#and i have the pots and mugs that i made this year that i'll have forever. it's nice

[8512121589]

fuck yes now that im done with school i can draw more often

[extremelyblackandwhite]

pairing: dad!bucky barnes x au pair!reader

warnings: age gap (reader is 10 years younger than bucky), smut (18+, dni if under 18)

author’s note: i got given a vinyl of go your own way/silver springs last week by my mum that she bought when she was younger, so i've been playing it time and time again and it bled onto this chapter.

masterlist

i know i could've loved you but you would not let me.

Bucky knew Y/N was upset. That's all he knew. He knew she'd come from her date and ever since she'd been quiet as a mouse and that was something considering Y/N gave her opinion anytime the opportunity presented itself. He'd even change the order her mugs in, to see if she would say something, instead she just grabbed a mug and went upstairs to her room whenever he was home to watch Sadie. If he was looking after Sadie, then Y/N would not be found for long stretches of time, instead looked into her bedroom with note and after note typing aggressively - a routine which made Bucky thankful he'd never pursued a PhD or anything other than a bachelors. He'd started to leave little snacks around her room whenever she went out, a pack of Oreos stashed in her nightstand, dehydrated mango slices from the brand she liked on top of her computer, little pots of coconut yoghurt. He knew she was always in that bedroom and he also knew she wouldn't come out no matter if it was breakfast, lunch or dinner.

He was sure there was only one person to blame - Christopher. Sure, Y/N and Bucky fought about it before she went on her date, they always did, but it never resulted in her becoming a hermit, locked in her room. As such, Chris was now enemy number one and Bucky was sure if HR discovered, he would get in trouble. He wasn't making the kid's life too hard, he was just making him work nights and overtimes and weekends. He'd also sent Chris on a coffee run. Yet Y/N continued in her little cocoon of sadness and tonight was no difference. Bucky had ordered Italian in and ended up the evening watching Beauty and the Beast with Sadie. The redhead had fallen asleep at the midpoint and as Bucky was ready to call it a night, he heard the soft steps of Y/N's coming down the stairs, holding a stack of plates and mugs. She was in her little white vintage chenille robe embroidered with blue and pink flowers, her hair up with a way too big claw clip and white fuzzy socks. If Bucky wasn't worried about her, he'd be wondering about what was under her robe.

      - You want some Italian? - Bucky got up to follow her from the kitchen. - I got some of that weird spinach pasta you like. Extra mozzarella balls just as you like.

      - No. - she placed the plates in the sink, starting to wash them with the cranberry dish soap that she always bought the moment the first autumn leaf fell.

      - You didn't come up of your little cocoon today. You know, the cleaning maid is wondering if I'm cutting your pay since you're keeping one bedroom and one bathroom hostage.

      - I can move to the guest bedroom. - she moved to grab a plate but the slippery porcelain slipped, crashing into a thousand bits to the ground. She sighed, her lip quivering and almost as if by seconds, she started crying.

Y/N went down to her knees, grabbing at the pieces of porcelain and shards, as if pushing them together would bring it back.

      - Y/N, shit, darling ... - he went back to his knees to put his hands on her arms to pull her up. - It's ok, don't pick them up, you'll get hurt.

      - I'm sorry. - she sniffled, her hands attempting to go and rub her eyes but Bucky stopped them in case she had little shards of porcelain stuck to her palms. - I'll clean it up, I promise.

      - It's fine. - Bucky kicked the big shards away. - What's wrong, Y/N? Is it Chris? Did he hurt you?

      - I'm gonna fail my viva. - she sniffled once more. - And I'm gonna have to go back to Ohio and I'm not made to live in Ohio.

      - Why would you go back to Ohio?

      - My parents bought a farm there after retiring. I am not Ohio farm material, Bucky. I'm afraid of horses.

      - Why would you even fail your viva? You're a smart woman, you're at a good university, you are okay. - Bucky wrapped his arms around her. - Probably not for long if you keep not eating. Go seat and I'll get you your disgusting pasta.

      - It is not disgusting. - Y/N rolled her eyes before making her way to the table. - Buck? Can I become your secretary if I fail my viva?

      - No. Your skirts aren't as short as I'd like. - he joked, bringing her pasta in a plate and pushing it towards her. - You're too fucking smart to be my secretary, if you were in my company you'd be CEO or something.

      - I worked my entire life for this. - she toyed around with her food, looking up with eyes still wet. - You know? I didn't come from legacy families or families who could actually afford to send me to college, I worked my ass off because I thought if I did I'd get somewhere. I'd be someone, I wouldn't have to count my pennies, I would be respected. Instead, everyone thinks I'm a joke on track to become your unfuckable housewife.

      - Now c'mon, if you do become my housewife, I would fuck you at least once a night. - he joked trying to lighten the mood but Y/N merely deadpanned at him. - Twice actually. You have a nice ass.

      - Not helping.

      - Because you're being ridiculous. You wanna know the reason I hired you? You had zero experience but you were smart and you were fiery and independent and I wanted my daughter to be like that.

      - You're just saying that because you're tired of bathing, Sadie.

      - I'm saying that because you're a great student and you're a smart woman. Besides, if they fail you, we'll just have to bribe the university. We'll donate a building for you.

      - You're not funny. - she swallowed in a giggle before taking the first forkful of pasta.

      - No, really, we'll get you a building. - he moved to seat next to her. - Maybe an astronomy one.

      - How swell.

      - I mean, maybe an astronomy building will be too much. Maybe a farming one.

      - God, I'm never telling you anything ever again. - she took another forkful of food. Bucky was glad he'd distracted her enough where she was eating, genuinely eating. - How's Sadie?

      - Sadie is doing well. She's supposed to go back to kindie next week but I was taking of taking her to the office for a bit. You know? I don't trust the roudy kids.

      - It's a private kindergarten. The senator's grandchild goes there, Bucky. I doubt they have their own fight club.

      - Have you ever seen a bunch of 2 year olds? They're terrifying and Sadie is a sensitive baby.

      - So you'll take her to a corporate office?

      - It's gonna be her company one day. Start them young. - he joked once more. - You want some ice cream? I tried to look for one that would be suitable for 2 year olds but then I came home and goggle it and they said I should blend frozen bananas instead.

Truth was, he'd bought a bunch of flavours thinking one would be Y/N's favourite and would entice her to eat something. That had ended up with him holding over 10 flavours of ice cream in his freezer. He came back with a selection of flavours he thought he wanted in a nice little dish. Y/N always liked nice little dishes.

      - Maybe I just don't belong, you know? - Y/N sighed. - In academic research. Most people come from well off families or are really smart, I'm just ...

      - You're just you. - Bucky said, leaning his chin on his hand to stare at her.

      - Yeah. I'm just me. Plain, old, me. Daughter of working class parents, me. Mediocre grade at masters, me. - she sighed once more, looking at the melting ice cream. - I can't even keep a relationship from falling apart.

      - Chris broke up with you?

      - I am not dating Chris so he can't technically break up with me. Besides, it wasn't like it would actually work.

      - I'm sorry.

      - No, you're not. - she looked at him, cocking her head to the side. - You'll probably be dancing in the grave of my situationship.

      - I don't dance, Y/N. I'm a respectable man. - he once again tried to make light of the situation. - What happened?

      - Guess I'm not suitable or good enough or don't do enough. One of the three. Whatever. - she chuckled dryly. - It was nice to have someone like me even if the me they liked was someone I'm not.

      - You act as if other people don't like you.

      - It's not that they don't like me but they also don't like me. You know what I mean? They put up with me, they are alright with me, they are cordial but they don't like me. They don't tolerate me.

      - I like you. - those words flew out of his lips like it was the most natural thing for him to say. As if he were stating an irrefutable fact like the sky looks blue or the Earth is round. - I like you. Just the way you are.

Y/N's lips parted as she waited for something to compliment the sentence. I like you just the way you are but less difficult, I like you just the way you are but prettier, I like you just the way you are but less argumentative, I like you just the way you are but as a friend. Yet those words never came and she found herself instead staring at the man in front of her, staring into those blue eyes like some sailor drawn to the sea.

      - Daddy? - Bucky recognised his daughter's voice. Bad timing, bad, bad timing.

      - Hey bug. - Y/N got up from her chair and walked up to the 2 year old, kneeling down to her level. - Are you alright?

      - Nightmare.

      - Aw that's awful, bug. I'll go and tuck you in and stay there while you fall asleep. Sounds good?

(...)

      - I'm telling you, Steve. I fucked up.

      - When you said we needed to have an urgent meeting, I didn't think this would be it.

Bucky had called Steve in London, the meeting screen showing Steve in his office. Yet, instead of one of their regular meetings to check with the state of the London office, it was Bucky talking to Steve. He'd fucked up, he'd fucked up badly and he'd only realise he'd fucked up once he woke up this morning and Y/N had left, leaving a note merely saying she had gone down to Ohio to be with her parents for a bit.

      - You just said you liked her, so what? At least you didn't tell her you loved her. It could have been interpreted differently.

      - You don't understand, Steve. I told her I liked her just the way she is.

      - Alright, Mark Darcy, pipe down. Have you considered that maybe, just maybe, Y/N wants to go see her parents because she hasn't seen them in ages? Maybe because she's upset and wants to be with her mum and dad?

      - I'm telling you, she's gonna quit.

      - She's not gonna quit, Barnes. She likes Sadie too much, besides, isn't she with Chris Davis anyway? - Steve leaned against his chair, staring at Bucky through his screen. - Just relax.

(...)

A week had gone by and Y/N woke up with the sun shinning on her face. Being here was different than being in New York, it was quieter, calmer and all the sounds she could hear were the wind and the animals allowed close enough to the main house. This wasn't her childhood home, her parents had bought it yet it was comfortable. The furniture was the same and the feeling of her home was still available, it made her calm. Things were ... too much right now and she needed to be away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

She moved herself to the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of tea and seating on the wooden chair with her feet on top of the seat. Her mother walked into the kitchen a few moments later, kissing the top of her head before sitting down next to her daughter.

      - Do you want me to make you some eggs, shortcake?

      - I'm okay, mum. - she smiled at her mother. - Where's dad?

      - I sent him out to get some groceries. I wanted to talk to you alone.

      - That's never good.

      - Shortcake, I love having you here. You're my only daughter and I love it when you come to visit but it feels like you're running away.

      - I'm not running away, mum. I just came to visit.

      - When you're 3 days away from defending your thesis? In the middle of the night? I've known you for 27 years, shortcake. You're not visiting, you're running.

      - I'm failing. - she sighed, with a scared laugh. - I've looked through my papers time and time again and in 3 days I'll make a fool of myself.

      - Y/N, c'mon. - her mother put her hand on her shoulder. - You said that about your undergraduate and your masters. You've never actually came to me and told me something is going well academically.

      - This is different. I've invested almost four years of my life into this and I'm just so tired. The thought of failing is just ... terrifying.

      - You've always doubted yourself, always put so much weight onto your own shoulders. You don't need to be the best, Y/N. You don't need to impress us or make us proud, we've been proud and impressed by you since the moment you were born. Running away here is not gonna solve how you feel and you, Y/N, have never been a quitter. - her mother caressed her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. - You gave it your best, that's all you can do.

      - There's more. - since she was airing out things, maybe she should talk about this. It wasn't like she could talk to her friends, she didn't have many and she couldn't talk to her colleagues about it either. - There's this guy.

      - Christopher?

      - Not Christopher. Another guy ... He told me he liked me and it just ... it freaked me out.

      - Do you like him?

      - I ... I don't actually know. I, I never really allowed myself to think of him like that. He's different.

      - How different?

      - I never considered ending up with someone like him, you know? He's not what I'd envision ever but he feels, he feels like the only person who seems me. He seems me not postdoctoral student Y/N, not who I may be if I succeed or if I fail. Just me.

      - Then what is the problem?

      - I think he also doesn't consider himself ending up with someone like me. I think .... I think I could love him but he would never let me because I'm not the ending that he pictured. I'm just not the one.

taglist: @talesofadragon @themermaidscales82 @winters1917 @vladsgirlxx @stinkerbelle007 @maybefoxysouls @blackwood-bodecker-housewife @chipilerendi @kandis-mom @belennasif @abitofblues @buckybarnessimpp

[softstarlite]

The Casualty of Love

CHAPTER 1

Summary: He's back home. You have almost forgotten how warm his eyes were and how big your crush for him was.

Warnings: Age gap (Javier is 40 and reader is 27), mentions of death.

Rating: +18 (Not explicit)

Word Count: 1.5k

Masterlist

A/N: sorry guys that this one is kind of short, I promise that it is because is the first chapter that I write after almost 4 years without writing anything at all and because I have a terrible big cold bullying me. But I promise that future chapters will be much longer, I hope this one gets you hook up (please remember that English is not my first language) :-))

Divider by @saradika

Javier didn't though he would be waking up in his old bed in his parents house ever again, for him there were only two options, dying on the field in Colombia or working on the DEA until he would be too old and they would force him to retire from the field and he would just live the rest of his days in Miami to be close with the only people he would have then, Steve and Connie.

After everything that happened with the Cali Cartel, Los Pepes and the government of Colombia, the DEA “invited” him into retirement, for a bit he thought about moving to Miami but he couldn't bear thinking about turning his back to his pops again, even more now that he was alone in that big ranch.

“Fuck…” he rises up from the old bed, his back protesting. He makes his way into the kitchen, where his dad is already dressed up and drinking a cup of coffee.

“I made a pot, mijo” Chucho says, signaling with his head towards the coffee maker and sipping.

“Gracias, pa” after two weeks of the same routine, waking up, drinking at least one cup of coffee, getting dressed and spending the day keeping himself busy around the ranch so he wouldn't have to even think, Javi was getting tired of what his life looked like now. He loved his pops with all his heart but between the absence of his mom that was their string of unity and the many years that they've had spend away from each other, he felt like there was always a tension when they were together.

“Mijo, would you mind going into town today to pick a few things up for me?” his dad says while getting up from the kitchen table and putting the empty mug in the sink.

“Sure, pops. Just make me a list and i'll go after feeding the cattle”

Taking the keys out of the ignition and making your way across the parking lot to the little store, your head, more specifically your forehead, collapses with a hard thing.

“ Ouch” you rub your forehead while looking at where your purse has landed.

