#and the thing is. even if Joe cheated I'm like... like... I really think there is some Shit going on that like…

[idontwanttospoiltheparty]

not to parasocial on main but I Am Worried About Her!

[rallamajoop]

The Complete Guide to Eye Colour In Resident Evil 7

An addendum to my guide to eye colour in RE8: here's everyone from RE7 too! Getting close-ups of these was way harder than for RE8, because RE7 does not come with a model viewer, so I'm stuck using in-game screenshots and promotional images.

Once again, we'll start with the cheat-sheet version:

The whole Baker family: Blue (except when...) Mia: Brown (FOR NOW) Eveline: Green Alan: Hazel/green Deputy OneSceneWonder: Brown Chris: Hazel/brown (FOR NOW) Clancy, Andre and Peter: Brown Ethan: Still hazel

But it can never just be that simple, can it? So, further notes below.

The Baker Family

The Baker family all have blue-grey eyes. In fact, post-infection, they all have the exact same blue eyes (see top line in comparisons below). You could maybe put this down to genetics for Zoe and Lucas, but when Jack and Marguerite have the same eyes as each other too, that's when you start wondering just how many backwater-hillbilly-stereotypes are in play here.

Mind you, they do have slightly different eyes in the pre-mould flashback that is the Daughters DLC, which you can see in the second row above. All are brighter blues, pre-infection, and Jack gets smaller pupils while Lucas gets a slightly larger iris (Zoe gets nothing, as she's the viewpoint PC and we're not redoing her face if you're not going to see it). So maybe we can hope there's some genetic diversity in the Baker-clan (renders of their eyes in their actual faces also look a little more distinct, but maybe that's a lighting thing). Either way, the Bakers = blue eyes! Got it!

And then we meet Uncle Joe in the other DLC who... has hazel eyes?

IDEK, maybe Uncle Joe's real dad was a different mailman.

Once we get deeper into mould-monster territory though, things do get a little more interesting.

Both Marguerite and Lucas appear with much creepier whitened eyes later in the game ‒ Marguerite's during her boss-fight transformation. Lucas, however, remains steadfastly human-shaped throughout the main campaign, but his eyes are whitened in his video message to Ethan, and in his (pre-monstrous transformation) DLC appearances too. Jack, by contrast, doesn't seem to get new eye textures even after blowing off the top of his own head, or in the boss fight that follows (monster!Jack from the fight in the boat house has completely different eyes, of course, and more of them). Mia, too, has her own set of creepy-alternate-mould-monster-eyes, but they're completely different again.

So what's the internal logic here? I could speculate that Lucas' eyes-only transformation is a sign he's in control of himself in a way Jack and Marguerite aren't, but it doesn't quite add up. If anything, those eyes make more sense as something Lucas was given because we never see him transform like Marguerite, or blow pieces of himself away like Jack: Lucas may look human, but the eyes are there to remind us he's not. There'll always be some details that end up being more about effective storytelling than cohesive lore.

Interestingly, though they don't appear in the game, there are also promotional pics of all four members of the Baker family with glowing white/silver eyes, which are definitely a supernatural feature. It's tempting to try and associate the effect with Rose's glowing eyes from the Shadows of Rose DLC, or perhaps even the general pale-grey-eyes of Miranda and the Lords (more on both in my post on eyes in RE8). But that's territory that really needs its own post or we'll be here all day.

Clancy, Andre and Peter

These are the three ill-fated crew of the Sewer Gators tape you'll encounter early in the game. You may notice Peter (rightmost in the pic above) seems to have even more dilated pupils than the majority of the cast. Amusing as it might be to theorise that he's just on drugs or something, I think there is an explanation: the closest shot we see of his face (and the first shot of the tape) is a close-up into a camera while the team is outside in the dark. His pupils would naturally be dilated in this sort of environment.

So why aren't Andre's dilated too? Well, the closest look we get at his eyes (also pictured) are the final shot of the tape, where he's already dead, and his eyes are covered by a red film. Medical plausibility aside, dilated pupils presumably didn't add to the effect here, so Andre gets regular pupils.

Speaking of assets, there is actually one photo of the three of them in the game, from the pamphlet you can find in their van at the start. You can even almost make out Clancy's face!

Clancy's own eyes are their whole own kettle of worms, but we'll get to that below.

Chris Redfield

Is an odd one: I can't share an eye-texture asset for Chris, because he doesn't actually have a character model at all in the main RE7 title. And explaining that one is gonna take some context.

While RE8 renders nearly all cutscenes using in-game models, RE7 stores far more of its major cutscenes pre-rendered in .wmv format. The opening is pre-rendered, video messages from Mia and Lucas are pre-rendered ‒ even the big moment when Eveline blows out the windows of the tanker and throws Mia into the river is pre-rendered. Not all cutscenes work this way, but basically anything that would require loading a lot of assets that aren't needed in gameplay (eg. the view of the river and tanker for outside) seems to have been pre-rendered as a video instead.

And since Chris' only scene in all of RE7 is in the pre-rendered ending sequence, he doesn't have a model at all (or at least, I couldn't find it). We do see Chris in openings and endings of the Not a Hero DLC as well, and the End of Zoe ‒ but these too are just .wmv files, presumably for all the same reasons.

Now, obviously, Chris is also playable in the DLC, so he does have a character model there. But we still don't get eye textures for him for a couple of reasons: firstly, he wears a face-concealing mask that only comes off for opening/ending cutscenes. But even without it, we might just hit other weirdness surrounding player character models...

As I've already noted, both Chris and Mia get completely different new blue eyes in RE8, but back in RE7, Capcom seemed a little more aware that brown or hazel eyes were a real thing regular white people do have sometimes.

A note on player-character models

Although we mostly just see the hands of whoever we're playing as (usually Ethan), gameplay still uses a full-body model, presumably to aid in rendering dynamic shadows, and give enemies something to cover in blood. Things get weird around the character's head, which isn't actually visible so it can't get in the way of the camera floating inside it, but will still cast shadows and still has textures associated with it (though usually in much lower resolution than other models we'll actually get to see). There are three playable characters in RE7 proper: Ethan, Mia, and Clancy (from the video tapes) ‒ each with their own model and textures.

Ethan and Mia also have more detailed 3rd person models, since we see plenty of Mia playing as Ethan, and a little of Ethan playing as Mia (if only from behind).

Why does this matter? Well, distinct as the three PCs are otherwise, their player models all have the same eyes ‒ top row above shows Ethan, Mia and Clancy, in that order. And they look nothing like Ethan's and Mia's eyes have ever looked elsewhere, which you can see in the comparison below.

I mention this mostly because it's pretty easy to find Ethan's player-model in the game files, note those generic-hazel eye textures with it, and go, "hey, you got his eyes wrong!" But these aren't the same eyes that come with his higher-res texture, or the ones that were copied over into RE8. In fact, the existence of the player-character-default-eye-texture back in RE7 is one of the reasons why I do tend to take full-res Ethan's eyes as 'canon', even though we never see them in either game: someone took the time to repaint Ethan's eyes for his full-res model, and make them distinct from the low-res default used for everyone in 1st person mode. That at least suggests there was some real, intentional effort put into deciding what colour eyes Ethan was supposed to have.

This does leave poor Clancy in more ambiguous territory, however: as he's never seen by any other character, he has no high-res model, and thus no eyes but the default-hazel that Mia and Ethan are rendered with in that mode too. So is this to be taken as Clancy's official eye colour? It may as well be, I suppose. We see so little of Clancy in any form that I was genuinely surprised to find out his he's actually got a player model which is completely distinct from anyone else in the game, with curly greying hair, a neckbeard, and a baseball cap worn backwards.

Render by nightsatkendalls over on deviantart.

I do not have the skills to produce a render of this quality myself, but I can tell you that the cap he's wearing has the logo for the RE Engine on the front (the in-house game engine behind all the modern RE titles, and many other Capcom games).

You'll never see it in game, of course ‒ you'd need both a freecam mod and a mod to make his head visible. But it's there as a weird little easter-egg nonetheless.

Eveline

Eveline is perhaps the only character whose model may not have been updated at all for RE8, but given she's only a hallucination or ghost, that stands to reason. In RE7 though, she also appears as her aged 'grandma' self, who pops up around the house in her wheelchair looking spacey. Grandma-Eveline has two different eye texture assets ‒ one far more washed out than the other. There's next to no good official pictures of her, but fortunately, since she doesn't move around or attack you, she was one of the very few characters I was able to get a decent close-up shot off with the free camera mod. And inasmuch as you're ever in a position to look her in the eye in game, only the faded version of her eyes ever seems to show up. Is the clearer version actually used somewhere I didn't catch? I have no idea.

What really stands out about granny-Eveline's eyes, though, is that they don't look anything like her child-self's eyes do. Child-Eveline is basically the only character in either game with distinctly green eyes. But Granny's are hazel, and not even a particularly similar shade of hazel.

In fact, they look far more like the generic-default hazel of the player character textures than they do like her younger self. Close-up comparisons below.

You could speculate that it was deliberate that Granny-Eveline's eyes don't look anything like kid-Eveline's eyes to avoid tipping off the player that they're one and the same ‒ but realistically, no-one without free camera mods is ever going to get a good enough look at either of them to notice. And it's kind of a shame they didn't just take young-Eveline's eyes and apply the same kind of distortions they seem to have applied to the generic-hazel template to age them up ‒ that would've been a lovely, creepy little detail to find in these textures. But no, generic old hazel it is.

Then again, whatever the real logic at play, the fact Granny-Eveline's eyes are effectively a faded, distorted version of the very same eyes the player themselves never does get to see in the mirror is a pretty creepy idea itself. And intentional or not, that's what I've got to leave you with.

[tomsvouge]

Bad Idea Right?

Pairings: Ex!Joe burrow x Ex!Reader Warnings:Alcohol use, situationship, mentions of sex Summary- What happens when y/n gets a text message from someone in her past that her friends are not fond of? Her friends tell her not to go but it can’t be a bad idea…. right?

Who would have thought I would end the night with him, In his bed cuddled with him like we are together. Should I regret it? Probably. Do I regret it? Hell no! Have you seen this man he is literally a walking hercules and who am I to block an opportunity that I was given. Anyways, you may be asking, "y/n what the heck are you even talking about?". Well let's go back to earlier in the day where everything started.

My friends and I were talking about throwing a party and I couldn't be more excited. I needed something to get my mind off of him. Me and Joe are kinda rocky when it comes to a relationship. We broke up about two months ago. Usually when two people break up they dont talk to each other, buttttt me and Joe have been sneaking around for the past two weeks. No one knows about this, not my friends, not his friends just sneaking around like two teenagers. 

As we all sit on my couch we start talking about party details, y’know the time, who to invite the food, all that good boring stuff when out of nowhere melody says this.

“Well since we're talking about personal invites I don't think you should invite Joe y/n”- Melody 

“Why would I invite Joe? We're done. Over” I said lying through my teeth knowing that we were still hooking up.

“I'm just saying you seem to be tense each time you see him. Like that one time we were watching tv and his Bose ad came on. You looked like you saw a ghost.” She says laughing.

“I was Just shocked at his dance moves, I thought I taught him better when we took that dance class.” and that was true we did take a dance class but let's just say, Joeys not dancing for a while.

“I wasn't the worst i've seen but also not the best”- Kaylee says while  writing something down.

OK! Can we stop talking about my ex, kinda getting weird. 

“Ok but just know Joe Burrow is not allowed through these doors.” Melody says in a serious tone.

“Got it Not allowed through the doors.” I say looking at her. 

“I'll just let him in the backyard” I say in my head.

Getting ready for the party I put on my outfit and did my makeup. As I'm putting on my mascara I get a facetime. I look at the screen and immediately knew it was joe as his contact name is “LOSER NOT WORTH MENTIONING🩷” showed up. Reluctantly I picked up the phone.

“What?” I say in a aggravated tone 

“Well hello to you too” Joe says, rolling his eyes on the other side of the phone.

 “What are you doing?” he says, trying to change the vibe of the call.

Getting ready-i say in a sassy tone.

“For?”- Joe

“My party”-y/n

“And i didnt get an invite?” joe says with that cocky smile on his face 

“Didn't think you needed one considering we were not really together”- I say side eyeing him so hard you could feel it.

“Just because we're not together doesn't mean we cant be friends”- joe 

“If this is what you call just friends I would love to see what you do with people you hate.” i say laughing

“You know what i mean” - Joe

“Friends dont have sex nearly every night and talk to each other the way we do.”- y/n

“Well friends also don't hide things from each other” Joe says, placing the phone down so I could see him.

“I didn't invite you because you are not allowed to come, you are not exactly on my friend's good side right now.”- y/n

 My friend did not like Joeto much after the shit they had heard about him from endless phone calls to late night gossip sessions at the house. He didn't hurt me like cheat or anything. He is actually a nice guy but anyone who plays mind games and gaslights is a no no in my friend's book.

“Nothing new, I wasn't on their good side when we were together.”- Joe

“But since I can't come to you, how about you come to me?”- Joe 

“And why would I do that?” I genuinely asked because who was he to think I would leave my own party for him.

Because we can't get enough of each other no matter how hard we try we both know that we will all go back.

And Joe was right, no matter how hard I tried to move on, no one seemed to understand me like Joe does. He knows everything about me. He accepts me for who I am and vice versa. Still sad we didn't work out due to commitment and trust issues. I think when the time's right Joe and I will be perfect for eachother.

“Well I'll think about it.”- I say 

“Good, let me know when you decide.” - Joe

I was having the time of my life. My friends made sure I didn't even think about joe. So much that I forgot to even remind him if I was coming or not. 

In the middle of taking group shots I feel a vibrate coming from my hip.

LOSER NOT WORTH MENTIONING🩷- u still coming??

“Don't do it.”-Kaylee says, looking over my shoulder.

“Who said I was?”

“You didn't say that but the look on your face said otherwise.”

“Okay but would you pass up a chance to just go back to your ex for one night.” 

“One night more like two weeks but she didn't need to know that right now.”

“No I wouldn't, he cheated and I'll be damned if I go back to him just to disrespect myself again.”

“Well I won't if i will make you happy.”

“Good”

Okay sooo im going to his house. You guys may say I have little respect for myself but all the respect leaves my body when I see that man. You get in a room alone with Joe Burrow and see how long you last without being all over him. Plus, can't be that bad of an idea right?

With my luck the rain decided to pour harder and completely drench me. Rushing to my car I hopped in and started it. I quickly texted Joe back telling him I was on my way. Thankfully The drive from my house to joes is not that far at all. Getting out of the car rushing to get to the front door as the rain came down on me. When I kid you not to say this man is a QB he is not quick on his feet off the field. I literally took him forever to open the door. 

Walking in the house I'm immediately tackled into hugs and kisses . After a while pushing wavy from him I decided I needed to put my clothes somewhere because wet clothes just don't feel comfortable. 

Eventually me and Joe decided to chill on the couch and talk for a while. And lets just say after the talk and cuddles the door was locked to that bedroom and that's how we got to this morning 

I woke up to like a million texts from my friends asking me why I disappeared in the middle of the party and I just told them all that I didn't feel well and went up early to sleep. Looking over left I see Joe sleeping with his arms wrapped around me. Part of me felt bad for lying to my friends about going to sleep early but technically i did lie i said I was sleep I just didn't say where.

hey guys! I'm gonna try to start putting out more fics . I chose to do this as a fun hobby and I just don't want it to feel and chore or job but if you want to request fics you are welcome to do so 🩷

[poomphuripan]

what do you think of the comments on mdl of my stand in calling ming a cheater?

hi nonnie []~(￣▽￣)~* that's actually something i've been thinking to write about because i saw those remarks as well but it is such a controversial thing to discuss. if you don't mind, this discussion post will be filled with mild spoilers of the novel.

!!!!!! novel spoilers warning !!!!!!

alright so first of all, @ineffable-opinions wrote an excellent post about the danmei tropes in my stand-in (which i highly recommend everyone to read). this is a great post as they discussed the white moonlight trope presented in my stand-in.

i don't consider ming, a cheater because as i see it, tong was simply ming's white moonlight. ming never established a physical nor emotional connection with tong, throughout his time knowing joe. tong was always an idealised fantasy, he's mistaken it for it to be love. in other words, i see it as ming looking up tong like a delulu fanboy with an idol crush than him actually having any substantive feelings for tong ever. i mean if you had a partner that looked like a kpop idol, and sex with your partner makes you feel like you're achieving your sexual fantasy, are you cheating on your partner? maybe? maybe not? probably controversial and debatable question but for me, i don't consider it 'cheating'. i do think ming took for granted joe's genuine feelings and did not fully appreciate joe's affection (ming you ungrateful bish, repent).

during their time together playing pseudo 'not boyfriends', ming showed that he could be an okay partner. whether it's caring about joe's day at work, how hard joe's job as a stuntman, accepting joe's invitation to accompany him to his wrapped filming party.

i mean it's really bare minimum but that's already quite a lot coming from the dude who's afraid as hell once joe started mentioning the 'faen' word, triggering his self-defense mechanism, depreciating himself trying to claim that joe wouldn't be able to stand him.

i think one of the most obvious example of how afraid ming was to lose this relationship, was him using the word 'faen' in the last breakup fight with joe. this line was very ironic of him to say, because i'm sure even ming knows this line applies more to himself (how in this life, ming won't be able to find a better boyfriend than joe).

i absolutely love ming's emotion progression in ep 4 because it encapsulates perfectly his 21 year old spoiled brat attitude. he was confused when broken up over the phone, then mad and started throwing tantrum trying to get joe to coax him (like joe always does), until he realized it wouldn't work this time and he started frantically begging for joe to stay so they could go back to playing house and being happy.

personally, i don't consider it cheating because by around ep3/4, you can already started seeing ming settling down with the option that makes him "happy". some may even argued that by this point, he has 'recognized' his feelings (not me though, i think he just wanted his simple happiness/domestic bliss back, i still think it's during the period he lost joe 1.0 that he learned what love truly is).

now the most important question of all: is ming cheating on joe 1.0 with joe 2.0 or vice versa?

to quote chapter 63 of Professional Body Double (My Stand-In novel), i think the author puts it best how ming views joe 2.0.

