifting some under Sam’s gaze. She tried to hide the smile that accompanied such fond memories, speaking breathily. “Yeah, we did.” 

Although she wasn’t looking at him, Syd could sense the smile Sam wore as well, pleased that things had gone well and that his friend confirmed his curiosities. “Carry on, then,” he instructed, quickly speaking again to correct himself. “Not about the sex. I don’t need to know that.”

With that, she let out a genuine, yet brief laugh. “You’re stupid, and I hate you.”

“We both know that’s not true,” Sam chided playfully. “Now, tell me.”

After another eye roll, Syd continued. “He cooked dinner, stayed the night. I woke up before him, but I fell asleep again after-“

Sam cleared his throat dramatically, already knowing exactly where things were going. His facetious gesture making her huff another laugh. 

“Anyways,” she continued. “When I got up he wasn’t… there.” Syd paused, the familiar state of panic starting to rise back to her throat at the memories coming so quickly to her. “I was so scared he left. I was afraid he woke up after everything and regretted it and just left.”

Sam noticed her rambling, and recognized it as a sign that she was in her own head. The longer she stayed there, she’d ruin herself. He knew that. Rejection, especially after being in such a vulnerable state, was one of her biggest worries. He hoped that reaching out and placing a hand on her ankle would do an adequate job at grounding her while she spoke without hounding her with contact. 

“But I heard him in the living room. I thought he was watching TV or something but when I got there… Josh was there.” 

“Oh.” The word wasn’t meant to come out, but the realization of why she was so distraught hit him. She didn’t just have to deal with both of them, she had to do so in person. In front of one another. 

“He was yelling. The things he said… they were horrible. He was so mad.” As she spoke, she never realized that she was mutilating the food still in front of her, poking and prodding the fruit, stabbing and smushing the eggs. It gave her something to task herself with while she recounted the nightmare of a confrontation she endured. “And I know it’s my fault. I deserved every word, and I probably deserved worse, but-” 

A breath shuddered out of her, reminding her to take a moment to inhale. She did so shakily, whimpering a choked “Jake, he-”

“He didn’t know,” Sam finished for her. 

“No,“ she confirmed. A stray tear fell down her cheeks, landing right beside the mush that used to be her breakfast. She huffed a frustrated sigh and set the plate to the side, which Sam took gently and set on the table on the other side of the bed. 

“I hadn’t told him. I hadn’t told either of them, and Jake tried to understand but Josh just kept saying these awful things and-” Syd could do very little but bury her face in her hands, the images, sounds, and emotions all coming back to her. Much more vividly this time. “He hit him, Sam. Jake hit him.”

“Jake hit Josh?”

She could only nod while she tried to gather herself. She thought she could hear Sam mutter a faint “holy shit” under his breath, showing just how shocked he was. She tried to continue before he could say anything else.

“And I just- I went to my room. T-that’s when I called you. I packed my stuff, and I came here.”

“Where did they go?” 

“They were still there when I left, I dunno.” Her breathing became ragged, labored, but Sam’s hand squeezing her leg reminded her to take a moment, gather her thoughts, and wait to speak when she was ready. “Josh was still yelling, and Jake was trying to get me to stay, and I feel so fucking bad-”

“Sydney,” Sam cut her off. It was rare that he used her full first name, only utilizing it when he was most sincere. “It’s gonna be okay. You-” he emphasized the word. “You’re gonna be okay.” 

She placed her hands back in her lap, reverting to the action of pressing her nails to her palm and taking deep breaths. She was trying not to become frustrated with his optimism, but the burning pangs of guilt vexed her from the inside out. She didn’t deserve his grace, his encouragement. She had hurt his brothers, she had caused what seemed to be a falling out. He should be angry with her, just as upset with her as she was with herself.

It was almost as if he could read her thoughts as he continued. “What you did- well, you know it’s not right. Even as your best friend, I can’t excuse that. But it happened, and somehow, you’ll move past this. They’ve fought before, they’ll get over themselves.”

“Sam, you don't understand. I-”

“I do understand. I swear I do.” He interrupted, this time effectively silencing her. His hand retreated from her leg as he offered a small smile of sympathy. “Thank you for telling me.”

Syd let the silence that followed hang in the air for a moment. Her voice was raspy, reserved as she tried to bring the conversation to a close. “I wanted you to know. Especially before work.”

He nodded, appreciating the gesture and her willingness to open up to him, something that had seemed hard for her to do at the beginning of all of this. “I can’t wait to see how messed up Josh’s face is.”

“Sam,” she warns dryly. Another hint of a smile, another win for Sam.

“Sorry, sorry.” He chuckled, knowing she couldn’t resist his humor. “Maybe now he won’t snore when he sleeps.”

A laugh came out in a huff, and she dropped her head to hide her amusement. It was brief before she returned to her earnestness, finally making herself look him in the eyes. “Please don’t say anything to them. I don’t… want you to be dragged into it also.”

He raised an eyebrow at her. “You know I’m already in the middle of it, right?”

“Well, just don’t say anything. Please?”

He scoffed, his words seemingly skeptical. “Whatever you say, birdie.”

The nickname made her smile again, much bigger this time, no matter how condescending it made him sound. She was able to relax some, feeling at least a little bit better about seeing the twins in a few hours. She was by no means confident in how she’d manage their presence or navigate their interactions, but she was comforted by Sam’s friendship. Even if she had no one else, she at least had him to lean on. Even if his taunting and teasing made him somewhat insufferable.

“Also, I couldn’t help but notice you only brought one shoe with you. Are you expecting to just hop around on one foot all day or…?”

His satisfied grin gave away just how proud he was of the jest, as if he had been waiting all morning to poke fun at her.

She shot him a glare, cursing him in her head. “I’m going back to get the other one,” she said pointedly. “I dropped it when I was leaving.”

“Okay, good.” He shimmied off of the bed, grabbing the plate she had finished eating from. He turned to walk out of the room, throwing one last joke over his shoulder. “You’re good at your job, but you’re certainly not that good.”

–

Getting in the car and leaving Sam’s was difficult. Simply changing into her work clothes, taking off Jake’s shirt, was hard enough as it was. She wasn’t sure how she could go back to the emptiness of her home. A place that was her solace, her comfort space, was now full of memories she would never wish to forget, yet always feel guilt for remembering. 

She tried bargaining with herself, constantly reminding herself that she’d see Delta again, although briefly. She’d get to nuzzle against him, let his purrs and warm fur ground her before she had to go to work. However, the realization that she had left him so suddenly, and overnight for that matter, made her guilt return. 

So, she simply drove. No music. No thoughts. Nothing. Focused on the ride and making the journey home, getting ready for work, and finishing out her day one step at a time. But right before she turned on her street, she saw it. 

She thought she was hallucinating.

Or that maybe she was still trapped in her dream from this morning.

Both options seemed much more believable than what she was actually witnessing.

Jake’s car leaving her driveway.

Had he stopped by to check on her? To see if she had come back home? Had he been there all night and was only just leaving? Why on earth would he still want to be there? To have anything to do with her?

Syd could feel her hands gripping the steering wheel tighter and tighter, her knuckles nearly turning white, before she released the breath she had been holding. The majority of her tension going with it. He was leaving. She wouldn’t have to face him just yet. 

By the time she made the turn, he had been long out of her line of sight, using the road opposite from her to exit. Leaving her view as quickly as he had entered it.

It was probable that she had put her car in park and killed the ignition much too fast. She might have even yanked her keys from the switch too aggressively. All of her movements and senses felt as if they were on overdrive, to the point where her legs were wobbly as she ascended the steps that led to her front door. 

Her hands shook as she fumbled for her house key, and it took a substantial amount of time and attempts to turn the lock. She took a deep breath, preparing herself to enter her home for the first time since things fell apart. What she and Jake hadn’t cleaned after dinner on Saturday, she knew would be a mess. She could only imagine the state of disarray that her bedroom would be in.

But when she opened the front door, she wasn’t faced with the overwhelming chaos that she expected. In fact, save for her own memories of the previous day, there were no signs that anything out of the ordinary had occurred. The area was quiet, clean, calm. 

There were details that she knew hadn’t been present before she left. The blankets and throw pillows were placed neatly on the sofa. A new floral scent filled the air, perhaps from the candle that sat on the counter, a small wisp of smoke still streaming from the wick that had been blown out. Even the garbage had been taken out, a new bag placed in the can, its only occupant an empty cup of yogurt. 

Delta.

Syd realized the feline hadn’t greeted her when she walked in, but upon seeing the trash, she knew why. She could hear the soft sounds of his purring trilling from where his food usually was, and she saw him hunched over a small platter, busy cleaning the dish in front of him. She smiled at the thought of Jake feeding him the spoonful of yogurt that night, but again, felt a sense of remorse that she would no longer have the privilege of seeing it again. Of seeing him again.

She sighed to herself, moving to the dreaded space of her bedroom so she could throw her backpack on the bed. She decided she would keep her head down, drop off her things, and leave as soon as she got there, completely ignoring the mess that she’d have to clean up once she got home. But again, she was pleasantly surprised.

Her bed was made, her clothes - once tossed haphazardly - now folded neatly at the edge of her mattress, her floor clean. Once again, there was no sign that anything abnormal had happened. There was a sense of comfort brought back to her space, despite what had transpired. Jake had done that for her. 

She breathed in the atmosphere, taking her time to acclimate to each of the distinct emotions she felt with the memories that persisted while in the room. Love when she had spent the night entangled with Jake. Completion upon resolving the longing feelings of infatuation. Sadness and despair when she was packing her things to leave it all behind. She had to return to the sense of normality that existed before her feelings for Jake. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to.

As the feelings of dejection returned, she resumed her original plan. Get your things, go to work, she told herself. From afar, she could see the singular shoe she had dropped at the doorway, now placed neatly near her desk chair. A bright pink sticky note was attached to it, drawing her attention as soon as it was in her peripheral.

She gently set her backpack against the pillows of her bed before walking to retrieve the shoe from its place on the floor. And as she got closer, she noticed a string of words on the note, scribbled poorly.

“ Your glass slipper <3 “

The message was small, fruitless even, but it made her heart burn with love and regret all over again. He had gone out of his way, even after learning about her affair with Josh, to poke fun at her. He had gotten his heart shattered, but he still strived to make her smile. A final display of his affection for the girl who broke him.

She’d never find anyone like him again, but she welcomed her punishment. If the memory of Jake’s affection was all she’d have, she’d be glad with just that. 

–

Syd was thankful that she had told Sam about what happened. The weight of the situation had lessened, and she felt as if she had some form of support. Especially once she arrived at work.

She didn’t see either of the twins for the majority of her shift, thankfully. Sam made sure that she didn’t have to interact with them if she didn’t wish to, taking any and all of her order tickets to the service window as they came. She was left with the task of greeting and checking in with the occupants of her section, the job only slightly more grueling than usual. 

She was able to push the pains of her headache to the back of her consciousness, but the stiffness of her thighs and hips was becoming harder and harder to ignore. Each step and stride reminded her of Jake, his hands on her, the passion they had shared together. 

She wanted to see him. As hard as she knew it would be, as undeserving as she was, she wished she could be alone with him for just a moment. Tucked away from everyone else and able to have a second of peace.

But she had thrown that away. She had to remind herself that she had messed up, potentially lost whatever affection he had garnered for her. She’d never get that back. 

Seeing him would only confirm her loss. Would he even speak? Look at her? She didn’t think she could endure his detachment, his disappointment in her. She couldn’t look him in the eyes, no matter how much she wanted to search his beautiful browns for the love she usually found. Not conversing with him seemed to be her best option, so she accepted Sam’s offers to deliver her orders.

It was working well, even hours into the somewhat slow Monday night. But that was before Sam took his break. 

She only hoped that she wouldn’t have to walk to the window or enter the kitchen for any reason. There were only a few people in her section, which is why he opted to take his break at the time he did. She didn’t think she’d need anything from the twins until Sam was back. 

Karmic justice, she presumed.

“Just the slice of pie?” She forced a cheerful smile as she glanced from the pad of paper in her hands. 

The older couple nodded to one another, returning her smile with soft ones of their own. Syd had almost regretted asking them if they wanted dessert, knowing she had already dug herself a hole as soon as they began to mull over the question. Thankfully, with such a small request, it should be quick, painless. Right?

“I’ll be right back with that, then,” she responded, anxiety seeping in as soon as she took the step to turn and face her direction of travel.

She tried to focus on her breathing and placing one foot in front of the other as she rehearsed what she’d say once she arrived at her destination. Speaking with Josh, even in a professional setting, seemed nearly impossible. She’d simply hope that Jake wasn’t busy, that he would be the one she had to talk to.

As she approached the window, she saw his familiar head of chestnut hair tied back in a braid. He was wiping down one of the countertops, and she watched as his arm flexed and straightened with the task. Her breath hitched, anxiety still prevalent, but now with a sense of longing. God, she missed him.

As if she had said the thought out loud, Jake turned around and looked up at her, his expression softening as soon as they made eye contact. 

He seemed to let out a shaky breath, and they shared a silent conversation with one another before she tore her eyes away from him. 

“Hey,” she started softly, sliding the slip of paper across the cold surface to him. 

He picked up the ticket with his left hand and studied it much longer than necessary. She chanced a glance up at him right as he swallowed, admiring how his Adam’s apple bobbed and how he clenched his jaw right afterward. 

“Just the one?” He muttered as he read the scribbled words.

His tone, his body language, everything seemed standoffish. He was on guard, and it only made her feel that much smaller as she stood in front of him. She was silently thankful for the barrier between them.

After nodding, she backed away from the counter. She knew he expected her to wait on the pie so she could deliver it to the table, but she felt too close. Too involved. Her only alternative was to give him all the physical space that he might need.

Jake turned around without another word, moving to retrieve the dessert as soon as he could. In his absence, Syd could feel the burning gaze of another individual. And as she searched for the perpetrator, she was met with a sight that caused her stomach to drop.

She didn’t know what she had expected when making eye contact with Josh, but his swollen eye and bruised face made her feel queasy. Even in his injured state, he looked as if he were criticizing her, scolding her for simply interacting with Jake while trying to do her job. 

She worked to escape his stare, turning her body slightly so she didn’t have to face him, squeezing her palms and twisting her rings to distract herself. She even began to count the scuff marks on her shoes. Anything to get her mind off of him.

It wasn’t long before Jake returned with the small dish garnering the slice of pie, but his return only made her discomfort worse. He was holding the plate with his left hand, his right hand only serving to steady his grip. The most he could do with a hand wrapped in gauze. 

“Here you go, Slip,” he said as he set the dessert on the counter, the nickname surprising them both. If she wasn’t looking at him, she wouldn’t have noticed how his body froze for a moment after using the term. Something that used to be so normal for them both, was now something that only brought more guilt to her conscience. 

That’s when she made her decision.

After muttering a quick thanks, she took the pie into her shaking hands, scurrying through the diner with one thought, and one thought alone. 

You can leave if you need to.

The words from her dream, from Jake, rang through her mind. Was it a premonition? Unlikely. But it was enough of a correlation to make her panic rise. The only conclusion was the fact that she needed to go. 

She didn’t usually like to go on autopilot when dealing with customers, especially nice patrons that she conversed well with. But this was different. 

Syd didn’t remember making it back to the table to set down the order. She didn’t remember the nice old lady thanking her countless times over, including a story about how it was her favorite dessert as a child and how she loved coming to the diner to order it. She didn’t remember smiling and graciously taking the small bills that the woman tried to hand her in gratitude. She didn’t remember searching each nook and cranny to find Sam, only realizing where she was as soon as she stood in front of him. 

“Sam, I have to leave,” she deadpanned. She tried to swallow the anxiety down, keep it buried until she finished the conversation. 