“Uh, fuck” you hear a masculine but almost familiar voice say from above you. Your gaze comes up to be met with a pair of chocolate brown eyes that you have for sure seen before.

“Ja-Javi?” you say with wide eyes and mouth agape. He mumbles your name like a question, like he can't believe what he's seeing, was it truly you? you looked so… so different, so grown up…

“So it's true, you really are back, eh?” you can feel the corners of your mouth rise a little while you say it.

“Been for two weeks…” his eyes can't help but to roam your body “you… look different…” he says more to himself than you.

“Well, that's what more than a decade does to someone” you chuckle.

“It really has been that long? Mierda…” he runs a hand through his hair.

You suddenly realize that your purse it's still on the floor, so you pick it up. For a few seconds an awkward silence floats between you too, in which you both just stare at each other.

You then realize something, “espera, you´ve been back for two weeks and you haven't been to my mama´s house? She's going to kill you when she finds out, you know it right?” you nervously rub your hands together in front of you.

“Shit, you´re right…” he closes his eyes tightly, “with helping my pops getting the ranch in a better shape and all, i forgot about going to Maria´s…”

“Hey, I'm sure if you explain it to her, she'll understand it. You´ve always been her favorite anyways” you give him a reassuring smile that he reciprocates with another, but somehow it looks like it almost pains him to do so, like he has not given a real one for way too long.

Javier chuckles, “well, after so many years away and only picking up like three of her phone calls a year, i wouldn't bet on been her favorite anymore”

“Yeah… I don't think that could ever be possible. And if the amount of times she talks about his Javiercito are indicating of it, you definitely are on top of the list still” you don't take your eyes off of his, you had almost forgotten how warm they can be and now it was almost impossible to pull yourself away from that warmth.

He changes the subject, still feeling guilty about how much he felt he had abandoned his parents in one of their hardest times in life and also the woman he felt that was like a second mother to him.

María, your mom, was his mom's best friend, they had been since high school. His parents became parents at a very early age, most people in Laredo gave them side eyes and their back for a long time, but your mom never did, she was there even when Alma Peña discovered that she was indeed pregnant and not just sick.

She was even the third person to ever hold him, after his own parents.

Your parents didn't have you until they were 30, so Javier was just like a first born child for your mom for 13 years until she had you.

Alma and Chucho did try to have more children but life had a weird sense of humor and after giving them a son they weren't looking for at such a young age, it decided to not give them anymore children. So when Maria had you, Alma Peña held you in her arms even before your father did and she loved you like her little girl until her last breath.

“How old are you now? You were only like 12 when I left” he shifts from one leg to the other.

“I was actually 15,” you chuckle “don't worry, didn't expect you to remember, you were too busy all the time to even notice me” you say a little fast, trying to hide that the fact hurted you every time you thought about it. “I'm 27 now” you give him a tight smile.

“Almost the age I was when I left. Wow, time really has passed, eh?” he says with an air of sadness in his eyes.

“Yeah, that happens” you feel an awkward tension growing between you so you change the subject fast “so… you're just working on the ranch now?”

“Yeah… pops needs the help anyway, he's getting old. I would rather not see him deal with the ranch chores by himself anymore” he looks at the ground of the parking lot for a brief moment then his gaze rises up again towards you “what are you doing now that you´re not in high school anymore?” he asks you with a tiny smirk.

“I changed one school for another,” you giggle “I went to college to get a teaching degree and after working in Boston for a few years, when my dad got sick, i moved back home to help ma with him before he died, then i just stayed for her and your dad to be honest. I'm working at the elementary school now” when you mention your dad, your face can't help but make a tight lip expression, you didn't have a good relationship with him, and you couldn´´t understand why your mom didn't leave his ass for so many years. But your relationship with your mom was pretty good considering the circumstances.

“Sorry about him by the way, even if you guys had a rocky relationship” he gives you a worried look, like he wanted to ask a million questions about how you felt back then and feel now about it, but they never leave his mind. “Your mom told me about it in one of her calls…”

“Yeah, thank you. She was devastated when it happened and I think she felt like she couldn't confide in me because of my situation with him, so she only talked about it with Chucho” you re adjust the purse in your shoulder “well i need to buy a few things and then get back home to ma, I'll tell her that you´ll be visiting soon?” you ask, putting your gaze back into his warm eyes.

“Oh, yeah, yeah. Tell her I'll be there on Friday, after finishing my chore on the ranch” he says, almost nervously putting his hands inside of the pockets in his tight jeans.

“Okay, I'll let her know Javi. She'll start making food today, I'm sure” you chuckle and take a step away “see you on Friday, bye!” you wave to him and make your way across the parking lot to enter the little store.

“Bye…” Javier mumbles more to himself than to you, since you were far already. His eyes can't help to roam the back side of your body in your sundress while you walk away from him, when he catches himself, he shakes the thoughts roaming his mind away and walks to his truck to go back to the ranch.

Next chapter

[imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul]

Yavin-4 Boy - Poe Dameron

A/N: I've been bopping to London Boy lately (always?) and have been itching to write, AND just recently rewatched the entire SW saga, so behold, this creation. Hopefully you'll see me more regularly, but we all know how that goes.

TS Prompt #3: London Boy

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader Word Count: 1.9k Synopsis: Poe begins to wonder if life on Yavin-4 is enough for you.

When the alarm goes off before the sun has even risen, you let out a groan of annoyance. Not that the alarm should surprise you. Since moving in with Poe after the defeat of the First Order, this had become routine for the two of you.

Where you are all grumbles and large stretches, Poe is up at the first chime of the alarm. He leans over to wrap a strong arm around you, and like always, you try to coax him to stay in bed for a while longer. Only occasionally do your temptations work.

This morning is not one of those mornings.

After kissing you at least twelve times, Poe reluctantly pulls from your embrace and heads toward the kitchen. He shuts the door behind him, knowing full well that you will fall back asleep.

Because that, too, has become habit for the two of you.

When Poe rises early, the first thing he does is start up a pot of your favorite tea from Naboo. By the time the scent drifts to your bedroom, the intoxicating smell is enough to coax you out of the sheets.

There is a mug steaming on the counter when you step into the kitchen. You take a healthy sip, feeling the warmth travel to your stomach. You hum happily and hear Poe laugh.

"I don't know how you make this so much better than me," you say as he passes behind you, smacking your ass.

"I've had lots of practice. You might be better at it if you ever made it," he teases with a grin.

"Hey, I make it in the afternoons, sometimes. You've just got the morning tea shift."

"A position I happily accept," he says as he kisses your forehead.

"When do you have to head out?" you ask quietly.

"Half an hour."

"Will you be back in time for drinks at Finn's?"

"I'll be sure to. Wouldn't want to miss the Frantxis beer."

"Well of course," you say with a laugh, wrapping an arm around his waist, "Who would ever want to miss Frantxis beer?"

"A fool."

"Precisely my thought." Your humor dims for a moment. "Be careful?" you say quietly.

"Always," he says, his dark eyes locked with yours. With a hand on his cheek, you pull him in for a kiss that lasts much too long. For this, too, has become part of your every day life.

You fell in love with a man with a strong work ethic, something he learned from his parents, from his years spent working on their farm. Even though the fight with the First Order has officially ended, Poe's loyalty to the Resistance hasn't.

When there was a former First Order base that needed to be destroyed, or a former convoy that needed breaking apart, Poe was the first to volunteer.

And he knows the strain it puts on you. He knows the anxiety that comes over you when he leaves. But it's a integral part of him, one that he cannot fight, even if he tried.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

The mission this time around is a simple one. Chances of running into any severe danger are low.

Poe arrives to Coruscant to speak to the Senate. They have been asking for a member of the former Resistance, and now the Reformed Republic, to address the Senate.

Peace was tentative, it always was. With his speech to the Senate, they hoped to work it into their propaganda, to let former First Order controlled planets know that it was safe to go back to the freedom they had known before.

Poe enjoyed the change of pace, but when he finds himself done for the day in the early afternoon, he faces a choice. He can return home to you early, albeit empty-handed. Or he can return home a tad later, and bring you an elaborate gift.

Poe was under no impression that life on Yavin-4 was easy. When he wasn't taking off with the Republic, he was helping his Dad on their farm. And on the days he was off-planet, you were there helping.

You had grown up in a life of luxury: fancy dresses, decadent food, elaborate parties every night. None of which, Yavin-4 was in excessive possession of.

After the reformation, after your marriage, Poe had asked where you wanted to live.

"With you," you had said plainly. Poe began to laugh and explain himself, but you cut him off. "I know what you meant, and my answer remains the same. Wherever you are."

So you had settled onto Yavin-4, and left behind the life you knew before.

Poe has one of the million cruisers of Coruscant fly him to a nearby shop. When he steps inside, he doesn't even know where to start. The surrounding walls are stuffed with elaborate outfits, arranged by color, all different kinds of fabric ready to swallow the shop whole. On the tables filling up the sales floor, are shoes, bags, and jewels on top of jewels.

He isn't sure where to start.

His attention first clings to the dresses coating the walls. It's been so long since he's seen you in something ridiculously fancy. He touches a soft purple dress that looks and feels like it's made of water, but when he thinks about you wearing it, in the damp forest that is Yavin-4, he laughs.

There is a reason you don't wear all the gorgeous gowns that fill an entire closet of your home. Your wardrobe these days consist of the same utilitarian type of stuff the rest of the planet wears.

Poe wanders over towards the shoes, but again, can't imagine you wearing them instead of your battered work boots.

The tables full of jewels beckon to him next, and they are overwhelming to say the least. The only piece of jewelry that Poe consistently sees you wear is the wedding ring he gave to you a year back.

A necklace catches his eye just when he's about to give up. It's a small pendant on a gold chain. The pendant itself is a black circle, and at it's heart is your home planet of Naboo. Poe knows before he's even touched it that this is the perfect gift for you. He knows that Yavin-4 is completely different from your home, but if you have a piece of it with you--

"Anything I can help with?" the sales representative asks, interrupting his train of thought.

You are pulling on a black sweater when you hear the X-Wing land in the yard. You glance at the clock in surprise. You weren't expecting him for at least another hour. You finish fussing with your hair and walk into the living room just as BB-8 and Poe enter.

"Hey," you say, hugging Poe. His embrace of you is tight. "Did something happen?"

"What? No, I just missed you," he says, before kissing you.

"How'd it go today?"

"Politics is never really my thing," he says. A non-answer.

"Do you want a drink?" you asked, already walking towards the kitchen. There is something different about his demeanor, and you fear there is something he isn't telling you.

When you hand the glass to him, he sighs before taking a drink. He must feel you studying him closely, because he looks up at you with a laugh.

"What?" he asks.

"You tell me."

"I just missed you," he says, wrapping an arm around your waist.

"I missed you, too," you say, and kiss him again. When you break apart, it's his turn to study you closely. You wait a moment, hoping he'll tell you what's gone wrong, when he says the last thing you ever expected him to.

"You're happy, aren't you?"

"What?" you ask in disbelief.

"You're happy?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"You don't miss all the fuss of life in Naboo, or crave the hustle of Coruscant?"

"What happened today?" you ask.

"I was just reminded of what you've given up, to live here with me."

"I haven't given anything up--" you begin, but Poe cuts you off as he paces towards the living room.

"Come on, this place is nothing like Naboo. The dense trees, the farms, we're miles away from any civilization," he says, running a hand through his hair.

"You said you only needed to be with me, but after seeing all that you're missing, all the nice things that you can't have here, I . . ."

"Poe," you say, walking towards him. He is shaking slightly as you put your hands on his arms. "I love Yavin-4."

"I know--"

"Let me finish, please. I love Yavin-4. I love that we get up at the crack of dawn every morning. I love how quiet it is here. I love going to your Dad's and drinking his insanely strong moonshine.

"I love farming with the both of you. I love that we have to travel so far to get our food, and that it tastes better than anything we could ever get in a city like Coruscant.

"I love that it's almost always just the two of us. I love this cabin, how we can have sex as loud as we want, because there's no one to hear for miles." He lets out a breath of laugh at that.

"I love that I had to learn all 53 rules of Primagge, and that when we play, I usually end up throwing the cards. I love that when I go into town, I usually end up hearing stories about you.

"I love that our friends come to visit, and that we have room for them. I love that you are teaching me to fly, and that BB-8 sits at the dinner table with us most nights.

"But mostly, I love you. And you are who you are because of Yavin-4. You are Yavin-4 through and through, and I wouldn't change a single thing. Believe me, if I wanted to put on one of those gowns, I would, and I would show this forest style like it has never seen. But I don't need those things anymore. I'm just happy here with you."

Poe takes a moment before he replies. Well, before he takes you in his arms and kisses you dramatically. You are both laughing as he tips you a little, but when he rights you, there are tears in his eyes.

"I love you so much, and am so incredibly lucky."

"You are," you say simply. He walks over towards the leather jacket he threw on the couch.

"So," he says, "Given all that you just said, this might seem like a stupid gift, but I saw this when I was on Coruscant, and I couldn't help myself."

He brings over a jewelry box and when you open it, you find a pendant, with Naboo emblazoned on it. It takes your breath away for a moment, and you see Poe smile.

"I figured you should have it, so even if we stay on Yavin-4 forever--"

"Don't threaten me with a good time," you interrupt, making him laugh.

"So even if we stay here forever, you'll still have a piece of home with you."

"Now who's the lucky one," you say quietly. "I love it."

"Here," he says, taking the necklace. You turn and he clasps the necklace close around your neck. He spins you back around and examines it. "Beautiful."

"It is."

"Not who I meant."

He pulls you into his arms, kissing you deeply. You wrap your arms around him, pulling him close. Even the taste of him is home. You wouldn't change a single thing about the life the two of you live, the life you fought so hard for.

"You are my home, Poe."

"And you're mine."

[villruu]

Fake amnesia with Alex and Jay?

send me a reverse trope and MH characters & I'll write something for it

On AO3

At first struggled w this one (couldn't decide between who was the fake amnesiac) and then this came to mind and i may do another oneshot about this lmao?

⸻

Alex woke up, for once, not wanting to die.

It was a novel feeling, to be honest. Waking up without having that deep dread rooted inside him, eating him from the inside out, without feeling like he was being observed, like he was about to become prey. Waking up and just feeling… nice.