He has fallen to the point of looking for the shadow of that person in a substitute. This is his punishment. When he thought that he was using [Joe] as [Tong]’s substitute, he was not aware of the actual person who had entered his heart. He had failed miserably with this method but still could not help himself from wanting to try. There are no other reasons. Just that he was in too much pain. He can’t endure anymore. He was adamant that [Joe] is not dead but no one could confirm it. That little doubtful voice in his heart is getting louder and louder, but is roughly suppressed by him time and time again. To continually be persistent with this thought, he needed a lot of willpower. He knew better than anyone else. Even if this [Joe] could bring him a little comfort, he wanted to be close to him, just like a long frozen person wanting to be close to a matchstick. This can’t save him… but he couldn’t stop himself from taking that little warmth.

i LOVE this metaphor and this little inner thought of ming we got because we can see how he's very much aware that he's falling right back into the bad habit that got him into trouble in the first place but... he's a fucking fool... who resorts to spiritual shamans for hope...

but also the familiarity he got from joe 2.0 is way too strong to joe 1.0. so for me, i'm seeing it as ming is using joe 2.0 as a means for comfort and relief as well as keeping him close to observe the similarities between him and joe 1.0, rather than viewing joe 2.0 as a replacement for joe 1.0 (because keep in mind, at this point he doesn't know they're the same person yet).

so !!!!!!!!! BIG WARNING of spoilers from the novel !!!!!!!!! if joe had considered joe 2.0 to be a direct replacement of joe 1.0, i don't think he would have had this conversation with joe 2.0 about joe 1.0.

Ming spoke right at this time. His voice sounded very faint and very soft, “Joe, are you hiding something from me?” Joe didn’t know what Ming meant by this. He asked cautiously, “I don’t understand what Khun Ming means.” Ming, “The feelings you give me is too familiar. It’s as if I’ve known you and have lived with you before. Why is this?” Joe forced himself to responded, “Maybe this is fate.” If it wasn’t because they are fated, they would not be in the predicament of today…with a relationship that is so unclear in both past and current lifetimes. “Joe. Tell me….If a person had been missing for more than two years, do you think he may still be alive?” Joe’s tensed up and smiled, “Most likely impossible. If still alive, he would have come back already.” “Why can’t he be alive? It could be that he didn’t come back because he doesn’t want to come back.” Joe is silent for a moment, “Khun Ming, are you talking about the other Joe?” Joe clearly felt Ming’s body stiffened. Then Ming asked, “How much do you know about him?” “I don’t know anything at all. I just heard from what others have said.” Ming quietly asked, “Then do you know what relationship I have with him?” Joe’s heart tightened, What relationship? You say, what relationship? He clenched his teeth in the dark, “I don’t know.” Ming’s voice is like the rising of the quiet abyss, cold and empty, “I feel that he’s not dead. He just doesn’t want to come back.” Joe heard his own voice dissociated from his thoughts and automatically asked, “Why won’t he want to come back?” Ming didn’t respond to his question, instead he tightened his arms around Joe.

i like that in the 2.0 timeline, we got ming learning but also not learning his dumbass mistakes at all. ming learned that he should be upfront about his feelings and be straightforward with his sexual partner, but at the same time he's still impatient, hot tempered and say hurtful things easily.

so i think through and through the second half of the series, you'll see his fidelity to joe (the soul) only. while perhaps it was the shadow of a back that mesmerized ming in the first place, but it's the kindhearted soul of joe that ming truly fell in love with, the person that showed him what love means, the only period in his life where he felt happiness.

© gif courtesy of the talented @alienwlw

you can also check out @befuddledcinnamonroll and @ineffable-opinions discussion on matters of transmigration, attachment of the soul with the body in their excellent posts, here and here. to sum it up, i think up kinda succintly puts it here in this interview.

of course, this is not to excuse dating/fucking anyone who resembles your missing ex but then treating them like they're your object ;_; like i'm just saying i don't think what ming is doing with joe 2.0 can be categorized as cheating (for me). it's something scummy, foolish, dumb, really stupid but... not cheating ┗( T﹏T )┛.

also if you notice, ming doesn't sleep around. surely he could have slept with dozen of nice looking man with similar physique to joe 1.0 to "keep the warmth" if he was that type of dude... but he doesn't... so for me, i see this proposal he has for joe 2.0 is not simply because of a physical attraction/similarity to joe, but it's the vibe/the aura/the ✨energy✨ that joe 2.0 radiates that is too similar to joe 1.0, drawing ming to him again.

tldr: ming is a lot of things but for me, i would never characterize him as a cheater. ming is a scummy, spoiled, arrogant, entitled, hot tempered hi-so brat but also a foolish little crying bag with zero wife-chasing skills. his only tactic is begging and getting his waterworks flowing.

ps: i'm not sure if this ask actually answers your question at all but hopefully some of my thoughts made sense ಥ_ಥ

[vanwritesfan-fiction]

If You Let Me, Part Three

Warnings: language, verbal arguments, references to cheating, angst, brief mention of parental death

A/N: The final part of this mini series. Thanks so much for the love on my work for Joe, makes me excited for future fics!

To say that you and your mother never saw eye to eye would be an understatement. She was a bulldozer in a deceptively small and unassuming package, standing just over five feet tall, but make no mistake, she would blow right through anything to get what she wanted. Growing up, you hated her for it. She always thought she knew best, making you wear skirts because she thought it made you look more feminine, when you just wanted to wear jeans, signing you up for ballet classes when you wanted to play soccer.

It was no secret that Chris was her favorite child, she coddled him, in her eyes he could do no wrong, and for the most part it didn't bother you because you were your father's twin. You were two peas in a pod, a mutual love for reading and old westerns, and after he passed, it was as if she resented you, a constant reminder of the person she'd lost. For the rest of your teen years, there wasn't a time where the two of you didn't butt heads about something. You went to college and it was much of the same, but the distance made it easier, an into adulthood, she would still try to give her two cents, but for the most part, you could ignore her.

Even through all of the fighting and disagreements, you never thought she would do something like this. Inviting Brandon to the wedding, three years after the two of you had broken up, was not only a violation of your privacy, but proof that she had never changed at all.

Everyone in the house could hear you and your mom arguing in the library behind closed doors.

"Why the hell did you invite Brandon, mom?" You weren't sure if you wanted to scream or cry, and honestly neither sounded like they would provide you with any relief.

"Watch your language, Y/N", she crossed her arms over her chest, "and I stay in touch with his mother. She told me how regretful Brandon was about how things ended between you and how his life had turned for the worst. I thought maybe you could rekindle your love for each other. There was a time you were crazy about him."

"What is it with you and keeping in touch with the mothers of guys I've been with?" You took in a sharp breath as she narrowed her eyes at you. Your mom was very quick witted, she never missed anything. Its where Chris got his nosiness from. "Were you and Joe together?"

You avoided eye contact, beginning to pace the room. "Please don't change the subject. You crossed a line. I don't want to get back with Brandon."

"Oh, you don't know what you want." She waived you off. "You bounce between careers, cities, men. At least Brandon has a career, he comes from a good family. You need stability." You had never told your mother why your relationship had ended. You were scared of admitting to her that you had failed at yet another thing in your life. You wanted to scream it at her, make her feel bad for barging into your life and leaving a mess, but at this point, you weren't sure if it would make a difference. "I want out of the wedding. I'm leaving." You left the room before she could even get a word out and headed upstairs to pack your stuff.

In the kitchen, Chris and Joe had Brandon cornered. Your brother was really resisting the urge to break your ex's face with his fist, and each second that passed he was losing the fight. "Look Chris, I get it, I'm not your favorite person, but I think if I could talk to your sister and explain-", Brandon tried pushing past them but it was like hitting a brick wall. Chris was about Brandon's height but well built, and Joe towered over both of them.

"You're lucky I'm getting married tomorrow." Chris flexed his hand open and close. "Can't have a busted fist in my wedding photos." Brandon swallowed, knowing that Chris wasn't bluffing. Joe was silent, closely examining Brandon. He had no idea what you saw in him, but he already hated the guy for breaking your heart.

"I really just need to talk to Y/N", the guys begin to scuffle in the kitchen until your mom entered, clapping your hands. "Brandon! Lets get you set up in one of the free bedrooms. Y/N just needs some time to get herself together." Chris backed off to let Brandon pass and Joe took the opportunity while everyone was moving to go find you.

****

“Can I come in?” You turned to see Joe standing in the doorway of your room, softly knocking on the door. You let out a shaky breath, resisting the urge to cry in front of him. “Sure.” He sat at the foot of your bed, and when he tried to look at you, you purposely kept your head down, throwing your things haphazardly into your suitcase. “Where are you going?”, he asked, grabbing one of your sweaters out of your bag and bundling it in his fists.

“Home. My mom crossed a line inviting Brandon here, and I cant stay.” You were choking back sobs at this point, your face heating up from embarrassment. “Are you really not gonna go to your brother’s wedding?”

“I’ll be there, just sitting in the back like I originally planned.” You tried to grab your sweater back from him, but he was quick with his hands, pulling you down into his lap. “And what about us? Are you really going to leave again?” You felt his large hands around your waist pulling you closer. He didn’t want you to leave, and he’d hold you tighter if he had to. “Joe…”.

You were hesitant, but not for the reasons Joe thought. Brandon showing up was just another reminder of how messed up your life was, and you didn’t want to bring Joe into the fray. He deserved better than someone who couldn’t get their shit together. You pushed yourself off of your lap and got back to packing. "I'm sorry, I can't don't this right now. Can we talk about this some other time?"

"Last time you said that, we didn't talk for three years." He let out a curt laugh, but you could tell he wasn't joking. Silence hung heavy in the air between you two. You might have made up, but that didn't make what you did, hurt Joe any less. "Why are you still here?", you blurted out. "What?" Joe's brows furrowed with confusion. You let out strained breath before continuing. "I mean, why haven't you left like everyone else?" You quickly wiped away a stray tear from your cheek.

Joe balled up his fist tightly. Up until this point, he'd tried to be as understanding as possible to everything you had going on, but every time he reached out, you increased the distance between the two of you. "Why do you keep pushing me away?" You felt a lump build in your throat. Your silence was all of the confirmation Joe needed to continue. "I have done nothing but show you how much you mean to me, and you keep pushing, and pushing." The frustration in his voice was evident.

You didn't know what to say. He was right, you kept pushing him away, and there was only so much one person could take. "I'm-I'm scared that you're gonna leave."

"I'm not Brandon. I'm not gonna hurt you like he did." Joe scratched at the back of his neck.

You wanted to believe him, you really did. It would have made everything a lot easier, but history had taught you otherwise. "You don't know that. I don't know that. We can make all the promises in the world, but at the end of the day, we don't know what's gonna happen." The words were spilling out, and finally Joe knew the truth. It was ugly, but it was finally the truth.

"That night we kissed, it was one of the best nights of my life." Joe let out a sigh as his gaze dropped to the floor. "You have a twisted idea of best", you countered, sitting down next to him. Joe nodded in agreement. "I know. I never stopped thinking about you though, and I kept thinking that one day you'd come around. I know you were hurting that night. Its why I let you go, even though I didn't want to." He grabbed your hand, interlacing your fingers.

"But you can't keep blaming yourself for what other people have done. Carrying that weight is going to crush you." You let out a shaky breath as you listened to him speak. "I am not your father and I am not Brandon, and you can't punish me before I've even gotten the chance to love you." You could barely look at Joe as he rose his head. He gave your hand a gentle squeeze before getting up and leaving the room.

Once you were alone, you allowed yourself to fall apart.

****

You woke up an hour later, laid atop your pile of clothes, makeup stains on your pillow case. You must have fallen asleep from the exhaustion of crying. The house was quiet; the bridesmaids were already at the venue getting ready. Now was your chance to sneak out of the house before anyone else could see you. You gathered your bags and quietly headed downstairs. You almost made it to your car, until you came into contact with Brandon, who was sitting outside on the front step.

You didn't stop, pushing right past him as he stood up. "Wait, Y/N, we need to talk." Just the sound of his voice made your blood boil. "We have nothing to talk about." You loaded your bags into your trunk, slamming the door shut harder than you intended. "Listen, if you just let me explain."

"No!" Every step you took toward Brandon forced him back, making him stumble over his own feet. "Do you know what you've done to me? I can't trust any man, even ones who have done nothing but show me how much they care about me. So the only explaining I want from you is how you plan to get as fucking far away from me as possible."

Brandon threw up his hands in surrender. "Its been three years. Can't you get over it?" You let out a humorless laugh. You weren't sure what you were expecting, but at this point, an apology would have been too little, too late anyway. "Get out of my way." He had conveniently blocked your way to the drivers side of your car. "No, just listen-", he grabbed at your arm, pulling you into his body.

"We got a problem out here?" Your head snapped to the front door. Chris stood in the threshold, still in his pajamas, a cup of coffee in his hand. "No." You answered your brother as you glared at Brandon.

"You're gonna regret this." Brandon's tone was threatening, but you weren't the least bit scared. He paced up the walkway and brushed past Chris as he went back into the house. You gave Chris a thankful head nod and climbed into your car.

"You okay? I know I'm supposed to be in the house of the lord today, but I'll lay him out if you ask. God forgives." Chris rested his coffee on the roof of the car before leaning into the window. He gave you a wink, making you smile. "No, I'm fine. I just need to get out of here." Your knuckles turned white as you gripped the steering wheel.

"Will I see you at the wedding? I need my only sister there." He was tugging at your heart strings, and in the moment, you hated him for it. "Yes, I wouldn't miss it for the world." You gave him pleading eyes to let you drive away. "Okay, love you." Chris grabbed his cup and watched you drive away.

****

Joe paced the halls of the church. The ceremony was set to start in a couple of minutes, and he was hoping he'd catch you before it began. He tried calling you, but your phone was off, every try going straight to voicemail. He pulled at his bow tie, trying to take in a deep breath. He just needed to talk to you, apologize for what he said this morning. The hurt he'd been harboring for the last couple of years crept up when you rejected him again, but he realized now it had nothing to do with him, and he'd keep loving you until you were ready, however long that took. He wiped the sweat from his brow as he pulled open the bathroom door.

"Hey, its Mr. Football." Joe groaned as he spotted Brandon posted up against the far wall, his wobble evidence that he'd been drinking. "You know, I didn't recognize you at first", even taking one step was too much, and he had to grab onto the sink to steady himself, "but you were always at all of the parties." At first, Joe ignored Brandon completely, keeping an eye on him through the mirror as he washed his hands, dabbing a wet paper towel across his face.

"I was unhappy, you know." Brandon hung his head, still clinging to the porcelain. "That's why I cheated. I always felt second to her, she made me feel small." Joe couldn't help but laugh. "Whatever you need to tell yourself, man." He rolled his shoulders back.

"Its true. You know her, nothing is ever good enough for, Y/N. No matter what I did, she always wanted more." Brandon spit the words out like venom. "That bitch." Before he could even slow blink, Joe had grabbed him by the collar, easily shoving him against the wall. He got close enough to Brandon's face that he could smell the cheap liquor on his breath. "You're a sad excuse for a human being. You're lucky she even gave you a chance."

"What, do you want her? Good luck, she's a piece of work." Brandon slurred his words as he laughed.

****

You rushed to get to the hall, your heels clicking on the tile as you ran so you wouldn't be late to the ceremony. You were stopped in your tracks by a crashing sound as Brandon stumbled backward out of the bathroom, landing on his back, Joe moving to stand over him. He didn't even notice you as he tried to grab at Brandon again. "Joe, what are you doing?" Even at a whisper your voice echoed off the stone walls. His head turned toward you, his face softening. Even a drunk could tell there was something between you. "Are you two together?" Brandon stumbled to his feet. "Oh, this is rich! You get on me for cheating, but you've been with this guy?" He had no control over his volume.

"Its none of your business who I've been with, Brandon." You bit back, holding Joe back, who was still fuming.

"This is who you want, instead of me?" Brandon pushed at Joe's chest, barely moving him. Joe had height and size on him, but he was too inebriated to realize it. Joe's next shove sent Brandon into the wall, glass votives shattering on the ground.

"What the hell is going on?" Chris' voice echoed down the hall as he stopped just behind you. The sound had gotten everyone's attention, your brother and his other groomsmen running towards the commotion. "Did he touch you again?" Chris looked you over quickly. "He put his hands on you?" Joe gritted out, closing the distance between him and Brandon, who cowered away. "Joe don't!", you warned, and Joe listened, even though his instincts were telling him not too.

"What is everyone doing? We need to be in the hall for the ceremony. Chris, your bride is waiting." You held your breath at your mother's voice. "Brandon why are you on the ground?" Your mom asked as she took in the scene.

"What the fuck is wrong with this family? Everyone is crazy." Brandon lazily brushed off his suit jacket. "No wonder you are the way you are, Y/N." Chris had had enough. You flinched as you heard the sound of your brother's fist colliding with Brandon's face, and one punch was enough to knock him out. "Ow, fuck! I forgot how much that hurts." Chris shook out his hand, which was already starting to bruise at the knuckles.

"Chris!" You mother's shrill voice sent a shiver down your spine. Things were quickly getting out of hand. "I'm sorry mom, but I'd been waiting to do that all day." Chris sucked in his teeth as you took a look at his hand. "You think you can cheat on my sister and then insult my family and I won't deck you? You got another thing coming."

You didn't look at your mother, even though you could feel her gaze burning into the side of your face. "Y/N, is that true?"