Sam glanced up from the orange flame he held in front of his unlit cigarette. He smiled at her, gladly acknowledging her presence. “Why? Delta set the house on fire or something?” 

Upon noticing her silence - and her quivering frame - he completely threw all jokes out of the window. His smile faded, and he spoke slowly. “Syd, what’s happening?”

“I can’t be here. With them.”

“Have they said anything?”

She shook her head frantically, tears already threatening to fall. “No, but I can just… tell. Their silence says enough. They don’t want me here.”

“You don’t know that,” he defended. He searched her expression, finding nothing to work with. She was set in this decision, there was nothing he could do. He was frustrated with the losing battle he was fighting, and he was desperately not trying to become angry at his friend’s impulsiveness. “So what? You’re just gonna leave? For how long?”

“Sam. I’m leaving.” She tried to emphasize the word, knowing he wasn’t grasping what she was saying. “I love this job, but… I can’t be here.”

He stopped, realization setting in. All potential hurt, anger, was replaced with what felt like fear. He was losing his best friend. “Where are you gonna go?”

She began to untie the apron around her, still shaking her head. “I don’t know, but I’ll let you know when I figure it out.”

Sam barely relaxed with her response. She was leaving, but at least he’d know where she went. He only hoped it wouldn’t be too far.

“And them?” He questioned her as carefully as possible, but she didn’t give any hint of acknowledgment. She was silent, avoiding the query as best as she could. “They’ll ask about you, Syd.”

“Let them,” she snapped, a little more harshly than she intended. “I just- I can’t-” She sighed at her failing words, trying to quell the frustrations and tears, telling herself that this is what was best. She needed to end this chapter of her life. “You’re not gonna tell them anything about me.”

Sam immediately became more cynical than his normal, happy-go-lucky attitude would let him, and he shook his head in doubt. “I don’t know if I can do that-”

“You can, and you will,” she said sternly, biting back a weak sob that threatened to escape. She softened, remembering that this was her best friend who had done nothing wrong. In fact, he was the only stable factor in all of this. He deserved some grace. “Please?”

A meek nod was his only response as he broke eye contact with her. He dropped the cigarette he hadn’t taken a single drag from, stomping it out on the pavement below him. He watched as he twisted it into the concrete much more than necessary.

Syd desperately tried to fill the silence, speaking again to hopefully prompt a response from him. “You can tell Danny that I’m okay, but I don’t want him to be in the middle of this.”

Nothing.

“For now, I’m gonna tell him there was an emergency and that I need to go home. After that, I… I don’t know.”

After she finished, Sam sat for a beat longer, still staring at his shoes in defeat before finally whispering a final question. “You promise to stay in touch?”

Before she knew what she was doing, she instinctively flung her arms around his neck, enveloping him in a tight, sincere hug. “Promise,” she whispered into his chest. She felt him return the embrace, holding onto her tightly as she sobbed into him. “I can’t lose you too.”

—————————

Table For Two Taglist: @joshkiszkas @haleylovesgvf @loofypoofy @hoeforstevienicks @gretavanfleas @myownparadise96 @satanplayshisfluteforhim @tearsofbri @lvnterninthenight @gretavansteph @angelqueen99 @sammiejane22 @doodle417 @way-to-go-lad @fan-girl-97 @weightofdreams-gvf @ashabeannn @jenna-gvf @callmebymym @sammyslappers @gretavancreep @streamingcolors-gvf @ascendingtostardust @gretavanbitches @pinkcardinalsuitsam @josiee-gvf @shesawomaninadream @niallsboxx @luverleaver @jakekiszkasbestie @dakotadovato @interstellar-shores @freckled-wonder @richjaaasss @theweightofjake @josh-iamyour-mama @ageoffleet @brinlygvf @fight-the-fire @chroniclesofperegrine @writingcold @daniellefersblog @jmkiszka @thecoldwind @gardensgatedaisy @seventieswhore @lo-pe-ak @Gertavanfeet @dolceacquario

If you’d like to be added to the taglist, click on the form linked above or send a message/ask!

[doodle417]

15 and 27 lovely!!!

15: favorite restaurant

My favorite restaurant is this Italian place by my house called Bravo. They have the beats salad ever it’s so so good

27: favorite memory ever

Ok this is really hard to choose but I would probably say the most recent church retreat I went on. We went to this place up in the mountains called Jumonville and we went on tons of hikes, played lots of volleyball, and they had a music room! We played lots and lots of songs. It was awesome!

[capturethechaos]

Josh Kiszka x Reader

Words - 480

Warnings - none, it’s just fluffy af

a/n - saw their instagram story and just had to write a little something

You were locked in a haze. Passing between the barrier of slumber and wakefulness as you listened to Josh attempt to quietly move around the hotel room without disturbing your sleep. Unfortunately in his twenty six years on this rotating planet you called home, he hadn’t yet mastered the art of doing much in silence.

The feeling of his lips pressing against your temple pulled a low hum from your throat, your eyes slowly opening to find him leaning over you, in the midst of a deep breath. He realized you had awoken as he inches away from you, his honey brown irises locking onto your own as his lips curled into a smile. “Good morning, my sweet girl.”

“Good morning, my love. Where are you off to?”

He leaned forward until his lips were brushing against your own. “Gotta head to soundcheck, but I’ll see you again in no time, baby.”

You groaned, reaching out to take hold of what you assumed would be one of his usual white tees, but instead wrapped your fingers around an unfamiliar fabric. Your eyes drifted, and you lifted yourself from the mattress when your eyes landed on a brown jacket. “What is this?”

His smile widened, causing the little crinkles at the corners of his eyes to appear as his hands lifted to your own. “Just got it, what do you think?”

You hummed, letting your hands slide from beneath his own until they reached the waistband of the matching sweatpants. The smile on your lips matched his own as your eyes locked with his once again. “I love it. You’re so handsome, Josh.”

You weren’t sure there was anything you loved more than watching the blush that crept onto Josh’s cheeks whenever you complimented him. You lifted a hand to his cheek, gently swiping your thumb along the warmth of his skin. “Do you think anyone would mind waiting a few minutes so that I could tag along?”

One of his eyebrows lifted, and his hands quickly dropped to your waist, pulling you closer. “You want to come to the soundcheck? I figured you’d want to sleep in a bit.”

The fingers that had been resting on his cheek trailed along his jawline, running over the soft buzzed side of his head as he continued to stare at you. “Of course, I want to soak up every second of you in this cute little outfit.”

He leaned forward once again, pressing his lips to your own in a soft kiss. “Alright, baby, let’s get you changed out of these pj’s.”

“You really don’t think they’ll mind if you’re a bit late?”

He chuckled, peeling the blanket from your legs and pulling you from the comfort of the mattress. “I’m sure, and even if they did, I’d make them wait an eternity if it meant I was spending time with you.”

If you’d like to be added to the taglist, send me a dm, ask, or fill out my taglist form!

@amouratomique @godlygreta @castlebythesea @joshkiszkas @celestialfauna @streamsofstardust @fireandsaltydogs @vulture-withafile @lupinevanfleet @garagebandvanfleet @weightofdreams-gvf @silverstormgvf @somedayrikersomeday @allieboop @subtleintellect @chana-gvf @the-chaotic-cow @dannythedog @heatmyfleet @screechesincoherently @trafficwasabitch @fleetsonfire @xserenax-13 @doodle417 @gvfrry @agirlwithmanytastes @b3l1nda @gretavanfleas @brokenbellz @freckled-wonder @st4rdust-ch0rds @sarakay-gvf @angelbabyivy @irrevocably24 @basiccortez @s0livagant @grace-gvf @abbynotsonormal @ashabeannn @fetaransleet @gvfgroopie19 @the-weightof-dreams @kayleea122 @georgesstripedpants @carlybubs @ryegvf @obetrolncocktails @prophetofthedune @h-e-l-l-o-s

[streamsofstardust]

the hot seat | d.r.w

danny wagner x reader

word count: 3,395

content warnings: danny in makeup, dirty talk, unprotected sex, fingering, choking, praise, degredation, lil bit of oral (f receiving), tinier bit of masturbation (m), slight exhibitionism kink if you squint, slight overstimulation if you squint even harder, cream pie

summary: you're danny's makeup artist on this dreams in gold journey. it's the night of the first show for the north american leg of the tour and as per usual, you're working on danny's stage makeup. that is, of course, until things take an unexpected (but very welcome) turn

a/n: honestly i can't remember what made me think about this but those thoughts were nonstop. i haven't written consistently bc i suck and i promise I'm trying to get back into it now that I'm not working so consider this my welcome back to fic writing i guess. anyway danny wagner is daddy but he's also a whore and i love him tremendously. enjoy besties

taglist: @allieboop @obetrolncocktails @greta-flanveet @kdarling1 @doodle417 @mollie-gvf @hoeforstevienicks @joshkiszkas @gardenofgreta @gretasmokerising @lunaindigoraven @jakekiszkasleftnutsack

if someone had asked you mere months ago where you saw yourself at this very moment in your life, you wouldn't have said getting paid to glue rhinestones on danny wagner's face. you wouldn't have said you'd be standing inches away from the drummer minutes before he runs onto the stage. you wouldn't have said you'd be traveling internationally as a pseudo makeup artist for a rock band. and you definitely wouldn't have said you'd be harboring an ever growing crush on the band’s drummer.

but, there you were.

the routine was simple: head to danny’s dressing room an hour before the show, talk about what look he wanted for the night, execute said look, then follow him to the stage where you'd stand on the side and watch the four of them work their magic.

you had been doing that routine for a little over two months now and naturally you'd developed a friendship with danny. truly, how could you not? he was the sweetest man you'd ever met with a magnetic pull and a smile that made you melt. his kind eyes drew you in every night, and you'd often find yourself getting lost in them while being just a few inches away from his face.

he was easy to talk to and never made you feel as though you were below him, or that he was somehow above you like a rock god that deserved to be placed on the highest pedestal. no, in fact it seemed as though danny forgot just how famous he was sometimes, perhaps still in shock by his own success and accolades.

all of this made it nearly impossible to not develop feelings for him. but more so than that, the proximity you found yourself to him night after night resulted in a persistent fire within your body. one that started as a slight ember and had grown more and more with every interaction.

you wanted him in ways you'd never wanted someone before. the heat that radiated off of his body was intoxicating. the mint scent that you caught with every breathy chuckle sent chills down your spine. the intensity of his gaze, intentional or not, had you reeling. and every so often when he’d brush his hand over your arm or your waist as you delicately and precisely placed each individual gemstone along his perfectly sculpted face, you'd find your breath hitch and your knees become weak.

it was relatively easy to convince yourself he never noticed the slight changes in your body movements. that he didn't see your thighs clench at the sound of his deep, silky voice. that he didn't notice the way your eyes drifted downwards to his soft lips, lost in your own head as you imagined how they'd feel against your own.

it was also relatively easy to brush off the way he made you feel because you knew you couldn't do anything about it. you were extremely lucky to have obtained your job in the first place, you weren't dumb enough to risk everything for a chance at sleeping with the drummer.

but then it seemed like something shifted.

subtle brushes of his hand became solid placements of the appendage on your waist, just barely over the top edge of your jeans. playful tones in his voice started sounding raspy in his innuendo filled statements. his eyes seemed to linger longer on your own, his making the occasional dive lower towards your lips as you had caught yourself doing to him several times in the past. and the space between the two of you as you did his makeup appeared to get smaller and smaller. if you didn't know better, you'd think his actions were intentional. that he was hinting at his very own desire for you.

on the night of their first show in canada, you found yourself in danny’s dressing room, as you had been every show prior. he expressed a desire to do something darker with his makeup this time; something smokier and bolder with winged eyeliner and an intricate pattern of rhinestones to match.

danny had elected to sit on the plush velvet couch this evening, citing a slight backache as his reason why. this unfortunately resulted in you standing hunched over in a position that was less than comfortable for the extended period of time you were in it. you found yourself taking longer to complete his look due to the constant need to straighten your back, something that had not gone unnoticed by danny.

“i promise this isn't meant to sound suggestive, but you can sit on my lap if it'll help your back. i feel bad that you're uncomfortable.” he stated.

you looked at him and considered his proposal. on one hand he could be joking, and you immediately taking him up on the offer could result in a very very embarrassing interaction. on the other hand, his expression seemed genuine and you couldn't deny that a change in position would help tremendously. you looked down where his hand was placed on your forearm, which had been pressed against the back of the couch as a means of supporting your weight.

you shook your head before responding. “i wouldn't want to squish you or make you uncomfortable.”

“sweetheart, i can tell leaning over like this is killing you. it's not a big deal, i promise.” he chuckled slightly before continuing, his hand rubbing softly over your arm as a comforting gesture, “plus you couldn't squish me if you tried.”

you released a small laugh of your own before accepting his offer, placing each of your legs outside of his own, effectively kneeling over his lap. The short dress you wore began to ride up your thighs, something you only worried about for a brief moment.

you continued working on his makeup, trying to portray his vision as closely as you could. you knew he'd love whatever the result was, but you couldn't help but embrace your inner perfectionist.

“ya know, it's a shame your drums aren't closer to the front of the stage,” you started. “All of this hard work on your makeup and not nearly enough people get to see it up close.” he chuckled at your words, his head shaking ever so slightly. You grabbed the sides of his head to keep him still.

“Uh uh daniel, no moving.” he smiled at you, staring directly into your eyes. You fought back the blush that was threatening to surface, as well as the urge to kiss him right then and there. Danny, on the other hand, was less subtle. His eyes moved down to watch your lips as you spoke, his tongue slowly darting out to wet his own.

“Yes ma’am.”

You gave him a small smile of your own before returning to your work, shifting in his lap to get closer, wanting to make sure the makeup on each of his eyes was even. You heard him let out a breath at your movement, but neither of you acknowledged it. He was probably just sighing anyway. A moment later you moved again, hearing another breath leave danny’s slightly parted lips. His hands moved up to grasp your waist, his grip tightening more and more with each passing second.

The third time you shifted, you felt something hard beneath you. No… there was no way danny was getting turned on from you being in his lap. Your hands paused for a moment, your own shock throwing you off from your work. You moved once more, this time trying to be subtle with your actions in an attempt to see if your hunch was correct. You felt danny’s hold tighten even more, halting your movements, while his head moved closer to yours.

“Angel, i’m really going to need you to stop moving. Don’t want to start something we can’t finish.”

Your eyes widened as you looked up at him. If ever there was a time to even consider making a move, it was now. You nodded in response, not trusting yourself to speak. But even with your agreement, you decided to test the waters. As you leaned in to finish up the last of his makeup, you inched forward, this time moving your hips with purpose, wanting to get a reaction out of him. Rather than pausing after a single movement, you continued, slowly grinding against his growing bulge.

Danny inhaled sharply, his eyes fluttering shut. His right hand came up to grip your wrist, his head shaking and a smirk gracing his lips as he looked at you before speaking.

“Just can’t help yourself, huh? What do you want, baby? You want me to fuck you? Is that why you're deciding to be a brat?”

Your mouth opened, but you were unable to speak. You’d never heard danny speak like that. You couldn’t even imagine the sweet danny you knew uttering anything close to what you just heard. Yet despite your shock, you couldn’t help but feel that familiar heat start making its way throughout your body. Danny’s hand that had been holding your wrist moved upward, slowly inching along your arm until it found purchase on your jaw.

“Don’t act shy now, sweetheart. Answer me.”

“Y-yes. Yes. please danny.” you could be embarrassed at the speed at which you begged for him later. Now, all you wanted was him, and you’d say whatever he wanted to hear to get exactly that.

“You can do better than that. You want my cock in you that badly? Prove it.” he demanded.