He could hear the sound of someone in his kitchen, the sound of pots being moved and the old fridge being opened and closed and opened and closed. And, while usually, that would be enough to make him grab the gun he hid underneath his pillow, today, it just merely made him snort fondly and get up, pausing to even yawn and stretch.

How could he be worried, when he knew exactly who was inside his house? He had been the one to invite him yesterday.

The mere memory of yesterday was enough to make Alex smile, feeling giddy and happy in a way he hadn’t felt in ages.

This was the perfect opportunity, the perfect chance to at least make sure nothing bad happened, to at least keep one person alive. He just had to make sure the other didn’t find his computer or where he had been staying, and it would be okay. With no clues, the other would have no other option but to leave.

When Alex entered the kitchen, he couldn’t help the amused snort upon seeing Jay startled and fumble with something at his appearance, probably a pan or a mug knowing how clumsy Jay was.

“You slept okay?” He asked, leaning against the counter.

“Oh! Uh, yeah,” Jay nodded nervously, turning around to pour himself some coffee, “Thanks, by the way, for letting me stay. I, uh, I didn’t know where I would have gone.”

“Of course you could stay,” Alex said, grabbing a mug to pour himself coffee too, “Didn’t have any luck with your phone?”

“Uh, no, not really,” Jay mumbled, fidgeting with the shirt Alex had loaned him, frowning nervously at his shoes.

“Damn, that’s a shame dude,” Alex commented mildly, like he hadn’t been the one to crack open the phone and carefully pry away parts of the hardware so it wouldn’t work, “Was the chip okay, at least?”

“I don’t, I don’t think so,” Jay grimaced, clutching tightly his mug, “I, um, I have no idea why. Maybe I broke it, um, broke it before you found me?”

“Probably,” Alex said, satisfied as a smug cat internally, “Guess you’ll have to get a new one.”

“I, um, I guess so.” Jay frowned even more.

He looked pale under the white light of his kitchen, eyes sunken and bruised with eyebags.

But, Alex thought to himself, if he were in Jay’s situation he doubts he would have been any better.

…Actually, when it had been him, it hadn’t been any better, to be honest. Alex shuddered as he remembered how it had been almost a year ago, waking up one day without a single idea as to what had happened, to where he was, where was Am—

Alex shook his head, and tried to focus on Jay, who now looked at him with some strange expression.

“Any idea what you will do?” He asked, taking a sip of his coffee, “Since you, um, don’t remember the last…?”

“Four years,” Jay reminded him quietly, fidgeting, looking unnerved, “And, um, I don’t know? I thought maybe, um, walking around and trying to find clues? As to why, um, why am I here?”

Hm. 

No, that would be far too… dangerous. The probabilities of Jay remembering something would be too high. No. That wouldn’t do.

“Maybe you should try contacting your family?” Alex suggested gently, carefully laying a hand on Jay’s shoulder, “Maybe they have an idea as to what you’ve been up to.”

“I… Uhm. I hadn’t, uh, I hadn’t thought of, of that,” Jay stuttered, looking uncomfortable, “I…”

“From what I remember you used to call your parents every weekend back in college,” Alex said, “They probably have an idea. I doubt you have changed much since then.”

“I…um, I’ll think about it,” Jay promised him, avoiding his eyes.

Good. 

The sooner he got Jay out of here, the better for everyone. 

If Jay left, then Tim would forget as well. And everything would be just fine.

And if not… Well, it would be easier to catch Jay off guard if he didn’t remember the last time they had seen each other.

Alex left the kitchen, and did not notice the knowing and weary look Jay pinned on his retreating back.

[after-hours-art]

Coffee Pot (pt.2)

Pt.1

Pairing: Kyoya Ootori x fem!reader

Genre: fluff

Warnings: swearing

As Kyoya promised you, he provided you with the peaceful space on the back of the music room number three and you, fulfilling your part of the deal, were helping him handle the finances of the Host Club. And you had to admit that for as much of rich lifestyle you have seen in Ouran High School, the amount of money Tamaki was spending on the club was sometimes making you read the number twice and run in through Kyoya as you couldn't believe in what you were seeing. The deal seemed to work for both of you.

For Kyoya you became his right hand, sometimes even some kind of his knight in shining armour when you could save the day with something as simple as putting the tissues on the documents so he won't damage them by putting cups of coffee on them, tired after serving in the club. Kyoya found you... surprisingly useful to himself, even if your grammar skills in German left a lot to pray for.

Kyoya found you many things, what was surprise for him as he never seemed interested particularly in anyone. But maybe it was the way you wrote down on the papers, that small neat handwriting of yours. Or the mugs of coffee and weird variations of tea you were bringing him if he seemed tired. Even the way you walked past him on the corridors, almost acting like you didn't know him, always made him think of you. He kept thinking of you to the point he invited you over to his mansion.

As the school year passed by, and as an official Host Club member, you were dragged by the boys to the hotel where Haruhi was working for the summer. You smiled apologeticly when you showed up with the boys at the door. You were asked (forced) to go with them since Tamaki believed that if Haruhi had an opinion of other female she'll be more likely to spend more time with them. That way you ended up in the one room with Kyoya, as he insisted "on behalf of Host Club's finances it's better if you'll stay with him", the one of the rooms with only one bed.

You sat on the bed with a laptop near you as you chuckled, thinking of how terrified your grandmother would be if they found out. She'd probably kill you and then Kyoya. You stared typing something in the finance document, each boy financed this trip on their own but you needed to prepare for next semester, which knowing Tamaki will require huge budget for Christmas and Halloween parties since Host Club wanted to add a bit of foreign traditions to their repertoire. As you opened your written notes that Kyoya demanded you to run, along with his laptop, you kept borrowing from him since your own broke down. Kyoya entered the room with two white cups in his hands.

- Für Sie - he said and placed your cup on your notebook.

- But not on the notebook. Do you want our budget notes to be soaked in coffee? - you scolded Kyoya as you pulled a tissue from your bag to protect the papers.

- It's not coffee. - he says blankly.

- No? - you pout, unknowingly melting his heart.

- Nein. Try to take your studies seriously for once. - Kyoya rolled his eyes.

- I'm trying! I'm not telling you to learn hard-ass language (author's note: Sorry, German speakers, German is incredibly hard)

- Because I already know it. - Kyoya sat next to you, completely ignoring the fact that you were still in your pj's. - How's the budgeting for the next semester going?

- We're screwed. Tamaki already asked me to include a huge Christmas and Halloween party since it was such success last year.

- Tch. Idiot. He's westernizing us too much.

- He'll be fine. It was successful, after all.

- You didn't have to wear weird anime cosplay. - Kyoya hissed at you.

- Oh, shut up. You looked great as Sebastian Michaelis from "Kuroshitsuji".

Ootori raised his eyebrows.

- So... I looked great to you?

- I... - you blushed and looked back at the numbers on your paper. Kyoya only chuckled.

- I'll take it as a compliment. Keep up the good work. And next semester will be successful. - he pats your shoulder and is about to leave the room when you call his name.

- Oi, Kyoya! What about my coffee?

- If you drink too much caffeine, it can cause health problems such as anxiety or insomnia. - he said in a serious tone. - I'd prefer our assistant manager not to have problems with sleeping or anxiety.

You opened your eyes wider. Did he just say that he cares about you and your health?

- What? You look like if I just said it all in German. - Kyoya scoffed and walked out of the room. Your eyes followed his person as you had to admit he looked good without his school uniform. More human, less machine-like. Almost handsome to you.

***

As the Moon raised on the dark sky, you drank another glass of the champagne that twins brought with them. You allowed yourself to let go for one night, and as you knew that Kyoya was about to do something for Tamaki, you had nothing else to do. The boys clapped as you finished your fourth glass. Weird taste of alcohol burned your throat, but you only laughed as it was one of almost non-existent situations when you could actually let go and have fun with people your age. You swinged around with Kaoru as door to the room opened with loud slam. Kyoya, surprisingly wearing only his elegant pants and no shirt, stood like frozen staring at the twins, Mori and Honey.

- What the fuck are you doing? She's... - he stopped as you looked in your direction. - I left you alone for 5 minutes as now you seem more drunk than sober and under the influence of something! - he said, the tone of his voice could unravel that he was pissed.

- In my defense, you left me unsupervised! - you tried to defeat the accusations.

- Like I care! - Kyoya grabbed your wrist and pulled you behind himself, out of the twins' room. He dragged you back to your shared room. He looked at you as he rolled his eyes as you smiled at him.

- Don't smile like an idiot! They could get you drunk! You could've been taken advantage of! - the light reflected in his dark eyes as he yelled at you. But despite all the yelling he cared. He cared a lot. Almost as much as Tamaki cared about Haruhi.

- Are you worried about me, Herr Kyoya? - you smiled and tilted your head to the side.

- N-no. Well, I care but only because you're a female left alone with four men!

- Those men are your friends, don't you trust them? - you asked, sitting the edge of the bed.

- I trust them, but... - Kyoya stopped and just stared at you.

- But?

- But... can't you simply appreciate it when someone cares about you?! You know what, just... just go sleep. - he left the room, slamming the door loudly behind him. You only fell on your back onto the soft bed. The behaviour of Kyoya was so surprising. You would've never expected him to act this way towards you, towards Haruhi, yes, but not towards you. You curled up on the bed and, put down with the amount of alcohol you've drank, you drifted off to sleep.

***

The next day, you were surprisingly woken up by comforting the smell of coffee. Coffee, which you couldn't get in the inn for the past two days. Small, metal coffee pot that could fit about two small cups of coffee was waiting for you at the nightstand along with a small pink sticky note, apparently taken from your own sticky note collection. Driven by the curiosity, you picked up the note. You frowned, trying to read.

"Ich hat was ich gemacht, weil ich hat das für dich gemacht, Meine Dame"

You sighted and yelled.

- Kyoya, you idiot! You darn know that I don't know German!

You couldn't see Ootori, who was leaning onto the door frame with a small smile on his face as he heard you yell. He knew it'll take you a few days to know what he had written. Especially now that he took your phone and you had no access to the dictionary.

[astyrial]

i'll find you joel miller x gn!reader (slight angst) synopsis: he leaves signs behind for you to find him word count: 512 warnings: none masterlist | requests are open

    the warm morning sun peeks over the horizon, filtering the trees that surround you. the smell of coffee boiling over a fire sends you to reach the pot, taking it off before it burns. you take in a deep breath as you pour it into a mug that you've carried with you every day. it hangs off of a carabiner, the image of a fir tree printed on it. rings of coffee stains sit near the top of mug. 

  you start packing up your things, shoving them into your backpack, being careful to preserve a few items. a sketch of the man closest to you. it's poorly drawn and has coffee stains covering it, nonetheless, you fold it up and hide it in a side pocket. his old sweatshirt follows. his smell is slowly fading and it's starting to gain the smell of nature. despite this, you can't help but sleep in it regularly.

  even if the smell is no longer there, the feeling of home is. the feeling of home becoming a fleece lined sweatshirt. you take the sleeves and wrap it around your waist. letting it feel like he’s hugging you behind. quickly thereafter taking your baseball cap and trying to tame your hair enough to put it on. they’re both something he adored on you, and so even now it’s a part of your habits.

  just like any habit, you collect some water from a nearby puddle, taking out the fire to make sure that no one can follow the smoke. you throw the backpack over your shoulders. quickly grabbing the coffee mug and making sure nothing is left behind. 

  "i miss you," you look out at the overgrown path in front of you, sipping on the coffee. 

  it tastes like him, black coffee. other than water, it was one of the only things that he drinks regularly. it carried through his breath and rests on his ever growing mustache. and now it's one of the last things that can lead you back to him. including the little carvings he left behind for you. every few trees or so, he'd leave a little marking in the bark.

  it would point in a certain direction, leading you to where he is. even if you made up the little symbols what feels like a millennium ago, you would never forget it. because he'll never forget it. he'll pull out his old knife and etch it into the bark. you raise your hand and feel the bark where he would leave his mark.

  it's rough, just like him. and it's jagged in every stroke, moving against the grain in the wood. you stare out at the next trees in front of you, clenching your jaw. at this point, it's hard to tell how long you've trekked. or how many trees you've passed on your journey. or how many infected you've fought just to find your way to him. and even if you have to keep doing it for years, you will, for him.

  "i will find you joel miller, i'll find you."

[idyllic-ghost]

title: private, not secret

pairing: sunwoo x reader

synopsis: you go through a normal day with your secret private boyfriend, sunwoo, and remember all the great times you've shared together.

warnings: none

genre: fluff, established relationship, secret relationship

word count: 2k

rating: pg

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

Chills spread across your arms as you started stirring awake. You tried to crawl back under the covers without opening your eyes, but you had to give in eventually. When you did, you turned around to try to find your boyfriend. He had spent the night, and you were expecting him to be beside you now - except he wasn't. His usual side of the bed was empty. Instead of Sunwoo, there was a teddy bear. Its fur was worn, but the button-eyes were still shiny. The bear was cutely tucked in under the covers, and you smiled at the sight.

It had been about a year since you had gotten that teddy bear. Sunwoo won it for you during a carnival, and you have kept it ever since. You pick the bear up and hold it in your hands, grazing your thumb against the fur, and remembering the day you got it, and how you named him.

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

Walking down the road away from the carnival, the two of you were watching the sunset at the edge of the horizon. In your hands was the teddy bear, and you were playing around with its paws.

"Thank you again", you say with a small smile, "You didn't have to."

"I wanted to", Sunwoo shrugged and pushed his hands into the pockets of his jacket, "Have you named it yet?"

"Hmm...", you watched the bear carefully, "I'll name him Sunwoo."

"So you're replacing me?", he gasped and faked being offended.

You giggled and looped your arm around his. Sunwoo looked around but quickly relaxed once he noticed that no one was around. He leaned toward you and pressed a chaste kiss on your temple.

"I'm not replacing you", you explained, "He'll stay with me when you can't."

He looked at you with a slight pout that formed into a smile, and he pulled you in a bit closer.

"You're so cute", he mused.

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

You put the teddy bear back in the bed and pulled the covers over him just like Sunwoo had. In the sudden need for breakfast, you put on some more clothes and walked into the kitchen. There he was, mumbling along to the lyrics of whatever song was playing - you weren't really paying attention to it.