"C'mon, lets get some ice on your hand." Joe guided Chris, his hand touching your lower back as he walked past you.

"What? Since when?" You were hit with questions as soon as you and your mom were left alone. You groaned, sitting down on a nearby bench. "I found out the week before Christmas break." You could tell she wasn't satisfied by your answer. "Three years ago. Listen mom, I'm not really in the mood to hear a lecture right now." You stood up, adjusting your dress, one from the back of your closet.

"Sit." Your back tensed, but you did as she said.

"I-I'm so sorry. I had no idea." She pulled you into a hug, which startled you. You allowed yourself to relax for the first time around her in a long time, tightening your hold around her shoulders. "I was so hard on you about the breakup, and a lot of things, and I shouldn't have been." She collected the tears underneath your eyes as she pulled back. "It's okay, mom."

"Its not. You were just doing your best, and I couldn't see that. Can you forgive me?" You grabbed her hand. "Of course mom, I love you."

"Are you and Joe okay?" Your averted eye contact made her laugh. "I know about you two. Chris told me." You had to remember to kill your brother later on after he was married. "I'm not sure", you finally admitted. "Well then, go find him and talk until you are sure. He's one of the good ones. Don't let him get away." You gave your mom another hug before you left to find Joe.

****

"Is Chris gonna be okay?" You approached Joe, who had found an isolated spot just outside of the hall. He smiled when he spotted you, the corners of his eyes creasing. "He'll live. Tiffany is pissed, but he's high on some pain meds right now. Should make for a helluva wedding."

"Listen-", the two of you chuckled as you spoke at the same time. "Can I go first?" Joe asked, bending his head down to look you in the eyes. You nodded, allowing him to continue. "I'm sorry, I never should have pushed you. You've been through a lot, and I was only thinking about how hurt I was, and that's not fair to you. I just want you to know, that I'm willing to wait until you're ready. No matter how long it takes. You're worth waiting for."

You felt butterflies in your stomach as Joe pulled you into his chest, his hands falling to your lower back. You rested your palms on his chest, feeling it rise and fall with each breath. "I'm sorry too. You were right; I was pushing you away. I didn't think I deserved someone like you. You're perfect. You're kind, you're way more understanding than I've ever deserved, and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that." You took a deep breath as you looked at Joe, taking in his face. His hands snaked around to the back of the head, pulling you into a gentle kiss.

You chased his mouth as he pulled back slightly. "You're perfect, baby", he whispered, "and fuck anyone who made you forget that." You closed the gap, crashing lips again into a much more passionate, deep kiss. Joe chuckled against your mouth. "Can you let me get the words out please? I've been practicing." You smiled, grabbing at his hand. "Yes, sorry."

"You were wrong this morning. You said that we couldn't make promises to each other, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I can promise, that I'll never hurt you as long as I live, if you let me." He stroked your cheek with his thumb as you leaned into his touch.

"I promise to let you." It felt like the easiest promise you'd made in your entire life. It just felt right, being there with Joe, and all you had to do was just let him love you. You felt every inch of your body tingle, desperate to feel his lips on yours again. "Are you done?", you asked in jest. "Yeah, yeah, I'm done." Joe smiled into the kiss, pulling you impossibly close.

Tag-List:

@wonderlandiswhereitsatyo

@bernelflo

@wickedfun9

@brrbrina

@zobellagio

@tallrock35

[supernaturalscribe67]

Unwarranted

Words: 4,983

POV: 3rd Person

Pairing: Team Free Will x Male!ExAngel!Reader [Platonic]

Warning(s): Mention of past sexual harassment, sexual harassment, angst, hurt/comfort

Summary: Humans are interesting and complex creatures, and ever since the reader lost his grace, he had to learn to become one. Luckily, he had his friends by his side to help him through his trials and tribulations. What happens when he's face-to-face with a human experience he never anticipated, and how will Team Free Will help him resolve his issue?

Request:

Hi! I hope you're having a good day/night. This request is very specific. I would write it myself, but im awful at it. I hope you don't mind, lol.

May you do (ex?)Angel!Male!reader x TFW (platonic obv). You can make it where Reader joined after the angels fell and was castiels past battle partner and was good friends with him, or something else if you'd like.

Reader lost his grace after a rogue angel took it from him. He has no idea how to be human and struggles a lot, even with the help of Dean, Sam, and Castiel. Anyways, to get to the point- Reader picked a pretty attractive vessel, so both men and women hit on him a lot when the group goes to diners or bars and most of the time Reader wanders off to explore since hes never really gone to earth before so the boys never notice, and he doesn't know how to react or what to do when they start to get touchy, only that he doesn't feel comfortable with it at all, but he thinks if he tells them to stop its a form of being rude, so he never says so. the person usually stops when they realize Reader isn't having the type of reaction they were looking for.

When Reader mentioned this to the boys randomly, they realized that Reader didn't know that it was bad that they were touching him and explained what it was, what to say, and do when that happens and comforts him when he finally cries as a human.

Anonymous

A/N: I am so sorry for going off the grid for a while! Honestly, keeping track of dates and time frames has not been my strong point, especially with everything going on with work. Luckily I'm almost done with another request as well and will have that up by this weekend! I hope this gives the request justice. As always, feedback is very much appreciated!

~ Much Love!

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Humans are interesting and complex creatures, each with their own thoughts, wants, needs, and interests. When (Y/N) first joined Castiel on Earth two years prior, he was amazed by the array of personalities and emotions. No two people are alike, but, due to the vast differences, many of them can be categorized under three distinct titles; good, neutral, and evil.

The good people are the ones who are selfless. They take the first step when it comes to helping others. They aren’t perfect but they are as close as anyone can be. Only a small amount of people fit into the category of ‘good’, most of which find themselves canonized into sainthood years after death. Many strive to be classified under such a prestige title, but few make the cut. However, just because someone isn’t worthy of the title, doesn’t make them a bad person automatically. 

Neutral individuals are what most would describe as your ‘average Joe’. It is the category in which most people lie. They are neither good nor bad. The choices they make in life come with a mix of positive and negative intentions. An example of a neutral person could be someone’s English teacher, who partakes in volunteer work after hours, or your boss, who had just been caught cheating on his wife with Jim from the mailroom. Just because people do bad things, doesn’t make them inherently evil. 

True evil is much darker. An individual who would put a demon to shame with their actions, thoughts, and desires. One with little regard for the well-being of others. Ones that hurt others purely for self-gratification. To gain an advantage. Those are the ones that end up in prison or a seat in Congress. They’re usually manipulative, have a silver tongue placed in their mouth at birth, and can easily coerce those who are weak and gullible. 

(Y/N) had met his fair share of individuals from all three categories throughout his time on Earth, supernatural entities excluded. At first, with his angelic powers, he was able to make an assumption of others based solely on their thoughts. Ever since the fall, however, his judgments on people had become rather askew. He was able to get the full experience of being human - not able to truly tell what one was thinking during various interactions - and he would be lying if he said he enjoyed it. Rather, the lack of understanding when it came to others caused him to develop a sense of paranoia. The last thing he wanted was for others to assume the worst of him. Even as an angel, he would treat the worst of the worst with as much kindness as he could muster.

Little did he know that the paranoia would lead to his downfall and a deep realization of how evil some people could be.

The first couple of weeks after his grace was stolen, (Y/N) was lost. He knew next to nothing about maintaining the necessary needs to keep his body alive. It was all tedious in his eyes. Why did humans need to eat, drink, and go to the bathroom so much throughout the day? Who possibly had the time to do so? Do they have to thread their needs into their schedules for work and school? On top of that, why did humans need to pay for food and water? Were they not necessities? Why would someone need to pay to survive? (Y/N) held a plethora of questions in his mind that still go unanswered. 

Thankfully, Castiel, Sam, and Dean were all there for him, guiding him through the processes necessary to provide for his new form. It took a while for him to get the hang of it - the most overwhelming thing was when he was introduced to a large variety of foods. All the new flavors and textures send his tongue into sensory overdrive. Dean was more than happy to realize, though, that the two of them were rather fond of the same flavor of pie. 

With the loss of his grace came the depletion of his strength. He was no longer invincible to man-made weaponry. Because of this, and since Sam and Dean’s jobs were so physically demanding, they spent weeks in training. Blades, firearms, and hand-to-hand all had their challenges, but (Y/N) was a quick learner, something the brothers respected him highly for. Within a month and a half, he was on the road with them, hopping from case to case. 

Saving people, hunting things, the family business. 

And true it was. The time he had spent with Castiel and the Winchesters was extensive, and there was never a dull moment. Away from the darkness and the monsters that crept in the night, Sam and Dean were playful jokesters. Childish, yet mature when they needed to be. It was noticeable that Castiel had also developed certain aspects of their personalities, as he was more lighthearted than when (Y/N) first met him. As time passed, (Y/N), too, started to display those characteristics. He felt like a member of the team. A real Winchester. For the first time since the fall, he felt at home. 

*~*

(Y/N) had been to a handful of bars since he turned human, before becoming an honorary member of the Winchester family, and there was one fact he could confidently state; he didn’t like them. 

Sure, he met some rather nice people while at said bars, mainly the middle-aged female bartenders who gave off a motherly aura, but with every kind individual he saw, he encountered twice as many assholes. Those were the ones that drunkenly called him slurs even though they knew nothing about him, the ones that shoved him out of the way when they wanted to get to the bar, or the ones that continuously pushed their limits on his personal boundaries.

Unfortunately, he had experienced the latter more than he would have liked.

He couldn’t quite describe how he felt when he had those interactions. When a bar patron would press themselves against his back or chest, touch his ass or thighs, or even leave kisses on his neck, shoulders, cheeks, and lips. It was decided, though, that he was extremely uncomfortable. Why would he possibly feel that way? He assumed that touches and kisses were how humans expressed affection towards one another. So, why didn’t he like it? He chalked it up to not being used to that form of affection or affection in general. Surely, he was bound to get comfortable with it eventually. 

After-hunt celebrations were common with the Winchesters. Either the day of or the night after, they would all gather at the nearest watering hole, grab a drink or two, and then head back to the motel. Sometimes, Sam or Dean would abandon the group to retreat with a romantic partner, but (Y/N) would always stick with Castiel and the remaining brother. He never had any interest in human relations. It was a new, complex situation outside of learning to be human. He was just getting used to that concept, and he had no desire to learn about other aspects of humanity yet. 

Classy Cline’s sat on the edge of a small town in Washington state. While its name suggested an upscale establishment, the place was, in all actuality, a shit hole. The booths and barstools were ripped at every corner of the seam, the tables were chipped and scuffed, and it appeared as if the employees hadn’t swept or mopped the floor in well over a decade. They had all been to nasty bars in the past, but Classy Cline’s took the cake.

“I don’t even wanna drink from this glass,” Sam mumbled as he eyed the pint glass Dean had placed in front of him. 

While aesthetics weren’t on Cline’s side, the beer looked more than appetizing. An amber/gold liquid, topped with a beautiful, white head. Any beer enthusiast would foam at the mouth at the sight. The glasses, contrary to the floors, looked spotless. If they had put as much effort into cleaning the building as they did disinfecting the glassware, lines would be out the door, and Cline would be a millionaire.

“Oh, don’t be a baby, Sammy,” Dean rolled his eyes and gave a beer to (Y/N) and Castiel. “It may not live up to its name, but the beer sure looks good.”

“Thank you, Dean,” (Y/N) and Castiel spoke in unison.

“I’ll never get used to that,” Dean shook his head and sat down next to his brother. “It’s as if you two are constantly in sync.”

(Y/N) furrowed his brows as he cupped the glass with one hand, condensation coating his palm. “We’re an American boy band from the 90’s?” He cocked his head to the side.

Dean froze, the glass inches from his lips as he shot him a questioning glance. “While I’m proud of you for remembering what I taught you about music, that’s not what I meant. ‘In sync’. Two separate words.”

“Oh…”

“(Y/N) and I have worked together for well over a century. We’re bound to have some similarities.” Castiel explained.

Dean shrugged. “I guess you’re right,” he took a sip of his beer.

(Y/N) noted Sam’s hesitancy to drink, so he took a moment to examine the liquid himself. It looked clean, safe, and better than many other beers he had drank before. He took a swig and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was still very cold. A layer of foam coated his upper lip. Sam picked up his glass and examined the bottom.

“Will you stop that?” Dean scolded. “The beer is fine, Sam, you’re not going to die. You look like an idiot.”

“Well, excuse me for being skeptical, Dean! Have you seen the state of this place? I believe I have a right to be concerned.” Sam hissed.

“The beer is very pleasant, Sam,” (Y/N) smiled as he took another long swig, downing half the pint. 

Sam slowly nodded. “I can tell,” he mumbled and glanced down at his glass. He hesitated for a moment before he took a careful sip, letting the liquid rest against his tastebuds before he swallowed. He hummed and raised his brows. “Wow, that’s pretty good.”

“See? Your big brother knows a thing or two about beer,” Dean smiled.

A bartender waltzed into view - an overworked twenty-something with her dirty blonde hair tossed back into a bun that she should have fixed hours ago. She sat a rocks glass in front of (Y/N), the ice emanating a clink inside as it shifted. He stared and intensely studied the dark liquid.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but I didn’t order this,” he looked up at her.

The bartender sighed and gestured towards the bar. “The man over there sent it,” she grumbled, her voice unenthusiastic and laced with exhaustion. She didn’t give him any time to further investigate before she swiveled through the booths and tables, vanishing into the crowd of regulars. 

The group looked at the drink with curiosity before their attention shifted to the bar. Only one of the patrons had their gaze glued to the hunters. He looked to be in his mid-forties, with short, salt-and-pepper hair decorating the top of his head and a beard to match. Age lines crinkled the corners of his mouth and eyes. A leather jacket covered his broad shoulders and the jeans he wore left little to the imagination. When (Y/N)’s eyes connected with the stranger’s, the man smirked and winked. (Y/N) continued to stare at him, lips slightly parted, until he felt an elbow in his side. His gaze shot over to the eldest Winchester.

“Give him a smile and a wave. That shows him you appreciate it.” Dean said through a smile.

“Oh,” (Y/N) raised his brows and looked back at the man, whose eyes were still on him. He gave a small smile, followed by a timid wave.

The stranger grinned before he turned his head away. (Y/N) looked down and studied the glass once more. The liquid was a slightly darker shade than the beer, but more transparent. When he picked it up, the liquid sloshed inside. The smell was strong but slightly sweet. Whiskey. A sip of it caused him to cringe. It was Fireball. Not the best choice to send a stranger across the bar, but to each their own. 

Dean leaned in close to him, his cheeky grin still prominent. “You should go over and talk to him.”

“Why?”

“He just gave you a drink. He wants to talk to you.”

(Y/N) gave Dean a confused stare. “How does that-”

“It doesn’t matter.” Dean waved him off. “He’s flirting with you by sending over the drink! You should go flirt back.”

(Y/N) looked from the drink to Dean, from Dean to the stranger. He was a very attractive man, but (Y/N) was far from interested in flirtation. However, if Dean thought he should, what could go wrong? He trusted Dean’s advice.

Hesitantly, (Y/N) stood, the glass of Fireball in hand, and made his way over to the bar where the gentleman sat. He took the empty barstool next to him. The man looked at him out of the corner of his eye and smirked.

“Good to see you up close,” he said and turned his body to face (Y/N). “You’re even cuter than I thought. Chris,” he held out his hand.

This is a handshake. This is how strangers greet each other.

(Y/n) grasped Chris’ hand and shook it gently. He noticed how firm his grip was. “My name is (Y/N),” he said.

Chris smirked. “A beautiful name for a beautiful man,” he pulled his hand away and casually placed it on (Y/N)’s knee. “I’ve been coming here for, close to, fifteen years, and I have never seen anyone as good-looking as yourself. You new around here?”

(Y/N)’s eyes shifted to Chris’ hand before they returned to his face. “My friends and I are on a trip.” He replied. It’s a classic lie most hunters use and one that was taught to him early on in his training.

“Ah, and how long will you be staying?”

“I believe this is the last night we’re here.”

“You’re not sure?”

“My friend, Dean, drives us. He knows more about our itinerary than I do.”

“A ‘go with the flow’ kind of man. I like it.”

As they continued to talk, Chris’ hand ventured further up (Y/N)’s thigh, squeezing the flesh on his leg from time to time. Simple conversation switched to flirting rather quickly, the majority of it one-sided. What started as cheesy ‘first date’ type questions turned risque in the blink of an eye. At first, they were easy questions that (Y/N) could answer without an issue, but once they started to get dirty, his mind turned blank. Half the vocabulary Chris used was new to him. While he knew all of them revolved around sex, he couldn’t quite pinpoint the definition, regardless of the context clues provided. 

He could feel the familiar pit in his stomach as the questions droned on. The sensation that he couldn’t quite give a title to yet. At least, not an accurate one. ‘Uncomfortable’ seemed as if it fit too loosely for the circumstance. It felt as if there were a swarm of bees buzzing around in his stomach, moving from his gut to his chest periodically.

Chris leaned in close to (Y/N)’s ear, his warm, whiskey-filled breath caressing his cheek. (Y/N)’s eyes were cast down. He had lost the ability to maintain constant eye contact when the mood shifted, and the bees began their attack.

“What do you say we get out of here?” Chris asked. “I could show you a thing or two.”

When Chris’s hand landed on (Y/N)’s crotch, every muscle in his body was on fire as they clenched tightly. (Y/N)’s eyes went wide and his body froze. The bees didn’t just fly, they infiltrated his entire nervous system. He felt an overwhelming need to retreat like one would in a battle they knew they couldn’t win. But he wasn’t in a battle. It was a simple conversation. Why did he feel like that?

Chris pressed small kisses on the back of (Y/N)’s ear. (Y/N) inhaled and turned his head slightly, the need to get away from Chris strong. Chris immediately stopped and opened his eyes. He paused for a moment before he pulled away and sighed.