“Danny, please, please. I need you. Need you inside me. Need to feel you so fucking badly, baby, please.” the smirk that graced his face allowed you to conclude that it was to his satisfaction.

Danny checked his watch briefly before looking back at you. “Only 15 minutes baby, gotta make this quick.”

His hands moved to slide your dress further up your thighs until it bunched at your hips. Pushing you back the slightest bit, he began untying his sweatpants and pulling them down just enough to release his hardened cock. The fact that he had forgone underwear did not go unnoticed, and had your mind not been in the process of turning into complete mush, you might have cracked a joke about it.

You couldn’t help but look down at his lap, eyes bulging at the size of him. You’d had a hunch that he was big, but seeing him in all his glory admittedly made you nervous. You’d definitely feel sore after this. You watched as danny began moving his hand slowly up and down his length, his eyes closing and his head falling back. He looked absolutely beautiful in this state, pleasuring himself with you on top of him.

After a few more pumps of his fist, he reached down towards your panties, sliding two of his long fingers over your clothed core. You moaned in response, your own eyes rolling back. He continued his motion, increasing the pressure more and more.

“I can feel how wet you are, angel. All this for me?” the question was rhetorical, you both knew it was entirely his doing. You nodded rapidly anyway. He continued, not waiting for a verbal response from you. “God, if we had more time i’d lick every fucking drop from your gorgeous cunt, i fucking swear.” his words sent a shiver down your spine. This version of danny was quickly becoming your favorite, and you hoped you’d get to see him like this after tonight.

He grabbed your panties in each hand and swiftly ripped the lace in half, pulling the material from your body and shoving it in his pocket. All you could do was stare at him. You felt his fingers take their place back on your pussy and rub small circles over your clit. The moan you released was probably much louder than you should’ve allowed it to be, but in that moment you could hardly find it in you to care. When he easily slipped those two fingers inside of you, you both moaned at the feeling.

“Fucking hell, angel. Soaking wet for me. Gonna feel so fucking perfect around my cock.”

His fingers curled up to hit that little spot inside you that made you shake. You gasped loudly and grabbed his shoulder to hold yourself up.

“Right there, huh?” he continued curling his fingers, speeding up as he did so, only increasing the rate of your moans. “Can feel you dripping down my fingers, baby. Fuck, i need to be inside you.”

As he removed his fingers, you felt yourself clench around nothing. You missed the feeling of them inside you, but were satiated once you felt his cock at your entrance. Ever the tease, danny began dragging the tip of his cock against you, spreading your wetness up and down his cock.

“Danny, please. No more teasing. Need you to fuck me.” you whined.

He looked up at you with a devilish smile, continuing his movements to mess with you even more.

“Yeah? Need my cock so fucking bad huh? Need me to stretch that pretty fucking pussy and fill you up, don’t you. Such a slut begging for my cock, sound so pretty for me, angel.”

You found yourself unable to speak again, reduced to nothing but a moaning, writhing mess for the man beneath you. Danny lifted you by your hips, just enough to line his cock up with your dripping hole before slamming you down back onto him, sheathing his entire length inside you. He quickly moved his hand to cover your mouth in an attempt to minimize the volume of your scream. There were, afterall, plenty of people nearby that could easily hear you. The thought of getting caught turned you on even more, your pussy clenching around him.

“Can feel you squeezing my cock, baby. What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” you tried to respond, to tell him what he wanted to hear, but forming words, let alone a full sentence, seemed like the most difficult challenge for you.

“T-thinking about, fuck danny, s-someone hearing us.” you barely choked out the words, realizing in that moment that he still hadn’t moved, his cock pulsing within you.

His eyes seemed to darken at your confession. “Oh yeah? Thinking about someone walking in on us?” he nudged your hips, instructing you to start riding him. “Thinking about someone coming in here and watching you ride my cock like such a good girl.” you moaned at his words and squeezed around him once more.

“You like that? You like being my good girl?”

You bit your lip and nodded. “Fuck yes, danny. So good for you… just for you.”

He huffed a breath, holding you while he fucked up into your tight cunt, the pace of his thrusts bringing you closer to the edge. Your whines sounded pathetic even to you, but there was little you could do to stop them.

“My good girl,” he repeated. “Such a good little whore for me. Had you begging for my cock before i even touched you. Just so desperate to get this pretty little cunt railed. Fuck angel, you feel so good wrapped around me. So fucking tight and warm. Could stay inside you all day.”

You’d probably let him do exactly that. No. no, you’d absolutely let him. “Danny, baby. Please.” truthfully you didn’t know what you were begging for at that point. Was it for him to fuck you faster? Harder? Rougher? Were you telling him that you would give anything to feel him inside you at all times? Were you telling him to finish soon? Perhaps all of the above.

“What, angel? What do you need?” he looked over at the clock on the wall, checking to see how much time he had before he needed to be on the stage. Both of you had gotten lost in your pleasure, momentarily forgetting where you were and where he would soon need to be.

“More. just.. More.” you whimpered.

He nodded in agreement and gripped your waist with a firm grasp before rolling you over to lay back on the couch. Lifting one of your legs over his shoulder, he continued thrusting into you even harder and faster than before. The new angle allowed him to fuck you even deeper, granting you a feeling that had your jaw dropping and sent your eyes into the back of your head.

“God, danny, yes!”

Danny placed kisses along your leg while the thumb of his right hand came down to rub your clit. The combined sensations pushing you further to the edge. You could feel your orgasm growing, the warmth of your impending release flooding throughout your body. Danny’s thrusts had started losing their consistent rhythm, and that, paired with the persistent groans coming from his gorgeous mouth proved he was just as close as you were. You clenched around him to bring both of you closer.

“Oh fuck me angel.” he breathed out. His free hand came up to wrap around your throat, his grip firm on your skin. Your eyes fluttered shut, a soft, raspy whimper of his name leaving your lips. “Come on, baby. Cum for me. Be a good girl and cum on my cock.”

His words triggered your release, a shockwave running up and down your body and your vision turning white. You’d never felt such intensity, your moans and cries coming out against your will. Danny continued his thrusting as you finished, the added stimulation of where his hands were placed prolonging your orgasm.

“That’s it angel, so fucking good. So beautiful when you cum.” his praise made your heart flutter. He braced his right hand against the couch while his left moved to your hip, the contrast of the rough calluses on his hand feeling wonderful against your soft skin. “Fuck, i’m close. Gonna fill up this perfect fucking pussy.” the tight feeling of your cunt around him had him finishing shortly after, moaning out your name as he worked through his orgasm. You relished in the feeling of his warmth inside you.

Danny slowly pulled out of you, watching as his cum poured out of your hole. His thoughts getting the best of him, he used two of his fingers to fuck his release back into you, thinking nothing other than the desire to leave his mark there as long as he could. You felt the pressure building once more, knowing you wouldn’t be far from another orgasm, which didn’t go unnoticed by the man above you.

“I know you’re close, sweetheart. Gonna give me another? Come on, let me have it. We don’t have much time.”

With a few more pumps of his fingers, you felt yourself let go for a second time. Without hesitation, danny leaned down to lap at your throbbing core, sucking up a combination of your release and his. The sight alone blew your mind, never having expected him to do something like that. He moaned against you, licking every inch and refusing to leave a single drop. Your hand moved to tangle into his curls, pulling ever so slightly.

“Dan-danny, oh my- fuck.” you cried out.

Once he was finished, he lifted his head to look at you, enamored with the complete fucked out expression on your face. His own expression shifted to one that was more serious as he pointed to his face.

“Didn’t mess up the makeup, right? Wouldn’t want to ruin all your hard work.” he joked.

You both laughed and you shook your head, brushing a few stray hairs from his face. “Nope. you still look incredible.”

He smiled, bending down to kiss you. A knock on the door pulled you out of your bubble.

“Danny boy!” you heard jake yell. “Not sure if you forgot but we have to be on stage in front of a few thousand people like, now.”

Danny groaned as you chuckled, pushing him to sit up.

“Go,” you instructed. “I have a bit of cleaning up to do around here.”

He smiled at you, holding your face softly between his hands before kissing you a few more times. “Round two later? I wanna take my time with you.”

You watched as he put his stage pants on, noticing your shredded underwear sticking out of his now balled up sweatpants, and returned his smile. “Definitely. Now go be a rockstar.”

[greta-van-chaos]

~ Mars' Josh Recs ~

I've been seeing so many people posting their fic collections so I am finally going to unleash mine! I have a whole ass page in my notes dedicated to the fics that I CANNOT stop rereading!

Every fic below is smut and majority are oneshots!

(can you guys tell i'm a jake girl? my other lists for the boys are lacking heavily... please send me fics guys)

Last Updated - 10/05/22

Ego 1 & 2 & 3 - @allieboop

Excuses - @hyperfixated-gvf

Keep Going - @gretavanfleetposts

Soft and Wet - @gretavanlace

You Feel Like Home - @gretavanlace

Like a Girl - @themoreyou-love

Virtuous - @cobgvf

Waitin' on You - @bandontherunn

Into the Mystic - @garagebandvanfleet

Merlot Daydreams - @sparrowofthedawn

You Look Like You Were Jealous - @gretasmokerising

Warm Reunion - @gretavanlace

Tell me Baby - @jake-kiszkas-smirk

Divinity (holy fucking shit its so good) - @gretavanlace

Pretty Please - @kissthesungvf

Hush Hush - @kissthesungvf

Laced Up - @joshkiszkas

Off the Top - @obetrolncocktails

I See It - @jakekiszkaenthusiast

The Great Outdoors - @stardustchordssammy

Late, Lake Nights - @stardustchordssammy

Pumpkin Spice - @streamingcolors-gvf + @allieboop

Hard Candy - @garbagevanfleet

Honorable Mentions (more like mars couldnt find the fics she had listed so shes just gonna give you the account instead)

@thelavenderbunnie has some seriously amazing works! unfortunately im working off of a list from my phone and transferring it to my computer so i couldn't find the ones i had down from this account. Love your work!!!

[garbagevanfleet]

Please don't take this as me rushing you. I'm just curious if you know when the last chapter of pink lemonade is gonna come out

i won't bore you with excuses, so i'll just say that Pink Lemonade will be posted tomorrow at 6:30pm CST <3

TAGLIST: @givemeyourtots2 @baylishh@the-chaotic-cow@lltearsofrainll@valleyd0ll@peaceisouranthem@mssives@myownparadise96@bigblack-catattack@dharma-divine@onevisionanthem@godlygreta@s0livagant@stardustanthem@way-to-go-lad@dannythedog@jakesdeviatedseptum@edgeofcaravel@weightofdreams-gvf@igaspforbreath@galaxy-moon@fruitinthebottom@flower-power-anthem@gretavanhoney@cherrycolawhip@fosterkidwiththebrokenjaw@the-salt-is-in-chelsea@eatmejoshkiszka@gvfrry@mywaygvf@alwayzthere@brokenbellz@calumspretty@star-boxer@maverick-rose@moondustmemories@aconfusedhippie@sammiboo162@garagebandvanfleet@kayys-corner

@brucethemermaid@hippievanfleet@tlexx@daydreamsingold@screechesincoherently@stardustingold@sarakay-gvf@tripthelightfandomtastic@jmkiszka@caravelofthesun@parizonefourfour@jakeslovehandles@alwayssotiredbutneverofyou@koifishkoifish@gretavanfleas@allieboop@markleejpeg@highladyofasgard@ourlovesdesire@teddiie@theblack-void@battywicca@cal-a-bungaa@ryegvf@heatmyfleet@ascendingtothestarsasone@raspberryopal@streamsofstardust@prophetofthedune@eringvf@age-of-nyahh@gretafaninheat@chalametpwk@mylifeisjustafeverdream@obetrolncocktails@highdefkiszka@mak-gvf@jakeydoesit@moonlightanthem@disgracefulfrog@tylervanstyles@saoirsemaeve @seventieswhore@fleet-prodigy@thecoldwind@spicedandicedtea@lovejessejay​ @s-u-t@gretasmokerising@sparrowofthedawnsworld@gretavanfunk​ @maedesculpaeusoubi​ @sammysprincess​ @greta-van-chaos​ @wowkakashi@allthatyouneedisinyoursoul @cry-me-tears-of-rain

@fleetingofthegretas @sammysgiirl @alexiagx

[tlexx]

Anthem of the Angels

In collaboration with @streamsofstardust

Credit to all AI owners

Twenty-five years. Twenty-five years and the wait is finally over for Evangeline to be reunited with her soulmate, Josh Kiszka. Following him through every lifetime, angel Evangeline must find a way to save Josh from succumbing to his fate of passing away on his twenty-fifth birthday to be reincarnated as another version of himself. With her divinity running out and one last chance, will she be able to break the cycle of losing Josh for the rest of eternity?

The Spartan

The Knight

Taglist: @theweightofstardust @weightofdreams-gvf @cowboysamkiszka @ageofeddie @capturethechaos @screechesincoherently @greta-van-yeet @peaceisouranthem @age-of-nyahh @danny-wagners-peacesign-necklace @xserenax-13 @the-weightof-dreams @celestialfauna @earthlysorrows @kxnsy @doodle417 @joshkiszkas @heatmyfleet @kay-jordan @lupinevanfleet @tripthelight-fanfic @caprisunsister @mywaygvf @jimisvoodoochild @allieboop @st4rdust-ch0rds @basiccortez @gretavanfleas @jmkiszka @starchords @luverleaver @trafficwasabitch @thecoldwind d @idk-maddie @weightofdreams-gvf @auntminestrone @turtleskane @kdarling1 @stardustingold @gretavanbitches @writingcold @shutupdevvie @gardenofgreta @gretasmokerising @wingedgardener2000

[weightofdreams-gvf]

Hi !! I wanted a place to keep all my favorite fics so here it is! This will be updated regularly and pinned if anyone else wants to have easy access to it.

*Smut 18+(Minors DNI)

~made me violently sob

^screaming and crying on the floor

This is mostly all Josh and Jake

Active- @tripthelight-fanfic ^~

The Song of Purple Summer- @st4rdust-ch0rds *

Picking Favorites- @streamingcolors-gvf *

Instigator- @capturethechaos and @screechesincoherently *

Always There- @greta-flanveet *

Creature of the Night- @tripthelight-fanfic *

Three Words- @obetrolncocktails~

Hooky- @alwayzthere^

Manage Me- @capturethechaos and @obetrolncocktails

Twintuition- @urmindisastreamofcolorstreamofcolors^

I Don't Wanna Love You- @tlexx~^*

Boys of Summer- @streamingcolors-gvf ^~

Fight What You Fear- @highdefkiszka~

Everything To Me- @gretavanwinkle~

Strawberry Meltdown- @joshysgf*

Cuddle Bug- @dannythedog^

One More Sip- @dharma-divine*

A Little Neighborly Advice- @streamingcolors-gvf*

A Quick Dip- @streamingcolors-gvf*

Lost Boys- @tlexx*^

The Lion and the Lamb- @godlygreta*

Survival Instincts- @tripthelight-fanfic*^

No Strings Attached- @hearts-hunger*^

Cabin In The Woods- @gretavanlace*^

If I Believe You- @busybusybusyb *^~

I Can’t @greta-van-chaos ^~

Ache- @ria-gvf ^~

It’s You- @ria-gvf ^~

The Dead Don't Die- @highdefkiszka ^~

Table For Two- @welightthefire and @allieboop ^~*

Under The Dock- @tripthelight-fanfic^

Hair Care- @basiccortez

Star-Crossed- @tripthelight-fanfic*

Karma Sutra- @obetrolncocktails*^

Unattainable- @godlygreta~^

Off Limits- @dharma-divine*^

Four Knocks- @tripthelight-fanfic

Sparrowverse- @highdefkiszka

[ageofnations]

Will you do a post while you still have allieboop that says your new username before changing it?

yes! i think i’ve settled on ageofnations for the new name! just so indecisive that i’m afraid to make the official change 💀 i think i will change it by the end of the week maybe?