"Good morning", you smiled and leaned on the counter beside him, "I liked the tucked-in teddy bear."

"I thought you would like it", he hummed and grabbed a pot of coffee he had just made, "Do you want some coffee, sweetheart?"

You hummed and grabbed a mug for yourself. Sunwoo poured you some coffee and you held the cup to warm your hands. The two of you usually drank iced coffee, but it was a hassle to make in the morning. Sunwoo wrapped one arm around you and snuck a kiss on your cheek.

"Aren't you cheeky today?", you chuckled.

Sunwoo pointed at his cheek and leaned toward you, and you rolled your eyes before pressing a kiss to his cheek as well. You let go of the mug with one hand to brush out some hair from his face. He gave you a lovesick grin and pointed toward his lips before pouting slightly. You caressed his cheek and brought him in for a kiss. It was short and sweet, just enough for this morning. When you pulled away, Sunwoo tried to pull you in again, but you put your hand on his chest to stop him.

"I need to get ready", you explained as he pouted, "And so do you, you know?"

"... do you want to meet up after you're done for the day?", he asked, "We can go to that little café again."

"I'd love to", you sighed, "But I don't have the time today"

"But wouldn't you rather get iced americanos with me than do boring paperwork?", he suggested and wriggled his eyebrows.

"You make such a good point", you whined, "I can't, though"

Sunwoo finally complied and the two of you started making breakfast together. As usual, after sleeping at each others' places, you ate breakfast together, got ready, and started walking to the metro.

The two of you walked with a good amount of space between you. You loved Sunwoo, and he loved you, but neither of you wanted to tell the world about your dating life - let alone your friends. To the rest of the world, you two were just very good friends. Sure, people had speculated and joked around before, but you always denied it. Neither of you had talked about coming clean about your big secret, even though you had been dating for a few months now. You looked over at Sunwoo. He noticed and looked back at you, and smiled.

"What's up?", he asked.

"Nothing", you shook your head, shaking away the thoughts you were beginning to have.

When the two of you arrived at the metro, you began walking a bit closer. The station was full, as usual, and you didn't want to lose each other. In the masses of people, Sunwoo sneakily put his hand in your jacket pocket - intertwining his fingers with yours. You looked over at him with a knowing smile, but he pretended not to notice.

It only took a few minutes for the train to arrive. There were no seats available, so you had to stand. Sunwoo let you stand closest to the wall, while he stood in front of you like a shield from the rest of the people. Your hands held onto the pole, his over yours, but his pinky finger started going astray. Sunwoo slowly started moving his hand to cover yours. He wouldn't look at you, but his smile was growing bigger by the second. However, his stop was next, and soon he had to get off the train. Sunwoo finally looked at you, mouthing a "goodbye" before stepping off the train.

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

In the middle of the day, just after lunchtime, you received a text from none other than Sunwoo. The day had been boring so far, but now you were hurrying off to the bathroom with a gleeful feeling in your stomach. You weren't allowed to look at your phone if you weren't on a break, but if no one knew you were then how could you get in trouble with your boss?

sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: i miss you

Attached to the message were two pictures; two mirror selfies with cute poses. You had to stop yourself from squealing in the bathroom.

you: did i not pay enough attention to you this morning? sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: do you like the pictures?

You rolled your eyes at the text. It was so like him to act all innocent. It made the fact that people didn't know about your relationship even worse. Whenever he would tease you and then act all innocent in public, you couldn't even complain about it. Given that, you had developed a perfect technique to make him regret his actions. Teasing him back.

you: what pictures? sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: did they not send? you: i don't know, baby sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: are you messing with me? you: now why would i do that? sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: y/nnn you: whaaat? sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: you're not even going to compliment me a little bit? you: fine... you're very cute babe, but please don't interrupt me at work sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: why not? you like it you: mostly because we agreed that we wouldn't do this sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: i'm a rule breaker, baby you: just wait until i get off work, please? sunwoo(✿˶’◡˘)♡: fine

After turning off your phone, you walked back out to your desk. The two of you had agreed to not disturb each other at work, it was a part of your whole deal. To not have to go public, you didn't want to risk people accidentally finding out at work. Meaning no phone calls, no visits, and even no texts - unless there was an emergency. The two of you knew each others' schedules, so you knew when you could and could not text. It was something you had discussed when your relationship started getting serious.

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

"We should talk", Sunwoo murmured against your hair.

You were laying on top of him, covers wrapped around the both of you. One of his hands was on your back, drawing soft circles on your skin with his fingers. The room was dark. It was early in the morning, but the blinds were drawn to keep the sun at bay.

"About what?", you hummed, practically still asleep.

"Us... what this is", he took a deep breath, "What we want to do with it"

You moved around and managed to get up to lean on your elbows. He looked up at you, a slightly pleading look in his eyes. You could tell he knew what he wanted.

"What do you want it to be?", you asked.

"... I don't want to do anything you're not comfortable with", he caressed your arms gently, "But I like you, a lot, and I wouldn't mind if we were something more than we are now."

You leaned down and kissed him softly, and he smiled against your lips. It was a silent promise. While you did have to talk about it, it was nice to know that you were on the same page.

✧⋄⋆⋅⋆⋄✧

Toward the end of the day, just when it had gotten dark and the streetlights had turned on, you arrived home. You took off your shoes and turned on the lights. With tired steps, you walked towards your dining area to throw your back on one of the chairs there - as you usually did. However, when you looked at your dining table, you noticed a piece of paper there. A letter with a small red heart drawn on it. You immediately opened it and took out the note.

I wish I could be there with you every night, but even though I can't, I want you to think of me. This note is a reminder of my love for you <3 Dream of me XOXO - Sunwoo

The letters were quickly scribbled down, but every word was still beautiful. You pulled out your phone and took a selfie with the note held up next to your face. In your message, you wrote "thank you for the note, Sunwoo! you better dream of me too", and quickly sent it away. For a moment, you put your phone down to go change... but something felt off. In a matter of seconds, you got a message. It was from one of your closest friends and read "ummm... i think you sent this to the wrong person?" with a flustered emoji. Your eyes widened once you realized that you had sent the picture to your friend instead of Sunwoo. You did the first thing that popped into your head. You called Sunwoo.

"Hi, baby, are you home? Did you get my note?", he answered.

"I might have fucked up", you admitted immediately, "I got the note, it was super sweet by the way, and then I was going send you a picture but I managed to send it to the wrong person!"

"What?"

The two of you started freaking out together, trying to figure out what to do next. But after some time, both of you started receiving a lot of texts - all of which were asking if you were dating. Your friend had obviously spread the news. You were doomed.

"I'm sorry, Sunwoo", you whined, "This is all my fault"

"... maybe it's a good thing", he murmured.

"A good thing? Do you want them to know?"

"I wouldn't mind", he said carefully, "I mean, if you don't mind then I won't. I think it could be nice to not have to hide anymore."

"Are you sure?", you almost whispered.

"I'm sure", he said and as if he could read your mind he added, "... do you want me to come over?"

"Please?", you let out a nervous chuckle.

"I'll be right there", he answered, "Wait up for me?"

[partyanimal167]

Flashbacks- Crocodile x GN!Reader

I haven't written for my nice man in weeks, so what better way to start the new year than a Croco fic? I should try to write a multi-chap fic with him this year, but I don't have any solid ideas yet. Maybe once I finish my ATSV fic.

I wanted to play around with a reader who was closer in age to Croc again. I like the potential of old enemies, but just thinking about an older crew mate seemed even funner. Maybe I'll develop this idea more in future. I think this will just be like a preview tbh.

CW: pre-canon, ftm Crocodile, possible ooc Crocodile since he's younger, slight age gap, Crocodile's history, sfw

Crocodile had ambitions. He knew he was going to be the greatest. He just didn't expect it to be awhile before others would see it too.

He didn't thank you for better binding material, and you hadn't expected it.

Crocodile knew you would cause him trouble when you threw a thick roll of bandages at him after he took longer than normal in the bath. "You're gonna hurt yourself with what you're doing now. Try this." He never told you about himself, but it seemed like you knew. That made him uncomfortable already.

You had been on the crew longer and laughed loudly when a overly-confident young man tried to rob your captain of her bag when she was out drinking late. She easily avoided the homemade knife prosthetic and broke the blade off with her bare hands. You were ready to beat the shit out of the man, but the captain laughed and invited him to join.

Crocodile was annoying at first. Like any other newbie.

He thought it was a pain, but you figured it to be a neat tool.

On the sea, he tried to fight and argue with the captain which lead him to receiving his fair share of scoldings and punishments. Not many looked out for him, and you didn't think you cared either until a sea king flung the boy into the water, and he sunk like a brick.

Of course, he didn't tell anyone about his devil fruit.

~~~

Soon, you were giving him suggestions on how to fight even if a bullet couldn't do any damage. Crocodile was still a bothersome brat to everyone else, but he listened to you if you had something to say.

It took him awhile to grow into his ambitions and goals, but you decided to watch and see how he faired over the years.

You laid low after the captain's sudden death. It was a hard battle, and the crew disbanded. The years went by.

A shoreside bar had your patronage every day. It heard your old sea stories and hosted your poker nights. The days drifted easily, but the scent of that particular cigar smoke threw memories of your captain your way, and you had a to double-check your pulse when you saw who was stomping through the bar.

Pirates were nothing new, so this rowdy bunch that jeered at civilians and swung around swords didn't intimidate you.

"What's the pot, misses?" one generic man laughed as he pointed a dagger at you and gestured towards your night's winnings. You yawned bored and finished off your beer. "Hey! I outta-,"

The chair screeched on the old wooden floor as you pushed back and leaned to peek at the bar. "May life's party go on,"

There was a pause before a deep voice finished the saying. "-even after my smoke clears."

Your smile was wide as you pushed passed the men and stood behind a tall figure in a fur coat. "Long time, no see youngster."

~~~

You didn't flinch when Crocodile shot at the man who tried to mug you. He must have been new on the crew or something--maybe just an extra body, but he joined you at your table as you shuffled cards, and the bar carried on.

"Looks like you've got some things going for you, kid." you chuckled as you filled the man's mug.

Despite his more mature appearance, he scoffed at you easily. "Will you ever stop calling me that! You're not that much older than me." He went quiet again as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigar. He then went for his lighter, but you beat him to it with your own.

"I thought captain told you not to pick up her habits." you chided simply.

The man glared at you before leaning away from your flame. "I could say the same to you." he took a puff. "Her smoke's carrying on though."

You sighed and leaned on your palm. "Yeah sure has. I hear they're thinking about making you a warlord. Must be causing them problems." you chuckled. Crocodile only grunted and you two continued to sit in silence for awhile.

It was only until your mug was brought back to your lips when Crocodile spoke again. "How come you never-,"

"Went back out there?" you finished the sentence and giggled. "You're not the first one to find me and ask." You seemed to have left it at that for a while. The two of you continued on with your slow card game and coping habits. "Nothing feels quite like those old adventure days. Captain took me in young; I only wanted to be in her crew. Who else would have me in theirs?"

"You can join mine." and Crocodile says it so easily, yet you knew he was being sincere. "You could cause chaos out there if you wanted to. I know you know the secrets. We'd be unstoppable." though his words were calm and confident, you looked at Crocodile and saw the teenage boy who didn't know the hardships of the world--only the whispers of treasure and fame.

"Go be unstoppable without me, Crocodile." you smiled gently. "Maybe I'll join you when I'm ready." The man wasn't pleased with your answer, but he knew he couldn't force you to do anything. He may be bigger and stronger now, but you had his respect. He winced when you pinched his cheek to snap him out of his head.

"Enough about me! Look at you!" you poked at his firm arms. "You certainly toughened up and look like yourself."

"Oi!"

Crocodile knew what you were referring to, and a slight red dusted his cheeks. "I had some help..." he muttered.

The night went on with you two reminiscing and Crocodile filling you in on his adventures. His crew seemed more hired hands than bonded, so you wondered what other misfortunes the man experienced that he didn't tell you. A rookie captain faces many trials and tribulations. You smiled gently while the man talked about his latest and conquests and plans. You half-listened, but your mind drifted back to years ago when you two bickered, fought, laughed, and danced. It was weird growing older and drifting apart.