“I see you’re not as interested as I thought you were,” he gave a tight smile, pulled out his wallet, and slammed a twenty on the bar. “Thanks for nothing.” He grumbled before he got up and stormed away.

With his presence gone, (Y/N) felt a sense of peace and ease wash over him. The beating of his heart inside his chest began to lessen and return to a normal pace. With a glance down at his hand, he noticed the way his fingertips trembled. That hadn’t been the first time someone else had gotten so bold with touching him, and he was certain it wouldn’t be the last. When was that feeling going to go away?

After a minute or so passed, he was able to compose himself enough to stand from the barstool and wander back to the table where Sam, Dean, and Castiel sat. He joined them without a word, not wanting to interrupt their conversation, and grabbed his lukewarm beer. There was no chance he was going to drink anymore that night. Not with his stomach as uneasy as it was.

“Hey, you okay?” Sam asked.

“I’m fine,” (Y/N) spoke.

“You sure?” Dean chimed in. “Guy looked like he had a stick up his ass when he left.

(Y/N) shrugged. “I believe he just wanted to leave.” He tried to keep his voice as straight as possible. He could tell his nerves hadn’t fully recovered.

Dean shook his head. “Well, his loss.”

*~*

One thing (Y/N) adored about being human was the way showers made him feel after a hunt. He never quite realized how tense his muscles could get until the hot water caressed his limbs. It was as if all the adrenaline was washed from his body. It made him feel refreshed. Renewed.

That night, he got the last shower. The water wasn’t as hot as other showers he had taken, but he would accept warm any day. By the time he left the bathroom, clad in a pair of night pants and a loose t-shirt courtesy of the youngest Winchester, Sam, Dean, and Castiel were dressed to leave. Another post-hunt celebration. Dean glanced at (Y/N).

“You’re not coming?” He asked. 

(Y/N) shook his head and walked over to his bed. “Not tonight, no.”

“Why not? You never miss out on a bar.”

(Y/N) settled into the bed, and sat up with his legs crossed. “I notice that humans get very physical when they are at bars. I’m not quite used to it yet, so I think I’m going to wait until I’m ready.”

“Ready for what, (Y/N)?” Castiel asked.

“The touching.”

The three of them shared a concerned look before Sam waved his hand dramatically, eyes closed tightly. 

“Wait,” he reached a hand up and pinched the bridge of his nose. “What do you mean ‘get used to’?”

“Well, I’m not accustomed to the way humans express attraction. I surely wasn’t aware that there was as much physical contact involved. So, I figured it was something I would be more comfortable with as time went on. I mean, I never knew strangers were so interested in touching each other’s genitalia.”

They all furrowed their brows, confusion etched perfectly on their faces, and slowly made their way over to the bed. Sam sat at the edge next to (Y/N), Dean stood next to him, and Castiel sat on the opposite side of the bed from Sam.

“(Y/N),” Sam started, his voice soft and steady, the same voice he used when talking to the families of victims. “Have you…given these people permission to touch you?”

(Y/N) cocked his head to the side, slightly taken aback by the question, as it was something he had never even considered before. Had he permitted them to touch him? He could not recall. Then again, he didn’t remember them asking. He took a moment to think back on the times he had been in bars since he became human.

“No,” he answered. “The first couple of times it happened, I pulled away from the touch, as it made me rather uncomfortable, but they would just get upset. One man told me it was wrong to ‘lead him on’ and then deny his touch. After that, I let people touch me. I would like a break from it for tonight.”

“(Y/N), other humans need permission to touch you,” Castiel said.

“But they get upset-”

“To Hell with them being upset,” Dean interjected. “No one has a right to touch you, especially if you don’t want them to.”

“Is that why that one guy left the last bar we went to left? You wouldn’t let him touch you?” Sam asked.

(Y/N) could feel his cheeks and neck heat up. He suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to hide his face. Was it because of the answer to the question? Was it because of the question itself? He couldn’t quite pinpoint the origin of the sense of dread, but he knew it wasn’t going to vanish anytime soon.

He shook his head, eyes cast down to his hands. “I let him touch me. I assume it was because I didn’t respond when he asked me to leave with him.”

Dean’s jaw clenched as he ran a hand down his face. “Son of a bitch,” he growled and began to lightly pace between the motel beds.

Sam slowly shook his head. “(Y/N), those people are horrible. You should never touch someone without consent, and you should never let anyone touch you if you are uncomfortable with it. Do you understand?” His eyes were laced with sympathy.

(Y/N) went to say something, but he felt a lump in his throat prevent him from doing so. Instead, he just gave a short, brief nod.

“I can only imagine how tough it was to become human. To lose all that power. You may not have the power to heal us anymore or read others’ minds, but you are still your own person, (Y/N). You have the power to tell people to keep their hands off of you. You have the power to let yourself have a good time at these places. It doesn’t matter what other people think about your choices. In the end, all that matters is you, okay?”

“Okay,” he replied, his voice shaky and barely above a whisper. 

(Y/N) sniffled, and he felt as if his head was pulsing. Tears sprung to the corner of his eyes and cascaded down his cheeks. For the first time since he lost his grace, he cried. It wasn’t loud and dramatic, but, rather, soft.

It explained so much. How he hated the way bar patrons touched him, the sinking feeling when they got too close, the panic that coursed through his veins. That was no flaw on his part, but a flaw on the strangers. What they did was wrong, not him.

And that validation broke him.

(Y/N) immediately knew he hated crying. His chest ached as the silent sobs racked his body. In a way, it was relieving, though. It felt as if all of the pent-up discomfort was being released. As if he was reborn. Still, it hurt worse than it did comfort him.

Castiel was the first to respond as he placed a gentle hand against (Y/N)’s back, Sam, being the closest, engulfed him in a near bone-shattering embrace, and Dean halted his paces to kneel beside the bed, one of his hands landing on the small of his back. (Y/N) closed his eyes tight and leaned his head against Sam’s chest. Their touch made him feel safe. This was a good touch. This was how touch should make him feel. He shouldn’t be forced to feel uncomfortable to please others, because, in reality, some people aren’t going to like him, even if the reasons are far from valid. It was a harsh reality, but as long as he had his family by his side, he didn’t mind if the whole world hated him.

After a few quiet minutes, filled with silent cries, the tears stopped. (Y/N)’s eyes were bright red and puffy, and he occasionally sniffled.

“Hey,” Dean said, his voice soothing.

(Y/N) lifted his head from Sam’s chest and glanced over at him. Sam pulled back a bit so the embrace wasn’t nearly as intense.

“If you’re ever in a situation like that, where some douchebag won’t keep his hands off of you, all you have to do is say the word and we’ll kick his ass for you.”

“What if it’s a woman?” He asked quietly.

Dean opened his mouth to give a quick answer but shut it as he thought about it. “Then we will have Cas bring Jody or Charlie in to kick her ass. The point is; fuck everyone else.”

(Y/N) furrowed his brows. “Does that not mean to have intercourse with them?”

Dean sighed. “Sam, Cas, a little help?”

“What Dean is trying to say,” Castiel chimed in. “Is that you should not prioritize other peoples’ desires over your comfort. You are more important than a stranger. They are not important, you are, and what other people think doesn’t matter. If someone does not listen to you when you deny them, we will do everything in our power to protect you. We still care about you, and want what’s best for you.”

Dean pressed his lips together and nodded. “Couldn’t have said it better myself. That’s exactly what I meant.”

Sam rolled his eyes, but couldn’t hold back his smirk. “Look, we know how tough it is to be human. Dean and I have been dealing with this our whole lives. We know that there are setbacks that come with the package, but there are also a ton of fun experiences. We don’t want some jackass to ruin it for you. Cas said it better than Dean or I could. We care about you and want to do everything we can to look out for you. You deserve it.”

The tears reappeared, but they weren’t tears of sadness. They were tears of joy. Of relief. As if his heart would burst with all the love and care his friends will it with. (Y/N) took a moment to wrap his arms around each of them in an individual hug to show his appreciation. 

“Thank you. I am very grateful to have friends like you.” He smiled warmly.

Dean smiled before he cleared his throat and waved him off. “Alright, enough of the chick-flick crap,” he said as he stood from his spot on the floor, a groan escaping his throat that he tried not to make too noticeable. “What do you say we skip the bar tonight, order some takeout, and watch a movie? I hear Roadhouse is on at seven.”

(Y/N) cocked his head to the side. “What’s Roadhouse?”

Dean froze, wide-eyed. His jaw dropped in shock. “‘What’s Roadhouse’?” He repeated in disbelief. “Action movie? Patrick Swayze? Sam Elliott? Kelly Lumch? Julie Michaels? Keith David!?” With each name, his voice got louder.

“Are those actors?”

“I-” Dean threw his hands up as he turned his back on him and began to pace around the room once more.

(Y/N) flashed a worried look at Castiel, then Sam. Sam shook his head and chuckled. 

“Dean’s just being dramatic,” he whispered, which caused (Y/N) to let out a sigh of relief.

“I am not being dramatic!” Dean retorted before he stopped, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. “This is all my fault. I was so focused on teaching him about good music that movies never crossed my mind. Have you at least seen Indiana Jones?”

“Indiana…as in the state?”

“If it makes you feel any better, (Y/N), I, too, have yet to see Roadhouse or Indiana Jones,” Castiel said.

Dean deadpanned. “I have some work to do. Sam, go get us some food. I need to make a list of movies for them to watch.”

Sam snorted as he stood from his spot on the bed. “Yeah, yeah. Just text me what you guys want.” He mumbled and retrieved his jacket from the back of one of the chairs.

As Sam left to get them food, Dean began to ramble on about movies he determined (Y/N) and Castiel had to watch, most of which were either action or old westerns. He talked with such passion regarding the films that (Y/N) couldn’t help but smile. Dean was right, the opinions of others didn’t matter, especially those whose only goal was to satisfy their selfish desires, disregarding others’ wellbeing. They were foolish, scum, true lions in sheep’s clothing. Those hidden evil beings could make themselves look innocent. (Y/N) didn’t need to please them. Didn’t need to make them happy. He only wanted to make his family happy, just as they did him. For how much they’ve helped him on his treacherous journey into manhood, they deserve it, for they have taught him the most valuable lesson of all;

His worth was priceless.

…

“Hey, are you even listening?”

[jalwyn21]

What are the chances that Joe was “blue” because of her? And that he has color back in his face too because he’s no longer with her? Because I just have this sense that she is an unreliable narrator based on the 10 different reasons she has given for the breakup and none of them include her taking accountability for her role in beating that man down due to her behaviour.

Well, let's see! There are NO mentions of him being "blue" on Rep. None!

Like if Joe is just naturally predisposed to be anxious and depressed you'd think she would have noticed it immediately, so he wasn't broken and blue from day 1. Joe is not like this naturally. He was a "killer" and "cool" back then. Took her a couple of years to break her favourite toy. So, he was introverted yes, but not blue.

The Joe is "blue" references appear later on Lover. "I'm with you even if it makes me blue" (Paper Rings; Lover), "We're so sad, we paint the town blue" ( Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince Lover), "I blew things out of proportion, now you're blue" & "It's so excruciating to see you low" (Afterglow) "But I'm a fire, and I'll keep your brittle heart warm if your cascade ocean wave blues come" (Peace; Folklore), "Don't want no other shade of blue but you" (Hoax; Folklore), "Is it really your anxiety that stops you from giving me everything or do you just not want to?" (Renegade; written after Evermore) "Soldier down on that icy ground Looked up at me with honor and truth Broken and blue, so I called off the troops That was the night I nearly lost you" (The Great War)

Lover was apparently done by Feb 2019 and released Aug 2019, Folklore was July 2020, and Renegade was being written maybe December 2020.

So the broken and blue Joe wasn't a thing before 2018. Suspicious huh 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

It took her a couple of years to break her favourite toy and the themes of Joe being "blue" and accusing him of cheating came in.

So, 4 years of mindfuckery and abuse assuming the first 2 years were decent enough… 🙄

Also, funny how the boy who was brave enough to fly to the US all alone with a backpack (they literally had to buy him clothes) and charm Ang Lee and Yorgos back in 2015 to give him roles is now all anxious and insecure. Suspicious huh 🙄🙄🙄 Yeah Joe, where the anxiety at back in 2015? 🙄 This is not something an anxious boy could handle.. 🙄 Almost like someone made him feel he wasn't good enough or successful enough… 🙄🙄🙄

[joesalw]

i think this album has made me realise just how crazy taylor actually is and i don't mean her actions during that part of her life last year. i'm talking about 'peter' most likely being about matty and how this relates to 'cardigan'. i obviously don't think she was cheating on joe during the pandemic but she was clearly fantasizing about matty coming back to her and that's so insane to me. was she doing this every time things got hard (having problems that every relationship has, the pandemic, joe's mental health issues etc.)? would she have broken up with joe so much earlier if matty had reached out to her? why didn't she broke up with joe if she was thinking about another guy in 2020? why did she want to get married to him so badly if she would sometimes think about matty (probably about how he's the one that got away)?

and now her fans are trying to make joe this really bad guy when she was clearly having issues too 😬

she is blaming joe for the self implode she did with matty (even though she was still writing imaginary songs about him for years). queen of not taking accountability yet again😍

[littlexscarletxwitch]

── ༊*·˚⋆ 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲

paring: florence pugh x fem!reader

tag(s): fluff, based on endgame by taylor swift (you don't understand how much i'm loving this song), cute gf flo

warning(s): grammatical errors, unedited

word count: 2.2k

note: omg, it's finally here. I'm so sorry it took me sooo long, it just I was super busy. Was this inspire by Ms. Taylor Swift? Yes, yes it was. I really hope you guys like this one. I'm not a native english speaker, so please let me know about any sort of mistake. Love you all so much <3

note 2: guys, I'm currently reading 'Delilah Green doesnt' care' and it's giving me so many ideas for fics. So would any of you be interest in more mum!florence? Please let me know. Xoxo, M

requests are open! + check my rules here + masterlist <3

Your eyes were closed, your head was on her chest listening to her steady heartbeats, a soft smile formed on your lips.

“Promise me this is forever,” you whispered. 

You knew she was awake, she was doing the same thing as you, enjoying the moment, living in the present.

Your eyes found hers already looking at you. 

“I promise,” she said, her smile mirroring yours. 

Her lips found yours as if sealing the promise forever, but nothing ever lasts forever. The kiss that was first sweet and soft and filled with love, turned bitter, harsh and cold. You pulled back confusion written all over your face. 

You blink once then twice, and suddenly you were waking up on your bed, alone. You cursed yourself at the stupid memory. It was so pathetic to still think about Florence that way. You two were history, long forgotten, just a memory of your adolescence. 

You shook your head, trying to wake up your foggy brain from the nap you had taken. And decided to get some work done as a way to clear your head from your silly old fantasies.  

You made yourself a cup of tea, grabbed your notebook and put your headphones on. You only had three more months to finish your second album. The deadline wasn’t much of a concern of yours, what bothered you was the lack of inspiration. Every lyric you would write down was just trash, it was as if you were missing something. So far you had only five finished songs, and you needed ten more to have the album finished. 

You were humming, moving your head to the beat as you let your brain come up with the right words, but it felt as if you were stuck.

“I wanna be your endgame,” you sang to the beat. “I wanna be, I wanna be your… ” you threw your head back in annoyance, frustration getting the best out of you. 

You had been sitting on the floor for the last hour, trying to finish this one song but you were not even close to it. You took a deep breath trying not to lose your shit. Your phone buzzed, the screen lighting up with a new notification and that took your whole attention. 

“Y/n Y/l/n and Drew Starkey spotted out for dinner,” you read out loud and couldn’t help rolling your eyes at the link your manager and best friend had sent you.

According to the news, you were dating both Drew Starkey and Joe Keery. You also almost got engaged the week before to Rudy Pankow, but apparently cheated on him with Maya Hawke. You knew better than to actually pay attention to fake news, but you couldn’t help to. After all that was now your life, the life of a startpop in the making, so much for a boring Oxford kid. 

Your reputation precedes you, in rumours you were knee-deep. But there was nothing you could do about it. Exhausted from your social life and the poor lack of motivation to do the one thing you loved the most, you decided to go out on a walk, hoping it would help to clear your thoughts about both the fake news and Florence, who you tried to ignore from thinking of. But ever since that dream you found yourself thinking about her more often. 

You knew she was as famous as you were, maybe even more. You had to admit to yourself that some nights you found some kind of comfort in her movies, watching her cute pouty face, the one she was most known for. 

She was your first love, she taught you how to love, what it was to be loved. Of course it wasn’t easy to forget about her, even after all these years, some part of you still craved her love. It wasn’t that you didn’t love each other when you both decided to go separate ways, it was because things weren’t so simple anymore. You two weren’t just two teenargs in love, you were slowly becoming adults. She had booked roles and you were making your way into the music industry. 

And without the two of you knowing you two just drifted apart, the two of you too caught up in your careers. But you loved her, so you decided to let her go, hoping and praying to the universe that maybe she would come back to you one day. 

Your thoughts were interrupted as you opened the door to your local cafe and someone bumped into you. 

“Sorry, I wasn’t… “ but you stopped cold once you saw the strangers eyes. 

“Y/n?” she asked, her voice as soft and raspy as you remembered. “What are you doing here?” a smile formed on her face, as if she was genuinely happy to see you. 

You shook your head trying to clear out your mind, was Florence really in front of you? “I, um, I lived here,” you blinked once, twice and she was still there. “Just around the corner,” you added, cursing yourself for being so awkward. “What are you doing here?” 

Was this a sign of the universe? Have your prayers been answered? 

“Visiting my family,” right her family, you thought. “Well, not just that, I’m also working,” she scratched the back of her neck. “I was actually hoping to see you, too.”

“Really?” that had to mean something, the universe couldn't be messing around with you this cruelly. Right?