[streamingcolors-gvf]

I really hope y’ all are clearing your schedules tonight for the first fic drop of the Halloween collection 🎃

I feel like @allieboop and I went all out on this one. Let’s start this spooky season off right 🤭

[welightthefire]

Table For Two ~ Part Ten

In collaboration with @allieboop

Jake Kiszka x OC x Josh Kiszka

Summary: "What started out as a new job unexpectedly became more for Sydney Baker. There's only room at the table for two... How will she navigate her feelings and come to a decision? How can she choose between two sides of the same coin?"

Warnings: tad bit of jealousy, soooo much fluff, crying, smut [unprotected penetrative sex, oral (f!receiving), praise, hair pulling (m!receiving🤭), possessiveness??]

Word Count: ~14.2k

taglist // playlist // masterpost

A/N: it's a long one, but it's been a long time coming. please tell us what you think!

Part Ten

It was nearing the end of the Saturday night shift, and Syd was finishing up jotting down her last order. Danny had already flipped the internal locks on the front doors and gone to hide in the office to do paperwork for the next several minutes. Through the serving window, Sam and the twins’ laughter could be heard as the brothers bantered about God knows what while the ever-familiar rotation of blues music played in the background. 

She told her table that she would get their order in right away and be back in a bit. It wasn’t anything crazy- just a few baskets of fries and two burgers they had wanted to split. When she reached the window, she tapped the button atop the silver bell to get Jake’s attention. 

“One last table, Jake, then you’re done cooking for the night.” Syd beamed as he walked over to retrieve the meal ticket from her outstretched hand. 

“Oh, thank God- wait.” He stopped short as he glanced down at the ticket in his hand and called over his shoulder to his twin. “Four fries, Josh.”

Syd allowed her eyes to glance over at his twin who nodded his acknowledgment before she responded. “What’s the matter?”

“We’re still on for tonight, right?” 

Syd feigned confusion as she looked at him. “I’m… not sure what you mean.”

Jake’s face fell. “You know… me coming over? Cooking dinner?”

“Ohhh, yeah.” Syd let her eyes wander up towards the clock on the wall. 

9:37pm

“I mean, I guess so.”

“We don’t have to… Really. I just thought-“ he rushed. 

Syd couldn’t keep up her act any longer, a shit-eating grin painting her face. “Jake, I’m kidding. I’ll be damned if I have to wait for the next family meal to eat your food.”

“I hate you.” Jake sighed, even though he couldn’t help but smile at her antics.

“You love me,” she declared, her eyes beaming. 

Jake rolled his eyes at her. Little did she know, he thought. 

“Really, I’m excited. And hungry.” She reached out and poked the tip of his nose. “So you should hurry up so we can get out of here sooner.”

Jake nodded. “Sure thing. Let me get a drink and I’ll be right on it.”

Syd reached to her side and grabbed a paper cup from the stack of to-go items. “Nope, I’ve got it. Shoo.”

Jake shook his head and laughed, slapping a palm down on the steel counter and turning on his heel with the ticket in hand. 

By the time he prepared the burger patties, Syd had assembled his drink, a simple cup of ice water. She maneuvered back to him, watching him work from afar with a smile on her face. He caught the movement in the corner of his eye just as he had put the burgers on the grill and moved to the sink to wash his hands again. His mouth twitched into a sheepish smile as she presented the cup as if it were some grandiose meal. 

“Your water, sir,” she spoke in an elegant accent, making his grin widen. 

He backed away from the sink just enough so she could snake the cup to the front of him while he continued washing his hands. 

She slowly brought the cup to his pursed lips, watching as they connected to the rim and his eyes flickered to her. He caught on to her staring, making his smirk return before the cool liquid reached his mouth. 

She tilted the cup, just barely, and admired him as he drank. His cheekbones seemed to have become even more defined and prominent. His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the water. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration on not spilling the drink, although he had ultimately no control over that. 

Syd pulled the cup away when he barely nodded, indicating that he was done with the drink. In the process, a stray droplet of water escaped his lips and was dribbling down the side of his mouth. Without thinking, she reached out and wiped it away with her thumb. 

She kept her eyes on him as she let her hand linger there, letting it graze over the features she had come to admire. Something that began as a good deed - simply her lending a helping hand - had become something much more intimate, and she felt her cheeks pinken because of it all. 

“Better?” She knew the word came out breathlessly, as it was almost a whisper. 

He smiled and let his eyes drop to her lips for a moment. “Much.” He resumed washing his hands, mumbling an extra quip. “Now I have clean hands and a clean face.”

She was annoyed, but incredibly endeared, that such a lame joke made her laugh the way it did. She rolled her eyes at him, and as a form of payback, reached under the steady stream pouring from the faucet to splash a bit of water against his apron. He snickered at her dramatics and began drying his hands.

“I’ll be back in a bit,” she softly voiced and set the cup down on the coated steel shelf next to the clean plastic baskets.

As Syd turned to make her way back to the dining room, she caught Josh watching her from the other side of the kitchen. Sam was going on and on about a jazz show he had tickets for, but his older brother couldn’t have lost interest any quicker once he had taken note of Jake and Syd’s exchange. 

She threw up her hand in a small gesture, sending him a meek smile and mouthing the words ‘hi’ from across the room. Josh smiled back with a nod, however, it didn’t reach his eyes in the way it normally did. 

—

Syd paced around her living room in her towel anxiously as her eyes darted around the clean space. Jake had told her that he was gonna stop at home and get some things together before he headed over to her place which gave her time to sit with her thoughts. However, her thoughts weren’t proving to be very good company. 

She kept noticing things that wouldn’t typically bother her, such as the wrinkle in the fuzzy grey blanket draped over the back of her couch, or the one dim light amongst the rows of golden Christmas lights that lined the wall of her living room. She noted that one of Delta’s feather toys was laying under the coffee table, left when he had lost interest in it, which then led to her realizing she had left a glass of water next to the book she was currently halfway through. 

The young woman sighed to herself and let out a low groan as she balanced herself up along the arm of the sofa to push the small bulb back into its socket, creating a consistent row of glimmering light against the ivory hue of the wall. She then grabbed the glass of water and brought it over to the kitchen to dump out, simply wiping the rim clean with the bottom hem of her towel and setting it on the corner of the stainless steel sink for later. 

Her eyes landed on a smudge of grease along the black surface of the induction stove top and took a dry paper towel to wipe it clean. She didn’t know why she was so obsessed with all of these small details. Jake wouldn’t notice, and if he did, he wouldn’t care. 

Syd flipped off the lights as she left the room, turning the corner to walk down the hall towards her bedroom. She crossed the room and switched on the lamp on her bedside table before she sat down on the edge of her unmade bed. 

Great. Another thing to take care of. 

She sat there for a moment, running her fingers through her damp waves, thinking about what she wanted to wear. Was this a date? Was it just a night with a good friend? If what Sam said was true, about Jake feeling the same, would their night together change things? If it did, would it be for the worst or the better? What if nothing changed at all and she just kept pining after him hopelessly?

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and stood up, letting the towel fall to the ground as she retrieved a pair of panties and slipped them over her thighs. Syd grabbed a pair of comfy grey cotton shorts and a black tank top, forgoing a bra for comfort’s sake, and dressed in silence. Still, in her uneasy state, she felt bare. She pushed her arms into the sleeves of her favorite cream cardigan and picked up her towel, tossing it across the room into the hamper beside her dresser. 

After she had completed the task of making her bed and had straightened and fluffed all the pillows to her liking, she reached over and turned off the lamp before she made her way back out to her living room. Delta had come out of his hiding place beneath the record player to lounge on the seat of the sofa and looked up at her with squinty eyes. 

“What do I do?” She asked her feline companion, knowing full well he couldn’t answer her. 

“I really like this guy,” she continued, moving to sit next to him and pull him into her lap. “You know he’s been here before, and I wasn’t in the best shape, but why do I feel so much pressure this time?”

Delta pushed his face up into her neck in response and rubbed the edge of his jaw against hers. 

Syd closed her eyes and took a deep breath in, inhaling the comforting scent of his fur. “He’s so sweet, and caring, and nice, and funny, and kind of an ass but in a good way and-”

The sharp rap of a knock on the door stopped her dead in her tracks. Delta’s ears perked up at the sound, causing him to leap off of her lap and go perch atop the side table near the door to inspect the visitor. Syd stood up from her spot and walked a few steps over, twisting the brass knob and pulling back the door to reveal Jake standing there with various grocery bags in his left hand and a sheepish grin on his face. 

His hair had been freed from the braid he had worn at work earlier that night, air-dried kinks in his grown-out waves shining in the soft glow of the lights inside her home. He had worn a pair of simple black jeans with that same white Church of Rock N’ Roll T-shirt he had on that night in the pillow fort, and had completed his look with a light denim button-down, completely unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled halfway up his forearms. 

“You gonna let me in, or just gawk at me?” A teasing smirk plastered his face while he gently pushed past her as she moved out of the way to let him in. 

“I wasn’t gawking, by the way,” she chirped as she closed the door and followed behind him towards her kitchen. 

“Whatever you say, Slip,” Jake chuckled, setting the bags on the counter.

He got to work setting out the various ingredients he had picked up, presumably earlier in the day. Oranges, sprigs of rosemary, salmon filets, red potatoes, and various bottles of different herbs filled the space on the kitchen counter by the time Jake was done. He hadn’t mentioned what he planned on making, he just said it was simple.

As Syd stood back and watched him get to work, she instructed him on where the pans and cooking utensils were. She thought about offering to help, but honestly, the young woman survived off of instant noodles and fruit. There was a reason she took the serving position and not one in the kitchen at the diner.

Jake, however, seemed to move effortlessly around the space. The way he simultaneously pressed the buttons on the stove to the correct oven temperature while setting two baking sheets on the stovetop was unlike how Syd had seen him work at the diner. He moved fluidly to chop the potatoes and arrange them spaciously on one of the baking sheets before he lightly shook the different seasonings over them, coating them evenly.

As he popped the first sheet pan into the oven, he turned to face Syd who was still leaning against the edge of the counter with an eyebrow raised as she watched him. He shot her a grin and leaned back against the marble ledge, matching her position. 

“What?” He questioned, his eyes searching her features. 

Syd crossed her arms over her chest as she quipped back. “I would ask if you need me to do anything, but…” She let her eyes dance over the cutting board that was decorated with orange slices and trimmed herb stems. “You look like you have all of this under control.”

“Why don’t you put on some music, and I’ll get this all in the oven? I have a surprise for you,” he stated. 

“Oh, Jesus Christ,” Syd laughed and turned on her heel to head towards the living room. 

While Syd was busying herself with looking through her small record collection, Jake paused his task of preparing the salmon to dig in his backpack for the bottle of Chardonnay he had kept in his refrigerator at home during their shift at the diner. He opened the cabinet he had found the cups in before, from that night after Green’s, and pulled out two crystal stem glasses. 

The bottle wasn’t anything fancy. Hell, it was a thirteen-dollar bottle of wine with a screw cap. He just knew the generic dry taste paired well with the fish and Syd would enjoy it after a night at work. 

Jake quickly wrapped the filets in aluminum foil with the oranges and rosemary sprigs and placed them three inches apart on the second baking sheet. When he opened the oven door, he was met with the sound of sizzling olive oil and a wave of heat on his face. He set the pan on the top rack and got to work pouring out the wine. 

Syd came back into the room after the first few notes of a guitar and a steady beat filled the atmosphere around them. She wore a blissful smile on her face as she locked eyes with Jake. Her expression was replaced with a look of contented surprise when she noticed the glasses in his hands. 

“For the lady,” he beamed, offering out his right hand to her. 

“Wine?” She questioned, delicately taking his offer and bringing the glass to her lips to have a taste. “What’s the special occasion?”

“Nothing in particular,” Jake took a sip from his own glass. “Just thought you might like it.”

“That was thoughtful of you,” she replied, her voice soft as she looked down with a sheepish smile on her face. 

The two stood there in comfortable silence for a few moments, enjoying each other’s company. 

Jake studied the beautiful woman before him, taking the time to admire the subtle rosiness of her cheeks, the way she held the body of her glass in both hands. She stood there with her legs crossed at the ankles, her peaceful presence accentuated by the way she softly swayed to the music. The slightest hint of a smile on her cheeks just so happened to reach her eyes more so than it was physically displayed. He was captivated by her existence. 

Yet again, he was alone with her. The feeling of pure infatuation was in the air with every passing second that transpired. The same feeling he had when he was taking care of her that night after Green’s. When he took his time to prepare the pillow fort. When he told her about the special jersey quilt. When he played her that song he wrote about her. 

He thought back to his previous conversation with Sam the night before. His younger brother had gone out to join him in the back lot on his break and had taken it upon himself to dive head first into Jake’s relationship dilemma. 

Jake let out a deep breath and spoke aloud as he set his glass down on the counter. “Hey, Slip?”

She lifted her gaze from where it was transfixed on a spot on the patterned linoleum. “Yeah?”

“I think we both owe each other a dance.”

“I think you’re right,” she smiled, twisting her side to set her glass down behind her. 

Jake stepped away from his spot against the counter and reached out to take her hands in his. The soothing muted melody of Leon Bridges’ “Coming Home” played through the speakers in the next room. He carefully brought her palms up to his neck, releasing them there. His own palms eased their way down to settle on the curve of her hips, his fingertips teasing the soft patch of flesh where the hem of her tank top didn’t quite meet the waistband of her shorts. 

As the pair began to sway side to side, their feet barely moving at all, Syd couldn’t bring herself to keep eye contact with Jake. It wasn’t out of discomfort or embarrassment, but rather introversion stemming from the intimate proximity. The feeling of his fingertips against her skin was distracting in the way it caused ripples of awareness up the sides of her body and goosebumps along the length of her arms. 

It was different from any other interaction she had experienced with Jake before. It wasn’t fueled by a drunken want to have fun and get her body moving. It was created in a space of tender appreciation. It was innocent, it was romantic, it was slow. 

Syd briefly thought back to the week before when the vodka was running rampant through her veins and she had shared a much faster, rushed, heated moment with Josh that almost led to her complete unraveling. She didn’t want to allow herself to go there, to revisit those awful feelings she felt in the aftermath in the midst of such a sweet moment with Jake. 

Jake was experiencing a slew of thoughts in his mind as well. Sam’s words kept replaying in his mind. Quit being a pussy and just do it, he had said. This was the way he had to do it. This was the way he would be able to break the ice and tell her everything he had grown to feel for her in the past few months. 

His nerves weren’t hidden from himself as he tried to play it cool. He had to mentally tell himself to relax, to breathe through the moment as he hyped himself up for what he was about to say. The thing was, he just didn’t know how. 

“Sam bought this album for my birthday last year.” Syd randomly mentioned, pulling him back to the present. 

This is it, Jake thought to himself. 

“Ya know,” he started. “He talked to me yesterday.”

Syd’s eyes widened while she stood wrapped up in his arms. If he wasn’t looking down at her, he would have missed it. “H-he did?”

Jake huffed and let a chill grin display across his cheeks. “Yeah, he told me to get my shit together.”

Syd laughed out loud, wondering about all the possibilities of that statement. “What does that even mean?”

Jake merely shrugged and let out a soft chuckle in response, suddenly doubting his ability to follow through with his original plan. 

Syd stepped just a little bit closer and rested her head against his chest. “I really fucking hate him sometimes.”

“I don’t know how you’ve willingly chosen to be his friend for this long.”

She pulled back to peer up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Willingly?”

He laughed at her mockery. “He’s told me stories about you two. Even before you started working with us.”