But the smoke carries on with memories never truly disappearing.

~~~

Okay! I definitely liked this one.

I think I'll pocket this idea for a mini-series later in the year. I want to explore the old times and adventures of Crocodile. There's a lot of potential with writing his backstory and him becoming the character we know now.

Thanks for reading!

[ureternalmajesty]

I’m not angry anymore

Saint Bernard!John Price x Grey Cat!Reader

Summary: Reader is having a breakdown when the others try to help it results in things thrown at them or being bitten. They should've gotten Price from the start.

words: 447

Author's note: Reader's pronouns are they/them, Reader is two years younger than Price, Reader is black keep that in mind, there are going to be mistakes just ignore them i'll fix them later!

You and the boys had a nice relationship they've all become like family in a way except for Price. When you first met you were over cautious of the man and nervous. His kindness made you nervous but you eventually got comfortable with him one thing led to another and you're in a relationship.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

You laid on your bed sighing as Gaz and the other sat around with a thick blanket watching a movie as sighs left your mouth repeatdly eyes cast up at the ceiling an arm sprawled over your stomach as a leg dangled over the edge of the bed.

"What?" Simon grumbled not bothering to look your way. "Nothing." Answering the man as the room went slient the sound of screams from the tv filled the room shortly followed by a sigh.

"Aye Bonnie?" The scott looked away from the tv peeking over the bed at your face. "Does he still love me?" Groans filled the room along with chuckles. "Thats whats this is about? He loves you alright." Gaz acknowledge you petulant whining.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

The days pass and the moodier you got. The boys steered clear of you the best the can and trying to help you. "I'm not going you they threw their potted plant at me last time!" Gaz whispered in a hushed tone. "Well some has to go and i vote Soap." Simon pointed at the Scott who had a bewildered look on his face. "What? Why me?" He asked setting down his mug on the table. "They likes you better. Besides they bit me." With a shrug of his shoulders he made his way towards your room.

Pushing the door open you were sitting on your bed with one of John's blankets wrapped around you and the closet thing to you was a stuffed animal. "Bonnie come on the boys wanna have a movie night." The stuffed animal was launched at his face and before he could move he saw you get off the bed only to be pulled by the back of his shirt and out of the way.

"John." The words had left your mouth as you looked up at the bearded man now standing in front of you were Soap was supposed to be. Arms quickling wrapped around him as strong arms made their way around your form. It's time to let it go, sweetie." You grasped at his shirt, sobbing quietly. “Let's watch that movie you've been wanting to see, sweetheart. Sorry I haven't spent much time with you lately. My presence would have been right here had the other's done their work." Price said, kissing your forehead without waiting for Soap to close the door.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

This was short and kinda boring but I’ve been writing smut lately and my drafts are full of smut so why not refresh with this

[punk4ndisorderly]

light on

The one where Y/N is the daughter of a legendary Team USA coach and used to attend the development program with the boys. 8 years after they last saw each other in person, a reunion brings Jack and Y/N back into each other’s lives... and hearts.

if you keep the light on, i'll keep the light on

XIII XIV - speak now or forever hold your peace

“Morning, Hughesy.”

Jack rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, opening them up to find Alex perched over his body, along with three drooling dogs, grinning like a fool.

“Jesus, Z. What the hell?” he whisper-yelled, careful not to wake a sleeping Y/N beside him and not to startle River and David’s pets.

“Sleeping outside with all those predators on the loose? Edgy. I like it.”

“Shh, keep it down.” the Devils' player scolded, getting up and leading his friend inside.

“What did you guys do last night? Stayed up talking, dancing, professing your hardcore crushed for each other? Was it romantic? Under the stars and all that?” the blond man conjectured, chasing Jack around the kitchen.

“We talked. Period.” he enlightened his friend, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Why are the dogs out back?”

“River asked me to take them out for a walk in the woods, I came back through the deck and I saw you two all cuddled up so we decided to say hi.”

Jack glanced at the clock on the wall, placing the coffee pot on the stove. It was about to strike a quarter to seven.

“Do you have any idea how early it is?”

“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” Trevor recited, clearly proud of himself.

“Why am I friends with you again?”

“Ha ha, very funny. You were practically on top of Y/N when we got to you, so you should thank me for keeping you from crushing her with your large mammal physique.” his friend joked, taking a bite from an apple.

“I was not.”

“You were.” Alex confirmed, walking into the room.

“How do you know?”

“This one dragged me out of bed to help him with the dogs.” the curly-haired man quipped, slapping Trevor in the back of the head.

“Ow! Turc, it’s about time you lose your fear of dogs.”

“You should talk, you’re afraid of owls.

“I’m afraid of nocturnal animals, because they’re extremely shady.” their friend countered. “Dogs are loving and harmless.”

“Whatever, duce, I just came along because you swore you’d make me pancakes after.” Alex noted, sitting on one of the stools, waiting for the food he was promised.

“Okay, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, but would’ve it killed you to have let me sleep a couple more minutes?” Jack groaned, pouring the coffee he had made into two mugs.

“Yeah, you were starting to snore pretty loudly.” Trevor shrugged, taking a frying pan from the cabinet.

“I don’t snore.”

“Of course you don’t, and we didn’t take pictures of you two cuddled up.”

“I’m going to pretend you two aren’t closeted stalkers.” Jack avowed, picking up the mugs filled with the steaming hot beverage and heading outside.

The three dogs River and David had adopted were laying around the teacher’s sleeping figure. Freddie rested so close to her face his drool was dripping onto her nose, making the brunette man smile goofily as he sat down beside them. Setting his mug next to his legs, Jack gently nudged his friend’s shoulder.

“Hey…”

Y/N mumbled something incoherently, slapping his hand away.

“Y/N…” he chuckled, nudging her again. “I come bearing coffee.”

The doctor opened one eye, wincing at the brightness of the daylight, but grinning sweetly once she saw the yellow mug he was handing her. Stretching slowly, she crossed her legs, taking the hot beverage from his hands.

“My knight in shining armor. You’re always one step ahead.” she winked, waiting for the coffee to cool down before taking a sip.

“One of my many qualities.” Jack shrugged, showing her a crooked smile.

“We can cross modesty off that list.” Y/N teased, smirking.

He feigned hurt, placing his hand over his heart.

“I’ll have you know I’m a very humble man.”

“Mmm, definitely…” the coach's daughter laughed.

“Don’t mock me when you’re the one with dog drool all over your nose.” he snickered.

“Oh my god! Really? Finn has never done that to me! Mostly because he’s the size of a small stuffed animal, but either way…” she paused. “Mmm… Yeah… I can definitely smell it now. Wow. It stinks.”

“It probably doesn’t smell that bad. River does make David brush their teeth after all…” the Devils' player man dismissed her statement, laughing.

“Yes, it definitely does. Come here and smell it for yourself.” Y/N urged, pulling him by his shirt.

“Okay, okay…” Jack conceded, leaning in closer to his friend.

The tip of his nose touched hers and they both took a shaky breath as the space between them became non-existent.

He closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of Freddie’s drool. His face contorted in disgust under Y/N's intense stare.

“You were right.” the brunette man stated, only moving a few inches away from her face so he was now looking directly into her eyes.

“Told you.” she spoke quietly, lost in his hypnotizing blue gaze.

“You two are so weird.” Alex grumbled from the sliding door.

Jack jumped back, almost spilling the remaining coffee all over his lap, which seemed to amuse Y/N, who had to bite her lip to keep herself from laughing.

“What have I told you about sneaking up on people?”

“Trevor's the one who usually sneaks up on people so… I don’t know.” their friend reasoned, holding his hands up in defense.

“What’s up, Turc?” the singer sighed.

“Found this beat-up ball in the pantry, there’s an old hoop out in the front. I went to wake Leo up a couple of minutes ago. Are you in?”

“What is it with you guys and waking up people who are sleeping peacefully?”

“Early rise makes a man wise or whatever Z said. We didn’t want to go into River and David’s room to get them because they are young and in love and probably doing it.” the blonde man rambled, switching the ball from his right hand to his left and vice-versa.

“I highly doubt there’s anyone in the world that willingly wakes up at…” Y/N got her phone from her back pocket to check the time. “Seven in the morning to do that.” She chuckled, bringing the yellow mug to her lips.

“Groomzilla is so freaked out about the wedding he gets up extra early to get everything done on time, even though he technically doesn’t need to move a finger. He definitely schedules time for sex and what better way to start a day than by doing the dirty?”

“You need to stop, dude. That's my brother we're talking about” the doctor pointed out, lifting herself off the ground and meeting her friend by the door. “I’m smelling Trevor's pancakes.”

“Yeah, he made a batch. They’re on the kitchen counter. I’d hurry up if I were you.” Alex advised, ignoring her scolding. “Jack, get your fat ass out front in five. Don’t forget to bring your trunks.”

Jack went inside, finding Y/N and Trevor attempting to make a Mickey Mouse pancake. He leaned against the doorframe, observing the way her whole body seemed to vibrate when she laughed at their friend’s terrible jokes, a stray strand of hair falling over her warm eyes, only to be tucked in behind her small ears.

Trevor eventually acknowledged his presence, cleaning his hands on River's Bride Squad apron.

“Jackson! Do you want some? These are Y/N's, so I think they won’t taste as good as mine do.” he boasted, flinching when she promptly elbowed his side. “But you can give them a try." “Thanks, but I should go get dressed, or else Turcs will probably bite my head off. Where’s Leo?”

“He should be down in a minute. David said he usually needs five to ten minutes to stop acting all grouchy before getting up.”

“Like his uncle River, then. Got it.” he nodded curtly, taking one last glance at his long-time crush, but failing to leave.

The coach's daughter licked the wooden spoon Trevor had used to mix the batter absentmindedly, moaning at the delicious taste of chocolate chip pancakes, only noticing Jack was staring at her when she looked up.

“What?” Y/N asked, smiling. “Do I have something on my face again? Oh, shoot, I’ve still got your sweater on!” she gasped, quickly moving to take it off, exposing her midriff and part of her lace bra in the process. “Thank you. I should really go wash my face, though. Pancake mix and dog drool are not a good combination.” the doctor chuckled, handing him the lent item.

She walked past the Devils' player, who was still trying to keep his brain from retaining the memory of Y/N's sexy underwear. How could she make his stomach churn just by showing a little bit of skin and fabric?

“Nice.” his blond friend extolled, wiggling his eyebrows at him.

Jack shot him a pointed look, turning on his heels and heading to his room, the one he hadn’t spent more than two minutes in so far. Putting his trunks on and the trusty basketball shorts he brought everywhere just in case, placing his bag back in his spacey closet, he fled the room, already dreading getting told off by his friend for being late.

“What the hell, Hughes? I thought being on time was a part of having manners.” Alex grunted, throwing him the ball.

“Yeah, okay, I’m like two minutes late, Turc. I was busy.” he explained, shooting and scoring a three-pointer.

“Yeah, getting a b-o-n-e-r from watching Y/N lick a wooden spoon.” Trevor snickered, coming up from behind them. “Nice shot!”

Jack sighed exasperated, shaking his head.

“Are we going to stand here talking about Jack’s crush on Y/N or are we going to play? Because if we aren’t, I’m going back to bed.” Leo snapped, showing them his most menacing glare, which was quite cute if they were being honest.

The three men resisted the urge to laugh at his antics. He was his father's kid, alright.

“No, sir. We’re going to play.” Trevor replied, ruffling the kid's hair.

“Definitely, yeah, we’re in.” Alex confirmed, running a lap around the improvised court.

“Thank you!”

*

“Y/N, are you ready?” River called out from the other side of the door.

The doctor woke up to the sound of the groom-to-be’s voice, nearly jumping out of her skin. She definitely couldn’t handle all-nighters like she did in her teens. The minute she got to her room, three hours before she had fallen asleep, her phone still resting between her fingers from texting Charlie to check on Joey.

“Mm… I’ll be right there.” she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

The door flew open, revealing River in yet another beautiful outfit, this time beach appropriate.

“You’re in last night’s clothes!”

“I am.”

“You two will be the death of me…” her brother rolled his eyes, grabbing her hands and pulling her up. “Get your swimwear on pronto I only have a couple of hours before the wedding planner gets here and starts testing my patience, so hurry. Oh, and I left some beach towels on a shelf down the hall. I figured you guys would somehow forget to bring those.”

“Aye, aye, captain.” the doctor smiled muttered, opening the closet to find a bag that wasn’t hers.

River probably ran out of storage space and shoved this in here she thought to herself, picking up her bag and rummaging through it to locate the swimsuit she had luckily remembered to pack.

It didn’t take long for her to join her friends downstairs. Leo was tapping his foot impatiently by the door, all geared up with floaties, a bucket hat, tiny sunglasses and several coats of sunscreen on.

“Come on, Y/N! Uncle River said I can only go swimming when you’re in the water.” he whimpered, tugging at her hand.

“Okay, okay, I’m coming little man.” Y/N chuckled, practically being dragged out of the cabin by the seven-year-old.

River and Cole followed and the groom-to-be smirked when he saw David, apparently Leo’s replacement, and the three other men scattered around the made-up basketball court, sweating and visibly out of breath.

“You guys have to admit it, you’re getting old!” he teased, blowing them a kiss.

“As if.” Trevor scoffed. “I could go on for days!”

“Actually…” David stopped moving, passing him the ball. “I’m going to freshen up. Good game, gentlemen.” he high-fived his team member and made his way out to meet his fiancé and their friend.

“Trevor, we’ve been playing for three hours, and you didn’t even let us stop to get water, you little dictator.” Alex reasoned. “I promised Leo I’d teach him how to do a headstand underwater yesterday, so…” he drifted off, following the groom.

“Fine! I’ve still got Jacko!” the blond man shouted, placing his hands on his hips and looking back at the Devils' player. “You want to go with them, don’t you?”

“I’m all sweaty and the sun’s burning like hell, man. I’m only human.” Jack complained, cleaning his forehead with his soaked t-shirt.

“Okay. Leave then!” he snapped. “Go ahead. If anyone asks, Alex and I won.”

“Of course, buddy.”

*

Y/N set her towel next to Leo’s, undressing herself in a hurry as the little boy continued to emphasize the urgency he had to dive into the lake’s cool water, taking off his tiny sunglasses and the hat his mom had made him wear.

“Leo, stop bugging Y/N. She’s already being kind enough to dare going in with you.” David reprimanded, sitting between River's legs while he applied sunscreen on his back.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. You should see Jo at the beach.” the doctor joked, securing her hair in a ponytail. “Let’s go, baby boy. Show me what you’ve got.” she smiled, holding her hand out for the seven-year-old to grasp.

“Hey, have I been replaced already?” Trevor gasped, taking his Spiderman tee off and running to the pond, making a huge splash around the pair as he delved into it.

Y/N resisted the urge to scream when the freezing water touched her upper body.

“I’m going to kill you.” she threatened her friend through gritted teeth.

“We need to dive, Y/N! It’s now or never!” Leo yowled excitedly.