“Yeah, I have, um… I have been thinking about you.” she smiled at you and you felt the butterflies in your stomach. “I think we should talk.”

“I, um,” what were you supposed to say? Were you willingly going to agree to spend time with the love of your life as if the two of you were going to be just friends? What was that supposed to mean?

“Yeah, sure. When are you free?” you finally agree.

You mentally checked your schedule, you were supposed to finish your songs but taking a break wouldn’t hurt anybody. Plus, you were going to get your coffee and get back to it right away. 

“Um, what about now?” 

Shit, you thought. She wasn’t going to give you any time to prepare yourself. Well, you better get into it, rip it off like a band aid. 

“Okay, I was going to get a coffee and then we can…”

“Yeah, yeah, take your time. I’m going to find us a table.”

You order your coffee while mentally preparing for the conversation the two of you were going to have. What was she on about? Was it really a big coincidence? Did the universe put her in our path for some reason? You shook your head, you needed to stop thinking about the universe’s way of working for a second.

They handed you your coffee and now you had no more excuses to avoid her, not that you wanted to. Some part of you long to be near her, but you were scared of what this whole thing was about. 

“So, um, what’s up with Drew?” she tried to pretend she didn’t care but was actually dying to know if you were actually dating him, not that you noticed it.

“Who?”

“Drew? Starkey?”

“Oh, yeah, Drew,” you chuckled, silly you for forgetting your own friend. “He’s just a friend, a really good friend,” was it your imagination or did she just let out a breath of relief. “What about Ashley?” you asked before taking a sip of your coffee. 

She smiled at you, “She’s also a really good friend.”

“So, um…”

“Listen, Y/n…”

The both of you chuckled. 

“You go first, Flo”

That nickname. It was stupid because everyone who knew her would call her ‘Flo’, but coming out of your lips felt different. She had missed hearing her name on your lips, she had missed you. 

“I’m just going to say it, okay?” you only nodded. “I lied earlier, I’m not here for work or visiting my family. I came here to find you,” your lips parted in disbelief. “Ever since we broke things apart, I had been feeling like something was missing, Y/n. And I recently realised it was you. Well, I saw the article about you getting married and all I could think of was that something wasn’t right.”

“Florence I…”

“No, please let me finish,” she cut you off. “I understand that  we are strangers to each other, but I would love to get to know you once again. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, it can be like a fresh start. I just really need you in my life, Y/n. I miss my best friend.”

You took another sip of your coffee, stealing time before giving her an answer. The truth was you already knew what you wanted, you knew it the moment you sat at the table, but you wanted to mess with her just a little bit. 

You put your cup down, and finally your eyes found hers, “I would like nothing more.”

[...]

Ever since that day, Florence and you had been spending everyday together. Catching up with each other and going back to old habits. 

The more you hang out with her, the more you could feel your old feeling coming back. But you didn’t want to rush things just to ruin them again. But one particular afternoon you couldn't hold back anymore and decided to do something about it. 

She had fallen asleep 30 minutes ago, you chuckled as you realised her current state because she had picked out the movie but turns out she was more tired than what she let you see. 

You headed to your small studio and decided to get back to the song you were working on before running into Florence. You  knew exactly what you wanted to say, having found your new inspiration a few weeks ago. 

You pressed play and the music started playing, you already had a few things written down in your notebook you just needed to put all your ideas together. 

You were so lost and immersed in finishing the song, going at it back and forth, changing some lyrics, singing some ideas, writing and crossing out some bits, that you didn’t realise someone was watching you just when you were about to finish. 

You had already recorded the whole song and were just checking it out when Florence leaned in the frame door. 

Florence smiled as she listened to your sweet voice. She wondered who this song was about. 

Knew her when I was young, reconnected when we were little bit older

Both sprung, I got issues and chips on both of my shoulders

She didn’t want to get her hopes up.

Reputation precedes me, in rumors, I'm knee-deep

The truth is, it’s easier to ignore it, believe me

She felt her heart shrinking in her chest.

Even when we'd argue, we'd not do it for long

And you understand the good and bad end up in the song

She listened closely to the song as you hummed to it.

For all your beautiful traits and the way you do it with ease

For all my flaws, paranoia, and insecurities

Her heartbeat and body temperature were rising.

I've made mistakes and made some choices, that's hard to deny

After the storm, something was born on the 4th of July

I've passed days without fun, this end game is the one

With four words on the tip of my tongue, I'll never say it

She couldn't take it any longer. 

“I like it,” she said, getting closer to where you were sitting. “It’s catchy,” she said, trying to shake her feeling away. That song could be about anyone.

“I feel like something’s missing,” you scrunch your nose.

“Sing the corus to me, please,” she looked at you with her doe eyes and you swear you could have melted in that moment. 

You shook your head with a smile on your face and compiled, “I wanna be your endgame, endgame,” you finished singing the chorus. “And then it goes. Big reputation, big reputation. Ooh, you and me, we got big reputations, ah,” you sang, trying to not look at Florence. 

“You know, it sounds awfully familiar,” she teased, wanting nothing more than for it to be true. 

“And you heard about me, ooh. I got some big enemies,” you kept on going.

“What are you trying to say, Y/n?” she kept on pushing you. 

“Big reputation, big reputation. Ooh, you and me would be a big conversation, ah. And I heard about you, ooh. You like the bad ones, too,” you finished, trying to tell her that you were thinking exactly what she was thinking. 

She was so close to you now, her knees brushing against yours, sending electricity throughout your body. You could feel her hot breath on your lips. 

“I want to…” she didn’t finish her sentence because you were already nodding and she smashed her lips to yours in a second. 

You felt as if a wave of cold water was washing over you. Her lips felt both familiar and new at the same time. You felt at home as she wrapped her arm around your waist and her other hand cupped your cheek. You didn’t want to ever stop kissing her, but both you and her needed to breathe so ultimately pulled apart. 

She rested her forehead on yours, both of her hands cupping your cheeks, caressing your skin with her fingertips. 

“I wanna be your endgame,” you quietly sang to her. 

She chuckled before kissing you again and again and again. 

Likes, comments and reblogs are appreciated! &lt;3

-M

[elvisslut]

Tearing me down..

||tw- Suicidal thoughts, attempt at suicide, smut, cheating, depression, in depth details of feelings,hospital,in detail hospital visit||

You knew Elvis was cheating but hearing him and seeing him with someone else was a different kind of pain though. You loved him too much to leave after that so the cheating became more frequent each time you let it slide. Well..you still thought about it but you let it slide pass elvis.

Loving him became a sickness and it was dragging you to your grave. A grave you didn't want people to find out about. Him cheating on you is not only demeaning but it's embarrassing. It hurts to love him an not receive the same love back. He hurts, Elvis Presley for you.. Is the definition of hurt and Belittlment.

But he is also the love of your life. A man you can't live without. "Y/n? You okay? You look really sick" Joe says as he walks in the kitchen, you pouring you probably 7th cup of coffee. Since you caught Elvis and continued to catch Elvis you really couldn't sleep, you had constant fights with him, he hardly kisses you anymore let alone makes love to you.

You used to have such a good relationship, now it's just lies and cries. "Yeah.. Just tired" you give Joe a light smile and walk out the kitchen to the dining room table talking aseatamd watching out the window at the fans aching for Elvis. Elvis isn't even your husband.. You're not obligated to stay. But love works in ways no one will ever understand.

Joe was worried, beyond worried. He loved you like a sister and hated seeing you the state you're in. Elvis got more sleep then you and that in itself is a big thing that's strongly noticeable. Elvis averaged three hours you were lucky if you got a hour.

"Hey doll.. Ya okay?" Elvis said looking over at you with a grown after having come down stairs. "Yeah.. I'm okay" you say getting up and downing the rest of thehot coffee in your cup, going over and pressing a kiss to his cheek, handing him the cup since he was going to the kitchen then Going to the living room.

"E. P. Hey.. Come here" Joe says waving Elvis over to him. "Y/n looks real sick.. Maybe you should take her to the doctor.. " Joe suggests. Elvis chuckles and shakes his head." naw naw she's just tired.. I don' got the time to take 'er and I've got a few girls coming over today.. So I can't be gone" that's it. Joe figured it out. Elvis knew you'd stop caring so much for the girls.

He knew and he was waiting for it. He loved you but the thought of fooling around with you wasn’t much of a turn on for him. You loved elvis so much that no buts ifs ands or wills will ever stop you from loving him with your entirety.

“E..you’re hurting her with all the girls.” Joe says bluntly. “She doesn’ mind. She would have left me after i got caught with Olivia” he smiles at joe earning a frown. “You screwed Olivia? Is that why they ain’t friends no more?” Joe asks, Olivia was your best friend. For years. Then you found her under Elvis and thats when your world started to shatter.

“Im going for a drive ill see you boys later” you say stepping in the kitchen oblivious to the previous conversation. “ill come with” Elvis says looking back at you planing to talk to you about what joe said.

“I um..i don’t think thats a good idea..you just..you stay here” you say giving him a smile and turning around going outside. Joe had a horrible feeling in his gut. He didn’t like that you were going alone but he understood that you probably needed a break from Elvis.

Killing yourself was frowned apon.. But you'd be dead. Why was it so frowned on. It's such a easy escape.. From everything. It's such a easy way yo get away from Elvis.. From the love you have for . You parked the car at the end of the Memphis Bridge and walked the sidewalk amongst others, stopping in the middle and looking down at the water tears in your eyes. It was your last straw a while ago, but it all became too much.. Too overwhelming recently. You weren't going to jump..heights sacred you but you snagged up some pills from Elvis and took them.

"E, y/n's been gone a awful long time" Joe says that's same feeling in his gut getting worse. Elvis sighed and looked at the girls in front of him putting his guitar down. "Wait here girls I gotta go find someone" he says as if it were a harsh task.

They drove around for a while spotting your car then multiple police cars and several people not spotting you. Elvis and joe rushed out of the car, pushing through all the people as time seemed to slow for Elvis. The moment they seen you on the concrete with a officer giving you chest compressions Elvis broke down. Immediately going to his knees besides you.

The officer does a few more compressions and slowly you come back to see Elvis Joe and many others towering over you. Elvis puts his arms around you and squeezes for dear life. He almost lost you. Legitimately lost you. If a officer wasn't here he'd be burying you by next week.

"Oh god, oh god.." he sways with you back and forth sobbing holding you as close as humanely possible. "My baby.. My satnin, 'm so sorry please please don' leave me here. Please mama." his cries seemed to fade out. "Its okay my precious boy.." you say quitly as your conciseness slips from your fingers.

Everything for Elvis was dark once you fell unconscious in his arms that day. You'd been in a coma for a week. Elvis has not once left your side. He felt guilty and hurt that you'd do that but he mostly just felt a feel that had no word. Maybe sad love? Longing? There's no telling.

He knew his was at fault, he knew it too well. He felt regret for every girl he's been with that wasn't you. He couldn't get out of that room but he couldnt look at you. You had so many wires and tubes hooked up to you just to keep you alive.

He bit down on his lip as the last person visiting you left, he cried silently in the chair sat by your bed and the window. He scooted the chair to your side and grabbed your hand feeling the warmth of your skin. He brought your hand to his lips and kissed softly against your knuckles then laying your hand against his cheek, crying harder as he did.

Not knowing if this was the end of you or not. "Pull through this for me baby..ya gotta come back to your precious boy..please come back to me mama" he chokes on a sob and lays his head against your belly.

All the veins in his body pulsed for you. He didn’t realize it till the this week. You may have not noticed but he couldn’t keep his eyes off you whenever you were around him. He didn’t want to touch you in a sexual way not because you didn’t turn him on but because he thought you were too good too important to be touched like that by him.

“You’re my girl..you’re my girl, my girls gotta come back” he cried hearing tge door open to show a nurse the most dreadful part coming in a matter of seconds.

They were able to see if you could make it in your own without the life support. One by one the tubes and wires came off. Coming down to the last one that was helping you breathe. Once it was pulled out his heart stopped. A few seconds and you breathe in heavily for air, the nurses spoke to elvis for a second then left leaving him alone with you again.

Elvis let out a breath of air and rushed to your side again pressing his lips against your forehead. "That my good girl..thank ya.." he said softly tears streaming down his cheeks.

A few days went by and Elvis continued to watch you like a hawk. "Elvis?" you grumble with a cough your throat tremendously dry. Elvis bolt's to his feet and goes to you seeing if you were really awake tears flooding his eyes. You cough again snapping him from his state and rushing to get you water.

"Here baby drink.." he says lifting the cup to your lips and tilting it letting you drink the water slowly. You looked up at his eyes, his pretty gorgeous blue eyes and fell in love all over again.

"'M gonna go get someone.." he says rushing off.

The next few days went by fast Elvis did nothing but kiss you and apologize and pamper you. Then you went home. Definitely a place you wanted to go but.. It hurt to be back though. All the extra pain and hurt. But Elvis was back to being in love with you and it all washed that away.

He smiled at you as you got his help laying in the bed. Your bed.. Your shared bed. It felt so good.. So good to be back in this bed. Your boyfriend laying down right along side you.

He searched your eyes and slowly moved forward pressing his lips to yours and moving his hands up your shirt.

His fingers felt each inch of your skin as he pulled your shirt up and off of you, then working down at your pants tugging them off. "I missed this side of you precious boy.." you say softly reaching up and undoing his shirt, looking back into them pretty blues..

"I missed this side'a me too mama" he softly says leaning down getting another kiss from your lips. He pushes his pants down just enough to pull himself out and gets on top of you lining himself up and pushing in.

Your eyes flutter shut and your lips part as you let out a pretty moan just for him. Just for your precious boy to hear. He moves his hips at a steady pace wrapping his arm around your back and holding you close.

Tears started to fall down his cheeks, you lean up and kiss them away then wrap your arms around his shoulders. “I love ya..fuck mama..fuck i love ya” he grunts, the noises like music to your ears.

“I-..love you too baby boy” you moan out softly, elvis slows down and gives a few harsh thrusts before you’re both coming on done.

"Ya make everythin' so worth while.. Please never ever scare me like that again" he says tears continuing to stream down his face.

"I promise"

Tag❤️‍🔥: @elvisalltheway101

[joeys-babe]

Someday We’ll Be Together

Chapter 11: Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain

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September 12, 2021

(joe's pov)

after y/n ran into the bathroom, i realized the severity of the situation.

i really fucked up.

my plan didn't go the way i wanted it to at all. after i kissed y/n, i panicked and thought that she only kissed me because she got caught up in the moment. the first thing i saw was lexie running out of the bar and i made a split second decision to take the kiss back and make an excuse for why i did it.

"i don't want to talk to you now, or preferably ever again."

my heart shattered when she said those words.

i waited outside of the bathroom door for 10 minutes, until i eventually gave up. even if she did walk out, i'd be the last person she'd want to see.

my first thought was to just get wasted, forget about the situation temporarily.

i made my way over to the bar asked for a bear, adding the "keep 'em coming".

i was three deep when i heard a female voice.

"hey joey."

"i'm not signing stuff tonight, kinda heartbroken right now-" - joe turned and noticed that it was lexie

"lexie.. what the fuck do you want?" - joe

"joe you're absolutely wasted, let me take you home. i remember where you live." - lexie

"where's your boyfriend? thought you'd be busy grinding on him." - joe

"you know he doesn't mean anything to me, you're the only one for me joe." - lexie

"fuck off." - joe

"okay fine. just at least let me drive you home, no funny business i swear." - lexie

"let me get one more beer and then maybe we'll talk."- joe flagged down the bartender

"okay, i'll come back in 10 minutes. i have to go find my boyfriend." - lexie

i rolled my eyes as she walked away, she was such a fake woman.

soon after i finished my beer, lexie walked back up to me.

"you ready to go joey?" - lexie

"yup" - joe

she grabbed my hand to stand up but when i tried to stand up i immediately tripped over my own feet, so i grabbed onto lexies waist.

"you look like an idiot." - lexie laughed

"just shut up and take me back to my house. the faster you get me to the car the faster we can never talk to each other again." - joe

"bro what did i do to you? you don't have to be a dick." - lexie

i scoffed at that, thinking of all the different examples i could use.

"what haven't you done? you've judged my body, used me for my status, cheated on me twice.. want me to keep going?" - joe

we were passing the table that the guys were sitting at, and i heard sam yell for me.

i hurriedly walked away from lexie and walked over to the guys.

"here's this.." - sam handed joe his sweatshirt

y/n had folded my sweatshirt perfectly and gave it to sam to give back to me.

"is she.. still here?" - joe

"i don't think so. she ran after she practically slammed this on the table. oh yeah, she also told me to tell you to go to hell." - sam

"i deserve that." - joe

"bro what did you do? and why the fuck are you with lexie?" - sam

"i- uhm.. i'll tell you later. i really fucked up though, and i'm really scared i just lost her." - joe

"lost her?" - sam

"lost the girl i'm fuckin in love with. it's all my fault too." - joe sighed

"woah woah, go back. joe, you're in love with her?" - sam

"sam, don't play stupid. you know full and well i've been in love with her since damn ohio state." - joe

i hadn't realized that my voice got louder out of irritation and everyone at the table was staring at me with their jaw dropped. jess and gracie having shocked smiles on their faces.

"but i really messed up. i kissed her, but i panicked thinking that she only kissed me back because she got caught up in the moment.." - joe

"so what'd you do?" - jess

"i pretended like i did it to make lexie jealous, like a damn jerk." - joe

"joe! that was such a dick move." - ja'marr

"i know! i've realized that! now i'm never gonna know if she feels the same way because she hates me!" - joe

"go see if she's outside, if she is you should try to explain." - tee

"she doesn't want to talk to me-" - joe

"go!" - the whole table yelled

i ran out the bar and started scanning the sidewalk. y/n was standing yards away from me, but i could still hear her sobbed words. it was pouring the rain, and i felt terrible seeing her stand there with no shelter over her head.