Syd shoved her face into Jake’s shirt as she replied, her voice muffled by the fabric. “Oh god, that’s terrifying.”

“I think it’s sweet,” Jake objected, resting his cheek atop the crown of her head. “Especially now that I get to put a face and person to a name.”

Syd was silent as she listened to the gentle hum of his voice reverberating through his chest behind the steady thumping of his heartbeat. 

“I do believe that some of the stories are a bit exaggerated, though.”

Syd’s body slightly shook with laughter in her response. “Sam? Exaggerating? Never.” She scoffed, causing Jake to laugh as well with her well-crossed sarcasm.

“I’m sorry your precious time with your brother is filled with stories about me.”

The conversation came to a pause as the two stayed there within that peaceful moment. Jake snaked his arms around Syd’s back, holding her tighter against his front as they danced, if it could even be called that. He took the silence as an invitation to breathe her in, to think about what he wanted to say, and to actually do it. 

Syd became deaf to the music, instead focusing her attention on the rhythm of Jake’s heartbeat as if it were a soundtrack curated specifically for her. She was glad that he wasn’t able to feel the pulse of her blood racing through her veins. However, she was surprised when the thump thump thumping in his chest started to speed up. 

And then she felt his body shift. 

Jake pressed his lips to her forehead, holding them there for a moment until she realized exactly what had happened. What was said in between the space of his lips and her skin. 

She pulled her cheek away from him and turned her face up to look at him. Not just to see him, but to observe him. Search within his features for the confirmation she needed. 

He simply smiled at her. A small, yet sweet close-lipped smile that led up to the most loving pair of eyes she had ever seen. He released his grip from her waist and brought his fingers up to brush a few stray strands of hair off her cheek, trailing them along the curve of her ear and tucking them into place there. 

“Everything is irrelevant next to you,” Jake muttered, so low, that Syd wasn’t even sure if she heard him correctly. 

Syd’s jaw went slack as her bright emerald eyes gazed up at Jake. He moved his hand back to settle his palm along her jaw and ran his thumb gently across the plane of her cheekbone. 

He moved on from the sentence as if it hadn’t been uttered at all. “He also told me something else.” 

“Jake…” Her voice was but a whisper, barely audible except for the space between them. 

“He said I needed to figure out what I wanted. And to do something about it.” Jake let out a deep breath he wasn’t aware that he had been holding in. “So I guess this is me finally doing something about it.”

And then it happened. 

Jake let his head fall, tilting Syd’s face up to meet his by his hold on the soft line of her jaw. Their lips met, and for the first time, Syd felt wanted. Not wanted in a way that would leave her heartbroken after one night. Not in a way of immature infatuation that would inevitably fade as soon as it arrived. Not even in an empty sense of passion that most kisses exuded. There was more to this. 

There were months of mutual desire that spoke against their lips. There was an aching burn of affection and intimacy that seeped through his fingertips as he held her chin. There was a deep sense of craving and yearning in the way his grip tightened on her hip. An even greater sense of weakness and vulnerability in how his breath shuddered as they pulled away.

He was shaking, ever so slightly, as they stood there soaking in the realness of what just happened. He rested his cheek against her temple and held her impossibly close. He just hoped she would say something to break through the nerves and panic that he was feeling. 

“Jake, I-“ Syd stuttered. “I didn’t think you wanted me… like this.”

“Are you kidding?” He pulled away from her slightly to look into her eyes, her brows furrowed together. “You’re all I ever wanted since your dumb ass walked into the diner.”

Syd couldn’t speak as he searched her face for a response, oblivious to the pounding of her heart as it echoed in her ears. 

He liked her. He wanted her. 

The fluttering feeling in her stomach was ever present as she thought about all the sweet little instances that led up to this one singular life-changing moment. All of the moments she thoroughly enjoyed, but didn’t think twice about. All of the moments that seemed insignificant at the time. 

The subtle touches across her back in passing. 

The sheepish grins when she caught him staring through the service window. 

The little giggles and laughs that seemed to be reserved for her, and her only. 

“Syd,” Jake spoke, pulling her out of her mind. “You’re fucking intoxicating and you don’t even know it. Your laugh is the sweetest melody. You have a way of lighting up a room just by existing there.”

He took a deep breath before continuing. “You look down at your hands when you’re nervous. Your eyes light up like a little kid on Christmas morning when you’re excited. You’re the softest, most innocent soul when you’re exhausted and all you do is seek comfort.”

His deep amber eyes darted from her eyes, to her cheeks, to her lips, and back to her eyes again. The way she looked up at him with such an awestruck expression, irises glistening with the threat of tears, lips curling at the corners with the hint of a smile that couldn’t quite make it to the surface… 

Jake leaned down and softly pressed his lips to hers once more, letting them rest there for but a moment. 

“I really like you, Slip. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

Syd’s voice was quiet as she replied, “I really like you, too, Jake.”

Their admissions weighed heavily in the air around them, emphasizing the notion that things between them wouldn’t be the same as they were before. It wasn’t nerve-wracking, but rather comfortable, new, and exciting all at once. 

On one hand, Jake felt an insane amount of pressure release from his chest. It was as if he had been suffocating under his growing love for Syd over the past few months, unsure of the sheer strength and power of his emotions. All those nights he had laid awake unable to sleep, scared of what his feelings meant; and more so feared what would happen between them if they ever came to light. 

He often found himself lost in his thoughts on the drive to work every day, knowing she would be there, envisioning her angelic smile, her soft touch, her melodious laugh. He would wonder if she would walk in on time with a glowing grin on her face as she walked through the dining room, greeting the regulars before she made her way back to the kitchen. Or if she would rush into the kitchen in a frazzled state, her hair tied up in the messiest of buns that she probably had slept in, dark circles under her eyes, a tumbler of lukewarm coffee in her hands. 

In his eyes, she was beautiful no matter the day, the weather, if she was giddy and upbeat, or tired and a bit grumpy. He would still tease her just to see that rosy smile reach her big, green eyes, and he would still help her out around the dining room at the end of the shift. 

Jake was so caught up in her. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else needed to. 

She was always so sweet to him. It didn’t matter where they were, what they were doing, or who was around. That heart-warming light that glistened in the depth of her gaze never faltered when he caught her looking at him. 

Through all those long shifts and endless nights alone, he had hoped that she would reciprocate his feelings, yet he wasn’t sure if her tenderness was merely a facet of her personality or her way of displaying her affections. 

Until that moment. 

On the other hand, Jake felt a sense of achievement. He knew Josh had started to grow feelings for Syd, and still, he couldn’t find it within himself to blame his twin. Syd carried herself in such a way that she seemed like the perfect partner for anyone. From his perspective, he couldn’t understand how anyone couldn’t be in love with her.

After that day in the diner when Syd asked him about Josh, he was moved that she had grown to care so much about him. The rocky start to their friendship was undesirable, to say the least, and not just for them, but for everyone around them too. Jake was happy to see that they had mended things of their own accord, but the longer time went on, the more uneasy he began to feel with each interaction he had to witness.

It was like a sick and twisted competition between the twins to see who could win over the young beauty torn between them. Jake didn’t want to take anything, or anyone, away from his brother, but the feelings he had been harboring seemed to cancel that out.

Jake wanted to feel bad. He wanted to feel selfish, as if he had betrayed his twin. However, as he stood there with Syd wrapped up in his arms, he couldn’t bring himself to. The pure bliss was blinding brighter with every small glance she made towards him and every subtle touch of her fingertips against his skin.

Syd’s thought process couldn’t be more different. While she felt an overwhelming sense of peace with the entire situation, it was as if every piece of the puzzle she had been stuck trying to figure out was finally falling into place. She didn’t harbor the fear of finding herself too close to Jake anymore. In fact, his admission granted her the acknowledgment that maybe her definition of ‘too close’ was never really close enough.

She had found a new comfort within her reality, a new place of sanctuary. Her home had always been her own space, something she was more than willing to come back to, but with Jake there, it felt as though it had finally become ‘home’. The comfort came from his rough fingertips against the soft skin of her hip, the warmth that was so undeniably him. It floated through the room around her with the savory scent of a fresh meal and the sound of soft bluegrass music playing in the background. It warmed her heart from somewhere deep within her that she had yet to discover, yet was seemingly coursing through her veins as if it had been there the entire time.

The simplicity of the moment was her favorite. Surrounded by her own things and safe in Jake’s embrace, nothing else mattered except the two of them there, in that singular speck of time, pausing in the peace found within the grand scheme of things. 

The pressure of his palms against the plush space between her hip bones and rib cage.

His chin pushing into her temple, the warm stickiness of flesh against flesh created from the contact.

Her heart was beating rapidly while the kaleidoscope of butterflies threatened to move its way out her throat.

The soft fabric of her tank top brushed against her skin as Jake adjusted his grip.

It was almost as if, at that moment, with her admittance, Syd was inviting Jake into everything that was unequivocally her. Nothing hidden. Not a thing in her life sheltered by the reserve she put up for everyone else, not even Sam.

“How about we sit down to eat, yeah?” Jake’s chest hummed as he spoke. “I’ll make some plates.”

“Sounds good to me,” Syd breathed out, slightly disappointed that she had to leave Jake’s arms.

She took a minute to retreat to the living room and flip the record as the clanking sound of pans resounded from the kitchen. Upon making her way back, Delta had run past her to see what the commotion was about. Jake was using a spatula to remove one of the filets from the sheet pan just as Delta perched his two front legs against the cupboard door below the counter in interest. 

Jake chuckled as he peered down at the curious feline twitching his nose eagerly. “Sorry buddy, I didn’t make enough for the three of us. I’ll have to make it up to you next time.”

Syd found her glass of wine and leaned back against the counter as she watched the interaction. “If you wanted to make it up to him, there’s a cup of yogurt in the fridge…”

Jake’s eyes darted up to meet hers, an excited smile on his face.

“It’s his favorite,” she stated, bringing the glass to her lips.

Jake briefly abandoned his task of making the plates to scour over the contents of the refrigerator. His eyes landed on the singular plastic cup of yogurt that was covered with a bit of cling wrap and held it up to Syd to make sure it was the right one. When she nodded in confirmation, he removed the makeshift cover and found a spoon in the drying rack before he knelt by Delta, who had now moved to sit on his hind legs.

As Syd watched the pair, she couldn’t hide the smile that overtook her features. Delta moved towards Jake with no implication of hesitance as the man spooned a bit of the yogurt out and held it down for his new furry friend. He lapped it up carefully, with eyes closed, and while Syd was nowhere near close enough to hear it, she knew Jake could hear the loud purrs escaping the cat’s chest in pleasure from the surprise treat.

Jake’s eyes never left Delta’s contented face as he ate, a wide grin plastered on his cheeks. Syd couldn’t help but admire how innocent and pure the interaction was. It proved to be yet another invitation from Jake into her space as she shared experiences with him that she had only ever saved for herself.

Once the spoon was licked clean, Jake rubbed his palm along the top of Delta’s head in the flat space right between his large ears. 

“That’s all I’ve got for you, little man,” he muttered as Delta rubbed against his legs and let out a scraggly mewl.

Jake stood up and replaced the clear film atop the container and put it back in the fridge. He resumed his task of placing the filets down on the plates with the potatoes to the side before the pair sat down to enjoy their meal.

After light conversation, stolen glances, and empty plates, Jake and Syd started the task of cleaning up. With their bellies and hearts full, Jake had taken on the duty of washing while Syd dried and put the glassware away. Once they got down to the last plate, Syd reached towards the cupboard to put the piece of ceramic away. Jake had other ideas, though.

In her distracted state, he grabbed the plate from her hand and held it over her head, wearing a shitty grin on his face.

“Jaaaaake!” She whined, leaning her chest against his as she stood on her tiptoes in a fruitless attempt to retrieve the plate.

“It’s not my fault you’re so short,” he teased.

“That’s not fair, and you know it,” she huffed, placing one hand on the side of his ribcage for support while she pushed further into him for leverage.

“I think you may be enjoying this some, yeah?” He joked as his free hand found its way to settle on her waist.

Syd playfully slapped Jake in the chest with the back of her hand, reaching once more for the plate. “Enjoying what? Being bullied by you?”

“Being all pressed up against me.” He shook his head and brought the arm holding the plate past her shoulder to place in the open cabinet. “And it’s not bullying.”

Syd jutted her bottom lip out as she felt a blush creep its way up her neck. “Stop that,” she mumbled, crossing her arms across her chest.

“Sorry, slip,” he sighed, snaking his other arm around her waist to clasp his hands together. “I guess I’m trying to prolong my stay.”

It was all Syd could do to simply look up into his chestnut irises, searching his face for truth in his statement, even though she didn’t have any reason not to believe him.

“I just wanna spend more time with you before I go home,” he muttered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, allowing his lips to linger there.

“Then why don’t you stay?” She had found the words escaping her before she had even realized what she had said. There was no use trying to cover up what she had asked, and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to. 

She missed being so close to Jake. She wanted to spend the night wrapped up in his arms again, lulled to sleep by his heavy breathing. There was a longing for it after only having spent the night like that just once. 

And Jake missed her. Her sweet, groggy innocence that came when exhaustion overcame her. The way she would nuzzle into his side for more warmth. How their legs tangled together seamlessly in a mess of jumbled limbs.

Syd heard Jake swallow thickly as he nodded his head. He wasn’t nervous, but the opportunity for him to stay the night wasn’t something that he had anticipated. He simply thought that they would enjoy a nice meal together and maybe watch a film after and then he would go home and hopelessly await the day where he could call her his and staying the night would become a normal occurrence for them.

But that was before he had told her how he felt. That was before everything had changed, but nothing had changed at all. There had been an invisible shift in their relationship, something that came with new, unspoken rules and freedoms. Something like staying the night.

He detached himself from her and upon saying that he would be right back, excused himself to walk out the front door of her home. Syd looked around, spotting the half bottle of wine on the counter, and topped off her glass. She quickly downed the contents and spoke aloud to Delta who was eyeballing her from the corner of the room.

“Shit,” she stated, feeling the butterflies flutter in her gut again.

—

Jake stood in the doorway of the darkened room while Syd pulled back the covers on her bed and laid down. She watched him observe his surroundings in the dim light from the lamp on her bedside table. He took note of the tall bookshelf against the wall opposite her bed, lined with rows upon rows of books, the pile of fuzzy blankets and spare pillows in a wicker basket in the corner, the neatly organized desk he had written a note on that one night all those weeks ago.

There were framed drawings hung up on the walls depicting beautifully stippled nature themes mixed with what he assumed were watercolor accents. A verdant, vining ivy grew lush in a hanging planter in the corner, suspended from the ceiling just to the right of the singular large window. A string of unlit icicle lights hung above the wall over the headboard of her bed, as if they were framing the large painting of a forest scene that was hung completely center.

There was a lot he hadn’t noticed the last time he was there, due to the new perspective of the space. It screamed her name in the most peaceful voice, a perfect reflection of the quiet reserve of her existence. Both comfortable and inviting in all of the best ways.

Jake’s eyes landed on her body as she laid atop her mattress, eyes half-lidded with exhaustion. The large bed made her look even smaller than normal, her dark hair strewn across the plush pillows. The powder blue hue of the blankets somehow illuminated brighter against her tanned complexion as they threatened to swallow her whole in the soft glow emanated from the singular light source.

He slowly crossed the room to join her, closing the door behind him. The denim overshirt he wore was discarded haphazardly on the back of the desk chair in his venture. He let himself hover over Syd for just a moment to place a tender kiss against her lips before he rolled to the side next to her. In her weary state, she didn’t waste any time curling up to his side. She wrapped one arm around his waist and tangled her barren legs within his, now covered with the comfortable fabric of well-loved sweats.