She looked down at River and David's nephew, tightening her grip on his small hand.

“Only if you don’t let go.” the doctor requested, showing him a goofy smile.

“I promise.”

*

Jack came down the pathway precisely when the pair arose from the water, releasing small shrieks. He noticed how the black swimsuit his friend was wearing hugged her curves perfectly, showing off the amazing body she sported. It also displayed Y/N's chest in a wonderful manner, not showing a lot of skin, but just enough to make the Devils' player breath hitch in his throat.

“Jesus, Jacko, what the hell are you doing standing there like a spare prick at a wedding?” Trevor smirked, coming up to him. “Seriously? Watching her swim from afar? Dude, seriously, this is starting to get creepy. I know you already came to the conclusion you like her and all that, why don’t you do something about it?”

“It’s not that easy.”

“Of course it’s not easy, it’s like climbing a fucking mountain, but you either go on it or you’ll probably spend the rest of your life wondering why you didn’t. You’re not getting any younger, you know.”

“You’re literally older than me, Trevor.”

“That’s not the point. Act like a normal person, you dork.”

Alex picked Leo up, throwing him into the water as Y/N floated on her back nearby, taking in the peace that nature brought her, smiling softly with her eyes closed. All of a sudden, she felt herself being lifted, instinctively grabbing onto the back of the neck of whoever was holding her.

“Junior, let’s play a game!”

“Put me down, Turc!” the beautiful woman warned playfully, slapping his chest.

“Whatever you want.” Alex shrugged, dropping her. “As I was saying…” he proceeded, once Y/N came up, a deep scowl on her face. “Do you want to play the best water game ever invented?”

Her expression softened when she turned her head and saw the brunette man entering the lake slowly, trying to adapt to its cold temperature. He approached them, goosebumps all over his skin and a tranquil smile on his handsome face.

Seeing him topless wasn’t new to her, but she couldn’t help but bite down on her bottom lip when she glanced at his muscular arms and broad shoulders.

“What’s up?” Jack asked, jumping up and down to try and generate some heat.

“Turc wants us to play a water game.” Y/N explained, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Not a water game, the water game.” their friend reiterated.

“Spill it.” she sighed.

“I want to have a chicken fight!”

“Oh, can I play?” Leo chirped, dog paddling to them, his Nemo floaties keeping him afloat.

“Sure, little man. You know what, you can even be my partner.” Jack smiled, stooping down to his level to help the seven-year-old get on his shoulders.

Y/N looked on, charmed by Jack's laidback approach when dealing with children. It was amazing how he kept on finding ways to surprise her. Those were the little things that made her heart beat slightly faster.

“That means you’re with me, hu?” Alex nudged her side, rubbing his hands together.

“Are you really going to make me fight a little boy?”

“Of course, kids are sneaky and should never be underestimated.” he replied.

“It’s not that bad if I take into consideration your mental age is five.” the doctor agreed condescendingly, patting the top of his head.

“Exactly… Hey!”

“I’m still not fighting a seven-year-old, Turc.”

“Whatever…” her friend groaned. “Anyone wants to take Y/N's place?”

“Leo!” David called from the shore, “Time for a snack break, little prince.”

“But uncle David, Jack and I were going to win at chicken fighting!”

“I know, buddy, but I brought your favorite cookies. What do you say?”

Leo gave Jack an apologetic look.

“Sorry…”

“No need to apologize, buddy. Cookies are definitely a top priority.” he winked, crouching back down to let him climb off his shoulders. “Race you to uncle David?”

“Yeah!”

“Ready? Three, two, one… Go!”

The pair swam to the waterfront, the singer slowing his pace down so David's nephew could win. Leo made it to his uncles as Jack was just getting out of the water.

“I won!” the little boy cheered, ecstatic.

“You’re a force to be reckoned with, little man! Well done!” he high-fived his youngest friend, sitting down next to him. “Can I get a consolation cookie?”

Y/N couldn’t stop grinning at how sweet the scene was.

“He’s a genuinely a great guy, isn’t he?” she mumbled.

“One of the greatest out there…” Alex confirmed, a knowing smile on his face. “Get your premium quality ass over here, Hughesy! The chicken fight is still happening.” he crowed.

The Devils' player rose to his feet, saluting little Leo and heading back to the water, meeting the duo who was waiting for him.

“Hey, wait for me!” Trevor pleaded, taking his hat off before trying to run to them.

“Alright, it’s Dumb and Dumber against Rowdy and I.” Y/N declared, standing on the tip of her toes, pushing Aleksander’s shoulders down.

“Y/N and Jack for the win.” he smiled, squatting to let her climb onto his toned shoulders. She chuckled, trying to find a comfortable position.

“Are we doing this or not? Alex has really let himself go.” Trevor nagged, clearly having a hard time carrying his friend.

“I have not! It’s water weight!” the curly-haired man protested.

Jack hesitantly held onto Y/N's wet shins, feeling her smooth skin under his touch. She was light, which worried him, because Alex could probably take her down in an instant.

“You ready, sweetheart?” the blond one asked, a cocky grin plastered on his face.

“You guys are going down.” the coach's daughter countered confidently, smiling down at her partner in crime.

If someone had told Jack a few months before that he’d have his head between Y/N's thighs at a weekend-long wedding he’d laugh and vouch that person had gone crazy. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought about the possibility of seeing his camp friend so often in such a short amount of time, not to mention becoming even closer to her and have her feel comfortable enough to be in such an usually uncomfortable position with him.

Trevor lunged forward, as Alex outstretched his arms to get a hold of Y/N. The doctor laughed loudly when he came close enough to attack her sides with tickles, almost losing her balance, hadn’t Jack held on to her for dear life.

The Devils' player could’ve heard her laugh until the end of time. How could he have become so infatuated so fast? It had to be this strange hold she had on him, on everyone. Y/N was the kind of person anyone would be lucky to fall in love with. He couldn’t help but think he was slowly, but surely, falling for her.

Her giggles brought him back to reality, smiling at the adorable sound coming out of her mouth.

“Push him, Hughes!” she begged him, almost completely out of breath.

“Say no more.”

Jack let go of her right leg, using merely one hand to shove Trevor's chest and make him forfeit the last ounce of strength he had to keep Alex on his shoulders. The dynamic duo went down with a splash.

“Yes!” Y/N chanted, pumping her fist in the air. “Good job, Rowdy!”

Without putting any thought into it, she leaned down, tilting his chin up with her dainty hands and kissing his forehead, hearing someone hoot from the land.

Left speechless by the unexpected sweet gesture, the brunette man dropped down to his knees, letting Y/N get back on her feet.

“We’re still the dream team!” she boasted, heading back to her towel.

Jack didn’t say anything, following suit, only smiling back at her with a grin that could make any woman swoon. She wasn’t just about any woman, but she still bit hard on her bottom lip nonetheless. The coach's daughter could try and deny the immense attraction she felt towards her former theatre partner, but her efforts would undoubtedly prove to be ineffective.

“I’m going to get something to drink. Anyone want anything?” the Devils' player inquired, glancing around for any takers.

“Water, please!” River requested, typing something on her phone.

“Got it.”

He quickly made his way to the cabin, jogging to the fridge to retrieve a couple of water bottles, realizing he wasn’t alone.

“Hey bud.” David greeted, cutting a tomato into tiny pieces on an old chopping block. “Couldn’t have dried up a bit before coming in here?”

“Sorry, I was really thirsty, it’s insanely hot outside… Are you making lunch?” Jack asked, pointing to the pot on the stove.

“Leo insisted I’d make lasagna. That kid knows damn well I can’t deny him anything. Well… Maybe not anything but most of the things he asks for.”

“I guess uncle River is the bad cop then, hu?” the brunette man teased, taking a sip from his water.

“Someone has to be.”

“Right.” he agreed. “I’ll just dry up to avoid being a hazard. Imagine River slipping and twisting an ankle the day before your wedding. I’d be a dead man walking.”

“Hey, hey, hey!” David called out, stopping him from leaving the kitchen. “We need to talk.”

“We do?”

“Yeah, man!”

Jack raised an eyebrow, wondering where the conversation was headed.

“Okay…” he trailed off, chuckling nervously.

“River told me.”

“About…”

“You and Y/N.”

“We’re not anything but friends, David.” Jack clarified, clearing his throat.

“I must say, I was a little skeptical at first.” the groom continued, ignoring his dismissal completely. “My man is a hopeless romantic and loves setting people up. Sometimes things go wrong, so I’m trying to contain the matchmaker in him.”

“Yeah, well, you could’ve spoken up sooner, he has set blind dates up for me way too many times.”

“How were they?” David asked, adding the meat to the sauce he had been preparing, smiling knowingly.

“Disastrous.” the Devils' player disclosed, inhaling the delicious scent that had invaded the room. “Wow, this smells heavenly. What do you add to the sauce?”

“Oregano and peri-peri. Key ingredients for my lasagna. As I was saying, River loves love. Ever since we started dating, he made sure I knew what I was getting into. It’s ironic, because we were set up on a blind date ourselves… But he was the one who was ballsy enough to ask me out himself months later…I wasn’t really into those things, but Y/N, who knew both of us, practically dragged me there. She said David, if you don’t go I’ll have you know you’ll be missing out on meeting the love of your life. And she was right. If I hadn’t taken the plunge, I wouldn’t have my smart, kind, breathtaking soon-to-be husband. Some people and opportunities only come around once in a lifetime.”

“That’s a good life lesson…”

“I’m not finished, Hughes.” the groom scolded, interrupting him. “As I said, I doubted your compatibility with Y/N because I never cared much to observe others before, so I barely noticed anything between the two of you…” he carried on, stopping momentarily to pour the now properly seasoned meat and sauce on the glass platter. “However… I now think my man finally got one good match.”

Jack's mouth dropped open at David’s words, confused and surprised by what he seemed to be trying to convey.

“You guys have something there. I’m not sure what it is and you two sure as hell don’t either, but you should figure it out, together. It’s not one-sided. Don’t be afraid to show her how you feel. People want you to believe that’s emasculating but in fact being able to express your feelings isn’t anything you should ever be ashamed of. So… You know… Do it. The time is now. Don’t let her slip away. It’s just like they say at weddings: speak now or forever hold your peace.”

*

Y/N brushed her teeth, ready to go to bed after a fun but extremely long day. The wedding was less than twelve hours away and she could hear River pacing around upstairs. The doctor remembered how nervous she was on her wedding day, laughing at how silly her worries were back then. Is he going to be waiting for me at the altar? What if he gets cold feet? Will I be a good wife? What comes next? Everything that concerned her vanished as soon as she had looked into her husband’s eyes and said I do. She could only hope her brother found happiness that would last him a lifetime.

She padded to her room, closing the door behind her and moving carefully in the dark so she could find the comfy bed she had slept in that same morning. Locating it, she threw the sheets back, nearly screeching when she touched someone’s bare skin.

Rushing to the light switch, Y/N turned it on, seeing a very confused Jack open his eyes and look around, confused.

“What are you doing here?” she panted, checking if her black lace-trimmed chemise was covering up her body correctly.

“Trying to sleep?” the Devils' player replied waiting for his eyes to adjust completely to the sudden clarity.

“I know, but what are you doing in my room?”

“Your room?”

“Yeah, I was the first to get here, so I got to choose where I’d stay.”

“Oh. Shit. It was empty when I got here so I just assumed you changed here yesterday but were staying in another room.” Jack stuttered, stumbling over his words once he realized he was an intruder, blushing furiously as he tried to gather his belongings without looking at her sexy sleeping garment. “Do you know where the spare bed is? David mentioned they had one somewhere.”

The coach's daughter placed a hand on his arm, leading the mumbling mess back to the bed.

“It’s late and we’ve both had little to no sleep this weekend. You can stay here.” she offered.

“Are you sure?” he asked, his eyes shooting up, instantly being met with a breathtaking view.

“Yeah, of course. It’s not like we’ve never shared a bed before.” Y/N pointed out, shutting the lights off. “Scoot.”

Jack moved to the other side of the king-sized bed, nearly falling off it, earning a hearty laugh from his roommate, who grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him a little bit closer.

“You’re very respectful of my personal space, and I truly appreciate that, but you don’t have to hurt yourself. It’s fine, Gretz. Now, snooze. Tomorrow’s going to be hectic. Believe me, I’ve been there.”

The Devils' nodded, keeping his gaze fixated on her serene face while she once again gave into her tired body’s desperate need of rest right by his side. As he felt her shift in her sleep, there was only one thing replaying in his brain:

Speak now or forever hold your peace.

[gfguren]

itachi | angst | cw: cursing, mentions of death

-the memory of itachi haunts you-

You want to say you've forgotten him, left the memory of him behind just as he left you all those years ago, but that would make you a liar, you suppose. Despite how hard you try to forget, with each day that passes and every wound your heart mends, you're still never able to forget the specter that is Itachi.

He's always beside you, trapped in the loneliest corners of your mind, dark eyes lingering, fingers tracing your skin, a smile you haven't seen in years haunting you like a chill you just can't seem to shake.

You miss him.

Still.

And the cold weather doesn't help, a fever striking you mid January, leaving you high on cold medicine and with way too much time to think, to regret, to yearn.

The illusions torment you. The ghost, with its gentle brown eyes and honey laugh, lies its phantom hands on either side of your flushed cheeks and then over your forehead, a scorching hundred and two degrees.

"You're sick." Its voice is so far away, a deep, distant echo that you wish you could forget. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you."

He smiles and the butterflies burst to life, if only for the moment before reality sinks in once more and you're plummeting back down, down, down to planet earth, to the place where you're wiping the tears from your eyes and forcing down the feverish mirage. "Don't do this to me."

As if he doesn't hear you, he - the memory - continues, "Stay here, I'll warm up your favorite soup."

And you wait, like a fool you wait. But he doesn't return, just as he never has before; and you know he never will again.

Kicking off the blanket with all the strength left in your feeble body, you force yourself out of bed, driven only by the ire and hatred for your kryptonite, for those memories that perpetually linger and your predisposition to cling to them so pathetically. The hallway has never felt so long before, your hand grasping at the white paint with petty desperation as you all but drag yourself to the kitchen.

Old countertops hold you steady as you rummage through your cupboards, a layer of dust laid thick over the wooden shelves. Maybe you'd ate out a few too many times recently, and maybe you didn't have the drive or the time to clean them, or maybe, just maybe the thought of thrift store China and coffee mugs in matching pairs made you too afraid to open them, afraid to face the little things he left behind, afraid to fall back into that god forsaken abyss you'd fought so so hard to escape from, afraid to relive the memory of Itachi.

Warm breath fans past the nape of your neck and you shudder, goosebumps pricking your spine. You sigh as a warm presence wraps its arms around your waist, sunshine that lulls you into a false sense of security. Exactly how you remember him.

"I told you to wait." The illusion reaches past you for the pot on the highest shelf. "Go sit down, I said I'd take care of you, didn't I?"

You shake your head, hand slipping through his to grab it first, afraid to fall into the memory again. He huffs, mumbling something about you being stubborn before leaning against the marbled counter. Your hand lingers a little too long over the cream of chicken and you hear him hum disapprovingly.