"i hate joe, so much." - you

a few seconds of silence, the other person on the phone was talking.

"mom hurry, i'll tell you everything that happened later. just get here fast, i don't want him to come find me." - you

moments later she said an "i love you too" and got off the phone.

even though she said she didn't want to talk to me, or want me to come find her. i had to.

"y/n.." - joe

i watched her head move in my direction, her crying getting even harder.

"i told you to leave me alone." - you

"please, let me explain." - joe

"i don't want to hear it. go find lexie for all i care. i've done nothing but supported you your whole entire life, joe and you use me to make some bitch jealous?!" - you

"y/n please!" - joe

"you- you're a jerk. you're like every other guy i've ever been around. i thought you were different, i thought you were my best friend. but you are nothing but a lier, player, dick, and you lead me on! i'm sick and tired of being your back burner for when you're girlfriends hurt you!" - you

by this time i was crying with her, she was the only girl i've ever truly wanted and now she'll never know.

"i am your best friend, y/n!" - joe

"no you're not. also, my moms almost here and i don't want you to be anywhere near here when she arrives. after tonight, don't try to contact me in anyway possible because i will not be answering." - you

i nodded and defeatedly started walking back towards the bar door, just as i was about to reach the handle i turned around. y/n was watching me walk away.

"just know this. i never meant to hurt you, and i'm so sorry. you're the greatest thing to ever happen to me, and i wish i would've showed that more. goodnight, y/n." - joe walked back into the bar

when i walked in, the table of my teammates were already looking in my direction. they waited for me to report back to them.

all i did was nod my head "no" and wipe the remaining tears off my cheeks.

i stood there for a second, my back against the door thinking about what had just happened when i realized i didn't have my sweatshirt with me.

i opened the door to see if i had dropped it, only to see y/n hugging her mom by her car that was idle in the road.

my heart broke even more at the sight, and when they pulled away that's when i saw it. my sweatshirt. y/n had it hugged against her chest.

(y/n's pov)

on the way home i explained to my mom what had happened, and as soon as we arrived i went upstairs to my room and cried myself to sleep.

i was sleeping rather peacefully till i got a call at midnight, my phone vibrating on my nightstand.

not even checking the caller ID, i excepted it and mumbled a "hello".

"y/n!" - gracie

"gracie? why the hell are you calling me at midnight?" - you

"aye i'm here too!" - jess

"what is it you guys absolutely needed to wake me up for?" - you

"we found out what happened and wanted to check on you." - jess

"i'll be fine, he's just a stupid guy. i just don't understand why he kept trying to get me to listen to him, there was literally nothing for him to explain!" - you

"you have every right to feel that way and to be mad, but maybe you should've maybe tried to listen. he explained the situation to us, and i really feel like you would want to hear what he has to say.” - gracie

“i mean this in the nicest way possible but i honestly don’t care. i don’t want to hear anything he has to say. he doesn’t deserve it.” - you

“so what are you gonna do? ignore him forever and forget that you were in love with him?” - jess

“that’s the problem. even after all of this, he’s the only guy i can ever picture myself with. i’m still in love with him, i don’t ever think thats gonna change.” - you

“then you should let him talk. you don’t have to today, or even this week. take your time, and then hear him out. i really do think you’ll like what you hear, y/n.” - gracie

“i will. just give me time, i’m still hurt.” - you

“we know. take all the time you need, and just know that joes really upset too. sam and i took him home and he asked us to stay while we he showered, just in case he fell in hit his head since he was still drunk, and we could literally hear him crying from downstairs.” - jess

“he’s such a man-child.” - you laughed

“maybe so, but he cares about you a lot.” - jess

our conversation went on for a little longer till we said our goodnights, but there was no way i was going to be able to back to sleep.

all i could think about was what joe was going to tell me if i let him talk. then came the image of his blue eyes crying in the rain.

what did jess and gracie know that i didn’t?

————————————————————————

authors note: i wonder what happens next????

hope you enjoyed! 🥰🥰

[burrowbaddie]

Circles

Joe Burrow x Female Reader

Series Summary: Childhood friends to lovers to nothing. You and Joe had history, you were each others first and then you were nothing. Years later, you guys rekindle the flame but with more obstacles in the way this time.

Chapter 3 Summary: You and Joe continue to fall apart and together.

Word Count: 6k

Warnings: Afab!reader, smut, swearing. Oral (female & male receiving), vaginal fingering, penetrative sex, vaginal sex, unprotected sex, cheating! (You are the side girl, sorry.), small fight scene, jealous Joe,

Series Masterlist

Joe couldn't take his eyes off you, watching you swim in circles around him. You gave him a splash, swimming toward him and wrapping your legs around him. It's been a whole week of just you and Joe. You felt like you were in heaven. You guys did a dive tour, went hiking, and had a wonderful dinner every night. The night always ended with you folded under Joe, crying and shaking while he fucked into you over and over again, but you didn't complain. You loved every min of it.

"Dinner on the beach tonight?"

"Mmm, sounds romantic. Are you proposing?"

"I would marry you in a heartbeat."

"If you were single." Your voice drips with disappointment. Joe kisses your neck and swims you back to the Villa. You climb up the stairs, and he follows you in. You take turns to dry each other off, not saying a word. You know you've killed the mood, but you can't help it. How long are you supposed to be the other woman? After quick showers, you lounge around watching Netflix while Joe answers emails and returns calls. It isn't until dinner that you speak to him.

"I'm sorry. You have every right to be pissed at me. I want to end things with Nicole."

"So, what's stopping you." You cross your arms over your chest, waiting for him to continue.

"I don't know. I really don't know. Nicole'smother died, and I didn't think it would be the right time."

"You choose now to start caring about her feelings. Ha."

"Cheeks, come on. I-"

"You're fucking me. Newsflash, just because you love me doesn't make it okay for you to cheat on her. So this sudden "I don't want to hurt her" play you're putting on is bullshit!"

The waiter puts your food on the table and awkwardly smiles, walking away. Joe rubs his face. He knows what it sounds like. Excuses. But he really doesn't know how to end things with Nicole without things getting messy. Joe reaches out to take your hand, but you snatch it away.

"Baby-"

"I've been caught up with all of it. But I'm tired now, Joey. I'm 25 years old. How long must I keep chasing you and waiting for you to choose me? I want marriage. I want children. I want to be with someone to love me in the light, not in the dark."

"I do love you. I want everything you want. When have I not chosen you?"

"Never. Joe, you have never chosen me. Are you fucking her?"

"Where is this coming from?"

"Joe, are you fucking her? Yes or no. It's a simple question. After you spend all day fucking me, do you return to your girlfriend and fuck her?" Your eyes do not leave Joe's eyes with each burning question. With no response from Joe, you get up and leave the table. He doesn't chase after you nor calls for you. You pack your things and buy a ticket home. Joe walks on the beach for what seems like hours; when he finally returns to the Villa, your luggage sits by the front door.

"We still have a few more days. Don't leave."

"You're fucking her and me. It sounds crazy for me even to say it! I shouldn't be the one hurting because I'm the bad person in this situation. I'm the side bitch."

"Don't talk about yourself like that. You're not. Nothing about you is terrible. It's me. I'm the one in the relationship."

"I wish we could stay here and not have to return to real life, but we can't. You have your life, and I have mine. Maybe we're not meant to be together. It's that simple."

"Cheeks. Please. We have to try and-"

"It's done. I'm tired. Someone is threatening me at this point. Is it all worth it?"

"You're right. You deserve better than me. This person could be unstable, so it's better to let you go than put you in any more danger."

Once again, Joe finds his heart breaking because of you. He didn't think his heart could possibly break anymore. You can't bring yourself to look up at those sad blue eyes, so you walk away first. Joe leaves a day after you, and when he gets home, Nicole books a trip to the Bahamas. As the days pass, you bury yourself in work by picking up shifts at the city hospital.

"You look like you haven't slept in days. You look like shit." Mya says, leaning against the wall.

"I pulled a double at city. I'm going to nap in the on-call room; if needed, page me." You hurry to the room and lie on the bed. Sleep doesn't come, so you scroll Instagram. Nicole added you a few weeks ago, so when her post with Joe pops up, your heart sinks further into your gut. They look so happy and in love. A call from Quinn stops you from gawking at the photo longer.

"I will be in your area tomorrow. Nico had some work in Italy, so I was like, I'm going to spend some time with my best friend in nasty Natti!"

"I'm working doubles all week. I don't know how well I'm going-"

"Joe told Fran, and he told me. I'm coming to cheer you up. No excuses."

"The first breakup sucks, but the second one. Quinn, I'm drowning. I don't understand how I can love someone so much it hurts. I feel like I'm dying. I'm so fucking stuck here. Why am I the only one stuck?"

"I know, baby. I know."

"Can you come in a few weeks? I got back from vacation, so I won't be able to change shifts."

"Of course!"

You hang up and place your phone on the stand. Curling into a ball, you let the tears flow down your face. You can't lay here and cry all day because you're paged to the ED.

"Are you okay? It looks like you've been crying?" Dr. Brian asks, pulling you aside.

"I'm fine. Just tired. Thank you, Brian." You pull away and head to the emergency department. After a long shift, you make your way to city hospital. And after another shift at the children's hospital, you finally go home. You pull Peaches into your lap and stare at the blank tv screen. As promised, Quinn comes to your house to cheer you up. But you can barely get out of bed. Because to keep your mind off of Joe, you've been pulling shift after shift. The bags under your eyes are horrendous. You barely eat, and when you do, it's a random fruit and water. Quinn pulls the blanket off your head and opens the curtains.

"We are not going there. Up! I booked us a spa treatment, and we're going out tonight. It's Friday, and you will not sit here kicking yourself again."

Your throat is sore from crying all night, so you don't respond. Quinn drags you to the shower and forces you in. At the spa, you try to distract yourself with thoughts of relaxing. But it's hard. Joe is consuming your every thought.

"Spill. Let it all out." Quinn pulls her towel down, letting her breast free. You do the same and pout.

"Am I not good enough?"

"For Joe? No. You are better than what he deserves."

"Quinn, Why can't we work out? Why won't he choose me?"

"Men are dumb. You have to walk them right in front of their prize. But at this point, maybe you guys aren't right for each other. Every time you cry over him, I am ready to end my friendship with him. I'm not joking. Watching you wither away when he left the first time crushed me. I don't want to see you like that again. So I will stay with you as long as it takes." She hugs you and kisses your forehead. The rest of the day, you guys catch up. You tell her about the stalker, and she worries for you, but since ending things with Joe, you haven't heard a thing from them.

"You look so good." Quinn grabs your boobs, and you slap her hand away. This would be your first time out in a while. DJ invited you to join him at this club, so you accepted. After picking up Mya, you guys make your way to the club. DJ invites you to the VIP section, and you take a seat catching up with him. He tells you off-season is going pretty well. All the guys can't wait for the season to start.

"I thought you were dodging me for real." He shouts over the music. You sip your drink.

"No. Busy working."

"Right, you're a doctor and shit. That's cool as hell. I admire that about you. A hard-working woman."

"You smile and turn to him, engaging more in the conversation. By the night's end, you've gotten to know DJ more. So, over the next few weeks, you guys hang out and constantly text. When he asks you to the team's pre-season brunch, you're nervous about going, but he assures you Joe won't be there because of a conflict. But Joe finished his interview early and arrived at the brunch with Nicole. You turn around, ready to leave but DJ spots you.

"I thought his interview would be longer. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"It's fine. We have to co-exist. This is god's way of testing me."

DJ gives you a big smile and takes your hand to introduce you to some guys and their girlfriends.

"Omg! Joey! I told you I'm a matchmaker." Nicole squeals, hugging you. You flinch away but quickly recover and hug her back.

"We're just friends, Nicki; relax." DJ corrects her before you can. Joe won't even look at you. His eyes are dead and only trained on DJ. Nicole takes your hands and wants you to meet her group. She introduces you to the girls as if you were a new toy.

"You grew up with Joe? That's cute." Amber pops her gum, staring you up and down. You simply nod your head and look over at the cocktail table. A drink is definitely going to help you in this situation. Your luck only worsens when you are forced to sit with Joe and Nicole at a table. With every kiss and I love you they share your facade cracks. Nicole leaves to use the restroom, and DJ is pulled away by another player, leaving you with Joe.

"Are you sleeping with him?" Joe mumbles across the table. You don't make eye contact with him. You don't even want to acknowledge him. Joe starts tapping his finger on the table.

"Cheeks, are you-"

"That's inappropriate and none of your business."

"How isn't that my business? You're still my best friend." Joe says softly, sitting up in his chair.

"Best friend? You haven't called me all summer."

"You said it was over. You break up with me, and I'm the bad guy now? You left me again."

Don't look at him. Don't cry. You have to remind yourself of these two things.

"Why was I supposed to do? Stand there while you love another. I'm sick, Joe. I don't want half of you; I want all of you." You whisper, trying to keep the conversation low-key. Joe rubs his face out of frustration.

"I said I would end things."

"When? When we're 40?" You grab your purse, ready to make your exit when Joe grabs your wrist.

"Not with DJ. Please. That's all I'm asking. Not with him."

"I'm not your property." You snatch away, leaving Joe sitting at the table with a sour look on his face. DJ catches you as you rush out.

"I'm sorry. Are you okay? Hey, look at me. Joe doesn't deserve you. If he cheats on Nicole, what makes you think he won't do the same to you?"

You wipe your eyes and shake your head. Right now, hearing those words breaks you down further. You're surprised to hear Joe calling your name. He yanks DJ off of you and stands in front of you protectively.

"Fuck off, DJ."

"Or what, pretty boy? Huh. You honestly think I'm afraid of you."

"Stop. what is going on?" You grab Joe's arm pulling him out of DJ's face.

"I'm not going to tell you again." Joe spits with venom laced in his voice. You've never seen him this upset before. You know you have to step in before things escalate, so you stand between them.

"Joe, go back inside. I can handle myself."

"You heard her, chump," DJ adds. Joe moves you out of the way with one hand.

"I'm real fucking sick of you. You think playing mind games with me is the way to go. Play with me if you want." Joe's voice is stern and sharp.

"Go on, pretty boy, do something. You mad because your bitch-"

DJ doesn't get another word out because Joe swings on him. You scream as they start fighting. Tee, Sam, and Ja'Marr are on sight to break things up before it gets out of control. Ja'Marr scoops you up because when you tried to separate them, you got knocked down and skidded your knee. Thankfully, the fight happened away from prying eyes. Ja'Marr sets you down and goes to get a first-aid kit. He returns, trying to dress your wound.

"She's a doctor, idiot. Let her do it." Sam says, laughing. You thank Ja'Marr and begin cleaning the wound. Nicole runs over to find out what happened because although no one else was around for the fight, word of mouth travels fast.

"Joe and DJ are just being assholes. They went to cool off." Ja'Marr speaks up. Nicole marches off to look for Joe. You stand up, and Ja'Marr lifts you again because you are limping.

"Marr, put me down. I'm okay. I want to go to the bathroom to clean up."

He puts you down and watches you walk away. Before you reach the bathroom, Joe pulls you away. You try to snatch away from him, but his grip is tight.

"And that's the guy that you're fucking? He calls you out of your name and-"

"Because you have so much respect for me, Joseph."

"He called you a bitch!"

"I can handle myself!"

Joe starts pacing, running his hand through his hair. His frustration is written all over his face. He finally stops and stands in front of you. Joe's apologetic eyes make you shy away. He reaches out to take your hands.

"I'm sorry for being an asshole. You're right; you can handle yourself and date anyone you want…just not DJ or anyone on my team. The thought of you with any of them sends me into this state. I feel angry at the thought-"

"Now, you know how I feel—seeing you with Nicole. Every day I wake up turning on the tv and seeing her face, knowing I'm sleeping with you. The guilt is eating me alive. I have worked back-to-back shifts just to keep myself from drowning again-"

"I won't let you drown. Ever. I'll save you every single time, Cheeks. I want to be with you. I promise this time." Joe kisses your forehead and then your lips. You excuse yourself and leave the party. DJ calls after you, but you ignore him.

"Hey, come on. I didn't mean to say that."

"You were way out of line. Lose my number."

"Wow. It's like that? Over pretty boy? You really think he will make you wifey? And what if I slip up and tell Nicole." Dj crosses his arms, wearing a big smile. You look around nervously, ensuring no one is in earshot to hear his threat.

"I don't care what you do. If you think I'm going to let a man intimidate me, you chose the wrong one. Try me." You storm off, leaving him dumbfounded. When you arrive home, you sit on the couch for hours staring at the blank tv. You know that letting yourself sulk will only drive you to more misery.

Joe sits down on the bed, rubbing his face. Nicole stands in her walk-in closet, getting undressed. She tells him she got voted in as the president of the field's club, which is basically a glorified booster club for the woman dating or married to football players. They organize funding for local schools, businesses, and afterschool programs. Joe stands up and walks over to the closet. He leans against the door frame watching Nicole take off her jewelry.

"I want to break up," Joe whispers to himself. Nicole turns around.

"Did you say something? And what did you and DJ fight about? I thought you were good friends."

"Nicole, I want to break up. You can keep the apartment and-"

"What? Where is this coming from?"

"Nothing. It's not you; it's-"

"Do not say that bullshit statement! Why are you trying to break up with me? After all these years, you suddenly feel different."

"Nicki, I know you feel it too. It's not the same. It hasn't been the same between us in a long time. I think it would be better to see other people." Joe makes his statement but refuses to meet her crying eyes.

"The cars and apartment-"

"Give me the fucking reason!"

Joe takes a deep breath and moves quickly to hold her. Nicole cries into his chest as he rubs her back.

"I cheated."

"How many times? How many women? Where?"