Jake reached over her body, pulling the duvet up around them. It was easy for his eyes to meet hers as he looked down to see her searching his face. Syd brought her fingers up to gently push the soft strands of hair back off his forehead, seeming to memorize his features as if he would disappear before her.

Jake closed his eyes as he took the serenity of the moment to admire how her fingers felt as they danced along the surface of his skin. How her sweet vanilla scent was so flirtatious in the way that it lifted from the soft waves of hair surrounding her, enticing even. How comfortable and new and normal it felt for the two of them to be there, in her bed, together.

He had only ever thought about this instance, almost regretting that night after Green’s when she asked him to lay with her and he declined. He hadn’t wanted to leave her. God, did he want to stay and fall asleep within her embrace. Now that it was there, a reality curated to sweet blissful perfection, he wanted to soak it all in. Cherish it for all that it was and hope - no, know that it wouldn’t be the last time he would find himself tangled in her sheets with her cold toes tucked between his exposed ankles.

Her gaze trailed along the soft curve of his cupid's bow, up the slightly crooked slope of his nose. She traced along the peaks of his cheekbones as if they were the easiest mountains to climb and finally, grazed her thumb across his brow where she spotted the slightest indentation in the shape of an imperfect circle just above his right eyebrow near the center of his forehead.

She hadn’t noticed it before. In all the times she had been near Jake, close enough to break that unspoken boundary that existed before their admission, she had never been able to steal a glance anywhere else except for those warm chocolate eyes that made her heart race. 

“What’s this?” She softly questioned, using her thumb to trace over the soft divet in his skin.

“Hmm?” He opened his eyes to peer down at her through his lashes. “Oh, the scar?”

“Yeah,” Syd sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth. “What happened?

Jake chuckled, deciding in a split second to mess with her as he absentmindedly ran a palm up and down along her side. “Got that back in my youth.”

“Jake,” She stated, raising an eyebrow at him.

“It’s true!” He countered. “I was a feared man, Slip. No one messed with-” he paused, watching her roll her eyes in disapproval.

Jake sighed in defeat, deciding to give up his act. “Sam broke a ukulele over my head.”

“What?!” She squeaked, shocked at his admission and then letting out a surprised giggle at the mental image that played through her mind.

“I’m really surprised you haven’t heard this story before.”

“Sam told me about the broken window and the toy jeep but-” she looked at Jake quizzically. “A ukulele?!”

“One of his finer moments, I must admit.”

“Tell me about it,” she smiled, urging him to continue.

Jake moved his hand up to the soft curve of her jaw as he thought about where to start, moving the hair off her neck. Syd used her free hand, vacating the planes of his facial structure to fumble around with the frayed cord of his bracelet instead.

“It was back one summer when we were in high school. We were having a cookout with Danny’s family, and I had brought out the uke to the trampoline to kill some time away from everyone else. Big family, lots of noise, ya know?”

Syd nodded, paying attention to every movement of his lips as he spoke, soaking in every word of his memory.

“Well, the week before I had scratched one of Sam’s records when I borrowed it. Sargent Pepper’s, one of his favorites, and I just gave it back without telling him about it. You know Sam…”

“Yeah, I do,” she giggled, imagining his reaction when he went to play the record. “I’m guessing he found out that day?”

Jake chuckled and nodded. “He came out of the house screaming out a bunch of bullshit about how much of an ass I was and yanked the ukulele right out of my hands and bashed me over the head with it. Three stitches, and we both got grounded for a week.”

“That’s intense but… very Sam.” Syd erupted in a fit of laughter as the image of Sam wailing on Jake with the small instrument played into her mind.

“Did you do anything stupid when you were younger?” Jake pondered, watching Syd’s fingers move from his wrist to his own.

“Not really,” she smiled. “I was a relatively quiet kid. One time though, my grandma was baking a shit ton of cookies for Christmas and I ended up sticking my tongue to the bird feeder. My grandpa came outside to get me and he found me crying. She had to come out with a cup of warm water and defrost me.”

“That’s-” Jake cracked up, earning him a soft blow to the chest. “I was gonna say that’s definitely something you would do.”

“Shut up,” she pouted, although the smile on her face couldn’t be hidden.

“Come here,” Jake cooed, pulling Syd closer to his chest. 

She laid her cheek against the cool fabric of his t-shirt, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Jake snaked his arms around her waist, rubbing soft circles into the flesh at the bottom of her spine. Neither were sure how long they laid there like that.

Soft hums turned into slow and steady breaths as their eyes closed and the sweet blanket of sleep drifted over them. There wasn’t a specific time when either realized it, there was just the peace and utmost comfort of the late night soaking in each other’s affection. It was serene. It was happy. 

—

Syd was the first to wake, opening her eyes to a sun-filled sky peeking into the solace of her home. The light illuminated the room and bounced off the walls and furniture. But when she looked down at Jake, it seemed to soak into the tan complexion of his skin, making him more vibrant and enticing than ever. 

He still had one arm wrapped around her while she was cuddled into his side. His fingers still gripped the fabric of the worn tank top over her skin, holding onto her as tightly as he could, even in an unconscious state.

He looked so peaceful. So content.

She basked in his presence as the events of the night before replayed in her mind. The teasing, lighthearted nature of the evening naturally and seamlessly shifting ito something more honest. 

Syd laid there for what seemed like hours watching the soft roll of Jake’s eyes behind his closed eyelids. She traced the scar along his forearm absentmindedly while she watched his lashes flutter as he dreamed. 

Until they opened, his golden gaze warm like honey. 

“Why are you up already?” His voice croaked, husky from sleep. 

“Well good morning to you, too,” she giggled, softly poking his nose with her fingertip.

“Mornin’,” he cleared his throat. “You do realize we have the entire day to sleep, right?”

“I don’t want to sleep,” she sighed, rolling her eyes. “I want to lay here, but I don’t want to sleep.”

Jake chuckled dryly and pulled her closer within his embrace. “That doesn’t make too much sense, Slip.”

“I don’t care,” she breathed. 

She gratefully welcomed his arms as they tightened around her, pulling her arms up to her chest to accommodate the comfortable lack of space. Jake pressed a soft kiss to her forehead as his breath began to even out under the blanket of unconsciousness once again. 

“Did you sleep well?” She spoke, tilting her head back against the pillow to try and see his face. 

The corners of his lips turned up in a sleepy smile. “I am sleeping well, thank you.”

“Jakey-“ she whined, jutting out her bottom lip. “Don’t go back to sleep-“

“Shh,” he hushed as his slender fingers moved through the strands of hair at the back of her neck.

Jake opened one of his eyes to peek at the silly girl in his arms and let out a laugh. “Don’t give me that look.”

“Why not?” She questioned, innocently. 

Jake simply let out a hum in response, letting his eyes fall closed again as his mind wandered. 

He thought of the many lonely nights and early mornings where Syd was inevitably on his mind. Those countless times where his thoughts had grown more… salacious. A stark contrast to the innocent desire for her attention and company. 

The times when he couldn’t control his urges, and the times when he had delved into his imagination while his hands worked himself. It was always that same look that brought him to his precipice - her perfect lips pouted, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. Yet, the only difference was that he seemed to imagine her below him, on her knees, head tilted upwards to look at him through her lashes. With that damn look. 

He thought of how pretty she’d look in such a situation. How polite she’d be, waiting patiently to wrap her delicate hands and beautiful mouth around him. 

And every time he looked at her like that, he had to groan internally and act as if she didn’t make him think in such ways. 

She was incredibly clueless as to what she did to him. And that made it so much more enticing.

“Cause,” he finally answered with a smug smile. 

The vague response seemed to be enough for her, as her mind had already traveled elsewhere since she last spoke. “I want to kiss you. Can I kiss you?”

The only verbal answer she received was a husky chuckle from Jake, if you could even call it an answer at all. He was amused at the fact that she had asked, so nicely, to kiss him. She asked, as if he wouldn’t give up everything in the world to kiss her every second of the rest of his life. 

He pushed gently on her back, a gesture that she took as permission to come closer. She shifted in his arms and placed a gentle hand on his cheek, caressing the soft skin before bringing her lips to his.

Somehow, this kiss seemed different. Their first kiss, as perfect as it was, seemed to have the qualities of a question mark. A gesture that asked for confirmation and acceptance. A sign that he was still unsure that this was all real, that he was really making the move he had dreamt about for weeks. 

Kissing him this morning felt more like the usage of a comma. Something that indicated the expectations of something more. A notion that signified there was an agreement, with much more to come as time passed. That there was a future in store for them both. Together.

Both sighed into the slow, languid kiss. Unhurried, barely moving, just… feeling. 

And when Syd pulled away for air, it wasn’t long before she felt Jake’s fingers in her hair, tugging her back down. 

An exclamation point. This time, the kiss was a declaration, and a proud one at that. An assertion of his sincerity, a promise of his dedication. With this, he was professing his loyalty to the young woman, even though she had him wrapped around her finger for as long as he could remember. 

In his drowsy state, Jake could only focus on bits and pieces at a time. His mind bounced from how soft her smiling lips felt against his, how her body pressed into his from eager desperation, and how she would let out sweet giggles here and there, more when he would return her expression with a sleepy smile of his own. 

Syd, however, felt as if the weight of the moment could crush her down. With every stroke of his thumb across her cheek, she felt like putty in his hands. She wanted to live here.

Inhaling one another, exhaling shaky exhilaration. 

She repositioned so they could be closer, but at this point, she was essentially lying on top of his chest. His heart fluttered under hers, increasing in speed as he moved his hands to the small of her back. He knew she was straining her neck trying to reach his lips, and the new grip allowed him to make a conscious decision to turn their bodies over. 

Jake gently lowered her so she could rest against the soft mattress under them. He braced himself as best as he could in the new position, but he made sure to keep a hand glued to her hip. 

He almost didn’t realize they were no longer kissing. Her hands were still attached to his cheeks, lips still extremely close to his, but they were just there. 

“Was that enough of a kiss for you?” He joked, finding himself more breathless than he anticipated. 

She breathed out a laugh and blushed as she let her fingers trail the sides of his neck to rest at its base. Taunting him with the same pout and whiny voice that drove him wild, she answered with a simple “No.”

He rolled his eyes with an amused huff, shaking his head at her persistence. 

“All I wanted was a couple more hours of sleep,” he teased. Upon hearing another giggle, he placed a kiss on her forehead, followed it up with a peck on the tip of her nose, and concluded the series by claiming her lips once more. 

Syd’s arms wrapped around his neck on their own volition, an absentminded gesture to hold him close. His body weight felt comfortable on top of her, and she was quickly becoming accustomed to it. She hitched a leg onto his hip to make the position more comfortable for them both, but the movement eliminated what little space existed between them. 

It made his grip tighten, and his lazy kisses grew sloppier. And soon enough, he completely gave up on trying to remain focused on her lips. He traveled to her cheek, her jaw, before letting the kiss drop to her neck. 

She sucked in a shaky breath at the sensation, losing herself in the way his hair draped over her and how the cold metal of his medallion necklace pressed against her warm chest. She could feel the soft tickle of his breath against her neck as he sighed, savoring the moment while his lips and tongue explored the skin. 

This was certainly new for them. Sure, the general act of kissing was still fresh, but this… The heavy breaths. The neediness. 

This was uncharted territory. 

As was the first few inches of skin that lay stowed away under her shirt. The skin he dared to let his fingers traverse once their lips locked. A gesture that made her whimper into his mouth. 

He pulled away as soon as the sound reached his ears, only putting enough distance between them that he could look into her eyes. 

She didn’t look as pained as the noise made her sound. In fact, she looked almost excited. Her chest was heaving, panting as she tried to catch her breath from the kiss. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes bounced around Jake’s features. 

It wasn’t until then that he realized just how close they were, physically and emotionally. They both seemed to stare at one another with bated breath, waiting for what would come next. 

“Is this okay?” He whispered, afraid to disturb the serenity with a louder volume. 

She nodded and tugged him down to rid the space that existed between their bodies. His lips, she decided, were addicting. Hypnotic in every way. She was in a daze, and the only thing she wanted to focus on was kissing him.

Jake let his calloused fingers knead into the soft skin that covered her ribs while his lips brushed against her neck. This time, when she pressed her chest to his, he could feel the hardened peaks of her breasts through the thin layers of their shirts. The contact made him groan.

With that, his hand dipped under her arched back, resting on her spine so he could raise both of their bodies. She was essentially sitting in his lap as he relaxed on the backs of his calves. His lips stalled, and he let his forehead fall to rest against hers. 

From the position, Syd could do very little but watch him. She watched his heavy breathing, eyes closed, lips pursed. She watched the hand that wasn’t holding onto her back gripping onto her bare thigh. She watched a bead of sweat trail down the side of his neck and absorb into the cotton of his shirt’s neckline. 

Her heart swelled with love and adoration for Jake, and as her thoughts ran wild, the faster her heart started to beat. She found her hands moving on their own accord, her thoughts soon becoming her actions. However, the lovesick daze she was in made it seem as if she were moving in slow motion. A juxtaposition to the frenzy of her emotions.

As if they were moving through sweet molasses, her hands slid across his shoulders, over his pecks, and down to the base of his shirt. The bottom portion of the garment soon was bunched into the palms of her hands, and she paused, waiting to see how far Jake would let her take things before he stopped her.

But once she looked up from her hands, she found his now-open and half-lidded eyes looking right back at her. She found permission in his comforting glance, and bit her bottom lip as she continued with her motions. 

As soon as his shirt was tossed aside, Jake ran a thumb over her lip, freeing it from her teeth. In one swift motion, he returned his mouth to hers as he leaned her back onto the mattress. 

There were hungry desires resting deep in Jake’s mind, but he easily suppressed them. He usually found himself desperate, greedy in situations like this, and he had imagined nothing would change if he ever had this opportunity. He had craved Syd’s touch to the point he felt famished. But somehow, he found it easy to carry on with the easygoing, relaxed pace that the morning had set out for them. 

This moment was far too perfect to rush, and he couldn’t risk wasting perfection because of recklessness.

Instead, his lips slowly glided from her mouth to her neck. He advanced past her collarbone, using his teeth to move the thin straps of her tank top off of her shoulders before leaving a nip on the exposed skin.

Her grip on his shoulders tightened, and a shaky mewl bounced on the walls around them. She pushed her chest forward, allowing him more skin to kiss, space to work with. Her body was his canvas, and she wanted him to paint it as he pleased.

She was glad when she felt his hands grab onto the hem of her tank, but he hesitated before removing it. His lips soon pressed against the shell of her ear, his staggered breathing sending chills down her spine.

“We can stop if you need to, okay?” He whispered. “Just tell me, and I’ll stop.”

Her face dropped, and an immediate whine erupted from her. “I don’t want you to stop.” She knew this moment would eventually end, but the idea of it ending prematurely upset her. Her hands fell on top of his, hoping that with the contact, he’d continue. She fumbled with his fingers, but they didn’t move. He wouldn’t, not until she gave him her consent.

“Shh,” he purred, making her urgent hands slow. “Tell me you understand.”

She sighed, finally heeding his sweet voice. “I understand.”

His lips grazed against her temple. “Good girl,” he muttered, applying a final kiss to her head before he lifted the shirt off of her torso. 

She didn’t have time to feel self-conscious about her stripped body before Jake’s lips reattached to her, this time in the valley of her breasts while his large hands worked against the sensitive buds of her nipples. His touch, as well as his praise, had her mind in a lovesick daze. Her fingers danced in his hair as she squirmed underneath him. He was worshiping her, declaring her as the idol of his dedication, with every kiss and lick against the pebbled flesh. 

He spent an insurmountable time there before leaving trails of kisses down her soft stomach to the waistband of her shorts. His fingers hooked under the elastic, and shudders of anticipation were released from them both. Within moments, she was completely bare before him.