"Eat something light, you'll only make yourself feel worse."

"Whatever you say, darling," you roll your eyes, a small laugh slipping past your chapped lips before you freeze, remembering you're talking to a ghost -- no, worse. A memory, a mirage, a being that only responds in the ways you remember him.

"Oh?" His eyes light up as he takes a step towards you. "You finally acknowledged me?" You hold your tongue, emptying a can of flavorless broth into the pot and placing it on the burner. "My love," he whispers. "Don't ignore me."

You focus every bit of attention on the stove, needlessly stirring the soup to avoid meeting his desperate gaze. Still, his eyes burn a hole in your center where an unmistakable emptiness lies, aching you to the core and making you want to scream. Tears sting the corners of your eyes and you choke out a desperate, "Please just go away."

He sighs, placing a hand on each of your frigid shoulders. "I'm here because of you, for you. You know that, right?" His voice holds a sadness that's all too familiar. "Just look at me, please."

And you do, with quivering lips and sweaty palms, you face him fully for the first time. "What do you want from me?"

He smiles and your heart reels. "Isn't it the opposite? Isn't there something you want from me? That's why I'm still here after all this time, isn't it?"

"What?" you murmur, incredulous. What you want from him? You've said it a million times before.

To go away.

To leave me alone.

To disappear like you never existed at all.

But looking in those eyes that have always seen right through you, it catches on the precipice of your tongue and you know deep down, it's not the truth at all.

To come home.

To be here with me.

To spend just five more minutes by my side.

"I can't," he whispers, though you're sure you said nothing at all. "I'm sorry."

"Then stop making this hard on me, and just go! Please!"

"Why is it hard, my love? Tell me, I'll make it better."

Your throat is closing up but you manage the broken syllables as best you can. "Because I miss you, is that what you want to hear?" You wipe angrily at the tears burning your eyes. "I miss you so goddamn much and I hate you for leaving me behind. And I know-" you choke on your words, biting back a sob. "I know you'll never come back to me, and that fucking hurts but you know Itachi, you know what hurts even more than that?

"That I don't know what happened to you. That you never told me why you left, hell that you were going to leave me at all! I don't know if you're living a happy life somewhere, or if you've lost your memory and are wandering aimlessly, looking for that empty space in your heart that's waiting here with me or... or..."

You fall to the ground, hands covering your face, red and puffy from crying. "I don't know if you've left this world forever and that, that is what haunts me the most. Can't you just tell me you're okay? I promise I'll let you go, just please, please. I'm begging you."

He leans down, pulls you into his phantom embrace, strokes your hair with such familiar tenderness that a broken sob rips past your throat. "You know I can't." The illusion is crying too, you realize. "But wherever I am, I'll always be watching over you, protecting you-" His hand moves to cradle your tear stained cheek and you let yourself fall into it. "-forever. I promised, remember?"

Your eyes meet his one last time before the memory fizzles away like static and leaves you feeling empty, empty and alone and pathetic; with nothing but a headache brewing behind your heavy eyelids, and a pot of soup boiling away in the background that you have no appetite for anyway.

[v3nusxsky]

Crossing Paths

Y/n is a struggling student trying to get through school while facing some challenges. Emily being a solider heading on a deployment when she stumbles into a little cafe that would change everything.

*Authors note~ chapter one of an Emily x reader au story. I don't know much about war so I'm so sorry if this isn't factually correct but I'll do my best with my research. I'll make it as GN reader as I can but may lean to Fem reader. I hope you guys enjoy and follow along with this. And I haven't forgotten about Happy Hours it's coming!*

Trigger warnings for the whole series are on my tumblr Masterlist but for this chapter mentions of leaving for war and loneliness money struggles etc

You always loved the late shift at Crimsons Cafe, your boss was always so understanding of your situation, a young lady just trying to get through school, she knew your home life was difficult but you were a good worker who was extremely reliable. In fact you were in charge of managing the shifts some of the time. You had a few regulars who you'd grown rather close with over your years of working there, most looking for a friendly smile and some casual conversation while they enjoyed some coffee and a bite to eat.

Nothing was different from the normal since the moment you tied that apron around your slender waist pulled a few strands of hair from your bun so it would frame your face while your pens were hanging from your apron strings. A notepad placed in the pocket and a deep breath before you started to help your colleague with a few people that had came in at the same time due to the rain starting to pour. A smile plastered on your face you worked until there was only two of you in the cafe. Coffee machine whirling with every drink you made and the clatter of plates and mugs being picked up and brought back to be washed and ready for the next customer.

You hardly noticed her when she slipped in from the rain, cap covering most of her face and hair tied back neatly in a low bun. She silently slipped into the far right booth, using the soaked newspaper as a distraction from what would be happening next. Pot luck really that you happened to notice her when one of your regulars, Edward, began to flirt with you. You were smiling and remaining polite but you knew she would be your way out from the conversation that was becoming fairly awkward. With yourself excused from him you headed to the table to check on the new customer.

"What can I get ya" you murmured hoping not to startle the women but you did just that. You quickly flashed her a smile noticing her dull eyes indicating she was having a tough day. "What do you recommend?" You could've swore you imagined it with how quiet it was but with the subtle nod to the menu you immediately suggested a toffee late which she agreed on before returning to the paper as the rain pored harder now. You immediately went and set to work on her late before sneaking another glance at the mysterious lady. Dark raven hair pulled into a tight neat bun, army greens covering her frame with no crease in sight and some tough boots. Her body language was a great juxtaposition of her uniform due to the fact she was hunched over to be as small as possible, hoping to go unnoticed by the wandering eyes of Crimsons Cafe.

Once you had the steaming mug of coffee you headed back to her table with the intent of brightening the soldiers day. You made sure to flash her another smile causing her cheeks to flush a pink that matched the bow in your hair. "Here you go ma'am" you murmured bowing your head slightly in respect. "I know you're busy but would you mind sitting down for a while and talking to me, I'm feeling a little low" the stranger murmured and for some strange reason you felt the pull to tell her to wait an hour as you had to close the cafe then you'll be free to give her your undivided attention. She agreed to wait and went back to reading the paper and starring at the rain falling. It was as if the drops of rain held all the answers to her troubles.

As if on auto pilot you went around the closing of the cafe and prepared it for the morning shift workers before approaching the solider again, "I know a place we can go if you still want that talk" you shot her a comforting smile before she nodded in response. It didn't take you long to gather your belongings and shoot a quick couple of texts off while locking the cafe up, before you led the solider to the pier. You favourite spot when you got the chance to relax was here, something about watching the waves crash against the shore was calming to you. That was how you found yourself sat with the solider you'd met two hours ago in silence at the pier.

Now off of work you could truly appreciate how stunning the solider is and truly it seemed criminal to see her eyes so dull, her beauty shone through despite it though. A shaky breath was taken before she spoke up so quiet you almost missed it over the wind and waves, "thank you for sitting with me. I don't have anyone else to spend my last hours with." You seemed stunned, and the solider seemed to notice the shaking of your hand so she held it in hers hoping to calm you a little. "You don't have anyone?" You whispered and even you could hear the sadness seeping from your words. "No ma'am I don't. But maybe if you don't mind I could send letters to this pretty girl with a bow in her hair, she made my last few hours before I set off truly worth fighting for."

A silence overcome you both once more as you gazed out over the sea where you could see lights of land far out. You didn't know the lady, but you felt drawn to her so after a few minutes of thought you agreed to send letters to each other. She told you her name was Emily or Private Prentiss and you couldn't help but think it suited her. She told you of other deployments she'd had and you told her of school and working at the cafe. The conversation flowing easily as the time seemed to slip away with the tide. Despite the instant connection both of you remained guarded so really all you knew was the basic information yet you still found yourself getting sad at the woman leaving for war.

You knew that she couldn't tell you details, but when you walked her to her bus stop you wished she could. With all the news recently it seemed like a death sentence, Emily deserved more than death and you were certain of it. When the bus arrived you immediately threw yourself into her arms, sensing she could use a hug like the other soldiers were doing with their family members. Her arms tightened around you and you felt a few warm tear drops against your neck, "stay safe private" you whispered to her causing her to pull back and gently bring your right hand to her lips. "Always" was all she offered you before wiping some stray tears you had trailing down your cheeks. It was bazar. You'd only just met the woman and yet here you were crying over her leaving. "You'll write?" The raven haired woman nodded and returned the question causing you to laugh and nod before she got on the bus.

The full bus drove away leaving the family on the pavement crying for the loved ones they may never see again and a pretty young girl with a bow in her hair that no one noticed there. Walking herself home guided by the street lights, the only company she had was her tears and memories of the one work shift she'd never forget. Of course you knew that there was a high chance that you'd never hear from her again, perhaps all you were was a time filler, but you didn't care. Arriving home soaked and cold you carried out your usual routines. If only you knew how you'd life would change from now on. The solider had succeeded in capturing your broken heart, if only you'd captured hers.

Tag list: @just-your-casual-nerd @pebbleswritessometimes @i-write-sometimes-maybe

[diggingupgrave]

Magnificently Cursed... the blog post ✨

🕰🍂🕯🌿📔🧣🌙

My writing log says it’s been exactly a year since I started writing Magnificently Cursed, my Dark Academia Inuokko Magic School AU! I find summer to be insufferable (my apologies to the sun) so I took an escape hatch to an early fall last year and immediately fell down this massive rabbit hole. Not only did I write the whole fic and make overly-intricate graphics for each chapter… I also made a ton of other content that I simply didn’t have enough time to post! (Fall is but one season… unless you’re me, and it’s two, because fuck summer) So as a little anniversary gift to me, I’m going back through the archives and finally putting everything in one place. 

Let’s start with the character mood boards, shall we? 

Toge Inumaki: 

I wanted Toge to have an earthy/natural, vintage-y feel, while Yuuta was all sleek and new. I’m still completely obsessed with this library-lizard aesthetic for Toge.

I low-key wound up buying a brown sweater after searching online for literal hours just like the one in the upper left so we could twin. That duffle coat still has my whole heart. Lavender mug inspired by Neara 🥺

Yuuta Okkotsu:

The lil ghostie patch 😭 I still think Yuuta would look hot as hell in all these clothes- especially the speckle-y fisherman sweater. Coat game is strong here as well. 

... so is it obvious that I spend too much time on Canva yet? 😅

The Timeline: 

My outline wasn’t outlining and I resorted to making an in-world calendar to make sure the dates were realistic. Each chapter is a different color, and the lines represent what days the chapters covered in-world. The corresponding stars represented each chapter’s posting dates… except the real life dates didn’t line up with the fictional dates (rude), so those thursdays were actually saturdays? I think? I'm actually not 100% sure what past me was up to here, to be totally honest 😅

(also, politely ignore that bit that says “epilogue - december” 💀i’ll get to it when i get to it. I don’t really like the idea of it being *over* so maybe i'll just gatekeep that bit forever)

⬆️ Example of aforementioned “outlining,” which, yes, is unfortunately littered with as many potential tweets as actual organization 💀

Not pictured: the outline for the first three chapters… when i thought this fic… would only *be* three chapters. 🪦

Writing Log:

I wrote all 92k between July 13th and September 13th (including 60k in August, nanowrimo style)!

Honestly would love to know what her regimen was because i immediately went back to being slow and undisciplined. I don’t foresee this coming august looking anything like this, lol.

Also, sidenote, hilarious that I took a break to work on it would make a whole in the middle of this? Because I literally just finished that piece this week and posted it today 😅

The Playlist:

Spotify proving that July 13th commitment! If you start a wip without procrastinating and making a playlist for two hours first... did you really start a new wip?

The playlist was three and a half hours and i would listen to it nearly every day, sometimes multiple times in a day 💀. Listen during a rainstorm for peak vibes.

(other favs not pictured: The Butterflly Effect’s cover of “Lay All Your Love on Me,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Decode,” Liz Longley’s “Rescue My Heart,” and "Nothing's Gonna Happen" by The Staves) 

Bonus:

(fall baking... toge's fav pumpkin muffins of course)

(my toge sweater knockoff)

(editing buddy... clearly working very hard)

(cider donut cider... for the ✨vibes✨)

(obsessively drinking massive pots of harney and son’s victorian london fog tea as i tried to interpret my own bullshit)

(me celebrating actual halloween like i didn't start in july)

.... ANYWAY (if you made it this far 😅) many thanks to anyone who read/kudos/commented/supported this fic, because (if you can't tell already) i had so much fun writing it.

Currently, working on another longfic rn that's also promising to destroy my life... but you never forget your first 😘

[50calmadeuce]

Ch. 3: Til the Cows Come Home

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Top Gun: Maverick world, trademarked by Paramount Pictures Corporation. I do not claim ownership of the characters and the world that I am borrowing.

The story and situation I am creating are a work of my imagination and I do not ascribe them to official story canon. This work is for entertainment only and is not a part of the storyline.

I am not profiting financially from the creation and publication of this story, but I do hope it gives you happy thoughts.

These stories are my own, so please do not take them and use them for yourself without my permission. If you see them somewhere else, please let me know. :)

You woke up the next morning at three thirty, got dressed and walked into the kitchen where James was already drinking a cup of coffee. You headed straight to the coffee pot.

"I'm not sure if I should say good morning or tell you you look like shit," he says.

You flip him the middle finger as you filled a travel mug full of coffee and he laughs.

You turned to face him, your hair neatly braided in a French braid. You were dressed in jeans under a pair of chaps, with a light blue tank top peeking out from under a matching plaid shirt. The colors accentuated the crystal blue of your eyes. Taking a sip of your coffee, you let out a contented sigh. "That hit the spot."

James laughed. "Let's go saddle the horses."

You followed him out to the barn.

You were checking the straps on your horse when you heard the sound of a horse galloping up the driveway and you turned to look.

James looked to. "I wonder who that is?"