"There was only one-"

"Once? Joe, we can fix this. You cheated one time; no big deal. We can-"

"No, I cheated multiple times with the same woman."

Nicole freezes as her mind quickly puts together the pieces, and she pulls away.

"Cheeks? You're cheating on me with her. All those fucking nights you said you were with Marr or at your parent's house!"

Joe nods his head. Nicole grabs a heel off the shelf, throwing it at him. She hits his chest and shoves him away. Joe gently grabs her wrists, trying to calm her down.

"She smiled in my fucking face! Was I a joke to you? Where is she now? I'll kill her!"

"Nicki, calm down. She has nothing to do with this. It was me. I stepped out on you. I know nothing in this world could fix this situation, but I did love you. The blame is all on me."

Nicole settles down and wipes her face.

"I knew you were cheating, but why didn't I think your ex-girlfriend and best friend could be the one? It's fine. We will fix this."

"Nicole, I want to break up. There is no fixing this."

"No."

"No?" Joe raises an eyebrow, confused by her words.

"If you think I'm going to let you walk away unscathed, you are fucking dead wrong. You will attend the field club luncheon with me as I accept my position. You will smile and act accordingly. I won't let you break things off and throw me away like I meant nothing. You will never get a happy ending with her as long as I'm alive."

"Nicki, come on. You sound insane right now. What is the point of us-"

"Leave me for her and see what happens. You think I spent years building connections for nothing. Leave me for her, and I will ruin her career faster than you can blink. She will never work in a hospital setting again. I will make sure that not even a run-down clinic will hire her." Nicole crosses her arms, staring Joe into his eyes. Joe shakes his head.

"Nicki, this is crazy. She didn't do anything. If you want to ruin a career, ruin-ruin mine."

"You would actually throw the career you've worked so hard for her? Ha. The funny thing is I believe you. I know you would do it, which is why I will ruin hers. It's much sweeter that way. Do I make myself clear?"

Joe closes his mouth and slowly nods as she rubs his chest.

"Yeah. I get it."

"Good. Pick out your outfit for the luncheon tomorrow. I'm thinking we should match. Cute, right?" She said, holding up her pink pencil skirt. The whole situation completely throws off Joe. After Nicole falls asleep, he sneaks off to call you.

"I'm sorry. Are you at work?" He whispers, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Yeah. I'm working at city hospital tonight. It's pretty slow tonight. Saying that will probably jinks us now."

"I love you. You know that, right?"

You tell your coworker you need to head to the break room. With each step, your heartbeat grows in synch with the twisting in your tummy. For some reason, this feeling of dread is coming over you. Once you reach the room, you take a deep breath.

"I know. I love you too. What's wrong?"

"I'm going to put you first. I know we keep falling out and making up. I want you. I want every inch of you, but I can't have you. I know that now."

"Joe, what are you saying?"

"I'll stay away from you. I'll let you go. You have the right to be with someone that will make you happy."

Your back is against the door as you stare at a poster across the room. Your eyes become blurred with tears.

"Cheeks. Please don't cry. I'm not sure I can handle hearing you cry. I will break." Joe whispers, trying to hold back his tears. You wipe your eyes and sniffle.

"I'm being paged. Goodbye, Joseph."

"Goodbye, Cheeks."

Neither of you hangs up. Joe, listen to your breath as you listen to his. He sighs and closes his eyes.

"Joe? I have to-I have to go."

"Can I come over after your shift?" He asks. You pause, letting the question roll around in your head. Just seconds ago, you two were on the verge of ending everything.

"Yes." You end the call and get back to your shift. The butterflies in your stomach continue to flip and swirl as the clock ticks down on your shift. You rush home to find Joe sitting on your steps. You stare at each other, wondering what the other is thinking.

"Are you coming in?"

"I don't know. I mean-"

"What's going on? First, you called me to end things, then you asked to come over, and now you don't know? I'm confused!"

"I want to be with you, but I can't. And I want to tell you everything, but I can't." Joe closes his eyes with a sigh.

"What can you do? Because from where I'm standing, this thing we have going on is done. Our friendship is ruined. We ruined it." You whisper the last part to yourself. Joe retakes a seat on your steps, and you follow him. Once again, you two let the silence sit between you. You lean your head on his shoulder, and he kisses your head. Joe wants to tell you about Nicole's threats, but he knows you would try to help him out of the situation. He refuses to let you ruin your career because of him; if someone has to suffer, it should be him. Alone.

"Friends?" He asks, bopping your nose with his index finger. You nod your head as he stands up, pulling you.

"Friends…only."

Joe hugs you for a while. Neither of you can let go. Finally, you break up the hug.

"I'll always save you a home ticket." He smiles, making you laugh. You watch him drive off and make your way inside. Inside, you found another envelope with photos of you and Joe from the Maldives trip. Setting them on the counter, you take a breath. Things are finally over with Joe, so hopefully, the stalker leaves you alone.

As weeks pass, you let Joe drift far from your focus. It isn't until your father needs you at one of his youth football games that you meet Joe again. He's there as a guest speaker on behalf of your dad. You stand to the side, watching him give the kids a grand speech. Nicole stands near his mother, watching with a wide grin. Robin sits next to you in the bleachers, with your mother on the other side of you. They talk across you about cooking and school stuff. You try to zone out watching the game until Robin talks about Joe and Nicole.

"I'm worried about Joe. I'm sure he and Nicole are fighting so much these days, but I don't want to be overbearing. You know the boy is so private about his relationships. Can you ask him?" Robin takes your hand and looks into your eyes. Like son like mother. You can never turn down a Burrow who gives you that puppy-eyed look. You give a simple nod. During half-time, Nicole leaves, and you take this time to go to the locker room and wait for Joe. He comes out, and you grab his hand.

"Your mother is worried about you. I know we ended things, but we did agree on a normal friendship. Talk."

Joe sighs and leans on the wall.

"Football stuff. Nothing, Cheeks need to worry about."

"You knew he was lying but decided not to push it. Joe walks away and says nothing to you for the remainder of the game. It's not like he didn't want to talk to you. He's afraid Nicole might take it the wrong way and come through full swing on her threats. Joe hasn't told you, but he hired someone to watch your house. He has convinced himself that the person sending those photos must be Nicole. Joe tries to go on without you. He tries to regain a regular pattern. Hell, he even tries to fall in love with Nicole again, but he can't. She threatened you. There is no way he can love her again. His focus now is getting his ring and moving forward. But he sees you at every family event that your parents throw. He thinks of you before every game. Joe jerks off to you several times a week. He can't focus the way he should focus because his heart is in shambles. It feels like college all over again. Joe let you go thinking it was for the best, but it might have been the worst mistake of his life.

"I'm so fucking in love with her, Fran." Joe stares into his empty glass.

"Nicole? Come on; I don't want to hear about your love life during my birthday! It's bad enough I have to share it with my sister! I called you out to spend the day with me!"

"Cheeks. I let her go twice. Two times I made the same mistake two fucking times. The second time I keep trying to convince myself that I'm protecting her, but I'm not. I'm taking the easy way out. I love this woman with every fiber in me. Not being able to wake up next to her makes me sick."

"Keep going," Fran says, leaning on the counter as his phone dials Quinn. Quinn answers the facetime call annoyed her brother is interrupting her birthday outing with you. He tells her to hush.

"Cheeks is my heart. Not football, not Nicole, not anything. For so fucking long, I've made her feel like she had to be second to everything in my life. But the truth is…She's my number one. I'm in love with her. I want her to be my wife. I want her as the mother of my children. I want to grow old together and knit silly little mittens. I want that life with her. Fran, I fucking love her." Joe finally looks over at the phone. You stand next to Quinn, speechless. Taking the phone from her, you give her a half smile.

"I love you too, Joey."

"I'm sorry for being an idiot. Nicole threatened you, and I thought I could fix it by staying away, but I can't. I can't stay away from you anymore. I'm physically sick."

"Thank god! I could not take the sad love songs from her anymore! We are in the same hotel! Please come get your girl!" Quinn shouts, hanging up. Of course, your best friends set it up this way. They hoped you guys would make up so their birthday dinner wouldn't be awkward. So, the twins booked into the same hotel waiting for things to play out. It only took Joe two mins to show up at the door. Fran and Quinn left to celebrate together while you and Joe did your own celebrating.

"Wait, what do you mean Nicole threatened me? Is she the stalker?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but if I had to guess, I would say it's her. She threatened to get you fired from the hospital. Nicole knows a lot of people. I didn't want that to happen, so I stayed with her. I'm not actually with her by choice."

"Woah. This is insane."

"I won't let her do anything. The season is over now. The title she wanted as the president of the club is done. There should be nothing for her to want from me. It's you and me. It's always been us."

You sit on his lap, looking into his sincere blue eyes. You want to believe everything he says, but your heart worries that this is too good to be true. Joe cups your face in his large hands.

"What's going on in that head of yours?"

"Nothing. I mean. I don't know; I get lost in my own head. I-"

"I'll come find you,"

"Huh?"

"Whenever you get lost in your head, I will always come find you."

And with those words, you kiss him passionately. Joe smiles into the kiss because he is finally allowing himself to feel true happiness again. It had been several long months with Nicole, who had become this leech draining him of any joy. But now, here with you, Joe feels in complete bliss. You yelp, feeling his cock awaken.

"He missed you too." Joe bites down on your bottom lip, making you squeeze your thighs together. Joe snakes his hands down towards your thighs, pushing them apart. He wastes no time taking your panties off and throwing you over his shoulder toward the bedroom, slapping your ass with every step. You giggle once tossed on the bed. Sitting up, you take your dress off and throw it across the room, watching Joe undress. It doesn't take long for Joe to have you folded in half under him, panting, sweaty, and crying out in pleasure.

"Fucking missed this, mama." Joe grunts. You yelp as Joe suddenly stands up with you still in a mating press. Your weak legs dangle over his muscular arms as he fucks you in the air.

"Too much! Joey, 'ss too much." You mumble, throwing your head back. Joe was far too deep and only drove you further into your fucked out state. You were practically drooling. The loud squelching sound your cunt continued to make only made Joe lose his mind as he chased his orgasm. Your back hits the bed once again, and you watch Joe stare down at you as he cums into you again. You smile up and wipe his sweaty hair from his forehead. You bask in the feeling of having Joe's cum sliding out of you. You roll over to kiss his cheek.

"Is that your phone or mine?" Joe asks, hearing the iPhone ringtone. You would get up and look for the phone, but your legs are jello. Joe gets up, looking for the phone. You find the strength to sit up, watching him answer his phone.

"Mom, yeah. I'm good. It's Fran's birthday, so we're in Florida. Yeah, I'll be back on Monday. She what? Uhh okay. Bye." Joe hangs up, putting the phone on the nightstand.

"Let's order in and cuddle. I'm exhausted." You reach out for him, but Joe doesn't take your hand. You sit up on your knees, waiting for him to speak.

"Nicole's pregnant."

"What?" You shake your head in disbelief. You jump off the bed, grabbing your dress.

"Wait-"

"There's no wait! We're done. You can't come back from this! She's having your fucking child! You'll have to marry her and-"

"Cheeks, listen to me. I will find a way to work through this."

"She is not going to get rid of it. You and I both know that. She wants you, Joe. And she won't stop until you are only hers!"

"I'm going to fly home and figure this out. Don't give up. Please." He begs. You sigh and nod your head. You're unsure how things will work, but you trust Joe and let him go home. The following week Joe's texts were scarce, only texting you short answers. Then you get a follow request on IG from CheeksBurrow. You approve and follow up by sending a request back. It was Joe's finsta. You giggle at all the photos he has taken of you off guard. The man was clearly whipped. You watch as Joe proceeds to like all your photos and leave comments on a few. A few mins later, he calls you.

"Y'ou're so obsessed with me."

"Is that a bad thing?" He asks, leaning on the locker.

"Having the hottest QB pining over me…hmm, idk, I might be the luckiest girl in the world."

"I'm the luckiest guy in the world, actually."

"Where are you?" You ask him, staring out your window.

"The gym. Have to start training for next season. That loss to KC is killing me."

"You played-"

"I played like shit."

"I was going to say that." You giggle. You always told him he played well even when he had a shitty game, so Joe knows that was a lie. You smile, watching cars drive by.

"Is she really, umm, pregnant?"

"Yes. She wants to keep it. I told her I'm open to co-parenting, but Nicole is really pushing things. Now that my family knows it will be hard to end things as we wanted."

"I understand, so we are back at square one. I'm still the other girl, and Nicole is your girlfriend."

Joe is quiet again, and so are you. Do you finally give up and let go of your lost love, or do you remain in the backseat again? Your body freezes as you see the same car pass by again, but this time they stop and take a photo. You run outside shouting, but they pull away and hurry around the corner.

"Did you get the plate number?" Joe asks, grabbing his bag and rushing out of the locker room.

"I didn't; it happened so fast. I wasn't thinking. Someone is actually watching me. They took photos of us in the Maldives last year; who knows what else they have? They broke into my house. Joe, what if there are cameras? Oh god. They could have footage of us."

"Calm down, baby. I'm on the way."

"No. Joe, that's what they want us to do. You can't come here, not ever. I'll call you later."

"Baby-" The line cuts off, and Joe angrily hits his car window. Fans are taking photos of him, so he calms and waves, but Joe thinks it could be any of these people. There have been so many incidents where fans become too obsessed. So, he mentally starts taking notes of the fans he sees the most, and he starts paying to their words. When he gets home, he finds Nicole on the couch eating potato chips.

"I know. I hate chips but pregnancy craving, you know!" She gets up and walks over to him. She stands on her tippy toes to try and kiss him, but Joe turns away.

"Are you having someone watch Cheeks and me?"

Nicole's smile falters. She crosses her arms.

"Are you?" Joe asks again. Nicole starts laughing and walks away, leaving Joe standing there with more questions than answers.

A/N: Here we are, chapter 3! I hope this chapter was okay! Sorry, this took a little longer life is pretty busy! What do you guys think about Nicole? Who do you think the stalker is? Would you stay with a guy who has a baby on the way? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Z! :)

Tags: Tags: @joselyn001 @savii999 @lostaurorax @simpgirl-lat @edenhess @blinkloverx3 @dboanalooaa @nm112495 @mhm-ok-sure @katiehud @blu3jeanbaby @mrosales16 @wineauntharry @Cosmolover96 @loviingjihyo @hrlzy @spideybrina @dessxoxsworld

[panelshowsource]

Who would you like to see on BFQOTY that has never made an appearance before?

okay i always take these kinds of asks too seriously but pls bare with me!!

when it comes to panel shows there is a spectrum of preparation: on the far left is a show like mock the week, where literally everything apart from a very smol amount of relevant banter is pre-prepared by the panel (they're given the news stories & scenes we'd like to see ahead of time, the standup categories are chosen around their pre-written bits, and so on); and on the other end of that spectrum is a show like big fat quiz, where the only thing you really prepare is potentially a team name. so — to answer this question i'm thinking about people who are very willing and very good at joining in, people who will comfortably banter with jimmy, people who don't always wait their turn to speak (which works better on a show like, say, 8 out of 10 cats). obviously jimmy throws to each team whilst the teams' answers are being revealed, but for the show to really succeed you need a lot more chat and goofing around and camaraderie than that — so who are some of these confident, friendly, funny people?

well let's get this out of the way we need victoria on bfq right? it helps a lot she's irl pals with jimmy so their dynamic is very comfy and she would probably have so much to say about the news or even admonishing the amount of tiktok-related questions LMAO it's great to imagine her with david but also what about team victoria and lee mack?? THE PEOPLE NEED TO SEE IT

nicola coughlan, graham norton, alan cumming, catherine tate (omg catherine and lee...please GOD...), huge davies, get me a doctor let's go jodie whittaker baybay or our man ncuti, would love to see some drag queens like miss lawrence chaney and the viv of course but there are sooo many amazing uk drag stars, kathy burke, ed gamble, morgana robinson, maggie aderin-pocock

get me my man. joe wilkinson. put him with roisin and one white onion

fuck it go big or go home: jennifer saunders and joanna lumley, fry and laurie(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), tennant and sheen (or tennant and tennant frankly georgia ily), the mighty boosh???

wildcard answer jordan north and william hanson? is that just me? i know jordan has done celeb juice a few times and he was great but i also know in my soul william would be fucking good on a panel show, and their friendship is too sweet

cheating but i'd love to see guz khan back on but with a different partner? i fockin love sarah but strategically speaking for lulz imo that year i think it should have ben judi & guz and sarah & jonathan. i understand wanting to change it up and give us new kinds of teams but i don't think those were the people to do it with. also bring back charlie brooker i have charlie brooker withdrawals........ (charlie on wilty in a couple weeks!!! ahhh!!!)

i'd love to see so many people!!! okay i am done with the longest response ever (do you guys ever read these like 'girl just answer the question')! what about you?? who do you want?

[kellyvela]

Hello! I didn't fully understand what was going on, but one thing is for sure, I hate joe. As far as I understood, on January 11, they completed the custody case, but the divorce was suspended and was supposed to resume when the guardianship was completed, this did not happen, and that is why Sophie's lawyers are now asking for the reopening of the divorce. Is it that joe is deliberately delaying the divorce? And will we learn the details of custody? Although it is so obvious that a larger percentage of Sophie and her children live with her in England, still wanted to know this for sure. And interesting article:

https://www.etonline.com/sophie-turner-and-joe-jonas-divorce-case-reopened-in-miami-a-timeline-of-their-split-211872 I didn't know some things before that.

joe is so horrible, he cheated on her twice, first when he refused to move to UK, and the second time with some 20 year old girl. And I also like that Sophie and her lawyers have documents and letters and everything has dates and facts, while joe has only empty words. And there is also confirmation that the children lived with Sophie in UK and only at the end of July they decided that the children would go with joe, which again confirms the position of Sophie, not joe. I hope you can explain more about their affairs to me now. And I'm glad that soon all the horror with joe will end and Sophie will live peacefully with her children in England. And I hope that justice and karma will punish joe and even his fans will see what a piece of shit and a rat he is.