She was gorgeous. She had always caught Jake’s eyes, in every way possible. Even in her work clothes, smudged and dirty from a day’s toiling at the diner, she was nothing but beautiful to him. But with her here, like this, she was ethereal. The vulnerability of it all. The trust took for her to let him get to this point. It made him fall in love with her, much more than he had ever fallen for anyone.

The more he admired her, the more his heart raced. He wanted her, in every way he had ever imagined, but he was devoted to making this about her.

Jake bent back down, kissing the tops of her thighs as he kicked his pajama pants off. She watched him fervently, letting out a sweet, delicate giggle at his excitement. Once he was rid of the garment, he shifted to lie on his stomach, between her legs and with a firm grasp on each hip.

Things didn’t progress for a while. Instead, they lay there, gazing at one another with glossy eyes and lovelorn hearts as he placed a few extra kisses along her skin. She continued to run her fingers through his messy head of hair, letting the thoughts of him - and the realness of the situation - add to her arousal. 

His stare was heated, yet loving, and the slightly condescending nature of it made her softly giggle to herself.

“What?” Jake asked with a curious grin.

Syd shook her head and laughed again, louder this time. She unconsciously bent her legs, only realizing after the fact that it put his face that much closer to where she needed him most. 

“Nothin’,” she spoke with that shy smile never leaving her lips. She felt a little silly for thinking such pure thoughts in such a compromising position, so she was hesitant to tell him what was on her mind. But when he chuckled against her skin, his lips on the inside of her thigh and extremely close to her heat, she realized that the apprehension was unnecessary.

“You’re just… really pretty,” she murmured, still stroking his brunette hair.

He laughed again, but not the kind of laugh that he’d make after a lame joke or seeing her trip over nothing. A laugh that was used as a response when words failed. A laugh that showed her just how hard he had fallen for her. She even thought she could see a new shade of pink on his cheeks.

“Says you,” he retorted. “Look at you.” His lips were back on her thighs. Inching closer and closer as he spoke each word individually. “So. Fucking. Beautiful.”

And then he paused. Face hovering over her wetness. Looking up at her through his lashes. Watching her as she waited with her breath stuck in her lungs. Letting his warm breath fan over her as he spoke the last word.

“Mine.”

The eye contact paired with the slow, languid stripe through her folds could’ve been enough to make the dam break right then and there. The anticipation of this moment had made the sensation that much more intense. She groaned at the feeling, moaning a single word of agreement as she let her hips buck up to his mouth on their own accord.

“Yours,” she choked out. 

At that moment, something shifted between them. Everything unspoken, everything once denied, had finally come out. There was a newfound sense of plurality. A ‘them’. 

His tongue rolled against her, and he kept a bruising grip on her hips as she writhed beneath him. It wasn’t long until she felt that familiar pressure building up, all thanks to Jake’s doing.

He was able to read her. From day one, he had always been able to look at her and know when to speak and when to not. When to joke and when to take things seriously. When she needed to be left alone and when she needed an extra push. Like now. 

He was reading her arousal. He paid attention to each movement, each noise she made. He was reciting it in his head, not only to document it to his memory, but to know what exactly made the coil tighten. And once he found it, he didn’t deviate from it.

With every fluttering glide of his warm tongue, she was a mess of breathless cries and bliss. Syd could feel herself being pulled under, and she was quite literally pulling him with her by her ever-tightening grip on his hair. Out of fear of hurting him, she released the locks from her hold, choosing to fist the tangled bedsheets around her. 

That’s exactly when he let go of her hips. She could feel the burn of where his fingerprints once were, but it was easily forgotten about as she focused back on the pleasure he was granting her. One of his hands had become busy alongside his mouth, thumb circling her clit while he lapped at her entrance. The other hand had reached towards her, palm up and outstretched, asking for her fingers to intertwine with his. 

She smiled a lopsided grin at him as she obliged, squeezing their palms together while he brought her much closer to her peak.

“Jake,” she breathed in between shaky moans. “I-I’m gonna-”

He cut her off with a low groan, the vibrations rattling through her. The noise was out of approval, his permission for her to finally let go. He wanted to see it. He needed to. 

He needed to see if she looked just as he had envisioned she would. He needed to hear the sweet moans and whimpers that he had imagined would accompany her heavy breaths. He needed to hear her say his name.

Once she dissolved into the pleasure Jake had brought her, she had trouble holding back the tremors that wracked her body. And as he looked up at her, he was able to see her pursed, swollen lips form a perfect ‘O’ as her back arched and her grip on his hand tightened. He watched the soft skin of her chest - flushed just as he had imagined - rise and fall with each deep, shattering breath. Her eyes were squeezed shut, head was thrown back against the plush pillows behind her. He felt as if he was witnessing the essence of her for the first time, all over again.

Eventually, her praises and sobs turned to satisfied hums as he coaxed her through her climax. Her eyes opened, immediately searching to make contact with his once she regained focus. She seemed frantic, eager to see him after her heightened state, and desperate to know that this wasn’t some vivid dream of hers. But once her wide, emerald eyes locked on him placing extra kisses along her pubic bone, she sighed with contentment. She adopted a crooked, almost fucked-out smile and used their clasped hands to pull him towards her. 

His lips were back on hers in an instant, and Syd could feel the smug grin on Jake’s features as she tasted herself on him. His hands wiped against her forehead, pushing the strands of hair that had become even messier than when she awoke. He pulled away from her, sitting almost completely straight up, but still stroking her cheeks with his thumbs as he gazed at her in awe. He wished to capture this moment, to see her like this when he craved her touch, when he craved her. 

She looked back up at him with the same expression, but there was still a hint of desire that lay laden in her bright eyes. She wanted more, and he was more than willing to give it to her. 

He slowly retreated to the edge of the bed, prolonging the eye contact as he stood. Syd watched his fingers dip under the elastic of his boxers, pausing before he removed them to see if there was still any ounce of hesitance in the young woman’s eyes. 

When he found none, he slipped the fabric down his legs and began to crawl back into his initial spot over Syd. 

“Wait,” she breathed, making him cease any and all movement. He looked at her with an eyebrow raised, wondering if he had crossed some boundary with her. However, a bashful smile flashed briefly across her lips before she continued. “Just… let me look at you for a minute.”

His cheeks pinkened at the request, but he did as she said. He waited, sitting with his legs tucked underneath him. His hands were placed gently on her knees on either side of him as he awaited her approval to continue.

She felt as if she was in a hazy fugue as she tried to take in his beauty at once. He had eased her into it, stripping pieces of clothing away before fully exposing himself to her, but she still hadn’t been prepared to see him for the first time. His muscles were taut, skin a glistening shade of bronze. The sweat that had originally collected in his shirt - now tossed away - trailed down the plain of his torso. It dripped lower and lower, and she let her eyes follow it. All the way to the shaft of his painfully hard cock. She almost tore her eyes away from him, too embarrassed to be looking at him in such a vulnerable state, but she continued, although sheepishly.

Her flustered expression made him chuckle softly to himself. He found it endearing how much she wanted to admire him, yet found herself in a state of mental torment with each lustful glance in his direction. He attempted to bring her out of her thoughts, trailing one of his hands up the silken skin of her stomach, attaching to the pillowy flesh of her breast. A curse came out as a rasp from her throat, and she instinctively arched into the touch of his wandering hand.

He reached under her again, lifting her to rest on his lap as she had before. She sat, wrists crossed behind him, her body wrapped around him in all ways but one, as they looked at each other earnestly. His fingers felt like lead on the small of her back, weighing her down and grounding her in the heat of the moment. The incredibly intimate position made her pulse quicken and her breath falter.

Jake placed a chaste kiss against the corner of her mouth. “Remember what I said, okay? Tell me if I need to-”

“I remember,” she cooed, brushing away the loose strands of hair from his face. “I want this, Jake.”

An honest, grateful smile graced his lips before they shared another passionate kiss. Everything that they had been feeling in private, for months on end, was now something they were able to express. And they had much to make up for. 

The kiss broke just as one of his hands detached from her. Syd raised herself as best as she could while he worked to align himself with her entrance. She gripped his shoulders to balance herself, squeezing gently as she felt him push, just barely, into her. 

She winced at the stretch, burying her head into his neck to release a strangled cry while he inhaled sharply against her shoulder. 

“Shh, you can take it,” he husked. “You’re doing so good. Relax, baby.” 

Syd whimpered at the encouragement, feeling her knees buckle as her breathing turned to shallow pants. She swallowed hard, attempting to rid of all the noises that threatened to sputter from her before she sank down onto him. 

“There you go.” His soft voice had turned into something that could only be described as a growl. The praise seemed much more sinful once paired with his ragged, gravelly tone. “That’s my girl.”

He peppered gentle kisses on whatever stretch of skin he had access to, his fingers splayed on her body as they massaged the doughy form of her hips, while he waited - ever so patiently - for her to adjust to him. 

And when she was ready, she pulled back from the crease of his neck to watch him as she slowly began to rock her hips. 

It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. Sure, she had her fair share of hookups and failed relationships, so she definitely was no stranger to the act in general. However, she had never felt this whole, this complete, with any other partner in her past. This moment meant so much more to them both due to the connection they had made and the affection they had garnered for one another. 

“F-fuck,” Jake murmured. “You feel so fucking- shit.”

He had seemed to be in control of himself, and the situation, for the entirety of the morning, but with the sensation of being buried inside of her, he was quickly losing himself. He released her hips, choosing to lean back and watch her work against him. 

His heavy breathing, fluttering eyelids, and perfectly pouted lips spurred her on and encouraged her to keep the same sensual pace she had started in. His head jerked to the side, almost as if he were shaking his head in disbelief that the pleasure had made him lose his composure so quickly. Syd felt a sense of pride upon seeing him unravel, but he regained his footing almost as soon as he had lost it.

He leaned forward and let his arms circle her waist, holding her much closer and tighter than before. He didn’t change the rhythm or timing, only moved to hold her in his arms again. The angle and depth made her tremor, but he facilitated her movements with each push and pull against her hips. While one arm returned to wrap around his neck, the other dropped to Jake’s arm as she tucked her head into him. She clutched onto his forearm in an attempt to anchor herself in the rushing waves of satisfaction.

The whimpers and moans that escaped from her mixed with the lewd sounds they created together, arranging a beautiful symphony of passion. 

“...Sound so pretty,” Jake panted against her. His hot breath was a precursor to the feeling of his mouth on her once again, sucking and nipping against the skin under her ear. “So, so pretty.”

“Oh, god.” She was quickly falling into the foggy blur of ecstasy. If Jake pulling her hips to meet his didn’t bring her there, his praise and murmurs would. She found herself in a slew of pleads, begging for something she was unsure of. 

With each word, though, Jake seemed pleased with her. And himself. He groaned with each cry. “I know it. I’m right there, baby. I’m right fucking there.”

All she could do was whimper into him. The rolls and snaps of their hips had them both facing the golden gates of release, and they were desperate to get there together. And soon enough, they did.

Foregoing the process of warning one another, they came in unison. She couldn’t see him - the sensation strong enough to make her vision go blank - but she could imagine what he looked like. She could tell his head was tipped back by the way his hair fell across her arm and how his moans reverberated on the walls and ceiling around them. She imagined his muscles were tensed based on the grip on her hip and how his thighs felt taut under hers. His eyes were probably closed simply because of how loud his groans became. Even in her imagination, he was a masterpiece. 

Jake began to guide her hips in a slower - yet still sloppy - manner, bringing them both down from their peaks to avoid overstimulation. And as soon as he could, he reattached their lips in a passionate, loving kiss. 

As they stilled their movements, they sat there for a beat longer, embracing each other as if they had lived seas apart for eternity. 

Without detaching from the young woman, he leaned her back so she was resting on the mattress once again. His lips paused in the kiss, as he removed his softening cock from her. He moved his hands to cup her cheeks, still warm from exertion. When he pulled away to look at her, eager to meet her lopsided smile with his own, he instead found a watery-eyed Syd looking back up at him.

His smile dropped as he spoke with haste. “Hey, hey, did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?” 

Her lips turned upward as a tear slipped. Her soft palms met his hands still on her cheeks as she answered him, her voice raspy. “No, Jake, I’m okay. I just-” she paused. “Thank you.”

He breathed a laugh at her, confused yet relieved that she wasn’t hurt. “Thank me? Slip, I-” 

“I can’t believe we’re here. You’re here. With me.” Her explanation was nothing close to expressing each of the racing thoughts she had, but she hoped it put his mind at ease. 

His bright smile returned, and he swiped away a stray tear that had fallen along the pink of her cheeks, kissing it for good measure before he spoke. 

“And I’m not leaving.”

—

In the late morning sunlight, Jake lay there, drawing simple lines and curves against the surface of exposed skin on Syd’s back with his fingertips. The languid movements of his hands had ultimately lulled her back to sleep, yet he couldn’t bring himself to escape the moment of serenity he had found after they had made love. Her sleeping form curled up against his body, one leg hitched over one of his thighs and entangled with the calf of his other leg. The back of her small hand adorned with a mixture of silver and golden rings rested against his collarbone, just next to where her face tucked into the curve of his neck. 

In the span of the last several hours, his adoration for the girl wrapped up in his arms had somehow grown tenfold. Everything he had ever dreamed of had come to fruition but was more perfect than anything he could have ever imagined. The past weeks of innocent flirtatious banter had turned into whispers of sweet nothings and loving stares in each other’s arms. 

Something more true than either of them had ever experienced with another person made itself known in the nonexistent crevices between their bodies as they came to journey that sweet sense of blissful euphoria together. The event was more than an escapade into the adventurous throes of lust.

It was the cementing connection that bound them together by words unspoken. Everything that was and had been between them had surmounted to the possibility of everything that would be. Infinite. A future for them. 

Jake laid there, lost in his sweet, sweet love drunk haze, watching as his fingertips circled the soft ball of Syd’s shoulder. He couldn’t believe how lucky he was. In all of their encounters, all of the little moments he was fortunate enough to share with her, led them to this exact moment in time. 

A moment where Syd was blissfully unaware of just how deeply he felt for her. Words couldn’t begin to describe how both insanely fascinated and stupidly comfortable he felt around her. It was as if he had known her his entire life, yet every little detail she shared had opened a new and exciting window of opportunity for him to explore what made her… her. 

There wasn’t a marathon, a rush, a chase to get to the finish line. Their friendship, their relationship was a casual stroll in the park on a breezy spring day. It was the relaxed feeling of watching a movie beneath a carefully constructed pillow fort. It was a slow dance in the kitchen at two o’clock in the morning just because the moment called for it. 

Jake couldn’t pinpoint the moment he had started to fall for Syd. Hell, after that night on the curb, he wasn’t sure if there was ever a time when he wasn’t falling for her. She made it so easy for him. 

The barely there freckles dotted across her nose. 

Her bright, forest eyes gleaming with kindness. 

The lilting laughter that escaped her lips and caused her eyes to wrinkle at the outer corners. 

How she would sit and stare off into space with her tongue grazing her upper lip, daydreaming about God knows what. 

The soft touch of her hand on his arm when she passed by. 

The look in her eyes when they were alone. 

His mental list could go on forever.

 Infinite. 

There were so many things that Jake could think about that made him admire her. Things she did that held power over him he wasn’t so sure that even she was aware she possessed. 

A sharp knock on the door caused Jake to jump slightly, immediately pulling him out of his reverie. He chose to ignore it. It wasn’t his place to answer a door that wasn’t his. He risked taking a peek at the sleeping woman in his arms. She was still sound asleep, completely unfazed by his sudden movement, only curling tighter against him.

Another knock. 