As the rider drew nearer, you recognized the figure on the horse to be your ex, Jake Seresin. He spotted you, redirected his horse in your direction, and came to a halt when he reached you. "Y/N."

"Jake," you responded and shot James a glare.

James cleared his throat. "I have to go check on the rest of the guys," he stated, then turned and walked away with his horse.

As James moved between you and Jake, Jake dismounted from his horse and walked towards you.

"It's nice to see you. You look good," Jake remarked.

"You too," you replied honestly. It was hard not to notice his muscular arms and body even under his jeans and red plaid short-sleeved shirt. That wasn't the Jake you remembered from ten years ago.

"When did you get here?"

"The other night. I stayed in a hotel and then got here yesterday."

"Oh," Jake said, looking a bit puzzled. "I stopped by yesterday, but James didn't mention you were here."

"I'm sure he didn't, just like he didn't tell me you stopped by."

There was a brief pause, a palpable tension between the two of you. Then, Jake spoke up again. "Look, Y/N, I know things didn't end well between us. But I wanted to offer my condolences. Losing your mom... that's never easy."

"Thanks." Just then, your cell phone rang in your back pocket. You retrieved it, glanced at the caller ID, and then turned to Jake. "I have to take this. Excuse me." You headed towards the entrance of the barn, ensuring Jake couldn't overhear your conversation. "Hey," you answered the phone.

"Hey, babe. How are you doing?" a male voice said.

"I'm doing good."

"How's your brother?"

"He's doing good too."

"It's quiet around here without you."

"I bet."

"When you coming home?"

"I don't know. It's the end of summer and we have to get the cattle in. The funeral is this weekend and I'm sure the reading of the Will, so maybe Wednesday? It all depends."

"Well, I just called to check on you."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Everyone gather round!" James yelled.

"Look, Sean. I have to go. I'll call you later."

"Okay. Love you."

"Yeah," you replied, ending the call. You walked back over to your horse while Jake observed you intently.

"Everything okay?" Jake asks, concerned.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

You rode in line behind the other cowboys as you made your way to where the cattle were located. Suddenly, Jake rode up alongside you.

"Y/N. Can we talk?"

You glanced at him. Realizing the boyish features you had once fallen for years ago had matured into the countenance of a man. Before you stood the person you had once loved with a profound intensity.

"What's on your mind?"

"I think we need to talk about that night."

You let out a sigh. "Jake, that was ten years ago."

"And not a day has passed where I haven't thought about it... about you."

You locked eyes with him, those familiar green orbs that had a way of melting your heart. They were filled with mischief and love, just like they used to be. Your heart ached.

"I'm sure you felt the same way," he added.

Of course you did. You were on your second engagement since Jake.

You nodded, feeling the weight of his words. "I did."

Jake continued, his gaze unwavering. "Y/N, I know we've both moved on, but I never got the chance to properly apologize. For everything."

Have you? You swallowed, the past suddenly rushing back. "Jake, we were both young... We both made mistakes."

"That doesn't mean I shouldn't have done things differently. I should have fought for you. I should have been there for you."

His words sent a shiver down your spine, a mix of emotions swirling within you. It was a lot to process.

"And if you did, you wouldn't be doing what you're doing now."

"Do you even know what I do?"

"Honestly, no. I mean, James mentioned you're some kind of pilot."

He smiled. "I'm a naval aviator in the Navy."

You thought about it a second. "Wait a minute, you're...?"

"I'm a fighter pilot. I've got two confirmed kills under my belt."

You looked at him, shocked. "Wow."

"What about you? What are you doing?"

"I do search and rescue in Alaska."

"You moved to Alaska?"

"I did."

"Wow. How you liking it?"

"I like it there. Quiet and rustic. I've learned a lot."

"I bet."

You noticed James waving to you. "James is trying to get my attention. It was good catching up with you," you said, before turning your horse and riding towards James.

You rode up to James. "What's up?"

"I see you and Jake are talking like old friends."

You glare at him. "Why didn't you tell me he stopped by yesterday?"

He looked at you. "I didn't think you would care."

You didn't answer.

"He's changed, Y/N."

"Yeah, well, so have I."

"I didn't say you didn't." There was a brief pause. "You can tell he still cares about you."

You looked at James, frustration and confusion swirling within you. "What are you trying to say, James?"

"I'm saying that maybe it's not too late for you two. People change, Y/N. And sometimes, second chances can be worth it."

You glanced back at Jake, who was sharing a laugh with one of the cowboys. He must have sensed your gaze because he turned in your direction, giving a nod and a warm smile. Your heart ached at the thought of revisiting old wounds, but a part of you couldn't help but wonder… maybe James was right.

Your group located the head of cattle that needed to be brought back to the ranch and skillfully herded them along. Every now and then, you noticed Jake stealing glances in your direction. The one time your eyes met, he offered a smile and a nod, acknowledging your presence. It made you feel like you did when you were dating years ago.

It was well into the evening by the time you returned to the ranch, and Jake rode up alongside you.

"Thanks for letting me tag along," he said.

You turned to him. "Why don't you stay for dinner? It's getting late, and I can drive you back after we eat. You can board your horse here."

"I wouldn't want to impose."

"You wouldn't be, and you never have before," you assured him. "Besides, when was the last time you had a dinner cooked by Griff?"

He grinned. "You make a good point."

You dismounted from your horse, Jake followed suit and the two of you walked towards the barn.

"It seems like you haven't forgotten how to ride, " Jake states.

"Nope. We use horses in Alaska."

"Oh, really?" he asks as the two of you walk into the barn with your horses.

"Yeah. Depending on the situation."

"Sounds like you like the job."

"I do," you affirmed. You secured your horse outside its stall, and Jake mirrored your actions with his own, placing his horse in a stall across from yours. It was a routine the two of you had performed many times in years past. "What about you?"

Jake smiled. "I love it. Being so high in the air and the G forces. It's great."

You unsaddled your horse and Jake did the same. Then the two of you started rubbing your horses down. When you got done, you placed your horses in their respective stalls, gave them some oats and feed, secured the stall door and you met Jake in the middle of the walkway.

Just then you heard some music.

"I'm going to clean up. I'll meet you by the barbeque."

Jake smiled. "Sounds good."

[fckinwild-kiwi]

Dec. 1st: Introducing Christmas Traditions

Hello, my beautiful friends! It's been a while since I've posted and to help combat some of my writer's block...I am going to *try* and participate in @comp-lady's December Writing Challenge!

Day #1: Blanket Fort/Cooking Together

Warnings: Swearing (I think that is it, if there's something else, please let me know and I'll change it!) Word Count: 1.8k+ Words Pairing: Eddie x AFAB!Reader

"Do we really need to buy all of these random snacks for our movie night?" Eddie asked as he looked at the cart filling up before his eyes.

"Yes, I promise you these snacks are vital to the night going well."

"Princess," Eddie mumbled, looking at the girl whom he has been pining after for the last three years. "We don't need to spend all of this money to have a good time. We could order a pizza and split a six-pack like we normally do and I'd still have the best night of my life."

"You don't understand," Y/n said, finally meeting Eddie's eyes. "This is essential. Please just let me do this."

"Okay," Eddie reluctantly agreed. He could see her eyes pleading for him to just let it go. For the next half hour, Y/n and Eddie walked around the store filling the cart before hitting the checkout.

Once Y/n and Eddie made it back to the trailer, Y/n got to work unloading the groceries. "Eddie," She yelled from the kitchen.

"What is it, sweets?"

"I need to ask one more favor from you," Y/n mumbled, looking up at Eddie with what she hoped were puppy-dog eyes.

"Oh no," Eddie joked before looking at Y/n.

"It's nothing crazy, Eds! I just need you to run to Family Video, I forgot to grab the movie but it's already put on hold under my name. Steve or Robin can grab it for you, I'm pretty sure I paid for it too!"

"Why are we not just watching what we already have here?"

"We are not going to sit around and watch those slasher films for the 100th time. This is important, please?"

"Okay," Eddie sighed, before stepping forward to wrap his arms around her and mumbling into her hair. "Yeah, I'll go to Family Video, are you coming with me?"

"No, I have to do a few more things around here to get ready," She responded ominously before pushing Eddie out the door, his shoes in his hands.

As soon as Eddie was out of the trailer, Y/n got to work pre-heating the oven and opening the premade cookie dough to place on a cookie sheet. If there was one thing she noticed after being friends with Eddie for the last three years and longing for more than friendship for the last two, Eddie deserved to be showered with love. He deserved to be showered with love and kindness, especially during the coming holidays, in a way that Wayne could not provide him with. Y/n loved Wayne. He was always so kind and welcoming to her every time she was over but there was no denying that he could not give Eddie everything (even though he tried). Y/n wanted to help change that.

The week before, Y/n had hidden some Christmas lights and three Christmas mugs (that she was going to gift to her favorite Munson men) in a box behind the trailer. As soon as the cookies went into the oven, Y/n grabbed the lights and got to work. The worn couch that Wayne often slept on became the inspiration behind Y/n's plan. She grabbed the kitchen chairs, bringing them into the living room, and then grabbed two king-sized blankets from the linen closet in the hallway. After draping the blankets across the chairs and up to the couch while sitting on the floor. The lights illuminated the blanket shelter but opened up at the front so they could see they would be able to see the TV. It was a perfect oasis. Once Y/n was content with the fort, she moved on to the last part of her plan. Hot Cocoa. Once the pot was placed on the stovetop, Y/n grabbed the heavy cream and chocolate bar and started to slowly melt the two together. As the cocoa started to come to a boil, she heard the undeniable sound of Eddie’s van pulling up into the drive.

“Babe, why did you reserve Miracle on 34th Street it’s barely even the Christmas--“

“Surprise,” Y/n whispered as she watched Eddie’s eyes widen in surprise.

"What is all of this?"

“It most definitely is the Christmas season and I wanted to start the festivities with you,” Y/n said before smiling. “Wait, there’s one more thing!”

She rushed into the kitchen, taking the cookies out of the oven and grabbing the mugs for cocoa. “If I’m overstepping, please let me know,” She whispered, unsure of what to do with Eddie’s silence.

“What? No, Y/n. What? This is incredible. You made hot cocoa too? Cookies!?” He could not believe it.

“I figured since it’s December 1st, there is no better time to introduce you to my favorite holiday tradition than now. We skipped most of our movie nights last December and I respected that but I don’t want to do that again this year. If you and Wayne will have me, I want to make this your most Christmassy Christmas yet!”

“I would love that,” Eddie said as he smiled at the girl across the room from him. “Can I try some of that cocoa with those cookies now?”

"Of course you can!"

After settling in with a few cookies and their mugs of cocoa, Y/n led Eddie into the living room to show him the fort. “Get settled in there and I’ll put the movie in,” She said, smiling up at the curly-headed boy. Her excitement coming off in waves.

As they settled under the fort and opening credits began to play, Eddie pulled Y/n into his arms. “Thank you for this,” He mumbled into her hair.

“Of course Eddie,” Y/n responded, squeezing him tight. “You deserve all the good things.” “No, Y/n. I mean it. Thank you,” He said as he pulled away to look at her. “No one has ever cared about me this much or done anything this thoughtful for me. You’re my favorite person in the world.” “Eds, I mean it. You deserve all the great things this world has to offer. I’m sorry you’ve been dealt such a shitty hand but this,” She said, releasing her hands from around his waist to gesture to the twinkly lights surrounding them. “Is small in comparison to what you deserve.”

Eddie looked around, his eyes becoming watery at the gesture. “You’d do almost anything for the people you love, huh?” “No, but I would do almost anything for you.” “Baby,” Eddie whispered, turning to look at the girl beside him. He could not believe what he was hearing. “Are you saying-“ “I love--“ “No, you don’t get to say it to me first,” Eddie said, putting his finger to her lips. “I’ve loved you since your first day at school. I was willing to accept whatever you wanted to give me because our friendship is the most important thing to me. But I can’t settle for just friends anymore. Not when you make it so easy to love you with your giant ass heart and your life-changing hot cocoa.”

Y/n giggled, tears forming in her eyes. “Eddie, I’ve loved you forever too. God, knows I have. I’m pretty sure Wayne and Nancy have a bet going over which one of us was going to cave first.” “I hope it was Wayne,” Eddie mumbled. “It was definitely Nancy, Wayne thought you’d chicken out,” Y/n laughed as she hugged Eddie again. “Look at me, pretty girl,” Eddie whispered, releasing his hold on her. “What?” Y/n questioned as she looked at the brown-eyed boy before her. “I need to kiss you, okay?” Eddie said, his hands coming up to hold her cheeks. “I think I need to kiss you more than I need to breathe.”

“Well I’d hate to see you go,” Y/n giggled, her hands wrapping around his wrists. “Kiss me then, Munson.” Eddie wasted no time in bringing his mouth to hers. Y/n could sense the urgency in the kiss, it felt as though every wasted moment up until this point, was trying to erupt between the pair. Y/n groaned as Eddie’s tongue swiped across her bottom lip, asking for access. Y/n reached up, grabbing Eddie’s curls to tug him closer to her as their tongues began to explore each other. Too engrossed in learning each other, they did not hear Wayne walk in. As he slammed the door behind him, Eddie and Y/n broke apart, before looking up at Wayne sheepishly from underneath the fort. “Well it’s about damn time,” Wayne grumbled. “Sweetheart, who said it first?”

“Uh, Eddie cut me off so he could say it first,” Y/n said, her cheeks turning pink. “Damn it, I guess I owe Nancy $10.” “I can’t believe you bet against me, old man!” “I can, my love,” Y/n said, before kissing Eddie’s cheek. “Wayne, can I heat you up some cocoa? I brought a mug special for you!” “Now what kind of man would I be to say no to that?” Wayne asked. Y/n got up before winking at a blushing Eddie. “Would you like to watch Miracle on 34th Street with us too? We just started the movie, I don’t think you’ve missed much?” “That’s okay sweetheart. I appreciate the offer but I’ll probably leave you lovebirds to it. I’m going to get a drink or two with some guys at work. Can you make sure the couch is ready for me when I get back?”

“Absolutely,” Eddie said, finally speaking up. “I’ll take this with me for the road,” Wayne said, grabbing his new Christmas mug and pressing a kiss to Y/n’s head. “I love the mug, I can’t wait to add it to the collection.” “I’m glad you like it. We will make sure the living room is cleaned up by the time you get back,” Y/n assured Wayne before he nodded and left the trailer. “Finally he’s gone,” Eddie grumbled, pulling Y/n down on top of him. “Does this mean you’re finally my girl?” “I don’t know, are you asking me to be your girlfriend right now, Eddie?” “Yeah, will you be my girlfriend, Y/n?” “I’d love nothing more,” Y/n mumbled before leaning forward to press her lips against Eddie’s. Before she could let Eddie take it any further, she jumped up. “You’re on clean-up duty! I’ll be waiting for you in your room whenever you’re done. I love you, Eds!” Shaking his head, he couldn’t help but look up at the girl who made a pillow fort for him. “I bet I can finish this in less than two minutes!” “Hah, that’s what she said!” Y/n yelled from the bedroom before laughing maniacally. “Keep talking your shit, baby,” Eddie grumbled, running around the living room of the trailer.

A/N: I know it's been a minute since I've written anything so I welcome any positive advice or critique! Any negative or hateful responses will be blocked because I do not have to put up with hateful or mean people. <3