Hello, anon!

What I really hated was the shady and misleading tmz headline, they implied that Sophie said that the negotiation collapses so she requested the Miami judge to rule the divorce and decide the custody. But I think this is wrong.

I believe the rat was thinking about filling divorce for a long time, that's why he convinced Sophie to let the girls come back to US with him while she was very busy filming Joan.

So, having the girls with him in the US, the first days of September, the rat leaked rumors that he was looking for divorce lawyers in LA (California) area, but few days later he filled divorce in Miami (Florida). In the end, despite leaking LA rumors, he chose Miami, a red state, that favored fathers in custody battles, this is what a lot of people told me so far. So, this was an evident legal strategy, designed by lawyers, to take advantage over the other part.

And at that point, the PR strategy also started, with him implying Sophie was a bad mother, always patying and drinking while he was basically a single dad caring for the girls alone all the time. And this is the reason why I call him a 🐀

But it was evident that the rat lied to the Miami court by saying the girls and him were Miami residents for the past six months, because the girls were living in England most of the year. Sophie was very detailed when she filled her lawsuit to the New York Federal court.

Indeed, Sophie was right when she filled an international lawsuit to the New York Federal court, claiming that the girls main residence was England, so the custody should be determined or approved by a UK court. The New York Federal court then ordered the Miami State court to stop the case regarding the custody of the girls.

The New York court also ordered the parties to start mediation and during the mediation they stablished a temporary custody agreement and decided to bring the case (custody) to a UK court.

So, since the custody was out of its jurisdiction, the Miami court approved an abatement, which is basically a suspension of the divorce case, until they reached a permanent custody agreement.

So, I think they already reached a permanent custody agreement in the UK court, which was approved on January 11, 2024, and that's why Sophie dropped the international lawsuit at the New York court, and requested to the Miami court to "reactivate" the divorce case on January 14, 2024, but this was only recently made public.

We don't know the details of the permanent custody agreement. But I hope she has primary custody, and the rat has visitation rights.

Things are really coming to an end, anon. I bet there are basically just a few details left to be determined, or at least I hope I'm right.

This is what I think is happening. But the press love the click bait . . . .

Again, I hope I'm right!

[non-un-topo]

11, 18, 21, 24, for Nicoletto

Hellooo, thank you! My boy... <3

11. Would you date this character?

Honestly, I would not. Even in some alternate universe where he's not with Joe, it would still feel like cheating lol. Plus, he's Catholic (I kid -- kinda). I would steal his gender, though.

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

In canon, I really like his dynamic with Andy, and I'd love to see more of it. There's something about the way he calls her by her name when the others mostly call her "boss," and how Andy hugs him in the beginning. There are definitely no favourites, I just think each of the members of the guard have their own different dynamics, and Andy and Nicky make me feel both soft and insane. I feel like, while Booker is on Andy's level of grief and self-medicating, Nicky can challenge her. We don't get much about Andy and Joe's dynamic in canon, but I wish we did! Other than that, y'all know I'm a Nicky & Booker brothers advocate. I've written a good chunk of the tag on AO3 lol, and I will not stop.

21. If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

My absolute favourite thing to write with Nicky is horror and philosophy. Kind of everything that falls under that umbrella, like body horror, existentialism, weird dream-like stories, survival horror, ghost metaphors, etc. I can't explain why I feel like it matches him so well, but there's something about it. Maybe because he's a very philosophical and vaguely ominous guy. I also love comparing him to an animal, but not necessarily in the "go berserk" way. Something I don't like, hmm... Even though I have, I don't really enjoy writing about him in the Crusades era, mostly because it's such a delicate topic and there are too many fandom interpretations of him from this time I just don't vibe with. Medieval Nicky is kind of my forte, but I tend to write him a few hundred years in.

24. What other character from another fandom of yours that reminds you of them?

This is a fun question because I didn't expect to be so stumped! I used to say, like, Garrett from Quest for Camelot ASDFGHFDS even though I can't really explain it, but I was writing my mystery series where Nicky always had long hair at the time okay. I guess, because I'm on an FMA kick right now, Alphonse maybe. Something about the brave heart, always wanting to do good and help people. But I think Alphonse is a lot sweeter than Nicky most of the time. Like, he wouldn't kill a room full of people like Nicky would lol. He is also a child. I don't have a lot of fandoms, as you can see.

Character ask game

[glittter-vamp]

CHAPTER 6

Joe Burrow x Bisexual OC.

Warnings: Angsty. Mentions of homophobia.

Word Count: 3.1k

Driving to Joe's felt like the longest drive in the entire world for Val, despite it being only a 15 minute drive. She had no clue what she was going to say to him, her emotions were all over the place. They both fucked up and hurt one another. She knew she had to mentally and emotionally prepare for the worst. Its been two days since all of this and even though Joe immediately wanted too see Val, she just wasn't ready to face things so they decided to give some time to each other before taking to one another and gather their thoughts.

Val pulled up to the familiar house and took a deep breath before shutting the engine of her car off and getting out of it. Usually she would use her key to let herself in but after everything, she felt weird to do so, so she just rang the doorbell instead. She waited nervously at the door for a moment before the door opens revealing Joe. He looked as sleepless as she felt, in his infamous colorful sweats he always wore.

"You could of used your key." Joe gives Val a small smile.

"Would of felt weird at the moment." She awkwardly shrugs as Joe lets her in the house.

"I uh...do you want something to drink?" Joe asks, Val could tell he was nervous about the conversation that needed to take place.

"I'm fine, we should just talk about everything and rip it off like a bandaid at this point." Val shakes her head.

"I...don't even know where to start here. I fucked up badly and I know you must hate me for it." Joe shakes his head running his fingers through his hair.

"Well I wasn't innocent either here and I don't hate you." Val sighs the conversation starting already in a manner that she didn't like.

"Yeah but you wouldn't have done what you did if I wasn't such a piece of shit." Joe shakes his head with regret written all over his face.

"I didn't know about the model until the morning after Joe, I got too drunk and let Summer dance like that with me." Val admits.

"So, you didn't get with her out of spite because of what I did?" Joe asks and Valeria shakes her head no.

"I bumped into Summer at the club, after we went back to my place, I guess we made out and I passed out before anything else happened. I then woke up the next morning in bed with her... mostly naked, freaked out but Summer told me that we didn't have sex and that's when I found out about you and the model leaving the club together in Miami." Val bites her lip.

"Do you have feelings for her?" Joe asks which caught her off completely guard. She didn't think that would be the next thing to come out of his mouth.

"No! Of course not?! Joe...why would I have feelings for her when I haven't seen her in years and I'm in love with you?" Val scoffs annoyed that he would ask that.

"I'm just trying to understand what's happening to us." Joe sighs shaking his head.

"I...think we might have move on from each other." Val bites her lip not even wanting to admit that herself, but she knew Joe wouldn't make this type of move.

"No." Joe says sternly crossing his arms and Val snorts sarcastically.

"No? What do you mean no? Joe, our relationship has gone no where these past few years and then all of a sudden it just plummeted because we both cheated!? So no isn't really an option." Val scoffs not believing that Joe would straight out just say no the way he did.

"It's not that bad! We can still fix this, You didn't even sleep with Summer and I...technically didn't really sleep with Sofia..." He says making Valeria confused hearing the last part.

"What does that even mean and don't piss me off, just be honest" Val rolls her eyes at Joe.

"She left my hotel room pissed cause...I couldn't... perform." Joe says embarrassed which almost made Val laugh but she managed to keep her cool.

"So, having erectile disfunction is the only reason why you didn't fuck her? That's not making me me feel any better cause the only reason you didn't fuck her was because you had limp dick & not because you didn't want to." Val snorts shaking her head in disbelief on what she was currently hearing. She couldn't believe this conversation right now.

"I couldn't have sex with her because I was thinking of you! You know I've never had that issue with you in bed but I just couldn't stop thinking of you. I know I was making a huge mistake and my anger towards myself was driving me to do what I was intending! " Joe snaps back clearly getting angry now at Val's reaction to what he was saying.

"You were thinking of me so much & mad at yourself that you brought a famous drop dead gorgeous model back to your hotel your room to fuck her. Thank you so much, that's exactly what every girl just dreams of!" Val says sarcastically.

"Val...I'm trying here. I'm being as honest and transparent as I can. We both fucked up, and I truly believe we can still work on this, we love each other to much not to." Joe practically pleads.

"Work on what Joe? Before this whole cheating thing, we both didn't talk to each other for 10 days and before that--our relationship was basically us being each others booty call cause we live separately and hang out in public once every 4 months to keep the 'we're just friends' narrative going...what could we do to fix this at this point? We've both have been on different pages this whole time on our relationship...what is there to fix or work on?" Val says exhaustedly, she was tired of repeating herself to Joe and reminding him of how fucked yo their relationship truly was.

"So that's it, you're going to just throw all these years together away? Just like that?" Joe scoffs which annoyed Val.

"I think we owe it to ourselves to put ourselves first right now. We both need time and to figure things out." She shakes her head.

"So you want a break?" Joe sighs.

"It seems right, we need to think about what we want and come back." Val nods.

"What if we end up wanting different things? Or you simply want to break up for good and I don't?" Joe asks.

"I don't think either of us deserve to be in a relationship where either one is in it for the wrong reasons Joe." Val sniffles feeling the emotions start to her. They both look at each other with sad heartbroken looks but Joe nods in agreement.

"Do you...want your apartment key back?" He says holding his emotions in as best as he could.

"We can deal with that later unless you want yours--No. It's okay, I'm...not ready for that. I can only handle so much right now..." Joe stops her as Val reaches for his house key on her keys.

"Well if you want it back, just uh, let me know." Val nods.

"Can I still...text you from time to time? I really hated not talking to you everyday and want to at least make sure you're alive and stuff." Joe asks seeming nervous to even ask the question.

"Sure, I don't mind." Val nods as they stand there awkwardly for a moment looking at each other and seeing each other trying not to break down in this moment.

"I should...get going." Val nods knowing Joe wouldn't dare ask her to leave.

"Wait um...does this mean we're suppose to be dating other people? I just ask cause I don't want to be surprised like I was this past weekend with what I saw online." Joe says. It was a valid question so Val couldn't even be mad at it.

"If that's what you feel like you need to do...go for it." Val shrugs pretending saying those words weren't hurting her.

"I'm not planning on it." Joe says but Val doesn't buy it. At the end of the day he's a famous football player with the looks and body of a god, a break means free game. She knew Joe was going to take advantage one way or another. Val just nods not commenting on what he said and she heads for the front door, Joe following behind.

"I'm real sorry Val. I still love you & whatever you need, I'll be here." Joe sighs once she opens the door and steps out.

"Me too."

**********************************

A Few Days Later:

Val was at her store a few hours before regular hours because Kade and Elsa wanted to brainstorm some ideas with her. She got them their coffee orders & some bagels before coming in, trying to care for her employees with even the little things. They stood at the front register talking a bit about personal stuff a little bit before they started on the store conversations.

"Okay, so can we start with the idea's now?" Elsa smiles excitedly.

"Yes! Please." Val nods in agreement.

"Okay, so...I'm not trying to over step here or disrespect you at all but... I think you should use what happened in the tabloids this past weekend, to your own advantage." Elsa says confidently. Val raises an eyebrow at her wondering where she was going with this.

"Pride month is next month, two and a half weeks away exactly and though we always have a section with all of the proceeds donated to LGBTQIA+ causes on certain items...this is now officially a LGBTQIA+ owned business and you should market to the community and go all out for Pride month." Kade suggests.

"How would we get merchandise orders in time, other than what we ordered a few months ago for Pride? Two weeks isn't nearly enough time and before you'll know it the month will be over." Val shakes her head before sipping her coffee.

"I made a few calls and if you tell me by noon today...all this will be here by today, next week. Kade helped me with the budget, it's doable and you'd make record profit if you jump on that attention wave you're receiving right now. Online orders will boom!" Elsa smirks showing Val all the Pride items printed out on a few pieces of paper.

"This would also mean breaking donation records." Kade nods adding his two cents. Val looks over everything they had both gotten together, it had seemed like they had both done their homework on this in the short period they had.

"Fuck it. Might as well!" Val agrees making Kade and Elsa high five each other.

"Great! Next year we can talk designing actual pieces for pride but for now this is a great way to use something bad to your advantage and get some good out of it." Elsa smiles.

"We do however... need to be prepared for any Karen's or Ken's, I've deleted a lot of mean comments on our store instagram page." Kade reminds everyone. That part made Valeria nervous a bit, she was still getting very homophobic hate comments from people, all to which don't even follow her and never had. It was tough to see but she was blocking people like crazy and limiting comments on most posts especially on the store ones. Her group of friends were also not holding back with defending her which she appreciated. They talk a bit more about the Pride collection and how the display should now work with the extra stuff that will be ordered along with marketing strategies on social media.

The day then goes on and since Dani was out for the week Val had her hands full with restocking and cleaning around the store while Kade stayed on the register and Elsa did shipment orders in the back. Val didn't mind though, she was happy that she had something to try and keep her mind busy and off Joe, though it wasn't working like she wanted too. She hadn't talked to him since she went to his house to talk about the dumpster fire that was their relationship. She still had mixed feelings about everything, she adored Joe & cared for him in ways she couldn't even describe but they both cheated on one another. She also couldn't leave out the fact that she spent years hiding the fact that Joe was her boyfriend and him doing the same to her. As much as she loved Joe, she knew she couldn't do that for however many more years. Val gets pulled out from her thoughts when she hears Kade call for her and she turns around to see two very unexpected guests in her store at the moment.

"Hey...what are you two doing here?" Val asks awkwardly at the two men in front of her.

"Uh, just wanted to know if you've heard anything from Joe. We've been trying to reach him cause he hasn't made it to last practices and that's not really like him. Even if they're not mandatory. We decided to see if you could help us out here." Ja'Marr says.

"Yeah, we know you two are really close friends so we thought you might of heard something or known something." Tee says awkwardly making Val snort. Ja'Marr and Tee both knew about you and Joe. They were the only guys on the team other than the head coach that did so seeing Tee trying to make it not obvious was quite funny.

"I uh, I'm sorry but can't help you here boys. Maybe he's in Athens or feeling under the weather lately, I haven't talked to him in a few days myself. I know just as much as you do. " Val shrugs trying to play it as cool as she could but Ja'Marr eyes her suspiciously.

"Y'all break up?' He blurts out and Tee sucks his teeth in annoyance smacking him in the arm. They both look around and notice that thankfully no one was around to hear what he just said.

"We might be...going through some troubles but I still don't know where he is. It's been days since I've last heard of him. " Val shakes her head telling them the truth.

"Are you doing alright though? We saw... the thing on TMZ, you good?" Tee asks.

"Yeah, for the most part. But uh, I should really get back to this, I have lost to do afterwards. I hope you guys are able to track him down though, he shouldn't be ignoring you like that." Val says pushing a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I'll uh, see you later." Ja'Marr nods.

"Thanks anyway." Tee smiles.

They both say goodbye to Val and walk out of the store. Val lets out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding in and then took another deep breath getting back to her work, pushing whatever just happened out of her mind. Though she tried hard, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Joe. He never was the type to mope around, miss practice and ignore his teammates due to personal life troubles. Val fought her own thoughts on reaching out to him, they agreed on being on a break and giving each other space. She also thought about what if he actually just used the guys too spy on her & see how she was doing. They were acting a bit odd but she knew overall she had to just leave it alone and focus on her.

**************** It was late in the evening now and Val was making herself some dinner. Shrimp Alfredo to be exact. As she was adding the sauce to the noodles & shrimp there was a random knock on her door. She checked the time on her Apple Watch and it was too late for anyone to be delivering packages so she walked to her door checked the peep hole wondering who it could be. She was very shocked to see it was Summer. She opens the door and Summer immediately greets her with a warm smile. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. Pink Roses to be exact.

"Hey! I hope you don't mind me dropping by like this... I uh, wanted to talk to you." Summer bites her hip.

"Uh, yeah sure come in. Sorry if it smells like food, I'm making dinner at the moment." Val says letting her in.

"Smells great actually!" Summer smiles.

"Thanks, I'm making shrimp Alfredo if you want some! There's plenty, I always over make food for myself." Val nods going back to her stove and mixing it up to make sure all the sauce was spread out evenly.

"I could eat!" Summer nods.

"It'll be ready in a few." Val smiles.

"Great! Um, I wanted to come by and apologize for the way I acted the day after we went to the club & how I acted in the store that day in front of you and Joe. I wouldn't have done any of that if I knew you weren't a single woman." Summer says handing you the beautiful flowers which made you blush.

"Well, I appreciate that a lot but it's really not your fault. I fucked up and wasn't honest but these flowers are so amazing. Thank you." Val gives her a warm smile and she then smells the flowers before making room for them on her breakfast bar.

"I hope things are okay between you two now... I know he probably doesn't like me very much after that video." Summer chuckles awkwardly.

"Um, we're sort of... taking a break at the moment. He wasn't so faithful either and our relationship hasn't ever been perfect. So we're both taking time away from each other to figure things out." Val nods.

"Oh.. I'm sorry to hear that." Summer responds giving Val a reassuring smile.

"Thanks. But uh, why don't you go sit down. I'll make you a plate." Val smiles.

"I wish I would of known you were cooking, I would of brought dessert... or wine." Summer says taking a seat at the dinner table.

"I have cookies and cream ice cream in the freezer & also a bottle of white or red, choose your poison." Val respond back as she gets some plates out from the cupboard.

"Definitely the red & we can never go wrong with cookies cream." Summer smirks.

A/N: Joe and Val have a Ross Geller and Rachel Green moment happening, how do you think this is gonna go for them?