Jake sighed to himself, beginning to unravel himself from the mess of limbs gingerly, as to not wake Syd. He figured it was a delivery driver dropping off a package she must have ordered, assuming that by the time he went to retrieve it, the worker would be gone. 

He successfully managed to get out of the blankets as Syd rolled over into his warm spot, hugging the pillow he had used to her chest. A sleepy smile crossed her lips as she adjusted herself for comfort, the tanned planes of her curves seeming to glow in the sunlight that streamed in through the window. 

Jake tore his eyes away from the beautiful sight in front of him and found his sweatpants in an inside-out mess on the floor at the foot of the bed, exactly where he had left them. His boxers were lost somewhere in the mess of tangled sheets, but he couldn’t care less as he fixed the clothing and pulled the fabric up over his hips. 

After carefully padding across the floor and quietly opening the door, he made his way around the corner towards the entryway. Delta was hiding beneath the record player in the corner, ears perked up in high alert at the visitor. Jake smiled softly in passing, enjoying the cat’s quirks for a second. 

“What do you think she ordered, buddy?” He whispered to the feline. “Better be a new toy for you, right?” 

He chuckled at his joke and reached forward. The doorknob felt cold against his palm, and he knew the spring air would warm the room as soon as he opened the door. The domesticity of the situation - on top of everything that had occurred in a day - made his heart feel content. Walking through her space comfortably, answering her door, possibly spending a moment’s conversation with her local mail person. It was almost surreal, too good to be true.

However, he had forgotten what day of the week it was. 

Mail services don’t run on Sundays.

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

part 11>>>

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

Table For Two Taglist: @joshkiszkas @haleylovesgvf @loofypoofy @hoeforstevienicks @gretavanfleas @myownparadise96 @satanplayshisfluteforhim @tearsofbri @lvnterninthenight @gretavansteph @angelqueen99 @sammiejane22 @doodle417 @way-to-go-lad @fan-girl-97 @weightofdreams-gvf  @ashabeannn @jenna-gvf @callmebymym @sammyslappers @gretavancreep @streamingcolors-gvf @ascendingtostardust @gretavanbitches @pinkcardinalsuitsam @josiee-gvf @shesawomaninadream @niallsboxx @luverleaver @jakekiszkasbestie @dakotadovato @interstellar-shores @freckled-wonder @richjaaasss @theweightofjake @josh-iamyour-mama @ageoffleet @brinlygvf @fight-the-fire @chroniclesofperegrine @writingcold

If you’d like to join the taglist, just send an ask or fill out the form linked above! If your name didn’t work, let us know and make sure to check your privacy settings!

[writingcold]

Whats the best fic you've ever read?

Thank you for asking - I've been seeing this ask all over the dash with answers by some pretty fucking cool people. This is a question that is kind of hard to answer - I'm more inclined to reading longer stories over one shots, although there are plenty of amazing one shots out there like

Paris by @lightmylove-gvf which may turn into more (I hope!)

Siren by @lvnterninthenight

Longer stories include

Beastly by @lvnterninthenight

Table for Two by @allieboop and @welightthefire

Shake my Faith by @capturethechaos and @earthlysorrows

Keep Going by @sinners-go-to-drink-the-wine

Perfidy by @earthlysorrows

The Lost Boys series by @tlexx

Realm by @cal-a-bungaa (is looking amazing)

Abaddon and Lazarus by @garbagevanfleet

These are just a few of the stories I have so enjoyed and have re-read. There are many many writers that are just amazing such as

@gretavanlace

@milkgemini

@whitesuitjake (I wish you would write more Addy! you are so talented)

@gretasmokerising

@broken--stardust

@geminisecrets

@hyperfixated-gvf

I think I could keep going, but you get my point. There are many many lovely people writing fics out there. It's hard to pinpoint any one favorite. But this list is a pretty good starting point.

Thank you again for asking!

[streamsofstardust]

flashbacks | j.m.k

josh kiszka x reader

word count: 1,927 (wow, tal wrote something short for once)

content warnings: joshy has dirty thoughts, sexy memories, references to bondage, slight soft dom!josh, something you could potentially consider orgasm denial, lots of teasing, not direct smut but allusions to it

summary: josh can't seem to focus during an interview, thoughts of you occupying his mind.

a/n: my first josh fic has arrived my friends. finally got joshua michael on the masterlist and it only took... way too long. i know it's short but i kinda like how it's not total in your face smut. look at me trying something new. happy joshua michael monday to u all🖤 and as always, the link to join my taglist is in my bio!

taglist: @allieboop @obetrolncocktails @greta-flanveet @kdarling1 @doodle417 @mollie-gvf @hoeforstevienicks @joshkiszkas @gardenofgreta @gretasmokerising @lunaindigoraven @jakekiszkasleftnutsack

it was one interview. just a matter of two to three hours with the guys and then he was back to the hotel where he knew you'd be waiting for him. you were all he could think about and he'd be lying if he said it wasn't a massive struggle to focus on the interviewer’s questions. he figured it would be best to let the others answer most of them this time, already knowing everyone would be confused by his lack of speaking but taking the risk nonetheless.

in all honesty, he was barely able to concentrate. the questions were fairly similar for most interviews, especially at the start, so after brief introductions, josh sat back and let his brothers take the reins.

yes, we’re very excited to be back on tour.

yes, we have been working extensively on new music.

no, we can't say much about it at this time. but it's gonna be big.

yes, jake really does mimic playing guitar in his sleep.

in the midst of zoning out, josh’s mind had taken him back to the previous night. he thought back to how you were spread out for him on the hotel bed, fully naked with your hands tied to the bed frame. it wasn't often that josh got particularly rough with you, but something about seeing you dripping for him, causing a complete mess on the sheets below, set him off. he recalled how you tasted on his tongue, subconsciously licking his lips as if he could still taste you on them and swiping over them with his fingers.

he felt jake nudge his arm from where he sat beside him, pulling him out of his fantasy. “i swear sometimes josh is in his own little universe.” he joked to the interviewer.

josh chuckled in response. “sorry about that. long nights and tons of traveling really drain a guy.” the interviewer nodded and smiled at him, repeating her question. “do you find it hard to maintain a relationship while on tour?”

it was a valid question, one the group had gotten before, and their response wasn't usually what the interviewer expected. sure, they were rockstars, but they never let that get in the way of their relationships.

josh responded without hesitation, “not really. jake and his girlfriend are strong as all hell, danny’s girlfriend tends to come to as many shows as possible, and our little sammy is enjoying being a bachelor.” he reached behind himself to pat sam’s knee, the younger kiszka brother shrugged and smiled in response as if to say can you really blame me?

in the brief period of laughter, josh allowed himself to drift back into his daydream. he couldn't get those beautiful sounds you made out of his head. the way you whimpered and moaned for him as he dragged his tongue through your heat. he’d love to record those sounds. to incorporate them into one of the band’s songs. it would be a true homage to the divine feminine and josh would have the pleasure of knowing he's the reason those sounds exist at all. he smirked at the thought.

sammy not so subtly flicked josh’s head to bring his focus back. “i know that face joshua,” he spoke before turning his attention back to the interviewer. “looks like this discussion is bringing back a few special memories for josh.”

“well, josh, what about your relationship then?” the interviewer asked him.

“yeah, joshy, spill the beans.” sam teased.

josh looked down at his hands in his lap and smiled. “I'm really lucky actually. my girlfriend decided to join us on tour this time so i get to spend all my down time with her. you'd be shocked by how lonely you can feel while constantly traveling. yeah we’re playing these huge shows and i’m with my brothers, and i wouldn't trade it for the world, but it's nice to go back to my bunk or my hotel room at the end of the day and know that the person i love is waiting for me.” a chorus of awwws rang around the small room.

josh thought back to the look on your face when he first asked you to come on tour with him. your eyes were beaming and your cheeks hurt from how wide your smile was. of course you were going to say yes, as if it was even a question. you'd follow josh anywhere, just as he would for you.

as sweet as that memory had been in his mind, it was quickly replaced by a different look on your face. one you made last night from your place over him, riding him as though your life depended on it. he recalled how you threw your head back, your eyes rolling into your head as your jaw went slack. his hands roaming every inch of your body he could get to. your moans filled the room and bounced off the walls. josh was absolutely consumed by you, mind, body, and soul. you were perfection to him in this state, and any other. a goddess to be worshiped for the rest of his days.

shaking himself out of his daze, he felt himself harden in his seat, shifting ever so slightly to hide the growing bulge beneath his tight pants. at that point he had decided to force himself to focus on the interview. he began looking for tiny intricate details of his surroundings. the few stray hairs that dangled in front of his face. the way the interviewer's right eye appeared to be a few shades darker than her left eye. the way jake’s leg brushed against his every so often as he bounced it in his own attempt to get rid of his energy. the way the light on the camera blinked red, indicating the interview was still being recorded. anything.

it worked for the remainder of the questioning. he let his brothers take most of the questions while he waited for the whole thing to be over. Time seemed to be moving too fast while simultaneously not fast enough. He stopped looking at the clock, knowing that it would make the whole ordeal drag on. Something about a watched pot never boiling.

Luckily for josh, the interview finally ended and everyone was making their way back to the bus. The drive to the hotel was relatively quick, only about 10 minutes long. Josh was squirming the entire time, not able to lay down in his bunk, and instead choosing to sit on one of the couches up front. Danny and sam had been too wrapped up in their card game to pay attention to josh, but jake was a keen observer of his twin, and he knew josh’s behavior paired with his inattentiveness and blank stares during the interview were signs that his mind was elsewhere. He got up to sit next to his brother.

“You’ve been super out of it today. Care to share your thoughts with the class?” jake asked.

Josh smirked, tossing his head back and chuckling. “Trust me brother dearest, i’m not sharing these thoughts with anyone.”

Jake looked at his twin with a quirked brow, realizing immediately why josh was jumpy on the bus. He knew that you were waiting for josh at the hotel. What he didn’t know was the way josh requested you to be waiting for him.

Josh thought back to the conversation the two of you had that morning, shutting his eyes to recall the memory even better.

“It shouldn’t take that long my love.” josh spoke, caressing your face with the soft skin of his hand. “Just a quick little interview and i’ll be back to you in no time.”

You pouted, looking up at him with pleading eyes. You knew that was a weakness of his. Innocent eyes from the most gorgeous creature he’d ever known, a laughable juxtaposition given how filthy he knew you to be.

“Aw come on sweetness. Don’t give me that look. You know i’d stay in bed with you all day if i could.” his hand started trailing down your arm, then to your torso, then to the edge of your panties, slowly moving two of his fingers over your clothed pussy. You shut your eyes and arched your back, preening into his touch. No matter how many times he touched you, it always felt like the first time, never anything other than amazing.

“Just a few short hours and i’ll be back here, with you. Loving on every inch of this perfect body, pulling those angelic little whines from those perfect lips.” you moaned at his words, causing him to smile. “Yeah, baby. Just like that.” the pressure from his fingers increased, still teasing but still providing you with delicious pleasure. But just like that, his hands ceased their movement, moving up your body to hold you tight. You whined at the loss, having been under the impression josh was going to take you to the finish line.

“Sorry lover. You’ll have to wait until i get back to get what you want.” he kissed you passionately before hopping out of bed to get ready. “I’ll text you when we’re on our way back,” he started, walking back to the bed to cup your jaw with his right hand. He moved his head close to your ear, gently biting the lobe before continuing. “And when i walk into this room, i want to see you fully undressed, on your hands and knees, and that incredible ass high up in the air. Understood, princess?”

You whimpered in response, nodding quickly in submission. Josh smiled, kissing your cheek and saying goodbye before heading out.

The second the bus reached the hotel, josh jumped from his seat and nearly sprinted inside. His three brothers stared at him as he did so, chuckling at his eagerness. Danny spoke up, addressing sam and jake. “I was going to suggest lunch and some drinks, but something tells me josh is going to be a bit preoccupied for a while.”

Taking the elevator up to his floor, josh felt antsy. Not with nerves, rather extreme excitement. He couldn’t think of anything other than you the entire time he was at that interview. Couldn’t stop thinking about your lips, your body, your beautiful moans, how warm and tight you felt around him. He felt himself strain against his jeans at the thought, fighting the urge to palm himself over his pants while in the confines of the elevator.

The second he got to your shared suite he flung the door open, heading straight for the bedroom. Eyes widening and darkening immediately at the sight before him. Always such a good listener. He could see your pussy glistening with your slick from where he stood, his mouth salivating on its own accord.

He began shedding his clothing to match your state of undress, making his way over to where you were positioned in the middle of the bed. “You, my sweet, sweet girl, are a huge distraction.” he breathed out, his lips and hands trailing along the length of your back. You turned your head to look at him, a playful smirk taking its place on your lips. “Oh yeah? Guess you’ll have to punish me for it.”

Josh groaned at your words, his cock twitching between your ass and his stomach. His grip on your skin tightening as he bit down on your shoulder, licking the mark to soothe it right after.

"oh sweetheart, you are so fucking in for it."

[capturethechaos]

Madi and I figured that since it’s taking a while for us to finish this epilogue, the least we could do is give y’all a little teaser of what’s to come. So sit back and enjoy this short little tease of the epilogue for Shake my Faith ♡

You had been craving it, the taste of the savory butter that coated the little popped bits of corn you threw into your mouth. One by one you crunched down on the snack and swatted Josh’s hand away from the bowl as he reached around you in an attempt to grab some for himself.

“One mouthful of popcorn per kiss. Those are the rules.” You tease, holding the bowl just out of his arms reach.

“Well maybe if you turn your head I can smooch ya!” He laughed, so you did as instructed. Just as promised he gave you a delicate kiss, followed with his mouth opened wide and a soft ahhhh.

You grabbed a fist full of popcorn and reached behind your shoulder to stuff it between his teeth. “Can we focus on the movie now? I didn’t hear a word they just said.” You grunted, adjusting yourself back into comfort on Josh’s lap.

You loved it there, the warmth it brought alongside the contentment it provided. You leaned back so your back was directly against his torso, your head resting just upon his shoulder.

“You know. I don’t think I’ll ever understand why he’s a bunny.” You whisper, earning a chuckle from Josh that vibrated your back.

“Most of this movie is an enigma.” He retaliated, and though he meant to say more the jiggle of the front door knob caught you both off guard. Simultaneously, the two of you looked over at the noise and watched as the handle slowly turned, opening slowly to reveal Jake. He was blissfully unaware of the two of you as he tossed his keys into the bowl, kicking off his shoes and slipping his coat from his shoulders.

You could see the blush still lingering on his skin as he smiled to himself, wandering into the kitchen as he stared down at his phone. You turned just enough to share a look with Josh, mischievous smirks adorning both of your faces as you watched Jake pull open the refrigerator door. “So, how was your date with this mystery woman you’ve been hiding from us?”

If you’d like to be added to the taglist, send me a dm, ask, or fill out my taglist form!

@amouratomique @godlygreta @castlebythesea @joshkiszkas @celestialfauna @streamsofstardust @fireandsaltydogs @vulture-withafile @lupinevanfleet @garagebandvanfleet @weightofdreams-gvf @silverstormgvf @somedayrikersomeday @allieboop @subtleintellect @chana-gvf @the-chaotic-cow @dannythedog @heatmyfleet @screechesincoherently @trafficwasabitch @fleetsonfire @xserenax-13 @doodle417 @gvfrry @agirlwithmanytastes @b3l1nda @gretavanfleas @brokenbellz @freckled-wonderland @st4rdust-ch0rds @sarakay-gvf @angelbabyivy @irrevocably24 @basiccortez @s0livagant @grace-gvf @abbynotsonormal @ashabeannn @fetaransleet @gvfgroopie19 @the-weightof-dreams @kayleea122 @georgesstripedpants @carlybubs @ryegvf @obetrolncocktails @prophetofthedune